A Cosmetic Chemist Shares Her Favorite Drugstore Products, Including a $5 Mascara

Science for the win.

By Liz Ritter, Executive Editor · Dec 30, 2021

When Cincinnati cosmetic chemist Kelly Dobos says a product works, we trust her—and all the scientific knowledge she has to come to that conclusion. From a very personal, very hands-on attachment to Lip Smackers to the Neutrogena cleanser she’s used for years, these are the drugstore steals she swears by.

1 / 6

Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser ($7)

“I’ve been using this cleanser for years because the blend of gentle but effective surfactants that removes even my eye makeup without irritating or drying my skin.”

2 / 6

O’Keeffe’s Soothing and Calming Body Cream ($12)

“I slather on this cream every morning after my shower. This product contains an effective concentration of lactic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid, that helps smooth skin and stimulate cell turnover. We incorporate these kinds of ingredients in our facial skin care routines so why shouldn’t we be taking care of our body skin in the same way?”

3 / 6

Essence Cosmetics Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara ($5)

“At $4.99 a tube, this product is a real steal. The star ingredient in this formula is Nylon-12, a polymer microsphere that enhances pigment pay-off on lashes while significantly boosting lash volume.”

4 / 6

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel 3.0 Shiny Top Coat ($10)

“This patented top coat extends the wear of just about any brand of polish in my collection. Most importantly, it removes just like regular polish minimizing time and hassle.”

5 / 6

Lip Smacker Dr. Pepper Lip Balm ($6)

“Full disclosure, my first job as a cosmetic chemist was formulating for the Lip Smackers brand and I have some fond memories of my work there. I always left work smelling with strawberry, vanilla, or whatever other flavor I was working on that day. This flavored balm adds shine and contains just a hint of red pigments to add a little color to the lip.”

6 / 6

Batiste Original Dry Shampoo ($16)

“In addition to highly absorptive rice starch powder to control oils, this product also contains conditioning molecules distearyldimonium chloride and cetrimonium chloride.”