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Still Haven't Tried One Of These Gems?

You can't call yourself a bona fide beauty junkie until you've crossed these cult-classic products off your list
by Erica Smith
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Mason Pearson Brush, $88

Mason Pearson Brush, $88
Not to be confused with your run of the mill boar bristle brush, the Mason Pearson is the mother of all hairbrushes. It's trademark nylon and boar bristles evenly distribute sebum from the scalp while increasing blood flow to the roots, which makes hair shiny and stronger. While it remains a favorite of the fairer sex and their flowing locks,-- Heidi Klum reasoned, "It's a bit expensive, but sometimes you have to go deeper in your wallet for things that work. This brush gets all the snags without ripping hair out," -- the iconic hair tool was invented in 1885 by, as the name implies, a dude: inventor/engineer Mason Pearson. Today, the brush continues to be wielded by other creative males -- namely celeb stylists like Ken Paves and Mark Townsend.

In a world crowded with BB, CC and now DD creams, this tinted moisturizer still reigns as the OG -- the first multi-tasking product offering lightweight coverage, moisturizer, and a flawless finish. Complete with an impressive SPF 20, this cult classic nailed the no-makeup makeup in a tube bit from the get go.

This lip treatment is a newer inductee into the cult classic, but it's easy to see why it made the cut. Once you try this lip treatment, there's no going back to bland ol' Chapstick. This long-lasting multi-tasker has converted users into downright fanatics (Christina Hendricks won't leave the house without it) because it is literally the perfect balance of everything your lips could ever want or need: subtle color, delicious scent, SPF, and nourishing oils, not to mention pretty packaging.

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NARS Orgasm Blush, $29

NARS Orgasm Blush, $29
Launched in 1999 as a suit-all-blush-highlighter hybrid, this flattering product remains a bestseller to this day ... and you know it's still relevant, even among the young'uns, because it got a shout-out in a Drake song (Say go Cinderella, Go Cinderella, Orgasm blush, Lipstick 'n concealer). Since the provocatively named product first hit the scene, NARS has launched a whole slew of products modeled after it including a lipgloss, nail polish, and The Multiple. Yes, unlike the other unicorn, there's a multiple O that actually exists.

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Essie Ballet Slippers, $8

Essie Ballet Slippers, $8
This Essie polish, launched two years after the company was founded in 1981, is the official lacquer of brides, according to "The Devil Wears Prada," Vogue editors (along with one coat of Marshmallow), and even Her Majesty the Queen. In 1989, founder Essie Weingarten received a letter from Queen Elizabeth's hairdresser, requesting a bottle of the famed shade. Why? It's the only nail polish color Her Majesty would wear, and for good reason. This pale, sheer pink shade is flattering on all skin tones and all you'll ever need to get the perfect neutral manicure.

I think most would agree that cults have a negative connotation, what with all the bizarre idolizing, brainwashing, matching sneakers and charismatic (read: creepy) leaders ... not to mention the emotional trauma inflicted upon yours truly after a viewing of "Martha Marcy May Marlene" all alone in my apartment, late at night. Mistake.

But in the beauty world, that C-word means you're on to something good -- a product so good it withstands the test of time, evades the dreaded "Discontinued" ax, and continues to outshine all the new and improved this and thats our culture is drawn to (I'm positive a mini iPad mini, AKA another iPhone, is being concocted as I type.) If there was ever a time to go against every individuality-preserving bone in your body and actually believe the hype, it's now with cult classic beauty products.

Fads come and go, but there's a reason these favorites have yet to be discontinued: if these products were ever removed from stores, it would incite an all-out riot because they really work. As the well-informed beauty consumer you are, it's high time you drank the Kool-Aid. Start checking these classics off your beauty bucket list, then let us know: What's your favorite cult classic beauty product?
BY ERICA SMITH | AUG 28, 2013 | SHARES
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