10 ELLE Editors on Their Biggest Beauty Splurges

To know me is to know my selection of Biologique Recherche facial products. The pièce de résistance being the mask–actually two masks, which when mixed with baking soda, become a magic solution that leaves your skin perfect. It also leaves your wallet empty. –Ruthie Friedlander, ELLE.com Managing Editor

Biologique Recherche Masque Vivant; for more information visit biologique-recherche.com

Biologique Recherche Masque BIP O2; for more information visit biologique-recherche.com

Thieves essential oil is something like $56 for half an ounce! Half an ounce! But I do it, I go down to the Integral Yoga health food store on 13th Street in the West Village, and I buy it because the potent blend of clove, bark, cinnamon, and other cleansing, anti-inflammatory, enriching extracts in there add up to a seriously miraculous cure-all. I tap a drop (potent indeed) into a glass of water when my throat is sore, mix some into a small dollop of coconut oil in my palm and smooth it over the breakouts on my skin, and even massage it into the bottom of my feet because my mom says to and why not (she says it's for balance and immunity). I love the ritual of it all, and the results are truly astounding. The next morning, I undoubtedly wake up with a robust-feeling throat and gleaming skin, way worth the $$$. –Megan O'Neill, Beauty and Fitness Editor

Young Living Thieves Essential Oil, $19; amazon.com

The truth is, I got conned into loving Good Genes. I'd heard plenty of fairytale stories about it–You'll radiate health and wellness! Your skin will glow like a soft pink 60-watt bulb! But not even for the promise of smaller pores and an airbrushed complexion was I willing to spend $105 on a thimble of liquid. That is until a well-intentioned friend offered me a travel-sized version of the stuff. "Try it!" I did. I loved it. Genetics are a crapshoot. This is a sure bet. PSA: It smells funky and it's worth every goddamn penny. –Mattie Kahn, ELLE.com News Writer

Sunday Riley Good Genes All-in-One Lactic Acid Treatment, $105; sephora.com

If you've ever sat there during a laser hair removal appointment and thought 'Seriously, that machine looks so easy to use, why can't I just do this at home?' then you might want to consider investing in this. Yes, it's a big ticket item, but it more than pays for itself when you consider the cost of all those salon treatments. (And it's obviously way, way more convenient.) The caveat is that it's a little less powerful than the machines the pros use, so it'll probably take you longer to see results. But there are results, which is all that matters to me. –Natalie Matthews, ELLE.com Senior Editor

Iluminage Touch Permanent Hair Reduction, $445; sephora.com

Any time someone asks me what I'm obsessed with, my answer is always the same: P50. "The workouts?" they always ask. And the truth is, while my favorite product doesn't kick my butt with burpees, knee-highs, and planks, it gets my skin in shape like nobody's business. Like all exercises, I had to work up gradually, starting by using only a few drops of the magic diluted on a cotton swab with water (to avoid excess redness), then I graduated to a few drops on a dry pad. The result? A clear, balanced (fit, if you will) complexion. Plus, the slightly sweaty, sour smell is enough to convince me that I've been to the skin gym. –Ali Finney, Associate Beauty and Fitness Editor

Biologique Recherche P50; for more information visit biologique-recherche.com

So, for the sake of full disclosure, I left mine at a wedding in September (to the girls in the Tahoe share house, I really hope one of you were able to capitalize on my loss), but I DO plan on replacing this boar-bristled miracle just as soon as I can. The way it feels on your scalp as it's coaxing your baby hairs into gleaming acquiescence is like no other beauty ritual I've experienced. It's a real triumph. –Justine Harman, ELLE.com Senior Entertainment Writer

Mason Pearson Popular Mixture Hair Brush, $205; amazon.com

Leave it to Gwyneth Paltrow to create an organic face lotion that not only feels luxurious, but truly performs. The price tag gives me nightmares but the completely clear, plump, luminous skin I wake up to after using it is the stuff of dreams. –Kristina Rodulfo, ELLE.com Associate Editor

Goop Replenishing Night Cream, $140; goop.com

So with two kids under the age of three, I can't exactly make my NYC apartment look super elegant at all times. (I'm mainly waging a losing war to keep the Fisher Price at bay.) But I can at least make it smell pretty chic. I love these candles in part because of the places and stories they take as their inspiration: The minty Balmoral is inspired by damp and green Scottish meadows; the Carmelite by shadows on stone walls and church candles…a quiet cloister doesn't sound too bad about now. –Chloe Schama, ELLE.com Executive Editor

Cire Trudon Balmoral Candle, $95; trudon.com

Cire Trudon Carmélite Candle, $95; trudon.com

I wear a cat-eye every day, and I love the soft grip on this pencil. It gives me a lot of precision and control—something that doesn't always come easily with a liquid liner. I've tried some other brands, but none do the job as well as this guy. –Alyssa Bailey, ELLE.com Assistant Editor

Charlotte Tilbury The Feline Flick, $30; charlottetilbury.com