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.
I’ve lived in Manhattan for a few years now, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t fantasize about trading in the hustle and bustle for some mountainous serenity. Don’t get me wrong—I thrive off this city’s energy, but some days, all I want is fresh air and a view that isn’t my neighbor’s living room. Swapping lifestyles can be intimidating, but Alpyn Beauty founder Kendra Kolb Butler is leading by example. After 20 years of working in the NYC beauty industry, Butler made the move to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and founded her own skincare line inspired by her new surroundings. “I had no intention of ever starting my own brand. Alpyn Beauty was born out of necessity,” she says. “When I moved to Wyoming, everything I knew about skincare was completely thrown out the window. I couldn’t acclimate my skin to the harsh mountain climate no matter how hard I tried.” But nature’s inspiration quickly struck when she realized that the native botanicals that had adapted and flourished in the Wyoming environment could probably help her skin do the same. She began experimenting, and the result was Alpyn Beauty.
Butler wasn’t going to create just another skincare brand. She was going to do it in a way that honored the ingredients that brought her skin back to life. Alpyn Beauty sustainably harvests wild-crafted ingredients. This means that botanicals such as willow and huckleberry are collected in a way that preserves the plant, leaving it healthy and intact. “Keeping the ecosystem healthy for the animals, plants, and people is a huge reason for our existence, and I love being able to give back through giving customers beautiful skin,” shares Butler. So if I haven’t convinced you to try this beautiful line yet, allow me to give you a breakdown of every product Butler currently swears by. In addition to her personal favorites from her own brand, she’s sharing the top-performing makeup, haircare, and bodycare essentials that help maintain her glow no matter the forecast.
“This is my go-to moisturizer. Living in a high-altitude climate makes my skin extra, extra dry, and the extra hydration benefits from the wild plants really set this formula apart from the rest. Also, I am not a fan of residue, so the velvety, natural finish from this cream helps my makeup just glide right on and is perfect for summer!”
“I am a huge fan of exfoliation, and this peel/mask combines chemical and physical all in one but is still super gentle! I do this treatment a minimum of two to three times per week, and it always makes my skin softer and brighter in just five minutes. It’s a desert-island product for me for sure.”
“This formula glides right on and gives great protection when I’m in the fields wild-crafting. We are at a 6200-foot elevation in Jackson, so the sun is super strong, and I need to have confidence in the SPF I am wearing.”
“The perfect pop of color when I need a little something that’s fast and easy to apply. It stays on pretty well also, which is surprising considering how much I eat and drink throughout the day.”
“I was not a huge fan of concealers until this product came out! I use it daily under my tinted moisturizer, and it helps to cover up dark circles from restless nights. I love the blush/concealer trend going on right now, so I am playing around a lot with that, and this formula just blends right in perfectly.”
“When I’m outside taping videos for Alpyn in the hot sun to show our wild-crafting practices, I need to make sure my makeup stays in place and I’m not too shiny from sweat. This formula is super lightweight and doesn’t dry out my skin further. (We are already dry enough in Wyoming).”
“This makes my lashes look longer and fuller and doesn’t smudge in the Jackson hot summer sun.”
“In Jackson Hole, the climate is so dry that my lips are always feeling tight and cracked. I couldn’t find anything that worked to moisturize and treat them long-term until I started mixing the wild willow bark into this formula. It is nature’s version of salicylic acid, and it gently exfoliates my lips while the hyaluronic acid and sweet agave plump. This mask has gone viral a few times, and it’s very clear to me why. It’s amazing!”
“This product smells like heaven. The first time I smelled it in a Sephora, I was hooked. It makes my hair silky soft, and I think the packaging is so cute and pretty in my bathroom. Definitely worth checking out.”
“My hair gets super dry, and our water is full of calcium, so a good leave-in is key in Jackson Hole. I use this a few times a week and have had great results thus far.”
“Being a working mother and beauty entrepreneur, my grays are coming in fast and furiously these days. This beauty staple helps me out in between hair coloring sessions, and it always gives a little lift to my roots that I absolutely love.”
“I am a huge fan of charcoal deodorants, and this one has a really mellow, happy scent. Plus, it works, which is key when I’m scaling hillsides and hiking on our property to source the wild plants. I need something that provides all-day protection, and I have found it in this formula.”
“The packaging is super cute and easy to use in the shower, and the formula is moisturizing and not heavily scented, which I love!”
“This is my absolute favorite candle brand. I have the bamboo classic candle next to my bed on repeat, and I light it right before I get in the shower. By the time I’m getting tucked in, the entire room smells amazing, and I think it really helps me drift off to sleep!”
“This is the first and only supplement that I have actually noticed a huge difference when I take it. On days that I accidentally miss it, it’s almost like I feel the drag on my mind and body.”
“Living in high elevation, I drink a lot of water, which gets incredibly boring. This product is full of vitamin C and minerals that support healthy skin and overall wellness.”
“I test out a lot of brands, and there are so many products in my office! It gives me anxiety when they are not organized and I can’t find what I am looking for, so these little modular components are super helpful and look great on my office shelves.”
