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

I've put my skin through the ringer more times than I'd care to admit. Stayed up too late, occasionally imbibed a little too much, poor food choices every now and then or maybe not being so diligent with the sunscreen. Whatever the case, all such scenarios are readily apparent on my face — in the form of pimples, uneven skin tone or a dull complexion. Every now and then, when my face is rebelling, I return to this beauty staple to give my skin a little reset.

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

Anyone who knows me knows that I love animals, so it's strange why it took me so long to look into cruelty-free beauty. Over the past several weeks, I've started buying beauty products only from brands who don't allow animal testing, here or in China. It's been a mixed bag. On one hand, resources from Cruelty-Free Kitty and PETA make it easy to discover new, cruelty-free brands. On the other hand, it's occasionally a major bitch to find cruelty-free dupes for the products — especially skin care products — you love. 

Recently, I switched from my normal serum to Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum, $33.99. It lingered in my Amazon "saved for later" basket for god-knows-how-long before I pulled the trigger. I'm glad I did. It's an affordable, cruelty-free alternative to the vitamin C serums from luxury brands (*cough* Sunday Riley *cough*) and mass-market pharma companies (rarely cruelty-free). In addition to vitamin C, this serum contains powerful ingredients like konjac root and ferulic acid that noticeably brightened my skin in less than a week — without burning or irritation.

Got any cruelty-free beauty products you love? Tell me in the comments! — Katie McCarthy