Is there anything better than a cheap thrill?
IMO, small purchases add up and can make a big difference in how you look and feel.
I’m all for splurging on a product that is going to have a meaningful impact on my skin or state of mind, but there’s something about small indulgences that make me (sometimes literally) squeal with delight. For the record, my definition of a cheap thrill is anything that’s under $30—and I’ve personally purchased all of these.
The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Lash and Brow Serum ($14.50)
I don’t use a lash/brow serum religiously, but there’s always one hanging around. I like this one because the slightly-stiff applicator makes it easy to target the lash line and the somewhat-sparse tails of my brows.
Missing Person travel size ($26)
The buzz around this scent was too much for me to resist, but I wasn’t about to buy a full-size without trying it first. Fortunately I didn’t, because I found it to be a little too “basic” for my taste. On the bright side, I also bought a travel-size of the “Solar Power”—and this musky neroli was just what the doctor ordered for summer.
C.O. Bigelow perfume oil ($15)
I first started wearing a C.O. Bigelow rose perfume oil back in my NYC magazine days, and when a major beauty editor asked me what I was wearing at an event I gleefully handed it over to her. Fast-forward 20-some years, and although the “West Village Rose” isn’t what it used to be, it’s pretty fabulous when blended with the “Amber.”
Supergoop Lipshade ($24)
I like to go glam when on a tropical vacation, so I bought the fuchsia “Lucky Me” shade before our trip to the Dominican Republic last month. Packed with SPF 30, I wore it every damn day, and it has worked its way into my at-home lippie rotation as well. P.S. It has an amazing minty-sweet scent/flavor.
Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Heat Universal Lip Luminizer + Plumper ($26)
I’m calling it: This is THE lip gloss of summer ‘23. “Hot Cherry” serves up the best possible combination of plumping, shine and a pop of color—and the extra-large doe-foot applicator is everything.
Two Faced Lip Injection Plumping Lip Gloss ($26)
I always need a clear lip gloss in my bag, and this is (and always will be) my shiny, volume-boosting go-to.
AirPod cleaning kit ($8)
While outside of the beauty realm, I can’t express the amount of satisfaction this simple tool has given me. Seriously, I didn’t realize how GROSS my AirPods were until I actually cleaned them. I challenge you to see for yourself.