And Now, All the Products I Discovered During My First Year as a Beauty Editor

In a surprising turn of events for me, I became a beauty editor a little more than a year ago. You see, my regular day job is managing editor of THE/THIRTY—Who What Wear's wellness vertical. So my life revolves around all things wellness: fitness, nutrition, self-care, mental health, etc. Then, back in April 2020, I got the unexpected opportunity to write a few beauty stories a week here on Who What Wear.

At first, I was a little wary. Beauty was a completely new beat for me and I didn't really know much about it other than my own personal experiences. And I consider both my makeup and skincare routines pretty low maintenance and minimal. On the other hand, the curious journalist inside me was very eager to learn more about a new topic and really explore everything there is to know about it. So I dove right in with help from my colleagues, senior beauty editor Erin Jahns and beauty editor Courtney Higgs.

editor-skincare-product-recommendations-292940-1619655010207-main

(Image credit: @sarahayang)

Let me tell you, it's been a lot of fun. And I've learned so much. I can now go on and on about retinols, hyaluronic acid, sunscreens, microdermabrasion, and how to figure out our skin type. Even though I still consider myself a makeup novice, I know how to find the perfect foundation for my skin tone and how to use a concealer efficiently. I also can tell you which eye shadow palettes are worth it and how to shop for the perfect lip color.

With all of this new knowledge, I've also discovered a lot of new-to-me products that I've become thoroughly obsessed with. Who knew I could wax poetic to my friends for a long time about a $166 vitamin C serum? Well, this is the new normal for me.

To mark my milestone of writing about beauty for a year, I thought it'd be fun to do a debrief and compile a list of all the products I've tried and loved. Take a look below, and let me know what you think by sending me a DM at @sarahayang. Am I sleeping on any products? What should I try next? Do you have the same feelings about a certain product? Please tell me.

Skincare

Makeup

Managing Editor

Sarah is lifestyle writer and editor with over 10 years of experience covering health and wellness, interior design, food, beauty, and tech. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she attended New York University and lived in New York for 12 years before returning to L.A. in 2019. In addition to her work on THE/THIRTY and Who What Wear, she held editor roles at Apartment Therapy, Real Simple, House Beautiful, Elle Decor, and The Bump (sister site of The Knot). She has a passion for health and wellness, but she especially loves writing about mental health. Her self-care routine consists of five things: a good workout, “me” time on the regular, an intriguing book/podcast/playlist to unwind after a long day, naps, and decorating her home.