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Finally, a brand that cares enough to make products I don’t want to hide when making another sad attempt at a #shelfie. Those of us who hoard products and/or use a lot of stuff every day are guilty of wanting to flex for the ‘Gram. It’s a phenomenon I’ve quit trying to fully understand and embraced instead, which makes Wondergloss an automatic fave. As someone whose job is to keep up with the good, bad, and ugly of product launches, I’ve found that more often than not, the brands with the pretty packaging are ridiculously expensive or hard to find because there aren’t enough people talking about it (yet).
Wondergloss basically checks all of the boxes. The prices are somewhere between modest and “I’ll buy this when I have the funds to treat myself.” The products are made with naturally-derived ingredients. (Fun fact: Wondergloss is bunny-certified too.) Plus, the packaging was actually designed with your iPhone camera in mind, thanks to brand founder Courtney Dailey Croll, who just so happens to be a beauty photographer, too.
“Being a product and makeup photographer, it’s quite often that I’m doing swatches and things are just exploding everywhere,” she recently told StyleCaster. “I’d go wash my hands with balms and cleansing oils and nothing would get it off.” Naturally, she figured it was time to create a solution all her own, which lead to the creation of Makeup Assassin, an oil-based balm that literally murders your makeup and has become my new go-to. Once Croll told me it took two seconds to use after a Vegas night out in crazy makeup she didn’t feel like taking off, I was sold.
Giphy.
Besides the fact that a little dollop goes a long way and it doesn’t make my eyes burn (safe for lashes people!), I kind of love that it’s pink; a totally unnecessary, but fun asset that makes the whole thing feel like less of a chore.
Nikki Brown.
“For me, it’s all about the experience. When people get this product and squeeze it, they literally go, ‘ah, it’s pink!’ The lab was like, ‘why are you tinting it?,’” said Croll. “And I’m like, it’s because it’s about the experience. You expect to see white. People send me their products and they’re all white and I’ll smear them all together and it’s boring. Give me color!”
Before and After Makeup Assassin.
The rest of the product range is just as fun and effective, but in different ways. For instance, there are face “apertifs” because let’s face it: “face mist” sounds boring. The scents were also sourced from the actual ingredients; a process Croll definitely took her time with.
“I think the fragrance should smell like the actual thing. So for the rose, we sourced from around 20 different roses. Most rose smells like Grandma or like Coachella,” she said. “I just want to smell like roses in my backyard. Same thing with jasmine. Most jasmine smells like incense, so I’d go cut the jasmine in my front yard, soak it, make a hydrosol and say, ‘how do I find this?’ I like to have options.”
There’s also the This Is Everything Facial Oil that I’m slowly using more and more because it’s non-greasy and doesn’t sit on top of my skin. It just soaks right in so I can jump right into my makeup application afterward. “With some oils,” says Croll, “you have to put it on and brush your teeth while you wait. And you have to be careful because a lot of oils will oxidize your makeup. Having a little neroli makes it feel like a treat and seabuckthorn oil gives the glow without being self-tanner-ish.”
As for taking pictures of everything–because that’s what matters, right?–having a cute background is key, along with color coordination. “Often with shelfies, if there’s a mirror, you’re getting a horrible background. Try to get a beautiful shower curtain or something, so when you close it, you can see it reflecting in the mirror,” suggests Croll. “Even if it’s a towel, it’ll give you a better backdrop behind all the products. You can also buy replacement shelves that are the glass ones versus the plastic. It gives your cabinets a more high-end feel.”
Take a closer look at each product below and shop the entire range on Wondergloss’ recently-launched website.
Wondergloss.
Face Apertif (Rose or Jasmine)
Doesn’t “Apertif” just make you feel fancy and fabulous?! Croll crafted bottles with a heavy glass bottom since it photographs so well. The formula is a soothing and hydrating blend of hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and aloe vera.
“I’ll spritz it on my makeup brush or beautyblender and put on my foundation and concealer with that instead of water,” says Croll. “Because it has all these hydrating ingredients, it gives your makeup a dewier finish.”
$25-$40 at Wondergloss
Wondergloss.
Pumpkin Latte Masque
Just in time for the holiday season, this deliciously-scented face mask is an 8 percent glycolic acid formula that will gently exfoliate your skin and promote a smoother texture over time.
$50 at Wondergloss
Wondergloss.
Makeup Assassin
Like I said before, this gel-oil balm simply murders the competition. If you’re lazy when it comes to makeup removal, all you need is a dollop of this on the face and a quick rinse. Personally, I recommend cleansing again after, but on those nights when you just can’t be bothered, this still gets the job done so you don’t have to worry about dry, flaky skin while you sleep.
$29 at Wondergloss
Wondergloss.
This is Everything Beauty Oil
I am absolutely obsessed with the natural scent of this multitasking oil, which I’ve blended with my foundation and worn alone. Either way, it dries down fast and won’t leave you looking greasy.
$65 at Wondergloss
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