8 Life-Changing Beauty Products You Need To Try ASAP

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1. Milani Eyeshadow Primer is ~the~ budget-friendly glue that will keep your eyeliner and eyeshadow intact and looking absolutely stellar all freaking day.

Kayla Suazo / BuzzFeed

This is the most amazing eyeshadow primer I have ever used — and yes, I’ve tried them all. I’ve shopped my way through Sephora but never found a product that managed to keep my eyeshadow on throughout the day, especially during the summer. I live in NYC and the humidity here can be killer during the warmer months. Not to mention, I have naturally oily skin. By the time I got home from work, I’d have a thick horrendous line of clumped-up eyeshadow on my eyelid. Nothing was working.

But then I found the Milani Eyeshadow Primer at my drugstore and spent a whopping $8 (waaaaay better than the $20+ I’ve dished out at Sephora in the past). And it’s INCREDIBLE.

My eyeshadow and eyeliner stays on all day without a smudge or any built-up goop. I’ve even fallen asleep in my makeup and woken up looking like I had just applied it (I know, I know, it’s horrible to sleep in makeup). The best part (aside from the price) is that it’s easy to take off with regular makeup remover. It’s become a must-have makeup product for me, and I’ve been recommending it to anyone who will listen. It combats humidity and oily skin like a champ. Seriously. BUY. THIS. —Kayla Suazo

Get it from Amazon for $5.67.

2. Pür My Little Pony Palette contains 16 happy and bright colors that will *drumroll please* actually show up on darker skin for an ~eye-popping~ lewk.

@purcosmetics / Via instagram.com, Ignacia Fulcher / BuzzFeed

I would like to preface this by saying that I'm not a Brony in any way, shape, or form — I just really appreciate pretty colors. I went in trying this palette as a grim experiment to see if this eyeshadow was actually going to show up on darker skin. When I decide to venture outside of my beloved Naked Palettes, I am almost always disappointed because the bright-ass colors just won't show even with eyeshadow primer AND a white base! So before I even placed any on my eyes, I swatched each color in the My Little Pony Palette...and every single one showed up on my wrist, which was a pretty good sign.

Having hooded eyes means that I have an extra crease in my eye that decreases the amount of space I have to work with on my eyelid, but the color I tried still came out really well! It was super pastel and super purple, which is what I was hoping for in my heart. I used the brush from my Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette and the colors blended so, so well that I almost cried, but I couldn't because I would have messed up my makeup. Since the palette already has a white color, I placed that on my eyelid first as a base before I used any of the other colors, just so they can pop.

So if you're looking for some fun colors that are guaranteed to show up on brown skin, My Little Pony Palette really does have your back. Friendship truly is magic, and so is eyeshadow! —Ignacia Fulcher

Get it from Pür Cosmetics for $29.

3. NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil is a low-maintenance dream — it doubles as a pencil and lipstick, allows for precise application, has amazing color payoff, and doesn't feather/bleed along the way.

Emily Shwake / BuzzFeed

I'm big on lipstick, so I've tried a bunch of different brands and colors. But I always go back to the NARS Lip Pencil because the application is so seamless. While most lipsticks are really awkward to put on and end up feathering if you don't outline the lip with a pencil first, this one looks great without a whole lot of effort since it works as both a pencil and a lipstick. I can shape my lips exactly the way I want without any feathering or bleeding.

I've been using the Cruella color for years so I was excited when I found a two-pack of travel-sized pencils the last time I was at Sephora. All of the pigments are gorgeous — I've never found a better red — and long-lasting, which is really important because I am terrible about reapplying. Plus, it feels great on my lips because there's no waxy or dry feeling. —Emily Shwake

Get it from Sephora for $27 (26 colors) or the travel-sized pair for $20 (three color combos).

4. Glossier Wowder seriously lives up to its name — you can't help but have a "wow" reaction when you see your face looking impossibly smooth and oil-free all day.

Augusta Falletta / BuzzFeed

My skin has never taken well to mattifying agents. Over the countless times I’ve tried powder, primer, etc. to handle the oil, my skin basically says “thanks, but no thanks.” The powder mixes with the oil into weird, cakey clumps that stick to peach fuzz (à la the Friends episode in which Ross can’t get his leather pants back on, shouting on the phone to Joey, “the lotion and the powder are forming a PASTE!”). If you’re thinking “Damn, that sounds gross and I’m shocked this girl is disclosing such private information,” I know. It’s gross enough for me to surrender to oil for the past 15 years, accepting that my face will look like I’m the oil spill those poor baby birds were stuck in before Dawn dish soap saved them.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago, when the Glossier team sent me their new Wowder product to try. I was skeptical (see above) but in general, new Glossier products become staples in my makeup routine, so I was willing to give it a shot. The first thing I noticed was the packaging. Unlike the powder packaging that’s been around since the first BareMinerals infomercial (swirl, tap, tap) there’s a lip on the jar so you won’t lose powder, and there’s a mesh screen between you and the product so that your brush doesn’t get overloaded. Truly genius. The second thing I noticed was audibly saying “WOW!” when I swiped it on. No grease, no residue, no…nothing? It was like someone took a little face-sized dust buster and took away my oil but left behind smooth, matte skin that didn’t look like it belonged in Downton Abbey.

Some logistical information: Wowder comes in three shades: Light/Medium, Dark/Deep, and Rich. A few friends around the office have tried all of the different tones and so far, everyone’s found a shade they’ve been happy with. I’d recommend using the brush that’s made for Wowder because 1. You’ll get the smoothest application and 2. It feels like petting a bunny, which is a really lovely way to start your morning.

