Beauty fans love this cult facial oil — and it's finally 22% off
If you're still slathering your face in coconut oil and praying for the best, put it down now. There's a new bottle on the shelf that's got even the most skeptical skincare expert excited.
New York Post's Victoria Giardina, our resident beauty writer and a self-proclaimed oil skeptic, just dropped a glowing review hotter than a summer Friday on the LIRR. Her favorite? Drunk Elephant's Virgin Marula Luxury Face Oil, and it's currently 22% off on Amazon. The 'sold out soon' energy is real. You know what to do.
Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil is a lightweight, 100% pure marula seed oil that deeply hydrates and protects skin with antioxidants. It helps reduce fine lines and boosts skin elasticity without feeling greasy, suitable for all skin types.
'I'm not one for skincare oils — as an Italian, I equate it to putting olive oil on your face, truly,' Giardina says. 'But the Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Face Oil is one of my only exceptions. It's one fluid ounce of pure bliss — rich in antioxidants and omegas 6 and 9 that moisturize and nourish my skin.'
The formula is vegan, cruelty-free, and skips the nasties — no silicones, essential oils, or fragrance — making it perfect for even the most dramatic of dermises.
RELATED: Drunk Elephant review: Bronzing drops, serums, more
'I have sensitive skin and find this one to be extremely replenishing, sans any redness,' says Giardina. 'I apply it in tandem with my hyaluronic acid serums and my moisturizer, and it's my dream routine.'
The oil sinks in faster than your Sunday Scaries, thanks to its ultra-light texture and a nutrient profile that packs more polyphenols than dark chocolate or green tea. Translation? Antioxidant armor for your face — without the sugar crash.
Oh, and that 'luxury' part in the name? Not just marketing fluff. Reviewers call it a miracle elixir, a liquid hug, and what your face would order at a five-star spa.
Under $40 and gaining steam, this isn't a scroll-past situation. Beauty lovers are snapping it up, and fast. Take a cue from Victoria: leave the olive oil in the kitchen. Your face is craving something a little more luxe.
Looking for a headline-worthy haul? Keep shopping Post Wanted.
For over 200 years, the New York Post has been America's go-to source for bold news, engaging stories, in-depth reporting, and now, insightful shopping guidance. We're not just thorough reporters – we sift through mountains of information, test and compare products, and consult experts on any topics we aren't already schooled specialists in to deliver useful, realistic product recommendations based on our extensive and hands-on analysis. Here at The Post, we're known for being brutally honest – we clearly label partnership content, and whether we receive anything from affiliate links, so you always know where we stand. We routinely update content to reflect current research and expert advice, provide context (and wit) and ensure our links work. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
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Boston Globe
26 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
Daily Provisions and Lou's open in Harvard Square; Capri comes to the South End
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CNN
3 hours ago
- CNN
India beckons Western fashion brands — but their cultural missteps can be costly
When Prada sent several pairs of brown sandals with distinctive toe rings and intricate stitching down its menswear runway in Milan last month, observers were quick to point out their resemblance to a centuries-old piece of Indian heritage. The storied Italian fashion house may have presented the shoes as a new luxury creation, but many in India simply saw a pair of Kolhapuri chappals — traditional hand-crafted sandals with roots stretching back to the 12th or 13th century. Prada's initial failure to acknowledge the inspiration behind the shoes, which had earlier been described by the brand simply as 'leather flat sandals,' according to the Guardian, sparked fierce and ongoing debate over cultural appropriation. Critics accused the label of erasing the legacy of Indian artisans, with voices across social media calling out what they saw as blatant design theft. Within a week, Prada had acknowledged in a letter to an Indian trade group that the sandals in its men's Spring-Summer 2026 collection were indeed 'inspired by traditional Indian footwear.' In a statement to CNN, the brand said it has 'always celebrated craftsmanship, heritage and design.' Prada later added that it had met artisanal footwear manufacturers in India 'to discuss potential opportunities for future collaboration.' Prada's readiness to confront the controversy could be a reflection of the fashion industry's growing interest in India's luxury consumers — and a reluctance to anger them. But the episode also epitomizes how Western labels have often struggled to meaningfully engage with the country's crafts and culture. India's luxury market is on a dramatic ascent, estimated to expand from $7.73 billion in 2023 to $11.3 billion by 2028 — a rate that would likely outpace most of the world's major luxury markets, according to global consulting firm Kearney. 