14 products the BEAUTYcrew Team can't live without

If you're ever in need of a makeup recommendation or a beauty tip or two — from beauty essentials for the office, to their lip combinations of choice, and even their all time favourite fragrances — Beauty Editors are the ones to bother. And with a whole team of them on staff here at BEAUTYcrew we're uniquely equipped to help you with all of your beauty-related needs. 

We're also down to be honest about the products we try too. In other words, there's no way we're co-signing a foundation or mascara without rigorously testing it first. So when we say that a product has reached holy grail status in our beauty routines, you know that it must be good. 

Want to discover which items we'd happily repurchase again and again? Ahead, BEAUTYcrew's Beauty Editors share the beauty products they simply cannot live without. 

Delaney Loane, BEAUTYcrew’s Editor

A concealer that can replace foundation

“After several years of being a ‘what do you mean you’re not wearing foundation?!’ type, I’ve finally made the switch to concealer only. As I grow out of my prior need to be as orange and covered up as possible (personal development and I’m proud), I prefer a lighter shade (I’m currently using 20S ‘Light Sand’) and a lighter touch. The Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer ($53 from Sephora) is the formula that got me there. I noticed I was preferring the look of my base before I went back in with a heavier foundation, and have since ditched the step altogether. Now don’t get me wrong — this is no ‘barely there’ type of concealer. It still behaves much like a light foundation, but only having to carry a small tube around in your makeup bag (instead of a big, breakable bottle) is a true triumph.”

A reliable and affordable liquid eyeliner

“I will simply never stop talking about this eyeliner. It’s the Rimmel London Glam’Eyes Professional Liquid Liner ($14.95 from Priceline) and it makes me look like I know how to do a consistently decent cat-eye when deep down (and 15 years in), I’m pretty sure it does all the work for me. I’m pretty sure the brand has tried to discontinue it several times as it regularly goes MIA from the shelves of supermarkets and pharmacies, but if they ever truly do, please spare me a thought because I may never leave my house again. I don’t feel like I quite look like myself without a wing and so I keep one in every purse. It’s currently still available at Priceline, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I have a set-and-forget Amazon subscription that makes sure my stash never runs low.”

A lightweight, versatile moisturiser

“The Paula’s Choice Pro-Collagen Peptide Plumping Moisturiser ($68 from Paula’s Choice) is a newbie for me, and yet two weeks into using it, it’s already a non-negotiable. I’m too scared to try anything other than skin care for signs of ageing, and this is the first product I’ve seen make a difference in blurring and softening the appearance of visible creases in my forehead. It’s a lightweight gel-cream moisturiser that I apply morning and night rather generously (it feels so nice on the face), and I will be restocking time and time again from now on. My face just feels bouncier after using it, and it gives the kind of glossy, fresh finish that means you don’t have to wear makeup when you don’t want to.”

Kiera Sylvester, BEAUTYcrew’s Social Editor

A shine-enhancing hair perfume

"My hair holy grail is the Gisou Hair Perfume ($77 from MECCA) it not only leaves my hair smelling divine with its honey-infused scent but also adds a subtle shine. The hair oil is a game-changer for taming my frizz and adding moisture without weighing my hair down."

A serum that primes skin for makeup

"The Merit Great Skin Instant Glow Serum ($61 from Merit). This serum is my secret weapon for achieving a natural, dewy glow. It's lightweight, hydrating, and provides the perfect base for makeup or even on its own for no-makeup days. It gives my skin a luminous finish and helps my makeup glide on smoothly."

A sheer, dewy blush

"I’m officially in my blush era, and I have no intention of leaving. There’s something about a sheer wash of colour on the cheeks (and a little across the nose, of course) that instantly makes me feel more awake, fresh, and pulled together. I’ve been loving Glossier’s Cloud Paint ($38 from MECCA)for that effortless, dewy flush it melts into the skin like a watercolour and gives me that soft-focus, post-beach glow. Honestly, if it doesn’t make me look like I’ve just stepped out of a French film or a Pilates class, I don’t want it."

Maddy Wilson, BEAUTYcrew’s Shopping Content Producer

A strong-hold, clear brow gel

"If there’s one thing you need to know about me, it’s that I am a brows girl through and through. Maybe it was the influence of the '10s YouTube era? Either way, my blocky brows have evolved (thank goodness) and now I much prefer a fluffy, yet still structured brow. I also happen to have the world’s most stubborn brow hairs which means the one product I swear by is the Unleashia Shaper Pomade Eyebrow Fixer ($11.80 from Beauty Amora). It’s a clear brow gel that holds my brows all day, no questions asked. It gives me fluffy, textured brows but can also be combed through to offer a laminated look if you want something more sleek. Even on days where I’m not wearing makeup, the Unleashia brow gel is a non-negotiable for me to leave the house."

