The allure of the French girl cannot be denied. Tell me something is French -- a beauty product, a handbag -- and I automatically like it 30 percent more. Its country of origin gives it that certain je ne sais quoi.

Case in point: When I first walked into the (very French) Zadig & Voltaire boutique on Bleecker Street in NYC, I loved it all -- the slouchy T-shirts, the moto boots, the superskinny jeans -- even though my style is more girly dresses and pointy heels. After trying some things on, I quickly remembered that cool girl in Saint-Germain just isn't my look. The jeans are too skinny; the shirts are too messy. I felt like an imposter.

As I was about to leave empty handed, I got a whiff of something. "What is that?" I asked the salesgirl. "The perfume," she responded nonchalantly, and she handed me a bottle of Zadig & Voltaire Fragrance Tome 1 For Her, $125.

I spritzed it on my wrist, took a whiff, closed my eyes and had an ah-ha moment: I smelled French. I couldn't give her my credit card fast enough.

The scent is musky and mysterious -- even a bit masculine and, well, kind of dirty -- and seriously sexy. It smells nothing like anything you'd find in an American department store. And for good reason: It's an unusual blend of peony, almond milk, jasmine tea, woods and musk.

When I wear it -- even with a very un-French outfit -- I feel cooler, less prim and much sexier. I become -- at least in my mind -- a little French. --Dawn Davis

Fun fact: It takes approximately five minutes in the sun for my ultra-fair skin to turn bright red, making it necessary for me to OD on sunscreen every time I venture outside. Since I have the kind of skin that burns and never tans, my limbs are in a constant state of pastiness. Add in the constant bruises that adorn my legs from CrossFit, and I'm almost always far too self-conscious to wear skirts and dresses unless I slather myself in a body BB cream. But those can be sticky, and most are too dark to look natural on my legs, so it was almost always easier to throw on my usual uniform of jeans.

Then I discovered La Roche-Posay Anthelios 50 Body Mineral Tinted Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid, $36.99. It's a tinted mineral sunscreen that goes on like a dream -- with just a bit of blending, my legs look even, smooth and less zombie-like. It absorbs superquickly, dries to a soft matte color and doesn't leave a sunscreen smell or greasy feel behind. Plus, it's got SPF 50 and is packed with free radical-fighting antioxidants. Another bonus: Because it's tinted, I never miss a spot. No more surprise sunburns. I'll be slathering this on through the summer and beyond. -- Allie Flinn

If you ask me to go to my happy place (between living in Los Angeles and weekly yoga classes, this happens more often than you would think), I instantly envision myself in a field of lavender. There's just something about the scent that instantly creates an aura of calm. Ask my coworkers -- I started keeping a bottle of lavender essential oil at my desk after I read that it increases calmness and helps gain trust.

Every time we get a lavender-scented product in the office, I have the highest hopes ... but I'm usually disappointed. Too often I've been let down by a scent that claims to be lavender, but actually smells artificial and sweet. Not so with the Kiss My Face 2n1 Lavender Shea Light Moisturizing Air Powered Spray, $9.99. This lotion is made with real lavender flower oil and extract, along with hydrating ingredients like shea butter, aloe vera leaf extract and sunflower seed oil. The formula itself is hydrating and light, moisturizing without leaving any trace of greasiness. And, as if I needed any more convincing, the bottle has a spray nozzle. With the push of a button I'm enveloped in a subtle, lingering scent that keeps me in my happy place for hours. --Emily Woodruff

I'm almost as excited about the different ways of taking off my makeup as I am about putting it on. In college, I'd fall asleep with a full face of makeup on and not even care. But now, there's nothing like going to bed knowing my face is thoroughly rinsed and clean. I think I'm finally too old to wake up with mascara on my pillow.

I'd heard rumors that Simple's $8 Cleansing Micellar Water was the king of drugstore makeup melters, so I figured I'd give it a try.

As luck would have it, the rumors were true. (I'm already on my second bottle). I just spill this gentle stuff over a cotton pad or towelette and get rubbing -- by the time I'm done, my makeup is gone, and my skin feels refreshed and clean. They say you don't need to follow up with a cleanser, and while I believe that's true, I've become kind of obsessive about removing my makeup, so I usually do it anyway. Regardless, this stuff impresses me -- especially for that unbeatable price.

Before my nighttime skin care routine morphed into a 12-step event (a hazard of working at TotalBeauty.com), it was simplistic to a fault. As in I rarely -- if ever -- used a moisturizer. You see, in my experience, night creams were greasy messes that caused breakouts. When I confessed this to my beauty-product-loving BFF, the look of shock and horror on her face was enough to send me in hot pursuit of a moisturizer that worked for my skin.

A few Google searches let me know that CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion PM, $13.99, was loved among users and dermatologists alike. When I started using it, I immediately understood why. Unlike other night creams, it doesn't suffocate skin, yet it feels as silky, rich and hydrating as many break-the-bank lotions. It's loaded with nourishing ingredients, like ceramides and hyaluronic acid, and it's void of additives that make my skin freak out. Even now, surrounded by expensive creams for the 2015 Total Beauty Awards, I still reach for this one. Best of all, it made my skin visibly healthier -- for less than I'd spend on an L.A. cocktail. --Mary Squillace