109. New In, Current TV

Skincare, Makeup, Hair Care, TV

Hi, I’m Maggie, and welcome to Tender Forms Off-Camera: a bi-weekly newsletter on all things slow: beauty, fashion, living. Links in this newsletter may include affiliate links or discount referrals. If you enjoy this newsletter and would like to support it, click the below button or shop through my links! No pressure, but thank you if you do.

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It’s been an exciting few weeks of new purchases and PR (marked with *). I was waffling on whether to split everything into individual newsletters, but I cast a poll on Instagram, and you voted for a combined “New In”! Since everything is pretty new, the following are first or second impressions.

MOB Beauty

MOB Beauty is an everyday makeup staple, and any collection in collaboration with makeup artist Jessica Haze is always an instant add-to-cart for me. The first two items are from her new “Vintage Goth” collection. 

M141 in all its texture and hue glory

Cream Clay Eyeshadow in M141 “a smoky cornflower blue” ($16, 1.6g | .05oz)

Out of all bright eyeshadow colors, blue has always been a top pick for me. I remember way back when I was in high school, I splurged on a Lancôme powder eyeshadow that is somewhere between a sky and seafoam blue and loved the vintage look. But nowadays, I wouldn’t wear it for fear that it’s a bit too bright. 

Thus came a quick road to obsession with the new M141. All inspiration reference photos were that beautiful, bright, vintage blue. But what is so intriguing and alluring about M141 is that it’s smokier, dustier, and, in my opinion, more wearable. 

And what a stunning shade of blue it is. In the photos, I’ve paired it with a thin line of the Cake Liner in M116 from Haze’s Spring Goth collection. The two are a match made in heaven. 

This is also my first order that came with their new biodegradable packaging, and I love it. But I should specify that I love the biodegradable packaging for their pan refills and not for others. We’ll get to that later. 

I was fortunate enough to try their earlier iteration of biodegradable packaging, and the one they landed on is eons better. The earlier version was tough to refill and never closed as well. This one feels sleeker, more airtight, and easier to use. Wins across the board. 

Of course, you can still put these refill pans directly into their refillable palettes. But now you’re not beholden to purchase those if you don’t have one already—love the option and flexibility! 

Hydrating Shine Lip Balm in M139 “a cool nude” ($24, 3g | .1oz)

When I first saw this on Jessica Haze, I immediately knew I had to have it. “A cool nude” sounds simple enough but is notoriously difficult to find. MOB is one of the few brands where if they say “cool,” it actually is cool-toned, versus many other brands where they pull warm. The moment I swatched this, I knew I’d fall in love. But from there, things took a surprising turn. 

I first swatched this on my hand and swooned at what seemed to be the perfect balance of taupe, beige, and rose. A further swatch comparison against MOB’s Bronzer in M36 and Manasi 7’s All Over Colour in Sisserou explained why. Sisserou is almost an exact dupe but is sheerer in the pigment category. M36 is more pink and rosier in comparison, but they’re all very close in the same family. If you like shades like these, you’ll love M139. 

But here’s the kicker. This does not look good on my lips. I know. The thing is, it’s almost a near match to the shade of my actual lips, but because it’s so pigmented, it pulls a more concealer lip look on me, which, if I were cool enough, I’d attempt to pull off, but I don’t feel I am. If I dab it very lightly on my lips, then that’s how I can achieve the M139 look. But it’s not always easy to get that balance right, and I like my makeup to be easy. 

However, seeing how closely the color is to Sisserou gave me the idea to try it on my cheeks instead, and wow. Beautiful. It’s like an M36 bronzer in a cream stick form. I’ve been using this as my blush/contour every day for work. I love the ease of the bullet stick form to dot directly on the face, and the hydrating shine balm formula makes blending a breeze. I add a light layer of powder over top, and that’s that. Oh, it looks gorgeous on the eyes as well. 

As for the biodegradable packaging, I’m unsure if I got a dud. The refill bullet is secure within the main component, but when I twist it, nothing happens. There’s enough grip that it should twist up the bullet, but it doesn’t. And having to remove the bullet each time to twist it up and down after use is a pain. Luckily, I have one of their refillable lipstick bullets from way back, and that’s solved my problem. But it doesn’t look like they sell those components anymore. 

