Beauty Closet Confidential

Heather Duchowny, Director of Marketing, BCBGeneration, Los Angeles

I got into beauty PR in college – I still wasn’t sure what I wanted to do and saw a posting for an intern in the PR department at Kiehl’s; I thought to myself ‘I love Kiehls, I’ll try that.’ I worked for a few of the top beauty PR agencies in NYC after I finished college, I got to work with a great roster of clients including: Shu Uemura Art of Hair, SK-II, Urban Decay and Sally Hershberger. I then transitioned more into the Marketing side of things working at Nylon for a couple of years. I’m now Director of Marketing for BCBGeneration. Here are some of my forever beauty loves.  These babies won’t let you down.

Clé de Peau Concealer

Super Moisturizing, blends perfectly, conceals everything. Never settles into fine lines or wrinkles. I primarily use this under my eye to cover dark circles, but it can also be used to cover up blemishes, etc. Another beauty PR friend of mine used to rep this brand and sent me a sample to try out. I’ve been hooked ever since – worth every penny!

Sally Hershberger Glam Waves Texture Spray

Helps create natural, loose waves and texture in the hair w/o drying it out. It also has a hint of oil to avoid that “crunchy” feeling in some texturizers – i love it because my hair dries sleek and smells like the beach. Usually I just spray this in my hair after I towel dry it and let it air dry naturally. or sometimes if I want a more defined wave I’ll twist into two small buns or braids. I discovered this product when I helped Sally launch her product line – this was one of the first products she ever made and it was an instant best-seller and editor favorite.

SK-II Facial Treatment Cleaning Oil

This product is not only an amazing skin cleanser, but also makes a great eye makeup remover. You smooth it on dry skin and massage it in then add a bit of water. the cleanser emulsifies to a light, white foam texture then rinses off. I love this because your skin feels clean and so fresh without ever feeling dry or stripped. If using as a makeup remover, just put on a cotton ball and smooth over eyes – makeup melts right off and rinses away…my eyes are super sensitive, so having a makeup remover that doesn’t irritate them and doesn’t need me to pull/tug/wipe at my eyes a million times is key. I discovered this one while doing pr for SK-II and it quickly became my favorite product in the line up.

Jouer Luminizing Tinted Moisturizer

This is a brand I discovered while working at my first full-time beauty PR job – it was one of the many amazing brands we repped. I love their tinted moisturizer because I am not a morning person and need the shortest, easiest morning routine possible. Most mornings i just throw this on and go. It perfectly evens out my skin and is buildable, so if I am in need of a little extra coverage one morning, I just add another layer. It’s always very natural-looking, no matter how much you apply, and it has SPF 20 built in, so it helps me skip a step since leaving the house without SPF is never OK.

Clarins Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil

A friend of mine from my former beauty PR days now works for Clarins and it is pretty much the best hook up ever. They have so many amazing products. Their Blue Orchid Face Oil is my daily go-to moisturizer – it just makes your skin look healthy and glowy. Its perfect for combination skin – it always manages to rebalance it somehow, making dry spots feel dewy without leaving the rest of your skin too oily. This product saved my skin during harsh winter months when I lived in NYC but it’s still just as useful now that I’m living in LA – I use it more sparingly now.

Weleda – Everon Lip Balm

Hands down the best, no nonsense lip balm around. Instantly soothes chapped lips and helps them heal. It’s not sticky or shiny or anything other than moisturizing and I love the natural smell of beeswax and rose. I found this one while working on the brand about 6 years ago and have since bought one for every purse I own, by the bed, the bathroom, etc… http://usa.weleda.com/our-products/shop/everon-lip-balm.aspx

Davines Alchemic Conditioner, Red

Faux redheads will understand the struggle to keep your color vibrant in between visits to your colorist. I keep my color bright and shiny with weekly treatments of this color depositing conditioner by Davines – leave it on for 5 minutes then rinse; it’s a hair mask and a color-brightener in one. Davines is another brand I discovered at my first ever beauty PR job – they have amazing products and gorgeous packaging.

Photography by Winnie Au

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