The On-Sale Beauty Products Getting Me Through New York Fashion Week In Style

Tom Ford’s Noir Extreme has been living in my bag all week—the travel size, thankfully, because Fashion Week bag real estate is scarce. It’s warm and spicy without feeling heavy, cardamom and amber cutting through crowded show entrances and leaving a lasting trail long after the room has cleared. There’s something indulgent about it—that creamy sandalwood and vanilla ember dry-down reads intimate up close, but it holds its own in a packed elevator. At 50 percent off, it’s the easiest decision I’ll make all week.

After a long stretch of shows—makeup on, makeup off, cold air in between—my skin tends to flush and tighten in ways that aren’t subtle. Dr. Jart+’s Cicapair mask is what I reach for when I need to recalibrate; the tiger grass and niacinamide take the redness down without overwhelming already stressed skin.

Touchland is the only hand sanitizer I buy in multiples—one in every bag, so I never have to factor it into the nightly handbag debate. Fashion Week means subway poles I’d rather not think about and an ambitious number of handshakes; I like knowing I can spray, reset, and move on without that sharp, clinical scent lingering. The aloe keeps my hands from feeling stripped, and the range of fragrances offers a playful spectrum to explore.

A good sponge is the difference between makeup that sits on the skin and makeup that belongs there. The beautyblender Bounce Haus trio is what I reach for when I want everything foundation, cream blush, even powder—to settle in rather than announce itself. Dampened, it presses product into place without overworking it, keeping the finish polished but never overdone. I don’t think about it much, which is exactly the point.

Armani’s Luminous Silk was the first foundation I ever fell in love with—the one that made me understand what “expensive skin” could look like. Neo Nude is lighter, deliberately so. During Fashion Week, that difference matters. I need a base I can adjust without committing to it—something I can layer, tap back into, and refine. It’s the smarter call when the schedule is long, and the margin for error is thin.

Curls and February wind don’t negotiate. IGK’s travel trio keeps mine controlled without flattening or frizzing them. The smoothing spray, glassy gloss, and overnight dry mask do the repair work while I sleep. At 20 percent off, it’s a practical addition to the week.