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Still Haven't Tried One Of These Gems?

You can't call yourself a bona fide beauty junkie until you've crossed these cult-classic products off your list
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Essie Ballet Slippers, $8
This Essie polish, launched two years after the company was founded in 1981, is the official lacquer of brides, according to "The Devil Wears Prada," Vogue editors (along with one coat of Marshmallow), and even Her Majesty the Queen. In 1989, founder Essie Weingarten received a letter from Queen Elizabeth's hairdresser, requesting a bottle of the famed shade. Why? It's the only nail polish color Her Majesty would wear, and for good reason. This pale, sheer pink shade is flattering on all skin tones and all you'll ever need to get the perfect neutral manicure.

The long-lasting and blendable-yet stay-put formula of this cult-favorite is what eyeliner dreams are made of. Each liner is 50 percent moisturizing ingredients which give it that signature creamy glide that stays soft for about 30 seconds for blending purposes, then dries to stay put. The range of hues from metallic to vibrant brights, keep fans coming back for. So much so that I get teary-eyed remembering that I didn't get my hands on the 15th anniversary 24/7 eyeliner set released in 2011: 15 eyeliners, which retail for $17 each, for $92. I'm counting the days to the 20th anniversary, because there's no doubt these liners will still be around.

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YSL Touche Eclat, $40
Twenty one years ago, Yves Saint Laurent made history by creating Touche Eclat ("Radiant/Light Touch" in French), a revolutionary cosmetic with the sole purpose of illuminating the face. It's a must-have for makeup artists and models around the world, but long story short, this product is basically eight hours of a beauty sleep in a magical gold wand. Take that, Ambien.

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Kiehl's Crème de Corps, $29.50
This unscented, moisturizing body butter has been a Kiehl's signature since the brand's inception, and considering John Kiehl founded his homeopathic pharmacy back in 1851, this cream is clearly doing something right. The rich, super hydrating body moisturizer is filled with natural goodness like cocoa butter and sesame oil, and is known for it's natural deep yellow color -- proof that it's packed with the antioxidant beta-karotene.

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Dior Diorshow Mascara, $25
The sheer number of mascaras that can be found in one square foot of a Sephora store means competition is high, but this singular Dior tube has been a bestseller for more than 10 years. The legendary fatty brush was inspired by Dior makeup artists who used plush toothbrushes to coat models' lashes backstage -- a beauty hack that created volume a regular mascara wand couldn't (until Diorshow launched in 2002, that is.)

I think most would agree that cults have a negative connotation, what with all the bizarre idolizing, brainwashing, matching sneakers and charismatic (read: creepy) leaders ... not to mention the emotional trauma inflicted upon yours truly after a viewing of "Martha Marcy May Marlene" all alone in my apartment, late at night. Mistake.

But in the beauty world, that C-word means you're on to something good -- a product so good it withstands the test of time, evades the dreaded "Discontinued" ax, and continues to outshine all the new and improved this and thats our culture is drawn to (I'm positive a mini iPad mini, AKA another iPhone, is being concocted as I type.) If there was ever a time to go against every individuality-preserving bone in your body and actually believe the hype, it's now with cult classic beauty products.

Fads come and go, but there's a reason these favorites have yet to be discontinued: if these products were ever removed from stores, it would incite an all-out riot because they really work. As the well-informed beauty consumer you are, it's high time you drank the Kool-Aid. Start checking these classics off your beauty bucket list, then let us know: What's your favorite cult classic beauty product?
BY ERICA SMITH | AUG 28, 2013 | SHARES
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