You'd be hard-pressed to find someone who knows more about the beauty biz than the lovely Jane Larkworthy. She's been the beauty director of W magazine for 10 years, and, without a doubt, is a beauty expert in her own right (she's basically our dream beauty guru). But make no mistake, just because she has her finger on the pulse of emerging beauty trends and the hottest new products (not to mention, she has it made in terms of beauty-closet booty), doesn't mean she's a high-maintenance editrix. Larkworthy is down-to-earth, beyond witty, and effortlessly beautiful. So, we had to pick her brain about the craziest beauty trends, what she hates, what she loves, the best new products, and also glean a little must-have skincare advice from this true-blue pro.
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1. Hails From: "Merrick, NY."
2. What's your favorite vacation spot or summer getaway place? "Litchfield County, Connecticut or Vermont."
3. Tell us the thing you love most about your job: "The people I get to work with. So smart, so creative, but we also laugh a lot. A close second is the writing."
4. Finish this sentence: I really hate…."It's a toss-up between sweet-patchouli fragrances, people clipping their fingernails in public, gum snapping, and men with smurf hair."
5. What's the craziest beauty trend you can recall? "Smurf hair. Or dark lip-liner. I’m sorry, did you say ‘crazy’? Thought you said ‘tacky.’ Craziest...? Remember when mall girls used to spray their bangs so they’d stick straight up? That was pretty ridiculous."
6. What's the best old-school product line and why? "YSL makeup. For more than 25 years, it has always been stunning."
7. What about the best newbie brand? Is there one you're excited about right now? "Yes to Carrots (also Yes to Cucumbers, Blueberries. It’s a franchise…)."
9. What's the best beauty secret you've learned from a pro or someone in the industry? "Lining the inner rim of your upper eyelid is an easy and subtle version of making your eye pop. It's like eyelining for dummies."
10. What's the best beauty secret you discovered on your own and still use? "I use body lotion in the gym locker-room as a pre-styling hair product (à la Silk Groom) and a post-styling smoother."
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11. What can we find in your medicine cabinet? "A bunch of natural deodorants (plus, an antiperspirant for Red Letter Days when I really need it to work), various Eminence skin products, Biologique Recherche P50 Lotion, and Retin-A Micro."
12. What about in your cosmetics bag? "NARS foundation, blushes, and shadows; Bobbi Brown's Tortoise eyeshadow compact; Lancome's Oscillation mascaras; Dolce & Gabbana's Pressed Powder and eye pencils; and various NARS and Sonia Kashuk makeup brushes.
13. What's your lipstick of choice? "Korres Guava Lipstick in Mauve or NARS Belle de Jour. Usually, however, it’s just Burt's Bees lip balm."
14. What's your fragrance of choice? "Either Le Labo Santal 33, Diorissimo, Hampton Sun Privet Bloom or Frederic Malle En Passant."
15. What's your position on plastic surgery, yay or nay? "Nay now. Yay someday, probably. Far away."
16. If you could impart one bit of advice to our young readers on their beauty routines or good habits to adopt, what would it be? "STAY. OUT. OF. THE. SUN. Tanning beds are the devil (as is smoking), and get lots of sleep. Also, if your skin is one big unctuous face right now, be thankful. You’ll be happy when you’re older."