Have you noticed, gotten the DM, read a magazine in the shrink’s office? It seems that more than ever, cosmetic manufacturers are catering to a younger crowd. Brand advertising and ubiquitous social media are featuring the usual: perfect, dewy-skinned models, the ones I would like to strangle, even though I am well aware the picture-perfect Instagram model with 80K followers trying on “the perfect concealer” doesn’t really have anything to conceal.
A classic example of one of these new “kiddy” brands is Milk Makeup. Their pitch, packaging and backstory: having evolved from photo studio to advertising agency to brand is ultra hip and young. The surprise: I tried some of their skincare and color and was amazed by how inclusive the actual products are. You don’t have to be 22 to appreciate this stuff. You don’t have to be running around the Lower East Side from secret show to loft afterparty, being creative and effortlessly gorgeous in every picture you take with a disposable camera. You can just be you and in need of a little “help” with a sense of fun.
Milk Makeup calls themselves a “culturally conscious company.” I’m not sure what it means either, but the products are paraben free, cruelty-free and vegan–if that really matters. Some of the make-up is more “photo studio” than “go to work” face friendly but it’s definitely clean, cool beauty with a touch of drama and at a reasonable price point.
Young/old. Win/Win.
This was my gateway drug to Milk Makeup. They say it’s a solid facial oil, I say it saves my ass on planes. It’s a solid stick made up of natural oils like avocado, jojoba, apricot, calendula and orange peel to help moisturize your skin. I use it on my elbows when I’m dry, my cuticles when they’re dangling, and every part of my face. I also use it to get a trendy “glossy lid” situation. And because it’s a solid, TSA can never take it away.
You know about BB and CC creams but the Blur Stick takes things one step further. Like the hydrating oil, it’s solid. So instead of rubbing cream all over your hands and then your face, you just pop open the stick and swipe. It minimizes the appearance of pores and fine lines while leaving a matte finish. There’s a luminous blur stick too, for radiance. (Millennials love radiance and dewiness, Milk claims theirs comes from actual meteorites.)
Milk Makeup Flex Concealer, $28
Sometimes you need to conceal the concealer–Enter Flex Concealer! It’s a full coverage formula meant to tackle everything from under eyes to blemishes and it never cakes or creases and it stays on for hours and hours–never budges. As a bonus, it’s infused with blue lotus and chamomile that help hydrate and soothe skin. and it’s less than half the cost of my Cle de Peau.
Milk Makeup Highlighter in Lit, $24
The final frontier of Millenial Makeup is made up of two things: contouring and highlighting. We haven’t gone near contouring yet, but this little push-pop of a product made highlighting a breeze. Just sweep over the high points of your face (yes, they still exist!) and blend out with your finger. I like doing it in a C shape from the end of my eyebrow down to my cheekbone. Et voila, you can shine, sparkle, and glow with the best of them!
Milk Makeup Lip + Cheek in Rally, $24
I’m all about making my makeup routine as easy as possible, so the fewer products the better. A perfect little two in one, this product works just as beautifully as a flush of color on your cheeks or a wash on your lips. An all-around MVP, it also is packed with mango butter and avocado oil to keep you moisturized.
Milk Makeup Lip Vinyl in Facts, $24
Matte lipstick has been the rage for so long, but it dries out my lips and I’m getting sick of it. So this season is all about pivoting back to lip gloss. Milk’s lip vinyl has the shine of a gloss with the staying power of lipstick, plus jojoba seed oil, coconut oil, and acai fruit extract moisturize your lips.