A conditioning lip mask

"During winter, I always turn to an overnight lip mask, even throughout the day. So it should come as no surprise that I go through tubs of the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask ($31 from Sephora) every year. All their flavours and scents are amazing (I’m currently loving the limited edition Taro shade). The mask is super hydrating thanks to coconut oil, and I find I wake up in the morning without my lips feeling dry or crusty thanks to the Berry Fruit Complex that gently exfoliates the dead skin cells. I use it religiously throughout winter to repair dry lips, but it also works as a quick 10-minute lip mask before a night out, too!"

An anti-ageing face mask

"I have always been a ride-or-die face masker, but a new one I have tried recently has absolutely taken the cake. The O Cosmedics V8 Peptide Complex Mask ($83 from O Cosmedics) feels lifting, firming and ultra-hydrating, as well as leaving my skin literally looking like glass, which is a claim I don’t make lightly! It includes the brand’s V8 Peptide Complex — a blend of peptides and antioxidants that are designed to fight the signs of ageing — and the Snap 8 octapeptide, which aims to reduce fine lines. Normally I’d say, ‘A face mask won’t do that!’ but it does a really fantastic job at smoothing my areas of concern and making my skin look the best it’s ever been."

Emma Allcock, BEAUTYcrew’s Content Producer

A lightweight skin tint

"Over the years I’ve gone from the fullest coverage foundation on the market, to something akin to a skin tint. Why? Well, aside from no longer wishing to look like a literal cake, my skin is a thousand times better when it has a chance to breathe. Enter: Fenty Beauty Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint Foundation ($54 from Sephora). The lightweight skin tint does exactly what it says on the packet, it blurs, while still offering a decent level of coverage."

An illuminating blush topper

"I might not be the biggest blush girlie (a crime, I know, I know) but that doesn’t mean my cheekbones aren’t heavily adorned. I opt for a blush-ish toned highlighter that gives me a little bit of colour, shimmer and dimension without being overpowering for my already flush-prone cheeks. My go-to, perfect shade is the Rare Beauty Positive Light Liquid Luminizer in ‘Transcend’ ($48 from Sephora).

A gentle, hydrating cleanser

"As a beauty writer I’m regularly slathering all kinds of skin care on my skin. But my occasionally sensitive, blemish-prone skin doesn’t always agree with my haphazard ways. And when that happens, I turn to my favourite CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser ($17.99 from Priceline). The gentle gel-to-foam, moisture-boosting formula just works for my skin and it’ll forever be a product I find myself reaching for."

Briar Clark, BEAUTYcrew’s Beauty Editor

A brightening under eye concealer

“I have been genetically blessed with dark circles, so a brightening concealer that doesn’t crease or cake around my eyes is a non-negotiable part of my makeup routine. Even on the days that I’m wearing nothing else on my face, I can trust that Revlon Illuminance Serum Concealer in ‘Light’ ($14.97 from Chemist Warehouse) will add a bit of radiance back into my complexion, and blend seamlessly into my skin too. I’m talking about a completely undetectable finish here, people. Honestly, I have a hard time recommending luxury concealers to people now, knowing that this stuff can be found on the shelves at my local Chemist Warehouse.”

A cream blush that's easy to blend

“The older I get, the less I’m willing to compromise on blush in my makeup routine. It’s such an easy way to inject a youthful-looking radiance and flush back into my face on the days that I’m feeling extra haggard. Plus, a cream formula like Haus Labs By Lady Gaga’s Color Fuse Glassy Blush Balm Stick in ‘Glassy Lilac’ ($59 from Sephora) is a whole lot easier to apply when I’m in a rush. I usually layer a powder blush over the top of whichever cream formula I happen to be wearing that day, to ensure my cheek makeup lasts for a long time. However, if I’m not coming into the office or I’m on holiday, blending a bit of Haus Labs Glassy Blush Balm onto the apples of my cheeks is the easiest way to vamp up my complexion. It has an almost translucent finish that allows my skin to shine through, so it’s vibrant, but it still looks really natural.”

Main image credit: @lauraharrier

Love to do your research before you make a beauty-related purchase or try a new treatment? These are the best facials in Sydney, handpicked by the BEAUTYcrew Team.