Get Serious Results With These Skincare Products
Photo Illustration: Yeji Kim
bhg - 29 Available at Olay
bhg - 17 Available at Walmart
bhg - 9 Available at Ulta
bhg - 18 Available at Amazon
bhg - 17 Available at Amazon
bhg - 8 Available at Bed Bath & Beyond
bhg - 58 Available at Ulta
bhg - 24 Available at Walmart
bhg - 11 Available at Walmart
bhg - 40 Available at Ulta
bhg - 28 Available at Sephora
bhg - 120 Available at Mary Kay
There's no end to the innovation in the world of skincare, and the latest round of winners is proof. From a dark spot corrector at a welcoming price point to a sunscreen you'll actually want to use, these winners are worth clearing space in your cabinet.
Best Facial Sunscreen: Olay Regenerist Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 ($29, Olay)
Best: Hyaluronic Acid: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Serum ($17, Walmart)
Best Cleansing Pads: Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Eco Pads ($9, Ulta)
Best Acne Gel: CeraVe Acne Control Gel ($18, Amazon)
Best Moisturizer: Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Gel Moisturizer ($17, Amazon)
Best Eye Cream: Pond's Rejuveness Lifting & Brightening Eye Cream ($8, Bed Bath & Beyond)
Best Retinol Alternative: Philosophy Nature in a Jar Skin Reset Serum with Bakuchiol ($58, Ulta)
Best Dark Spot Serum: Mele Even Dark Spot Control Serum ($24, Walmart)
Best Exfoliating Cleanser: Cetaphil Healthy Radiance Gentle PHA Exfoliating Cleanser ($11, Walmart)
Best Facial Peel: No7 Laboratories Resurfacing Peel 15% Glycolic Acid ($40, Ulta)
Best Toner: Biossance Squalane + BHA Pore-Minimizing Toner ($28, Sephora)
Best Retinol Set: Mary Kay Clinical Solutions Retinol 0.5 Set ($120, Mary Kay)
A proper skincare routine is essential to prevent the signs of early aging, but there are more products to try to benefit the rest of your body, too. Make sure to check out the best of hair care, makeup products, and items to benefit the rest of your body to create the ideal at-home spa experience. And make sure to check out the process for selecting the winners of the 2021 Beauty Awards.
Best Facial Sunscreen
Mineral sunscreens can offer unique advantages compared to chemical sunscreens. Powered by physical particles—either zinc oxide or titanium dioxide—they tend to be less irritating on sensitive skin and therefore preferable for kids and infants. The downside? Those particles, which reflect UV rays away from the skin's surface, can often leave a telltale white cast on skin. "As a brown girl, mineral sunscreens usually leave me looking like a ghost," beauty blogger Milly Almodovar says. "Not this one. It worked really well and stayed clear." It's also fragrance-free, doubles as a moisturizer, and feels nongreasy on application. "It's lightweight, has a high percentage of zinc oxide, and an elegant finish for a mineral sunscreen," notes Melissa Kanchanapoomi Levin, M.D., board-certified dermatologist. Bottom line? It's a sunscreen you'll look forward to using.
Buy It: Olay Regenerist Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 ($29, Olay)
Best: Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid has become a headliner for its ability to hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water; applied to skin, that feature can translate to ample hydration and a plump, smooth look. Not surprisingly, you can maximize its benefits in the form of a serum; this one has two molecular sizes of hyaluronic acid for deeper hydration. "It left my skin feeling hydrated and refreshed," says one of our staffers, who also called it outstanding. "And the moisture was sealed in with a smooth, dry finish." Others loved the lightweight, nonsticky texture, as well as how cool and invigorating it felt on the skin. (A word of caution: It won't replace your moisturizer, so don't forget to follow up with that.)
Buy It: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Serum ($17, Walmart)
Best Cleansing Pads
The average cotton pad ends up in the landfill after a single use, and that can add up over time. This more sustainable option, on the other hand, can absorb eye makeup and lipstick in equal measure, then simply be reused, hand-washed, or tossed in your laundry. "I tested this on my TV makeup and was so impressed," says Almodovar, who often serves as an on-air beauty expert. "I had waterproof mascara on and this—soaked with the micellar water—removed it with very little effort. I didn't even need as much micellar water as I usually do." Other testers were wowed by the soft texture of the pads. Paired with micellar water or makeup remover, it also can replace your not-so-sustainable presoaked cleansing wipes.
Buy It: Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Eco Pads ($9, Ulta)
Best Acne Gel
While some spot treatments can take time to sink in and set, this is the exception. "It goes on smooth and dries without any greasiness or residue," a tester says. This alcohol-free version isn't too drying for skin; instead, it clears out pore-clogging dead skin cells with a blend of alpha hydroxy and beta hydroxy acids. It also contains a blend of essential ceramides and niacinamide, aka vitamin B3. Niacinamide is known for its anti-inflammatory effect, which reduces the swelling and tenderness that can often accompany an inflamed blemish—effectively shrinking it. Think of it as a strategic, multipronged approach to clearing a zit quickly.
Buy It: CeraVe Acne Control Gel ($18, Amazon)
Best Moisturizer
A good moisturizer should adequately moisturize—no surprise there—but do so without congesting pores or incorporating potentially irritating ingredients. For a universally friendly option, consider this formula. It uses a soothing blend of feverfew and prebiotic oats to both replenish skin's moisture barrier and calm irritation, all without upsetting skin. "This night moisturizer did a good job of reducing redness around my nose, and it went on smooth and light," one staffer says. "It's not too heavy of a cream." Another tester appreciated its velvety texture, which she says felt luxurious for a gel moisturizer. It also sank in quickly and left skin soft and calm, which won it bonus points.
