GROOMING
Executive Assistance
Secret weapons for looking sharp at the office
Your office HVAC system is good for a lot of things (like circulating germs and carrying the aroma of street meat up into your office), but the
dry, stale, polluted air wreaks havoc on your skin and your well-being. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency has found that indoor air is
up to five times more polluted than outdoor air, and studies show that office workers experience headaches from poor ventilation. Even if you
haven’t pulled an all-nighter, the odds are stacked against your looking and feeling your best at work. That’s where a well-stocked desk drawer
comes in (and no, not stocked like the office of Mad Men’s Don Draper). Here are the only 10 products you need. ASHLEY MULDOON
Lab Series Oil
Control Towelettes
For: Face
Why: The solution,
developed by the
brand’s elite team of
scientists, contains
witch hazel, Laminaria
saccharina extract,
and salicylic acid,
ingredients that help
to control outbreaks,
reduce oil, and
tighten pores.
Get it: labseries.com
Fresh Sugar
For: Dry lips
Why: Most lip
balms are made
with parabens and
petroleum distillates,
both of which are found
on the list of “Dirty
Dozen Chemicals
in Cosmetics” that
was compiled by
researchers at The
Green Guide. But
this stick contains an
all-natural blend of
black currant oil and
antioxidant grape seed
polyphenols.
Get it: fresh.com
EBOOST
For: Endurance
Why: This bubbly
orange drink contains
a potent mix of
green-tea extract
(proven to boost
physical performance
by up to 24 percent,
according to a study
in the American
Journal of Physiology:
Regulatory, Integrative,
and Comparative
Physiology), vitamin
B , and 5-HTP, an
12
amino acid that boosts
levels of serotonin
in the brain.
Get it: eboost.com
Rohto V ICE
For: Dry eyes
Why: Studies show
that up to 80 percent of
computer users suffer
from eyestrain. Unlike
traditional eyedrops
that combat either
redness or dryness,
this formula combines
three ingredients
(hypromellose,
tetrahydrozoline, and
zinc sulfate) to relieve
both at once.
Get it: drugstore.com
Bath & Body Works
Stress Relief
For: Headaches
Why: The roll-on
stick delivers a blend
of spearmint and
eucalyptus oil, which
has been shown to
relieve symptoms
such as inflammation
of the sinuses and
pressure or pain in the
head, according to a
study of 152 people
that was published in
Laryngoscope.
Get it: bathandbody
works.com
Jack Black
Hand Healer
For: Dry hands
Why: Cold weather
and stale office air can
leave your hands dry,
itchy, and flaky. This
rich, nongreasy formula
contains vitamins A and
E to help heal cracked
hands, and rice-bran oil
to soften dry cuticles.
Get it: getjackblack
.com
Anthony For Men
ACTION Rescue
Eyestick
For: Puffy eyes
Why: This solid stick is
made from a soothing
blend of cactus extract
and soy. Cactus
extract contains a
salicylate substance
that reduces inflam-
mation and stimulates
collagen production,
while soy may help
improve dullness, fine
lines, and overall skin
texture, according to
the Mayo Clinic.
Get it: nordstrom.com
Clarins Men
Fatigue Fighter
and YSL L’Homme
Anti-Fatigue
Treatment
For: Dry face patches
Why: The moisturizing
gel by Clarins contains
sunflower auxin and
Chinese galanga to
relieve dryness, and
the energizing stick by
YSL contains caffeine.
Use them to target
dry patches around
your eyes [Clarins] and
mouth [ YSL].
Get it: us.clarins.com,
yslbeautyus.com
Burt’s Bees
Muscle Mend
For: Sore shoulders
Why: More than half of
computer users develop
shoulder problems,
according to a study
of 264 workers that
was published in the
BMC Musculoskeletal
Disorders. Combat
tension with this blend
of essential oils that
also contains the
pain reliever menthol
at a 16 percent
concentration, the
maximum amount
permitted in over-the-counter remedies.
Get it: burtsbees.com
