Swifties, this one’s for you. It seems like Taylor Swift's Eras Tour has lasted eons. Yet somehow, there’s always something to talk about. Just thinking about how much she’s accomplished while on tour makes me want to buckle down, lock in, and channel my inner girlboss. But while I can’t even be bothered to cook dinner at home after a long day of work, Taylor is accomplishing milestones most musicians can only dream of. Let’s recap.
The Era’s Tour began in March 2023 with its North American leg. It’s set to go until December 2024, with dates in Europe, Australia, Asia, and South America— spanning 152 shows across five continents.
As the queen of multitasking, Swift hasn’t stopped at just selling out stadiums. Since the Eras tour began, she’s released multiple albums — both new and old — and shaken up the tour setlist with each new release. Her list of new releases started on the first day of tour with “All Of The Girls You Loved Before,” which was quickly followed up by “The Alcott,” a feature on The National’s album — reciprocity for their work on her pandemic era albums, Folklore and Evermore.
She also released Midnights: Late Night Edition (including the iconic collab with Ice Spice), as well as not one but two album re-releases — Speak Now Taylor's Version and 1989 Taylor's Version. As if that wasn’t enough, she announced her latest album, The Tortured Poet’s Department, in a GRAMMY’s acceptance speech. Talk about legendary. Since its release, she’s also been churning out deluxe versions and remixes to keep us on our toes. The Eras Tour was even made into a Blockbuster film that brought Beyonce to its premiere. Star power: confirmed.
But that’s just her work life. Her personal life is just as eventful. She ended her 7-year relationship with Joe Alwyn in April 2023. Then entered into a brief but controversial fling with 1975 frontman Matty Healy. Though it didn’t last long, the relationship was enough to inspire a whole album and catapult her into her current romance with Travis Kelce, aka Amerca’s first nepo boyfriend. Now they’re the American Royal couple — and she somehow had time to fly from tour to his Super Bowl performance.
We all have the same hours in the day as Taylor Swift, but how she uses them will always be a mystery to me. I work eight hours a day and can barely manage a social life. Meanwhile, Taylor literally has it all — though conservatives are turning on her for daring to be a woman in her 30s who’s not married with kids. If that’s not proof that women can’t do anything right, I don’t know what is.
Clearly, she’s working late because she’s a singer. No wonder Taylor Swift became a billionaire months into her tour in October 2023. Her net worth is currently around 1.3 billion dollars, making her the only female musician to become a billionaire from her music.
Other entertainment billionaires like Rihanna, Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Jay-Z, and Kanye West have joined the three-comma club thanks to ventures like clothing brands, beauty products, and other entrepreneurial pursuits. Rihanna has her FENTY Empire. Kim has her award-winning SKIMS. Ye had Yeezy. But Taylor has an unbeatable catalog of publishing.
But Taylor isn’t just different from other Billionaires because of how she earned her money. She’s the Taylor we know and love because of how she spends it. Her rollercoaster Eras Tour is how she’s made much of her fortune. And she’s using it to give back in monumental degrees. From individual donations to investing in local infrastructure, Taylor is literally changing lives on a macro and micro scale. And teaching us what to expect from all billionaires in the process.
The Era’s Tour Bonuses — Talk About Workplace Benefits
First to make headlines were the Eras Tour crew bonuses. While some of us get rewarded with a pizza party or a $10 gift card to Starbucks, Taylor casually dropped $55 million in bonuses for her tour crew. The massive sum was paid out to everyone who makes the Eras Tour go around, from truck drivers to dancers and sound technicians.
In fairness, these bonuses are definitely well-deserved. Taylor’s shows are over three hours long. Imagine dancing for that long — because Swift certainly isn’t the one with the impressive moves — for hundreds of tour dates. Or remembering countless combinations of light cues to go with a setlist that changes daily. Yeah, they’re clocking in. And if my boss had millions to blow, I’d be expecting a comfortable bonus too. But $55 Million? That’s a testament to Swift’s generosity. It's like she's Oprah, but instead of cars, she's giving out life-changing amounts of cash. "You get a bonus! You get a bonus! Everybody gets a bonus!"
It’s similar to how Zendaya gave film equity to every member of the crew that worked on her controversial black-and-white drama, Malcolm & Marie. Filmed in a few days with a bare-bones crew during the peak of the pandemic, the film was Zendaya’s passion project with Sam Levinson, in which she starred alongside John David Washington. Though the film got mixed reviews, it captured the audience’s attention all the same. After all, it was Zendaya — and we’ll watch her in anything. So since the film sold to Netflix for a hefty sum, all the crew members got payouts from the deal on top of their salaries to reward their hard work.
Bonuses and equity payouts are common in many industries, but not entertainment. Even though it’s one of the most lucrative and recognizable American industries, most entertainers don’t make enough to survive. The SAG and WGA strikes last year were proof that there needs to be systemic change in the industry. LA County has even identified show businesses as risk factors for being unhoused — after all, how many stories do we hear of actors who were living in their cars before their big break? And for many, their big break never comes. For even more, they get hired on amazing gigs with giant performers … then go right back to the grind afterward. While individual actions from our favorite stars won’t fix everything, Zendaya and Taylor are providing models for how Hollywood should treat the people who make this town go round.
