I'm a Hard-to-Impress Beauty Editor, But I'm Losing My Mind Over These 18 Finds

Hello! I'm here to tell you that the impossible has happened. Although it won't be available to *actually* purchase until Thursday, March 31, I'm telling you now that you absolutely positively need to add this brand-new bonding serum from Olaplex to your cart. I love anything and everything Olaplex makes, but dare I say this is my favorite formula yet? I'm a minimalist when it comes to hair products, but this lightweight serum has officially edged itself into the deepest valves of my heart. I apply a nickel-size amount to my damp hair pre-oil and any other styling products, and once my hair dries, it's impeccably soft, smooth, shiny, and healthy feeling. If you like instant and long-term gratification when it comes to the look and feel of your strands, you'll flip for this. 

Truly, I don't know what's happening to me! Styling products never win me over but yet again, here I am drooling over this brand-new three-in-one styling cream from Dae. It's created for all hair types and thicknesses, and an all-star lineup of desert-derived ingredients (like dragon fruit, prickly pear, and meadowfoam) work hand in hand to add shine, gloss, hydration, and frizz-free finish to damp or dry hair. I've been applying it two ways: to damp hair (mid-lengths to ends) before I blow-dry or to my already dry, styled hair for an extra dose of polish.

I'll admit that I don't typically moonlight as a texture-spray type of gal, purely because I just hate the feeling that most formulas I try leave behind on my strands. This one is less gritty/sticky feeling than most, and the benefits are truly outstanding. It instantly revives lank hair with noticeable volume, thickness, and texture; it offers an impressive hit of heat protection; it absorbs oil; and the buildable hold lasts and lasts, even for someone like me who lives in a humid climate right by the ocean. 

Trust me when I say your lips (and whatever you're wearing on your lips) are truly missing out if you're not priming with this lip scrub beforehand. I've tried a lot of lip scrubs in my life, but I'm currently obsessed with Makeup by Mario's formula, which boasts micro-fine sugar crystals plus other nourishing ingredients like coconut oil and vitamin E for a smooth, soft, supple-AF pout. (I highly recommend rounding out your lip aesthetic with Mario's Ultra Suede Sculpting Lip Pencil, $22, and matching lipstick—both of which have become practically religion among beauty editors since their launch.)

Sure, this lip-volumizing mask from Lawless will set you back more than a tub of Aquaphor, but it's more than worth the $21 price tag, and in addition to its plumping wow factor, it is one of the only lip products that can keep my dry-as-a-bone lips hydrated, pillowy, and velveteen-soft throughout an entire night's sleep. I always roll my eyes a little when a product claims filler-caliber results. And no, nothing will ever take the place of actual filler, but this one comes pretty dang close. Usually, lip masks are too heavy and sticky for my taste, but this one is significantly lighter and more comfortable without compromising on that aforementioned hit of hydration. Maxi-Lip is the key ingredient and is scientifically and clinically shown to visibly increase lip volume by 40% while also helping to support natural collagen production over time. Other key hitters include shea butter and hyaluronic acid.

In very exciting news, Merit recently launched its first new product since the brand's official launch early last year, and Signature Lip does not disappoint! You can read every detail about the lipstick here, but if you're in the market for a lightweight, hydrating, and buildable lip color that's perfect for everyday wear, look no further. In as little as one week, it's become one of my favorite lipsticks of all time, and the packaging is so stunning to boot. I've been wearing Fashion on repeat, but I also have my eye on Slip, Tiger, Millennial, and L'Avenue.

We're only two months into 2022, but it's already been a tremendous year for foundation launches. I'm a huge Kosas fan (it really can do no wrong in my book), and the brand's beloved Revealer Concealer ($28) is one of my all-time favorites. So you can imagine how pumped I was when the skin-improving foundation version landed on my vanity. The ingredients—hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, peptides, squalane, vitamin B5, arnica, and caffeine—are incredible, and you really feel like you're treating your skin to something special when you wear it. How often can you say that while wearing a full face? The coverage and soft glow you get are super flattering, and even my mom (who is 74!) was as obsessed and impressed as I was.

Charlotte Tilbury's Airbrush Flawless Longwear Foundation ($44)—which launched a few years ago—is one of my all-time favorite foundations. However, the only reason I don't wear it each and every time I wear makeup is that it almost makes your skin look too perfect. It's fab for selfies and any time you'll be on-screen or in front of a camera, but it's a little much for day-to-day wear, IMO. But that's where this new foundation comes in. I typically look for medium-coverage foundations that are buildable, and this one offers the perfect amount of coverage with just one layer. My skin still looks like skin, just way smoother, more even, and glowier. This foundation stays put all day long (I still like to use primer and setting spray), and unlike a lot of foundations I've tried, I don't need an ounce of powder. It retains the perfect ratio of radiance without veering oily as the hours wear on, and it doesn't crease, crack, or smudge. It effortlessly camouflages my pores and redness, but it's light enough that I still feel like my skin can breathe and take in the formula's hydrating benefits. I give it a six out of five!

Where mascara is concerned, my top two priorities are lifting and curling. And those are the precise areas where this new mascara from Milk completely excels and deletes the competition. It's lightweight (aka not heavy and gloopy), vegan, and 93% natural, and extra additions like monoi oil and marigold extract keep your lashes hydrated and strong so they look better au naturel as well.

