Rana Good is the founder of Naïra NYC. A writer for publications such as Forbes, Travel + Leisure, Coveteur, Mens Journal and others, she created her own platform celebrating women of color.
One look at Dallas-based beauty YouTuber Pritty Persad‘s Instagram profile and you know she’s a true connoisseur of products. From perfume to makeup to skincare, her vanity is stocked with popular brands such as Fresh, Fenty and Murad, which explains her always on-point makeup and impossibly perfect skin. With such a wealth of knowledge we asked Persad which products she can’t live without, find out which ones made her Great 8 and why.
1. Bobbi Brown Crushed Lip Color in Sazan Nude
Now this is definitely the one beauty product that I always have with me; no matter where I’m going or what I’m doing this is in my purse. Bobbi Brown is one of my favorite beauty brands of all time and there’s something so special about this particular lipstick collection, especially the quality of the formula. It’s extremely moisturizing — I don’t even need a chapstick or a lip balm when I wear this. This particular shade was made in collaboration with one of my favorite Texan-native beauty bloggers (and founder of @theblessbox) Sazan Hendrix. She designed this lipstick to be a soft pink nude which it truly is. It’s the perfect combination of brown and nude without being too light or dark for my skin tone. Best. Lipstick. Ever.
2. OLAY Daily Facial Cleansing Cloths
This next product that I want to tell you guys about was a total game changer for my beauty routine when I discovered it. I saw this in someone’s nighttime routine on YouTube and I had to try it out for myself. These cleansing cloths are completely different from any other makeup removing wipe I’ve used because they are actually dry, so you just run them under the tap for a few seconds with lukewarm water and then they begin to lather. It’s infused with Aloe Extract which is amazing for skin like mine (dry and sensitive). They really get off every ounce of full-faced makeup! I still cleanse as usual after but if I’m feeling lazy, it’s not necessary. I noticed a huge change in the texture of my skin after I started using these consistently and they’re also really great for travel because a big pack is so much lighter than wet make up wipes. Oh yeah, and the price is unbelievable — 33 wipes for $6.
3. Summer Friday’s Jet Lag Mask
This mask is basically an ultra-hydrating and cooling balm to the skin. Formulated by Marianna Hewitt and Lauren Gores to suit their busy schedules and jetsetting lives inspired them to create their own product, formulated without Parabens, Sulfates, and Phthalates. I wore this mask a few different ways: I wore it thick for 10 minutes and wiped it off; I wore it thick and went to bed with it; I wore it as a thick mask on a flight and just dabbed away the excess. I wore it under my make up as a primer and the way it made my foundation look was beautiful. Moisturizing is really the key to that dewy, youthful, glowy look and this mask just basically locks it all in!
4. Dry Brush
Dry brushing is so incredibly important in your beauty and your health routine. You basically brush your dry skin with any boar bristle brush, in circular motions, in upward motions to the direction of your heart. It sounds simple, but when done properly, you can feel it working instantly. This basically gets your blood pumping and any stagnant fluids moving all over your body. I literally see the glow in my face any time I do it! Not to mention it makes any cellulite disappear. Lymphatic drainage is so important to our health! Do it before you shower so all the dead skin can be washed away and exfoliated easily.
5. Jade Roller
This next item is all about lymphatic drainage as well, but on your face. If you’ve never heard about it before, a jade roller is a tool deriving from ancient chinese medicine for the face that helps with three major components: absorbing moisturizers and serums into the skin, carving the face, and of course, lymphatic drainage. I got mine from Amazon for an extremely affordable price and it’s of the best purchases I’ve ever made.
6. OUAI Volume Shampoo & Conditioner
I have really thin, flat hair. I’ve honestly used a million different hair products from every different brand on the spectrum and I’ve never found an actual product that gives me long lasting volume like this one. I recently purchased the shampoo and conditioner from Sephora and I’m sold. It smells amazing and I don’t even feel the need to blow dry when I use it. It you feel my struggle, give this a try and your search will be over.
7. Maybelline Superstar Foundation in Honey
I’ve been wearing liquid foundation longer than I’d like to admit, and I haven’t found a foundation of this quality in any price range. I’m used to high-end foundations from brands like NARS, Armani etc., but this SuperStay foundation is very comparable at a fraction of the price. It has a demi-matte finish, full coverage and the best part of it all – no scent. No paint like, chemical smell that I’m use to from cheaper foundations. It stays on all day and doesn’t start creasing until 12 hours of wearing.
8. Trish McEvoy No. 9 Blackberry & Vanilla Musk
This fragrance has been one of my favorite scent long before I should of ever been allowed to wear perfume. It’s completely different from other scents, I usually prefer more woodsy tones but this one is the perfect combination of sweet and musky. It’s described as a happy, spicy-sweet, warm, playful wearable scent. I seriously get an instant mood lift when I put this on!