Ah, beauty products. I love them. I love using them, thinking about using them, and finding new ones I love to use. I love it when I find beauty products that I can’t live without, and I also love getting a great product at a bargain price. Read on for the list of beauty products to love in 2021.

• CeraVe PM and AM facial moisturizing lotion – These are amazing and provide the right amount of moisture – not too heavy, not too light. They also pair well with serums and face oils, which I love, and work well with makeup. My dermatologist turned me on to these, and for good reason.

• Humphrey’s Lilac Witch Hazel – This witch hazel feels so luxurious on your skin and smells heavenly, but is available at Sprouts and other health-food grocery stores. I love swiping this on my skin. It gives my face an extra layer of clean and helps me know my makeup is off at the end of the day. It also helps prep my skin for other products and helps keep it clear.

• Carmex Lip Balm – I love Carmex Lip Balm in cherry or strawberry. I’ve yet to find a better lip balm in 38 years of life. Come at me.

• Sephora lip gloss – This lip gloss has the perfect texture and stays on a long time. It doesn’t have a weird flavor and feels good on my lips. Plus, it makes them look pretty and comes in a ton of shades.

• Bumble and Bumble Brilliantine – This little gold tube of goodness is just the right texture for my hair and gives it that extra something that’s always needed after a blowout. It helps tame flyaways and gives a bit of separation. I use it whether I’m wearing my hair curly or straight, and it really is the business. It smells good too.

• Bumble and Bumble Thickener – Since we’re on Bumble and Bumble, this spray is my favorite. I use a little at the crown and I love the way it smells. It helps a ton on days when I need something to help my hair look more full, and this has done the trick for years. I love this spray so much. I don’t use it all the time, but it makes me happy just looking at the bottle.

• Eminence Firm Skin Acai Booster Serum – I love serums and face oils. I stumbled on to this serum on a Portland trip years ago and it never makes me break out or feels heavy on my skin. Instead, it feels refreshing and really helps make my combination skin feel more moisturized and plump without feeling greasy or like it’s too much.

• Blume Meltdown – This face oil claims to zip away acne and blemishes in a hot minute. What I love about it is the way it makes my skin look and feel. It does keep my skin clear, but it also keeps my skin looking good and dewy. I don’t love the smell, but it’s worth it for what this does for my skin.

• Origins Clear Improvement face mask – I’ve used this since high school, so for more than 20 years. This is a must-have for me. Try it if your skin needs a little clearing overall or a detox. You’ll be happy you did. It’s so, so good.

• Sephora sheet masks – I slept on these until just recently. I bought a couple during the pandemic to test out, and now they’re part of my regular routine. The skincare products on them are great, and my skin feels like I stepped out of a spa after using one of these.

• Lancer The Method: Polish – This is true luxury. This is the perfect exfoliator, and I haven’t used one that feels better to me than this one by Lancer. I love it, and a little goes a long way.

• Mario Badescu Glycolic Foaming Cleanser – This is the only other product I use to keep my face exfoliated. It was recommended to me at the original Mario Badescu in Manhattan, along with the brand’s Temporary Lifting Mask, which is also a revelation. I also love the Enzyme Cleansing Gel, pictured above. BTW, if you haven’t used Mario Badescu products before – why?

• Kiehl’s Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser – I love Kiehl’s products in general, but this face wash has been with me for 10 years. It was recommended to me by the woman who worked in the Kiehl’s store inside the Portland airport in 2010, and I haven’t looked back. I use other face washes on a regular basis, but I use this one a few times a week to help manage my skin. It’s perfect for my skin type and I like the texture. My face also feels super clean when I’m finished, which is something I quite enjoy.

• MAC Pro Longwear Concealer – This is my secret makeup weapon. I didn’t even wear concealer before 2019, but then I met this product. It changed the entire way I do my makeup. I wear much less eye makeup now overall, and am happy most days to just wear this with a tinted moisturizer and mascara. This one concealer really changed my life. I know that sounds super dramatic, but it did. It also really works great as a highlighter when you’re going for that. And, this little container lasts forever. It’s super concentrated so you only need a tiny bit. My advice? Go to the MAC counter, get your proper shade, and be happy. Just make sure to keep your undereye area nicely moisturized.

• Urban Decay Perversion Mascara – A friend I love dearly shaded this product, but I wholeheartedly disagree. I keep trying mascaras and this one is hands-down the best I’ve ever used. It really stands out above all the rest and never disappoints. A close second for me would be Thrive Causemetics’ Liquid Lash Extension Mascara.

I love beauty products and have tried so many in my 38 years, but these are the ones I currently can’t live without that have been getting me through the pandemic. If you have products you love, I’d love to hear about them in the comments.

Laura