The 12 Beauty Empties I Replenish Immediately As An Almost-50-Year-Old, Insufferable Snob
Buckle up.
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by Audie Metcalf
I try thousands of beauty products every year because it’s my job, but I also do it because I’m unhealthily obsessed with beauty products. Today I take you along to Ulta (not sponsored but MAN we wish it were) to replenish all of my favorite things I can’t be without—not even for one day.
1. Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment
I use this every night—it’s like a nightly facial for old skin. It somehow moisturizes AND resurfaces. Don’t ask me how. But HERE is proof.
Price: $85
2. Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch Makeup Primer
I discovered this product 20 years ago and have been using it to spackle my pores ever since. I guess it’s a “primer” of sorts, except it actually makes my face look like I have a permanent instagram filter on. If you have big pores like me, or a big 11 line, this will be your favorite thing. I’m never without it.
Price: $42
3. HairStory hair balm Moisturizing Air-Dry Lotion
This is my favorite product for air-dried beach waves when I get out of the shower and can’t be bothered to do anything to my head—my trick is that I don’t brush my hair and instead just run this through my length and ends and scrunch scrunch scrunch. HERE is a photo of how it looks.
Price: $37
4. IT Cosmetics Do It All Serum Color Balm Sun Cream Blush & Bronzer
THE most blurring blush on earth. It’s a cream but the texture feels almost like silk. And if you hate wearing foundation you can actually wear this on bare skin!
Price: $34
5. Estée Lauder Little Black Liner
I have intensely hooded eyes and now that I’m (ALMOST) 50 my eyelid skin literally sits atop my eyelashes, so every liner I’ve ever tried immediately sweats off or ends up on my eyelids after an hour. But not this one. The liner is SO thin and the staying power is SO impressive, it’s just as crisp at the end of the day as when I put it on in the morning. Whether or not you can even SEE the line under those hoods is another story entirely.
Price: $36
6. It Cosmetics
Do It All Hydrating Sheer Tinted Moisturizer Balm
This is my favorite “no makeup makeup” foundation because I HATE the feeling of makeup on my skin. It gets rid of my redness and makes everything look smooth and even but it also looks like I’m wearing nothing.
Price: $34
7. Estée Lauder Glossy Pout Tinted Lip Oil
This is the weirdest/best texture of gloss I’ve ever used! It’s so sheer, and this exact color makes my lips look huge because I can sort of smear it outside the lines but it never looks fake. It looks gorgeous on everyone. I wrote about my newly ignited love of EL products HERE.
Price: $30
8. Charlotte Tilbury
Magic Cream Anti-Aging Moisturizer with Hyaluronic Acid
I’ve tried over 100 moisturizers this year alone. I always come back to this one. It’s SO plumping, amazing for sensitive skin, and there is no better base for makeup. They don’t call it magic for nothin’.
Price: $32 - $260
9. L’Oréal EverPure Sulfate-Free Bond Repair+ shampoo and conditioner
Even though I’m a huge snob, I will always get down with a drugstore discovery. This shampoo and conditioner are UNREAL for my super-fine, semi-thinning hair. It bulks up the strands while leaving it silky and shiny. It’s my new favorite.
Price: $11 for the shampoo, $11 for the conditioner
10. CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen Face Lotion with Sheer Tint SPF 30
Another drugstore hidden gem—I’ve tried every. single. tinted spf and this one is the best. I’m never without it.
Price: $17
11. Peter Thomas Roth Instant FIRMx Eye Temporary Eye Tightener Easy-Wear Formula
I did a pretty amazing before and after HERE—I use this for special occasions when I want to look like I’ve slept more than 3 hours a night. I know, I know, I need to get a lower bleph, I’m just scared. But this works remarkably well for us scaredy cats.
Price: $39
12. Clinique Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder Foundation
The true OG high-school brand for most of us—it’s shocking how many of their products still work wonders for Gen Xers. This powder is amazing for sucking up my t-zone oil.
Price: $41
Extra I didn’t film but simply must tell you about: The Jolie Filtered Showerhead
I have this shower head* and get these filters* every 3 months, and it’s made a staggering difference in the health of my hair. I only wash it twice a week now and I don’t get dry ends or oily roots like I used to—an investment that feels totally worth it. And I just discovered they’re at Ulta!
Price: $169 for the showerhead, $38 for the filter
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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