I'm a Beauty Director on a Budget—How I Shop the Best Skincare Sale of the Year

I know this lip treatment looks a little wild, but once you apply it, it transforms into such a dreamy finish. I'm pretty much allergic to anything that feels thick or sticky on my lips, so I love how lightweight this one feels with the perfect amount of slip. Plus, since it's boosted with potent anti-aging ingredients like liquid crystal technology and peptides, your lips are actually getting a hit of high-quality nourishment and moisture. Pick this up—it will be your new obsession and is a good investment since chapped-lip season is just around the corner. 

This is the choice sunscreen among celebs (ahem, Sofia Richie and Hailey Bieber), editors, and skin experts alike. While it's great for literally everyone, it's an especially strategic add for those who are oily or acne prone. Personally, it's one of the only formulas that doesn't send my skin into a tizzy of clogged pore–induced breakouts. 

A growth factor serum is a cherry-on-top finishing touch to a well-rounded skincare routine. (Other musts include a great vitamin C, sunscreen, and retinol.) This specific formula from SkinMedica has amassed a loyal cult following and is pretty much considered the gold standard.

If you're dealing with any type of skin tone or texture issues, this potent niacinamide serum from Paula's Choice can help with that. It's currently on my fall wish list, as my skin always feels bumpier and more congested post-summer, and I've heard a large number of my other editor friends wax poetic about its smoothing powers.

I usually roll my eyes at any product that claims to instantly filter your face, but guys… this primer is the real deal. Any makeup you apply afterward will apply like butter, and everything just looks firmer, smoother, and all-around airbrushed—not mad at it!

This is truly a do-it-all product. Use it as a moisturizer, and let the elite ingredients—teprenone, antioxidants, vitamin C, peptides, and ceramides—work their magic. If you're consistent, your complexion will appear tighter, brighter, and supremely moisturized. You'll also be supercharging your skin's natural collagen and elastin production and protecting it from pollution and HEV light. 

This is such a beautiful facial oil. I personally buy it over and over again because it's one of the few oils that doesn't exacerbate my acne-prone skin, but really, any skin type will lap up the lush melding of squalane, jojoba, blue tansy, jasmine, and rose. 

Biotin makes me break out like crazy (yes, it's a thing), and since practically every hair-and-skin supplement contains gobs of it, I haven't been able to use most of the products on the market. So I've had to look at other types of formulas out there. I'm a big fan of high-quality collagen, but this one from Agent Nateur is, in my opinion, truly the only one worth the money. It's a collaboration with renowned functional medicine expert Will Cole, IFMCP, DNM, DC, and features marine collagen and pearl powder as its two hero ingredients. In each scoop, you get over 30 essential trace minerals like silica, magnesium, calcium, and potassium, which work synergistically to optimize hair, skin, and nail health. I love blending it into my smoothies, matcha, and coffee.

This is maybe my most-bought beauty product ever. I don't even know how many of these tubes I've gone through at this point! It's my number one secret for keeping my skin baby-smooth and ingrown-free post-shave, especially in those extra-delicate areas.

This iconic product from staple French beauty brand Avène is fabulous as a refreshing face mist alone, but I use it specifically for "skin flooding"—keeping my skin hydrated and better able to drink up ingredients between the different steps in my skincare routine. 

I'm on a mission for brighter, clearer skin this fall, and my fellow WWW beauty editor Kaitlyn McLintock can't stop talking about how effective these vitamin C–enriched pads are. Obviously, they're going in the cart!

I am someone who does believe in the power of a really great eye patch, but I know from experience that not all patches are created equal or deliver truly noticeable results. But I guess if anyone could make a truly transformative patch, it would be Augustinus Bader. (And yes, they contain the brand's iconic TFC8, or Trigger Factor Complex.) I applied these as a last-ditch effort before a night out and after a night of barely sleeping, and they really performed a nice little miracle under my eyes. My dark circles were notably less haunting, and my skin looked brighter and more taut. These have officially replaced all of my other old faithfuls. They are expensive, so I'll be reserving them for emergencies only and stocking up while they're on sale!

I know $102 is a steep investment for sunscreen, but this industry favorite is worth every penny if your budget has the bandwidth. You can wear it as a sunscreen or as a primer—it will make your foundation look magical—and the botanical-rich, nontoxic formula offers everything from providing UVB protection to softening the look of wrinkles and tightening up loose skin. It's a powerhouse investment you won't regret, especially if you snatch it on sale!

This is my favorite body moisturizer to ever exist, and it's truly the ultimate option as we head into fall and winter. Five different forms of hyaluronic acid (plus niacinamide, B-glucan, antioxidants, peptides, purified oat extract, and high-quality argan, grape-seed, and avocado oils) perform some kind of witchcraft that ensures the cream absorbs almost instantly while somehow lending the prettiest, longest-lasting glisten and hydration to your skin. Words cannot even describe my obsession. It just feels so rich and luxurious.

Meet my best-kept secret for a 10/10 slicked-back style. If you experience rampant baby hairs, flyaways, or bangs, try this pomade in stick form, and thank me later. 

I am very much team pre-shampoo treatments and find them so much more effective than traditional post-shampoo hair masks. And this one from French brand Leonor Greyl is legendary. Apply, brush through, and let it marinate for at least 10 minutes—although I prefer keeping it on all day or night. Afterward, shampoo, condition, and revel in how much shinier, softer, and all-around healthier your hair looks and feels.

I've mostly ignored the shine-spray category over the years simply because they usually tread too greasy and heavy for my fine hair. This one from Unite is new to my routine, and I'm extremely infatuated. I don't know why it doesn't get more attention! It delivers mirror-like glossiness but is ultra-lightweight, so it's impossible to use too much. (Still, if you're on the finer side, start slowly.) It's an anti-humectant and will keep everything smooth and flyaway-free, and it even has thermal and UV protection. I like to spray it on after my hair has air-dried and before I go in with an iron or waver.