Beauty bloggers have consistently lauded the simple chicness of the beauty products found in the French pharmacy. They have praised the scientific brilliance of the 10-step Korean skincare routine. Consider this the long overdue ode to Polish beauty products, abundant, affordable, and yet perhaps still mysterious to many Greenpointers. The Polish beauty ethos—apparent in the products—is stick to what works, and to do it as naturally as possible. Here is a sampling of are some of the most popular products from around the neighborhood, no passport needed.
Biały Jeleń Natural Soap, $2
Find it at: Ziolko – 95 Nassau Ave #A
Summer in Brooklyn is a glorious time. Rooftop parties! Backyard barbecues! And lots and lots of sweat. Sometimes it feels like, scrub as you may, staying clean in the city in August is a fool’s errand. Before you resign yourself to a swampy, sticky month, might I suggest Bialy Jelen? This odorless, colorless bar soap makes no promises. It will not make you smell like rare flowers, nor will it magically reverse the aging process. It’s basic in the best way and does the only job you need a soap to do—get you really, really clean. You can use this unassuming bar to wash your face, your body, and even your lingerie according to one Polish model.
Stara Mydlarnia Anti-Ageing Fig & Lychee Peel-Off Mask, $9
Find it at: Ziolko – 95 Nassau Ave #A
This line of face masks brings you right back to Kindergarten—before you worried about rent, election polls, or crow’s feet. For starters, preparing the mask, which comes in powder form and requires mixing with water, is not unlike an arts and crafts project. Applying the bright-green mix is equally enjoyable and makes for outstanding Snapchats. But the best thing about this mask is taking it off. Like dry Elmer’s glue, this mask peels off in satisfying strips, leaving your skin plump and glowing. Each packet makes two masks, making for an excellent play date activity.
Farmona Radical Regenerating Shampoo for Dyed and Damaged Hair, $3.49
Find it at: Biedronka Variety Store, 888 Manhattan Ave.
The Farmona Radical line contains hair products tailored to address a variety of hair woes, from dandruff to hair loss. A recent decision to go blonde has left my hair, in Farmona’s parlance, “dyed and damaged” After a day at the beach, my hair was salty, sandy, straw-like and accordingly hidden from view in a bun under a hat, likely irreparably tangled. One shower with this stuff, though, and I was renewed. The shampoo creates a nice lather and smells fresh and light, not cloyingly fragrant. FYI, this contains sulfates, in case you care about that sort of thing.
Coral Peeling Sponge, $2.50
Find it at: Stokrotka, 662 Manhattan Ave.
Part sponge, part loofah, this pink and white pouf is specially designed to combat cellulite. Generally speaking, when sponges make big promises, I am wary. Nonetheless, this little puff does plenty well. The sponge’s soft side is good for washing and lathering, and the rough side increases blood flow, exfoliates, and helps post-shower lotion sink in. Scrubbing with this sponge is invigorating and almost painful in that it-must-be-working kind of way.
Evelene 8w1 Total Action Nail Conditioner, $4
Find it at: Stokrotka, 662 Manhattan Ave.
Long nails are impossibly glamorous. The “tap-tap” sound they make while typing a keyboard or impatiently rapping on countertop calls to mind Betty Draper or Barbra Streisand. I’m hoping this milky-white nail conditioner can help me fulfill my manicure dreams. The package says that applying daily for ten days will yield harder and more flexible nails, less prone to breaking. Strokota’s sales associate, who said this product consistently sells out, promised it won’t take nearly that long for me to see results and I’m hoping she’s right.