Dr Dray, dermatologist: 1,108 skincare products reviewed

Every review.

All 1108 products Dr Dray has reviewed, grouped by product type. Click a product to see the full guru consensus.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Against the gurus

Type

Sunscreen174 reviews

"This has fragrance and doesn't leave a white cast because it's a chemical sunscreen. It's water resistant for 80 minutes, so it would be okay for sweat-based activities or the pool, but you have to make sure you reapply it liberally. I don't personally like using scented sunscreens on my face, but this does have a nice fragrance, I will say that. It's a really good deal here, $12.99, normally $17.99."

~Mixed

77%Guru Score

Beauty of Joseon Daily Tinted Fluid Sunscreen SPF 40

"Beauty of Joseon, a Korean brand, I have yet to find a bad product from them. They have a tinted mineral sunscreen with zinc oxide and an SPF booster, octinoxate, like most mineral sunscreens these days, which isn't bad since it helps with overall finish and stability of other ingredients. It's a lightweight, fluid formula that doesn't peel and doesn't get chalky. It's smooth and comes in about 12 different shades, so you have a better chance of finding one that doesn't look bizarre on your skin. It's fragrance-free and has no niacinamide for those who are sensitive. Technically it's a hybrid sunscreen because of the octinoxate, but it does not have a heavy cast. It does require a bit of effort to spread on the skin and there's some streakiness as you're putting it on at first, but relative to mineral sunscreens in general the spread is not too bad. I love the tint on this, I got the shade MP200 and it's worked out really well for me. I've worn it in many videos and was able to tolerate it around my eyes with no problem."

✓Yay

66%Guru Score

Anua Zero Cast Moisturizing Finish Sunscreen SPF 50

"One of my all-time favorite sunscreens, which I discovered in 2025, comes from Anua, a Korean brand that has a sunscreen formulated for the US market. It doesn't have all the filters you might get in a sunscreen bought from Korea, but this formula is amazing. It's super lightweight, very hydrating, not greasy, and doesn't burn or sting around the eyes. It's SPF 50 and water resistant for 80 minutes. It's one of the best facial sunscreens that has come out in the past couple of years in the US market. As far as the aesthetics and performance, it looks great, it's easy to apply, and it doesn't sting for me at least."

✓Yay

74%Guru Score

Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ PA++++

"Bioré has sunscreens in Japan which are very good and do contain the newly approved sunscreen ingredient. I have used many of those Bioré sunscreens in the past, including the Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence. [...] They were some of the first Japanese sunscreens I ever tried, and I really really like them. They do have a [...] light lemon citrus fragrance, not strong or headache-inducing, but if you're allergic to fragrance you would want to avoid them. [...] They're a lightweight, watery gel that's a lot more comfortable to use."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Coola Scalp & Hair Mist SPF 30

"One I tested out and tried a few years ago was from Kula, and I thought that one was pretty good. It did have fragrance in it, however, as do all sunscreens marketed for scalp that I came across at the time."

~Mixed

64%Guru Score

CeraVe Invisible Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50

"I don't typically favor mineral sunscreens. So, for me to finish them says a lot. It means that they are good. And I finished the CeraVe Invisible Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50. And this is another zinc oxide sunscreen. It also has titanium dioxide. The cast on this is very impressive for a mineral formula. It's moisturizing, not the least bit greasy or shiny. And it also does not peel at all, which is wonderful. Sometimes mineral sunscreens, they get a little flaky, and when you try and put makeup on over them, they make a mess. Not the case with this whatsoever. It's got ceramides as do all of CeraVe's products. And sunscreen also makes sense because [...] ultraviolet radiation can compromise ceramide production and integrity and contribute to barrier integrity issues. So I like that aspect of CeraVe sunscreens, plus niacinamide which is common in a lot of CeraVe products. Niacinamide really can bring a lot to the table provided of course you tolerate it. This product is great under makeup. It's not water resistant. However, if you were looking for a water-resistant mineral formula, this would not be it."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Mineral UV Air Serum SPF 50

