What does an American beauty editor buy from Cult Beauty? With brands like R+Co, Dr. Dennis Gross, and Anastasia Beverly Hills [1], the answer is quite a lot.
Before moving to London to work for POPSUGAR, I was a beauty editor in New York City for 11 years. And that doesn't count the year I spent working for a fragrance company. That's 12 years of eating, sleeping, and breathing beauty products — literally, in cases when perfume was involved or I was stuck backstage during Fashion Week in a small, cramped room inhaling hairspray fumes. After all those years, I know a thing or two about products. I can identify a lipstick solely by the outer packaging, a nail polish brand just by the shade name, a shampoo just by smelling it. These are strange and not very useful skills in the grand scheme of life, but if you ever need to identify a worn-out compact in your makeup bag or you find yourself during a pub quiz with a "beauty products" category, call me.
When I started out in beauty, the industry was nowhere near as global. During Fashion Week in Paris, Americans would spend hours perusing the pharmacie [2] to score bottles of micellar water and cans of L'Oréal Elnett (the OG formula), products they couldn't yet buy in the US. And without Sephora, beauty-lovers in the UK had to wait to visit the States to pick up certain brands that were exclusive to the beauty retail giant.
Things have changed a lot over the last decade, thanks to the internet and the ability to shop online. It's much easier to access the brands you want without having to book an international plane ticket. And UK ecommerce retailer Cult Beauty [3] has had a big hand in changing that. It carries so many American brands that you can't find anywhere else in the UK — Ellis Brooklyn, Playa, Milk Makeup, to name a few. It's an impressive collection, and where I've had to turn for many of my favourite hair, skin, and makeup products that I couldn't take with me on my move across the Atlantic. The following list of products includes some of the most sought-after creams, sprays, shadows, and lotions by beauty editors in the US (including POPSUGAR's own US beauty team!). Keep reading to find out why.
Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream
All the hype you've heard about Drunk Elephant is very, very real. The clean beauty brand's creams, serums, and lotions are incredibly effective but also super gentle — free of essential oils and not overladen with botanicals, both of which can make natural skincare products irritating to some complexions.
It's hard to choose a favourite from the line, but if you really made me pick, it would be the Drunk Elelphant Protini Polypeptide Cream [4] (£57) (runners up include the Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser [5] and the B-Hydra Serum [6]). The unscented moisturiser is incredibly hydrating — your skin actually feels bouncier after you've massaged it over your face — and plays nicely with any serum you apply underneath it.
Algenist Genius Sleeping Collagen
Collagen is the main structural protein in our skin. I've had a dermatologist liken it to a mattress frame because, like a mattress without a frame, skin without collagen starts to sag and crinkle. Unfortunately, the older you get, the less collagen you have, which is why products like the Algenist Genius Sleeping Collagen [7] (£88) exist. As the name suggests, this night cream is chock-full of collagen, which, when mixed with the brand's proprietary alguronic acid (a humectant that helps the skin retain moisture) and ceramides, helps leave the skin firmer, springier, and a lot more moisturised.
Lots of products say they contain collagen, but what makes this product stand out is that collagen is the first ingredient on the label, which means it makes up a decent chunk of the formula. But Algenist went even further. Unlike most collagen-spiked creams that contain collagen derived from animal sources, Algenist's collagen is made from plants, making it one of the only vegan options on the market.
Farmacy Sleep Tight Firming Night Balm
The Farmacy Sleep Tight Firming Night Balm [8] (£44) is spiked with echinacea, an ingredient that apparently does just as much good for your skin as it does for your immune system. Slather this rich balm on your face before heading to bed, and while you'll look a little shiny as you're sleeping, you'll wake up with skin that looks and feels smoother, plumper, and glowier. If you don't like the feeling of heavy creams on your skin, I'd say skip this one, but for everyone else, the Sleep Tight Balm transforms your skin overnight — and comes in super handy during the Winter when your skin starts to look a little dull and ragged.
Malin + Goetz Jojoba Exfoliating Cleanser
Long before the backlash surrounding gritty face scrubs bubbled to the surface, there was this supremely gentle face scrub from Malin + Goetz. Made with eco-friendly polylactic beads and jojoba meal, the Malin + Goetz Jojoba Exfoliating Cleanser [9] (£30) softly breaks down dead skin cells, leaving your complexion silky smooth without looking red or feeling irritated.