M141 and M116 on the eyes, M139 on cheeks and lips, N0 as concealer

Blurring Ceramide Cream Foundation in Neutral 0 “fairest porcelain with neutral undertones” ($26, 3.5g | .12oz) 

I’ll keep this one short, as I just wrote about it in Newsletter 107. I recently found that I couldn’t live without this in my life, so I purchased it. Did I finish more of my complexion products before purchasing? No. But I have zero regrets and a whole lot of love for this. 

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Stark Skincare

SOLSTICE Comfort Balm Serum ($68, 60ml)

This is exactly what my face has been needing. Since emptying the Wildcare Soft Focus Mask, my skincare cabinet has been missing something that feels cooling and soothing on the skin. Enter SOLSTICE. 

First, let’s take a moment to talk about its brilliant blue hue. The word that comes to mind is “cosmic.” I’d name it “cosmic blue,” a highly saturated, bright blue with slight teal undertones and tiny dark navy flecks. Second, the texture in the jar is rather hard, but the moment it hits your skin and warmth, it melts into a luxurious, silky balm oil texture. And don’t worry, it doesn’t appear blue once applied. Third, the scent: green, herbal, and a little medicinal. It reminds me a bit of Vicks VapoRub, but in the best way. It instantly unclogs my nasal passages and feels soothing to the skin, nose, throat, and lungs. 

I take maybe a nickel-sized amount and rub it between my palms before gliding it over the face. This is the last step in my evening skincare, and it’s been a welcome comfort for colder nights with longer stints of having the heat on. Because I use so little each time, I imagine this jar will last quite a while! 

ASTRAL Orbital Eye Serum* ($55, 10ml)

Sweet Jess (owner-creator extraordinaire) had a second sense that I was in dire need of an eye cream, oil, serum, something. I’m so thankful she sent along a gift of ASTRAL. While I’ve been happy using my facial oil or serum around the eyes, lately, my under-eyes have felt extra dry and thin. ASTRAL is simply lovely. 

It’s housed in a roller-ball, which provides me endless joy. The metal ball is so cooling and calming as it dispenses just the right amount of oil. While ASTRAL is labeled as a serum, it has an oil consistency. 

I’m also thrilled to announce that if you were a fan of Earthwise Beauty’s Passion Eye Serum like I was, this is an excellent replacement. The feel of it is quite similar, and there are some overlapping ingredients as well. I use this day and night, and my under eyes have regained their plump and soft quality. 

Sándor

If you follow me on Instagram, then you know I’m a big fan of Sándor. The Grounding Shampoo is too good; I have it on subscription. 

THE GROUNDING OIL* ($55, 76ml | 2.6floz, +$5 for pump)

Sándor’s signature scent is one of my absolute favorites. “Grounding” is the perfect name for it because it’s just that. To my nose, it starts as a burst of sage and cistus before it softens into something with a delicate floral note and envelopes me in a warm blanket of cedarwood. 

It’s housed in an aluminum bottle with a reusable stainless steel pump (like their shampoo, but please note they are two different pumps). Once attached, it skyrockets the luxury feel of the overall bottle; I love it.

I’d categorize this as a drier oil. I’ll use one pump on towel-dried hair and let it air dry. As with all conditioning products, I only use this from mid-length to the ends of my hair. On the site, it says it’s suitable for medium, thick, or coarse hair, leading me to believe that if you have fine hair, this may be too heavy an oil. While my actual hair is fine–normal, I have a lot of it, making it rather thick. It’s rare for me to find a hair conditioning product that feels instantly compatible. But the Grounding Oil somehow allows my natural hair texture to shine through while moisturizing, detangling, and adding shine and softness. It leaves my hair feeling and looking healthy in a glorious way.

I have also tried this as a body oil, and it is divine. It is best applied to damp skin so the oil sinks in more easily; otherwise, it can sit a little on top. 

GUA SHA COMB* ($59)

There is no denying that this is a tool that borders on art. The design is spectacular, from every curved edge to the weight to the feel of it in your hand. On the scalp, it feels equally phenomenal. Here again, the weight adds to the luxurious feel. However, I am torn about this item, and it’s all to do with the name of it. 

The official name is “Gua Sha Comb,” but it doesn’t necessarily reflect that due to the included and website instructions. For me, to name something “Gua Sha” would require a practitioner behind it both in instruction and design and be more rigid and intentional when it comes to practice. But I’ve found neither in this case (if it is backed by a practitioner, it isn’t listed anywhere).

The comb does come with instructions, but it doesn’t feel as in-depth or Gua Sha-specific, and they’re a little confusing. There’s a mislabeling in one of the points and directions, and it says to use “S” movements, but that’s hard to decipher without a visual aid. The same goes for the description on the website. So it feels obvious that this would have been better named “Massage Comb,” or better yet, “The Grounding Comb” to be more in line with the rest of the branding. 

