Scents bring memories into focus for me like re-reading a diary entry or looking through old photos. One splash of Victoria's Secret Love Spell conjures up memories of my middle school locker and the many times I whipped Love Spell out of my backpack to (quite literally) drench myself in its intoxicating scent. Getting a whiff of Clinique Happy reminds me of cheerleading camp and my first day of high school. Without fail, walking through a cloud of Lacoste Touch of Pink will bring back sharp memories of my first boyfriend.

By college, I'd graduated to something a little more adult -- Chanel Chance. But now that I've been out of college longer than I was in it, it's time for a new fragrance. When Waterlily Sun by Aerin, $110, walked into my life, I knew it was the one. It's a light, yet complex fragrance that I haven't been able to stop sniffing since the moment I sprayed it. It reminds me of a cross between expensive department stores, sunshine and my old standby, Clinique Happy. The bottle is simple, but chic, adorned with a jade stone cap. At 1.7 ounces, it's travel friendly. This one's a keeper. --Emily Woodruff

I'd heard about the unrivaled glory of Korean beauty products for years. "They're in a whole different league," my porcelain-skinned friends would tell me. So when I got my hands on this adorable pink bottle of Korean BB cream, I was both eager and skeptical.

Lioele Dollish Veil Vita BB Cream SPF25 in Gorgeous Purple , $21.98, feels like it was created by a superior alien race. The product is like nothing I've tried before: It comes out of the bottle a surprising milky purple color, intended to balance out yellow skin tones. (It also comes in green for red-toned skin.) But get buffing, and within seconds, the creamy color blends seamlessly with your skin, at once providing the coverage of a BB cream and the color correction of a CC cream -- but better.

When I use this, my skin looks retouched -- no computer or special techniques required. I'm already on my second bottle, and I honestly don't remember what I used before. Though it's not available at most mainstream beauty retailers in the US, this stuff is worth the hunt. --Amanda Montell

I love traveling in theory, but there are a million things I'd rather do than load up my luggage. You see, I'm of the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink school of thought when it comes to packing. After all, the crop top and spiky heels that work for that raging bachelorette party might raise eyebrows at a quiet family dinner. While I'll probably never feel like I have enough room in my suitcase for clothes and shoes, BareMinerals' Ready 8.0 Sexy Neutrals Palette, $40, has freed up space in my makeup bag.

Instead of weighing down my luggage with individual eye shadow pots, I reach for these eight sleekly packaged neutrals. I can mix and match the gorgeous colors for a demure daytime look, or I can use them to create a night-out-worthy smoldering smoky eye. There's a range of shimmery and matte shades to choose from, and they're all long lasting, highly pigmented and easy to blend. To boot, the brush that accompanies the palette is surprisingly solid, which allows me to leave a few makeup tools off my packing list in a pinch.

It's nice to have found such a versatile travel companion. If only there were an equally streamlined palette for shoes... --Mary Squillace

In true #ProductEmpties fashion, this morning I polished off my third can of Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Perfect Texture Finishing Spray, $28. With its final puff of air I felt a twinge of sadness. Until I pick up another can, I know my hair will look lackluster -- with less volume and only so-so texture.

Even though I try just about every texture spray that comes across my desk, I keep returning to this one. It has the ideal something-but-nothing consistency. It's incredibly lightweight, so you never have to worry about blasting too much product on one section of hair (a styling mistake I'm prone to make). And even if my hair has been blown out completely straight, a few spritzes of this spray gives it enough grip to hold onto whatever my curling wand throws its way. The scent is fresh and light -- like fruity sparking water -- and it's formulated without parabens, phthalates or synthetic colors. It also has some dry shampoo-like qualities, so if I'm stretching my style one day too long, it's a godsend.

Need I say more? I'm off to buy another can. -- Dawn Davis

I'm all about that clumpy lash trend. It's not for everyone, I get it, but to quote Taylor Swift, "Haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate." There's something about clumpy mascaras that give me -- just about the least edgy person out there -- a bit of oomph that full, soft, fluttery mascaras can't deliver. And that's why I'm obsessed with L'Oréal Paris Voluminous Miss Manga Rock Mascara, $7.99.

The spiny, tapered brush coats my lashes from root to tip with the blacker-than-black formula. It creates a thick, spiky fringe that lends just the right amount of drama to my normal jeans-and-t-shirt ensemble. I can make it subtle enough to wear to work or pile it on for the weekend -- either way, I feel like a badass. --Allie Flinn