We can swatch, review, and praise hundreds of beauty products (it's our job, after all), but there's still nothing as fun for us as beauty editors than discovering the inner workings of an iconic woman's beauty routine. We want to know about the products they hoard, the treatments they revere as practically holy, and the wellness rituals they swear by for cultivating a healthy equilibrium within such fast-paced industries as beauty and fashion.
One might assume that the most successful women in the business strictly have expensive taste when it comes to their preferred beauty formulas, but as we recently learned, that's so not the case. ICYMI, Create & Cultivate, an organization dedicated to leading women in business, just announced its fourth annual Create & Cultivate 100 List in partnership with Chevrolet, highlighting "100 women across 10 categories who are making moves and re-defining the future of the workplace and the world." We recommend checking out the kick-ass females in every category, but today, we're focusing our sights on specifically on fashion and beauty. The 13 women below were previously interviewed for the C&C 100 website, and today, we're here to learn more about their beauty routine by asking them, "What beauty product $25 or under do you deem absolutely life-changing?"
Ahead, get ready to hear from some of the most well-respected women in this industry, including Lily Aldridge, Cassandra Grey, Brittany Xavier, and Shani Darden, and more. Keep scrolling!
Lily Aldridge, Model & Founder of Lily Aldridge Parfums
"Windsor Edwards Lip Balm ($16)! I’ve been using this lip balm for years and always gift it to my friends. It's a handcrafted, all-natural lip balm that comes in an earth-friendly paperboard tube. My trainer laughs at me because I bring it to the gym and carry it around to the different machines. I never want to be without it!"
Cassandra Huysentruyt Grey, Founder of Violet Grey
"This body lotion by Nécessaire decimates dryness thanks to its proprietary formula that provides immediate benefits and also visibly improves your skin's tone, texture, and firmness over time."
Miranda Kerr, Model & Founder of Kora Organics
"Tweezers! I'm obsessed with keeping my brow line clean and always keep these tweezers in my makeup bag."
Nyma Tang, Beauty Vlogger
"The newest beauty product that I have been really loving is the Taliah Waajid Curly Curl Cream ($8). For natural hair, the most important step is to create a tight, defined coil. This product defines my curls like no other, and it smells amazing! The best part is that it only costs around $8, so I have to recommend this life-changing product for natural hair."
Anastasia Soare, Founder of Anastasia Beverly Hills
"I never leave home without an Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz ($23). It handles both shading and fine detail, can fill areas of sparseness as well as add extremely soft and natural dimension. Basically, I can create perfect brows no matter where I am."
Franchelli Rodriguez, Beauty Influencer & YouTuber
"My number one life-changing product I will always buy that's way under $25 is the OGX Nourishing Coconut Oil Weightless Hydration Mist ($7)! I use this oil spray on almost every wash and go because it provides maximum shine and hydration to fully complete my look! I actually always carry a bottle in my purse in case I need a quick refresh! It's that good. I absolutely love it!"
Shani Darden, Celebrity Esthetician & Founder of Shani Darden Skin Care
"This mascara from Honest Beauty is the best I've ever used! It makes your lashes look long and full without being clumpy."
Desi Perkins, Beauty Influencer & YouTuber
"If you are in the market for a great affordable foundation that keeps you matte, I love this one from L'Oréal. It's great when I know I have a long day ahead of me and even on the days I go for more of a luminous look, I still use that foundation on my T-zone to keep my oil in check."
Paige Adams-Geller, Owner & Creative Director of Paige
"My favorite under-$25 beauty product is my Kenra Professional travel-size hair spray! It goes with me everywhere, and I can fit in my purse. It's the only one that keeps my hair from falling flat in the L.A. humidity."
TyLynn Nguyen, Model & Designer
"Water is my life-changing beauty product! There is so much that is already available to us. My skin is what it is because it is hydrated! I always have a glass bottle with me throughout my day. My favorites are the one-liter-sized ones from Bkr."
Brittany Xavier, Fashion Blogger
"I always use a lash primer before my mascara because I really love a full lower lash look. I use the L'Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash-Boosting Conditioning Primer Mascara ($7) because it's not sticky like others I've tried. A little goes a long way!"
Lauren Chan, Former Fashion Editor & Founder of Henning
"Glossier's original Balm Dotcom! I often have dry lips, and this balm fixes them in an hour tops every single time."
Iskra Lawrence, Model
"The L'Oréal Telescopic Mascara ($11)! It’s a classic and never fails to lengthen and separate my lashes. It also lasts forever and never clumps—it's my forever fave."