All this is to say the name is a bit misleading and feels like it couldn’t quite decide what it wanted to be. Should it lean in wholly to Gua Sha or pull back and become something more open? Regardless, the tool still feels great. I use it more as a massager in the shape of a comb, letting my intuition guide me versus following strict directions (as I do with Gua Sha). Just brushing my hair with this feels instantly calming and works wonders for tension headaches.

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Prestige TV is back, finally. Some really spectacular television series are happening right now, so I thought I’d share what’s on the current Tender Forms Watchlist. (Ratings are mid-season.)

True Detective: Night Country (HBO) ★★★.9

Husband and I have been dutifully (willingly) watching this every Sunday night when it airs, and it’s been a solid, good time. The cast is magnificent: Jodie Foster reminds us why she’s one of the best out there with every scene, Kali Reis (new to me, a professional boxer in real life) is a great counterpoint to Foster’s character but equally impressive in her own scenes (especially as this is only her second acting project), throw John Hawkes (THE chameleon) in and everything is instantly better. Finn Bennett (also new to me) does a remarkable job. And Aka Niviâna and Fiona Shaw, though in more periphery roles, are both excellent. Consider me waitlisted for any dinner party Shaw’s character ever throws.

For a very brief, spoiler-free synopsis, the season follows two detectives, Danvers (Foster) and Navarro (Reis), as they try to solve two murder investigations in a town called Ennis on the outskirts of Alaska. Everything begins towards the latter half of December, starting with Alaska’s 1st Day of Night, where each day is in full darkness.

I have many thoughts on how this stacks up against the previous three seasons of True Detective, but one thing to note is that this is somewhat of a one-off (despite the entire series being an anthology to start with). This season had an unconventional (or perhaps this is how all TV shows get made) road to greenlight. Nic Pizzolatto is not the showrunner here as Issa López is. So if you’re wondering why certain things feel distinctly different (main titles, music, subhead in show title), that’s because it’s supposed to be. But López still delivers fanservice in a smart and never over-the-top way, which I sincerely respect and love her for (there are some spine-tingling links to Season 1).

I’ll have many more thoughts to share once the season is over, but for now, if you haven’t watched it yet. Please do. The penultimate episode premiered Friday (due to Superbowl Sunday), so we only have one episode left! (Yes, this season is also shorter than the rest.)

Mr. & Mrs. Smith (Amazon Prime Video) ★★★.9

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably seen me share stories about this more than once. I deeply enjoyed the series premiere. It surprised me in a multitude of ways and continues to now that I’m at the halfway point. I am now fully invested and have grown attached to the series and its cast and characters. I cannot imagine this series with Maya Erskine and Donald Glover. (I read a bit of production backstory that this initially had Glover and Phoebe Waller-Bridge attached as Jane. And now, having watched the show, what blasphemy! And I’m sure that would have been good in its own way, just something entirely different.)

Glover and Erskine play our titular Mr. and Mrs. Smith or John and Jane. It’s best to go in not thinking this is a remake of the 2005 Brangelina version because it’s something all its own.

There is such high production value, and everything is so considered that at times, I think to myself that this must be on the wrong network. It feels like a prestige HBO series, and I mean that in the best way. This brings me to one thing I’m angry about: why was the entire season dumped on Prime when it should have had a weekly rollout schedule? To binge this series would be doing it a great disservice. Even now, just knowing I can watch another episode at any moment makes it difficult to resist, but I haven’t watched two episodes in a day yet. Each episode continues to surprise me, and it’s been a while since I’ve felt that way towards a series.

It deserves its own dedicated viewing time, and if it’s not in your watch schedule yet, drop it in.

Tokyo Vice (HBO Max)

An under-the-radar gem that last premiered in April 2022. For a long while, I wasn’t sure if it would be picked up for another season. Then, even underway in production, I thought it might get cancelled after all of the fumbles and jumbles of Max. If you’ve been a longtime subscriber, then you may remember spotting it as an honorable mention in my TV 2022 Index.

A quick glance through IMDB shows Michael Mann is still on as Executive Producer, and the top-billed cast remains the same. I’m cheating a little by adding this since Season 2 premiered Thursday, but I’ve yet to watch it. However, I’m very excited to have this back in the running.

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As always, I hope you have a great start to your week. See you February 25.