This story first appeared on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, in The Strategist Beauty Brief, a weekly newsletter in which our beauty writers share their must-tries, can-skips, and can’t-live-withouts. But we liked it so much we wanted to share it with all of our readers. If you want more first impressions of buzzy launches, quick takes on what’s trending on TikTok and Instagram, and deep dives into the week’s best beauty launches, sign up here. The Strategist Beauty Brief is delivered every Wednesday.
For this year’s first installment of The Strategist Beauty Brief, we asked the team to share their boring-but-beloved staples. The unsexy ointments, creams and kits they’ve been coming back to for years that might not typically get Beauty Brief shine.
I didn’t deal with acne much as a teen. Unfortunately, as an adult, I get pimply. These treatment pads help me get through the worst breakouts. The main ingredient, salicylic acid, keeps pimples from getting bigger and more inflamed, and prevents new breakouts. They’re much less messy than a spot treatment and more effective than pimple patches (I have yet to try a pimple patch that I feel really did something).—Ambar Pardilla
I haven’t paid for eyebrow tinting since 2020, and it’s all thanks to this at-home dye kit. It really couldn’t be simpler: I block out the outline of my brows with Vaseline to keep my skin dye free, then mix the dye and developer, paint it on areas where my brows are sparse with an eyeliner brush, leave it for ten minutes, and wipe it off with a micellar water-soaked cotton round to reveal perfectly tinted brows every time. The kit isn’t particularly sexy but I like the retro-ish packaging and it gets the job done. —Dominique Pariso
I have no shortage of moisturizers and lip balms, but I’ll always have a tub of Vaseline on hand. They’ve made some attempts to cutesify with flavors like vanilla and rose, but I’ll always be loyal to the no-frills, unscented one. It’s just unbelievably useful for everything you can think of: not just the obvious like moisturizing elbows and sealing cuts, but also removing makeup, lubricating squeaky hinges, oiling cracked leather … Apparently, it’s even a great campfire starter!!—Kitty Guo
I know that it is gross, but when I need my mid-winter feet to look heel-ready in 24 hours notice, I lather up the thickest layer of CeraVe onto my heels, pop on a pair of bed socks, and leave it overnight. It’s overstimulating, it feels disgusting, it ruins socks. But it works. —Rachael Griffiths
I’ve had a jar of this ointment for far too long, but it’s an essential in my medicine cabinet. Most recently, it saved me from a terrible breakout I got around my lips after trying out a new lipstick. For days, I applied a certain hyped lip mask for some help, but it just made the problem much worse. Finally, I switched to this solely, and within two days, my lips were back to normal. I’ve also used it for tattoo healing, cracked heels, and other random dry patches in the winter.—Arielle Avila
I recommended this balm back in 2020 for mosquito bites and since then I’ve taken to using it whenever my skin is in distress. It was my go-to when I was in Mexico City back in April and saved my ultra-itchy, irritated skin when nothing else worked. Even stuff that was supposed to help, like the Dr. Jart soothing Cicarepair line wasn’t as effective as this balm. I don’t travel without it.—Tembe Denton-Hurst
The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
