Curating My Friends' Beauty Routines Is My Favorite Pastime—18 Staples I Always Include
I won't gatekeep!
It should come as no surprise that recommending beauty products is one of the best parts of my job. As someone who spent years buying products only to feel cheated and disappointed (such a drag!), I know how important it is to be able to trust the recommendations you receive. So I've made it my mission to share the best the industry has to offer not only here onBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing but in my personal life as well.
Recently, I was putting together a list of products for a few of my friends, and I noticed every single product was available on Bluemercury's webiste. IMO, it's a pain to have to make multiple purchases at five different retailers to check everything off my shopping list, so that felt major. Not to mention Bluemercury has a pretty epic loyalty program that not enough people know about! It's free, easy to sign up for, and instantly unlocks a slew of members-only perks like free standard shipping and $10 for every $250 you spend. Additional perks include members-only offers and event invites plus a (full-size!) birthday present. Click here for more helpful info, and keep scrolling for 18 must-haves I recommend shopping first.
Skincare
I don't have enough good things to say about these one-step peel pads from Bluemercury's in-house brand M-61. I've used them for years, and no other at-home peel system has worked as well for my acne-prone, highly sensitive skin. I use them three times a week post-cleanse and let the glycolic acid, salicylic acid, vitamin K, chamomile, bilberry, and lavender do the rest! A must for clear, bright, super-smooth skin.
This is one of the most iconic and aesthetician-favored cleansers of all time, and once you try it, you'll understand why. It's gentle enough to use daily, but the formula's blend of bio-nutrients, antioxidants, and mild resurfacing ingredients are potent enough to give pores a seriously deep clean. It smooths, softens, and is especially great for breakout-prone skin.
There are plenty of products on the market that advertise Botox or injection-like results. And while nothing can compare to the in-office results of injectables, this new(ish) best-selling serum from SkinCeuticals gets pretty dang close. Trust me, incorporate P-Tiox into your routine, and you'll notice seriously firmer, brighter, and dewier skin.
Fragrance
U Beauty made its foray into the fragrance arena this year, and suffice to say Proem has been a wild success. The brand describes it as "your entire scent wardrobe in one bottle" because it can't be boxed into a single category— it’s at once floral, fruity, earthy, and gourmand, and it smells different on everyone. It's stunning and my number one suggestion if someone is looking for a new signature scent.
Cassili doesn't get as much attention as some of the other big names in the Parfums de Marly family, but it just so happens to be my favorite, especially during the warmer months. It strikes the perfect balance between fruity and floral thanks to juicy notes à la red currant, Bulgarian rose, plum accord, bergamot, and more.
Tools Accessories
Hair
This is one of those ride-or-die products I will just never quit. As someone who's perpetually putting my strands through the wringer, this is one of the only solutions that has made a seriously positive impact on the strength, health, and resiliency of my strands. I definitely notice when I've gone too long without using it.
I bring Oribe's cult-loved texturizing spray everywhere I go. I carry minis in my bags and carry-on, and the full-size can has earned a permanent spot on my vanity. I'm not exaggerating when I say I've tried hundreds of alternatives and always, always come back to this one. (Not to mention the scent is divine.)
Makeup
I find a way to talk about this setting spray in practically every single story I write, but it's really just that good! I love to use it at the beginning and the end of my routine—over my moisturizer as a makeup-gripping primer pre-foundation and as my final step to ensure my makeup looks freshly applied all day (or night) long.
Bath Body
There's nothing to dislike about this retro, whipped cream inspired sunscreen from Vacation. It offers fabulous protection, the scent is nostalgic AF, it doesn't feel heavy or cloying on the skin, and the application process is downright fun. (Never have I ever said that when it comes to using sunscreen!)
We always talk about sun-kissed skin, but what about moon-bathed skin? I've been a longtime fan of this dreamy body oil from Costa Brazil. In fact, it's one of the only body oils that I can tolerate. It absorbs quickly, it never leaves my skin sticky or greasy, and it boasts a seriously impressive mix of antioxidants, omegas, and vitamins—all while amplifying the skin with an ethereal glow.
Erin has been writing a mix of beauty and wellness content forBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing for over five years. Prior to that, she spent two and half years writing for Byrdie. She now calls Santa Monica home but grew up in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and studied writing, rhetoric, and communication at University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. She studied abroad in Galway, Ireland, and spent a summer in L.A. interning with the Byrdie andBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing family. After graduating from UW, she spent one year in San Francisco, where she worked as a writer for Pottery Barn Kids and PBteen before moving down to L.A. to begin her career as a beauty editor.