Raphael Stevens

Raise your hand if you think that acne scars and dark spots—AKA hyperpigmentation—are harder to treat than that pesky pimple. Since my high school years, I’ve read article after article that touted the perfect acne scar and dark spot treatments (that would accommodate my sensitive skin, of course). I made sure to make room in my budget for what I hoped would be the holy grail to treating my scars and dark spots, but they still claimed residence on my skin. Beginning in mid-March of this year, another pesky, bright-red acne scar developed under my chin after a several week-long battle with an unwanted pimple. I used the extra time at home to experiment with new products, such as a niacinamide serum and retinol, to treat my newfound acne scar. Instead of fading the scar, these products made matters worse. Red splotches developed all over my cheeks, which I took as a sign to stop experimenting. 

The cream that’s like magic
Once June rolled around, I decided to find new solutions to treat the then three month-old acne scar, so I reached for a sample I had of Dr. Jart+’s Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment. This color-correcting cream is seriously magic thanks to its hero ingredient, centella asiatica, an active ingredient anecdotally known for its calming properties. While it didn’t make the scar disappear, it hid the redness temporarily. Before applying my concealer, I swept this green-tinted cream on my red scar, ensuring that the color corrector blended seamlessly into my skin. The cream can also be applied to red spots and dark spots solo. I personally love to swipe a bit of this cream on my problem spots as the last step of my nighttime skin care routine. By morning, the spots are not as red as they were the day before, but this effect is only temporary. If you’re a tosser and turner though, I would not recommend putting this cream on at night as it can turn your pillow green.
One tub of this cream can last a long time. At $18 a tub, it’s a great value, given that it will last for several months. I graduated from my sample to a 0.5 ounce tub in August, and I’m not even close to being empty. Since discovering this scar-covering cream, I regularly use it as a base for my makeup or as a nighttime spot treatment. Now, my worries about my scars showing are a thing of the past.

The scar-fading serum of my dreams
Besides the color-correcting cream being the closest thing I’ve found to magic, it wasn’t until I got my hands on Topicals’ Faded gel serum in August that my under-the-chin acne scar went away for good. The Topicals line was developed by founders who had skin considered less than perfect according to what was shown in movies and on TV, so I had a good feeling that Faded would be the remedy for all my scars and dark spots. After I consistently applied the gel on my face for two nights, it was gone! Even after the scar went away, I made sure to apply the gel at the recommended rate of 2-3 times a week. However, my skin did develop some pimples on my forehead and cheeks. These were expected, given that the packaging warned of skin purging, which is a result of irritation caused by the acids in the serum’s formula. I do think that $36 for this serum is relatively pricey, but every penny is worth it. Acne scars can take weeks or months to fade away, but in my experience, this serum got to the heart of the problem in a matter of days. Just like the color correcting cream, this serum can last for months, making the investment all the more worth your buck. 

Getting rid of the scars acne makes is far more challenging than popping that pimple. However, with Dr. Jart+’s Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment and Topicals’ Faded serum, I feel in control of my skin and am empowered with the confidence that I can achieve a clear, glowing complexion.  More

We all have that person in our lives: the friend, sister, or cousin that you absolutely dread buying a gift for year after year. Why? Well, she’s just a little bit too cool.Finding a gift for the ultra-fashionable, on-top-of-every-trend person can be impossible to know where to start. Do you opt for a fun accessory? An out-of-the-box piece of loungewear? The possibilities are endless, but not all of them are equal. 
We’ve scoured the depths of the internet for the coolest, most foolproof gifts to get your most fashionable friend—from a cheeky graphic tee to a matching set she’ll live in. We promise: for once, she won’t be using that gift receipt.

Shearling Slingback Sandal

Update your friend’s slipper game with the coolest ones of the year. Available in 8 colors, these slingback slippers from Ugg are worthy of wearing for years to come.
(8 colors available)

Unfortunate Portrait
Haute Yoga Tee

Finding a cool graphic tee isn’t easy, but this one stopped us in our tracks. A cheeky fashion pun? Sign us up.

