I am diligent (OK, obsessive) about wearing sunscreen, but to really protect skin, we all know that's not enough. So, I'm crazy-obsessive about antioxidants, too. And I've interviewed enough derms over the years to know that vitamin C is one of the very best ones for protection -- and for brightening. Which is good because I have some brown spots and blotchiness that I am just not cool with. The big catch with vitamin C though is that it's unstable AF, so the key is finding one that won't degrade soon after you take it home.

For this reason, I was superpsyched to try No7 Youthful Vitamin C Fresh Radiance Essence, $24.99. It's an intensive two-week treatment with 5 percent pure vitamin C, but because it's designed to work in a short period of time, you use it all up before the formula has a chance to go bad. I also love that the vitamin C powder comes separate from the liquid base. When you open up the package, you push a button to release the vitamin C powder into the liquid, which activates it. Then the clock starts. You apply it twice a day and wait for the magic to happen.

And two weeks later, my report: I loved the feel of the product (superlight/barely there), it was beyond easy to use, and after finishing it up, my face looked noticeably brighter -- like someone had switched a light on. --Alyssa Hertzig

To see more of my favorite beauty products follow me on Instagram @alyssahertzig

Long before "treat yo self" became part of our collective vocabulary (thanks, "Parks and Recreation"), I was using body scrubs as a go-to indulgence. There's just something decadent about uncapping a bespoke-looking jar, letting the lavender or eucalyptus aroma envelop you and taking the extra three minutes in the shower to smooth and polish your skin.

However, when I picked up C. Booth Charcoal Foaming Dry Body Polish & Cleanser, $8.99, for the first time, it didn't look like it was going to deliver that experience I so treasured. For one, the plastic canister's understated gray and white design didn't exactly scream "luxury." Then there was what's inside. I'd grown accustomed to pastel-colored salt grains or bead-dotted jellies. This dry scrub looked like loose soot-colored sand.

But it turns out that there's some legit wisdom in that old cliché about books and covers -- because once I used it, C. Booth's scrub totally blew away my expectations. When mixed with water, the pumice- and charcoal-based scrub becomes a sudsy paste that has the perfect grain density for sloughing off dead skin. I don't know if my skin has ever felt so smooth. It works as a scrub or can be used as a body wash, and despite its appearances, it has a soft pleasant scent. Maybe most appealing, at less than $10, I could stock up several jars of this stuff for what I'd splurge on a single fancy-pants scrub. The moral of the story? There's more than one way to treat yo' self. --Mary Squillace

See more of Mary's favorites on Instagram @msquillace

As the #bosslady of a beauty publication, I have to look presentable most days of the week. That's not always easy when I commute three hours a day, have a mercurial toddler, and a husband who's out of town most days of the week. Getting ready for work is often a matter of triage -- what needs to be done and what can I skip? Most days, washing and blow-drying my hair falls to the bottom of my list.

Thankfully, my job also gives me access to copious amounts of dry shampoo. Dove Refresh + Care Volume & Fullness Dry Shampoo, $5.79, has been my morning savior. It zaps grease without leaving hair chalky or weighed down -- an impressive feat on my fine hair. In fact, the volumizing formula gives my hair instant body and lift that lasts all day. Its scent is light, fresh and clean-smelling -- nothing noxious or overbearing. Plus, It leaves no white residue on my dark strands. It's so good, I can go a week without washing my hair and no one knows but me. --Jill Provost

For more of my can't-live-without products, follow me on Instagram @jilleprovost

I have been enamored with bright colors for as long as I can remember. When galaxy and unicorn hair became mainstream, I knew I had to get in on the trend. I had my solid, dark brown lengths lightened to a blonde ombré (the perfect canvas for rainbow tips.) For the last year, I've been sporting various color combinations -- and I don't see myself going back to brown any time soon.

Bleaching your hair really is the only way to get the bold color you want, but it can be superdamaging to already fragile ends. While perusing Instagram one day, I came across Overtone Deep Treatment, $28, and it changed the way I wash my vibrant hair. I used to worry about the frequency of washing my hair as well as the temperature of the water and the type of shampoo and conditioner -- the combination often results in my color just running down the drain.

Sporting rainbow hair takes some serious upkeep. Overtone makes daily conditioners and deep treatment conditioners that are meant to be used on colorful hair. Not only do they keep the existing color bright, they deposit color so your hair ends up brighter after washing (you can even color pre-lightened strands with their products.) They offer just about every color you can think of and you can combine colors to create your own custom look. Overtone products work better with warm water so you no longer have to succumb to ice cold showers. And say goodbye to massive quantities of dry shampoo as you can safely wash your hair every other day without it fading like crazy.

Since I've started using the treatment twice a week, I've noticed my color stay fresh for weeks longer than before. My hair is left in amazing condition and scented with a clean, minty fragrance. Best of all, no more cold showers or waiting days to wash -- and my color stays on point.

To see more of my colorful beauty essentials, follow me on Instagram @hannah_savin

Most powder highlighters look less like highlighters and more like face glitter; they don't deliver a natural-looking, luminous glow, but an explosion of pore-magnifying sparkles. And I'm about as big a fan of glitter as Demetri Martin is. I've always wanted a powder highlighter that goes on without disturbing concealer, stays put all day, makes my skin look smooth, and gives me a sheen like someone who has lived a lifetime with perfect skin-care habits and gets her selfies regrammed by Glossier.

Pixi by Petra + Aspyn Ovard Glow-y Powder is the closest thing to my highlighter fantasy, with incredibly fine, pearlescent particles that never look sparkly or emphasize skin texture. This powder's awesomeness is compounded by the fact that it's only $16. London Lustre, a vaguely golden off-white, is my shade of choice -- the RMS Living Luminizer of powder highlighters. It's just light enough to make pale skin look naturally dewy, but just warm enough that it doesn't look frosty. Prepare to scrape every bit of non-glittery product from the pan. -- Katie McCarthy