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Dawn, Beauty Editor
"It's an antioxidant serum that I put on every single morning. No. Matter. What. I've interviewed dozens (maybe hundreds?) of dermatologists over the years, and so many of them love this product. It protects your skin from free-radical damage (UV, pollution, etc.)"
Cheap Thrill: Maybelline Volum' Express Falsies Flared Waterproof Mascara, $6
"It works just as well as pricey mascara. My lashes are long but scraggly, and this plumps them up without clumping."
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Hayley, Editorial Intern
"Before you judge me for spending close to $100 on a small jar of night cream, remember that I do work in the beauty industry and thus get a lot of goodies for free. I have yet to run out of this jar, which I've been using for close to a year, but I know I'm going to have to bite the bullet and shell out for another jar when I run out. As the name says, this cream truly does leave you with skin that looks and feels close to porcelain in the morning. I have never gotten so much hydration from a cream (unless it made my face greasy). It also doesn't leave my pillows greasy, which is my night cream pet peeve.
Cheap Thrill: E.L.F. Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner, $1
"I used to always use Almay Liquid Eyeliner, $6.99, but realized that this $1 product is just as good. It stays on all day long (and I'm saying this after a summer full of pool and beach days) and never breaks apart. Plus, for a buck, I can stock up on multiple bottles at a time and I'm set for months.
As beauty editors, we're particularly choosy about what products we spend money on. After all, why splurge on a pricey eyeliner when there's a $1 one that does the trick? If you are going to shell out the big bucks, do it on something that benefits your skin -- like an ultra moisturizing lipstick or an anti-aging cream. But trendy, wear-once-in-a-while colors? Those are your cheap thrills.