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The #ProductEmpties We Loved to the Last Drop

From new finds to longtime favorites, these are beauty products that our editors use until the bitter end (of the tube)
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The Bronzer That Makes Me a Contour Master
I've never really been a bronzer person. Lipstick, yes. Eyeliner, certainly. But bronzer? Afraid my amateur bronzing skills would leave me looking glaringly unnatural, old compacts collected dust in the back of my blush drawer for years. But, having lived in Southern California for some time now, I figured it was finally time to introduce a little sun-kissed glow to my complexion.

Enter: Becca Limited Edition Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed, $38. This luminous rose-gold powder put to shame all my past forays into bronzer. Used with Becca The One Perfecting Brush, $49, I dust this shimmery goodness under my cheekbones, down the bridge of my nose and around each temple to create radiance and contoured angles all at once. The technique took some practice, I'll admit. But thanks to this product's gorgeous, one-of-a-kind "blushed copper" color and impressive staying power, I am hooked on glow.

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The Lipgloss That Gives Me Non-Sticky Shine
I hate the feeling of lip gloss. The goopy-ness, the wetness, the hair plastered to my face ... it just gets an all-around "no thanks" from me. A little tube from TheBalm, though, has changed my position on lip gloss forever.

TheBalm Read My Lips, $15, is so unique because it's -- stay with me here -- slippery. It's not sticky, and it makes my lips glide over each other in a way I've never experienced with another product. It has a supernourishing, moisturizing and refreshing feeling. Any cracks or dry patches on my lips are instantly transformed in one swipe. The formula contains ginseng, a skin-regenerating antioxidant, so I feel like I'm giving my lips a little treat with every application. My lips look full and healthy -- just what you want from a gloss. I can't resist the pop art packaging and subtle fruity scent, either.

Another bonus is the color payoff--it's rare that a gloss has a completely opaque shade. All of the colors are high-impact, and the "Bam!" color seems to flatter everyone. I can't wait to get my hands on more shades. --Kelly Searle

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The Dry Shampoo That Became My Morning Must-Have
I know, I know, beauty editors throw around the term "life-changing" a lot. But when I use it about Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo Dark Tones, $26, I mean it in the most literal sense.

I'm the owner of a thick, dark mane, which I've been told is a blessing. However, when I'm forced to style my hair in the mornings, it feels more like a curse. It requires daily washing and takes an excruciatingly long time to blow-dry, which just doesn't jibe with my already-rushed morning routine. Dry shampoo, praised as a game-changer amongst beauty editors, left my hair streaked white. So for years, I resigned myself to showering at night and letting my hair air-dry in my sleep, arriving to work with a damp 'do or sacrificing precious morning zzzs. Lose-lose-lose.

Turns out, the silver bullet I'd been seeking all this time was Moroccanoil's new tinted dry shampoo. It effectively soaks up oil, while leaving my hair looking and smelling clean -- sans chalky patches. And even though it's tinted, it doesn't leave brown residue on my scalp, fingers or bathroom sink. Win-win-win.

It's made for better hair days -- and better mornings, in general. --Mary Squillace

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The Perfume That Makes Me Feel French
The allure of the French girl cannot be denied. Tell me something is French -- a beauty product, a handbag -- and I automatically like it 30 percent more. Its country of origin gives it that certain je ne sais quoi.

Case in point: When I first walked into the (very French) Zadig & Voltaire boutique on Bleecker Street in NYC, I loved it all -- the slouchy T-shirts, the moto boots, the superskinny jeans -- even though my style is more girly dresses and pointy heels. After trying some things on, I quickly remembered that cool girl in Saint-Germain just isn't my look. The jeans are too skinny; the shirts are too messy. I felt like an imposter.

As I was about to leave empty handed, I got a whiff of something. "What is that?" I asked the salesgirl. "The perfume," she responded nonchalantly, and she handed me a bottle of Zadig & Voltaire Fragrance Tome 1 For Her, $125.

I spritzed it on my wrist, took a whiff, closed my eyes and had an ah-ha moment: I smelled French. I couldn't give her my credit card fast enough.

The scent is musky and mysterious -- even a bit masculine and, well, kind of dirty -- and seriously sexy. It smells nothing like anything you'd find in an American department store. And for good reason: It's an unusual blend of peony, almond milk, jasmine tea, woods and musk.

When I wear it -- even with a very un-French outfit -- I feel cooler, less prim and much sexier. I become -- at least in my mind -- a little French. --Dawn Davis

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The Body-Perfecting Sunscreen I'm Actually Excited to Apply
Fun fact: It takes approximately five minutes in the sun for my ultra-fair skin to turn bright red, making it necessary for me to OD on sunscreen every time I venture outside. Since I have the kind of skin that burns and never tans, my limbs are in a constant state of pastiness. Add in the constant bruises that adorn my legs from CrossFit, and I'm almost always far too self-conscious to wear skirts and dresses unless I slather myself in a body BB cream. But those can be sticky, and most are too dark to look natural on my legs, so it was almost always easier to throw on my usual uniform of jeans.

Then I discovered La Roche-Posay Anthelios 50 Body Mineral Tinted Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid, $36.99. It's a tinted mineral sunscreen that goes on like a dream -- with just a bit of blending, my legs look even, smooth and less zombie-like. It absorbs superquickly, dries to a soft matte color and doesn't leave a sunscreen smell or greasy feel behind. Plus, it's got SPF 50 and is packed with free radical-fighting antioxidants. Another bonus: Because it's tinted, I never miss a spot. No more surprise sunburns. I'll be slathering this on through the summer and beyond. -- Allie Flinn

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.
MAR 13, 2020 | SHARES
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