And in this economy, even a little bit could go a long way. Inflation and the cost of living are not a joke. Especially when, like with many creative careers, you often have to invest in lessons or equipment for your craft. With all this considered, the impact of Swirt’s donations can’t be overstated. Imagine getting a lump sum of cash for dancing to your favorite Taylor Swift tracks? Talk about a dream job.
The Economic Impact of Swift - Swiftonomics, if you will
Like Barbie and Beyonce last year, Swift is still on a tear to boost the economy of the cities she’s in just by traveling there — ad inspiring others to make the trek, too.
The Barbie movie proved that by marketing to women (instead of just making Marvel flops like Madame Web that aren’t really targeted to women at all), the entertainment industry can make giant profits. Barbie fever went beyond the theater. Thanks to a plethora of product collabs, the phenomenon rippled through retail.
Similarly, Beyonce’s Renaissance Tour tour generated an estimated $4.5 billion for the American economy. According to NPR, that’s almost as much as the entire 2008 Olympics earned for Beijing. People were taking money out of their 401ks to pay for Beyonce tickets and the glittery, silver-hues outfits to rock at her shows. Cities even started calling her effect the “Beyonce Bump.”
Swift has the same effect. She’s not just proving her generosity on a micro-scale for the people close to her, she’s having actual, tangible effects on the economy. It's like she's leaving a trail of dollar bills in her wake, and cities are scrambling to catch them like it's a country-pop, capitalist version of musical chairs.
The US Travel Association called it the Taylor Swift Impact after she generated over $5 Billion in just the first 5 months of the Eras Tour. But how does this work? It’s not like Taylor is printing more money at those shows, but it almost is. Her tour dates are pretty much economic steroid shots for local businesses. Hotels are booked solid, restaurants are packed, and let's not even get started on the surge in friendship bracelet supplies.
“Swifties averaged $1,300 of spending in local economies on travel, hotel stays, food, as well as merchandise and costumes,” say the US Travel Association. “That amount of spending is on par with the Super Bowl, but this time it happened on 53 different nights in 20 different locations over the course of five months.” That’s not to say anothing of her effect on the actual Super Bowl and the entire NFL season thanks to her ball-throwing boyfriend.
It's like she's created her own micro-economy, and everyone's invited to the party. And unlike some economic theories that rely on wealth trickling down (spoiler alert: it doesn't), Taylor's wealth is more like a t-shirt cannon or the confetti at her shows — showering everyone around.
Donations that actually do good
Taylor isn’t just stepping into cities and calling it a night. She’s also not just throwing pennies at problems - she's making significant contributions that are changing lives. And more importantly, she's using her platform to encourage her fans to do the same.
She kicked off her tour with quiet donations to food banks in Glendale, Ariz., and Las Vegas ahead of the Eras Tour. Once the tour was in full swing, she continued this practice. In Seattle, she donated to Food Lifeline, a local hunger relief organization. In Santa Clara, she showed some love to Second Harvest of Silicon Valley. And let's not forget about her $100,000 donation to the Hawkins County School Nutrition Program in Tennessee.
She’s been making similar donations overseas. Taylor Swift donated enough money to cover the food bills for an entire year across 11 food banks and & community pantries in Liverpool. Swift also covered 10,800 meals for Cardiff Foodbank and many more banks across the UK and EU. Her impact is so profound that her numbers are doing more to combat issues like hunger than the government.
Can billionaires actually be good?
One thing about me, I’m always ready and willing — knife and fork in hand — to eat the rich. Because fundamentally, can any billionaire really be good? In our late-stage capitalist horror story, the answer is usually no. Look how many of them are supporting the Trump campaign just to get some tax breaks.
But here's the thing - Taylor Swift might just be the exception that proves the rule. She's not perfect, sure. She still flies private jets and probably has a carbon footprint bigger than Bigfoot. But unlike most of the others in her tax bracket, she's not flaunting her wealth like it's a personality trait.
Take a look around. We've got billionaires trying to colonize Mars instead of, I don't know, helping people on Earth. In this context, Taylor's approach is more like Mackenzie Scott’s — Bezos’s ex-wife. She's not trying to escape to another planet - she's trying to make this one better.
And look, I'm not saying we should stop critiquing billionaires or the system that creates them. But she's just setting the bar for what we should expect from all billionaires. She's showing us that our collective power as fans can translate into real-world change. That our love for catchy choruses and bridge drops can somehow, improbably, lead to food banks getting funded and crew members getting life-changing bonuses.
So sorry to my neighbors who hear me belting “Cruel Summer” and “right where you left me” at the top of my lungs (and range). Just know it’s for the greater good.
