Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
Products I Wish I Had When I Started My New Job
24
items Starting a new job is exciting until you're standing in your bathroom at 6 AM realizing you own nothing that says ‘polished professional.’ Your college skincare routine and that one crusty mascara aren't cutting it anymore. This is everything I pulle...
Sections
6
Skincare That Makes You Look Like You Slept 8 Hours
Makeup That Survives a Full Workday Without Melting
Hair Products for Mornings When You Hit Snooze Twice
Fragrances That Read Professional, Not Overpowering
Lip Products That Don't Need Constant Reapplying
Little Extras That Made Me Feel Like I Had It Together
Skincare That Makes You Look Like You Slept 8 Hours
My first week at work I was running on anxiety and four hours of sleep. These made my face look like I was someone who meditates and drinks green juice, which is a lie but a useful one.
Slather this on the night before your first day. I woke up looking like my skin had been on vacation even though I barely slept. Perfect for anyone whose nerves keep them up the night before something big.
Laneige Water Sleeping Mask, Bedazzled
Use this under makeup if your skin gets that weird tight feeling by noon in air-conditioned offices. My face used to look flaky by 3 PM and this stopped it completely within a few days.
Protini™ Polypeptide Firming Moisturizer - Drunk Elephant
Dab a tiny bit on your cheekbones before foundation. Coworkers kept saying I looked ‘glowy’ my first week and I just nodded like it was natural. For anyone who wants to look healthy without looking like a disco ball.
Glow Facial Serum - Natural Skincare - Aromatherapy - Pure Therapeutic
Keep this at your desk for lunch break touch-ups during stressful first weeks. Saved me the day I had back-to-back introductions and my skin was screaming from recycled office air.
Lip Gloss Keychain gift for her Bag Charm Christian Summer Fridays Bag Charm Mother’s Day Gift Laneige Charm for Purse Cross Lip Gloss
Makeup That Survives a Full Workday Without Melting
Nothing says ‘I don’t belong here' like mascara under your eyes by the afternoon meeting. I tested so many products before landing on these four that actually lasted from 8 AM to happy hour.
Grab this in your shade and dab it under your eyes before every morning commute. I used to look exhausted by lunch. Now people think I'm a morning person, which is the biggest con I've ever pulled.
Radiant Creamy Concealer
One tiny dot on each cheek. Seriously, one dot. I overdid it my first try and looked sunburned. Once you figure out the amount, it lasts literally all day without fading. Great for anyone who doesn't want to reapply in the office bathroom.
Soft Pinch Liquid Blush
Switch to this if your current mascara smudges by noon. I wore it through a full eight-hour day plus a post-work dinner and it still looked freshly applied. No raccoon eyes, no flaking.
Benefit Cosmetics Mini Roller Lash Curling & Lifting Mascara
Swipe this across your brow bone for that ‘naturally put-together’ look. It reads professional, not glittery. For the person who wants to look polished in fluorescent lighting without trying too hard.
Merit Day Glow Dewy Highlighting Balm
Hair Products for Mornings When You Hit Snooze Twice
Week two at my job I hit snooze three times and had exactly seven minutes to make my hair look intentional. These products turned that panic into something presentable.
Work a pea-sized amount through damp or dry hair before walking out the door. Tamed my frizz on humid commute mornings when my hair wanted to revolt. Stock up before summer because you'll burn through it.
Olaplex No. 6 Bond Smoother® Leave-In Styling Treatment
Spray this at the roots on day-two hair and nobody at the office will ever know. I skipped washing my hair three times during my first week because mornings were chaos, and this covered every single time.
Drybar Detox Dry Shampoo Powder Hair Care Original
Keep this tiny bottle in your work bag for midday flyaway emergencies. A drop smoothed between your palms and run through ends makes you look like you just left a blowout. For anyone with hair that gets staticky in dry offices.