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Some of these brands are 'adapting beautifully,' Gupta said, but the 'real disconnect happens when brands view India as a commercial opportunity rather than a cultural dialogue,' he added. 'The Indian buyer wants to feel seen. It's no longer enough to just open a flagship in Mumbai, you need to speak the emotional and visual language of the market.' Indian inspiration is as essential to Western fashion as pajamas and Madras plaid. But accusations of cultural appropriation have intensified in recent years due to the growth of internet access in the country, the rise of social media platforms and a surging sense of cultural pride. 'A lot of Indian people, including designers and artisans, are aware of their rights,' said Toolika Gupta (no relation), director at the Indian Institute of Crafts and Design (IICD) in Jaipur, in an email, adding: 'They want acknowledgement of their legacy.' In 2019, fashion house Gucci sparked controversy with its 'Indy Full Turban,' sold for $790 on Nordstrom's website. The blue headpiece closely resembled the traditional Sikh turban, prompting backlash from Sikh communities in India and elsewhere. It was eventually removed from the website, with Nordstrom quickly apologizing amid the backlash. Just this year, the clothing company Reformation was criticized for selling a blouse, skirt and scarf that reminded many South Asians of the lehenga, an Indian garment consisting of a long skirt, top and a dupatta (scarf), a staple of Indian fashion for centuries and typically draped across a woman's chest. Some took issue with Reformation's lack of acknowledgement for the garment. One TikTok user joked: 'My girl is about to go strut the streets of India… Give credit where credit is due, this is literally a lehenga with a dupatta.' She also noted that the pastel-colored blouse, skirt and scarf were strikingly similar to lehengas worn by Bollywood celebrities in the early 2000s. In a statement to The Washington Post, Reformation said the design in question was inspired by a 1990s-era John Galliano gown and scarf set owned by the model Devon Lee Carlson, with whom it collaborated on the collection. just my thoughts on these pieces from the ref x devon collab #greenscreen #reformation #browngirl #browngirltiktok #lehenga #dupatta #devonlee #fashion #springfashion #indianoutfits #southasian #southasianfashion #jhumkas #ibizaoutfits #scarves H&M, meanwhile, recently came under fire for a sleeveless sheer 'long camisole' top and trouser set that many social media users likened to the salwar kameez, a traditional Indian tunic and pant. In a statement to CNN, H&M said the design took 'inspiration from current fashion trends like dresses layered over pants and the popularity of sheer pieces, as well as various plays on transparency and movement.' It's not just labels that have sparked controversy. Frustration spilled onto TikTok last year after the fashion rental company Bipty posted a now-deleted video featuring White women wearing sheer shawls draped across their chests, describing the look as 'very European effortlessly chic.' South Asian users on the platform immediately noted the similarities between the shawl and a dupatta. Many posted their own videos draping dupattas and mockingly dubbing them 'Scandinavian scarves,' using humor and irony to highlight the apparent erasure and misrepresentation of Indian heritage. Bipty did not respond to CNN's request for comment. 'With Instagram receipts and Gen Z rage, the tolerance for bad takes is zero,' the anonymous commentator behind the popular Instagram account Diet Sabya wrote in an email to CNN. (Diet Sabya, which draws inspiration from the established social account Diet Prada, often highlights fashion industry missteps, including cultural appropriation.) 'What once went unnoticed or unchallenged is now getting called out in real-time,' the email added. 