This Detergent-Free Hair Wash Is The New Haircare Ritual
Keeping hair as fresh and voluminous as possible can feel like an impossible feat most of the time. Sometimes you need a day or two post-wash to do a certain style, but we can’t deny that it often gets greasy and flat sooner than we’d like.
We’ve put our trust into shampoos and conditioners to keep our hair clean and get the job done. While most shampoos praise themselves for being super effective, they’re still not solving our problem. We need our hair care to step it up.
High-quality sulfate-free shampoos often contain other detergents that throw us into the dreaded wash, grease, repeat cycle. These detergents strip the scalp of natural oils and lead to an overproduction of sebum (a substance that protects the hair follicle). When sebum production overcompensates for constant stripping, you get dirtier, greasier hair faster.
It’s nice to use sulfate-free products, but what’s better is to level up and go detergent-free. But is it possible in the hair care space?
Our editors have been on the hunt for a new way to take care of your hair - one that can fulfill our detergent-free needs. We can happily say we have found exactly that with Hairstory.
Hairstory’s New Wash is an innovative cleanser that replaces your sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners. It makes the transition out of wash, grease, wash, repeat seamless as it cleans your scalp without stripping your hair of its natural oils or damaging the sebum production.
Powered by essential oils and naturally-derived non-detergent cleansing ingredients, New Wash will lead to fewer washes and your healthiest hair.
New Wash works on every hair type and even has a Refill Club that you can subscribe to - choose the frequency you'd like to receive your Hairstory deliveries and save up to 15% off each order. Plus, you’ll get a free aluminum dispenser with a pump, a travel jar, and free shipping!
It does take hair some time to adapt to New Wash, but you will notice a massive difference once it does. We found it was well worth the slight waiting period of about a month to get our hair into a healthier wash cycle.
Hairstory also has New Wash Rich for those who need added moisture and New Wash Deep for extra cleansing and oil management made with apple cider vinegar and argan oil - all ingredients your hair will love. Each pouch comes in 8, 20, or 32-oz, so you can choose one depending on your hair length and thickness.
Put your hair first and switch to Hairstory, the biodegradable cleanser that can help you have a lot more #goodhairdays.
It’s time to move past sulfate-free and embrace the new detergent-free standard your hair craves. Hairstory’s New Wash is answering the call, and you need to give it a try!
Special Offer For Our Readers: Enjoy Free Shipping For All New Customers
How Science Is Disrupting The Billion Dollar Hair Care Industry
In 2019, the global haircare market value was averaged at $90.2 billion dollars, and is expected to grow to 102 billion dollars by 2024.* As consumers keep buying and buying products thanks to the hundreds of options and fantastical claims, science has taken a backseat to other benefits like fresh scents and pretty packaging.
In reality, science is everything when it comes to hair care. Repairing the damage and breakage adults face every day requires potent formulas backed by innovative tech.
Most hair care products boast the same "healing" verbiage on bottles and keep it as simple as 'healing at the root', but K18, a haircare brand that's backed by biotechnology and loved by professional stylists, offers something new. Through years and years of hard work, the K18 Peptide and their unique biomimetic science have reintroduced effective science and technology in the haircare space.
The Leave-in Molecular Repair Hair Mask from K18 proves how critical science is to any hair product by healing hair from the inside out. In under four minutes, the peptide gets to work, traveling into the inner-most layers of hair and reconnecting broken polypeptide chains from damage. The result of this reconnection is stronger, softer, smoother hair.
Biomimetics is the process of using or mimicking nature to get to the underlying root and mechanisms of an issue that needs solving. K18's peptide, mimicking the natural structure of the amino acid sequence missing from broken keratin chains, is able to seamlessly fit into damaged sites.
K18's patented peptide travels to the molecular level of hair to rebuild each strand. The amino acids fit perfectly into your hair structure which give hair the renewed strength and elasticity we had before years of damage.
While other hair repair formulas are made for explicit types of hair like curly or fine, the K18 peptide works for any texture. The K18 formula is universal because of where the peptide is able to penetrate. Everyone's hair on the molecular level is the same, because K18 penetrates at the molecular level ( reconnecting the polypeptide chains) K18 works to renew hair from damage across all hair types.
The K18 peptide does all of this, clinically repairing hair in 4 minutes, restoring strength, softness, and bounce. It also doesn't wash away with shampoo, and heals damage left from heat, chemical services, and bleach. All you do is apply it out of the shower after an initial shampoo (skip the conditioner!), wait four minutes, and then style as usual.
Since the peptide works to recreate your hair's natural environment, it manages all healing and restoration while remaining vegan. That means no Keratin, which other brands often hang their hat on.
The founder of K18 describes their formula like this: "You have to solve the puzzle, then take the puzzle apart to find that one perfect piece and recreate it. For K18 it wasn't about finding that magic ingredient. It was about the painstaking biosciences work to recreate that whole puzzle (the way our hair genome expresses keratin), that whole hair environment, to find that one piece that fits."
