Stick drive

An ode to the makeup—

and, now, skincare— products that make it easy. I’VE LONG BEEN a fan of makeup products that come in stick form, primarily because they lend themselves to the natural-looking application I’ve watched acclaimed makeup artists employ backstage for years. At Proenza Schouler’s spring/summer 2019 show, Lisa Eldridge compared her skin-perfecting method to restoring a Renaissance painting. “It actually takes longer than just slapping on a base, because you’re really thinking about the skin,” she said of her technique, which requires tiny eyeliner brushes to dot on concealer. But who has the time? Certainly not model and bareminerals ambassador Hailey Bieber, who, when not barefaced (which is her preference), likes Complexion Rescue, the hydrating new foundation-in-a-stick, for its buildable coverage. “It’s a good in-between if I want to have a little on my face but not too much,” she tells me. Makeup sticks also tend to have creamy formulas, which make for easy blending. (The Pixi by Petra Endless Shade Stick is the most forgiving eyeshadow I’ve ever tried.) Skincare in a stick is practical (no mess), but it’s also beneficial: Olay Clay Stick Masks are packed with glycerine to keep them from drying out but also to keep skin hydrated. “You don’t want to draw the oils out of your skin,” says Dr. Frauke Neuser, Olay principal scientist. “[With this], you don’t get that concrete face.”