The 10 beauty products our editors could not live without
I've been exposed to a lot of incredible, expensive (and not so incredible, but still expensive) beauty products in my years as an editor, but most of them I wouldn't actually go out and buy. And like everyone else, I have those drugstore/Sephora/hair salon mistake purchases that I was convinced at the time were going to change my life, but instead just sit in my bathroom mocking me with their uselessness and collecting dust (throwing them away would be admitting defeat).
This kind of excess bums me out, and lately (it being Earth Month!) I've been thinking about how I want to be less wasteful, and only bring things into my house I will really use and love.
So I asked some of the Shine staff: What is your very favorite miracle product-the one you couldn't get through the day without?
Their results are below. As for me, my necessary, desert-island product is...
Dr. Bronner's Lavender liquid soap This is the one beauty thing that I always need to have around. It's been my favorite soap since i was a kid, smells really fresh, makes me feel clean in a way that bar soaps don't and I love how it feels on my skin.
If I could bring pick four, however...
John Masters Organics Hair Reconstructor The best for my dry ends. I rub in a huge dollop of it and leave it in throughout the entire shower.
Jurlique Herbal Recovery Gel This one is a big splurge, but it's amazing. So many moisturizers make me break out and this one-made entirely out of botanicals-sinks in really well and just nourishes my face without leaving that weird tacky residue that gives me zits.
Ecco Bella Flower Color Lip Gloss in Passion It tastes like vanilla, leaves a not-too-thick brick-colored stain and comes with a built in mirror. Totally perfect.
And my colleagues liked....
Brandon (editor-in-chief): I resisted the eyelash curler for years because it looked cruel, but after 100 or so makeup artists told me that it's the one thing they can't do their job without, I decided to invest. If you have long gorgeous lashes, perhaps you don't need, but I have short, stubby little guys and they need help. Now I'm hooked on its ability to make me bright-eyed when I'm less than awake. It is the single best tool I have in my makeup kit. Go ahead and put on your mascara, but without a curler, you're only getting about 20 percent of results. The best one to buy, say makeup artists, is from Shu Uemura.
Shu Uemora Eyelash Curler
Annette (managing editor): I used to use MAC's version of these blotting sheets, but this super-cheap version that you can pick up at any drugstore works just as well. They're the perfect answer to my mid-afternoon greasy forehead, nose and chin.
Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets
Jessica (Healthy Living): I am hardcore about my Alba shampoo and conditioner in honeydew and mango. Once a very sage and old Indian woman told me to stop using products with chemical fragrances because my skin was drinking all that nastiness in, I switched to mostly organic skin and beauty care products. The Alba shampoo and conditioner were the first of my purchases. I've tried others and always go back. They smell so juicy and they are by and far the most hydrating hair care products I've ever used. Love them, love them, LOVE THEM.
Alba Shampoo and Conditioner
Charlene (Parenting): I swim several times a week and my skin is so dry after getting out of the water. I love this stuff because it's rich and creamy going on but my skin just soaks it up and feels replenished. It also has this really nice earthy fragrance.
Terralina Facial Moisturizer
Anne (Entertainment): I like this because it takes no careful application to put on, and it changes your lip color to the perfect shade of pink for any skin tone.
Mark Glossblossom Ripening Lip Tint
Dory (Work + Money): I keep coming back to this shampoo and conditional that I first used more than two decades ago. The rosemary mint essence soothes me during my morning shower, and I love the way it leaves my hair and scalp feeling.
Aveda Rosemary Mint Shampoo and Rosemary Mint Conditioner