Between the heat, the bleach, and the chemicals hair goes through every day, repair is a much-needed part of the process. In a billion-dollar industry oversaturated with products claiming to beat breakage, the only real solution is effective, efficient, and innovative scientific formulas.
K18's Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask is backed by science, loved by stylists, and highly recommended by us.
JUST FOR YOU: Our friends at K18 are giving readers 10% off + FREE shipping to new customers! Follow this link to shop!
*https://www.statista.com/topics/4552/hair-care-product-market-in-the-us/#dossierKeyfigures
5 Products From Thrive Causemetics To Upgrade Your Makeup That Don’t Cost Much Money
Editor's Note: We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were selected by your Beauty Editors and are considered must-haves. FYI — prices are accurate but Thrive Causemetics has some even greater deals on these staples coming up so you can save even more.
Thrive Causemetics is cruelty-free, vegan makeup made to nourish skin and give you a drop-dead gorgeous look. Let's cut to the chase - here's what you need:
1. A coat (or two) of Liquid Lash Extensions™ Mascara will give you the look of falsies without the hassle.
Real Customer Review
"This is one of the BEST mascaras I've ever worn! No flaking, no smudging, no clumping, and most importantly, a lot of length and volume to my lashes! This mascara is totally buildable and I love that about it. I mean, it's just so worth it!" - Perla D.
Editors Thoughts
Ditch the drugstore mascaras for this insanely powerful, Flake-Free Tubing Technology™ and Orchid Stem Cell Complex™. It goes on flawlessly and comes off easy!
🏆Allure Best of Beauty 2020 Award Winner
2. A cream-to-powder highlighter stick that illuminates the eyes from every angle - 13 shades of Brilliant Eye Brightener™ to choose from.
Real Customer Review
"I am in love with the Brilliant Eye Brightener pencils. The color goes on so smoothly, blends easily with just a fingertip, and stays on all day. I haven't used a standard eye shadow since I purchased my first brighteners several months ago. Now I'm adding more colors and blending them. It's fun...and easy! Ships very quickly, too." - Gracie B.
Editors Thoughts
With ingredients like Jojoba Oil, Vitamin E, and Mango Seed Oil, this is an everyday essential you didn't know you needed. Hydration + Glow = An instant wake up.
3. Any wing is possible with the Infinity Waterproof Eyeliner™ and your eyes are safe no matter which you choose.
Real Customer Review
"Great product! Goes on smoothly and stays on! Just what I was looking for in this product!" - Linda R.
Editors Thoughts
It's hard to find a trustworthy eyeliner. But we found it with this hypoallergenic formula. Thrive Causemetics has its liner dermatologist tested and approved so it's non-irritating. Not to mention that angled smudge-tip is a game-changer.
4. Don't sleep on the Triple Threat Color Stick™, it covers more than you can imagine and saves you money by merging it all into one product.
Real Customer Review
"Easy to use. Love the color. I use it on my nose and the crease on my top lip and cheeks. Blends perfectly and makes my skin look bright and healthy!" - Rebecca C.
Editors Thoughts
We can't get enough of this Triple Threat Color Stick™!! Its formula is super creamy and glides right onto the skin. Their Semi-Permanent Micropigment Technology™ delivers bold, waterproof color to get you through the day.
5. If eyes are the window to the soul, your brows definitely frame the face. Why not treat them to an upgrade with the Instant Brow Fix Semi-Permanent Eyebrow Gel™?
Real Customer Review
"Great product! You can darken and fill in as light as you want or as dark. A little goes a long way. Great colors to match your hair/skin tone. Just purchased my second Instant Fix Brow Fix. Doesn't look fake. Lasts a long time!" - Sherri C.
Editors Thoughts
Your brows will never be the same once they've been treated to this Vitamin B5-powered formula. No matter the state of your brows (color or shape), you'll adore the tint, fill, and definition this gel brings to the table.
Get Thrive Causemetics now and thank us later. It's good for your skin, wallet, and all those selfies you'll be taking ;)
✨Thrive Causemetics is giving up to 20% OFF on Mother's Day Sets + FREE SHIPPING on all orders $35+ and a FREE makeup bag with any purchase!✨Follow this link to shop!
The Difference Between Cosmetics and Causemetics: Our Look At Thrive
We're always on the hunt for makeup brands we can rely on. We've been burned by cosmetic brands before; product ingredients that sound innovative but don't work, brands claiming they're organic but use harmful chemicals, the list goes on!
We're done buying non-effective, overpriced products, which is why we're doing a deep dive into Thrive Causemetics, a high-performance and cruelty-free company.
We've seen this brand and their award-winning Liquid Lash Extension Mascara™ a few times, but we've also heard a great deal about their mission outside cosmetics and their goals of empowering women.
After seeing thousands of their five-star reviews, we decided to take a look for ourselves and find the truth behind the beauty brand. Here are five things we learned about Thrive Causemetics:
When Thrive Causemetics says cruelty-free, they mean it. Their products are vegan, 100% cruelty-free, and their formulas don't include any parabens, sulfates, or synthetic fragrance. Every product includes a list of ingredients specific to that formula, so you know exactly what you're getting.
"I will keep buying this! It's weightless, breathable, and very natural-looking! I also feel great about the ingredients and the positive impact on the environment." - Jenna H.
They use cutting-edge technology to create innovative, effective formulas. Customers love the unique tech like Flake-Free Tubing Technology™ for their mascara, Vegan Collagen Complex™ for lip products, and Smart-Pigment Technology™ to ensure the right shade every time.
"I never write reviews but this was too good not to say something. This is it. I've found a mascara that works. The tubing tech is amazing. Not one smudge, not one smear. It also does make my lashes look a little longer but I couldn't care less about that. If you want no-smudge mascara, here it is!" - Hannahbelle
The color shade options are endless. No more buying two shades and mixing them together to match your color. With 18 inclusive shades, their Buildable Blur CC Cream™ is a must-have thanks to its Blur Effect Technology™, and their Buildable Blur Creaseless Concealer™ also has a wide color range with 24 shades.
"The color is spot-on! I've never been able to order a foundation cream that matched my skin tone, this is it! I love it. Not heavy at all and blends well with the concealer I also ordered." - Kim R.
"Best eyeliner ever!! This pencil is so easy to use under the top lid as well as on top if you want. Does not smear or come off unless you use a makeup removal cloth." - Kimberly G.
For every product you purchase, Thrive Causemetics donates to help women thrive. Their causes include fighting breast cancer, helping domestic abuse survivors, and supporting female veterans before and after their service. In 2020 alone, they gave back to over 200 non-profits supporting women and their communities.
"A worthy product and cause! I love the fact that these are given to women in need. this was the reason I decided to try their mascara...after using it for only the first time today...I already love it!!! Highly recommend it....thank you for a great product and for the wonderful community service you provide." - Sandy M.
Thrive Causemetics' cruelty-free, tech-powered products paired with their mission to empower women is unlike any cosmetic brand we've seen in a while. We know exactly what ingredients are going on our skin, while also knowing that our money is going to causes we can stand behind.
On top of the thousands already out there, Thrive Causemetics has officially earned one more five-star review from us.
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K18 Reversed The Year Of Damage I Put My Hair Through
My co-workers and I would always joke about what it was going to be like when we'd have to get back into our old beauty habits and see people in the office again. Working from home gave us a free pass to let some of our typical routines slide...
When I got the email from my boss saying we were slated to go back to the office next month, I thought sure - no big deal! I can easily get myself back to glowing in weeks.
I started back into my skin routine, but as I got up close and personal in the mirror I noticed something that was going to take a lot more care and time -- my hair.
The damage. The breakage. The out-of-control frizz. I was constantly throwing my hair up in a ponytail for Zoom meetings, not even realizing the toll my at-home dye experiments had taken over the past year. My hair was practically unrecognizable.
I immediately called one of my girlfriends and she said she went through the exact same thing, but she'd had great luck using K18, a leave-in treatment designed to heal hair at the molecular level with biotechnology.
I go back to work next week! How could an at-home mask possibly fix all this? But then she told me it only took four minutes and she saw results instantly.
I ordered the K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask before I even hung up the phone with her.
My mask was delivered right to my door and I got started immediately. The instructions were clear and the steps seemed easy to follow.
Once I finished shampooing in the shower, I made sure to skip the conditioner and gave my hair a thorough towel-dry.
Next, I added one pump (about a dime size) of the K18 mask to start with and planned on adding a few more since my hair is traditionally thick and pretty long. K18 comes with about 50 doses in the bottle and after using consecutively for 4-6 washes, you only need to use it after every 3-4 washes.
I worked the first pump in from roots to ends, and then went ahead and added two more pumps, repeating the same process again. PSA - don't add all pumps at once. You'll end up with some product-heavy sections (a little goes a long way) and you want to make sure you're adding it all in evenly.
Once I distributed it all evenly, I set a timer for four minutes. Since I didn't need to rush back into the shower to rinse out the mask like other brands require, I took my time getting ready. I brushed my teeth, moisturized, and even changed into my outfit for the day.
After the four minutes, I got to blow-drying and styling just as I would any other day! My brush ran through my hair way smoother than it typically would.
Once I finished styling, I couldn't believe the difference K18 made on my hair. The mask reversed all the damage I had put my hair through this past year leaving it stronger, silkier, and healthier. My hair felt better than it did before I even started working from home!
The results seriously speak for themselves. After using the K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask one time I could tell it was repairing my hair from the inside out.
No more hiding my hair - I was going to go back to work better than ever.
FIOR Vs Drunk Elephant. Which Is The Best Moisturizer?
We're always on the lookout for the best moisturizer. It's a staple in everyone's skincare routine and the most important product for happy, hydrated skin.