"I have loved so much. It's my new favorite La Roche-Posay sunscreen for the face. I also love the U Meltton sunscreen Milk, but I like the aesthetics of this a touch better. The Meltton Sunscreen Milk is a little bit more what you would describe as semi matte, demi matte. It's got a glow to it for sure, but it's not as shiny as that one is. Sunscreen often does make the face look shiny because it's providing this reflective surface as that film has formed. If it's a water-resistant formula, I find that it's even more of a shine factor that goes into it."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Vacation Classic Lotion SPF 50

"This is a chemical sunscreen. I have used it. I have reviewed it. Love the scent. It does have that nice sunscreen scent that's classic that everybody enjoys. This is one of their better products. I actually enjoyed this quite a bit. It's one I said I would re-consider using again in the future. I don't think $15.99 is too bad, provided you're not allergic to fragrance. It's like a coconutty banana aroma. This has niacinamide in it because some of you guys are sensitive to niacinamide, but it is a good ingredient for moisturizing the skin, for cutting down on discoloration, inflammation, redness, and may even help with skin yellowing as it relates to glycation. You could use this on the face, but this is a chemical sunscreen that does cause the burny eye things. I would probably just use this on the body solely because of that."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Vacation Classic Whip SPF 30

"I tried the Vacation sunscreen that is made to look like baby oil packaging and that burned my eyes for sure. And I felt like I was getting ready to hop in a deep fryer and be somebody's Friday night dinner. I felt like I was about to turn into a fish stick. No thanks."

✕Nay

65%Guru Score

ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica SPF 50

"The brand that I know of that does this and the products that I personally use myself are from ISDIN. They're sunscreens. They have a tinted sunscreen and a non-tinted sunscreen here in the US with DNA repair enzymes. So definitely something of interest, but they're kind of expensive. I don't think it is a must-have. It's not like something that is in the guidelines for treating patients who have a history of non-melanoma skin cancer moving forward. It's not standard of care, but it is a compelling angle."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 SPF 50

"Lar Ro Pose's Uvamune, I think, is sold in France. That's great."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Abib Quick Sunstick Protection Bar SPF 50+ PA++++

"I got the Abib Quick Sunstick Protection Bar SPF 50+ PA++++ that I discovered last year. I reordered it because the thing I like about that one is it has a really broad, it's a really wide stick and it has this curve that makes it actually really easy to work around your eyes. I love that stick. It glides on the skin really easily. It's not stiff. It doesn't drag on the skin. But make sure you do multiple passes so that you don't skip any areas."

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40

"The classic one that everybody talks about is Supergoop Unseen. [...] Those go into hair bearing areas really well. They don't leave that residue and get stuck on the hair."

✓Yay

69%Guru Score

EltaMD UV Restore Broad-Spectrum SPF 40

"If you're sensitive to niacinamide, this is not going to be great for you. In which case, if you're looking for a mineral niacinamide-free sunscreen, I would suggest the EltaMD UV Restore SPF 40. It comes in either a non-tinted or a formula with a green tint to offer color correction for redness, which is really great because a lot of people who struggle with redness, maybe rosacea, they find that a lot of sunscreens that are marketed to them have niacinamide because it's good for redness, but maybe that's the ingredient that aggravates your rosacea. The cast on that is wonderful. It was one of my 2025s like wow really I liked it."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

Trader Joe's Daily Facial Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40

"Also Trader Joe's has a great dupe as well and so if you have a Trader Joe's in your area do look there."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Bondi Sands SPF 50 Fragrance Free Sunscreen Lotion

"The one I really like is by Bondi Sands. The fragrance-free body lotion is exactly the same as the facial formula."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30

"This is a hybrid sunscreen. So if you have a deeper skin tone, there's a bit of a cast to it. And the CeraVe one has a tendency to peel if you put it on too quickly. You have to kind of baby it as you're applying it."

✓Yay

72%Guru Score

EltaMD UV Physical Broad-Spectrum SPF 41

"I'm wearing a mineral sunscreen right now from EltaMD."

