The Lineup is a monthly series where we’re giving you an inside peek at the beauty lineups of cool fashion people, editors, makeup artists, hairstylists, and estheticians—all the people we trust the most. Get ready for a behind-the-scenes look at all the can’t-live-without products that make their worlds go round.
After more than a year of social distancing, I’ve become a pro at adapting my beauty routine. I’ve swapped my airbrush tans for gradual lotions; switched out my gel nails for something more natural; and have even kept my facials on pause in favor of at-home treatments. If you’ve felt inspired to do the same, then there’s a good chance you’re already familiar with the wizardry of Melanie Simon, aka the genius brainchild behind the Ziip Electrical Facial Device ($495) (and the woman responsible for Jennifer Aniston’s sculpted and glowy skin).
The palm-sized device isn’t your average skin tool. Every time you use it, it basically delivers the same benefits of an in-office electrical nanocurrent facial but from the comfort of your home. It essentially creates a circuit with your skin and stimulates collagen and elastin by pushing in electricity. I know it sounds like nonsense, but in just a few weeks of using it myself, my face looks way more sculpted, lifted, and just, I don’t know, better.
Aside from creating one of the most sought-after skincare devices on the planet, Simon just has really, really good skin. That wasn’t always the case, though. “When I hit my twenties, I developed extra cystic acne and a melasma mask. I went to get a microcurrent facial and noticed it helped with both,” she tells me. That’s what initially piqued her interest in combining skincare and electricity. “You don’t need to aggressively exfoliate your skin with peels or over-cleanse to get clear and glowing skin,” she says. “Your skin is a living, breathing organ, and you do have to alter what you do on a day-to-day basis depending on what shape it’s in.”
Skin’s sundry needs are exactly what makes the ZIIP so special. It addresses any and all skin concerns and can elevate your skin to a level it’s never been to before, no matter your age, skin tone, or type. I don’t know about you, but that’s enough for me to get behind a device. Interested in what other products Simon recommends? From skincare and makeup to haircare, keep scrolling to see her lineup of must-haves for feeling her best on a daily basis.
“This is my new favorite cleanser. It’s helped me and a lot of people counteract breakouts from masks and is not too mattifying.”
“I like using this for a nice deep cleanse and a bit of exfoliation about once every 10 days.”
“Full transparency: This is my creation. It is a microcurrent/nanocurrent skincare tool that has the ability to change its output to any of 10 different electrical cocktails that I have created over the years. They range from sculpting and lifting facials to treatments for acne and melasma. Believe me: They all work. I use mine at the bare minimum of one time per week; max three.”
“Before every Ziip treatment, I apply conductive gel. Crystal Gel is one of the three conductive gels I formulated to use with the Ziip device. They all drive different active ingredients into the skin. This one has glutathione, which I used to get through a vitamin IV drip to make my skin glow. When applied topically and pushed into skin with my electricity, you get the same result.”
“On a clean, dry face, I apply 10 drops to gauze and press into my skin firmly from my decollete all the way to the crown of my head, avoiding my eye area. If you haven’t heard about this product, it is a gamechanger. Make sure after applying, you give it at least a minute to do its job. It is a gentle exfoliant that will really tighten your pores and help to clear your skin while also giving you a glow. The lactic acid, which is my favorite acid, exfoliates and moisturizes at the same time so you don’t get dry, parched skin.”
“This serum is a water-weight serum. When layering your products, you want something that’s going to soak right in after your toner.”
“My second serum is thicker—more gel-like. These two serums together give me the perfect base and actually really feed the whole face, especially because they are light and gentle enough to be applied directly under my eye area.”
“I have to wait until all steps above have set and are dry to the touch before applying this one. My vitamin C serum is so active and very stable, but its Achilles’ heel is water. Serum C goes on after Serum Elastine Pure (step 2) has soaked in completely. Serum C is applied and left to set for approximately 10 minutes or until dry to the touch, then the Serum Matriciel is applied.”
“I love this cream. It’s the perfect medium-weight texture, and everyone I have recommended it to really loves it.”
“I put one dab of this on the crow’s-feet area and my entire eyelid, including the side of my nose.”
“This is a great go-to at night for eyelids, the corners of your lips, and your neck.”
“This is a finishing serum. It is the only product that will break my rule of thinnest-to-thickest application. This product is pressed on top of all other skincare products to lock them in and create a shield. When I do all of these steps, I create a second skin. You can do this with your products, too.”
“I start with this around my eyes, nose, and chin. It’s so good and so buildable, I can use it as foundation. It is not opaque—it has a bit of a translucent element to it so it covers but lets the beauty of your skin shine through.”
“If I need foundation, I use this one applied with a beautyblender.”
“This stuff is radical. It gives a beautiful contour without looking fake.”
“I always wear blush. These days, I’m bouncing between this and Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips & Cheeks ($34) in the shade Fresh Melon.”
“Rose-Marie Swift taught me where to put this: only on the bridge of my nose (not the tip), the height of my cheekbones (not out to the temples), a bit on the lids, a bit on the chin, a bit on the bow of the lip. If you apply too much elsewhere, you can look sweaty instead of angelic.”
“I dust this on top of everything. This is my daily SPF, along with a setting spray to keep it from making me look older. This is a physical sunblock, so there are no chemical screens.”
“I apply this on my neck because I love the way it makes it look and it does not feel like a sunblock. It’s like a second skin and provides real protection. I also use this on my hands.”
“When it comes to lashes, I have lots of opinions. Whether I’m wearing extra lashes or not, I always use my curler first, then my Ilia Limitless Lash ($28) mascara.”
“Kiss just came out with magnetic eyelashes. Even I can put them on!”
“I love David Mallett’s products, and I love mixing this shampoo and the Conditioner No. 1 L’Hydratation ($50) because I get volume, which I’m always looking for, and a lightweight conditioner that hydrates but still gives me a lot of play with my hair.”
“I apply this when my hair is damp, and then work it from the root all the way down to the bottom of my hair.”
“I take paper towels and scrunch my hair upwards on both sides until I’ve soaked both paper towels; then I apply a good-sized dollop to my hair and really work this in all the way up to the root; and then, I let it completely air dry.”
“From here, I may wear it naturally wavy; I may curl it with a curling wand, following the direction of the natural wave. It just depends. Even if I were blowing it out with a round brush, I would do the same thing—I just would not let it air dry. Either way, once it’s dry, I apply this to the root of my hair wherever I need lift.”
“I apply this to any flyaways. It’s super lightweight but really holds them down and you can control exactly where you want to put it.”
“This is another styling cream I use on the ends of my hair so that they do not look frazzled.”
“For my body, I use these on clean, dry skin. You rub the first cloth all over your skin, and then the second cloth to diffuse the exfoliating process. I only use it every 10 days, maximum.”
“I use this after exfoliating or on a normal day after bathing, while my skin is still damp. It’s fragrance-free and super hydrating.”
“This is my favorite body ritual. It’s a roll-on applicator, which definitely tingles the pleasure points in my brain, reminding me of my first lip gloss. I roll this on my neck, breasts, elbows, inner thighs, knees, and anywhere else that needs extra attention. The whole process calms me down. I love this ritual. I bought this on a complete whim from Sephora, and it has become one of my most favorite things. It’s especially amazing on the neck at night (and you can put this over Egyptian Magic, FYI).”
