A Beauty Editor's 15 Best Beauty Buys From the Past 15 Years

While the Dove Beauty Bar has been around for 65 years, it’s been a staple in my bodycare routine since before I could walk. There’s no bells and whistles here—just a white, oval-shaped soap that smells like taking a squeaky clean bubble bath and nourishes and softens skin just as well as any fancy product. And as someone with sensitive skin, I appreciate that it’s gentle, sulfate-free and dermatologist-approved. 

I dealt with cystic acne well into my early 20s, and when I started going to a dermatologist, this was the first product I was “prescribed” (alongside Accutane). This cleanser is formulated with hyaluronic acid, glycerin and ceramides, in order to clear my face of toxins and lock in moisture. It’s overall gentle and great for acne-prone skin, and, although I’ve moved on to other cleansers, I always return to CeraVe when breakouts happen. 

For a long time, I didn’t give too much thought to SPF (I know, terrible). But when I began writing about beauty full-time, I realized how important it is to have sunscreen in your routine, regardless of if you’re on a beach in the middle of the Caribbean or typing away in an NYC apartment. No matter how many face sunscreens I’ve tried, nothing works better for my skin than the Supergoop! Unseen sunscreen. The gel formula melts into my face without leaving a white cast or feeling goopy at the end of the day. It has a mix of bisabolol and licorice root to soothe skin, meadowfoam seed oil to lock in hydration and marine algae to protect against free radicals. It also blurs my pores, smoothes imperfections and overall protects against the sun’s harsh rays. 

The Laneige lip sleeping mask hasn’t been in my collection for that long (I only discovered it in 2021), but I recommend it every time. Made of a berry fruit complex, shea butter, vitamin C and murumuru seed oil, I use this guy on my pout every night in order to add plump and lock in hydration. The heavenly scents, like “Berry,” “Vanilla” and “Cotton Candy” make my nighttime routine ten times better.

I learned during my years at PureWow that it’s OK to splurge every once in a while. The Augustinus Bader moisturizer has been clinically proven to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and hyperpigmentation and I can attest that it lives up to the hype. The creamy formula leaves my skin feeling radiant and hydrated, while maintaining elasticity and even skin tone. Plus, the signature blue bottle is so aesthetically pleasing, I don’t mind showing it off. 

SheaMoisture was the first brand I used when I started my curly hair journey in 2015. The coconut & hibiscus raised me, or at least, turned my hair to what it is today. While I can rave about the whole collection, the Curl & Style Milk will go down in (my personal) history as the one hair product that helped achieve hydrating, defining  and frizz-free locks. It has coconut oil, which works to fight frizz, prevent breakage and shape curls. I use it as a styling cream to maintain moisture, especially with my low porosity hair. 

A deep conditioner is a must for my hair type. I’ve gone through so many over the years and have plenty of favorites, but this one by Mielle will always have a place in my hair heart. It’s formulated with babassu oil, mint and protein, which work together to strengthen and moisturize. It’s geared towards dry, damaged and/or frizzy hair—and trust me, I certainly fit the bill in all three categories. 

Growing up, I was used to hair gels that left my strands brittle and flakey. That is, until I came across this one from Not Your Mother’s, a brand devoted to solutions for all curl types. This guy is formulated with a rice curl complex (rice, keratin and amino acids) that hydrates and conditions, while controlling frizz and preventing flakes. When I want to rock low buns, half-up hairstyles or a top knot, I use it to smooth down my curls and add shine without causing a weird hard shell, or worst, leave white specks of product scattering across my hair. 

I don't use hairspray that often, but when I'm sporting the occasional blowout, I've found TRESemmé to be a hairstylist-favorite and editor-approved product. Plus, the drugstore find has more than 10,000 devoted fans on Amazon. So, what makes it a legendary item? Well, it offers incredible hold (it's in the name afterall) minus any stiffness or crunchiness. I'm prone to frizz, so this hairspray keeps my voluminous 'do at bay—locking in moisture so I can show off my tresses until my next wash day.

I’ll admit the price of a Dyson made me hesitant for a long time, but ultimately, I bit the bullet and oh boy was it worth it. See, the luxury hair tool uses Air Multiplier technology, which is a fancy way of saying it produces a “high-pressure, high-velocity jet of controlled air for fast drying and precision styling,” per the brand. What this means? It dries hair quickly and in a straight beam of air that promotes silkiness and hair health. I was also pretty impressed by how well the diffuser attachment worked with my curls, not against them. Yes, it’s $500, but if it lasts another 15 years, I think that’s money well spent. 

I distinctly remember the first time I applied mascara, sitting in my worn-out desk chair, watching YouTube videos to try to get my lashes just right. And as it was for so many of us, the Maybelline Great Lash mascara was my foray into this experiment. That’s not surprising. What might be, however, is that this is still the brand I use to this day. Indeed, this drugstore find beats so many of the newer, more expensive formulations on the market, especially when it comes to conditioning, thickening and defining lashes. 

As an intern at Popsugar, I was tasked with organizing the beauty closet, which is when I first came across an early sample of what is now an iconic brand. Though it hardly seems revolutionary now, at the time, Fenty was one of the only foundations out there to offer 50 shades that actually cater to every skin tone (not just one or two general ones for people who aren’t white). It’s also just a great formula that provides enough coverage to last me all day. I often turn to this one for both buildable natural vibes or full glam looks. 

I was two years old when Laura Mercier launched this translucent loose setting powder, 24 years old when I first tried it and today year’s old when I proclaimed it my go-to. As an oily T-zone editor, this setting powder has done wonders for keeping my makeup smooth and shiny-free for a full day of running around. It promises 16 hours of wear and 24 hours of shine control, and it blends in a way that never looks unnatural. It’s also light on the skin and I can brush the powder along my cheeks, nose and chin to absorb any excess oil. 

Nowadays I prefer lip oil to moisturize my lips and provide a nice amount of color. But there’s something about lip gloss that transports me back to the early ‘00s. The NYX Butter Gloss has been in my collection since college and the neutral shades continue to be my favorites for daily wear. The non-sticky formula glides on like, well, butter and gives off a juicy pout. Whether I pop on “Brownie Drip” or “Rocky Road,” the coverage is gorgeous. The scent is also good enough to eat (but don’t) if you want to be reminded of those candy-flavored balms we all used to love so much.