I'm 49 And Obsessed With Products. Here's My 9 Must-Haves After A Lifetime Of Exacting Curation, While Hating Almost Everything.
You’ll notice there’s zero makeup on this list.
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by Audie Metcalf
Once I hit my 40s, things began to droop. And sag. And crepe. I would do my normal beauty routines and everything looked … bad.
So somewhere along the way I realized I had to invert my priority from 80/20 makeup to skincare, to 80/20 skincare to makeup.
Skin. Is. Everything. On the face, neck, chest, arms, legs. It’s the things I’ve been totally prioritizing since I was around 42 and now I look like this at almost 50:
I’m lucky enough to be sent a lot of stuff from brands, but I also am just a total beauty junkie so I buy nearly every new product that makes big claims about collagen and pores and youth. Photo evidence:
I don’t do any Botox or filler, so everything I use MUST be effective in some way for me. My collection of must-haves is also a superb example of how some of the best products really are expensive, and some of the best products are less than $2.
It all comes down to curation. And I’ve been assiduously curating the most effective beauty products for a lifetime—though more so the past 7 years since the word “anti-aging” started to dominate my google searches.
Here’s my faves, in no particular order, that have all made a visible difference in my daily beauty life.
1. Furtuna Skin Biphase Moisturizing Oil
I use this oil instead of moisturizer and my skin has never been glowier. It also got rid of my chest wrinkles. Proof HERE.
Use the code CANDIDLY for 20% off.
Price: Starts at $125
2. T3 Airebrush
I looooathe doing my hair so l use this heated round brush once a week - it's the only thing l've tried that keeps my blow out smooth for days. And I have VERY frizzy, dumb hair naturally. Thanks, 40s!
Price: $120
3. Tria 4X Hair Removal Laser
The best thing I've ever done for myself (apart from losing 60 Ibs) is using an at-home hair removal device. I tried a few but finally found the best one. After only a few sessions, I have smooth legs. No more calculating the length of slits in skirts and planning out showers for shaving. My legs are just a soft, hairless cat every day. I could almost cry.
Use the code CANDIDLY to get 10% off.
Price: $599
4. The perfect skincare and toiletry travel bag
This is definitely cheating because it's multiple products but I have put together THE best travel beauty kit after hunting down minis of all my favorite products. It took years. But it's perfect. I just leave it all packed like this in my bathroom so I’m always ready to go. I feel like I need to package this idea and sell it?
Includes:
4 Furtuna Minis: The face balm*, the exfoliant*, the serum*, the oil*
Ouai Mini Shampoo* and Conditioner*
SHOP THE TRAVEL BAG
5. Dove beauty bar
I've tried every face cleanser on this earth. Ok, maybe not ALL of them but I'm certain l've tried over 100. And I always come back to this $2 Dove soap my grandmother used. Nothing makes my skin softer and I love feeling smug about knowing some of the best stuff is from the drugstore, even though I'm a huge product snob.
Price: $7.99 for 4-pack
6. Buf-puf Body Sponge
Speaking of cheap things that work better than anything else, I use Dove soap on my face AND body, and for my body I use this little scrubber which makes my skin insanely smooth. Can you tell smooth skin is a theme here?!
Price: $12
7. Drmtgly retinol Body Lotion
We posted this before and after of my crepey arm on our insta after using this retinol body lotion a while ago and the results were so miraculous we got a lot of angry DMs claiming it was fake! That's when you know something is truly amazing—the internet verbally assaults you! And this price!
Price: $36
8. CurrentBody Led Red Light Therapy Face Mask And Neck & Décolletage Mask
Yes, red light therapy works - l do this every night for only 10 min. I take my dog to get red light laser on her joints once a week, and the results are miraculous. Yes, I wear my glasses over the mask! Cute, yes? I was building this very carousel when I asked my husband to take a pic.
Because it boosts collagen, I notice my skin is SO much firmer and I can actually see my wrinkles fading. This one has a neck and chest mask which is CRUCIAL. Speaking of my dog, she won't speak to me when I'm wearing this.
Use the code THECANDIDLY for 10% off.
Price: $640 for the face mask, $610 for the neck mask
* Gifted
9. Furtuna Skin Triple Active Exfoliator
Of all the categories of skincare, exfoliants are my favorite. I love to feel like I’m sloughing off old, dead, skin cells and revealing fresh, baby skin. Of the possibly thousands of exfoliants I’ve tried, both chemical and physical, this is my favorite by far. I cannot be without it. The exfoliating pearls are SO tiny and milled, and even though I only use it twice a week, it's shocking how smooth it makes my skin. After l use it in the shower, my pores look tighter and smaller. Exhibit A:
Use the code CANDIDLY for 20% off.
Price: $110
It also comes in travel size and is, of course, in my aforementioned travel bag!
* Gifted
Audie Metcalf is the Editor-in-chief of The Candidly, and lives in LA with her family. You can find more of her articles here.
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
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