Allies of Skin Triple Hyaluronic Antioxidant Hydration Serum
I discovered the Allies of Skin Triple Hyaluronic Antioxidant Hydration Serum [10] (£74) after running out of a long-time favourite, and was so impressed I kept coming back for more. The formula contains three different types of hyaluronic acid: one with a low molecular weight, one with a high molecular weight, and one botanical form (called cassia angustifolia seed polysaccharide), which means it's ridiculously hydrating. But it doesn't stop there. The rest of the ingredients list reads like a who's-who of dermatologist-favourite skin savers, including peptides, resveratrol, and niacinamides.
Indie Lee Squalane Facial Oil
The Indie Lee Squalane Facial Oil [11] (£32) only contains one ingredient: squalane oil, which is made entirely from olives (not to be confused with squalene, which is derived from sharks' livers). Rich in fatty acids and antioxidants, squalane is extremely similar in composition to your skin's natural sebum, meaning when you apply this to your face, it will provide loads of hydration without clogging your pores. It also doesn't leave you looking and feeling greasy, making it a great option for any oil-phobes interested in trying out the skincare category for the first time.
Joanna Vargas Rescue Serum
Walk into Joanna Vargas's spa in New York City and you're bound to see a high-fashion model or famous actress. The aesthetician is one of the most sought-after aestheticians during award season, pampering the faces of A-list celebrities like Debra Messing [12], Eva Mendes [13], Elisabeth Moss [14], and more. And while it's not easy (or cheap) to get an appointment with Vargas, she has blessed us with a clean, plant-based skincare range to help replicate her in-spa regimen at home.
My favourite from the line is Joanna Vargas Rescue Serum [15] (£120), which contains hyaluronic acid, squalane, vitamin-rich chlorophyll (it gives the liquid a green tint, but don't worry: it goes on completely clear), and elderberry extract. After a week of applying this twice a day, before my face cream, I found my skin looked less red and felt more hydrated, while my foundation smoothed over my face like a dream.
Verso Hydration Serum 4
If you can't tell by now, I love a good hydrating serum, and not only does Verso Hydration Serum 4 [16] (£79) thoroughly quench thirsty, dehydrated skin (thanks to glycerin and niacinamide!), but it also just looks incredibly chic sitting in your medicine closet.
Sunday Riley Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment
In the States, Good Genes contains lactic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that helps exfoliate the dead cells sitting on the surface of your skin. Unfortunately, the UK and the EU don't allow lactic acid treatments to be sold with such a high concentration of the ingredient as the original Good Genes has, so the brand worked hard to make a comparable substitute.
The result is Sunday Riley Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment [17] (£85), which gives you the same head-turning glow, just with glycolic acid (another AHA) instead of lactic. While glycolic doesn't break down dead skin cells on the surface, what it does do is penetrate the skin to clean out all the gunk in your pores, making your skin look clearer and more radiant — a definite win-win.
Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask
The Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask [18] (£57) looks like peach jam, and the results it gives you are as sweet as the contents of the jar imply: the all-natural formula acts like an at-home peel, exfoliating away dead skin cells (thanks to white willow extract), cleansing and toning the skin (with pink clay), and increasing cell turnover (that would be the fruit enzymes). Leave it on for 20-30 minutes (10 if your skin is on the sensitive side), and you're left with a smoother, glowier-looking complexion. I love to use this before a big event or as a way to kick off my Sunday at-home spa day.
Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask
The beauty world went mad when influencers Marianna Hewitt and Lauren Gores Ireland launched their first skincare product, the Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask [19] (£42). And while the duo's Insta-fame helped garner initial buzz, it was their genius formula that kept people coming back for more. It's made to combat the dryness and dullness caused by stress and air travel, so I always make sure to toss a travel-size tube in my carry-on. And when I'm not flying, I like to use it as an overnight mask, layering it over a hydrating serum to really lock in all that moisture.
Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel
When it comes to at-home peels, I proceed with caution. My skin isn't sensitive, but it's temperamental, and strong active ingredients can quickly cause redness and irritation. The Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel [20] (£87 for 30 treatments), however, is a gentle-yet-effective chemical peel that I can use once a week without any issues at all. One of the first at-home peels on the market (in fact, it may be the first), it contains both alpha- and beta-hydroxy acids (as well as retinol and resveratrol) that help break down dead skin cells on the surface of your skin, which in turn brightens your complexion and clears out pores, and, over time and continued use, can even reduce the appearance of fine lines or dark spots.
