Products I’ve Actually Emptied

I’ve never been one to shy away from commitment in my personal life. If anything, I prefer it. And while this certainly includes my monogamist tendencies, it’s not only about that. I thrive when I set routines, and once something or someone worms their way into my heart, I have a hard time letting them go. It’s a trait I’m particularly fond of—I like to think that my life is driven by passion.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about me when it comes to my beauty products. I’ve always had a fairly ridiculous beauty collection, even before I really joined the industry. Add dozens of PR mailers, product requests, beauty closet finds, and endless Sephora runs. Double that, add some limited edition eyeshadow palettes, and it should be abundantly clear why I shove products into every corner of my bedroom. Suffice it to say, I’ve got a lot to work with.

On top of that lies my own personal ethics as a beauty writer. I don’t feel comfortable reviewing things I haven’t even tried. I want my stamp of approval to mean something, and in order for that to be the case, I have to know what I’m talking about. How can I say something is the best if I haven’t tried it?

And so while I’m constantly switching out products and testing new formulations, I will admit that a product that makes me look really fucking good occasionally trumps all of this. Even still, it takes a lot for me to use up a product entirely. So on the rare occasion that I do, I take that to mean something special. Read on for the products that have me scraping the bottom of the jar.

C-Firma Vitamin C Day Serum, Drunk Elephant; $80

Let’s start with the con: this smells like hot dog water. A lot of vitamin C serums do. Beyond that, this serum is top notch. It’s gentle yet seriously effective—my stubborn acne scars fade away within weeks of repeated use. It reeks, but sometimes pain is beauty, my friends.

Pure Hyaluronic Serum*, Pestle & Mortar; $59

My skin is weird—it’s never really dry, but it can get quite dehydrated. Here’s the issue, though: I’m far more concerned about my acne than I am about dehydration. That’s why this serum rocks. It makes my skin plump and soft without causing any sort of irritation. The slightly sticky texture absorbs within seconds, and it layers under other serums incredibly well.

Priming Moisturizer Rich, Glossier; $35

I love that this moisturizer feels (and smells) so damn expensive. It’s an absolute joy to put on, and I genuinely get sad when I switch to a lighter moisturizer during the summer. My sister and I have very different opinions on what makes a face cream good—she goes for gel textures while I like something fluffier—but we both absolutely adore this stuff. It leaves skin looking dewy and balanced for hours after application without feeling cloying or occlusive.

D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Serum, Drunk Elephant; $36

This is technically a serum, but the thing I love most about it is the bronzy glow it gives me. While protecting skin from pollution and environmental stressors, this serum delivers the perfect faux everyday tan. I usually mix a squirt in with my sunscreen, and it adds the perfect sheen and blur to keep me looking presentable on makeup-free days.

Rose Day Cream*, Dr. Hauschka; $45

This is the thickest day cream I have ever come across—which I really like! It’s incredibly soothing, especially after you’ve gotten a little too much sun, without being the least bit greasy. And it’s apparently a JLo favorite, and if it’s good enough for her, it’s definitely good enough for us all.

Sublime Perfection Hydrating Primer*, Pat McGrath Labs; $60

Ugh, I literally hate how good this is. I do not want to spend sixty dollars on a primer. But it is so fucking good. The first time I wore it, I caught a glimpse of myself at the end of the day, and my jaw truly fell right to the floor. It literally looked like I just applied makeup—I was stunning. I don’t understand how it works, and I don’t understand why no other primer has ever had even close to the effect this had on me. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this stuff is the shit.

Fresh Flesh Illuminating Primer, Flesh Beauty; $32

I know I just said that no primer will ever stand up to Pat McGrath’s, and I truly do stand behind that. This definitely wasn’t as good. But I did really like it! It has more of a serum-like texture and instantly cools skin upon application. It’s made with blue and purple photo-reflecting agents that add radiance and counteract dullness, which is fancy speak for it’ll make you look fresh-faced and glowy.

Soft Matte Complete Concealer, NARS; $30

This concealer and I have been off-and-on for something like six years at this point. I simply always come back to it. It just covers my pimples perfectly. I like to let it sit on my blemishes for a bit before blending so it becomes a bit tackier and really covers that bad boy up. The container is small, but it lasts a surprisingly long time, and it never gets cakey like so many other concealers.

Nudies Matte Blush & Bronze (Sunkissed), NUDESTIX; $32

Beyond the incredibly convenient packaging, this stick is, in my opinion, a great bang for your buck. The shade is aptly named—it gives you the perfect sun-kissed look. And, it can be worn as bronzer, blush, lipstick, or eyeshadow. It’s easy to blend and has proven itself to be fairly weather-resistant.

Boy Brow, Glossier; $16

I still think the hype over this is a little excessive, but it’s definitely a really good product. I haven’t found another eyebrow gel that adds color to the brows without making a total mess. It definitely gives my brows a bushier look, and I appreciate the way it leaves brows defined but still soft and flexible.

Super Dry Shampoo*, Ouai; $24

There are times when you could truly dip a croissant on my scalp—it is that oily. This dry shampoo immediately wowed me. It’s super absorbent, allowing me to go that extra day without washing my hair, and it adds body as it soaks up excess oil. This is definitely intense, so I wouldn’t suggest it to someone with fairly dry hair, but if you’re an oily lady (or man or whatever, I’m cool with it) definitely give this a whirl.

Texturizing Hair Spray, Ouai; $26

I love a tousled, lived-in hairstyle. I call it Dani Cohen Sex Hair, but it’s really just wavy, sexy, perfectly messed up hair. This hairspray adds a bit of grit and volume, but what really sold me is its oil absorption. Ouai describes this as a hybrid between dry shampoo and hairspray, and I think that’s a spot on assessment. It’s not the least bit heavy or crunchy in hair and smells delicious, which is just a fun bonus.

Wave Spray, Ouai; $26

Sorry, I know it’s annoying to post several products from the same brand in a row. In total transparency, there’s another Ouai product below this one. Its stuff just works really freaking well. I can’t put much product in my hair due to the aforementioned oiliness, but this wave spray is gentle enough that it doesn’t cause an oil spill on my scalp while still giving me tousled, messy waves.

Air Dry Foam, Ouai; $28

I like to use half a pump of this and some wave spray when I let my hair air dry. It reminds me of what I always wanted hair gel to do but never actually did for me. It adds texture and minimizes frizz while creating lived-in beach waves that take minimal effort.

Acne Healing Dots, Peace Out; $19

We need to understand that spot treatments, whether it be a drying lotion or a pimple patch, will pretty much never completely heal a pimple in one day. It’s just a fact, and I think that expectation is why a lot of people feel like there are no good spot treatments. That being said, these pimple patches are very good. I like to slap one on top of a blemish I used a spot treatment on (just make sure the spot treatment is dry before putting on the patch). The real selling point for me here is that these stickers are sticky as fuck. They will not seemingly disappear from your face overnight, only to be found in your hair by a co-worker the next day, which has definitely happened to me more than once.

The Top Coat, Olive & June; $8

I didn’t even know people finished bottles of nail polish, but ladies and gentlemen, I have done it. This top coat leaves nails super shiny and helps polish last longer (I’d say up to about a week, which is pretty good). I’m also a huge fan of the sleek design and specific brush shape, both of which make doing my own nails much easier.