If you took a tour of my quaint little Santa Monica apartment, the last thing you’d think is, “wow, this girl clearly needs more beauty producst.” A huge part of my job as senior beauty editor is testing and trying everything and anything I can get my hands on, so if Sephora, Nordstrom, Violet Grey, and Dermstore had a baby, it would likely strike a very strong resemblance to my living quarters.
However, just because I have tons of products lying around doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve met my high standards or can compete with my ride-or-die arsenal of fail-safe beauty staples. There are some hair, skin, makeup, and body care gems that I’m so obsessed with (and can’t imagine life without), that I’d quite literally take a bullet for them. Not surprisingly, these are also the products that I run out of the fastest and am constantly needing to re-stock.
Even though I’m more than happy to pay full price for said formulas (they’re worth every penny), I try—whenever possible—to re-purchas when they’re included in sales at my favorite retailers. So many of my favorites are available at Dermstore, so the retailer’s highly-anticipated Anniversary Sale (on now through August August 17) is the opportune time for me to go full-throttle and stockpile my cart with all of my most essential products for a fraction of their normal price. (Think savings of up to 25% off and/or triple reward points when using the code CHEERS at checkout.)
Without further ado, keep scrolling to shop 16 all-star beauty products I use to the last drop and will personally be shopping during Dermstore’s Anniversary Sale. Buy them all—100% satisfaction guaranteed!
To me, this French, lightweight gel moisturizer is perfection, and if I could only use one face cream for the rest of my days, it would be this one. It hydrates like crazy but never leaves me oily or greasy. It makes even the most dull and sleep-deprived complexion gleam and glow. And, it will help your makeup reach new, extremely photo-friendly heights. I’ve gone through multiple jars at a scarily fast rate.
If you’re going to buy or use one serum and one serum only, make it this cult-loved formula from Caudalíe. I’m extremely acne-prone, so I love that this formula is oil-free but still targets notoriously stubborn issues like dark spots, uneven skin tone, acne scars, and sun damage, with alarming efficacy.
Even if I logged a nice ‘n’ full seven hours of sleep, there are some mornings where I still wake up looking like I was up until the crack of dawn downing salty margaritas and pizza slices. I have quite a few eye creams I like and that I feel are very effective, but for true states of emergency (or when I have a special occasion I want to look extra bright-eyed for) I reach for these makeup artist-loved eye masks from 111Skin. Give them 20 minutes, use an ice roller to massage them on, and see how quickly they de-puff and rejuvenate your eye area.
I simply didn’t wear sunscreen on my face until I heeded the advice of other celebrities I follow with sensitive skin (Hailey Bieber, Lucy Hale, Sydney Sweeney), and started to use this oil-free bestseller from EltaMD. Now, it’s one of the only SPF formulas my congestion-prone skin will tolerate.
After my last bleach and tone session, my scalp threw a little bit of a tantrum. (Translation, I’ve never seen so many flakes and scales on my head before, and I was borderline traumatized.) So, hoping for a miracle, I tried this new scrub-to-foam scalp renewing formula from Alterna—which you use in lieu of shampoo and before you condition—and it took care of every last flake. In just ONE treatment. It knocked my socks off, and is an essential for anyone who struggles with scalp issues or wants better, healthier hair, point blank.
People are always surprised when I tell them my haircare routine only consists of three to five products outside of shampoo and conditioner. This magical hair elixir takes care of all of my ills in one fell swoop, and it smells as if it were alchemized by angels. No other product I’ve tried can compete. I’ve gotten everyone I know (regardless of their hair type or texture) hooked on it. Try it, I know you’ll love it.
Letting my skin and hair sleep on anything other than Slip’s pure silk pillowcase is basically akin to nails on a chalkboard for me. Translation: intolerable. The overall health and appearance of both my hair and skin has significantly improved ever since I swapped Slip’s notoriously beloved pure silk pillowcases in for my old drab ones.
Olaplex isn’t actually on sale, during Dermstore’s Anniversary Sale this year, but if you buy three products (which is easy-peasy since they’re all fabulous), you’ll get the fourth one free. I recommend this OG for maximum hair repair, along with the shampoo and conditioner. Then, get this insanely luxurious hair serum for free.
I’m obsessed with my Beautyblender, and it’s the only way I’ll apply my foundation. (I’ll start by first working my foundation in with my fingers and then switch to a dampened blender for seamless blending.) Since I use it every day, I can never have enough. Thus, I buy about 10 every time I see that they’re on sale somewhere.
This is without a doubt my go-to foundation when I want my skin to look dewy and glowy but not oily or greasy. The coverage is super-buildable, and I love how weightless the consistency is so you really don’t feel like you’re wearing anything. I can definitely feel some dewy foundations sitting on top of my face—it’s not a sensation I love—and this is not one of them! Try it for yourself and you’ll understand why it’s been the red carpet and movie set gold standard for years in Hollywood. It’s one I always come back to after some time away and forget why I ever strayed.
I recently dedicated an entire article to my passion and love for glitter eye shadow, and this is the formula that first got me hooked and has remained an immovable part of my makeup ever since. If you want a non-tacky twinkling eye look that still looks elevated, you need this top-rated gem in your life.
Even though I had kind of resigned myself to a life of aluminum-filled dedorant, recently I had the itch to try (again) the natural deodorant life. I’ve never had luck before, but I decided to ask my fave fitness expert in LA, Lauren Kleban, the CEO and founder of LEKfit, what she uses (since sweating all day every day is basically a part of her job) and she pointed me towards this spray formula from Weleda. I bought it immediately, obviously, and have been so pleasantly surprised. It doesn’t keep you super dry, per se, but it does keep me completely stink-free no matter what I’m doing or how aggressively I’m sweating. I’ve always loved everything Weleda makes, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.
Come summertime, people are always shocked by my smooth, hairless bikini line because—wait for it—I don’t wax, sugar, or get any other fancy-schmancy hair-removal treatment. That said, I did get the area lasered a few years ago, but I definitely still get regular hair growth, even if it’s sparser than it would be normally. I truly regret the years I went without a separate cream for my sensitive areas. How much ingrown hair and super-uncomfy irritation could I have avoided if only I had had Fur’s soothing and smoothing Stubble Cream? I apply it the second I get out of the shower or bathtub wherever I’m freshly shaven, and it’s like a magic potion for preventing sensitivity, bumps, and any other ills. It’s my secret for flawlessly smooth, soft, and even-looking skin down there.
This intoxicating body cream is so next-level that I can’t let you check out your cart without it. This is a product I’d buy for its scent alone (think vanilla meets green tea for the perfect sweet, clean, and earthy balance), but its nutrition label of ingredients is also hard to beat—hyaluronic acid, coenzyme Q10, Kayo’s very own Omega Oil Blend (macadamia, kukui, açaí, avocado, and coconut oils), and the brand’s special Antioxidant Blend (goji, açaí, noni, pomegranate, green tea, and mangosteen). You’re left with glowing, bouncy, and ridiculously velvety skin. Give it a try, and you’ll know I’m not being dramatic
I’d head rave reviews about the body version of NuFace’s holy-grail toning device, but I just couldn’t believe a product you can buy online for $400 (versus insanely expensive, in-office procedures) could grant fast, noticeable results in the lifting, firming, and smoothing departments. Well, considered me proven wrong! Using this microcurrent device requires time investment and consistency, but if you’re on top of it, I promise the results are worth it. I’ve been using it for a couple of weeks now, and I’ve seen differences in my upper thighs, butt, and abs. I can’t wait to see what happens with continued use.