Patchology Restoring Night Eye Gels
Slap on the Patchology Restoring Night Eye Gels [21] (£18 for five packs), and in five minutes, the ingredients in the hydrogels work to soothe, hydrate, and de-puff your delicate under-eye skin. And even though the packaging says "night," I like to use them in the morning — to eradicate the signs of a long evening working or catching up with friends — or as part of my pre-makeup skin prep before a big event.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick
Yeah, yeah, I know Kylie Jenner had a lot to do with putting liquid lipstick on the map, but so did Anastasia Beverly Hills, which launched its long-wearing liquid formula at around the same time (both came out in 2015). In my opinion, the Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick [22] (£20) is one of the best options on the market, not just because the staying power is mind-blowing (you can house a burger and chips and it won't budge), but also because it comes in a whopping 33 shades, a range that includes something for everyone: easy-to-wear neutrals, statement-making reds and pinks, and even a few unexpected hues like teal and purple.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz
Another star product from ABH is the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz [23] (£23), a product loved by makeup artists, beauty editors, and influencers alike. The ultraslim, retractable pencil allows you to draw fine, hair-like lines, making it simple to both fill in sparse patches or shape wimpy tails and arches. And once the pigment is on your skin, it's not going anywhere until you wash it off at the end of the day.
Stila Cosmetics Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow
The Stila Cosmetics Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadows [24] (£24 each) are a foolproof way to wear glitter on your lids. Available in a number of metallic hues (my favourites include Kitten Karma, Smoky Storm, and Rose Gold Retro), the liquid formula spreads over your lids like a (nonsticky) gloss but is so densely packed with sparkle, you'd swear it was loose glitter once it dries. Two to three layers is enough to fully cover your lids, and once it sets, that glitter isn't going anywhere until you want it to.
Kevyn Aucoin The Volume Mascara
Don't be fooled by the tiny wand, the Kevyn Aucoin The Volume Mascara [25] (£22.50) adds serious length and volume to your lashes. The tubing formula won't flake or smudge throughout the day but easily comes off with warm water and a cloth — no eye makeup remover needed.
Jillian Dempsey Lid Tint
Makeup artist Jillian Dempsey counts actors Kristen Stewart [26], Emilia Clarke, and Julia Roberts [27] as clients — and pretty much every beauty editor in the industry as fans. Her products are all about ease: eyeliner pencils that glide across your lash lines with ease, sheer cheek tints that you quickly can blend onto your skin with your fingers, and my personal must have, the Jillian Dempsey Lid Tint [28] (£26.50), which you can either smudge across your lids with a finger or apply with her mini fan brush, which makes executing smoky eyes as simple as executing smoky eyes can get. Bronze (shown here) is the perfect colour to enhance lids without a ton of colour and looks especially nice in the Summer paired with mascara, bronzer, and a coral stain on the lips.
Rituel de Fille Ash and Ember Eye Soot
I first discovered Rituel de Fille on makeup artist Fiona Stiles's Instagram (who stocks the products on her own e-commerce website, Reed Clarke [29]) and have been obsessed with everything they've launched since. Founded by three sisters — Caroline, Michelle, and Katherine Ramos (two of whom are makeup artists) — the all-natural cosmetics line is inspired by alchemy and astrology, with everything about the brand feeling very mystical and magical, from the hauntingly beautiful pigments down to the potion-like bottles and celestial shade names.
With such unique colours and formulas, it's hard to believe that the products are completely natural, free of parabens, phthalates, synthetic dyes, and synthetic fragrances (they're cruelty-free, too). And one of the most unique of the bunch is the Rituel de Fille Ash and Ember Eye Soot [30] (£30), which are pots of shimmering pure pigment that have a texture between a cream and a powder and can be used as a shadow, liner, or a base for a loose shimmer or glitter.
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara
A mascara that needs no introduction. Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara [31] (£22) may not actually be better than sex, but it's damn good at giving you long, lush, feathery lashes without having to put on a pair of falsies.
Huda Beauty Rose Gold Remastered Palette
Huda Kattan's Huda Beauty Rose Gold Remastered Palette [32] (£56) is so beautiful, I would honestly be content just staring at it. But that would be a waste of a very, very good eye shadow palette. A reformulated version of the original Rose Gold Palette, the foil-like shadows along the top row are densely packed with both sparkles and pigment (this formula is truly unlike any other powder shadow on the market); the metallic shades are so finely milled they almost feel creamy to the touch, while the matte and pearl shades give you an opaque layer of colour with just one swipe of a brush or finger. And that's not even getting into the shade range, which includes a range of pink hues in a variety of finishes, a selection of neutral tones that can be worn every day — even to work — as well as the blackest-black powder that transforms into an inky liner when you apply it with a wet brush.