There are many facial moisturizers on the market and it can seem impossible to know the best one for you, but we decided to take on the task. Our editors recently tried one of the most popular moisturizers and one of the newer brands, that caught our attention after positive reviews going viral on TikTok. We're talking about: Drunk Elephant Protini™ Polypeptide Moisturizer and FIOR Perfecting Moisturizer.
Here's what we thought.
Key Similarities
- Both promise hydration
- Both come from brands that have been hyped up on #SkinTok
- Both are meant to be used on a daily basis
Key Differences
- FIOR is brand new and is not available at Sephora
- Drunk Elephant is meant to be used with the accompanying serum
- FIOR comes in squeeze bottles; Drunk Elephant comes in wide jar containers
- FIOR uses a special formulation called CBX
Drunk Elephant Protini™ Polypeptide Moisturizer
A Sephora favorite, the Drunk Elephant line is known for its clean ingredients, high-quality formulas, and fun, minimal packaging.
The ingredient list is impressive: Signal Peptide Complex of amino acids which bind moisture to the skin, Pygmy Waterlily Stem Cell Extract, Soybean Folic Acid Ferment Extract...
This product was very hit-or-miss. Some of our editors thought it was a fantastic moisturizer, but many found it underwhelming and didn't really notice a difference. It's also meant to also be used with the companion product, the $82 Protini™ Powerpeptide Resurfacing Serum. We figured if we weren't fans of the moisturizer, Drunk Elephant could just claim that's because we weren't using the serum with it.
This moisturizer nourishes the skin and claims to target aging and dullness, but it's suitable for all ages and skin types.
A 50 mL container goes for $68.
FIOR Perfecting Moisturizer
This one is brand new, so we didn't know many that have tried it yet, but their viral customer reviews got us thinking if we should be paying close attention. Simply put, we were instantly in love. It's a clean formulation with CBX (a blend of CBD & CBDA) with other skin-loving ingredients like Oat Kernel, Bark extract, Oleanolic acid, packed full of antioxidants and essential fatty acids to help reduce redness and hydrate skin.
The formula feels luxurious, super light-weight and you can feel it working. We enjoyed the slight cooling sensation from the wintergreen leaf, and it fully absorbs into the skin quickly leaving a soft-to-the-touch finish. It's perfect for right under makeup as it minimizes glare and excess sebum. We noticed a difference right away in our foundation applications with this as a base.
It's meant to revive and optimize skin for a healthy, hydrated look. We loved that the fragrance and packaging were gender-neutral and unique for gift-giving.
A 90 mL tube goes for $89.
Final Verdict
Although both of them have their pros and cons, and it's about what works for you, we have to say: FIOR is your best bet. Drunk Elephant's moisturizer worked well on some but not others - perhaps it would work better with the serum, but we'd rather not have to purchase a second product when we all got great results with FIOR's moisturizer on its own.
With FIOR, none of us had negative reactions, we didn't feel like the CBX factor was some gimmick, it felt high-end, and most importantly it made an immediate difference. Even though it's a new brand, it's legit. We can tell it's going to be the next big thing.
FIOR has also shared an exclusive offer with us! Use code POPDUST25 for 25% off your order.
Do You Know What This Beauty Brand Is Doing On June 19th?
In the last year, we've fallen head over heels for Thrive Causemetics. This vegan, cruelty-free beauty brand has not only transformed our day-to-day looks but also where we decide to spend our money.
Thrive Causemetics stands out not just for its long-lasting, game-changing products but also for its Bigger Than Beauty™Giving mission. When you purchase from Thrive Causemetics, they donate products and cash to organizations that help women thrive. In the past, sizable donations have also been made to support those impacted by COVID-19 and the California Wildfires.
With June's arrival Thrive Causemetics is gearing up for another big donation on June 19th.
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when the news of emancipation and the end of the Civil War finally reached Texas, more than two years after Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. Thrive Causemetics will be donating 100% of profits (up to $500,000) that day to nonprofit organizations across the US that are dedicated to racial and social justice and are advancing African-American and Black Communities.
Thrive Causemetics
Makeup & Skincare
100% Vegan + Cruelty-Free
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While we love Thrive Causemetics for their makeup and skincare, we love their commitment to social justice even more. With that in mind if you're already a fan of this brand then June 19th is definitely the day to stock up and know that your money is going to an important cause.
New to Thrive Causemetics? Their products are free of parabens, sulfates, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances while being packed with high-quality formulas and technology. Plus, they even have an amazing subscription option so you'll never run out of your essentials and you get free shipping.
This affordable, award-winning brand has so much to offer from cosmetics to skincare and all made with an inclusive range of shades that work for every skin tone and skin type. Start your journey with Thrive Causemetics on Juneteenth and help others thrive.
Here's what we recommend filling your Thrive Causemetics cart with on June 19th (their best sellers of course):
Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara™
The best-selling mascara that won't flake, smudge, or clump.
A cream-to-powder highlighter that you can use for an instant eye lift or smokey eye.
