Beauty is undeniably a saturated market. As we as consumers become more educated, our favourite brands are keeping up and delivering us better and better products. Walk into any department store, beauty boutique or pharmacy and you'll find a wide array of researched and scientifically-backed products to choose from. These days, there are many high-quality products on the shelves.

But, there are some products that stand out from the rest. Certain selects that connect with our personalities, brands that match our ethics and formulas that always perform. Behold, our list of our beauty essentials. Keep reading to discover the products we always come back to, the ones we buy again and again.

Stacey Gaskin

Consumer Revenue Manager

When I think of beauty essentials, my mind goes straight to lips. A long time fan of YSL lipstick (my all time favourite to this day is the Rouge Pur Couture in NU MUSE), I have heard the news on YSL Beauty's Lovenude collection landing in Australia, and can't wait to try it. I also love COPINI – they have awesome multipurpose, on-the-go products. Powerplay in Teddy is amazing for contouring all areas of the face, but I always use it around the lips to blur and define.

Depending on my mood, my day to day complexion products are a mix of bareMinerals' Complexion Rescue or MERIT's The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick. As both product names suggest, they are fabulous in their own forms for evening out my complexion. For spots, Kosas' Revealer Concealer always wins (for me).

Leif is known for their incredible scents, and I am obsessed with their Flannel Flower Hand Balm. Notes of cedarwood are sentimental to me, and I love the texture of this balm – super nourishing.

For skin I could include so many loves, but I will keep it brief with a couple I'll always need on a deserted island. In no particular order: La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5+, TWYG's Restorative Hydration Cream, MUKTI's 2-in-1 Resurfacing Exfoliant, and a new favourite: Aesop's Resolute Facial Concentrate. Lastly, I must not forget my Mason Pearson brush!

Emily Algar

Beauty Editor

As I’m sure you can imagine, there are many beauty essentials I swear by. Given my job, I’ve tried a lot of stuff – I have pretty exacting taste when it comes to what I’ll use/repurchase. For skincare, I am a Rationale girl. The night cream is my holy grail. I also adore Biologique Recherche P50 – it’s as good as they say. Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream, Medik8 Advanced Peptides MP, Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum, iS Clinical Active Serum and Cicaplast are all holy grails. I am a huge fan of Biba de Sousa, as well. Her zinc mask is amazing. For my body, I love Osea Oil, ABHATI Suisse or the Necessaire Body Serum. Tronque is also divine. I also love anything wellness related: I’ve taken The Beauty Chef Glow for a decade. And I love Par Olive Pearl Marine Collagen.

Makeup I’m pretty edited: CHANEL Water Tint and Baume Essentiel, NARS concealer, Anastasia Beverly Hills brow definer, Ellis Faas foundation, Merit Flush Balm, Westman Atelier lip products. Anything Fara Homidi… And I love the new YSL Lovenude Lip Blusher Lipstick. The finish is like cashmere – it plumps in such a believable way.

Cassandra Dimitroff

Features and Production Editor

When you get to try as many beauty products as we do at RUSSH, the threshold for what constitutes as ‘essential’ feels elevated. Not just any great product makes the cut, but there are – once or twice a year – a couple of essentials that have made my re-buy list. The most recent additions have been the YSL Beauty Lovenude Kiss Shaper Liner in Sienna Rebel (I’m addicted to a great lip liner), a MUJI Toothbrush (my dentist always says to find a small-headed brush and this one’s tiny) and the Living Proof PhD Advanced Clean Dry Shampoo (as a greasy haired girl, wow this does the trick and smells salon-worthy). They join the CHANEL Beauty Baume Essentiel in Transparent (an instant pick-me-up for dull skin – it gets you so many skin compliments without the sparkle), MERIT’s Solo Shadows (the perfect, applied-with-fingers wash of colour), the Sandor Grounding Shampoo and Grounding Conditioner (my hair has NEVER been so buttery soft), the KOSAS Sport Lip Balm (nothing more hydrating – I really kind of hate a gloss when I’m not going out), and last but not least – the Nécessaire Body Wash, specifically in the Olibanum scent. Heaven.

Mia Steiber

Digital Strategy Director & Associate Publisher

Having spent many full and vibrant years writing beauty content, I have a well curated list of favourites that I always have on hand. These days it’s hard for me to put together a beauty routine without Medik8. Right now I’m using the niacinamide + peptide serum for day and the crystal retinal at night. Emma Lewisham’s Illuminating Oil Cleanser has been my go-to for years. The secret is to massage it in for at least four to five minutes. After a week, you’ll have a new face. With so many active serums in my routine, my daily moisturiser is quite simple; Embryolisse, Avene or La Roche Posay, I check what’s on offer at Adore Beauty. For the body, my essential is Grown Alchemist Restorative Body Cream.