It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream SPF 50+
Unlike a tinted moisturiser or BB cream, the It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream SPF 50+ [33] (£31) packs some serious pigment. No really, one quick pump of this stuff covers redness and discolouration as well as any full-coverage foundation. The difference is that it's creamier and is pretty much a skincare cream in addition to a complexion product, due to the fact it includes hyaluronic acid (for hydration), collagen (for firming), fruit oil extracts (for the antioxidants), and a high-power SPF 50+ to protect your skin from the sun. I love this on days when I know I'm going to be outside for long periods of time. The only downside is the limited shade range.
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Champagne Pop
Becca offers its fan-favourite powder highlighter in 15 shades on the Cult Beauty website, but it's the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Champagne Pop [34] (£30) that I suggest giving a go. Originally a limited-edition shade, the demand for the peachy-pink highlighter was so great (25,000 compacts sold in the first 20 minutes it became available on Sephora) that Becca eventually added it to the permanent collection.
The formula of the Shimmering Skin Perfectors is lovely — the powder is finely milled yet packed with pigment, while the shimmer particles are so small that they're practically undetectable. But Champagne Pop is extra special because of the colour: a peach powder with gold flecks, the shade contains both warm and cool tones (peach is a blend of yellow and pink), meaning it makes any skin tone it touches look absolutely radiant.
Milk Makeup Holographic Stick
The Milk Makeup Holographic Stick [35] (£24) is one of the brand's most popular products in the States, beloved for its easy-to-use, brush-free applicator, vegan formula, and holographic shade range. While they may look lavender (Supernova), pink (Stardust), or peach (Mars) in the tube, once they go on skin, the cream luminizers create a multifaceted, otherworldly glow that changes colour and opacity depending on how the light hits it.
Hourglass Confession Ultra Slim High Intensity Refillable Lipstick in My Icon Is
At my previous job, I was one of nearly 12 beauty editors, and we all tried this blue-red lipstick shade. We all had different skin tones and undertones, but believe me when I say it looked good on every single one (yeah, we were shocked, too). The Hourglass Confession Ultra Slim High Intensity Refillable Lipstick in My Icon Is [36] (£31) looks like a dangerous weapon in the tube, but the slim bullet makes applying the buttery, richly pigmented formula across your lips a breeze — without so much as a skip or a smudge in sight.
Kosas Weightless Lipstick
The Kosas Weightless Lipsticks [37] (£26 each) don't contain parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, propylene glycol, phenoxyethanol, and synthetic fragrance. What they do contain are a rich blend of natural butters (mango seed, shea, cocoa seed) and oils (green tea, rosehip, jojoba, and sweet orange). The ultranourishing formula glides effortlessly across lips, leaving behind a layer of opaque pigment that feels feather light on your lips. Cult Beauty carries eight shades from the collection, each and every one universally flattering, according to the brand.
Beautyblender
The Beautyblender [38] (£17) needs no introduction. The latex-free, hot-pink makeup sponge revolutionised the beauty industry, making it easier for makeup artists and consumers alike to achieve a natural, flawless-looking finish when applying complexion products. But what's made the Beautyblender so loved is that it does way more than put on foundation. You can use it with cream blushes, bronzers, highlighers, and eye shadows, and the cone shape allows you to not only apply, but to also blend, blur, pick up excess product, clear away mistakes, and touch up throughout the day. And here's a little-known fact: you can use it with powders, too.
Herbivore Coco Rose Body Polish
When I moved from New York City to London, I had to get rid of a lot of the big beauty stuff I owned — body wash (tear), body lotions (crying), perfume bottles (legit sobbing). But if there was one thing I wasn't getting rid of, it was my unopened jar of Herbivore Coco Rose Body Polish [39] (£32). This is the most luxurious body scrub I've ever used. Superficially, it looks gorgeous in the shower and smells heavenly (a subtle blend of raw coconut and rose petals). But how it leaves your skin is really the amazing part: the sugar granules (very) gently buff away dead skin, while the coconut oil in the formula hydrates your skin so thoroughly that you don't even need to follow up with body lotion after you've stepped out of the shower.
Ellis Brooklyn Myth Eau de Parfum
Founded by a former beauty editor in Brooklyn, Ellis Myth gets a place on this list because the brand reminds me of home and weekends spent getting brunch in Williamsburg or biking through Greenpoint with my sister. But it's not just the nostalgia factor; Ellis Brooklyn Myth Eau de Parfum [40] (£80) is honestly one of my favourite scents of all time (it's one of the only ones that came to the UK with me). I consider the fragrance a "nude scent" because, to me, it evokes the smell of naked skin. It's creamy yet delicate (thanks to orchid and musk), floral yet clean (that would be the jasmine and pink lotus), and sexy in the most understated way.
