As a composition-happy, magazine-obsessed girl growing up in the aughts, a beauty editor was the one and only thing I wanted to be when I grew up. It’s not lost on me how lucky I am to have actually landed the career I always dreamed of, and there really isn’t a single thing about my job that I don’t love. That being said, and this may sound strange, but I do miss the casual in-person shopping trips that made me fall for beauty in the first place. These days, so many amazing products are sent straight to my doorstep for testing (I know, rough life!) that there’s really no need for me to stop at a favorite retailer like Ulta unless I’m buying gifts or am in dire need of a specific product re-stock.
That being said… whenever I do find myself meandering the aisles of an Ulta store, I feel 15 again and have zero impulse control when it comes to the contents of my shopping basket. I rarely make it out of the store under $250 and my most recent trip featuring 12 products did a $272 number on my credit card. (Although averaging about $22 per product isn’t that bad?!) Regardless, this particular haul was too good and too worth it not to share—keep scrolling to find out which products I’d immediately add to your Ulta cart!
NYX Professional Makeup
The Brow Glue Crazy Lift
What can I say, BeautyTok got me with this one! In all my years of doing makeup, I’ve never—not once—used brow gels. And yet, this clear 24-hour hold formula from NYX has finally broken the spell. I know lots of brow gels promise a lamination-like effect, but they’ve never delivered for me. This one lifts, flattens, and pretty much plasters my brows to my skin (in a good way, I promise) with zero flakes or goop. I’m obsessed, and it’s even lasted through super-sweaty workouts.
Real Techniques
Bubble Blending Multipurpose Makeup Brush
This $12 brush can do anything and everything better than its more expensive counterparts. I’ve seen celebrity makeup artists gush over its blending powers, and the ultra-soft feel and handily rounded “bubble” shape allows you to easily hit hard-to-blend areas like under the eyes and around the nose.
Color Wow
Travel Size Dream Coat Supernatural Spray
There is simply no better formula for ultra smooth, hydrated, and glassy strands. I had to pick up a mini because I refuse to travel without it—it’s what I call good hair day insurance.
Saltair
Body Wash in Salt Water Vanilla
Ugh. The way I am obsessed with this Salt Water Vanilla body wash from Saltair. The scent (vanilla, sea salt, and sandalwood) is heavenly, it lathers beautifully, and it never leaves my skin feeling dry, tight, or itchy post-shower. I also plan to re-stock the matching body oil the second I run out.
Morphe
Chromaplus 6-Pan Eyeshadow Palette in Outer Spice
I rarely wear eye shadow, but when I walked by Morphe’s Chromaplus palettes, I just had to have one. The photo online can’t really do it justice—just wait until you see this one in person.
BYOMA
Hydrating Milky Toner
There is a very popular, very viral milky toner on the market that gets all of the attention and hype. Yes, that one is good, but this one is better and more affordable. (It’s also so insanely good for pre-makeup skin prep!)
L’Oréal
True Match Lumi Glotion Natural Glow Bronzing Enhancer
I call this my $18 hack for flawless skin. It blurs, hydrates, bronzes, and adds the perfect amount of glow to the face. It’s a true multitasker, so feel free to use it on its own, as a primer, or even mixed into and/or dabbed on top of your makeup as more of a highlighter. This is another makeup artist drugstore favorite—see here for proof!
Kenra Professional
Volume Spray 25
Salon blowout hair, bottled. I’ve spent the last year trying to figure out why my hair looks (and lasts!) so much better when my hairstylist styles my hair compared to when I do it. I use pretty much all of the same products she uses at the salon, and I’ve even mastered her exact technique for beachy waves. Turns out, this finishing spray is the culprit. It’s the one thing she uses that I don’t, so I had to change that. It adds shine, hold, volume, and 72-hour humidity resistance!
Lemme
Sleep: Sleep Tight Gummies
I’m not a good sleeper, and these gummies from Lemme have pretty much changed that. The berry flavor is great with no weird aftertaste, and the strategic mix of melatonin, magnesium, and botanicals ensures I sleep like a baby.
‘Ôrəbella
Eternal Roots Parfum Travel Spray
I’m so in love with the brand new ‘Ôrəbella scent, Eternal Roots, that I had to grab the travel size. The brand describes it as a “woody fruity” fragrance, which feels pretty spot on to me. It’s lush, juicy, earthy, and just sweet enough to keep it mellow and skin-like. It’s how I’d imagine forest fairies would smell after a rain shower. Need more convincing? I highly recommend watching our NYC office review.
HOURGLASS
Phantom Volumizing Glossy Balm in Trace
I swear I own almost every single shade of the Hourglass glossy balms, and it’s still never enough! This is my ride-or-die lip product that has pretty much made the rest of my lip collection obsolete. It’s everything I need in one product (shine! pigment! plumping!) and Trace—a very chic and versatile shade of beige—is my latest fixation. (However, Invite, Haze, Rise, Desire, and Impulse are also frequent flyers in my rotation.)
Dolce Glow
Lusso Self-Tanning Mousse in Medium to Dark
This stuff is expensive but so worth it if you’re someone who self tans. The color is the most natural I’ve found (not too orange and not too green—IYKYK) and it looks fresh for days and days after you’ve applied. It doesn’t streak, it keeps the skin moisturized, and it dries quickly so you don’t feel like a swamp creature for hours post-application. How long you leave it on will determine how deep your tan will be—you can rinse off in two hours if you want a light glow, but I usually let it marinate for at least six hours to get the rich tan I love.
