The One Beauty Product Each Coveteur Editor Has Used the Longest
We’re talking decades here.
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The one. The beauty product that’s been with you since the early aughts of teenage angst and breakouts through to adulthood (and the realization that, no, a fully rimmed lid is probably not work-appropriate). It’s the one that’s been your reliable fallback even throughout the trial and turbulence of its new, buzz-ingredient-packed competition. You’d think that for us Coveteur editors, the constant parade of beauty products across our desks would have us waver from our most beloved, but these are our longest-standing beauty products.
Noah Lehava,
Senior Editor: Health and Wellness
Lise Watier Portfolio, $36
One product that’s been my ride-or-die since I started wearing makeup has been Lise Watier’s concealer wheel. It has gotten a bit of an upgrade since my inaugural use, but the formula is still the same: creamy, all-season, no-budge coverage, and it’s something I’ll always put down my credit card for.
Used since: 2001
Laurel Pantin, Editorial and Fashion Director
VMV Hypoallergenics Grandma Minnie’s The Big, Brave Boo-Boo Balm, $24
There’s one product that I’ve used since I found out I was allergic to beeswax (imagine the vicious cycle of having irritated lips and applying more beeswax lip balm only to have them get more irritated and apply more lip balm), and I’m honestly miserable without it. I use it on my lips, cuticles, as a highlighter, a balm for irritated skin—you name it. It’s not organic or green like 99% of the products I use, but it is formulated for babies with no ingredients that are known to cause an allergic reaction in anyone, anywhere, ever. So, I’d say it’s safe.
Used since: 2010
Caryn Prime, Managing Editor
Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Liquid Soap, $18
This is my all-time favorite body wash, but also sometimes my favorite shampoo...and also sometimes face wash in a pinch. I always have the Peppermint and Citrus in my shower. I’ll usually use the Peppermint after a long and sweaty run, or a long and sweaty day in the city, because nothing is better than taking a shower with a cooling and refreshing soap. Both versions are also great shampoos, especially if I’ve been on a beach vacation and just let my hair be wild and free in all its saltwater glory. It’s a perfect post-vacay, deep-cleansing-all-the-coconut-oil-out shampoo. It’s basically the best bang-for-your-buck/win-win product there is!
Used since: 2006
Katie Becker, Beauty Director
SuperGoop! City Sunscreen Serum SPF 30, $42
This sunscreen will not “ghost” skin a shade paler or (and this is most difficult to find) pill under makeup. It’s hydrating, but doesn’t have that “velvety” feel that I hate in other sunscreens, especially the ones you have to shake. This lotion-y serum comes in a pump, no shaking required. Maybe my favorite thing, however, is that it leaves skin with a really nice, pretty glow. Sunscreen ingredients usually have a reflective sheen to them, but this formula somehow has the exact finish of a luminizing primer. You might not even need highlighter after.
Used since: 2011
Hannah Baxter, Assistant Editor
Clean & Clear PERSA-GEL 10, $5
Like most teenagers, I struggled with acne for the majority of middle and high school, even though my mom taught me to wash and moisturize my face early on. Clean & Clear was the first full line of beauty products I remember using, from the super astringent toner to the medicated face wash that bleached all my towels. While my current skincare regimen is much gentler, I still get a few random spots each month (thanks, hormones!). The Persa-Gel 10 has 10% benzoyl peroxide—not for the faint of heart—so if I apply a small drop overnight for two or three days, my pimple will pretty much vanish without so much as a scar. It costs $5 and lasts FOREVER.
Used since: 2002
Tara Gonzalez, Assistant Editor
Rimmel London Lash Accelerator Mascara, $10
When I first learned about makeup, I made a lot of the mistakes. I wore blue and gold eyeshadow very casually, and then threw on a red lip for good measure. I thought I looked great, but I really didn’t. My mom walked into the bathroom one day (horrified at the aforementioned blue eye and red lip combo) and encouraged me to tone down my look and just wear mascara. She just watched a segment on the Today show—that show is her Bible—on the Rimmel Accelerator, and how it was a great mascara. They didn’t disappoint—this mascara really is the best and I practically worship it. If I don’t wear anything else, this is the one thing I can’t walk out of my house without applying. It lasts all day and makes my eyelashes look incredibly long, in a very natural way.
Used since: 2006
Jodi Taylor, Assistant Editor
MAC Bronzing Powder in Matte Bronze, $27
To be quite honest, it’s rare for me to stick to any one product for an extended period of time. That being said, this bronzer has somehow managed to remain a staple in my makeup bag for more than five years. I first came across it when I had misplaced my own and helped myself to my best friend’s bronzer when we were living together. There’s something about the matte effect it has that I absolutely love; it’s super buildable and blends really well. My guess is it will remain my go-to bronzer for another five years, if not more.
Used since: 2012
Samantha Sutton, Editor
Maybelline New York Great Lash Washable Mascara, $6
Admittedly, I’ll switch up my mascara from time to time, but I always find myself coming back to one: Maybelline’s Great Lash, which is a classic and the first I ever used, following in the footsteps of my mom. It makes my lashes *pop* like no other option, and even after all these years, it’s still an industry favorite (for good reason). Plus, once you factor in the price, you’ll realize that you really can’t beat it!
Used since: 2003
Leah Faye Cooper, Features Editor
Cargo Cosmetics Essential Lip Gloss, $16
Like most teens of the late ’90s and early aughts, I was crazy about lip gloss. I certainly wasn’t above a drugstore find, but during a trip to Los Angeles my father let me pick something out from the Barneys makeup department, and I immediately zeroed in on the Cargo glosses. To this day they’re my favorite—shiny but not sticky, with the perfect touch of pigment. I often layer them over matte lipsticks to brighten them up a bit. Cargo and I are nearing our twentieth anniversary, and I predict we’ll be together forever.
Used since: 2000
