11 Multi-Use Beauty Tools and Products That Work Twice as Hard

collage of beauty products

KCM

Marie Kondo your toiletry bag with these genius items ASAP. 

While we don’t always recommend cutting corners, we’re all about optimizing our life choices while getting the most bang for your buck. Whether we’re downsizing our houses or figuring out the best way to save counter space in our kitchen, finding ways to maximize our lifestyle with the least amount of effort (and cost) is an ongoing journey. We apply the very same logic to our beauty routine, specifically to sourcing multi-use beauty items that work twice (sometimes three times) as hard but produce the greatest output. 

Gleefully telling someone that your blush is actually a tube of lipstick is the makeup equivalent to the response, “my dress has pockets.” We all try to make the most out of our beauty kit, and the workhorses of our routine are what we always return to. Maybe you are an ace at curling your hair with a straightener. And who doesn’t have their own five-minute makeup routine down to a science? (If you don’t, Bobbi Brown has you covered.) Seriously, there’s nothing that makes us happier than cutting down our makeup bag items to the absolute essentials, because gone are the days when single-purpose products were the norm (save for a couple of irreplaceable things like an eyelash curler, which we don’t really recommend using for anything else). 

And if you’re anything like us, we know the greatest multi-tool is literally in your hands: The ease of applying makeup with your fingertips instead of brushes is a hack we’ve been using since middle school (and one that Bobbi Brown supports!). But if you want to add a few more items to your arsenal to replace many others, shop 10 multi-use beauty products and tools loved by experts and reviewers alike, below.

Best Multi-Purpose Makeup and Beauty Tools

Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40

Ilia

The skincare-meets-makeup section of the beauty store might be our favorite aisle, and Ilia’s Super Serum Skin Tint checks off all the boxes. It’s a mineral SPF, a lightweight foundation, and a powerful serum that includes active ingredients like hyaluronic acid, plant-based squalane, and niacinamide (all of which boost hydration). Not only that, but it comes in an impressive range of 30 inclusive shades, so you’re bound to meet your match. 

$48 at ilia

Dyson Airwrap

Dyson

By now you’ve heard the lore of Dyson’s cult-favorite Airwrap, and we’re here to tell you that despite its steep price tag, it can totally be worth it. With multiple attachments that can easily be swapped out to blow dry, curl, smooth, and all-around transform your hair, this nifty gadget truly does it all. Plus, it’s made for all hair types and uses aerodynamic technology that not only reduces heat damage but dries hair faster. What’s that saying about time being money? 

$600 at Dyson

Alleyoop Multitasker

Alleyoop

For under-packers who refuse to check their luggage, narrowing down your toiletry case to the necessities is a puzzle. Consider Alleyoop’s multitasker the final piece. This genius tool is a four-in-one makeup brush that acts as a concealer sponge and a blush, brow, and eyeshadow brush, so you’ll never have to worry about figuring out which brush is which again.

$28 at Alleyoop

Droplette Collagen Hydrofiller Set

Droplette

Figuring out an ideal skincare routine can be confusing…and it becomes doubly frustrating when you realize that 90 percent of traditional topical serums never absorb into the skin! Instead, they sit on the surface and get wiped or perspired away throughout the day. But Droplette solves that problem. The clinically-tested device harnesses micro-infusion technology, which transforms serums into a powerful micro-mist that penetrates your skin 20x deeper. This particular set includes the brand’s best-selling Collagen Hydrofiller capsules, which boost hydration for visibly plumper skin from deep within. By using the Droplette device, you receive all the benefits that would typically require expensive and invasive methods (like needles!).

$299+ at Droplette

Jones Road Lip and Cheek Stick

Jones Road Beauty

Including Jones Road in this list is a bit of a cheat, considering most products from the Bobbi Brown-founded brand are about saving shelf space. This multi-stick in particular is a fan favorite, backed by 1300 glowing reviews. Its rosy hues can be used as blush or a lip stain, but we wouldn’t blame you if you used it as an eyeshadow as well. 

$34 at Jones Road

Got2Be Ultra Glued Invincible Styling Gel

Amazon

This is a product we found trending on TikTok. Brow gels can come at a hefty price, and some of them don’t even last through the day. Enter Got2Be’s Ultra Glued Invincible Styling Gel, which is known to make the hair on your head literally stand up. Users on TikTok convinced us to take the same $5 gel to your brows for all-day wear, all you need is a little spoolie brush to apply it. 

$4 at Amazon

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter

Charlotte Tilbury

This item comes highly recommended by celebrity makeup artists and social media users alike. Charlotte Tilbury’s Hollywood Flawless Filter is not quite a primer, not really a tinted foundation, nor is it a highlighter. It’s — you guessed it — all of the above. You can wear it alone for a dewy glow, apply it before or after your foundation, or touch it to the high points of your face as a soft light reflector. If you do find it in your shade, stock up now because it’s known to sell out instantly. 

$46 at CT

Makeup by Mario SoftSculpt Transforming Skin Enhancer

Sephora

For those who don’t require a full contour nor desire an intensely sun-kissed bronzer, try Makeup by Mario’s Skin Enhancer. It acts as both, melting into your skin to softly add dimension to your face. Think of this as peak no-makeup makeup. 

$30 at Sephora

Merit The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Foundation and Concealer Stick

Sephora

Why choose between foundation or concealer when you can have both? That’s what Merit set out to do when they launched their multistick, which is a buildable product that can act as one. It’s a vegan, cruelty-free formula with a silky finish. Pro tip: Try also using darker shades to act as a contour, too. 

$38 at Sephora

Bien Abyé Fluorescent Shells Silk Scarf

Nordstrom

A scarf is a beautiful fashion statement, but this one triples as a hair accessory and nighttime hair wrap. Wrapping your head in 100 percent silk while you sleep is a surefire way to keep your hair soft and tangle-free. It’s an added bonus that you’ll look chic while snoozing. 

$110 at Nordstrom

Aquaphor Healing Ointment

Amazon

You can’t have a list of multi-use beauty items without Aquaphor. There are less places we don’t use the brand’s magical ointment than we do. The petrolatum-based formula can be used for everything from dry cuticles to burns to chapped lips, and recently it’s gained added popularity as the final step in skin-slugging (yet another TikTok trend of over-moisturizing your skin at night, and sealing it with an emollient). 

$16 at Amazon