Here Are The 10 Products I Can’t Live Without As A Beauty Writer
By Melody Rivera BEAUTY NEWS NYC
After working with many brands and testing out a bunch of products, I finally have a skincare and makeup routine that I am very proud of and am ready to share with all of you. This is a list that took me years and a lot of money spent at Sephora and Ulta to figure out… I hate to say it, but it was all worth it.
To preface the list of my holy grails, I did want to stress why it took so long. Personally, I went through a point where I would buy any beauty product that was going viral online without even looking at the ingredients. As someone with easily provoked eczema – let’s just say this didn’t end well for me most of the time. A word of advice: listen to your skin! Don’t neglect it just because you’re loving the short term results. Trust me, it will backfire on you. One of the best things I realized through my time of testing out products was to actually use the preference list offered by most beauty sites. They will enable you to choose the best products for your skin, and cater to your concerns and preferences.
With that said, all of the products listed below solely consist of clean products that have proven effective on sensitive skin. Here is the list of the products I refuse to live without as a beauty writer:
Although you can’t find this product with all the rest, you will not regret traveling across the mall to purchase it. When I was at the peak of the high school breakouts, Lush Ocean Salt single-handedly changed my life. After less than five uses, I had people complimenting the brightness of my skin and how quickly it had cleared up. This product contains lime, sea salt, and grapefruit, which exfoliates the skin while leaving it looking radiant and refreshed.
This is the only moisturizer that has been able to hydrate my skin and give that ‘glass skin look’. The water-jelly formula uses cherry blossom, niacinamide and sugar beet betaine to deliver a brighter and glowing complexion after a well-needed burst of hydration.
For years, everyone I know would start off conversations by asking me “Are you okay?” or “Did you get enough sleep last night?” Unfortunately, I was just cursed with insane eye bags that feel like they never go away. I was ecstatic after finding this lightweight product that hydrates the under-eye area while using peptides to reduce the appearance of puffiness, under-eye bags, and fine lines.
My last skincare staple is perfect for anyone looking to get a dewy look with or without makeup. The multi-use highlighting serum hydrates the skin while also reducing the look of hyperpigmentation. The lightweight gel is formulated with niacinamide, watermelon, and hydraulic acid to deliver essential vitamins and amino acids to the skin.
This primer has never let me down when I need my makeup to last all day, or night sometimes. The lightweight serum grips onto the skin so your skin is fresh and glowy, giving makeup a long-lasting, smooth, and plumped look. The product is packed with five electrolytes to absorb quickly for maximum wear and hydration.
Whether I am having a fun night out or just running errands, I will not leave home without using this cheek stain. The formula allows to create a natural hint of flush to your cheeks and lips. The cheek tint builds easily and has a long-lasting color that is smudge and transfer proof. The product comes in a range of colors to create a natural vibrant finish to any skin tone or texture.
I know I am not the only person who has come to know and love this brand. Their Goldgasm shade creates a buildable glow with an easy dot-and-blend application. The product contains soft focus silica and sensorial oil to blur imperfections and enable the skin to look velvety and soft. This long-lasting formula enhances the skin’s luminosity with a soft-focused glow, which works well for a natural dewy skin look or a full face of makeup.
To keep my brows in place all day long, I tend to put my trust in this lightweight brow gel. The colorless formula contains soothing chamomile and hydraulic acid that conditions the brows while also allowing for a laminated, lustrous look. The long-lasting product sets and defines the brows in a simple and quick process.
I can honestly say that this mascara is the ONLY product that keeps a curl in my extra straight lashes all day long. With just one application, you will instantly see dramatic lift and volume. The ceramide-infused formula comes with a patented double-hook bristle brush which grabs, loads, lifts, and separates your lashes all at once.
Last, but certainly not least, is the best lip plumper I have ever used. If you’re like me and you need to feel that intense tingling sensation to know your lip gloss is working, this is for you. Not only does the product volumize your lips, but it also dramatically hydrates and nourishes immediately. The best part about the max-plumping technology is its high shine, non-sticky finish.