Buildable Blur CC Cream™ Broad Spectrum SPF 35
Foundation, sunscreen, and moisturizer in one - available in 18 shades.
Defying Gravity Eye Lifting Cream™
Instantly lift, tighten, and brighten the look of skin around your eyes (and hydrate!).
Buildable Blur™ HD Creaseless Concealer
Ultra-lightweight, buildable, waterproof + crease-proof formula - available in 24 shades.
JUST FOR YOU: Our friends at Thrive Causemetics are offering FREE shipping on all orders over $35! Follow this link to shop!
Thrive Causemetics Just Got Better With 2 NEW Products
Our editors have found and fallen in love with a new beauty brand: Thrive Causemetics. They've captured fans with their 100% vegan, cruelty-free products, and with each purchase, they donate to help a woman thrive.
Thrive Causemetics has a wide range of makeup including the award-winning Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara™, but now they have so many other best sellers.
They've taken the beloved Brilliant Eye Brightener™ and added 3 new shades! If you don't know, this Thrive must-have is an amazing cream to powder highlighter that gives you a great instant eye lift look, smokey eye, and just generally opens the eyes up without a ton of work.
Plus, it's powered by ingredients like vitamin E, jojoba oil, and macadamia, meadowfoam, and sunflower seed oil. You'll get skin-balancing hydration and antioxidants to help reduce the look of fine lines.
We already love the Brilliant Eye Brightener™ for its fast application - just apply it to your lids, waterline, the inner & outer corners of your eyes, and blend with your finger or a brush. But now these new shades are taking it to another level.
The Soft Metallic shades include Callie (Greige Taupe), Anise (Warm Bronze), and Pili (Cool Gold) with each one giving just the right amount of shimmer. If you love Thrive Causemetics already, these shades are your next addition, and if you're trying Thrive for the first time this is definitely a great staple to start with.
Now, a completely new addition to Thrive Causemetics' wide range of game-changers is the Buildable Blur HD Creaseless Concealer™. Every woman has their go-to foundation or CC cream to get the coverage they need, but what's missing in so many of those is the ability to target conceal, correct, and brighten.
The Concealer does exactly what it says. Their crease-proof formula gets the coverage you want without the product settling into any wrinkles and fine lines. It comes in 24 shades so you can find your match and also treats your skins to the benefits of super ingredients like snow mushroom extract, vitamin E, and betaine & coconut emollients.
To top it all off, the Blur Effect Technology™ will blur out those pesky pores, fine lines, and imperfections and leave you with a natural skin-like finish. No more caking on tons of foundation thanks to this lightweight formula made for your dark circles, blemishes, and brightening needs. Not to mention those super ingredients are also incredibly hydrating so you can say goodbye to flakey, dry concealers.
You can't go wrong when it comes to Thrive Causemetics. Their formulas are innovative, 100% vegan, and made to tackle your needs. We certainly have been long-time fans and with all these great additions our love for Thrive Causemetics is staying strong.
Try out Thrive's Brilliant Eye Brightener™ and Buildable Blur HD Creaseless Concealer™ - trust us, this brand lives up to the hype!
Everything You Need To Know About Thrive Causemetics
Concerned by beauty industry scandals lately? We got you.
Whether it's big beauty brands still including harmful ingredients, or overpromising and under-delivering, we're tired of trying to cut through the noise.
We've finally found a brand we're throwing our support behind 100%: Thrive Causemetics. They're an inclusive makeup and skincare brand that strives to create the highest quality beauty products, and use their status as a reputable brand to give back!
Founded in 2015, they've already manufactured an award-winning mascara and given millions of products and dollars to different communities who could use the support.
Here's everything you need to know.
What is Thrive Causemetics?
They're a company that delivers iconic, high-performance products that are 100% vegan, cruelty-free and don't include any harmful ingredients, like parabens or sulfates
What products do they sell?
You can find anything for your beauty and skincare needs!
If you need a new mascara, get the Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara™ immediately. It lifts, lengthens, and provides incredible volume, thanks to a blend of castor seed oil, shea butter, Orchid Stem Cell Complex™, and Youth B5 Complex™ that help build healthy lashes over time. It's also so good, it looks like you're wearing falsies, and it never clumps or flakes (but still comes off with just warm water and a washcloth). Not to mention, it comes in a unique Brown Black shade which we love, as well as Rich Black.
There's the Brilliant Eye Brightener™ that instantly brightens your eye area with a universally flattering glow. It's easy to use, hydrating, waterproof and is the perfect accessory for any Zoom call.
We also love the Buildable Blur CC Cream™ with SPF 35 in 18 shades, the Infinity Waterproof Eyeliner™ in 7 colors, and their Liquid Light Therapy All-in-One Face Serum™ that mimics red and blue light therapy for a glowing complexion.
How much do they cost?
Prices are super affordable considering the high-quality and clinically-proven ingredients used. The Mascara is $24, and the whole line ranges from $16 to $62. The key here is incredible quality and efficacy at an affordable cost (for the beauty world).