Boy Smells
Hypernature Neopêche Scented Candle

Not only is this one of the most popular scents of the year, but the gorgeous packaging from this up-and-coming brand will be something the cool girl in your life will have front-and-center in her apartment.

Wool Blend Beret

“Emily in Paris” made it popular for the season, but berets are here to stay. This is a perfect, safe accessory to gift, and will be a perfect thing to swap out their go-to beanie for.

Brinker & Eliza
Booyah Mask Chain

Masks aren’t exactly the accessories we were hoping for this year, but until they’re gone for good, we might as well be making them as fun as possible. This chain can be attached to any mask to make it a little more fashion-forward.

The Gracey Bag in Croc Green

It’s not easy to find a cool bag that not everyone has yet, but this one from a small, Black-owned business is worthy of wearing everywhere. It comes in every color under the rainbow, but we vote for this emerald green.

DEZI EYEWEAR
On Read Sunglasses

Desi Perkins’ eyewear collection was one of the coolest accessory releases of the year, and this pair from her most recent release is at the top of our wishlist. You can’t go wrong with these.

Abercrombie & Fitch
Vegan Leather Mini Puffer

This cropped puffer comes in every material and color under the sun, and anyone who needs to wear a coat this winter would be thrilled to have one in a faux-leather or faux-fur option. Dressing for winter just got a lot more fun.

Stella and Haas
Circle Initial Necklace

You can’t go wrong with a gold piece of jewelry, and this initial necklace shows that you went above and beyond with a little customization, plus can be layered and worn with just about everything.

Jennifer Zeuner
Carmine Enamel Ring

Depending on the type of girl you’re buying for, this fun enamel ring can be bought in a neutral, or used as an opportunity to gift a little pop of color.

Etsy | Flawless Drips
Purple Satin Face Mask

You don’t know how much of a game-changer a satin mask is until you have one, and this is the gift that will keep on giving (hopefully not too far into 2021). We currently have our eyes on this fun, lilac color.

Oma The Label
The Simone Ring

Give the gift of adding to your friend’s ring collection with this one from one our favorite Black-owned brands. It strikes the balance of being a statement, but also being classic enough to wear for years.

Custom Clear Watch Band

Anyone who wears an Apple Watch knows that it isn’t easy to make them particularly fashion-forward, but this clear watch band is one of the coolest we’ve found.

Siren Teddy Faux Fur Coat

Everyone and their mother is on the teddy coat bandwagon this year, but we love shorter, sweatshirt option that can be worn day in and day out.

A Hot Pocket of Conversation Knit Lounge Set

The matching set unintentionally took over this year, and this one with a slouchy sweater and wide, knit pants doubles as both loungewear and something your fashionable friend will love to style when she leaves the house layered underneath a go-to jacket.
Our editor loves this plus-size lounge set too!

Sam Edelman
Laguna Waterproof Chelsea Boot

The shoe of the year? The chunky boot, and this chunky (but not too chunky) choice is impossible not to please with.

x Atlantic-Pacific Faux Leather Trousers

One of the best trends of 2020 was faux leather, but given the nature of the year, we didn’t wear them nearly as much as we wanted to. This timeless pair will be worn for years to come, and we love that they’re a camel color, rather than a go-to black.

Mauve Beanie

The number of beanies you can have? It doesn’t exist, especially in this muted, dusty rose color.

  More

My biggest flaw in life is that I wait until the last minute to do everything. I could come up with a million excuses as to why my holiday shopping isn’t done yet (i.e., waiting for that paycheck to hit, standing by for certain giftable items to go on sale, or placing blame on my cat who chewed up my credit card, making it unreadable for future purchases), but at the end of the day, the truth is that I perform best under pressure. Thankfully we’ve found the perfect hack to all of your last minute “oops, I forgot about that person” gifting. Gilt City, an online shopping and lifestyle site, has our backs. They offer a variety of unique gift ideas at some incredible prices that are almost too good to be true. Even if you’re unable to meet this year’s holiday shipping deadlines (a real 2020 problem), Gilt City makes it easy to buy vouchers for everyone on your list, which means you won’t even need to feel stressed about trying to find something that’ll ship on time. Here are 10 Gilt City sales you’ll want to shop now to save big on your holiday shopping—even if you’re gifting at the last minute.

