I try out a lot of products.
Between about a decade and a half spent on sets (that’s the InStyle/Nine West video shoot, above) and the reviews that I do both here and for places like Makeup.com, a lot of potions have made their way across my vanity. But the very last thing I am is a clutterbug – I hate having too much stuff, and am constantly clearing out my drawers, closets and shelves to keep everything as streamlined and easy-to-see as possible – so if a product makes it into my long-term daily rotation that means it’s really something special.
In fact, there are really only a handful of products that I keep coming back to over and over and over.
These are my all-stars:
Best Hot Pink: I don’t veer into the brightest parts of the color wheel often, but when I want majorly look-at-me lips I reach for YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Lipstick in Devotion – a hibiscus-pink with a ton of pigment and a hydrating formula.
Best Sheer: This is my favorite. Lipstick. Ever. Clinique’s Almost Lipstick in Luscious Honey is a super-sheer reddish pink that is adds a natural flush to your lips, but can be layered on for a deeper shade come evening.
Best Red: I’ve tried lots and lots of reds over the years, and Lipstick Queen in Saint Eden is the Gold Standard: a watermelon-red that’s intensely moisturizing and incredibly flattering. Seriously: instant face-brightener. Highly recommended.
Best Eye Makeup Remover: I wear quite a bit of eye makeup on a daily basis, and Simple Skincare Eye Makeup Remover is the best I’ve found: it gets everything off, doesn’t irritate my extremely sensitive eyes, and is perfectly priced (and easy to find at any pretty much any drugstore).
Best Balm: I’m a lip-moisturizing fiend, and have balms stashed absolutely everywhere – in every purse, every drawer, and every pocket – but Smith’s Rosebud Salve is my favorite: it’s got the most beautiful fragrance and deposits just the lightest hint of color…and I love the gorgeous old-fashioned tin.
Best On-The-Go Cleanser: Simple Skincare Radiance Cleansing Wipes are perfect for travel and for keeping in your gym bag for a post-run freshen-up, but I also stash a package in my bedside table to gently cleanse my skin on nights when I’m too lazy to make it the three feet to our bathroom (which happens more frequently than I’d like to admit). In the months that I’ve been working with Simple I’ve tried all of the wipes that they offer (including Exfoliating Wipes and Oil Balancing Wipes), but this formula (which has mango extract to remove impurities and leaves zero residue) is my hands-down favorite.
Best Eyebrow Shaper: On a day-to-day basis I rarely pay any attention whatsoever to my brows, but when I have something special on the calendar I always take an extra second to fill them in. This brush that comes in the Elizabeth Arden Dual Perfection Brow Shaper & Eyeliner compact has a great shape and deposits just the right amount of soft brown pigment – an excellent pick for blondes.
Best Eyeliner: I wear liquid eyeliner almost every single day of my life, so it’s important to me that the liner I use be easy to apply (meaning a thin-tipped brush that doesn’t drag on the skin) and reasonably priced, and have excellent staying power. Sephora’s Long-Lasting Liner is just $12, comes in a wide range of gorgeous colors, and goes (and stays) on beautifully every time.
Best Mascara: It’s true: layering on at least two different formulas is the best way (other than applying falsies) to get those super-long, super-thick lashes. But if you’d like to stick to just one mascara, it doesn’t get better than Dior – pictured above is Dior Extase, which offers next-level plumping…but my favorite is still the original Diorshow formula.
Best Cover-Up: I’ve used MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation (in C3) for years and years and years now. It provides the perfect amount of coverage, evening out my skin tone and covering up the odd spot without requiring the application of any additional concealer. I do not leave the house without this – ever.
Best Blush: Elizabeth Arden’s Beautiful Color Radiance Blush in Blushing Pink is a subtle everyday shade with no glitter (making it perfect for those of us north of 30) that works on every skin tone.
Best Bronzer: This is another category where Elizabeth Arden takes the win: their Pure Finish Radiant Bronzing Powder (I use “Warm”) deposits just the right amount of pigment and creates a glow that’s sun-kissed as opposed to dusty.
