It’s the staple of every beauty interview, arriving in various forms: What’s the one thing you can’t leave the house without? What’s the first product you’d grab in a fire? What can you not live without? We know it well.
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Perhaps the reason the question is so ubiquitous is the fact that there are products, items, and pieces we’ve come to so heavily rely on—either because they provide an invaluable service, help us feel like our best selves, go with everything, or all the above. Whatever the case, there is something we all can’t live without.
Alix Gutierrez, Associate Art Director
“‘Everyday hoop’ is the most apt product name because I do, in fact, wear them everyday (I get phantom limb syndrome if I don’t).”
Callia Hargrove, Social Media Director
“I grew up in New York wearing Air Force 1s, or as we called them locally, ‘Uptowns.’ I stopped wearing them for a while, opting for trendier sneakers, but recently I got a new pair and I can’t put them down. They’re the perfect workout-to-work shoe and I love how they look paired with a dressier piece, like a flowy midi skirt.”
Alyssa Hardy, Fashion Editor
“I’ve worn Dr. PawPaw every day of my life for the last seven years, it’s the perfect color, it’s moisturizing, and so inexpensive.”
Beatrice Hazlehurst, Deputy News Editor
“I hate that I could not live without two heat plates that flatten my hair, but I simply cannot. The versatility it provides—I literally just don’t feel complete without it. Very sad.”
Jen Hussein, Beauty Editor
“I absolutely cannot, will not, and should not live without my Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream. It’s light enough that it doesn’t leave a greasy film on top of my already-oily skin during the summer, and moisturizes just enough to keep my pores from feeling parched. To put it simply, this moisturizer is the shit.”
Jess Teves, Editor-in-Chief
“I would hide behind a brick wall to avoid the sun, but since that’s not possible, this teak rancher hat from Lack of Color has become my daily go-to. It’s also key for covering up frizzy hair days (which seem much too frequent of late).”***
Erin Cunningham, Managing Editor
“I thought I’d abandon my sneakers for sandals as soon as summer hit, but their comfort is unrivaled. These ones are comfortable enough for running errands around the city to playing tennis or hiking on the weekends, and are cool enough to wear with real clothes to real people things like work, too.”
***Editor’s Note: Jess Teves’ first choice was hot sauce.