The Saie founder and CEO believes in skin-friendly makeup and feel-good baths.
Written by LAURA REGENSDORF
The purview of a makeup brand is, by all counts, the face: a small-scale canvas with an individualistic bent. But when Laney Crowell launched Saie in 2019, she made sure to keep a wide-angle lens on the broader community. The name, pronounced say, alludes to the loop between audience input and product development—an approach that keeps Saie right in the middle of the conversation. Past initiatives have gathered people together on the topics of plastic waste and reproductive justice. And over the last few weeks, as energy swirled around the basketball court at New York’s Madison Square Garden, Saie was there on the scoreboard, supporting the Knicks and the mascara-wearing fans cheering them on.
“My goal has always been to speak to the 80% of women who are getting ready in five minutes and want to feel great even though they’re not a makeup artist,” Crowell says. That cohort—which includes plenty of makeup artists, by the way—is varied and nuanced and discerning, not just interested in the “no” lists of clean beauty but also the skin-friendly benefits of conscientious formulations. As someone prone to acne flareups, Crowell wants products that maintain a sense of calm; as a beauty lover, she wants products that stoke excitement and incandescent glow.
Crowell’s interest in multitasking formulas, like Saie’s everyday Slip Tint moisturizer with SPF, extends to her own routine. “Tonight I’ll be eye-masking while I get a massage,” she says of her favorites by 111SKIN, which she also wears while flying, driving, and watching TV. But she also values a dedicated unwind. “One day a week, my husband will do bedtime with both the kids, so I can have my bath,” she says. “I make it into a whole experience, starting with dry brushing all the way to the Susanne Kaufmann bath oil, which I love so much.” Find it and more in her expertly edited BAG.
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“This is my forever first step—always. It gives skin that effortless, ethereal glow that I’ve been chasing my whole career, and it was the first product that really put Saie on the map. I wear it alone (usually two to three pumps as a primer), mix it with foundation, or use it as a highlighter. It does everything.”
“I’ve been devoted to 111SKIN for years. These eye masks are my go-to for travel and whenever my skin needs a real boost of hydration. I put them on before a big meeting or event, and the difference is immediately visible. In fact, I’m going to put some on right now as I’m writing this!”
“I’m always on the lookout for a sunscreen that actually feels good on skin, and this antioxidant-rich one delivers. It has such a nice radiant finish, with no pilling under makeup, and its mineral formula is safe for my sensitive skin.”
“Dew Blush is the product I reach for when I want that sun-kissed beach trip look. I mix up the shades depending on my mood and the season. It's one of those products that feels different every time you use it.”
“I discovered this bath oil years ago, and I keep going back to it because the scent is so luxurious and fresh. It instantly transports and relaxes me.”
“My skin is sensitive and acne-prone, so I’m very particular about what I put on it. This powder-to-lather formula is one of those rare finds that deeply cleanses without ever feeling like it’s stripping your skin. It’s become a part of my nighttime reset.”
“Slip Tint is my everyday essential because it makes my skin look like the best version of itself. It’s dewy, natural, and weightless with SPF 35 built in. For me, SPF is non-negotiable, and this is the product that finally made it feel like a treat instead of a chore.”
“My skin runs dry, but I am someone who hates putting on body moisturizer. This broke the mold for me in terms of how easily it applies and how deeply it moisturizes.”
