The 50 Best Beauty Products, According to Real Simple Editors

You're expected to juggle a million things at once, so of course you want your beauty products to do the same. These workhorses will shave minutes off your routine.

Nudestix Nudies Bloom All Over Dewy Color
Formulated for eyes, cheeks, and lips, this stick is the key to a five-minute face. Swipe, then buff with the brush.

To buy: $32; sephora.com

Stop rummaging through a sea of pencils only to extract the wrong one. Simply click which of the three eyeliner shades you want and finish with the red lip hue.

To buy: $32; neimanmarcus.com

This genius mist can be spritzed on damp hair prestyling, as well as on dry hair for touch-ups. Bonus: Its mane-taming powers last 48 hours.

To buy: $28; sephora.com

This soothing balm can be used from knuckles to knees or on any dry spots that need some TLC.

To buy: $28; marykay.com

The dreamy spalike scents take us from stressed to Zen in an instant, while the mousse texture doubles as a shaving cream.

To buy: $9.50; macys.com

There's not much this product doesn't offer your skin. It cleanses, tones, and enhances radiance. The one thing it can't do: protect itself when your friends try to steal it.

To buy: $38; sephora.com

A lipliner-lipstick hybrid—so brilliant, so overdue. The pointed tip is a bit darker than the rest of the bullet to define your shape without harsh lines.

To buy: $20; macys.com

Grapeseed oil quenches scaly skin but isn't greasy to the touch. You can also massage it into dry hair to promote silkier strands overnight.

To buy: $32; macys.com

We love a game-changing ingredient, a clever packaging twist, and a deceptively simple, "Why did no one think of this before?" mindblower. Drumroll for our favorite recent upgrades and launches...

Olay Clay Stick Mask
The draw-it-on stick takes away the mess of a mask, and there's a variety of formulas (pore-detox charcoal, glow-boosting pink mineral) to choose from.

To buy: $10; target.com

Each sheet is coated with bronzer, blush, or highlighter. Run one over cheeks and—voilà!—get a healthy glow sans brush.

To buy: $22; fleshbeauty.com

Like an eraser (or magic wand?) for pimples, this chic tube is packed with benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid to nix germs and inflammation.

To buy: $14; glossier.com

A few drops of this liquid mixed into your shampoo can cut styling time in half and leave strands silky and shiny.

To buy: $5; target.com

If you've had enough of fragrances that dissipate too quickly, try a stencil of scented ink you can see—and smell—until you shower.

To buy: $60; amkiri.com

Liquid vitamin C is strong but unstable (it goes bad easily). This powder formula stays fresh and powerful down to the last particles.

To buy: $20; sephora.com

Underarm discoloration is a common problem. This niacinamide formula fights hyperpigmentation as it reduces odor.

To buy: $7.50; walgreens.com

If you hate removing stubborn mascara, you're going to love this wax-free formula. It makes lashes big and bold but washes away with just water and a cloth.

To buy: $6; target.com

We've all struggled with a beauty challenge, inconvenience, or hassle. But when these products are by your side, there's nothing you can't handle.

Revlon Salon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer
Get salon results at home with this tool. Hot air dries hair as the oval brush pulls and smooths.

To buy: $57; target.com

Scooping ointment out of a tub is sloppy—and so passé, thanks to this sheer mist that locks in hydration.

To buy: $12.50; cvs.com

Modeled after semi-permanent microblading treatments, the three-pronged tip makes hairlike strokes to fill in sparse arches.

To buy: $10; walmart.com

For those who want to glow without glitter or camera filters, this sheer balm blurs fine lines, leaves a dewy finish, and catches the light.

To buy: $45; nordstrom.com

Nothing ruins a selfie like shiny skin. Dab your face with one of these oil-absorbing sheets and you'll be Instagram-ready.

To buy: $16; sephora.com

Mix a few of these coppery drops into your everyday SPF for a sun-kissed (but sunless) glow and a dose of antioxidants.

To buy: $36; sephora.com

This eucalyptus-and-mint combo refreshes your scalp as it eradicates buildup.

