I’m not a beauty junkie. Once I find a product I love, I’m intensely brand loyal until I happen upon a replacement or it’s discontinued (which has actually happened on multiple occasions). Here are five I couldn’t do without:

• Essie nail polish in a bright color like “First Timer.” If you’re going to go this bright, you’ll have to keep it pristine. For me, that means not doing dishes. We wouldn’t want them to chip, would we? 
• Maybelline Color Whisper in “Cherry on Top.” I actually discovered this in Chicago a few weeks ago when I left my other lip products at home and Walgreen’s was sold out of Revlon’s Lip Butter in “Sweet Tart.” There’s more pigment in Maybelline’s version and it leaves behind a lovely stain when it eventually wears off. 
• Smashbox Photo Finish primer. I hate to say it, but all those years of furrowing my brow in displeasure have caught up with me. A layer of primer disguises those fine lines and keeps makeup looking fresh longer. Well worth the splurge.
• Kate Spade’s “Live Colorfully” fragrance in a travel-friendly roller ball. Given how much we travel, I needed a scent that wouldn’t get swiped by the TSA.
• Eucerin Intensive Repair hand creme. This one is new to me, but I was eager to give it a whirl when Eucerin offered to send over some samples. I have dry skin and my hands are especially prone to chapping. This stuff moisturizes thoroughly without being greasy. (I also read that we should take more care to put lotions and sunscreen on our hands to avoid premature wrinkles and sunspots. I feel like I’m becoming a bit of a Chicken Little, but it can’t hurt to heed the advice.)

In addition to the hand creme, I tried four additional Eucerin products over the last couple of weeks. The Daily Protection lotions contain SPF 15 and while I appreciate the protection, they take awhile to absorb. This wasn’t bothersome for the body lotion, but I’m too impatient to let the face lotion fully absorb before applying makeup. The Original Healing lotion is great for dry, sensitive skin like mine. There are no fragrances or dyes and the texture of my skin visibly improved after using it each day. My favorite of the bunch (aside from the hand creme) was the Smoothing Repair lotion. The label indicates that its formulated for long-lasting moisture, but I couldn’t get over how silky my skin felt seconds after putting it on. It’s the most luxurious of the bunch.

Shop It: Intensive Repair Hand Creme // Original Healing Soothing Repair Lotion // Daily Protection Moisturizing Body Lotion // Smoothing Repair Dry Skin Lotion // Daily Protection Moisturizing Face Lotion

Big thanks to Eucerin for sending over samples!