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

BYOMA Ultra Light Face Fluid SPF 50

"This one popped up in my I'm loving this sunscreen video. [...] It comes from Byoma, and this is a wonderful one for those of you who have very oily skin. You don't like heavy stuff on your face, you like a lightweight fluid, this is the one to check out. It's the Byoma Ultra Light Face Fluid SPF 50. For those of you who are sensitive, it is another chemical sunscreen. This is great because it's fast dry, non-greasy, zero white cast. It has hyaluronic acid and ceramide, so the moisturizing piece of it, even though it's super lightweight, [...] really does also help to address the needs of the skin barrier. [...] A lot of you guys who have rosacea, you don't tolerate heavy stuff on your face, and maybe you can even handle a chemical sunscreen like this. It doesn't burn or sting you, per se. You might like the more lightweight fluid formulas, they're not as heavy. Now, a word of warning about a fluid like this. A fluid can be deceptive because it spreads really quickly on the skin, and as a result you may put down a very very thin, sparse layer, so you want to make sure you are putting on a good thick layer of it. If you do the fingerlength method, [...] with a fluid formula like this you can undershoot the amount because it spreads very quickly down your fingers, so just be aware of that. But it feels really good, layers under makeup really well. Now it's got astaxanthin in it, an antioxidant that may help in warding off oxidative stress, which ultimately can also help not only with skin aging but also help your skin barrier."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Cetaphil Redness Relieving Daily Facial Moisturizer SPF 40

"I want to recommend to you guys a tinted mineral sunscreen from Cetaphil, their Redness Relieving Daily Facial Moisturizer SPF 40. This is a great mineral sunscreen. It uses zinc and titanium dioxide, so it's a great option for anyone who is easily irritated by chemical sunscreens. It also contains soothing ingredients like aloe, caffeine, and licorice that are known to help calm down redness in the skin. It hydrates without feeling greasy on the skin and it doesn't sting around the eyes, which can be a real issue for people when it comes to sunscreen in general. This is one that addresses multiple concerns that arise with aging mature skin."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 UV

"This particular product, I think, is excellent for those of you who commute by foot in cold winter conditions and you deal with windburn on your cheeks, your face."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Purito Deep Sea Pure Watery Sunscreen SPF50+ PA++++

"It's fragrance-free. It's the kind of sunscreen that you're putting on in the morning and you're like, 'Oh, okay, wait, I put sunscreen on because it's so moisturizer, right?' Like you're putting it on, and if you didn't know it was sunscreen, you'd just think you were putting moisturizer on. Lightweight sort of gel-like texture. 10 out of 10 would repurchase this. Never peeled for me under any products. Not water resistant though, so it's not one of those for outdoor activities."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

BYOMA Ultra Light Face Fluid SPF 30

"I've been trying out the BYOMA Ultra Light Face Fluid SPF 30 and it's pretty nice. It's a real thin, lightweight fluid, chemical sunscreen. There's no white cast with it. It has Xanthan, which is an antioxidant. It also has ceramides and hyaluronic acid. I've been pretty happy with it. I think it'd be one that people would enjoy as like a primer, maybe under makeup. It's pretty good. Also good if you have oily skin and you like a fluid formula."

✓Yay

73%Guru Score

Australian Gold Botanical Mineral Sunscreen

"I find that some of these mineral sunscreens are so cloyingly matte that it feels like my skin is going to pop off of my skull. I'm looking at you, Australian Gold Botanical."

✕Nay

68%Guru Score

e.l.f. Suntouchable Invisible Sunscreen SPF 35

"Love the invisible sunscreen from them. Clear colorless chemical sunscreen."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-in Milk Sunscreen SPF 60

"The La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-in Milk Sunscreen has been a long-standing favorite. It's actually marketed for both face and body. It works really well on the face, especially if you're someone who has more oily, acne prone skin. No alcohol in it. It has panthenol, a B vitamin that's very moisturizing. It's got silica to help with kind of oiliness and shine. It also has dimethicone which helps it to be lightweight and breathable."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Face Liquid Sunscreen SPF 70

"It's the Ultra Sheer Dry Touch SPF 70. These high SPFs, they do end up making a difference in the long run. Okay, so 70 is good. The thing about this product, it does have fragrance in it. The fragrance in this is not a Neutrogena hit you in the face headache inducer. It's not unpleasant for the body. It's great. It's super quick dry. If you're somebody who sweats a lot, you live somewhere humid, tropical, and you have really oily skin, this is a great one to consider. It used to be that a lot of these Neutrogena sunscreens for me would end up causing the burny eye thing. Ever since they stopped using the Oxybenzone in their sunscreens, it's really removed that from most of their sunscreens for me personally. And that varies a lot from person to person, but I use this comfortably on my face, no problem. I've been going to this a lot this summer for like the arms, the chest. It's really good on the chest. This has been a great one on the neck as well."