To buy: $0.50; walmart.com

Curly girls, rejoice! This blend of lightweight oils boosts bounce and defeats frizz.

To buy: $20; sephora.com

If you can wield a crayon, you can cover your roots—because running to the salon whenever a gray rears its wiry head isn't always an option.

To buy: $25; dermstore.com

The cooling mist is a good midday pick-me-up (especially in skin-parching office microclimates), plus it soothes and hydrates.

To buy: $13; target.com

When there's no time to shower after spin class, these generously sized, biodegradable wipes are the next best thing.

To buy: $14; nordstrom.com

Celeb facialist Renée Rouleau is considered the skin whisperer. This pot of gold clarifies and calms touchy skin.

To buy: $65.50; reneerouleau.com

They feel like a magic mani: These stick-on polish strips are easy to apply (no risk of smudging!) and last for up to 10 days.

To buy: $13; colorstreet.com

The secret to faking eight hours of sleep lurks in this jar. Its yellow hue counteracts blue-tinged undereye darkness.

To buy: $39; sephora.com

If we could bring only one thing to a desert island, it would be a cosmetics bag…stocked with all these trusty go-tos.

Smith's Rosebud Salve
Whether you apply every few minutes or just in dire circumstances, you'll love keeping this tin in your purse. 

To buy: $7; sephora.com

Sing it with us (and all the derms): Wear sunscreen every single day. It feels like a treat—not a chore—with this sheer mineral formula.

To buy: $36; dermstore.com

From farm to hair, these nourishing ingredients strengthen and preserve color.

To buy: $7; target.com

It's easy to be skeptical of brow gels—until you swipe this mini spoolie and tame hairs without getting crunchy.

To buy: $18; saiehello.com

Fancy dental care is totally worth it, and not just because the tube looks nice by the sink. This brand has yummy flavors and delivers a deep-clean feeling.

To buy: $10.50; sephora.com

Antioxidants, aloe, and sea kelp team up to stave off grease for days.

To buy: $7; walmart.com

It's a splurge, for sure. But the way that wand glides over skin to hide imperfections makes it worth every penny.

To buy: $73; nordstrom.com

Believe the hype: This little tool really does depuff and feel amazing.

To buy: $20; sephora.com

They might look like regular cotton swabs, but they're filled with makeup-erasing liquid to help fix smudges.

To buy: $8; meetalleyoop.com

One tube is sold every five seconds, and with good reason: A few strokes transform straight, sparse lashes into fluttery fringe.

To buy: $10; walmart.com

Ingenious, portable formulas mean you can travel light without sacrificing a single step of your beauty routine.

Elizabeth Arden Retinol Ceramide Capsules
Bring one of these single-dose tabs for each night you're away. You'll reap the anti-aging benefits of retinol without irritation. 

To buy: $48 for 30; macys.com

This baby is cute and discreet—small enough to stash in your gym bag, purse, and even desk drawer (for those stressy meetings). 

To buy: $5; target.com

These oil-infused wipes are humidity's kryptonite. Swipe one over strands and watch that frizz halo disappear.

To buy: $2; walmart.com

No bottle equals less waste. Plus, you don't have to haul these out for the airport X-ray. Win-win!

To buy: $5; target.com

These wipes have been getting the job done since 2004. They also come individually wrapped for on-the-road nights.

To buy: $5; target.com

Micellar water doesn't require rinsing, making this the perfect go-anywhere formula (in a TSA-friendly package!).

To buy: $3.50; cvs.com

This little razor punches way above its weight: It fits in your palm but boasts full-size blades.

To buy: $9; target.com

Swap conditioner for this miracle treatment. In just 60 seconds, it undoes all kinds of vacation-induced damage, like dryness, brittleness, and dullness.

To buy: $5; target.com

When sunscreen is this handy and this strong-but-sheer (zinc never felt so chic), you'll look forward to reapplying.

To buy: $45; skinbetter.com

With 14 scents to choose from, you can layer and play. Just swipe a "petal" wherever you'd usually spritz.

To buy: $24; pinrose.com