Buy It: Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Gel Moisturizer ($17, Amazon)
Best Eye Cream
The eye area has some of the thinnest skin on the body, so it merits a little more TLC than your average face cream. This eye cream delivers just that, producing results with a clever pairing of retinol and niacinamide. Retinol is responsible for firming skin, taking care of fine lines around the eyes (looking at you, crow's-feet). Meanwhile, niacinamide pulls double-duty to both buffer any harsh side effects from the retinol—thanks to its anti-inflammatory powers—and offer its own brightening benefits. Plus, our testers found it enjoyable to use. "It sinks in quickly, and the texture was lovely and left my skin feeling soft," Monterichard says. For the price, it's an incredible value.
Buy It: Pond's Rejuveness Lifting & Brightening Eye Cream ($8, Bed Bath & Beyond)
Best Retinol Alternative
You might already be familiar with retinol, a time-tested skincare ingredient that speeds cell turnover to improve fine lines and wrinkles, dark spots, and even breakouts. But it can be too drying for some, which is where bakuchiol comes in; the babchi plant-derived ingredient works similarly to retinol but without the harsh side effects. In this formula, it's paired with olive leaf extract, which helps protect skin from the effects of environmental aggressors. And it passes the test in terms of efficacy without compromise: "I like how gentle this is," Monterichard says. Our testers also appreciated the fragrance-free formula, lightweight and nonsticky texture, and surprisingly fast results.
Buy It: Philosophy Nature in a Jar Skin Reset Serum with Bakuchiol ($58, Ulta)
Best Dark Spot Serum
Not-so-fun fact: People with deeper skin tones are more likely to develop hyperpigmentation, such as dark spots and uneven skin tone. Not surprisingly, the brand geared toward Black and brown skin has debuted a serum to address just that. It features a blend of hexylresorcinol, an antioxidant that helps brighten skin; niacinamide, which can interfere with pigment production and in doing so even out skin tone; and retinyl propionate, a derivative of retinol that can further improve the appearance of dark spots. The biphase formula keeps them stable, with separate water and oil phases that are combined when you shake the bottle. "The dual-phase formulation is unique for this type of product," says expert panelist and beauty blogger Felicia Walker. "I would keep this in my routine for general brightening." It's a slick formula at this price point.
Buy It: Mele Even Dark Spot Control Serum ($24, Walmart)
Best Exfoliating Cleanser
Your cleanser doesn't have to stop at cleansing. This exfoliating formula is designed not only to handily remove makeup but to even out skin tone too. That happens via a proprietary complex of niacinamide along with brightening plant extracts, such as yarrow and mallow extracts; it's clinically proven to brighten dark patches and spots. It also dissolves dead skin cells with polyhydroxy acid, a new-to-the-scene acid that's so mild it's common in skincare products designed for sensitive skin. "My skin was so, so noticeably soft after using. The texture was very lightweight, yet all of my makeup was removed without stripping my skin," says Almodovar. "I was very impressed with how soft and smooth my skin was afterward."
Buy It: Cetaphil Healthy Radiance Gentle PHA Exfoliating Cleanser ($11, Walmart)
Best Facial Peel
A face peel is one of the most low-risk, high-reward treatments in your skincare arsenal; it can deliver immediate payoff (not to mention long-term benefits) in the form of brighter, smoother, and more youthful-looking skin. And this one, which uses glycolic acid to shed dead skin cells and reveal the healthy skin beneath, did just that, according to our testers. Despite some initial tingling, "I saw that a few of my sun spots on my face lightened quite a bit, and my skin did look quite glowy after using it once," reports one staffer. "After another application, I also noticed the texture and pores on that side of my face were visibly reduced—it was kind of like they were blurred out."
Buy It: No7 Laboratories Resurfacing Peel 15% Glycolic Acid ($40, Ulta)
Best Toner
Toner has historically earned a bad reputation for being too stripping, leaving skin tight and dry. Not so with this formula, which pairs beta hydroxy acid—an oil-soluble ingredient that works both within pores to break up clogs and on skin's surface to remove dead cells—with squalane. Squalane, for the uninitiated, is a shelf-stable version of squalene, a lipid naturally found in the skin barrier that aids with moisture retention. BHA and squalane struck the perfect balance for our testers. "I like that it isn't drying and how well it layers underneath additional skincare products and makeup," says Monterichard. "It also leaves my skin feeling soft and hydrated."
Buy It: Biossance Squalane + BHA Pore-Minimizing Toner ($28, Sephora)
Best Retinol Set
Mary Kay Clinical Solutions Retinol 0.5 Set works strategically. The night treatment features retinol, the vitamin-A derivative known for boosting cell turnover to improve fine lines, wrinkles, and discoloration, while the facial milk keeps skin calm and hydrated with soothing plant oils. The combination seemed to really work for our intrepid testers. "My skin tolerated the retinol really well. I had no burning or irritation, and I could see it was also helping with fine lines on my face," one staffer reports. "I liked the way it trains your skin to adjust to the retinol."
Buy It: Mary Kay Clinical Solutions Retinol 0.5 Set ($120, Mary Kay)