Moroccanoil Root Boost Volume 2.55 Oz Spray Fine to Medium Hair Set Lot x 2
Spritz this into your hair when you want that ‘I woke up effortlessly chic’ texture. Took me from flat, lifeless ponytail to looking like I actually styled my hair, all in about 30 seconds flat.
Salt Hair Spray, All Natural Sea Salt Beach Waves, Texturizing Hair Spray, Curl Enhancer, Texturizing Spray, Texturizing Salt Spray
Fragrances That Read Professional, Not Overpowering
My biggest fear was being the new girl who stinks up the elevator. I needed something noticeable enough to seem polished but subtle enough that nobody in the cubicle next to me files a complaint.
Wear this your first week if you want compliments without anyone being able to pinpoint exactly what you smell like. It blends with your skin so it reads as ‘she just smells good’ rather than ‘she bathed in perfume.’
Inspired by Glossier | 50ml Eau De Parfum Spray
Spritz this on your wrists for a clean, fresh scent that won't overwhelm a conference room. Smells like crisp linen and calm, which is ironic because my first Monday was pure chaos.
Maison Margiela Replica Lazy Sunday Morning
Use this on your arms after showering. The scent lingers all day in the most subtle way. A coworker leaned in during a meeting and whispered ‘you smell amazing’ and honestly that carried me through the whole week.
Bedazzled Sol De Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream| Preppy Skin Care Essential| Bling Skin Care| Rhinestone Vanity Items| Bedazzle Body Butter
Try this if every other fragrance feels too strong for an office setting. It basically smells like warm, clean skin. Nobody will complain, everyone will wonder what it is. Perfect for open floor plans.
Clean Reserve Perfume Discounted Bundle
Lip Products That Don't Need Constant Reapplying
I refused to be the person pulling out a compact mirror every 45 minutes at my new desk. Found these after ruining two blouses and losing three lip glosses in my first month of working.
Swipe this on once in the morning and forget about it. The color stays put through coffee, water, and awkward ‘getting to know you’ lunches. For anyone who drinks four cups of coffee before noon and still wants color on their lips.
Ysl Loveshine Lip Oil Stick
Toss this in your bag for a quick swipe before unexpected meetings. It's not sticky, won't get on your teeth, and gives just enough shine to look put-together. Wish I'd had it the day I met the CEO with bare, chapped lips.
ShineOn Lip Oil Jelly
Wear this when you can't decide on a lip color. It adjusts to your natural tone so it looks different on everyone. Saved me from overthinking my makeup at 6 AM every morning that first month.
Clinique Different Lipstick Ripe Raisin #13 & Black Lily #64 Mini Set Discontinued
Get the shade Dip if you want something that looks professional but not boring. It hydrates while adding color, so your lips won't be peeling during your first team presentation. Trust me on that one.
Kosas Wet Lip Oil Plumping Peptide Lip Treatment Gloss
Little Extras That Made Me Feel Like I Had It Together
Half of making a good impression is just feeling confident enough to fake it. These random picks gave me that ‘I’m a real adult with a real job' energy when imposter syndrome was hitting hard.
Keep this on your desk instead of that hospital-smelling gel from the supply closet. Smells incredible and people will actually comment on it. Great icebreaker when you're the new person and small talk feels painful.
Touchland Hand Sanitizer: Salted Caramel, Peppermint Mocha, Spiced Pumpkin-tini, Rhinestone Bling
Use this in your morning shower when you need to feel like a functioning professional. The eucalyptus scent wakes you up faster than coffee. For anyone dragging themselves out of bed during that brutal adjustment period.
The Body Wash 100 ml | Multi-Oil | Eucalyptus
Scrub with this the night before your first day so your skin feels ridiculously smooth. Sounds extra, but walking in feeling polished from head to toe gave me a confidence boost I genuinely needed.
COCO ROSE Coconut + Sugar Body Polish
Pat this on before bed during your first few weeks when stress is wrecking your skin. Woke up with my face actually soft instead of the dry, angry mess it becomes when I'm anxious. Grab it before your start date, not after the damage is done.
Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream