A few years ago, I had a four-month-old foster puppy named Waffles. Waffles loved no toy in the entire world more than my Smith's Rosebud Perfume Co. Minted Rose Lip Balm in a Tube, $6. He snatched it several times when my back was turned and chewed it to death, leaving little puppy teeth marks all over it. And ... I still used it. I know — insert grimacing-face emoji. But that's how much I love this lip balm. I never get tired of its herbal-floral scent, tingling minty freshness and slick feel. In the years since, I've bought so many backup tubes there's no way I could run out. There's one in my backpack, one in my coat pocket, two in my top drawer in the bathroom and two in my bedside table — all out of reach of dogs. — Katie McCarthy
Cover image via @rosebudperfumecompany
For years, I've been trying to come over to the natural deodorant lane. I'm constantly on the go and bad B.O. is just not something I'm willing to deal with on a day-to-day basis. I also wasn't willing to smell like the outdoors or like my boyfriend, which seemed to be the scent of most most natural options I'd tried. So when I heard of the Kopari Coconut Deodorant, I thought I'd give the natural route one more try — and, boy, am I happy I did.
Kopari is a brand that I know and trust. I slather on its signature coconut oil melt every day in the winter so I know the brand understands my desire to find a deodorant that is natural, effective and still feminine. Kopari Coconut Deodorant, $14, is infused with coconut oil and milk to keep bacteria-causing odor at bay and it's aluminum-free, so scary health concerns aren't a concern when I swipe this on. My favorite part of all is the scent. Oh, the glorious scent of coconut! It's so subtle, but still makes me feel like a lady. It's totally worth the few extra bucks for this natural coconutty formula. — Andrea Jordan
Cover image via @koparibeauty
When it comes to skin care, I'm a bit of a lazy girl. I like easy. I like fast. So for those reasons, I absolutely looooove face wipes. And Garnier SkinActive Micellar Makeup Removing Towelettes, $6.99, are my current favorite. Just one sheet removes it all—foundation, mascara, eyeshadow, everything—with minimal effort. Even my "smoky eye" nights disappear with a few easy swipes.
Even though the wipes are super effective, they're also incredibly gentle. There's no need to rub and pull like crazy at the delicate skin around your eyes. (I have very sensitive skin and they don't irritate me, which is rarely the case.) But, perhaps best of all, they leave zero residue behind (that's a huge pet peeve of mine). There's no film, no greasiness, none of the bad stuff. All you're left with is just clean, soft skin with nary a trace of makeup left behind. What else could you ask for? —Alyssa Hertzig
Cover image via @garnierusa
I've swatched and tested dozens upon dozens of highlighters and found many winners: Some glitter as brightly as the sun, others glide like butter across your cheekbones...
But it's not every day you fall properly in love. And reader, I have: with the new Shiseido Inner Glow Cheek Powder, $29, specifically with the shade Inner Light. It's like magic; dusting it atop your cheeks adds an instant soft-focus glow that shimmers and catches the light just so. The powder itself is finely milled and blends seamlessly into your skin — meaning, it never looks cakey or overdone (no matter how much you pack on). And the resulting glow is so natural and dewy it almost looks like a cream product — but since it's a powder, it wears longer and is better suited for oily T-zoned, combination-skinned people like myself.
For me, it strikes that perfect balance of noticeable and not-noticeable, as opposed to a full-on metallic gleam, the finish is very much Your Skin But Better (which is very much my jam). It's so soft and romantic...I hope you love it as much as I do. — Rosie Narasaki
Cover image via @shiseido
Lumene Hydration Recovery Aerating Gel Mask, $14.99, is a dreamy gel mask that you can apply for a short while or sleep in overnight. I tend to go with the latter application (when it comes to beauty, my motto is "more is more"). I like to apply a medium-thin layer over my face, neck and chest (because that skin needs love, too). You only have to wait a matter of minutes for the fresh-scented mask to soak right into your skin, sans tacky, pillow-adhering residue.
Hailing from Finland, Lumene's bouncy mask contains arctic spring water, birch sap and a slew of other soothing and hydrating ingredients from the wild Nordic. The mask also contains star plumping agent sodium hyaluronate, which can hold 1000 times its weight in water. When you awaken from your beauty sleep, you'll notice your skin has transformed from inflamed, dull or angry to fresh, plump and dewy. It calms breakouts and sunburns and leaves your complexion completely refreshed. If your skin could use some instant brightening, soothing and some overall TLC, I highly recommend you give this mask a go. Your skin will thank you. To see more of my beauty favorites, follow me on Instagram @hannah_savin
Thumb via Instagram @lumeneusa