"An eye cream? I'm too young for that," I naïvely thought when Laura Mercier's Flawless Skin Repair Eye Serum, $83, was recommended to me. Oh, how wrong I was. Once I found out that the signs of aging can start as early as your 20s, I became obsessed with eye treatments. Laura Mercier's is the one that I keep coming back to.
The consistency of this serum is creamy, yet lightweight enough to layer underneath concealer. Even though I want to slather this all over my eye area to keep lines at bay, it only takes a tiny bit to make a difference. Not only does it help my concealer go on smoother and crease-free, the pearl-y, luminizing particles give me an extra brightening boost (so essential when I'm running on only five to six hours of sleep). Plus, I like knowing that the Japanese botanicals and geranium extracts are working all day long to stave off my inevitable lines for as long as possible. --Allie Flinn
The consistency of this serum is creamy, yet lightweight enough to layer underneath concealer. Even though I want to slather this all over my eye area to keep lines at bay, it only takes a tiny bit to make a difference. Not only does it help my concealer go on smoother and crease-free, the pearl-y, luminizing particles give me an extra brightening boost (so essential when I'm running on only five to six hours of sleep). Plus, I like knowing that the Japanese botanicals and geranium extracts are working all day long to stave off my inevitable lines for as long as possible. --Allie Flinn
I'm naturally one of the palest people on the planet -- and not one of those luminous, alabaster-pale girls like Kate Bosworth. With my dark hair and penchant for wearing black, I give off a Wednesday Adams vibe, garnering at least one "Are you feeling alright?" comment over the course of winter.
I had pretty much accepted my washed-out fate until I met St. Tropez skin-finishing expert (and life-saving genius) Sophie Evans. After one spray tan with Evans (she's worked with St. Tropez for over 14 years, spraying bronzed gods/goddesses like David and Victoria Beckham), I was determined to keep up my new glow.
St. Tropez Self Tan Express Bronzing Mousse, $44, allows me to do just that. The shade technology lets me determine how light or deep I want my tan. Just shower one hour after applying for a hint of color, two for a medium glow or wait at least three hours for a dark tan that still looks natural. Meanwhile, the mousse formula makes it easy to cover my whole body in minutes, it dries quickly and the result is a perfect bronzed glow every time -- even when I haphazardly slather it on five minutes before crawling into bed.
--Marissa DeSantis
I had pretty much accepted my washed-out fate until I met St. Tropez skin-finishing expert (and life-saving genius) Sophie Evans. After one spray tan with Evans (she's worked with St. Tropez for over 14 years, spraying bronzed gods/goddesses like David and Victoria Beckham), I was determined to keep up my new glow.
St. Tropez Self Tan Express Bronzing Mousse, $44, allows me to do just that. The shade technology lets me determine how light or deep I want my tan. Just shower one hour after applying for a hint of color, two for a medium glow or wait at least three hours for a dark tan that still looks natural. Meanwhile, the mousse formula makes it easy to cover my whole body in minutes, it dries quickly and the result is a perfect bronzed glow every time -- even when I haphazardly slather it on five minutes before crawling into bed.
--Marissa DeSantis
I use hairspray on a daily basis. And more often than not, I use a hairspray cocktail of three formulas: one for shine, one for hold, and another for more hold when my hairstyle deflates two hours later. Luckily, I found Shu Uemura Art of Hair Detail Master Directional Fixing Spray, $38, which has replaced my entire cabinet of hairsprays.
Shu Uemura's fixing spray dries instantly, making styling a breeze and keeping me from using far too much product. My other, lacquer-like hairsprays force me to shampoo daily, but this spray leaves touchable texture so I can simply brush out and restyle the next day. Just a few spritzes allow my curls to last all day with no crunchiness. And my favorite part: It leaves my hair so shiny, I get compliments all day. (I'm almost afraid to give away the secret.) -- Hayley Mason
Shu Uemura's fixing spray dries instantly, making styling a breeze and keeping me from using far too much product. My other, lacquer-like hairsprays force me to shampoo daily, but this spray leaves touchable texture so I can simply brush out and restyle the next day. Just a few spritzes allow my curls to last all day with no crunchiness. And my favorite part: It leaves my hair so shiny, I get compliments all day. (I'm almost afraid to give away the secret.) -- Hayley Mason
Yes, I'm a beauty editor. Yes, I have written countless times about the benefits of retinol, peptides, antioxidants and all those science-y, anti-aging, OMG amazing ingredients that we should be putting on our skin -- and I do. But I use them on faith, hoping that my face will look incredible a decade from now, not because they make me look OMG amazing overnight.
An exception to the rule: Philosophy Help Me Retinol Night Treatment. It does everything an anti-aging cream should and more: It exfoliates, brightens, fades stubborn hyperpigmentation and sun damage and relaxes my fine lines. In addition to packing proven, long-term anti-aging effects, it makes my skin look better and brighter as quickly as the following morning. I hit the hay with less-than-ideal skin and roll out of bed with as-good-as-it-gets skin. Instant gratification and over-time benefits -- pretty OMG amazing, if you ask me. --Katie McCarthy
An exception to the rule: Philosophy Help Me Retinol Night Treatment. It does everything an anti-aging cream should and more: It exfoliates, brightens, fades stubborn hyperpigmentation and sun damage and relaxes my fine lines. In addition to packing proven, long-term anti-aging effects, it makes my skin look better and brighter as quickly as the following morning. I hit the hay with less-than-ideal skin and roll out of bed with as-good-as-it-gets skin. Instant gratification and over-time benefits -- pretty OMG amazing, if you ask me. --Katie McCarthy
Being a fair-skinned freckled lady doesn't mean I slather on any sunscreen I can get my hands on. On the contrary, it means I'm superselective with my sunscreen picks. I've tried them all, so I know what I like (physical UV-blocking ingredients that don't mess with my makeup) -- and what I hate (thick sunscreens that leave residue).
Dermalogica Super Sensitive Shield, $48, checks all my boxes. It's a lightweight formula with a fluid-like consistency that goes on like a dream, even over makeup. With SPF 30, it meets my protection-level requirement for a face sunscreen, and the fact that it's titanium-dioxide-based means that my sensitive skin tolerates it a lot better (read: no breakouts) than chemical formulas. Not to mention the ingredient list reads more like a healthy recipe than a typical chemical-laden sunscreen, thanks to the many antioxidants and botanical extracts. If that typical sunscreen smell turns you off, you'll be pleasantly surprised by this one's light lavender scent. It's official: I'm declaring beauty-product love. --Emily Woodruff
Dermalogica Super Sensitive Shield, $48, checks all my boxes. It's a lightweight formula with a fluid-like consistency that goes on like a dream, even over makeup. With SPF 30, it meets my protection-level requirement for a face sunscreen, and the fact that it's titanium-dioxide-based means that my sensitive skin tolerates it a lot better (read: no breakouts) than chemical formulas. Not to mention the ingredient list reads more like a healthy recipe than a typical chemical-laden sunscreen, thanks to the many antioxidants and botanical extracts. If that typical sunscreen smell turns you off, you'll be pleasantly surprised by this one's light lavender scent. It's official: I'm declaring beauty-product love. --Emily Woodruff
Ever had a beauty product you love so much that you shook, hacked, scraped or squeezed its container until you were absolutely positive you had expended all of its precious contents? Rare indeed is the product that elicits that deliciously desperate feeling, especially in beauty editors. So when our team of beauty mavens encounters a rave-worthy product, you know it's the real deal. Herewith, our editors rattle off their "beauty empties," aka the best beauty products that they can't help but use until the last drop. Read on for their best nail polishes, hair products, skin care products and makeup now.