✓Yay

74%Guru Score

Bondi Sands SPF 50 Broad Spectrum Sunscreen Lotion

"One of my all-time favorite sunscreens for both face and body is this one from Bondi Sands. I recommend it all the time because it's fragrance-free. It's pretty affordable. It's deeply hydrating. It doesn't burn or sting around the eyes. It's comfortable to wear. It's comfortable to reapply. And it's also moisturizing without being greasy or heavy. It claims to offer 72 hours of hydration. And I believe that it is like a really nice moisturizer. I personally like using this a lot on my legs throughout the summer months because it's just kind of like putting on a body moisturizer in the morning. I'm somebody who has a tendency towards dry skin anyway, so it's kind of like a two for one."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

Eucerin Advanced Hydration Plus Hyaluronic Acid Sunscreen SPF 50

"Eucerin has a body sunscreen that I talk about anytime we talk about body sunscreens because it is really good. It is their Advanced Hydration SPF 50 with hyaluronic acid in it, or sodium hyaluronate, which is good for improving moisture content in the skin. But it also has compounds from licorice root. Licorice root is kind of an alternative to niacinamide. It offers similar benefits. It doesn't get in the way of the pigment package transferring around. But it has been shown to be helpful for hyperpigmentation, but also really helpful for redness and for people who have eczema-prone skin. It shows promise for helping to soothe some of the inflammation. It also has sodium ascorbyl phosphate, which is a stable form of vitamin C that may help reduce the burden of oxidative stress that our skin is faced with when we are exposed to all of those environmental aggressors. So in other words, antioxidants, licorice root, and sodium ascorbyl phosphate. This one has a little bit more of a deep hydration and really makes the skin look a little glowy and bouncy. It does help improve subtly the firmness of the top layers of the skin. You do feel that wearing this."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

Sun Bum Daily Gel SPF 50

"Daily Gel SPF 50, water resistant, 80 minutes. That's actually a pretty good price, don't you guys think? Water resistant."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

The Ordinary UV Filters SPF 45 Serum

"The Ordinary's newest sunscreen is super dewy and shiny, and if a sunscreen is like that, I won't use it. What a flop."

✕Nay

65%Guru Score

Skin Aqua Super Moisture Barrier UV Gel SPF50+ PA4+

"This is a Japanese chemical sunscreen with zero white cast and amazing filters, including Tinosorb S and octinoxate. It does have alcohol in it, which terrifies some people, but it's a safe ingredient that helps maintain the formula's stability and creates a gel texture that's fast drying and allows for good evaporation of sweat, which is perfect in humidity. There's zero burning or stinging around the eyes whatsoever."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

Naked Sundays Cabana Clear Water Gel Serum SPF 50

"This was a dream, quick dry, not the least bit greasy, clear, colorless, zero white cast, and no burning or stinging around the eyes. It's not water resistant, but it's an excellent base for makeup and an excellent daily facial sunscreen for days when I'm not doing pool or water based activities or generating a lot of sweat, and this type of formulation goes on really well over hair bearing areas like the brows and facial hair. There's no niacinamide in it, but it does have kakadu plum, which I was a little worried about because of past issues with other products that had that ingredient. It didn't cause me any issue personally, but if you're sensitive or allergic to it, be aware it's in there. The finish isn't shiny, oily, greasy, or super matte, and I wouldn't use a super matte or a super dewy and shiny sunscreen."

