5 Products That Changed My Life in October

GQ’s wellness-and-grooming director shares the most life-improving products she tried this October, including some milky exfoliating wipes and a vitamin C-infused alternative to an espresso shot.Late October officially lands us at the start of the holiday season, a typically chaotic period I have never been very effective at managing. There are costumes to plan, parties to throw and attend, and between it all, many end-of-year deadlines to meet. A little push and pull between my full calendar and the balanced routine that keeps me steady is inevitable. But there’s no reason to white knuckle through it without some help. The products that spoke to me this month are all stop-gaps in some way or another—handy ways to fortify against, or work with, the busy stretch ahead.1. La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVDefense Sunscreen SPF 50 with BEMTWhile I’m still working my way through the stash of sunscreens I bought in Europe and Asia during recent travels, I am nonetheless stoked that US formulas are finally catching up to their superior foreign counterparts. A quick recap for context: This past June, the Food and Drug Administration approved its first new sunscreen ingredient in over 25 years, a chemical filter called Bemotrizinol, or BEMT for short. It’s a standard part of most SPFs abroad, valued for its stability when exposed to UVA and UVB rays, its gentleness on sensitive skin, and its low potential for skin penetration—meaning, it’s less likely to be absorbed into the bloodstream in comparison to other chemical UV filters. As of September, a few sunscreens with the ingredient have begun trickling out into the marketplace—and more are surely on the way. I got my hands on the version from La Roche Posay, the brand I usually search for in European drug stores, earlier this month. I’m happy to report that it’s extremely lightweight. It rubs in easily and leaves no white cast or excessive grease behind—just a punch of hydration, thanks to some welcome glycerin. Also, for those of you with facial hair, La Roche-Posay’s (notably bearded!) head of brand engagement Justin Ollivierre assures me it plays nice with scruff, and doesn’t create the flaking effect common with other formulas. Wearing it while walking or gardening under the strong, persistent Los Angeles sunshine, my skin hasn’t experienced even a hint of redness. And given my dear city’s reputation for polluted air, I’m also grateful for the concoction’s Litchiderm and Exo-P extracts, which are meant to protect the skin barrier from oxidative stress. It’s not quite the next-level skincare product that sunscreens are abroad, but it’s a significant step up. Go get a bottle immediately.La Roche-PosayAnthelios UVDefense Sunscreen SPF 50 with BEMT2. Ito En Sencha ShotsExtremely caffeinated energy drinks are becoming the norm at the office and in the gym, but I personally can’t handle a cold brew without getting the jitters. If I drank a “Celcius Heat,” packed with an eye-popping 300mg of caffeine, I think I might implode. But I still lean on caffeine to focus at work and lift better, like everyone else. I just prefer to get it from various types of green tea, both to protect my sleep and sensitive stomach. I make an Ippodo matcha in the morning, buy jugs of jasmine Tea’s Tea to portion out throughout my workweek, and when I really need a pick-me-up, I down an Ito En Sencha Shot. While an espresso shot contains approximately 60mg of caffeine, these only have about 40mg. It’s a tamer, more refreshing option to put a little pep in my step. Not to mention each one is infused with a healthy helping of vitamin C. One of these, in fact, may have had a hand in helping me write this column.Ito EnSencha Shot Japanese Green Tea3. Schick Hydro Limited Edition RazorWhenever I travel, I always seem to either forget my razor at home or leave it behind in a hotel. Over the years, this bad habit has left me buying flimsy, plastic razors as stop-gap replacements—not ideal! Schick’s new limited-edition Hydro Razor is a nice in-between travel option—not quite the quality of your at-home shaving set-up, but also far more elevated than what any hotel toiletry kit has to offer. It has a weighty metal handle with some grip to it, and comes with a sturdy magnetic stand to place on a countertop. And it delivers a precise shave without irritating the skin. A nice little upgrade for your dopp kit during a chaotic holiday season.SchickHydro Limited Edition 5-Blade Razors4. Dior Capture PDRN-ShotIf you follow skincare as closely as I do, you probably already know that PDRN stands for polydeoxyribonucleotide, which—gasp!—is a small DNA fragment of salmon sperm. Over the past few years, it’s become a popular ingredient across Korean skincare brands eager to capitalize on the fascination over the more invasive, painful, and, I must say, very effective salmon sperm injections or microneedling, which center around polynucleotides (PN), also found in salmon sperm. Funny enough, many brands are now developing plant-based versions of PDRN, all but stripping it of the original reason it earned so much attention in the first place. But that doesn’t mean it’s not effective. Case in point: Dior’s new silky smooth PDRN shot. Their patented formula combines a plant-derived PDRN with vitamin Cg and niacinamide to plump, brighten, and smooth skin. I can dab this at my elevens, crows feet, and dark spots before bed, and no matter how little sleep I get, I emerge in the morning with fortified, radiant skin.5. Prequel Multi-Acid Milk Peel WipesAs long as I’ve exercised, I’ve been locked in a never-ending endeavor to prevent post-workout breakouts. The reality is, if I go for a long hike, or catch an evening yoga session, I’m not always able to shower off my sweat immediately afterward. When I finally am able to spritz off, I find it can be helpful to counteract the dirt and sweat seeping into my skin with a little extra exfoliation on my back, neck, and chest. I loathe a harsh “peel” wipe, but these exfoliating sheets from Prequel are gently effective. They use a mix of different acids to lift dead skin cells without sacrificing any moisture, thanks to an infusion of squalane. Since using them I’ve noticed fewer exercise-induced blemishes. They’re a nice, light option to tuck into a backpack, dopp kit, or gym bag.PrequelMulti-Acid Milk Peel WipesAlyssa Bereznak is GQ’s Wellness & Grooming Director. She previously worked as a Senior Features Editor at the L.A. Times, where she launched the publication’s wellness section, and as a podcaster and Senior Staff Writer at The Ringer, where she reported, hosted, and produced two investigative podcasts: Boom/Bust: The Rise ... Read More