Sensitive Haul: Here's What We Bought in October

Another month, another super-reasonable and not at all embarrassing amount of money spent on skincare and makeup. Here’s what we bought, what we loved, and what we totally and completely hated.

Love This: e.l.f. Hydrating Face Primer

I hate, hate, hate re-applying makeup when 4 p.m. corpse face strikes. So much so that I completely refuse to do it. This hydrating primer from cruelty-free drugstore brand e.l.f. helps me justify that obstinacy -- because it keeps my spot concealing and under-eye makeup stay more or less on, in place, and not looking cakey, creasey, or disgusting. Um, also? It's $4.99. Becky Bartkowski

Love This: Drunk Elephant Umbra Sheer Physical Daily Defense Broad Spectrum Sunscreen

Don't let my Casper-esque complexion fool you: Occasionally, I go outside. And anytime I do, you can bet the non-existent wrinkles in my forehead that I'm wearing SPF. (Thanks, SPF!) This month, I ditched my standby Josie Maran to test out Drunk Elephant's sunscreen, which boasts a sun protection factor of 30. And I was not disappointed. Though its yogurt-like texture skeeves me out, the product blends easily, contains 20 percent zinc oxide, and is free of irritants like silicone and fragrance. B.B.

Fuck That: Burt's Bees Rejuvenating Eye Mask

Obvi I'm so game to try pretty much every eye mask ever -- especially for $2.99 a pop. But the Burt's Bees brand's foray into single-use sheet masks was a disappointment. The scratchy, papery sheets are doused in what the ingredients list reveals to be a whirling mix of oils and extracts from rosehips, rosemary, and jojoba. I left the patches on for 10 itchy, nervous minutes and was sure that my eyes would be irritated when I took them off. Spoiler alert: They were fine. But the super oily product had no intention of sinking into my face and I can't say it delivered on its promise to reinvigorate my tired skin. Meh. B.B.

Love This: COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid & AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid

A K-beauty twofer, these exfoliating essences from COSRX work to straight up murder blackheads and whiteheads, respectively. Truth be told, I'm pretty terrified of each one. However, I've tested them out and had success on both fronts. The whitehead destroyer is the more intense of the two and brings some nasty shit to the surface (and helped zap a cystic acne spot!). And the blackhead demolisher kinda emphasizes any spots you might have -- at first. But the clear-faced results come soon enough. B.B.

Love This: NYX Doll Eyes Long Lash Mascara

Is mascara even worth spending money on? I honestly have no idea, but this NYX tube is a solid argument against whatever you're dropping $20 bucks on at Sephora. The cruelty-free product delivers lengthened lashes, has a slim but bushy wand, and only costs, like, $8. B.B.

Fuck That: COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch

I haven't worn stickers on my face since Lisa Frank was popular (the first time around) and for good reason. They don't do jack. Most pimples I had were apparently too deep-seated for these flesh-colored stickers to have any effect. They really only work on zits that are halfway out the door (see: gross whiteheads), but even then, I still had to finish the job. Katie Johnson

Fuck That: Tatcha Polished Classic Rice Enzyme Powder

It pains me to post a bad review of our beloved Tatcha, but this cleanser just didn't cut it. Maybe I'm a creature of habit when it comes to my cleansers (or maybe I just love getting to use my Foreo) but I prefer the more traditional gel face washes over the slightly messy powder formula. Not only did my skin not feel as clean, it also felt a little dried out post "polishing." K.J.

Love This: Coola Cucumber Matte Mineral Face SPF 30

Full disclosure: I didn't start wearing sunscreen until well into adulthood; partly because I don't burn much (doesn't matter, I know) and partly because most sunscreens tend to do one of two things: make me break out, or leave a ghostly white tint on my olive complexion. Fortunately, this organic cruelty-free SPF does neither. In fact, its mattifying effect actually works as a nice primer under daytime makeup. K.J.

Love This: First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser

Since Tatcha didn't work out, I decided to give the sensitive skin-minded folks over at First Aid Beauty a try. This gentle cleanser manages to get the job done without stripping my adult skin of what little moisture it has left. Added bonus: It's also free from fragrance, parabens, sulfates, phthalates, and animal cruelty. K.J