So you guys all know by now that I used to be a beauty editor and there’s a part of me that always will be. Two of my behavior quirks as a result of this are that I will forever over-analyze skin and that I’m a total ingredient whore.
There are always certain shows (like Calvin Klein) where the dewy freshness of the skin makes me literally, utterly joyful and also compulsive about finding the next great product to try in an effort to make my own look even half as youthful.
Enter the ingredient addiction. I’m drawn in by new things, but I have to see them in action before I can become a true believer. (Past fixations include: diamonds, gold chips, stem cells, and caviar.) There are currently two very disparate things that have caught my eye: Acai and Volcanic Ash.

Let’s start with the volcanos. They’re so cool. I never got my dad to help me build one of those Science Fair ones but I did have this little glass jar of real ash from Mount St. Helen’s my grandparents gave me that I thought was pretty rad. And I even got to see an active one on a trip to Costa Rica a few years ago. So needless to say I was super intrigued by this new MAC Volcanic Ash Thermal Mask when it arrived at the office. First, the fact that it’s actually soot black in color is awesome and yet somehow a little daunting when it comes to skincare products. But it washes off so smoothly and I have to say my skin looked so fresh, and so clean. The ash is meant to draw toxins out, purify the skin, and smooth it all at the same time.
The lighter of my ingredient obsessions is the acai berry, which I first fell in love with in the form of a smoothie at the Elixir Juice Bar in West Hollywood Equinox. Now you can get its anti-oxidant powers in a new collection from Kiehl’s. I’m currently partial to to the toner which I’m convinced makes my skin look brighter in the morning.
Are you a sucker for new ingredients? What’s drawn you in recently?