"1000% buying again": 4 beauty experts share the products they loved to the very last drop.

In the never-ending Instagram grid of shiny, new beauty products, it’s hard to know which ones are worth your money and which ones aren’t.

Hot tip: The best sign of a genuinely decent beauty product is… an empty one.

If it’s been squeezed and flattened within an inch of its life or pulverised right down to the silver pan, you can trust it’s for good reason.

WATCH: How Dara Hayes transforms into DJ Tigerlily. Post continues after video.

In order to unearth some truly great beauty recommendations, we asked four women in the beauty industry to show us their most recent empties.

Keep scrolling for the skincare, makeup, hair and body care products they loved right down to the very last drop.

Hannah English, science-led skinfluencer (@ms_hannah_e).

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Hannah English (@ms_hannah_e) on Feb 1, 2020 at 2:17pm PST

1. Asarai Come Clean Cleanser, 75ml for $36.

Asarai Come Clean Gel cleanser is a gel-oil product suitable for makeup removal/a first cleanse. It has the most divine silky texture. This is one of my top five cleansers for sure – makeup just glides off! It’s fragrance-free (a bonus for sensitive skin) and nourishing with vitamin-rich Kakadu Plum extract, too.

2. The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser, $13.90 for 50ml or $34.90 for 150ml.

Works as a first cleanse or second cleanse. It’s a creamy oil-gel texture too, less oily and more creamy than the Asarai. I already have a new one of this. It’s fragrance-free too and never stripping, thanks to loads of squalane – a buzzy moisturising ingredient that mimics skin’s natural oils without clogging. For the record, it *does* come in a bigger tube.

BONUS: You can read Mamamia's review of The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser here.

3. Bondi Boost Hair Growth Conditioner, $32.95 for 300ml.

My hair grew so quickly using the Bondi Boost products. This conditioner is hydrating but lightweight so great for finer hair or for a co-wash on coarse hair. It also smells like candy canes... I’m scared to stop using it in case my hair goes back to how it was before, to be honest.

BONUS: You can read Mamamia's review of the Bondi Boost hair Growth range here.

4. Pureology Strength Cure Best Blonde Shampoo, $39.99 for 250ml.

This is Pureology’s strengthening line but with added purple tones to combat brass. I don’t understand why more brands haven’t made a shampoo that tones without drying, and addresses the full spectrum of needs for blonde hair! Genius! It's my current favourite blonde shampoo.

5. Davines Nounou Nourishing Repairing Mask, $44.95 for 250ml.

Nounou is… well, if you know, you know. Bleached, coarse, curly, or damaged hair are all smoothed and made new again with Nounou. It is EVERYTHINGGGG. I’ve finished about three of these now, and the magic is somewhere in the anti-static ingredients, hydration, moisturising oils for hair that needs weighing down, and an ingredient called dimethicone to trap it in. If your hair needs HELP, this will help. Will buy again forever.

6. Sebizole Shampoo 2%, $12.99 for 200ml.

If you’re prone to a flaky scalp, don’t waste your time with natural remedies. Just go to the pharmacy and get this. My flakes are gone after one wash, every single time. I use this about once a month and alternate with a colour toning shampoo to keep my blonde bright.

7. Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Moisturizer, $62 for 60ml.

This one does contain fragrance, although I wasn’t bothered by it. For me, it’s more of a hydrating serum than a full-on moisturiser. Perfect for me for summer! I think it would be great for oily skin types year-round. Or to just add some fun to your routine?

8. Zelens Triple Action Advanced Eye Cream, $147.20.

The texture of this, I’m telling you, phew. Gorgeous. It’s super silky with peptides to prevent puffiness and dark circles. It’s beautiful under makeup for me, but for those who need LOTS of under-eye moisture, you might find it’s not enough. I would absolutely buy this again and absolutely plan to.

Brittany Stewart, host of the Beauty Island podcast (@brittanybeautybts).

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Brittany Stewart (@brittanybeautybts) on Mar 2, 2020 at 1:02am PST

9. Ultra Violette Supreme Screen SPF 50+ Hydrating Facial Sunscreen, $45 for 50ml.

I have literally squeezed every last drop out of this. It’s seen me through a summer in Europe and a summer in Australia and has firmly earned a place in my routine. It's the perfect sunscreen skincare hybrid – lightweight and works brilliantly as a primer under makeup.

10. NIP+FAB Glycolic Fix Daily Cleansing Pads, $34.99 for a 60 Pack.

Chemical exfoliants (that use acid ingredients to dissolve dead skin cells) are great if you’re like me and are impatient to see the results of using any skincare product. This is gentle enough for my skin but still exfoliates skin to leave a noticeable glow after a few days.

11. Smashbox Photo Finish 24 Hour Eye Shadow Primer, $35.

I was always skeptical about whether eye shadow primer was even necessary – until I tried this. Now, I won’t ever do my eye makeup without it. Eye shadow stays without budging or smudging all day and all night.

12. L’Oreal Paris Paradise Mascara, $24.95.

Hands down, this is one of the best mascaras I’ve ever tried (and I’ve tried a lot!) of any price point. It lifts, separates, adds volume and is almost entirely smudge-proof too. Onto my fifth tube with no plans to stop.

13. Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water, $19.99 for 700ml.

This has been my saviour for lazy nights when I’m seriously deliberating leaving my makeup (the worst habit which I never do but the temptation is always there). It’s not my preferred makeup removal (love Face Halo or an oil cleanser) but it’s a good one to have.

