Beauty products couples can share

As a hopeless (more like destitute) romantic, I’ll admit I daydreamed about my first long-term relationship—being a cute, out-and-about couple living in an equally cute city. Perhaps we’d be a couple who leisurely strolls through Chelsea galleries on weekends for giggles? Or we’d play hooky to go hang in the park and rename all the dogs that have human-like faces. My inner child — and literal teen self — watched many rom-com beauty moments (brushing teeth together, painting nails, and poutily masking while snacking) and wrote them off as fantasy. I never imagined that these images would be the truest depiction of modern love I’d be blessed to witness.

My girlfriend and I split a cleanser way more often than we go halfsies on a medium-sized bag of movie popcorn. And we definitely debate over which natural deodorant belongs to whom more than we debate over who should’ve followed up after our first date.

It’s time I accepted that sharing beauty products is the closest thing I’ll get to coupled bliss until we get married in a [redacted] number of years. Here are the products I buy that she’s allowed to use (thoughtfully! and somewhat sparingly!):

Toners

My (okay, “our”) go-to toners are strategically located in our shared medicine cabinet for easy access. Tough-love P50V applies perfectly for both my combination dry-oily skin and my girlfriend’s naturally dewy skin, working mainly on the surface of the skin for radiance and a dose of moisturization. On the other side of the coin, Paula’s Choice 2% BHA, tackles a mutual enemy of ours: blackheads and enlarged pores. Fun fact: when you become great at communication, you can let your partner know that exfoliating five times a week is bad for her barrier and thus, your relationship.

Sunscreen

SPF is something she uses…but only in her expired drugstore moisturizer. Now she’s in love with my Supergoop Sheerscreen! Thankfully, it’s sheer enough to rub in without a trace and has a finish that’s not too matte and not too moisturizing for either of us. That’s a product I’ll always encourage her to borrow.

Face Mask

In a wild turn of events, masking is a weekly ritual for my girlfriend. Me, not so much. That means she’s had a multi-month trial run of all the masks I have but don’t touch as much as I’d like. Her frontrunner is Klur’s Supreme Seed—the creamiest, clarifying clay we’ve ever used. Smells like a warm hug, but what’s inside is skin-comforting as well: a soothing blend of calendula and cacao. I’d argue it’s the ideal mask for those who want to really love masking.

Fragrance

I love my girlfriend, but there’s no way I’m letting her touch my Tom Ford Venetian Bergamot on a daily basis. Enter, the starter Tom Ford: Velvet Orchid. Pearly, deep, and a little moody—just like her after a glass of wine. A timeless classic that never misses and smells unbelievable as she flits around during the day. Say what you want, but is there anything sexier than being the best-smelling couple in the room this romance season?