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

Kiehl's Autotone Skin Discoloration Treatment SPF 30

"I really wanted to try this because melasyl is an ingredient L'Oreal has come out with, backed by a lot of research, and it shows a lot of promise for hyperpigmentation and melasma because it gets in the way of some of the melanin precursors. This has both melasyl and niacinamide, so if you get along with niacinamide it's fantastic for hyperpigmentation. It's a chemical sunscreen that comes out kind of peachy in coloration but goes on with no white cast or chalkiness. I love that it's fragrance-free, in contrast to the La Roche-Posay version of this, which has a strong fragrance that I find offensive and that lingers. But this one is even more expensive than the La Roche-Posay version, which I find annoying, and it does not need to be as expensive as it is."

~Mixed

78%Guru Score

Black Girl Sunscreen Moisturizing Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30

"This one's really good and it's still $9.99, which is great. It's water resistant and works really well on the face and the body. This is an underrated sunscreen."

✓Yay

87%Guru Score

Aveeno Baby Sunscreen

"I've always recommended the Aino Baby Sunscreen. It actually doesn't have octal salicylate in it, though I don't think that's a problematic ingredient, since I have plenty of other sunscreens I recommend that do contain it."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

Klairs All Day Airy Sunscreen

"Today I'm coming in with the Klairs All Day Airy Sunscreen. I've really been enjoying this a lot. It's a lightweight chemical sunscreen. [...] It's still wet, don't judge a wet sunscreen. Some people do that, they'll be like, oh my god, that's so shiny. Let it dry a bit, [...] let it breathe, relax itself."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

MERIT Uniform Tinted Mineral Sunscreen Broadspectrum SPF 45

"It just doesn't spread really well. It goes on a little streaky. I've had it on for about an hour and in my opinion, it still looks horrible if I'm being perfectly honest. It settles quite a bit in the crease of your eyelids and it just stays really streaky. Up close, it has a bit of a powdery matte finish to it. It's not oily or anything, it's more on the powdery side, but if you look really close, it just looks really obvious. I don't think it's a problem with the shade being wrong. I just think it looks bad. And I think if you have a deeper skin tone and you go for their deeper shades, you're gonna run into that same issue where it looks more like chalky paint. For $38, I think that's pretty steep for this amount of headache. This is a high maintenance sunscreen to work with."

✕Nay

68%Guru Score

Nivea UV Super Water Gel SPF 50 PA+++

"It's actually one I've used over and over again. There have been several iterations of it. It's been reformulated, tweaked, refined, if you will. And that's the Nivea UV Super Water Gel SPF 50, PA3+. This has Juveninal T150, Juvenile A+, and Octinoxade. It does have alcohol. Don't be scared. This I love because it's fast drying, not the least bit greasy. Doesn't peel. And I love that it comes in this pump bottle. The pump bottle is so convenient for reapplication purposes. It makes reapplying easy. And like I said, it's got alcohol in it, but it's not drying. It doesn't burn. It doesn't sting."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Mela B3 UV Daily Moisturizer SPF 30

"I don't know if you guys are aware of this but L'Oreal owns a lot of brands so when they come up with a cool ingredient they can sprinkle it amongst the brands if they so choose. You may know melisil from La Roche-Posay because they sprinkled it in this whole line. La Roche-Posay chooses to tell us that their product has 5% niacinamide but doesn't tell us anything about the percentage of melisil. La Roche-Posay as a brand, it's got to have thermal spring water so that's going to be a key difference. Thermal spring water in La Roche-Posay, is that going to transform your life? It may offer some soothing property but it's a bit of a reach. I hated the fact that this had strong fragrance in it albeit it doesn't linger too much."

✕Nay

78%Guru Score

ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40

"I've never tried this product before, but it's supposed to be really good. It's their Super Serum with hyaluronic acid and niacinamide. It's a mineral sunscreen, and I think it's great that they have so many shades. Like, if they're able to pull this off with this shade range, I don't know how these look on the skin, but I'm just saying like why don't we get more of a variety in terms of tints for mineral sunscreens. I've always been under the impression that it's kind of hard to do much in the realm of variety for the actual shades that you get, maybe because of the chalkiness from the zinc and or titanium dioxide."

~Mixed

67%Guru Score

Vanicream Sunscreen SPF 30

"They're coming back with some of their zinc oxide sunscreens that have been MIA. Oh my gosh, I was so excited to see this."

