GET FREE SAMPLES

sign up for our newsletter to get free sample alerts

The #ProductEmpties We Loved to the Last Drop

From new finds to longtime favorites, these are beauty products that our editors use until the bitter end (of the tube)
Photo 78/255
The Polish Hand Cream That's Saving My Skin This Winter
Whether it's my age or climate that's to blame, I'm currently rocking the driest skin of my life. I slather on hydrating hyaluronic acid serums and decadent night creams whenever possible, but the true superstar of my rotation? The Alba 1913 Galenic Daily Hand Cream: It's been keeping alligator hands at bay all winter.

Not to be confused with Alba Botanicals, Alba 1913 is a Polish skin care line that's recently made its way stateside. The brand's products have a retro apothecary aesthetic and are made without parabens, artificial fragrances and colors -- plus, they aren't tested on animals. At any rate, their hand cream is definitely a standout. It's got a rich, almost balm-like texture that provides moisture that really lasts -- even through multiple hand-washings. You'll find that you don't have to compulsively apply it on the hour, the way you do with some hand creams.

After applying, my hands feel softer and suppler in seconds -- since the creamy formula absorbs quite quickly. It also has an herb-y scent, thanks to the orange pericarp essential oil and marigold petal extract. All in all, what's not to love? --Rosie Narasaki

To see more of my skin care and beauty faves, follow me on Instagram @rosienarasaki

Photo 79/255
This Highlighter Was the Smartest Thing I Bought on Vacation
If you love beauty products, you need to visit Seoul and you need to go shopping in Myeong-dong. Not only will you find stores for just about every K-beauty brand worth knowing, you'll find multiple locations for every K-beauty brand worth knowing, some just three or four blocks apart from one another. Myeong-dong is brightly lit and crowded, and it's loud, and everything is open late, and the salespeople are insanely pushy, and there is delicious street food everywhere you look, and it's fun but, damn, good luck if you can focus.

Sensory overload caused me to make some rushed purchases on my visit to Myeong-dong. And I didn't really know what Too Cool for School's Dinoplatz Pearl Bay Invasion Highlighter, $33, was when I threw it in my basket. (A salesperson was trailing me throughout the store; TBH, I flippin' panicked.) I was pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be the prettiest highlighter-meets-glowtion, a product that looks and feels just as great applied as a face lotion, mixed into BB cream or dotted on as a cheekbone luminizer. I was also thrilled to find out it's packed with vitamins, omega fatty acids, and a bunch of lovely, skin-nourishing oils (olive, rosehip, peppermint, avocado and argan). Now I use it almost every day. If only all impulse buys had such a happy ending. --Katie McCarthy

Photo 80/255
The Double-Duty Blush That's Become My One-and-Only
Product monogamy can be tough for a beauty editor. With hundreds of products crossing my desk every year, sometimes even the buzziest launches fail to sustain my attention as soon as something shiny and new comes along. Then, there are the products that are so special they bring my wandering eye back into a laser-focused loving gaze. Marc Jacobs Beauty Air Blush Soft Glow Duo, $42, in Flesh & Fantasy is one of those products.

This shimmer-laced two-toned blush delivers a natural-looking flush (thanks in part to its light-as-air texture) and a glow so ethereal, I can bench my highlighter altogether. I can't even keep track of how many people have complimented this blush or asked what I was wearing. Plus, it's buildable. The graduated striped pattern of pigment and highlighter allow me to decide how much color or radiance I want. I can sweep my brush horizontally for a rosy, glowy look, or I can concentrate my brush vertically to opt for either more of a pop of color or a heavier dose of luminosity.

If I were told it was the only blush I could wear for the rest of my life, I'd gladly comply -- which is no small feat for this commitment-phobic beauty-product hoarder. --Mary Squillace

See all of Mary's favorites on Instagram @msquillace

Photo 81/255
The Drugstore Matte Lipstick That Embodies Comfort
I am a die-hard lip balm lover. Slick and moisturizing products are just my ideal. That said, I do love the look of a good matte lip -- so long as it doesn't leave my lips parched. I've tried so many matte lipsticks that flake -- giving lips an unflattering, molting appearance. I've even tried some that led to allergic reactions. For those reasons, I end up removing most matte products by midday.

That is, until I discovered L'Oreal Infallible Lip Paint Matte Liquid Lipstick,$9.99. It's become my go-to matte lippie. The six ultra-flattering mattes come in the cutest little paint tubes in neutral shades from light to vampy. The enclosed applicator has a slight hooked design, which makes application easy and precise. The smooth formula evenly coats my lips, giving me a minute or two to perfect my look before it sets to its budge-proof soft matte finish. The product stays put through most of the day (though a little touch-up never hurts), and it even holds up to eating and drinking. The best part: no peeling, dried-out or irritated lips. Thanks to these pretty little tubes, I no longer stick with only glossy lips -- I can now can rock a matte lip comfortably, too.

To see more of my beauty favorites, follow me on Instagram @hannah_savin

Photo 82/255
The $6 Lip Stain That Replaced My Spendy Lipgloss
Matte lips may be in, but there's nothing I love more than a subtly glossy lip. As such, hybrid products like tinted balms and glossy lipsticks reign supreme in my makeup bag -- and there's a newcomer of late that's taken over the top spot: Catrice Aqua Ink-in-Gloss Lip Stain, $5.99. It's richly pigmented (while still letting a little of my natural lip color shine through), lightly glossy and it wears gorgeously for hours. In other words? It's pretty much my platonic ideal. So much so, in fact, that it's caused me to set aside my former favorite: the Dior Addict Lipstick, an (admittedly gorgeous) product that clocks in at almost six times the price.

There are many reasons to love it -- there's the aforementioned pigmentation, subtle glossiness and wear time. Then, there's the fact that it's quite comfortable and adds some shine without the heavy stickiness often associated with glosses. It has a unique, watery gel texture that's quite breathable, and once the gloss fades, it settles into a beautiful, even stain.

Right now, it only comes in four colors, but that's more than enough. My personal favorite is Let's Mauve to the Beach, and the other three options are vibrantly flattering as well. --Rosie Narasaki

To see more of my beauty faves, follow me on Instagram @rosienarasaki

Ever had a beauty product you love so much that you shook, hacked, scraped or squeezed its container until you were absolutely positive you had expended all of its precious contents? Rare indeed is the product that elicits that deliciously desperate feeling, especially in beauty editors. So when our team of beauty mavens encounters a rave-worthy product, you know it's the real deal. Herewith, our editors rattle off their "beauty empties," aka the best beauty products that they can't help but use until the last drop. Read on for their best nail polishes, hair products, skin care products and makeup now.
MAR 13, 2020 | SHARES
VIEW COMMENTS
Full Site | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy
TotalBeauty is a property of Evolve Media Holdings, LLC. © 2024 All Rights Reserved. | Affiliate Disclosure: Evolve Media Holdings, LLC, and its owned and operated subsidiaries may receive a small commission from the proceeds of any product(s) sold through affiliate and direct partner links.