Sunscreen is always Ultra Violette Fave Fluid as it doesn’t break me out. I wear the Drunk Elephant’s bright drops over the top in lieu of foundation and simple makeup that has barely changed in years: Sephora mascara, YSL Beauty Touche Éclat concealer, Flavedo blush and either the Summer Fridays or Merit lip liners with a balm, currently using Dior Lip Glow.

As for hair, I mix up my shampoo and conditioner frequently, but my all time favourite is the Shu Uemera Reset duo. For aftercare, Sisley Hair Styling The Cream is my ride or die but the new K18 Leave In Repair Mask is also incredible. I’ve also just tried the new Typebea pre-wash hair mask which might soon find a permanent spot on my bathroom shelf.

And I can’t forget my Sonna red light mask!

Sophia Serafin

Implementation Manager

I take a minimal approach to my skin, staying loyal to what I know works. I’m always aiming to look fresh, awake, and glowy - so each morning I begin rinsing my face with cool water, or a mini ice bath if I’m feeling especially tired.

My skincare consists of RATIONALE’s Hydra-Gel, followed by their Tinted SPF Serum - it’s protective, nourishing, and leaves the nicest sheen (I’m very keen to try their recently updated formulation). If I’m after a little more coverage, I’ll blend in NARS’ Tinted Moisturiser which has been a staple in my beauty bag for over a decade.

I keep the rest simple: NARS concealer under the eyes, brown mascara, and a touch of MERIT’s lip and cheek blush.

Then, Marvis toothpaste (I’ve been loving the Jasmin Mint flavour), a spritz of 19-69 Chinese Tobacco, and Uni’s deodorant.

For evenings in the shower, I use RATIONALE's Nourishing Cleanser, alongside L’Occitane's luxurious Shower Oil, and every few weeks, I’ll exfoliate with LUI’s body polish.

Alys Hale

Music Editor and Creative Producer

Whilst wanting to feel beautiful, beauty routines often are at the bottom of my priority list, so what I tend to go for is things that are powerful, simple and with immediate impact, in both skincare and make up. For my skin, I am a long time devotee of Emma Lewisham, in particular the Supernatural Vitale Elixir which now has an adorable gua sha like a silver pebble, and the Supernatural Sleeping mask. I don’t know what magic it performs whilst I sleep, but it certainly has powers beyond my comprehension to make my skin feel soft and plump. In terms of make-up, I have some very simple components: daytime foundation is the Hourglass Illusion Luminous Glow Foundation, and nighttime is the YLS All Hours Glow Foundation, both accompanied by Nars Radiant Creamy concealer. If I’m in need of some confidence, I will put on a red lipstick, free hand and no overlining of the cupid’s bow and my favourites are Chanel’s Rouge Allure and Prada’s Monochrome Hyper Matte. Having been a peroxide blonde for more years than I’d care to divulge, haircare is important to me. I love Kerastase’s Blond Absolu collection, it keeps me cool but never veers into that purple grey build up. The most important part of any beauty regime is drinking lots of water, smiling, and going through the day with kindness. Oh, and kissing.

Kirsty Thatcher

Digital Editor

I have my beauty essentials down to a fine art. My skincare is pretty minimal, I use pretty much exclusively La Roche Posay, as well as this Ultra Violette sunscreen during the day. As for makeup, I swear by this Charlotte Tilbury foundation – it’s sheer and dewy and works well for just about any occasion. And now that rhode has (finally) landed in Australia, I find mixing a few drops of glazing milk in with it is a nice way to soften the finish even more. I’m also devoted to my Westman Atelier contour stick and blush — in the shades truffle and petal respectively.

Equally important is my Laura Mercier translucent powder, my Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Freeze, and my Hourglass mascara — once you try a tubing formula, I promise you won’t go back. I cycle through plenty of lip liners (my bag has a minimum of five in it on most occasions), but my current favourite is the Summer Fridays Softline Lip Liner in Toffee. I finish it off with their Lip Butter Balm, too. I’m also very much about nail care at the moment. I love my CHANEL nail file (so chic), and my Kester Black cuticle oil — it has great ingredients.