Remember makeup? Those powders and creams and sprays we’d use to enhance our natural features and sometimes confuse strangers? No? If I close my eyes I can almost recall what I looked like with lipstick on. True, I haven’t considered makeup since about February 2020, but I can still remember how fun it used to be. Now that the world has re-opened and people are starting to unleash the lower halves of their face to the public again, it might be time to re-up your stash of makeup products. The excitement I feel about being able to go out of my house with lip gloss is truly upsetting. Of course, by now most of my products have hit the expiration date (This is a real thing! Look it up!) so it’s time to buy a few more staples for my collection. And just like paper towels, vacuum bags, and all those other household essentials, Amazon is the place to go for makeup must-haves. If you don’t think Amazon is the go-to place for beauty, think again. Amazon has the best collection of not just makeup, but of skincare, nail care, haircare, body products, and even specialized care like wrinkle creams or the cure to strawberry legs. Plus, with Amazon Prime Day around the corner on July 12th and 13th, these products are getting even more affordable. Below, find the best of the best, from highly-rated mascaras, to tried-and-true eyebrow pencils.
Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good Vitamin C Serum
It’d be difficult to find a brand more beloved by A-list celebrities than Dr. Barbara Sturm’s power-packed collection. This serum contains a total concentration of 5% vitamin C — an incredibly high amount — to tackle a variety of skin concerns, from reversing the visible signs of uneven pigmentation, supporting collagen growth and providing antioxidative protection from free radicals and UV stress. But the best part? The serum doesn’t feel as active as its formulation, thanks to the calming aloe vera and hyaluronic acid.
Editor’s Testing Note: I admit I balked at the high 5% dose of vitamin C — it’s a powerful, active ingredient that can do a number on sensitive skin like mine and to be honest, I’ve never found a vitamin C serum that didn’t make my face look like a tomato. But I am so happy that I gave into the hype. Not only did my skin not become immediately flushed, but it felt moisturized and just…nice. After using consistently, I was proud to say that I did, in fact, wake up with this.
Clé de Peau Beauté Concealer
Concealers are one of the trickiest makeup products. If the shade doesn’t match exactly, it’s a disaster. Similarly, if the formula doesn’t enhance your skin texture, it draws even more attention to the blemish you were trying to cover in the first place. Clé de Peau Beauté’s concealer stick is a true multitasker: it conceals and corrects dark spots, undereye circles and blemishes with a soft swipe of product. Unlike some creamy concealers that feel more like a slip and slide, this cream concealer has a hard, almost gummy effect, to adhere to skin and come sweat or rain, will not budge.
Editor’s Testing Note: I’ve been using this concealer for the better part of a decade. Once I found my perfect shade, you’d never know I was wearing anything at all because it blends and covers so easily. I also like that it doesn’t slide all over my face — I know that when I put it under my eyes, it’s going to stay put until I wash it off at the end of the night.
Clé de Peau Beauté’s concealer stick
Codex Beauty Natural Bia Cleansing Oil
Founded by a Stanford scientist, Codex Beauty is backed by the power of science, proven effective via rigorous clinical trials and incorporates some of the world’s highest-grade ingredients from Iceland to Chile. Four oils — borage flower, blackcurrant, chia seed and oat lipid — not only deeply cleanse the skin, leaving it soft, smooth and completely hydrated, but also maintains the skin’s natural moisture balance and protects it from environmental stressors.
Editor’s Testing Note: When this product launched several years ago, I was firmly in the camp of never washing my acne-prone face with an oil. But after speaking with Dr. Paldus, the founder, I was convinced to give it a try and I’ve never looked back. I love it because it breaks down makeup quickly when used as a pre-cleanse and it just feels heavenly against my skin. It makes washing your face delightful, rather than a scrubbing chore.
Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray
Oribe stans could wax poetic about the magic that is this product. Oribe’s Dry Texturizing Spray is a versatile hero product that gives hair instant, natural-looking (or mega, if that’s what you want) volume while absorbing excess oil for a perfectly touseled, sexy bedhead finish. What’s especially great about this spray is that you can go as subtle or dramatic as you’d like. If you’re just looking for a little more lift and a little less shine, a quick shot will do the trick. If you’re wanting supermodel hair vibes, just spray with abandon.
Editor’s Testing Note: I’d use this product even if it didn’t do anything just because it smells so divine. But in this imperfect world, Oribe, the celebrity stylist known for his more-is-more approach to life, created a perfect product that is part dry shampoo-part texturizer that just makes hair look playful and live. I always have a mini on hand in my makeup pouch.
Grown Alchemist Hand Wash
My love for fancy hand soaps has been well documented, but sudsing up with this extremely soothing, aromatic gel from Grown Alchemist is one of my favorite daily moments. Its blend of skin-calming phyto-actives, like Tasmanian pepper, sandalwood, aloe and chamomile, work together to calm compromised or easily irritated skin. A generous dose of coconut oil nourishes the skin without disrupting its natural pH balance for a perfect cleanse every time.
Editor’s Testing Note: Calling this hand soap a “soft gel” seems like an oxymoron, but if you know, you know. Throughout Covid as well as the winter months, my hands never once dried out or became chapped while using this soap, but still had that squeaky-clean feeling. And the light citrus scent is a joy and subtle enough for all seasons.
