I enjoy trying new beauty and skincare products occasionally but what I’m really interested in is learning which products have staying power. I’ll go for tried and true over shiny and new any day, which means I want to know which ones you use every last speck of before reordering immediately. That tells me more than anything if something might work for me, especially if the product in question happens to be on the pricey side. I want to know what products have been tested by time and energy and seasonal swings.
It’s been a while since I shared my favorite beauty products and I thought it would be fun to share my beauty empties. I still use several products on that list but in the intervening time I’ve branched out, and replaced a few entirely. Right now I can’t imagine finding better replacements for the favorite products I’m sharing today.
I hope you’ll find a product or two worth trying and of course, I hope you’ll share your go-to beauty products in the comments.
Sunday Riley Vitamin C Serum. This is part of my morning skincare routine. I’ve reordered this product repeatedly, though when my current bottle is empty I’m curious to try this dupe you’ve been recommending.
OUAI Scalp and Body Scrub. This is an essential item in my winter survival kit. My skin and scalp suffer with that season’s dry air. If you’re in the same boat, take note.
Sunscreen. These are my most committed reorders. I use two ALL THE TIME: Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen (over makeup) and Elta MD Clear Sunscreen (under makeup).
Glossier Boy Brow. This cult classic shapes and grooms eyebrows into place. I use the clear.
Becca Cosmetics Ultimate Coverage Concealing Creme in Butterscotch. A makeup artist chose this for me once and I’ve been committed ever since.
Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick in Bichette. I use this for cheeks, lips, and often eyes which makes morning makeup easy, easy, easy—especially when I’m on the road. (I also really like their lip suede palette which was an incredibly nice gift from a friend, but I haven’t emptied it yet.)
Clinique Quickliner for Lips in Intense Blush. I’ve reordered this countless times. It works by itself or under almost any color (that I wear, at least) so I always stock up at sale time.
Bobbi Brown Lip Color in Roseberry. This has been my go-to for over a decade, whenever I want a color with presence but not a red lip. (A note about these lipsticks: my favorites are pricey but they last FOREVER: I wonder if this is because I apply with a brush?)
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Sexy Sienna. I think of this as a warm, friendly neutral. This color makes me happy, and smells good, too.
What beauty and skincare products do you purchase again and again? Tell us about your tried and true favorites in comments!
P.S. 10 beauty favorites I use (almost) every day and 13 skincare favorites for winter weather.
26 comments
I feel this way about my Act & Acre hair products! The cleanse and condition, hair mask, and their new hair oil is something I HAVE to have in my routine.
I depend on Garnier Fructus argan oil and Argan Oil of Morocco spray for my hair, especially during the winter.
I love Lamcome LaBase Pro. It’s a makeup primer that makes your skin feel incredible and makeup go on smoothly. I don’t need to touch up for at least 8 hours.
I use Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water & CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser each night to remove makeup & cleanse my face. The two have been my go to for several years.
I have extremely sensitive skin and could never find products that didn’t cause issues on my face. I had nothing approaching a skin care routine for years. Two+ years ago I was introduced to BeautyCounter products. They have an amazingly long list of “Never use” products on their website and I was willing to try.. I’ll never look back. I use just 4 products I’ll list below (they have several lines depending on skin care needs). Within a month or so my skin was healed and looks so fresh and youthful, baby soft.. no kidding.
I use 4 specific products from their lines:
Countermatch facial wash
Countermatch intense moisture Serum
Counter+ Overnight Resurfacing Peel
Counter+ No. 1 Brightening Facial Oil
I don’t sell the products and make no money from this, it really healed my skin…
I love my Mac Viva Glam and Mehr lipsticks best, and It Cosmetics CC cream looks amazing on, although I don’t wear anything on my general face area often because I always tend to break out after several days continued use. My sister alerted me to my new favorite mascara, it’s called Better Than Sex although I can’t think of the brand just now.
Brand for the mascara Better Than Sex is Too Faced, I believe.
I went fragrance free and cruelty free in the past couple of years. I started using Tula in July and my skin has loved it. My basic routine consists of their Milk Cleanser,Super Soothe moisturizing lotion, hello radiance illuminating serum, and rose glow and get it eye balm.
I use Elizabeth Arden blush (terra Rose) and up until now, their marvelous brow powder, which lasts all day and has now been discontinued (sob). I have very light brown brows, and the powder was perfect. Now almost no company makes brow powder. Any suggestions?
Lipstick: MAC’s Amplified Creme Lipstick – Brick-O-La is my daily choice, with color Fast Play if I need a bit of a red tint. Their Amplified is a super creamy lipstick and I find it lasts well.
