The Beauty Products I Can’t Live Without

By Claire Diaz-Ortiz | February 6th, 2013 at 10:04 pm

Anyone who knows me well knows I’m a glutton for toiletries. Give me a new face wash, eye cream, or detoxification cheek primer and I’ll jump over the moon. That said, I’m not necessary a high-minded glutton, and many of the product I live by are, well, pretty basic. (Read: cheap, cheap cheap.)

When perusing my bathroom shelf the other day, I made a mental note of the basic beauty products I truly can’t live without.

For your pleasure (and your purchasing), you’ve got it:

First and foremost? Lip balm. I’m known to have a few dozen in my possession at any given time, and none suits me better than The Body Shop’s Shea Butter Lip Balm. The scent alone is to die for. Although I don’t find lip pots always incredibly useful on the go (and tend to prefer sticks), this is the perfect accompaniment to any (good) bedside table.
At heart, I’m a simple kind of face gal. And simple face gals love simple face washes — like Cetaphil
. Preferably go for the foamy kind, to avoid the sometime unpleasant feeling that you’re wiping lard on your face every morning and night;)
Cetaphil Face Lotion is another staple in my face product armor — and stays on my bedside table for generous pumping in the evening (and morning).
When I want to wash my face with something a bit more, well, daring than Cetaphil, I go for my other favorite — The Body Shop’s Tea Tree oil face wash. My only complaint? The travel sized bottles don’t close well for travel.
I love perfume, and I love essential oils even more. wBody Time — a Berkeley-based store who also sells products online — has my favorite essential oils around, and they do great mixes to target exactly what’s ailing you. I’ve got a stress and anxiety essential oil roller in my purse at (nearly) all times.
Who didn’t love Freeman as a teen? They’re back — with new branding — and I’m still a fan of their Avocado masks. Face masks are the essence of a wind-down, and I love nothing more than running a bath, and slapping on some of this sweet smelling stuff.
A newer product for me, this combined highlighter and liner is perhaps the one makeup item I (nearly) always use. No matter if you’ve slept 13 hours or 4, the Almay Bright Eyes Highlighter
will make you look better, brighter, and more ready to face the day.