TLDR; Wowder lives up to its name, has a shade that will suit basically everyone, and is legit the only powder I’ve ever tried that I’ve not only used more than once, but that I’ve used every day. I even bought an extra to keep at my desk for emergency situations. —Augusta Falletta

Get it from Glossier for $22 (just the powder), $20 (just the brush) or $35 (powder + brush) — available in three shades.

5. Madam C.J. Walker Curl Whip Styling Souffle gives frizz the red light and your curls a perfect boost of definition, even in the dead of summer.

Ciera Velarde / BuzzFeed

I’ve never been the kind of girl who can rock the “wet hair look.” I usually have to blow dry and then style my hair with a curling wand to keep my curls from being too frizzy. If I leave my house with my hair wet, my hair is all puffed out and unruly within 20 minutes, no matter what kind of product I put in it.

That is — until I found the magical, wonderful Madam C.J. Walker Beauty Culture Coconut & Moringa Oils Curl Whip Styling Souffle. After a midday summer workout I realized I only had 20 minutes until I had to leave for an outdoor play, so I decided to try the styling souffle. It's extremely lightweight and doesn't weigh down my hair at all. I ended up using about two quarter-sized squeezes for my thick, long hair and scrunched it up in my hair to activate my curls. I said a little prayer for my hair and I went out in the 85-degree, humid summer air. Guys, my hair was frizz-free all night!!!! It kept my natural curls soft, shiny, and bouncy throughout the four hours I spent outside that night. Plus, the coconut and moringa oil left my hair smelling amaaaazzzing.

Even though it costs a bit more than I would usually spend on hair products, it’s a huge bottle that will last me a long time. This product is literally the only one I’ve ever used that controls and tames my frizzy hair while it air dries. Bless you Madame C.J. Walker for giving me the freedom to leave the house with wet hair and not worry about looking like a poodle in a rainforest within minutes! —Ciera Velarde

Get it from Sephora for $26.

6. Z Natural Life Clean Deodorant makes sweaty pits a thing of the past with its innovative vegan gel formula.

Christina Lan / BuzzFeed

As the millennial that I can't deny that I am, I've been getting into natural deodorants. Why? They smell better and feel kinder to the skin, I suppose. I had already started using a natural charcoal-infused deodorant and I loved how it smelled like a spa under my arms. Heaven. So then, when I discovered a new type of natural deodorant in Love Goodly's Vegan Subscription Box, I freaked.

Unlike most deodorants I use, Z Natural Life Clean Deodorant is a gel, which comes out of a nice applicator. It's cooling, clean, and smells like the morning after a rainstorm. It works just as well as other deodorants I've used, perhaps even better because it has a cooling formula. It's also pretty small, so it's easily portable. And it doesn't have weird chemicals in it, if that's the sort of info you care about. I sweat pretty heavily when I work out, so finding something like this that keeps my sweat in check was a godsend. —Christina Lan

Get it from Amazon for $9.99.

7. IPKN Big Apple Sun Cream plays nice with your skin and makeup, but takes no prisoner when it comes to guarding against the sun.

Maitland Quitmeyer / BuzzFeed

Hi, my name is Maitland, and I'm afraid of the sun. I am so pale, I could basically match my foundation with vanilla yogurt, and when I burn, hoo boy — it's rashy and terrible. Even though I avoid the sun when out in it all day (umbrellas and rashguards are my best friends), I love to go on long walks and am always concerned about too much sun damage. But when it comes to putting sunscreen on my face, it's hard to find a product with lots of SPF that sits well under makeup and won't make my very sensitive skin break out or get irritated. But thanks to K-beauty brand IPKN, my troubles are over.

IPKN's Big Apple Sun Cream is like a dream come true. It's a sunscreen AND makeup base, so my foundation goes over it like a dream (bye bye, greasiness and caking). The not-too-thick cream blends in easily, without looking white (at least on my skin tone). Not only does it has SPF 50, but it also has sebum control so my skin doesn't welcome acne with open arms. My face stays matte for way longer during the day (AKA less surreptitious blotting with toilet seat covers). Protecting my skin WHILE making it look better? S C O R E. This baby is now part of my year-round makeup routine. And if I could take the liberty of sounding like your mother for a minute: "Hey. Take care of that beautiful face. Put on some sunscreen." —Maitland Quitmeyer

Get it from Nordstrom for $28.

8. Ethique Beauty Shampoo and Conditioner Bars keep your hair healthy and flawless while globetrotting (or otherwise) with pure, almost-preservative-free ingredients — plus, the packaging is 100% biodegradable!

ethiquebeauty.com, Gyan Yankovich / BuzzFeed

Earlier this year, I packed my life into a backpack and went traveling nonstop for five months. I'm a serious beauty product hoarder so before I left, I spent a lot of time wondering how the hell I was going to travel light while still looking after my hair and skin. Thankfully, a friend recommended I try Ethique's shampoo and conditioning bars. In hindsight, I actually don't know how I would have survived life on the road without them.

I have thin hair so I went for the Sweet & Spicy Volumizing Shampoo Bar. I've tried using natural shampoo products before but find them hard to lather — that was not the case with this one. Once you get used to the fact you're washing your hair with a bar of soap, this shampoo works wonders. My hair felt just as clean as it did after a wash with regular shampoo, and I loved the texture it added. The Wonderbar Conditioning Bar was a little more work — you essentially warm it up in your hands under the water and then run the bar along your ends — but it leaves my hair shiny and the right kind of soft. The combination of the two products is the perfect blend of gritty texture and soft ends, even when I let my hair air dry.

I've wanted to make the switch to environmentally-conscious hair products for a long time, so the fact that these bars were perfect to travel with (read: no spilled liquid in your luggage) simply sweetened the deal. —Gyan Yankovich

Get the shampoo bar from Amazon for $15.50 and the conditioner bar from Amazon for $18.

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