The Best Money I Ever Spent

I admit it: most of my disposable income goes to clothes, beauty products and Thai food. I have tried every makeup and skincare brand, every trend, every pair of jeans at Barney's and perfume on the many beauty counters of Bergdorf. There were things I thought would change my life that ended up collecting dust (La Mer moisturizer, Louboutin So Kates) or being more hassle than they were worth (a new Mercedes), and things I stupidly splurged for on a random pick-me-up shopping spree that, as it turns out, were the wisest purchases I ever made.



Luckily, I've got this money-spending thing down and my good purchases far outweigh my bad ones nowadays-- but it took my a few years of "experimenting" to get there. In an effort to help you rush through your own experimental spending phase, I've compiled a short list of my most valuable possessions: The things I never catch a flight without, the things I use every single day, the best money I've ever spent.

1. Lancer Retexturizing Cream with Glycolic Acid
It's true that most pricey skincare products are only slightly better than drugstore brands, if they're even better at all. It's also true that if you really want to transform your skin, it takes treatments, not products, to get the job done-- there is no miracle cream.
... Oh wait. Yes there is. Because Dr. Lancer (famed dermatologist to the stars, only celebrity who doesn't disappoint in person) is the Wizard of Skincare Oz and his products are so good, it's magical. Ever the girl with weird skin, I used to have an exhausting skincare routine of like 30 products, more than half of which did absolutely nothing. Now, I have the simplest routine in the world and the best skin of my life, and just one product is to thank.

2. A portable phone charger
I probably buy a portable phone charger every time I go to the airport. But the fact that I keep losing them/ forgetting to pack them is totally on me. Every one of these I ever bought was totally worth it.

3. Tom Ford Santal Blush perfume
It's just the best smelling thing in the world of all time ever.

4. Rag and Bone leather leggings
I hate jeans. Like, I never wear jeans. Leather pants are cooler and super comfy and flattering, and while I am a collecter, the best pair are the simple skin hugging "Sammy" leggings I got from Rag and Bone. In three colors.

5. Iro leather jacket
While we're on the topic of leather, the perfect leather jacket is probably the single most important thing in an LA cool-girl's wardrobe. I like Iro because the quality is incredible, the cuts are modern and flattering, and I don't have to worry about this $1,500-ish piece like I would a similar one from Balmain.

6. Anything (read: everything) black from the Nike store
It may or may not be sad I, a fashion person, spend most of my time rolling around in yoga gear with no intention of working out. But I put a leather jacket over it most of the time, so it's ok.

7. One Teaspoon denim shorts
One Teaspoon is the best denim. Period.

8. Anastasia Beverly Hills eyebrow stencils
Huda Kattan is life, and so are her eyebrow tutorials, but who has 15 minutes to spend penciling in their eyebrows every day? Since my daily makeup routine basically consists of solely of mascara and eyebrow filler, the perfect method for quick, perfect brows matters to me, which is why these stencils are everything. Just put it over your brow, color-swish-swish-color, done. Perfect full shape in 10 seconds.

9. T3 Whirl Trio Curling Iron
Ok, so I only know how to use two of the three barrels this iron comes with, but those two are amazing. This iron gets super hot, super fast and leaves me with long-lasting, shiny curls or waves in ten minutes. Just imagine if I knew how to use the third barrel (The slantedy one for beach waves. Huda probably does a tutorial for that)

10. Vita Liberata Body Blur
Makeup for your body. It's a thing many girls don't consider, but I'm a junkie so of course I do. I put this stuff on my legs for that flawless, slightly sparkly air-brushed look that gives skin a little color without making you at all orange.

11. Bumble and Bumble Pret a Powder dry shampoo
I've tried every dry shampoo in the world (not really) and this is my favorite. Totally touchable, and you can just keep packing it on for days on end. I use it even when my hair is freshly-washed for a bit of a volume boost.

12. HISY Bluetooth phone camera remote
I'm an independent and I don't need other people to take photos for me. Plus Mom said not to talk to strangers, so instead of asking people to take photos of me, I prop up my phone and use my bluetooth remote to take dozens of shots quickly when in tourist mode.

13. Lancer Eye Contour Lifting Cream
Yes, another Lancer product. I promise this is the last one, though I use several more and they all qualify for this list. It's pricey, but I think most beauty experts would agree that if you ever splurge on a skincare or beauty product, the most important one is eye cream, and this is the best eye cream in the world.

  

14. Mercedes Salazar earrings
Put on the simplest, most flaterring LBD you have, pin your hair back Monica Belluci style, and put on a pair of these show-stopping clip-on earrings. Congratulations. You look like a Dolce & Gabbana ad without two of the zeros.

15. Rimowa large sport trunk
Rimowa is the official luggage brand of chic jet-setting awesome people, and while I have a few sets that are each useful for different types of trips, my favorite piece is my large vinyl sport trunk. It can take a serious beating and fits an alarming amount of clothing in it. The shape is super efficient for packing and finding whatever I packed, and also easier to drag around. Plus it looks cool.

16. The perfect white button down (mine is from Madison)
Under a strapless dress you could otherwise never wear to work. Over a swimsuit for an instant European look. With a formal skirt that's no longer too fancy for a dinner party. At office. At the airport. At the grocery store. At church. On vacation. On a red carpet. On Mars.

17. Dolce & Gabbana foulard
An enormous, obnoxious Dolce & Gabbana foulard (scarf, if you will) might not seem like a "wise" purchase-- it is, after all, a $500 square of fabric that doesn't match anything. But if you, like me, bought one anyway, then you, like me, would find ways to incorporate it into your wardrobe and soon discover that it is almost as versatile as the aforementioned white button down. I usually wear mine Grace Kelly style to hide bed head and keep my hair from blowing in the wind, tie it around a handbag handle for a pop of color, or as a crop top. It also works as a halter top, sarong and, let's not forget, a scarf.

18. Chanel classic flap bag in black caviar leather
It's an investment piece.

19. Wolford Fatal tube dress
If you haven't figured it out by now, I'm all about versatile. I travel a lot and prefer to pack things that can be worn multiple ways to keep my look fresh without literally dragging myself down with tons of clothes. This long strapless dress can also be worn as a top, a skirt or a shorter dress (just fold it), or as a slip to make another dress look flawless.

20. Travel
Plane tickets, hotel rooms, tour guides, Uber, it was all so expensive--- and so, so worth it. You cannot but a price on becoming a wiser, more interesting, more compassionate, and for lack of a better term, better person. This is why every penny I have ever -- or probably will ever--spend on travel is the best money I, or anyone else could possibly ever spend.