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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 $6 Lip Stain That Replaced My Spendy Lipgloss
Matte lips may be in, but there's nothing I love more than a subtly glossy lip. As such, hybrid products like tinted balms and glossy lipsticks reign supreme in my makeup bag -- and there's a newcomer of late that's taken over the top spot: Catrice Aqua Ink-in-Gloss Lip Stain, $5.99. It's richly pigmented (while still letting a little of my natural lip color shine through), lightly glossy and it wears gorgeously for hours. In other words? It's pretty much my platonic ideal. So much so, in fact, that it's caused me to set aside my former favorite: the Dior Addict Lipstick, an (admittedly gorgeous) product that clocks in at almost six times the price.

There are many reasons to love it -- there's the aforementioned pigmentation, subtle glossiness and wear time. Then, there's the fact that it's quite comfortable and adds some shine without the heavy stickiness often associated with glosses. It has a unique, watery gel texture that's quite breathable, and once the gloss fades, it settles into a beautiful, even stain.

Right now, it only comes in four colors, but that's more than enough. My personal favorite is Let's Mauve to the Beach, and the other three options are vibrantly flattering as well. --Rosie Narasaki

To see more of my beauty faves, follow me on Instagram @rosienarasaki

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The Best Brow Gel on the Market Is Only $2.99
I own 10-ish highlighters; 15-ish shades of blush; and 25-ish balms, lipsticks and stains in some variation of the color pink. But I never have more than one brow product at a time -- that is, one particular/i> product. I find a favorite that meets my standards (it's hard); then, my scarcity mindset takes over and I invest in multiples, like I'm a Costco shopper buying toilet paper. Which is why I'm pumped that my new favorite brow product is also cheapest one I've ever used: Essence Make Me Brow Eyebrow Gel Mascara, $3.

Make Me Brow is a phenomenal dupe for Glossier's best-selling Boy Brow and about 80 percent cheaper, too. Applying it takes a fraction of the time I used to spend on filling and setting my brows with pencil and gel. What I love most about Essence's product is the rock-star pigmentation; you need just the tiniest bit for each brow. And the blond shade (Blondy Brow 01) is a neutral, natural-looking hue -- with none of the brassy or green-ish tones that are common in drugstore brow products. --Katie McCarthy

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The Mojito-Scented Natural Deodorant That Actually Works
After getting burned one too many times by subpar natural deodorants, I've been a longtime skeptic. (I've done way too many trial runs of naturals where all seems to go fine for a few days, then suddenly it fails, and you notice at work or in a crowded place, and that's ... embarrassing.) But after hearing rave after rave about Schmidt's Natural Deodorant, $8.99, I decided to give natural one more go. And, wow. You guys, this is the first natural deo I've ever tried that really, really works. Now, if it's really hot or I'm working out, I can sometimes feel a little wetness creep in. When that happens, I reapply and then I'm pretty much instantly fine. But I've never been had any issue with odor while using Schmidt's and that's what really matters, right? Plus, they have the most amazing, appealing scents. Bergamot + Lime -- a zesty citrus -- smells like a mojito and is my ultimate favorite. --Alyssa Hertzig

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The $8 Eyeliner That Changed My Eye Makeup Game
At the risk of having to hand in my beauty editor card, I'm going to let you in on a little secret: I'm pretty terrible at eyeliner. Whether I'm attempting a cat-eye or a smoky look, my lack of dexterity often results in me agonizing in front of the mirror while time rapidly ticks by -- inevitably making me more and more late. Thanks to these shortcomings, I hardly ever feel inspired to shell out on eyeliner, opting for a swipe of shadow and a few coats of mascara instead.

That's why I've come to appreciate the oh-so affordable NYX Faux Blacks Eyeliner, $8. Though this eyeliner pencil performs as well as prestige products, at less than $10, it's something I can justify purchasing, even if I'm rarely using it. It glides on smoothly (even given my history of eyeliner struggles) and holds up throughout the day.

Not to mention, I totally dig "faux blacks" concept. Black eyeliner can sometimes overwhelm my face, but NYX's eyeliner, which comes in a range of dark colors that aren't black (think: navy, dark purple, burgundy and deep teal), defines my eyes without swallowing them up. Plus, the colors are incredibly flattering (I love the way the dark purple makes my blue-green irises pop).

While my eyeliner skills remain mediocre at best, having a tool that looks great and is easy to use has made me a little more willing to take the extra time to apply eyeliner. Who knows, maybe a cat-eye will be in my future someday. --Mary Squillace

See all of Mary's favorites on Instagram @msquillace

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The Lip & Cheek Stain Every Girl Needs in Her Handbag
I have no fewer than four lip balms in my purse at any given moment (and don't even ask me to count my lipsticks). But no matter how many lip products crowd my leather satchel, there's only one that I reach for multiple times every day: Jane Iredale Just Kissed Lip and Cheek Stain, $25, in Forever Peach. I'm so attached to it, I own two -- just in case one gets misplaced.

Despite its balmy appearance, the slim stick packs a wallop of pigment that brightens up lips while keeping them hydrated. The stain, which you can also use on your cheeks, sticks around for hours for an easy, no-fuss, weekend look.

Nourishing botanical ingredients like avocado oil, pumpkin seed oil and olive fruit oil keep lips feeling lush, making it the perfect chapped-lip-season accompaniment. --Jill Provost



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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