For as long as I've been wearing bronzer, I've used powder. I don't know why I am the way I am, but despite the rise in cream everything, I've stuck to my guns and always favor pressed-powder formulas when it comes to blush, highlighter, and bronzer, the latter especially. I had heard amazing things about Refy's complexion products, so I finally benched my old favorite bronzer in favor of this creamy option. And oh man, it's good! Although it's definitely not shimmery or sparkly, it has a soft, velvety texture, which gives your complexion a natural and radiant finish. It's divinely creamy, and it blends better than any other cream or liquid bronzer I've dabbled in. My face has never looked so naturally sunkissed and sculpted, and I pretty much have forgotten what life was like before I started using it a couple of weeks ago. Buy it, and you will not be disappointed.

There's been a lot of hype about and coverage of Refy on social media, and I'm here to tell you the brand isn't just a fad among beauty influencers and editors. This shit is good. I've only ever loved a couple of eyebrow pencils in my life, but this one has quickly become my favorite of all time. It's one of those no-brainer products you're just like, Ugh, why couldn't I have had this years ago? The formula is ultra pigmented (so even the lightest stroke delivers perfect, malleable payoff), but the tip is so fine that you're able to create the most natural-looking boost of definition and shaping. My brows look transformed in seconds. 

Growing up, I totally hated my freckles, but as I’ve matured and have come to accept my skin and features in all of their natural glory, my tiny spots and dots have become one of my favorite traits. My summer smattering pretty much disappears the second the clock strikes fall, so I’ve become newly obsessed with using Freck’s cult-loved, patented formula. Sure, you can use other tools like a liner or brow pencil for a similar effect, but Freck’s special technology ensures your application actually sinks into your skin and foundation (rather than just sitting on top) for the most believable result

I don't remember what I was wearing on my lips before I discovered this tinted balm from Ilia, but the shade Wanderlust has become a daily nonnegotiable. The color looks natural—that just-bitten saturation of color everyone is always coveting—but you're also getting an ample dose of hydration and pillowy softness. It's a perfect product.

Warning: I just wrote a novel, and you're about to read it! Why I slept on adding a humidifier into my nightly routine I'll never know, but I can say my skin's dew point (and overall health) has been the better for it. I'd never had an issue with dryness until I moved to Arizona for a few months this winter, and my skin had a full-on tantrum. Zits, scales, redness, flakes… You name it; I had it. Of course, there was a lot of tinkering involved in adjusting my L.A.-approved skincare routine to my new arid climate, but plopping Canopy's award-winning humidifier as close to my face as possible each night made a considerable difference—more so than any other products I was adding or subtracting.But this isn't your average humidifier, folks. It's the Tesla of humidifiers, and here's why: Unlike most models on the market, it's mist-free, and cutting-edge airflow technology and UV lights kill 99.9% of bacteria, mold, and viruses in the water, so you're getting clean, damp-free moisture infused into your space at an even clip. There are a number of different settings, and the smart sensors maintain optimal moisture day and night. Plus (yes, there's more!), it also doubles as a diffuser thanks to the cute little "puck" you place at the top where you add a few drops of your favorite blend of essential oils. This humidifier has quickly developed a cult following—it's the humidifier to own, and not surprisingly, it's selling like hotcakes. If I were you, I'd try to get my hands on one ASAP. 

I finally had to try this adorable handheld toning device after hearing my fellow beauty editor cohort (all of whom have very snatched jawlines) wax poetic about its efficacy. They didn't lie! Foreo's Bear uses advanced microcurrents to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin. Trust me—if you're consistent with your use, you will notice a marketable difference in your skin and the natural lift and tautness of your complexion. 

Shani Darden is a genius. Not only does she have the fingers of a wizard (I know because I've been blessed enough to receive a facial from her), but she's also a super-brilliant product formulator, and I always know a new launch from her is going to blow similar products from other brands out of the dang ballpark. Surprise, surprise, this new lactic acid rich exfoliating serum is no different. It's a fantastic resurfacing alternative if you don't do retinol (I don't), and I kid you not, just one use, and you'll wake up to brighter, dewier skin sans irritation or redness. Suffice to say you can only imagine the things that will happen to your complexion with long-term application. It's safe for all skin types, and the master mix of cell-sloughing 9% lactic acid and gluconolactone (PHA) plus skin-soothing hydrators like hyaluronic acid, aloe, and green tea makes it the only exfoliating serum I want in my life. 

ICYMI, Dua Lipa is now the ambassador of this much-loved fragrance from YSL Beauty, and because I'm infatuated with the singer's album Future Nostalgia, I've found myself coming back to this fragrance often. You know when you just somehow forget how much you love a certain perfume? I haven't had one person sniff it and say they didn't love it. The mix of lavender, orange blossom, and vanilla is supremely special but also extremely wearable for the day, night, or both. 

Speaking of perfume, this is another one I can't get enough of lately, especially as we segue into spring and summer. Tom Ford just can't do any wrong in my eyes when it comes to showstopping fragrances, but Rose d'Amalfi, to me, is just on an entirely different level. In fact, it's become such a fast favorite (it only launched months ago) there are only a few left at Sephora! Buy your bottle now because the delicate yet ultra-intimate blend of rose absolute, rose water extract, and Italian bergamot is something you definitely want to smell like. (Like, tonight.)