Everyday Beauty Products That MM Staffers Swear By

October 01, 2016 | Filed in: Beauty

Aren’t you tired of magazines telling you about the glitter eye shadow “trend” and five ways to make purple lipstick work for you (honestly, it probably doesn’t)? What about the makeup and skincare that you actually use, day in and day out, to the office and beyond? You know, the stuff that won’t smudge during an important presentation, look cakey under conference room lighting, or wear off by lunch? We polled MM staffers (a good-looking, well-groomed bunch, if we do say so ourselves), on what works for them—read on for the keys to our beauty castle.

Makeup

Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey
“The kind of lipstick you don’t need a mirror to apply, it’s sheer and moisturizes like chapstick. I use the Black Honey color religiously.”
—Katie, Associate Product Developer

Kylie Jenner Lip Kit
“I’m sorry, but I love it. This makeup is so good. The lip colors come in nice neutral tones, and they go on like gloss and dry like a light matte lipstick. Her lipliner doesn’t feather. I want to steer clear of all things Kardashian-related, but in this case, I can’t.”
—Hanna, coordinator of offline retail

Lancome Effacernes Concealer
“Technically, this is an undereye concealer, but I don’t use it under my eyes. I do use it everywhere else, though (zits, blotches, sun spots, etc). I discovered it when, upon getting my first zit at age 12, I frantically rummaged through my mother’s closet and came upon this product. 20 years later, it’s still my go-to any time I want to ‘erase’ something. It’s lightweight, looks discreet under any kind of lighting, stays put, and covers everything without making me look like I caked concealer onto my face.”
—Tory, editor-in-chief

Peter Thomas Roth CC Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Complexion Corrector
“My best friend is a skincare buyer at Sephora, and she suggested this product to me a couple of years ago. It moisturizes, makes your skin look better, and protects you from the sun all at once.”
—Callie, creative director

Bobbi Brown Sheer Finish Pressed Powder
“This pressed powder compact is essential. I tend to end up with a shiny face around 3pm, so I re-apply then.”
—Michaella, director of customer experience

Urban Decay Naked2 Basics Eyeshadow Palette
“It’s my go-to for workwear eyeshadow. It lasts all day, and the colors are nice and neutral.”
—Christina, merchandise coordinator

Marc Jacobs Beauty Magic Marc’er Eyeliner Pen
It’s taken me more than 15 years to find an eyeliner that lasts all day without smudging. This one is a lifesaver!
—Angela, production manager

Neutrogena Healthy Volume Waterproof Mascara in Carbon Black + Neutrogena Nourishing Eyeliner in Onyx
“That’s my full makeup routine, and it costs me $19 every six months. The mascara really glides on smooth and never clumps (I sound like an ad, I know), and every expensive eyeliner I’ve tried has been comparable, at best.”
—Emily, manager of strategic operations initiatives

Skindinavia Setting Spray
During my senior year of college, one of my friends introduced me to this wonderful thing called “makeup setting spray.” As someone who could barely make it through the day without sweating off every last bit of her makeup, I didn’t think this could possibly work. I was totally wrong, and now I cannot leave the house without it. While it’s on the more expensive side, it’s 100% worth it.
—Annie, customer experience analyst/stylist

Chosungah 22 Dong Gong Minn Brow Maker
“It’s an eyebrow gel with a perfect wand brush in a tiny little package, and makes my whole face look instantly more groomed.”
—Lani, customer experience associate

Skin

Muji Face Blotting Paper x 100
“These are great for getting shine off during the day. I always keep a pack in my desk or purse. They’re significantly nicer than ones you get at Duane Reade, and cost half as much.”
—Caroline, marketing associate

Clarisonic Facial Cleansing Brush
“At first, I was skeptical of the Clarisonic, despite my mom singing its praises. It just seemed like an unnecessary tool that would just add more time onto my face washing routine. But when I finally, begrudgingly, used it for the first time, I allowed my mom the well-deserved satisfaction of ‘I told you so.’ Back then, it worked wonders on my less-than-flawless teenage skin, and years later, I still use it every night.”
—Alex, editorial associate

Pevonia Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser
“This face wash was introduced to me through my aunt’s sister-in-law, who’s an aesthetician back home in South Carolina. I never need to pack it when I go home because I know my mom will always have it in stock. I usually mix it with Cetaphil gentle cleanser.”
—Hannah, front end engineer

Lush Cosmetics Ultrabland Cleanser
“I rave about this beeswax cleanser whenever I can—it’s the most fantastic makeup remover. It literally takes one wipe to remove eyeliner, mascara, and foundation; no rubbing necessary.”
—Taylor, customer experience analyst/stylist

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream
“It’s the only moisturizer that has kept my skin from going insane in the fall and winter. My face used to peel, flake and turn crimson in the colder months (not pretty), and this keeps it hydrated, protected, and not irritated (it’s fragrance free!).”
—Katerina, merchandising & planning

Josie Maran Argan Oil
“I put a few drops of it in my face lotion every morning, and I swear by it for clean, soft skin.”
—Eleanor, customer experience analyst/stylist

Avene TriXera Emollient Balm
“I have very dry skin, and I was always on the hunt for something that would make me feel moisturized the whole day instead of dry around the cheeks by noon. I stumbled on this cream in my mom’s bathroom cabinet one day and have never looked back—not only does it keep my skin soft, but I feel as though I finally have a glow. It’s pretty cost-effective, too, because it comes in a big tube and you only have to use a little bit at a time.”
—Rukmini, operations analyst

Dr. Lipp Nipple Balm
“It’s the absolute best lip balm—it’s really thick, and has a great scent. Plus, it’s fun to talk about—who doesn’t love to say ‘nipples’?”
—Jenna, senior marketing director

Hair

Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Primer
“This is like the grown-up version of Johnson & Johnson detangling spray. It smells amazing, makes combing through wet hair much easier, and holds flyaways down. I also bring it with me to the beach, and have even used it as a leg moisturizer in a pinch.”
—Katie, associate product developer

Alterna Caviar CC Cream for Hair 10 in 1
“I’m not even sure what it does, but my hair is always noticeably softer I use it. I comb a little through my hair when it’s still wet, and it’s fantastic.”
—Nikita, customer experience analyst/stylist

Maroccanoil Dry Shampoo
“It freshens and adds body to your hair between washes, and it smells so good. It also comes in two different shades for light or dark hair, so if you’re a brunette you won’t get that powdery look.”
—Eleanor, customer experience analyst/stylist

Mason Pearson Hairbrush
“It keeps my hair much shinier than those plastic brushes with tiny balls on the ends of the bristles. The Mason Pearson brush helps redistribute your hair’s natural oils from your scalp down to the ends, and it helps smooth everything out quickly (better for straight/non-super frizzy hair, I’d imagine). I got my first one from my mom when I went away to boarding school (since I could no longer use hers). My grandmother always had one in her bag too, so I guess it’s traveled down through the generations.”
—Catherine, customer experience analyst/stylist

Body

Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Deodorant
“It’s the best thing that ever happened to me. It works all day, and the product lasts a long time so I don’t need to buy it often.”
—Christina, merchandise coordinator

St. Ives Naturally Indulgent Lotion Spray
“I’ve said on multiple occasions that if I was a celebrity, I would publicly endorse this product. You can spray it on your legs and put on jeans right after without feeling sticky.”
—Courtney, assistant designer