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Photo:
Real Simple / Madison Woiten
At any given moment, my work desk usually looks like a chaotic accumulation of scattered compacts, used brushes, and a rainbow of swatches on glass palettes, and that’s just the way I like it. The most essential (and favorite) part of my job is testing out all the latest formulas about to hit the market. February was full of promising new product releases, and while I’d consider myself a beauty hoarder, I’ve learned to edit down my stash down to only the formulas that I frequently reach for.
In this month alone, I tested 31 products, from cream blushes to perfecting foundations to plumping glosses. While I ended up simply liking many of these goodies, only a handful of them had me smitten enough to earn an official place on my beauty shelf. Below are the 14 beauty products I've added to my permanent collection.
14 New Beauty Products I Added to My Routine
- Haus Labs PhD Hybrid Lip Glaze Plumping Gloss, $26; sephora.com.
- Milani Cheek Kiss Cream Bronzer, $11; target.com.
- Tower 28 LipSoftie Lip Treatment, $16; tower28.com.
- Naked Sundays CabanaGlow SPF50 Mineral Glow Bronze Serum Drops, $35; us.nakedsundays.com.
- Catrice Nude Drop Tinted Serum Foundation, $10; amazon.com.
- Winky Lux Cheeky Rose Liquid Sculpt, $19; ulta.com.
- Curie Deodorant & Body Spray, $16; curiebod.com.
- Raw Sugar The Not So Dry Shampoo, $12; rawsugarliving.com.
- Saie Dew Blush, $25; saiehello.com.
- Laura Mercier Real Flawless Weightless Perfecting Serum Concealer, $33; ulta.com.
- One/Size Secure the Glow Tacky Hydrating Primer, $36; sephora.com.
- Iconic London Lit and Luminous Baked Highlighter, $29; sephora.com.
- Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Baking & Setting Powder, $38; sephora.com.
- Lion Pose Ghost-Buster Mineral Sunscreen SPF 42, $46; sephora.com.
Haus Labs PhD Hybrid Lip Glaze Plumping Gloss
Sephora
Buy on Sephora $26
I was absolutely not a gloss girl until I tried this new plumping lip glaze from Haus Labs, and now it's safe to say I pretty much slather this on top of most of my lipsticks. The prickly pear oil and collagen in the formula are intensely hydrating and feel uber-comfortable for extended wear. Plus, it's one of the few plumping glosses on the market that doesn't actually sting my lips, thanks to its proprietary polyplumper complex that combines a potent blend of peptides and polymers.
Milani Cheek Kiss Cream Bronzer
Target
Buy on Target $11
Milani is a drugstore all-star, and it’s continued to impress me with its newest addition to its Cheek Kiss line. This TikTok convinced me to jump on the bandwagon, and I’m so glad I did. The cream bronzer blends beautifully on my skin, whether I layer it over the foundation or just dab it on my primed skin. It’s available in four very flexible shades and boasts skincare ingredients like hydrating Bulgarian rose, fatty acid-rich watermelon seed oil, and brightening pomegranate seed oil.
Tower 28 LipSoftie Lip Treatment
Tower 28
Buy on Tower28beauty.com $16
Leave it to Tower 28 to create one of the most pleasant tinted lip masks. My lips are constantly irritated, making it hard for me to wear lipstick some days. That's when I whip out these incredibly sweet-scented balms that instantly soothe my pout. It's packed with nourishing ingredients like lysine, shea butter, and jojoba oil.
Naked Sundays CabanaGlow SPF50 Mineral Glow Bronze Serum Drops
Naked Sundays
Buy Now $35
One of Naked Sunday's most appealing features is it infuses high SPF into every single product. I like to add a couple of these bronzing drops to my foundation, especially if it's a paler shade, to not only add a new level of protection but also create a luminous glow. The fluid also includes skin-first ingredients like hyaluronic acid, pink algae, and rosella extract for added hydration.
Catrice Nude Drop Tinted Serum Foundation
Amazon
Buy on Amazon $10
Serum foundations are the best of both worlds: They provide coverage without sacrificing skincare. Furthermore, they always feel lighter on my skin than a standard foundation. Even though this tinted serum is full of moisturizing elements, like hyaluronic acid and vitamin E, it has a beautiful matte finish that I'll appreciate more come summer.