Anastasia Beverly Hills has their Ombre Effect Long Wearing Brow Powder Duo, which comes in several different colors. Also, Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez makes their Brow Harmony Shape & Fill Duo in six colors. I use and like the Rare Beauty duo.
This post is so timely, because I watched your Instagram video about starting a new reading journal and I was wondering what eyeshadow you use- it looked amazing 🙂
I noticed and liked the eye shadow, too, Anne! LOVE! But it made me wish that to go along with it, you’d darken your mascara or eyeliner a bit…
I also love the vitamin C serum from Sunday Riley and Supergoop Unseen sunscreen. I also use Sunday Riley retinol and lactic acid (alternate nights). I’ve tried a lot of dupes for Farmacy Green Clean balm but I keep coming back to the original.
Tomorrow is the beginning of Sephora’s spring sale and I will once again be reordering Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser and Cucumber Herbal Alcohol-Free Toner. Both are great for sensitive skin. (Fun fact: cucumbers have the same PH as the skin on your face.)
I also love Kat Von D’s Everlasting Blush. I’ve never used a powder blush so finely milled; it feels like pure silk and blends like a dream. (My color is Peony, mom’s is Honeysuckle, so I can recommend both of those.)
My favorite lipstick is Charlotte Tilbury’s Walk of No Shame. It looks good on every single person I’ve seen wearing it, no matter their color or undertones (cool/warm/neutral).
Well, if you want Tried and True, my mother has been putting Oil of Olay on her face every morning for the last 60 years and at 84, her skin is as unlined and soft as a baby. People can’t believe she’s as old as she is and hasn’t had facelifts. When they added sunscreen, so much the better, she calls it her “primer” for the day. I started using it 30 years ago, it’s called Olay Complete, with UVA 365 moisturizer and broad spectrum SPF 15. Although I probably won’t have the results my mother has, still, everybody thinks I’m younger than my little sister (who does not use it).
When I was young I got my mom a bottle of that every Christmas!
Tried to link to the Bobbi Brown roseberry……………no luck. Is it discontinued?
@Patty – I had the same issue so hunted around. There are several different ‘types’ of BB lipstick and none that I found had that exact color name. This one does have rose and berry in the description. 🙂
https://www.sephora.com/product/luxe-lip-color-P400625?skuId=1743657
I recently discovered a great little inexpensive gem: Trader Joe’s Coconut Body Butter! We recently moved from Los Angeles, where it rarely got cold enough for my skin to dry out. But in our new colder climate, my skin was driving me crazy – tight, dry, and itchy. I was skeptical of this product and kept talking myself out of paying money for it. But when I finally decided to try it, I was amazed! I put it on right after my shower and my skin instantly felt soft and moisturized! To take it to the next level, I now spritz a little Glossier Body Hero dry touch oil mist along with it (thanks for this recommendation, Anne!). Our weather is still pretty cold as we head into April, but you can color my skin happy!
Anne, Thank you so much for this timely post! I’ve been needing to find another under eye concealer. I’m looking forward to trying your Becca Cosmetic recommendation.
Two of my go-to products are: Clinique POP Lip Colour + Primer in Melon and PONDS Vitamin Micellar wipes.
https://www.macys.com/shop/product/clinique-pop-lip-colour-primer-lipstick-0.13-oz.?ID=2056458&CategoryID=30077&isDlp=true&swatchColor=Mocha%20Pop
I highly recommend Beautypedia.com which reviews most of the skincare and makeup products on the market – I never buy anything without checking there first. It’s run by Paula’s Choice, which she started long before she had her own products. She started it (she was a makeup artist) because of all the false claims being made about beauty products, and also wrote “Don’t Go to the Cosmetics Counter without me, which is how I discovered her, years ago. She now has her own line of skincare which she backs with the scientific studies, and it’s all I use because it does what it says, is reasonably priced, and I trust her ( I have no involvement with this company other than being a happy customer). Beautypedia is my source if I’m looking for makeup products. Hope this is helpful.
Yes! LOVE LOVE LOVE Paula’s Choice. And her Beautypedia site is so great. I don’t buy any new products until I’ve read her review of it.
I have tried that vitamin C dupe. It was okay but I felt the smell was very strong and not very pleasant when you first applied it. Also, I thought Becca went out of business?
I love Maelove products, especially their serums, but everything I’ve tried is great – the glowmaker serum (hylauronic acid and vitamin c). Very affordable and effective
I *love* the Neutrogena MoistureSmooth color stick that you can find at almost any CVS, Walgreens, etc. It goes on smooth like the name suggests, has a touch of shine, and has a light look.
My all time favorite lipstick just went out of production though. Anyone else who loved the Bite Beauty Creamy Matte Lip Crayon and has a recommendation for a good alternative??
Someone help me understand how to use sunscreen over makeup without messing it up?