14. Frank Body Express-O Coffee Scrub, $19.95 for 150g.

Again, I have squeezed almost all I can out of this and will soon be rushing out to repurchase. It’s slightly less messy than a traditional scrub and the texture is lovely and creamy. Plus, it smells like a fresh coffee – the best way to wake up in the morning! Skin feels lovely and smooth after.

15. Essence Make Me Brow Eyebrow Gel Mascara, $5.

This is the best budget eyebrow gel I’ve found. It's got a little bit of tint and a solid set for under $6 – an absolute bargain.

Alisha Bhojwani, beauty influencer (@lishyglows).

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Alisha (@lishyglows) on Feb 13, 2020 at 2:48pm PST

16. Feather & Down Sweet Dreams Pillow Spray, $24.99.

I literally can’t fall asleep without this product. It has a mixture of lavender and chamomile infusions which has been proven to increase the type of brain waves associated with relaxation. I love that the scent isn’t too overpowering – I keep three bottles on standby in case I run out.

17. Morphe Continuous Setting Mist, 23.

If you like a dewy finish to your makeup, you NEED this spray. It is the best damn setting spray I’ve ever come across. The mist is super fine, like… super… super fine. A little goes a long way but you’ll absolutely drench yourself in this every time you spray it. Wearing this, my makeup lasted through a night out dancing. The only con is I ran out in three months (I may have been using too much though).

18. Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base, $88.

I won’t lie, I had low expectations for this cream. The texture is super ‘gloopy’ and thick which made me a bit hesitant but boy was I wrong. A little goes a LONG way – it’s extremely hydrating but not oily and leaves a velvet finish. Works well as a primer too. I'd 100 per cent repurchase.

19. Recreation Bondi Beach JOYEUX Peony EDP, $109 for 50ml.

I’m not usually a fan of floral perfumes but this one has a great balance of floral and fresh so it’s not sickly sweet. It’s also all-natural and has banned single-use plastic in its manufacturing. I'm definitely repurchasing this brand but I'm keen to try their other scents – Stardust and Sun-Kissed are calling my name.

20. Hylo Forte 2mg Eye Drops, $34.95.

If you wake up with sticky eyes, get dry eyes throughout the day, are constantly tired or wear contact lenses, these drops will change your life. Take it from a girl who's had laser eye surgery and has tried every eye drop under the sun. They have the most genius application technique – the nozzle makes it super easy to deliver an exact shot into the eye (no streaky mascara!). It works instantaneously leaving your eyes moisturised for hours.

21. Lanolips 101 Ointment Multipurpose Superbalm, $19.

This SAVED my lips. The star ingredient lanolin has highly emollient properties that prevent water loss. The texture itself is thick and waxy and (again) a little goes a long way. Top tip: Exfoliate lips and apply it before bed and you'll wake up with soft, hydrated and plump lips. I think I’ve got about six tubes of this floating around in various bags.

Amy Clark, Mamamia's Senior Lifestyle Writer and co-host of the You Beauty podcast (@theamyclark).

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Amy Clark (@theamyclark) on Feb 17, 2020 at 1:25am PST

Side note – the Morphe Continuous Setting Mist and Ultra Violette Supreme Screen SPF 50+ Hydrating Facial Sunscreen are also on my empties list, I thoroughly concur with what Britt and Alisha said above. Now, onto some other great products I'm forever finishing.

22. Benefit Hoola Lite Bronzer, $54.

I'm yet to find a better bronzer and every time I get a glimpse of the silver bottom of this product's pan, I fear the day it crumbles into literal dust. I've been using this bronzer for about two years. It's the perfect matte, natural-looking bronzer that never looks muddy or orange. I use it in a '3' shape starting from my forehead, down my cheekbones and under my jawline, as well as a bit on my nose and across my eyelids as an eye shadow.

23. Beauté Pacifique Defy Damage Skin Repair Serum, $80.

My skin throws a tantrum whenever I run out of this serum unexpectedly... and it's always unexpectedly because the packaging means you never know when you're almost finished. It's a hydrating lotion consistency serum with the tiniest concentration of Vitamin A to target skin texture and fine lines without causing too much fuss. It's great for sensitive skin types who want to start using serious skincare, too.

24. Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour® Cream Lip Protectant Stick Sheer Tint SPF15 in Plum, $28.

I feel like a corpse without a tinted lip balm on (anyone else have translucent-coloured lips??) and I used this one from Elizabeth Arden right until the end. Yep, I still used it, even when it was scratching my lips to get it on. The formula of this product is everything you want from a lip balm – nourishing, long-lasting and non-drying – plus a really great red wine wash of colour. I have already re-purchased this product in more than one colour.

25. Ellis Brooklyn Sci Fi EDP, $48 for 10ml.

The moment I caught a whiff of this fragrance, I knew I loved it. But fragrances from Mecca are bloody expensive so I appreciated being able to purchase the low-commitment travel size version first to see if I'd love it as much on skin every single day. Spoiler: I did and went back to buy the full 50ml size as soon as this 10ml tube ran out. The scent is citrus vanilla that's really hard to describe. It's fresh and interesting and the tiniest bit sweet. It's also blue and looks really bloody cool sitting on my dresser.

Feature Image: Supplied/@theamyclark.

What beauty products do you use up again and again? Tell us about your recommendations in the comments below!

Sign up for our weekly "You Beauty" newsletter, where our beauty gurus impart all their wisdom and share their go-to products.