Winky Lux Cheeky Rose Liquid Sculpt
Ulta
Buy Now $19
When I saw influencer Mikayla Nogueria raving about this formula, I knew I needed to get my hands on it. The small sponge applicator lets me apply the product exactly where I want it, and the liquid blends seamlessly with other products. It plays very well with other cream and liquid products as well.
Curie Deodorant & Body Spray
Curie
Buy on Curiebod.com $16
The transitional weather has not been my friend as a sweaty person. But luckily, I have a little help with this full-body deodorant that feels like a little insurance on the shockingly warm days we've been having lately in Ohio. The spray features witch hazel and propanediol to help soak up moisture and keep me dry.
Raw Sugar The Not So Dry Shampoo
Raw Sugar
Buy on Rawsugarliving.com $12
I've never experienced anything like this dry shampoo, which is one of the more exciting products I’ve tried this month. No, it's not a powder or spray like you'd typically expect—it’s a cream. This product extends my wash days, thanks to the oil-absorbing cocktail of bamboo, biotin, tapioca starch, and rice starch. I was so scared to apply it to my roots, but after the first use, I knew I found my new go-to. It's surprisingly lightweight and never feels greasy on my hair.
Saie Dew Blush
Saie
Buy Now $25
Saie's iconic Dew Blush isn't new, but it just introduced three spring-friendly shades that had me torn. Whenever I pull them out of my drawer, I have difficulty deciding which one I want to wear, but I usually go for dusty rose Cutie for most day looks. Even if I go overboard with the application, the liquid blends beautifully and never looks too dramatic.
Laura Mercier Real Flawless Weightless Perfecting Serum Concealer
Ulta
Buy Now $33
We finally have an equally impressive concealer to accompany Laura Mercier’s viral Real Flawless Weightless Perfecting Foundation. Even though it feels lightweight, this concealer has a long-lasting formula with up to 16 hours of wear time and leaves a soft, blurred finish. The coverage is impressive, despite its light consistency. The fact that it’s sweat-, humidity-, heat-, and water-proof means I’ll be reaching for this a lot more come the warmer months.
One/Size Secure the Glow Tacky Hydrating Primer
Sephora
Buy on Sephora $36
The moment I saw that this primer promised hydration, I was sold. This base is loaded with several moisture-boosting ingredients, including omega fatty acids, antioxidants, black tea, hyaluronic acid, and beta-glucan. The primer uses an advanced capsulated technology to suspend ingredients in the clear gel, which gives it that fun 'boba' look the brand promises—but with skin-first effects.
Iconic London Lit and Luminous Baked Highlighter
Sephora
Buy on Sephora $29
I've been leaning toward liquid and cream highlighters as of late, but I'm glad I gave this pressed highlighter a try. This baked highlighter is packed with a gorgeous champagne shimmer that I've noticed looks fabulous with almost every makeup look I tried with it. I brush a little of it all over, from my cheekbones to my brows to the tip of my nose, giving my makeup a beautiful, subtle sheen.
Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Baking & Setting Powder
Sephora
Buy on Sephora $38
Huda Beauty's best-selling Easy Bake Loose Baking & Setting Powder now comes in a stunning peachy tone that I can't get enough of. I was never much of a "baker," until I gave this formula a shot. It feels velvety on my skin and provides an instant brightening effect. It also makes everything look so smooth; after baking my under-eye area, I'll take whatever is left on my powder puff and dab it on my nose and forehead to blur everything out.
Lion Pose Ghost-Buster Mineral Sunscreen SPF 42
Sephora
Buy on Sephora $46
Lion Pose is an entirely new brand to me, but I have to admit, I couldn't resist the gorgeous royal blue and gold packaging. This skincare-infused sunscreen has an orange base, meaning there's no white cast upon application. The formula also boasts squalane and glutathione to hydrate and protect your skin, while delivering a beautiful glow. I keep this bottle at my desk, so I can apply it at the start of my morning.