'Someone in Delhi has the same access to discourse as someone in London. So, when a show uses a sacred motif incorrectly, the backlash is fast, loud and fully deserved.' High fashion's relationship with Indian artisans stretches back to at least the 17th century, when Europe's royal tailors sought out textiles like cotton and silk from the subcontinent. Over centuries, this cross-continental exchange has transformed Indian motifs from prized curiosities into ubiquitous elements of Western style. According to IICD's Gupta, textiles such as chintz and paisley are deeply rooted in India's rich artistic traditions and have long inspired global fashion, though their origins are now frequently overlooked. But India is not just a source of inspiration for luxury fashion — it's also an integral part of its supply chains. Today, a significant segment of the industry's manufacturing is outsourced to ateliers, embroiderers and textile producers in India. Yet, despite Indian artisans' foundational role, their creations are often shipped to Europe for final assembly and can thus be labeled as being 'made' in Europe. This kind of erasure, according to Imran Amed, founder, CEO and editor-in-chief of the industry publication The Business of Fashion, has 'reduced India to a manufacturing hub while Europe gets the cultural and economic credit.' 'In India, where craft is livelihood for millions, this distinction matters even more. 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'It's a powerful shift, almost like we're reclaiming our own narrative,' Gaurav Gupta told CNN. 'Designers from India are now presenting on the global stage not as 'ethnic' alternatives, but as innovators with our own language, our own shapes, our own ideologies. We're not adapting to fit in anymore; we're expressing to stand out.' For many Indians, the Kolhapuri chappals that Prada said it was 'inspired' by represent the ingenuity and artistry of Kolhapur, a historic city nestled in the country's western Maharashtra state. Typically crafted from locally sourced buffalo hide and tanned using traditional vegetable dyes, the sandals could effectively withstand the relentless heat and rugged terrain of the Deccan Plateau. The distinctive toe loop, which is attached to the T-strap, helped keep them close to the wearers' feet. Cutting across generational and social divides, the Kolhapuri chappal embodies both the enduring spirit of rural India and a bridge to contemporary fashion. The shoe is protected by a coveted 'geographical indication' tag — like the one ensuring Champagne is only produced in France's Champagne region — that, in theory, safeguards this symbol of Indian heritage from copycats. 'It's something truly Indian,' said Shubhika Sharma, the prominent Indian fashion designer and founder of the label Papa Don't Preach, in a video interview. Prada's initial failure to acknowledge the Indian artisans behind the design amounted to a 'missed opportunity for Indian craftsmanship,' Sharma added. About 10,000 artisan families in Kolhapur are engaged in the chappal trade, according to local media reports, though many of them struggle in poor conditions and earn low wages. In India, Kolhapuri chappals can retail for as little as $5 or as much as $100, depending on the quality of leather and level of craftsmanship. While Prada's sandals had not hit the market at the time of last month's controversy, the luxury fashion house's shoes typically retail at prices ranging from $700 to well over $2,000. For Sharma, 'everything just boils down to respect,' she said. 'Was due respect given to the creator, to the person who originated it, to the culture that originated it?' Some Western labels have proven better at engaging with Indian audiences than others. In 2023, Dior made headlines by hosting a landmark runway show at Mumbai's historic Gateway of India, unveiling a Pre-Fall collection that celebrated the subcontinent's artistry. The collection featured Banarasi brocade, mirror work, tie-dye detailing, Nehru collars and kurta tailoring — motifs deeply rooted in Indian tradition and craftsmanship. Many of the embroideries and textiles on the runway were made by the Mumbai atelier Chanakya International, which was credited for its role. The show was widely hailed as a respectful homage, with Vogue India's fashion director Anaita Shroff Adajania describing it as 'a thank you to India.' Amed, from The Business of Fashion, meanwhile, called the collaboration between Chanakya International and Maria Grazia Chiuri, then Dior's creative director, as 'thoughtful… not performative,' adding: 'Chiuri hasn't just sourced embroidery from India; she's spotlighted the artisans, acknowledged the lineage of the craft, and in doing so, helped shift perceptions of where luxury value is created.' Similarly, last month, Nike launched its first collaboration with an Indian fashion label, the Delhi-based brand NorBlack NorWhite, unveiling a vibrant range of sportswear inspired by ancient tie-dye techniques. The move was broadly celebrated by social media users in India, a country in which Nike has long struggled to make commercial inroads. For Diet Sabya's founder, however, much more must be done to ensure genuine recognition for Indian talent and traditions. 'When India is being eyed as the next big luxury market, you can't keep treating it like an exotic pitstop,' they said. 'While a few brands are finally acknowledging us as the global textile powerhouse we are — it's still crumbs. Visibility is a start. But equity is the end goal.'