✓Yay

71%Guru Score

Abib Airy SunStick Smoothing Bar SPF 50+

"The Abib Airy SunStick is a chemical sunscreen stick and reapplying with this has been a dream and it doesn't burn or sting. The thing I always caution about with sticks is they are prone to skip areas and under application so you need to do multiple passes over a given area. With this particular sunscreen you do have to be careful and do multiple passes, but I love the overall shape of the applicator. I think that is a key feature of it that makes it nice for application, especially like on the jaw area. It gets good coverage but it's kind of curved so you can get up under the eyes and on the forehead."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Blue Lizard Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50

"This is still one of my favorite drugstore facial sunscreens as protection plus vitamins water resistant 80 minutes. It's a mineral sunscreen fragrance-free water resistant in 80 minutes."

✓Yay

74%Guru Score

Cocokind SPF 30 Sunscreen

"I was worried about revisiting irritation from before, but good news it has not only not caused me irritation but I've been loving it loving it loving it. Love the finish, very lightweight. It does make you dewy glowy and that lasts pretty persistent, it's got this bouncy radiant glow. If you're one of those who is a diehard matte, like you want it to be like almost like you got powder on, pass on this. If you like a little dew, a little hydration, a little glow, yeah this is great. No white cast. It is a chemical sunscreen. The ingredients for the sunscreen actives are what are allowed in US sunscreen so you're still getting an American sunscreen, you're not getting like an Australian sunscreen with the Australian filters."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

EltaMD UV Skin Recovery SPF 50

"I got the new EltaMD UV Skin Recovery SPF 50 which I'm loving the Green Tinted one especially."

✓Yay

92%Guru Score

EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46

"One of my favorites from EltaMD is UV Clear. It is a hybrid sunscreen with zinc and also some chemical filters, so it's less likely to sting than an all chemical sunscreen but not as likely to leave a white cast as an all mineral sunscreen. The EltaMD UV Clear finish is [...] pretty matte, which makes it a great option for really oily skin. EltaMD UV Clear has niacinamide, which is great for redness, helps with the moisture barrier, and helps with hyperpigmentation. It's good for people who have acne because of the anti-inflammatory properties, but if you're sensitive to niacinamide then that would be one to avoid."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

EltaMD UV Sport SPF 50

"Their UV Sport is excellent. These are really easy to tolerate around eyelid skin as well. A lot of people with chemical sunscreens sold in the US, they try and put them under their eyes to their eyelids, they get a lot of burning and stinging, that's not the case with these mineral sunscreens. But they don't settle in the little eyelid creases either. You don't get that white chalky build up and little lines under your eyes or around your eyes for a zinc oxide sunscreen."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

EltaMD UV Physical Tinted Mineral Sunscreen

"EltaMD is a go-to brand recommendation from many dermatologists for post-procedural sun protection. They've been in the game for a long time. I was frequently wearing their UV Physical Tinted Sunscreen, and UV Clear has been a favorite of mine for many years. It's a mineral sunscreen, so it avoids the burning and stinging that chemical sunscreens like avobenzone can cause when your skin is sensitive after a procedure. A lot of mineral sunscreens leave a noticeable white cast and can be drying, but this one is very moisturizing and has ceramides, which are lipids that are part of your skin barrier."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

APLB Glutathione Niacinamide Sunscreen SPF 50 PA++++

"I reviewed this a couple of months ago and really have enjoyed it. I'm on my second bottle at this point. It has niacinamide but it also has glutathione, so two antioxidants good for defending against free radicals and oxidative stress so that the skin barrier can get back on track. This formula is a bit more lightweight but also very hydrating and very moisturizing, really good for dry skin sensitivity. It has hyaluronic acid which helps with moisture retention and it has beta glucan, a humectant, so really wonderful hydrating, more lightweight formula."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 50

