From a Blurring Balm Powder to Caramel Body Oil, a Celeb MUA Shares Her Valentine's Day Beauty Edit
The Lineup is a monthly series where we're giving you an inside peek at the beauty lineups of the most sought-after experts and tastemakers in the industry. Get ready for a behind-the-scenes look at all the can't-live-without products that make their worlds go 'round.
This time of year, I've got love on the brain, and not just romantic love. Luckily, there are so many different types of love beyond that—friendship, platonic, familial, the list goes on. But lately, I've been thinking a lot about my lifelong love affair with beauty, and how it led me to this very job. Danessa Myricks knows this journey well. She turned her passion for beauty into her career 26 years ago and has never looked back.
Myricks is the go-to makeup artist for celebs like Ciara and Kelly Rowland, not to mention the founder of one of Sephora's most popular brands, Danessa Myricks Beauty. But her love for makeup began like most people's: By watching her mom and grandma's beauty rituals, from applying cold cream to swiping on bold red lipstick. I recently caught up with her to chat about everything from Valentine's Day beauty inspo to the secrets behind her signature Yummy Skin.
"I always think of Valentine's Day as a day of loving yourself and being loved for who you are," she says. "My focus on Valentine's Day is fresh skin, kissable lips, and smelling great, because you know you're going to be showered with hugs and love." Fresh skin is also a priority for me, so I wanted to know the exact products behind Myricks' velvety complexion. She told me her Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder ($39) and Mattifying Setting Spray ($36) will forever be her favorites—aside from giving you airbrushed skin, her signature creations also have a special hidden meaning you'll want to remember every day as you're getting ready.
"Most people don't know, but YUMMY stands for 'Your Unique Most Magical You,'" she explains. "My biggest dream is for people to look at themselves in the mirror and reflect on how they're feeling, what feels good, [and] their skin type, and design a look that's perfectly fit for them with a unique combination of winning products that hit every time."
So, what products will Myricks reach for on V-Day and beyond? From her ultra-popular Yummy Skin line to a delectable caramel spice body oil, keep scrolling to see the gems she relies on to achieve silky-smooth skin and smell delicious 24/7.
"This and the Blurring Balm Powder Spray are my go-tos for refined, polished skin."
"I love a body oil. My skin is intensely dry and needs deep hydration and moisturization at all times. And this Brown Sugar Babe body oil formula not only keeps my skin soft, juicy, and shiny, but also leaves me smelling impeccably delicious all day long."
"I've always been a one-note fragrance kind of girl and have been living in the world of Egyptian musk, something I can never let go. I wear it every day and it's perfect for every occasion."
"My day-to-day makeup routine is simple. I like to control my oil and my menopausal sweat throughout the day, and blur away the distractions like my fine lines and wrinkles."
"Shani Darden is the esthetician of my dreams. In one session, she told me everything I need to know about my face. I'm in my mid-50s, and face sculpting and lymphatic drainage are super important. And this double-wand action is something that I can do at home to lift and shape my ever-changing face."
"Colorfix Stix are easy for on-the-go when I want to amp my look up for a meeting or evening event, or just have a feel-good moment for myself. I can tap, swipe, go—and glow!"
"I suffer with multiple kinds of alopecia, so lashes have been a big part of my life for a really long time. I wear lashes every day. And these Lily lashes are invisible, delicate, sophisticated, and give me the confidence that I need every day."
"These masks have been a part of my professional journey since the very beginning. They're a perfect refreshing boost of hydration for pre-makeup application or a special self-care moment in the evening. What I love the most is that they're accessible for anybody wanting plump, hydrated skin and give a spa-like experience at home."
"From red light to blue light to cooling under eyes, this mask does it all! It's a perfect addendum to my simple daily skin routine and feels like an elevated self-care moment that I can do any time at home."
"I've been obsessed with pores since my early teens. I think I was born with pores—I was a baby with a thousand pores! These pads help to tighten and smooth the appearance of my pores—and they're a perfect complement to my Yummy Skin favorites."
"As we age, the eyes are the first place to give away all of our secrets. Shani is masterful in creating products that give the skin exactly what it needs at every stage of your aging journey. This renewal cream has fast become my must-have skincare bestie."
"I used to have a cabinet of 20 different bottles of supplements that I needed to take every day, which often resulted in overlooking or missing my daily vitamin intake. These packs are perfect because as long as you have water to drink, you get your daily vitamins and minerals."
"I'm a busy traveler. I'm constantly in a new city, in a new mode of transportation, hugging thousands of people. My team counted that I gave approximately 18,000 hugs this year—hopefully that number doubles next year—but this is a perfect way to take care of your whole body health by rebuilding your microbiome and activating your cellular health performance—all in one packet that you can take with or without water. It's an instant revival."
"I give a thousand hugs a day. And so outside of my body fragrance, hair fragrance rises top of the list. This fragrance is delightful, soft, and smells like I just got a fresh wash and deep conditioner. It's an instant pick-me-up for lived-in hair."
"Bozoma Saint John can do no wrong. She's literally a marketing and sales genius. Her new venture into hair has been nothing short of magical. This is actually the very first fragrant hair oil I've tried that not only adds a hint of a natural shine, but also a soft, elegant fragrance that's undeniably chic."
"I've recently fallen in love with whole-body deodorants and have tried so many different ones, but this one is so refreshing with a textureless dry finish that never damages my clothes, no matter where I put it. I can use it over my entire body without worrying about it damaging fabrics. It's also great before and after a workout."
"Black soap has always been a part of my beauty story, and this is for sure the most elegant execution of black soap. It leaves you feeling fresh, clean, with no residue on the skin. It's an exciting upgrade to a longtime favorite."
"Those who know, know. It's unlike any washcloth or body sponge you'll ever experience. Not only does it clean in the most exhilarating way, but it's perfect for those hard to reach places. My skin's never felt softer!"
"After reading Dr. Nigma's best-selling book, Younger Skin Starts in the Gut, I've been obsessed with all of her daily supplements. This one is so delicious, you'll never forget to take it. It's an energizing boost of vitamin C that works on the skin from the inside out."
"Quest has been a huge part of my healthcare journey. I've lost over 100 pounds over the last few years by finding replacements for some of the things that I love. Quest has bars, chips, cookies, smoothies—anything you need for any time you need it, not just a quick treat but also to add to your protein stack for the day. I don't know what I would do without my Quest snacks for all of my travels. I recommend it to everyone."
"Being single has its perks, but the one thing I miss is having somebody to scrub my back! With multiple heads, this brush gets to all of those hard to reach spots with a massaging pulse that makes every shower experience special. It was a perfect TikTok Shop find!"
"Some people have a glass of wine, others smoke a cigarette—I love taking this holistic route. At any moment throughout the day, I can go back to calm. These on-the-go packets are perfect for a busy business traveler who needs to take a breather. I never leave home without it."
