Talk Of The Team: 15 *Extra* Beauty Items mbg Editors Adored In February

This brand is known for their patented ingredient, Alpha Keratin 60ku. It's a bioidentical protein to keratin, the protein that makes up 80% of the hair. When hair is damaged and weak, it's because it's lost some of that keratin. By applying this particular keratin topically, it replenishes what's lost, strengthening hair in the process. This special ingredient is formulated into all of Virtue's products, but it's at its highest concentration in this serum. 

I noticed a huge difference in my hair's appearance with just one use. The ends looked less crackly and brittle, the color looked more luminous, and my days-old blowout was brought back to life. With each application thereafter, I couldn't believe how smooth and soft the strands felt. — Alexandra Engler, beauty director

This month’s theme may be extra, but Glow Recipe’s new drops have actually saved me an extra step: I haven't worn bronzer since copping the glowy formula. It provides the prettiest warm sheen without looking streaky, and it flatters every skin tone beautifully—I once wore it without any makeup whatsoever and was asked how I looked so sun-kissed. 

I’ll apply it with my fingertips to my entire face (post-sunscreen, pre-makeup), follow with a skin tint, then use a contour brush to add a few more drops just on my cheekbones and hairline. Then, as celebrity makeup artist Colby Smith taught me, I use an eyeshadow brush to swipe another half a drop on my eyelids and brow bones. Let me tell you, I’ve never looked so glowy. — Jamie Schneider, senior beauty editor

Even before the recent reformulation, this was one of my most common recommendations to friends and family because it's so effective and affordable. Now, the formula contains even more forms of hyaluronic acid for deeper hydration and ceramides to help plump and soften the skin. The biggest change: There's no longer a sticky residue left behind. Not every company goes out of its way to improve an already cult-favorite product, so hats off to The Ordinary for doing the most. — Hannah Frye, assistant beauty editor

These jellies took the TikTok crowd by storm when they first launched, for a good reason: The sensorial experience is extraordinary! It reminds me of a Push Pop, as I twist the stick until the candy-like pigment rises from the base. It’s solid yet bouncy, and it provides a burst of color I can best describe as juicy. 

I will say that the payoff is intense, so I prefer to sweep a brush over the pigment before diffusing it on my cheeks and lips for a softer wash of color; but you can totally swirl the stick right on your skin for a more dramatic finish. Go ahead, be extra. — Schneider

Blush with sunscreen is my kind of "extra." Now you can be faux rosy-cheeked at the beach knowing that the flush is not from too much UV, but rather a tinted, multi-tasking formula. I already know this will be in my bag all summer to add flush to my lids, lips, and cheeks while protecting my skin. — Frye

I can't remember the last time I wore a matte lip. My most formative beauty years were during the matte lipstick craze that dominated the advent of Instagram. Those liquid matte lipsticks dried down like car paint and left the skin feeling like the desert.

But my-oh-my were my interests piqued when I got an email letting me know that celebrity makeup artist Gucci Westman was coming out with her own matte lipstick. This formula and payoff is nothing you've tried before. The color glides on like cashmere and has a dynamic (never flat) matte finish. I tested a bright, crisp red that earned me several compliments, but the line comes in 10 shades that beg to be worn. — Engler

This fragrance primer is certainly extra, but it’s a worthwhile splurge for the fragrance-obsessed. Plenty of perfumes fade in just a few hours (clean formulas are notorious for this), but a primer helps extend the life of your go-to, possibly therapeutic wearable fragrance. Follow the directions strictly for the best results (meaning, rub it in and let it set before layering your other perfume). — Frye

I own a $158 hairbrush. Yes, it’s pricey—some may even consider it a bit extra—but it’s designed to last a lifetime. Crafted with artisanal French techniques, it certainly delivers on luxury: The nylon fiber ball tips give your scalp a delicate massage, while the high-quality, sustainably sourced boar bristles moisturize your tresses and make them shine.

Not for nothing, it looks like a treasure on my vanity. Give this brush a pass through your locks, and I’ll bet you’ll be just as hooked as I am. — Schneider

A brow serum, gel, comb, and brush, all in one tiny purple bottle... that's extra efficient. This new product makes brow care on the go easier than ever while putting brow health at the forefront. The result is brows that look laminated but feel soft to the touch. — Frye

To be honest, I’m often hesitant with 2-in-1 products. The skin on your body can often tolerate much more potent formulas than the delicate skin on your face, so I generally stick to body-only applications—until I tried this scalp and body scrub. 

I was a bit concerned the granules would be too harsh for my sensitive scalp, then pleasantly surprised to find the texture softer than many scalp exfoliators I’ve tried. Sugar is the workhorse here, which is much finer and less harsh than salt, while caffeine and glycerin stimulate and hydrate the skin. Once a week, I plop a dollop on my scalp, massage gently to lift buildup, then apply another scoop on my body to scrub away dead skin. When I rinse, I feel invigorated from head to toe. — Schneider

Backed by 18 years of research and a 5-month clinical study, this serum is a revolutionary dark spot corrector safe and effective for all skin tones and types. The new multi-patented ingredient, known as Melasyl™, is raising the bar for hyperpigmentation treatment this year. —Frye

When I first squeezed out this shampoo, I genuinely thought I mixed up the bottles and accidentally grabbed the conditioner—that’s how creamy this formula feels. Yet despite the richness, it actually lathers up quite beautifully; I did need to double cleanse in order to really lift the gunk and oil from my scalp, but for days I only need a light shampoo, it’s perfect.  

The conditioner, true to its name, is equally rich, yet it doesn’t weigh down my strands. My waves look bouncy, hydrated, and refreshed. — Schneider

This cream is quite pricey, but a little goes a long way. The formula is designed to support dark spots and fine lines on the décolletage, which is an area that many people frequently neglect. While it's not something everyone needs in their routine, I will admit my chest has looked immensely better since I started using it, and the hydration lasts all day long. — Frye

Skin care patches are becoming increasingly elevated, with more targeted benefits, delivery systems, and premium ingredients infused into the tiny adhesives. As of now, these high-tech, exosome-infused options take the cake. 

With microneedling technology to gently penetrate the skin’s surface, exosomes travel into the deeper layers of the skin and activate those skin cells to repair, stimulating more collagen production and improving skin texture. They also include conotoxin (a type of peptide) to help smooth fine lines, plus hyaluronic acid to plump the skin with moisture. 

They’ve been quite transformative for my dull, sensitive under-eyes, and I’ve even tried a patch on a pesky smile line that aggravates me to no end (it’s only on one side—anyone else?!). I’ll need a few more rounds to be sure, but it finally looks less apparent in the a.m. — Schneider

I typically prefer my rose with a side of amber or grounding vanilla to make the fragrance more complex, but I’ve been sleeping on mint as the extra ingredient. Delicate floral and herbaceous spearmint is a combo I didn’t know I needed—it’s equal parts cozy and invigorating.

It bathes my home in fresh mint even without a flame (it’s like having a bouquet of herbs on my counter at all times), but when I do warm up the wax, the rose really comes alive. — Schneider