"CeraVe came out with an SPF 50 version of the AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion. Like the SPF 30 version, this is a hybrid sunscreen with both chemical and zinc oxide active sunscreen ingredients. Because of the zinc oxide there is a bit of a white cast, but [...] hybrid sunscreens with zinc plus some chemical filters tend to leave even less cast than strictly mineral sunscreens. If you have a deeper skin tone but you like zinc oxide sunscreens, try a hybrid sunscreen like this one. This formula is nice and lightweight for a sunscreen that has zinc oxide in it, which is one of the reasons I prefer hybrid sunscreens over mineral sunscreens that [...] tend to be a lot thicker and heavier."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

iUNIK Centella Calming Daily Sunscreen SPF 50 PA++++

"This is iUNIK Centella Calming Daily Sunscreen, an SPF 50 PA++++ Korean sunscreen. I've finished my third or fourth tube of this over the years. It [...] has compounds from centella which are anti-inflammatory and soothing, and it also has niacinamide, which is really good for the moisture barrier and combating oxidative stress, but also for hyperpigmentation because it limits the spread of pigment packets from the pigment-producing cells to neighboring keratinocytes. Plus it's an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, so it can help put the brakes on inflammatory cascades that signal melanocytes to upregulate pigment production. [...] This one is a lot thicker, it's a richer cream, which is great for those with dry skin. It's much thicker and a little heavier in consistency, although it's still pretty lightweight once it's all rubbed in. But on the skin surface as you're applying it, you will notice it is much thicker in consistency compared to many other Korean sunscreens. I honestly think that makes it a great option for the colder months when our skin is more vulnerable to dryness."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-in Sunscreen Milk SPF 100

"I like a sunscreen especially in the humid hot months. It's a chemical sunscreen so there's no white cast with it. I love wearing it both on my face and on my body. I find it's moisturizing while also being non-greasy, fast drying, it doesn't make you look overly shiny. It's water resistant up to 80 minutes so it's excellent for humidity. I keep recommending this over and over again. In my opinion this is one of La Roche-Posay's best sunscreens. It offers really good broadspectrum protection, it's fragrance-free, it feels moisturizing like it doesn't leave the skin feeling dry, so it adds nice lubrication to the skin surface. It's a really good option if you are active outdoors or participate in sport."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Peom Water Barrier Sun Cream SPF 50 PA4+

"I discovered the Peom Water Barrier Sun Cream, it's an SPF 50 chemical sunscreen that's super lightweight, hydrating, and excellent for really any skin type, but if you're looking for something that will accommodate the needs of dry skin, be moisturizing but not too greasy, this is it. There are no drying alcohols in this formula. Juvenal T150, mexal SX, juvenil A+, and tenis orb S are the active sunscreen ingredients, but it's got way more than just sun protection. It also has niacinamide, which is a great ingredient for dry skin, and it has allantoin, a soothing ingredient. This formula is free of fragrance, glutathione, and lactobacillus ferment filtrate. Glutathione is an antioxidant that sometimes flies under the radar. It may help combat oxidative stress that not only impairs barrier integrity but contributes to damage of proteins and lipids and DNA in our skin cells, and glutathione can also be helpful for warding off hyperpigmentation, so it's a wonderful ingredient in a sunscreen."

✓Yay

87%Guru Score

Isntree Purple Protector Sunscreen SPF 40

"I finished the Isntree Purple Protector Sunscreen SPF 40. Isntree has some great sunscreen options, they're a Korean brand, and this one is really interesting. It's got a purplish tint to it which really does a nice job with cosmetic color correction of like dark spots. I have found in using it it's very lightweight, it doesn't leave a white cast, but it does have titanium dioxide in it so if you have a medium to deep skin tone you might get a bit of a white cast with it. It has avobenzone, homosalate, and octocrylene. It also has niacinamide which is going to be good for redness and dark spots, so if you have discoloration that you're looking to protect, improve upon, and camouflage, this would be a great option. I was able to tolerate it comfortably around my eyes. It's not water resistant, so it's a great sort of everyday facial sunscreen for days when you're not outdoors like playing sports or going swimming."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Olay 7-in-1 SPF 15 Fragrance-Free Facial Moisturizer

"This is also a chemical sunscreen so it shouldn't leave a white cast this one has tea leaf extract along with niacinamide so the tea leaf extract is also going to be helpful for warding off free radicals potentially"

~Mixed

76%Guru Score

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Face Serum SPF 60

"I absolutely adore this Ultra Sheer Face Serum. It's a chemical sunscreen SPF 60 and it's water resistant, which I really appreciate for being active outdoors or just for humidity in general. No white cast."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

Prequel Sun Barrier Mineral Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50

"The Prequel Sun Barrier Mineral Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50 was a little clumpy for me, if I recall correctly. It pilled a bit, but it wasn't too bad in terms of the cast."