San Francisco Chronicle
5 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
This Michelin-starred S.F. restaurant's quirky format made it famous. Now it's just distracting
For one glorious summer, my grandma bought season passes to Universal Studios Hollywood for my cousins and me. I became close associates with the 'E.T.' — nice guy — and visited every attraction multiple times. But that much exposure to a good thing brings downsides: The surprises of the grounds tour no longer moved me, the 'Back to the Future' ride became a high-tech arcade game. The illusion was shattered. More recently in San Francisco, I've felt a similar shift at State Bird Provisions. When it opened on New Year's Eve in 2011, State Bird set a new standard of creativity for Bay Area restaurants. Chefs Nicole Krasinski and Stuart Brioza introduced a novel dim sum-style presentation of small plates, emulsifying California's bounty with French, Italian, Japanese and Chinese flavors and technique. It earned State Bird nearly every national honor: Bon Appétit's Best New Restaurant in America, multiple James Beard awards, a Michelin star. The staff, carrying trays or pushing carts, pirouette through the dining room, tempting tables with tiny salads, gleaming riblets and potato chips with aerated dip. Steamy siu mai? Not in this building. This spirited exhibition was fun and endearing on my first visit. Now, it's my least favorite thing about the restaurant. Extra! Extra! San Francisco Chronicle critics MacKenzie Chung Fegan and Cesar Hernandez are dueling this week over one restaurant: State Bird Provisions. Don't miss Fegan's response on Friday — sign up for the Chronicle Food newsletter to make sure it lands in your inbox. The dim sum schtick feels more customary than essential, more cute than efficient, more showy than delicious. The dim sum plates can feel like a roller coaster on a day where the weather won't make up its mind; sunny and thrilling one moment, gray and dull the next. I gleefully gnawed on immaculate ribs, lacquered in a fiery, tart passion fruit sauce ($16), then puzzled over a bland wedge salad of yellowing golf ball-sized lettuces ($6). Avocados in Caesar dressing ($8), wearing a fuzzy fur coat of cheese curls, failed to delight like the cherries accompanied by a cloud of savory-sweet whipped cheese ($10). Egg tofu custard ($9)? Beautifully silky. But the burrata-capped garlic bread ($13) was dense enough to give your mandibles a workout. This aspect of the experience may be the initial draw, but it does not actually represent the restaurant's best efforts. Instead, State Bird's spoils are on the printed dinner menu. If the roving snacks are a jam session, built on and stymied by improvisation, the standard menu dishes are albums: expressive, precise, fleshed-out thoughts. Toothsome, hand-cut noodles ($30) come doused in a peppery pumpkin seed salsa macha, with an egg on top that melts into pudding. A treasure chest of a donabe ($30) contained chewy tofu cubes, ready-to-burst beans and springy mushrooms in a slightly viscous, unctuous green broth; each sip felt like a massage for my soul. The restaurant's namesake specialty is always on the dinner menu: juicy fried quail (half for $24) lording over lemony, stewed onions. These entrees are in the major leagues. The small plates are playing varsity. On one visit, I had my eye on roti with lentil hummus off the printed menu. But I abandoned that plot for a couple of dim sum bites with lower price tags. The next outing, I ordered the flaky flatbread, and I realized the gravity of my mistake. I was constantly in this conundrum of choice, where the implied ephemeral state of the dim sum compelled me to act fast or miss out like a loser. When I rejected the servers' edible propositions, I saw a flicker of defeat on their faces, and felt as though I was letting them down. Not to Penn & Teller the magic trick, but the appetizer scarcity is artificial, as you can order the dim sum items a la carte. In fact, there's a printed version of the menu, if you want to skip the tableside advertising and cherry-pick your snacks. The dining room — a veritable vortex of hors d'oeuvres — is constantly animated, if a bit chaotic. The cart and tray circulation contributes to the commotion. The lanes between tables are already tight, and traffic is stalled by servers giving neighboring tables their best Don Draper sales pitch. If you visit the facilities, be prepared to play human Tetris to get back your seat. The staff is well-informed on the menu, but their ample responsibilities can impact service: the occasional forgotten drink, a tardy entree, tables crowded with empty plates. While hordes of patrons no longer camp outside of State Bird, as they did for years, demand is still high. Prime time reservations evaporate swiftly. If you don't book weeks in advance, you're likely to only find slots past 8 p.m. Or you can try showing up early: The bar is reserved for walk-ins. I don't question State Bird's aptitude for brilliant cooking. I'm interested in seeing State Bird evolve. While the dim sum-style presentation brought the restaurant glory, today it seems to be an albatross, an inescapable presence, an unskippable ad. Noise level: Loud. Meal for two, without drinks: $75-$150 What to order: Fried quail (half for $24), pork ribs ($16) Drinks: Beer and wine. Exceptional house-made non-alcoholic drinks like shiso-yuzu soda ($9) and Raspberry Julius ($10). Best practices: Skip the dim sum-style plates. Instead, order a starter on the dinner menu like roti or pancakes and an entree like donabe or quail. Peanut milk ($4) is non-negotiable.