Sigma Kabuki Brush
The synthetic bristles of the Sigma Kabuki Brush [41] (£20) are densely packed and cut straight across, making this a great tool for laying down and buffing foundation and concealer onto your skin without a single streak or splotch.
Rahua Classic Shampoo
Rahua has a wide range of all-natural haircare products, but I still consider the star of the line to be the Rahua Classic Shampoo [42] (£32). Besides the fact that it's vegan and sulfate-free (both big pluses), it leaves your hair incredibly soft and your scalp very, very clean — without making your skin feel tight or itchy.
Virtue Restorative Treatment Mask
The Virtue Restorative Treatment Mask [43] (£54) is another product I brought with me from the US because I didn't want to arrive in London with my hair looking like straw. The incredibly rich conditioner contains an ingredient called Alpha Keratin 60ku. Found in the entire Virtue line, the Alpha Keratin 60ku protein is supposed to be identical to the natural keratin in your hair, which the brand promises latches onto the damaged spots along your hair strands to fill them. What I can tell you is that my very dry, very highlighted ends feel like silk after slathering this on in the shower and leaving it for about five minutes — and my friends with curly hair and bleached blonde hair have said the same thing. I've only lived in London for three months and I'm already through the jar I brought — I use it that much.
Living Proof PHD Dry Shampoo
I am the perfect candidate for dry shampoo: my hair is fine and I work out a lot, meaning my roots get greasy quickly. I'm pretty sure I've tried almost every single dry shampoo formula out there and, to be honest, there are only three that don't gunk up my roots even more and weigh down my already limp strands of hair. The Living Proof PHD Dry Shampoo [44] (£18) is one of those three. It works a bit differently than most dry shampoos because the powder in the formula removes excess oil and sweat rather than absorbing it, leaving your hair (almost) as light and airy as it was pre-workout or on the first day after a blowout.
That means you have to use it a bit differently: Spray the powder throughout your roots, wait 30 seconds for the powder in the formula to sop up all the excess oil and sweat, then massage and shake out your roots with your fingers or a brush. You'll actually see the white flakes falling out of your hair, but don't worry, that's not dandruff. That's just all the dirt in your hair being lifted away.
Playa Endless Summer Spray
California-based hair brand Playa had me hooked the minute I spotted its cool white-and-gold bottles. Luckily, it wasn't just a line of pretty packages. I especially love the Playa Endless Summer Spray [45] (£19), which uses sugar cane (instead of alcohol) and sea salt to coax soft bends out of my not-quite-straight, not-quite-wavy hair texture. It's beachy waves without having to go to the beach — and without having to deal with the knots and tangles that come with it.
R+Co Waterfall Moisture + Shine Lotion
If you're not familiar with R+Co, well, you should be. The innovative haircare and styling brand was founded by three of the best hairstylists in the biz: Garren, Thom Priano, and Howard McLaren (who also worked on product lines for Toni & Guy and Bumble & Bumble). They make a ton of interesting and unique products, including a Dry Shampoo Paste [46] and Pomade Stick [47], but the product I use most is the R+Co Waterfall Moisture + Shine Lotion [48] (£25). It's a supremely lightweight hydrating lotion, making it perfect for fine, coloured hair like mine. I use it as a prep when my hair is wet — before blow drying or air drying — but most of the time I use it once my hair is already dried and styled, running it through my ends and face-framing pieces of hair to add shine and calm down frizz.
Slip Silk Scrunchies
I and every other beauty editor in the States are obsessed with Slip's silk pillowcases [49]. Whereas cotton can tug at your hair and your skin while you sleep, the high-grade, long-fibre mulberry silk used in Slip's pillowcases helps reduce friction, leaving your hair silkier and less frizzy and, if you're a side sleeper, your skin less creased when you wake up.
But what I now can't go to sleep without are Slip's Silk Scrunchies [50] (£39 for a three-pack), which are made of the same pure silk as the pillowcases. Hairstylists consistently gave me grief for the breakage along the middle of my hair, which they attributed to sleeping with my hair tied up in a regular old elastic band. And while I probably still shouldn't sleep with my hair up, at least I know the silk scrunchies aren't wreaking as much havoc on my hair; not to mention they leave my hair less creased in the morning (meaning I can also hit snooze a couple extra times before work).