Calling all wine lovers! This Üllo Wine Purifier is the perfect gift for the vino-obsessed in your life. This game-changing, must-have item purifies and restores the natural taste of any type of still wine and pairs well with any socially-distanced reality-TV-a-thon. It’s BPA-free, dishwasher safe, and a sleek tool to add to any wine collection. Shop through Gilt City now for wine purifier packages that are up to 36 percent off! A total steal if you ask us.

A lot of us love espresso, but let’s be real—espresso pods aren’t cheap. Enter these L’OR pods (compatible with the Original Nespresso machines) that are up to 50 percent off if you purchase through Gilt City! Gift your loved one the pure indulgence of high-quality espresso without the hefty price tag. Because nothing says “I care about you” quite like the gift of caffeine.

This gift is the perfect package for the person who has everything and/or the one who is looking to try something new. These online video courses from The Skills are a to-do that your loved one will actually want to check off of their list. The Skills offers one-of-a-kind sports education courses from world-class athletes like Michael Phelps, Shaun White, Maria Sharapova, and more. Enjoy up to 57 percent off of master courses when you purchase through Gilt City and let the good times roll.

Adding to your loved one’s beauty collection has never been more empowering. This year, gift REALHER—a brand that’s redefining the beauty game while offering high-quality, cruelty-free products. Beyond the incredible packaging and formulas, REALHER takes pride in its mission to inspire women, evidenced by their self-affirming product names like “Embrace Yourself,” “I Will Succeed,” and “I’ve Got This.” Thanks to Gilt City, you can enjoy 50 percent off on products you can feel good about gifting.

Luxury beauty and wellness treatments are the ultimate way to treat yourself, but we all know that one person who just won’t splurge on themselves. The solution? Give them a gift they won’t give themselves. In this case, help your loved one treat themselves to an at-home teeth whitening treatment from GLO Science. Buy now through Gilt City to snag 50 percent off of whitening packages. Now that’s something to smile about.

Luxury meets comfort meets affordability with Blush Lingerie which makes Blush the perfect gift for the feminine person in your life. Designed by women, globally sourced, and ethically made… just the way we like it. It’s daring yet refined and, with 50 percent off via Gilt City, it makes for the most affordable luxury gift of all time. 

Buy a gift that the fashion guru in your life will fall head over heels in love with. And we’re not talking gifting this season’s “it item” that everyone already has… we’re talking something greater. Enter DESEDA, a Chicago-based, women-owned silk scarf company that collaborates with artists around the world to come up with limited edition designs. Their scarves are a versatile item to add to any wardrobe and 40 percent off when you shop through Gilt City. 

Cheese lovers, unite! Gift your loved one (and yourself) the experience of a cheese making class from Big Mozz. Through Gilt City, the on demand or in person course includes a mozzarella-making kit, shipping, and taxes for 23 percent off. Gift one to a friend and one to yourself to set yourself up for the perfect at-home zoom date!

I don’t know about you, but being gifted sweet treats is the most direct way to my heart! What if we told you that you could gift that special someone irresistible designer cookies for up to 33 percent off? It’s not too good to be true… with Gilt City, you can gift Duchess, home of the designer cookie and one of the tastiest cookie experiences on Earth. With a deal that sweet, you have to take advantage!

Give your favorite foodie the luxury gourmet gift they didn’t see coming. With California Caviar Company, you can do just that. CCC has uncompromising reputation and brand integrity that focuses on sustainability, innovation, and education. It’s the food gift that can make any night in extra special. If you purchase through Gilt City, you can score 30 percent off of caviar gift sets and give them a gift they’ll never forget.

This post is sponsored by Gilt City, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everygirl editorial board.
  More