How does the subscription work?
It's always optional, but if you want to guarantee free shipping, you can opt in to get certain products delivered every 1, 2, 3, or 4 months, so you never run out.
How do they choose ingredients?
First off, they're always 100% vegan and cruelty-free. They also work to source ingredients that replenish your skin, your lashes, your face, so they won't dry you out or cause harm.
What are people saying?
Not only has the brand grabbed an Allure Beauty award, but their products are beloved, with the Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara™ and theBrilliant Eye Brightener™ ascending to cult must-have status. Their colors are approachable and inclusive, they serve a wide range of skin tones, and the products have silky non-flaky textures.
How is Thrive Causemetics different from other organizations that give back?
They're extremely transparent about where your money is going, so you know it's going to actual causes. For every product purchased, they donate to help a woman thrive; they've already given $500,000 worth of Thrive Causemetics products to frontline workers battling Covid-19.
In 2020, they spread their donations across multiple organizations that support first responders, women experiencing homelessness, women fighting cancer, families facing food insecurity, racial justice advocacy, grocery + restaurant workers, women surviving domestic abuse, underserved marginalized youth, healthcare professionals, LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations, and women veterans.
Also, 100% of the profits of their Moisture-Enriched Hand Sanitizer is donated to the Black Women's Health Imperative, "the first nonprofit organization created by Black women to help protect and advance the health and wellness of Black women and girls."
We're tired of two shade offerings from brands that don't seem to care about what ingredients they use. Thrive Causemetics is the real deal when it comes to amazing products and using your brand as more than just a brand, but a way to support communities of women.
THIS WEEK ONLY: GET FREE SHIPPING On All Thrive Causemetics Orders & a up to 3 FREE FULL-SIZE GIFTS With Code GIFT4YOU! Follow this link to shop!
Why I Love MILLI ROSE Makeup
Since I became a mom, I've stopped doing some of the things I used to love.
Like most moms, I rarely get time to dress up and do nice makeup anymore. I realized recently that I hadn't put eye makeup on in almost a month! I was in a serious rut and wasn't feeling great about myself, so I decided it was time to get back into makeup again.
I was having a virtual coffee with a fellow mom on Facetime, who somehow always has the nicest makeup - this day she had the nicest nude lipstick and smudged liner. I asked her what her secret was and she said she was wearing a brand called MILLI ROSE- she said the liner was actually eyeshadow from the MILLI ROSE Natural Modern Nudes Palette.
She said she ordered it online and couldn't recommend it enough. I was a bit apprehensive about ordering makeup online, but I could tell by looking at my friend it was great quality.
That night when I got home I went on the MILLI ROSE website. The first thing I noticed was the gorgeous palettes. It had been so long since I had bought myself a new eyeshadow, I never go out and shop for myself anymore. A new palette was well overdue, and having it delivered straight to my doorstep would be super convenient. I kept browsing and saw that there were so many nice shades of lipsticks and glosses, too
I was pleasantly surprised by how affordable all of their products are. I read that all their products are tested by dermatologists so they suit all skin types, plus they're not tested on animals. With that, I decided I'd bite the bullet and get the Natural Modern Nudes kit.
The kit was only $68 for 12 eyeshadows and 3 nude lipsticks -I love that they were going to be already matched for me because I never knew what lip colors to match with eye colors. With this kit, I knew everything would look good together. I also got the Lash Play Multi-tasking Mascara - it has 4 different brush heads in one! I was so excited to try it all.
When my delivery arrived I felt like a kid on Christmas day. I opened up the box and the first thing I noticed was how pretty the packaging is. The palette had a stunning floral design - it'll look great on my vanity table.
The next day I decided to do a nude smokey-eye look. I kept it simple, I blended the shade 'Sahara' all over my lid and put the shade 'Chestnut' in my crease and blended. I applied some of the Multitasking mascara in the first mode for a subtle look.
I was so happy with how the look came out - it was a great daytime natural look. The following evening I experimented with some of the darker shades from the palette, and used the fourth mode on the mascara to create a classy smokey eye. I applied the Modern Nudes Yoyo Lipstick for a nude lip. My husband complimented my look when he saw me, and he never usually notices anything like that.
The thing I love most about MILLI ROSE makeup is the versatility of it. There are so many looks that can be created from just 12 shades. And I've never had a mascara with four modes before, it's great for any occasion.
I loved it so much, I decided to order the Modern Glam Palette too, which has some more striking colors. I'm feeling more confident to try more colors after practicing and seeing how easy the Modern Nudes Palette is to use. I'm looking forward to the next special occasion, so I can showcase a glam eye look.
I'd recommend MILLI ROSE to anyone who needs to get out of a funk like I did or is looking for some inspiration for some new looks.
Exclusive Liberty Offer: Get 15% OFF Your Entire MILLI ROSE Purchase For A Limited Time With The Code "SAVE15"!"