beauty
By Akili King, a Cut contributor and author of the “Auto-Refill” column
Photo: Courtesy of Harold James
Auto-Refill: Our favorite beauty pros share the products they love — the ones so good they’ll make you hit that little “auto-refill” box at checkout.
Makeup artist Harold James’s signature look often includes a bold red lip, perfectly high-lit skin, and sharp winged liner. Of course, it only helps that he works with some of the industry’s most gorgeous faces, such as Tina Kunakey and Sabrina Elba.
James has always been interested in beauty, but his career in makeup artistry began as an accident. “One day, my friend was busy attending to two clients in his private salon and asked me to quickly take care of one of them,” he says. “I began applying a smoky eye to the client,pretending to be a real makeup artist to help my friend. The client said she felt amazing for her date,” and the rest was history. Over the years, he’s learned a lot from his clients. “They’ve shown me howfeeling beautiful and comfortable in one’s skin is a very personal experience.”
Below, James details his self-care routines, the products he can’t live without, and more. After all, “taking care of my skin, hands, and mental well-being helps me stay inspired, provide top-notch services to my clients, and maintain my professional edge.”
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A.M. Routine
I enjoy starting my mornings with a quick meditation session. I’m not great at doing long ones, but sometimes just five minutes is enough to set my intentions for the day.I like making my breakfast so I know exactly what I’m eating. Regarding supplements, I’m a big fan of Biogena; they have top-quality micronutrients.
I never leave the house without putting on my favorite fragrance. I’ve been using the same perfume for years: Silver Mountain Water from Creed. Sometimes I like to try out new fragrances as they inspire me in my creative process.
I don’t wash my face with a cleanser in the morning. Instead, I wake up my skin using Eau de Ki, which I apply by pressing onto my entire face and neck. It’s a Japanese nectar with eight natural and ancestral Asian ingredients.
My New York facialist, Crystal Greene, has created a simple personalized skin-care routine for me using the modular system from the Dermaviduals skin-care brand. I also incorporate some products from Noble Panacea, like the Prime Radiance Serum, which fights against the effects of free radicals on my skin. My skin has never looked so beautiful and healthy since using this combination.
I think I have an obsession with lip balms. I realized that I collect them; there’s always one lying around. My current favorites are the Bioeffect lip balm and the universal Prada balm.
Lastly, I use the Ware Company’s Sonny SPF40 face serum to protect my skin from the sun. It perfectly shields my skin and doesn’t leave any white residue.
I don’t wear makeup; I don’t cover up under-eye bags or anything like that. I just focus on taking good care of my skin. But when it comes to my eyebrows, I like to redefine and thicken them with Boy Brow from Glossier. It’s been my go-to for years. When I have some extra time, I enjoy using the Baby blade microfine brow pencil from Victoria Beckham beauty for added definition. Having well-groomed eyebrows really makes a difference in shaping the face.
I keep my hair-care routine super simple. I wash my hair myself twice a week with Phytoprogenium Ultra-Gentle Shampoo from Phyto. In my daily body-care routine, I include regular Japanese exfoliation using a silk massage brush from Officine Universelle Buly. This brush helps boost blood circulation and gently exfoliates the skin, leaving it smoother and more radiant. After exfoliating, I use a moisturizing lotion from Cetaphil. To finish off my routine, I always apply the scented dry oil from Officine Universelle Buly, especially the antique Scottish Lichen oil. The fragrance of this oil sets the perfect tone for my day.
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P.M. Routine
My days are long, but I try to have some quality time with the people I love and stop using social media at least one hour before bed.For my skin, I double-cleanse my face with the elemental cleansing balm from Noble Panacea. I then spray my face with the lotion N by Dermavidual. I apply the absolute intense Renewal serum from Noble Panacea with the Novrithen cream from Dermaviduals.
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On the beauty product that’s actually made a difference:
I am addicted to my FAQ 202 LED face mask. It’s a spa-level LED treatment. I travel everywhere with it, and I especially like it after a long-distance flight.
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On rest
After reading Matthew Walker’s book Why We Sleep, I made some big changes to my habits to prioritize getting the best possible sleep. Since then, I’ve invested in top-notch bedding, I enjoy teas from Mariage Frères, and I practice breathing exercises to help me get my full eight hours of sleep. Recently, Eva Green shared some of her favorite relaxing playlists with me, and now I listen to them on my earbuds before bedtime.
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On movement
Hitting the gym is my go-to way to reconnect with my body. I also like taking leisurely walks to clear my head and stay in the moment.
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