We caught up with makeup artist Daniel Martin to find out which products he never leaves out of his kit—and what makes them essential in his routine.
Meet Daniel Martin
Do you have that one person that you always go to for beauty advice? For us, it’s professional makeup artist Daniel Martin. As our First-Ever Global Director of Artistry and Education, he’s proven to be a beacon of knowledge when it comes to skin-first beauty and is a constant resource for makeup tips and tricks. We asked him to share which formulas he always has in his kit, and why he comes back to them again and again.
The Essence
What It Is: The Essence is a resurfacing softener of 98.7% Hadasei-3, our proprietary complex of fermented Japanese superfoods, smooths, resurfaces, and doubles skin’s natural moisture content while amplifying the effectiveness of all skincare formulas that follow.
Why Daniel Loves It: "I love The Essence because it's very soft and plumping. Micronutrients penetrate the skin and really help seal in the moisturizer that you use on top...It feels like water, and you really see a difference when you put this on before moisturizer.”
The Silk Canvas
What It Is: Our velvety Silk Canvas primer of pressed silk gives skin a filter finish, making makeup last longer while keep it out of skin to help minimize clogged pores and breakouts.
Why Daniel Loves It: “What makes this so special is that it’s like your makeup magnet. It’s great for the summer, it’s really great to protect your skin, but it’s also going to retain the longevity of your makeup. Whether that’s just powder, foundation, or concealer, this will definitely magnetize and hold.”
The Liquid Silk Canvas
What It Is: The Liquid Silk Canvas is an oil-free, liquid version of our bestselling primer that feels weightless on skin while still keeping it protected from pollutants and makeup.
Why Daniel Loves It: “It literally acts as a makeup magnet for your complexion products. Whether that’s just foundation, concealer, powder, or nothing at all, this will help blur out any imperfection on your face. Use it right after a moisturizer, and you’ll really see the difference in your skin.”
The Serum Stick
What It Is: What we affectionately refer to as “always-there everything care,” The Serum Stick is a concentrated solid serum of 80% squalane helps lock in essential moisture and prevents dehydration instantly and over time, while Japanese Lemon Balm helps soothe and calm stressed skin.
Why Daniel Loves It: “This is literally in every bag I have this summer. It’s nice and cooling on the skin, it’s made with these beautiful ingredients of Japanese lemon balm and squalane, which is really refreshing. It’s great to actually refresh your makeup with, anytime you feel like your skin is getting dry or dehydrated, just take this all over on the face, but it also gives a really beautiful highlight on the skin. In the winter, this is really great to nourish and hydrate. You literally need this in every bag."
The Indigo Calming Cream
What It Is: Awarded the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance, The Indigo Calming Cream is a multi-tasking, fragrance-free moisturizer delivers therapeutic natural ingredients like Colloidal Oatmeal and Japanese Indigo to provide relief and long-lasting hydration for sensitive skin.
Why Daniel Loves It: “I have mild eczema, and this moisturizer is one of the only skincare products that helps keep my flare-ups in check. It has a really soothing scent and is incredibly calming. I've been using it for years and recommend it to any clients or friends who also have eczema or psoriasis."
Victoria Tsai
Chief Treasure Hunter
