The 22 Best Beauty Products of All Time
Though we can’t all agree on our favorites, there are some beauty products that are so recognizable and iconic that they’ve stood the test of time (and might deserve a spot in your everyday arsenal). Here, the 22 best beauty buys of all time.
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Chanel No. 5 Perfume
This timeless blend of jasmine, rose and vanilla is nearly 100 years old and still remains the number one selling perfume…in the world. (You go, Coco.)
Chanel ($132)
Dior Diorshow Mascara
Between the glossy, saturated formula and the supersized wand (which was new at the time), this now legendary mascara was the first to make us stray outside of drugstores. Since its inception in 2002, it’s been updated with fibers (so you get more length) and a wiper at the base of the tube (so you no longer get clumps). And we’d be lying if we didn’t say the sleek, embossed tube didn’t make us feel fancy.
Dior ($29)
Dove Beauty Bar
When the beauty bar launched 60 years ago, it was the first non-drying soap that cleansed and moisturized skin. Since then, there have been countless others (and we’ve tried a fair number of them), but we always find ourselves going back to the original.
Dove ($8 for a pack of six)
Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer
A consistent best seller, this foolproof concealer is one of few that give you two different hues (one for your undertone, the other for your actual skin tone) to customize your perfect match.
Laura Mercier ($35)
Maybelline Great Lash Mascara
“America’s favorite mascara for over 40 years” is quite the claim, but anyone who has ever picked up one of these hot-pink-and-lime-green tubes knows that it’s true. Fun fact: One tube is sold every two seconds.
Maybelline ($6)
Essie Nail Polish in Ballet Slippers
We dare you to find a better neutral that’s both girly and grown-up and works for any occasion.
Essie ($9)
M.A.C. Retro Matte Lipstick in Ruby Woo
One could argue that this is the product that made M.A.C. famous. Universally flattering and one of the longest-lasting lipsticks we’ve ever tried, it’s the one red that every lady should own.
M.A.C. ($17)
Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair
Packed with hydrating and anti-aging ingredients, this lightweight serum is like training wheels for anyone who is suddenly realizing that they might need more than a pat of lotion on their faces. Layer a couple drops under your moisturizer to buy yourself a few more wrinkle-free years.
Estée Lauder ($65)
Benefit Benetint
Nowadays half the products we use are multitaskers, but back when Benetint launched in the ’70s, it was a game changer. Want perfectly flushed cheeks and a rosy lip? Done and done.
Benefit ($30)
Urban Decay Naked Palette
Consistently a top seller at Sephora (and one of the most recognizable beauty products—ever), this palette of neutrals is so good that there is now an entire line (we’re talking foundation, blush, highlighter and lip gloss) dedicated to it.
Urban Decay ($54)
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Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick
Before there were contouring kits and strobing creams galore, there was the shimmer brick. With a flattering gradient of bronzer and highlighter in each palette, a few strokes of this stuff is all you need to look like a glistening goddess.
Bobbi Brown ($48)
Nars Blush in Orgasm
While the name still makes us (ahem) blush, there’s no denying that this peachy-pink hue looks perfect on every skin tone.
Nars ($30)
Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat
There are nearly 4,000 glowing reviews for this illuminating pen online. And it’s because everything it touches turns to light. Seriously, it’s the one product that makes us look like we got a full eight hours of sleep. Swipe it over dark circles or on the tops of your cheekbones for an instant lift.
Sephora ($42)
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Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick
With the smoothest application and an extensive range of shades (65 and counting), this drugstore buy is a must-have for beauty novices and addicts alike.
Revlon ($9)
Pond’s Cold Cream
A beauty OG (c'mon, it launched before Grammy was born), this makeup remover wipes away any trace of the day without the usual tugging and scrubbing. And since it's 50 percent moisturizer, it's also doing double time as your night cream. Win-win.
Pond's ($8)
Crème De La Mer Moisturizing Cream
Once you get behind the hefty price tag, you’ll see why this cream has such a devoted following. Dubbed “the miracle cream” by fans around the world, the potent formula works wonders for wrinkles, dryness and even scarring.
La Mer ($170)
L’ORÉAL Elnett Hairspray
The gold canister standard of hairspray can be found backstage at any given fashion show or movie set. And that's because the super-fine mist gives a flexible hold without turning strands stiff and brushes out easily, should you reconsider your style halfway through.
L'Oréal ($15)
John Frieda Frizz Ease Serum
One of the first products to specifically target frizz, this serum has been in steady rotation since it entered our lives in the '90s...only now we use much less of the stuff. Think pea-sized, as opposed to palmful (which we regrettably learned the hard way).
John Frieda ($8)
Dr. Pepper’s Lip Smacker
Raise your hand if this flavored balm brings back all of the feels. Nostalgia aside, the hydrating hint of color and subtle shine it delivers makes it a mainstay in our lives. (The fact that it really does taste like its namesake soda still makes us giddy.)
Lip Smacker ($2)
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz
There’s a reason why makeup artists swear by this brow-defining duo. With a thin pencil on one end and a spoolie brush on the other, you’ll be hard-pressed to find something that creates natural-looking arches better than this can.
Anastasia Beverly Hills ($21)
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Chapstick
We might go so far as to call ChapStick the most universal beauty product of all time. The storied formula dates all the way back to the 1880s and is loved by men, women and children of all ages.
ChapStick ($7 for a pack for 4)
Vaseline
A medicine cabinet staple, there’s little this tub of petroleum jelly can’t do. From healing dry skin to softening chapped lips and even highlighting cheekbones, it’s the gift that keeps on giving.
Vaseline ($4)
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Opening Image: Laura Mercier