~Mixed

57%Guru Score

Tula Radiant Skin Brightening Serum Skin Tint SPF 30

"I saw Tula has a sunscreen brightening serum all of these different shades which is exciting but $42 wow that's steep. I haven't really been super impressed by Tula. I think I was put off with them because I saw an ad somebody did with them and it looked like they were using a filter or I know what it was, the individual doing the ad made it seem as though like her acne cleared by using Tula products but come to find out she had also been on Accutane. I just felt like it was very misleading because we all know that the isotretinoin is doing the heavy lifting. If she had said something like these products were really helpful on my acne clearing journey that would have been okay because skincare is important when using isotretinoin, you know, and going through acne treatment, but she made it seem like the products were what cleared her acne. It's just very leading."

✕Nay

63%Guru Score

DRMTLGY Universal Tinted Moisturizer SPF 46

"I also suggest a hybrid sunscreen from Dermatology, and this is a great everyday facial moisturizer and it has niacinamide in it which is good for the redness of rosacea and also helps to address the moisture barrier and calm down inflammation."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen Skincare Milk

"The latest iteration of this sunscreen, it's one of the most popular Japanese sunscreens. I tried it out several years ago and was like, well, it does have fragrance in it which is not my preference, but I have to say I gave it another try and I get why people like it so much. The fragrance is like this sort of fruity floral, it doesn't linger which I appreciate. It has a really nice finish to it. It's a hybrid sunscreen so it has zinc, it has titanium dioxide, but it also has octinoxate, octisalate, avobenzone, avobenzone, homosalate, and oxybenzone. The cast to this is significantly less than the other hybrid sunscreen, Sun Cut. This one the cast is significantly less and it goes on really easily, it's really comfortable. I was reading this is really interesting, it has this Auto Repair technology. What this is, is great in a humid climate. It allegedly activates in high humidity above 78% of humidity or temperatures above 28 degrees Celsius, and it kind of has some sort of technology that activates to improve the durability of the product on the skin so it doesn't melt off. It claims to be water and sweat resistant."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

EltaMD UV Daily Tinted

"My sunscreen is the tinted EltaMD UV Daily SPF 40"

✓Yay

72%Guru Score

Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Heat/UV Protective Primer

"This Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Heat/UV Protective Primer is like an all-in-one type product. It's very lightweight though so it doesn't weigh down your strands at all, so you can use it from root to tip and it doesn't make your hair greasy. The UV protective aspect helps offset the weathering from UV rays to the strands, especially if you have blonde hair which is a lot more vulnerable to sun damage. It can even turn your hair yellow, so this can help. And if you get your hair color treated, a UV protectant like this can help allow for the color treatment to last a bit longer. The heat protectant aspect of this is really nice because it helps slow down the transfer of heat to the hair strands, cutting down on damage. I don't end up using too much of it so this bottle has lasted me a really long time."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Pipet Baby Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50

"I tried this Pipet SPF 50 mineral sunscreen a few years ago and the cast isn't too bad for a zinc oxide sunscreen but it's definitely there and it is a pretty emollient finish from what I recall. It's not water resistant."

~Mixed

78%Guru Score

Sun Bum Premium Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 70

"SPF 70 technically isn't much different than SPF 50 but in real world use conditions the way people actually apply sunscreen higher SPF ends up being better in the long run. I tried this out and it is super emollient. The fragrance in this isn't too strong it doesn't linger, but man it leaves your skin feeling really oily for a long time."

✕Nay

70%Guru Score

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel SPF 50

"This is a nice lightweight hydrating gel"

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Olay Daily Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30

"This is pretty good, it's hydrating, it's an organic sunscreen, it's a good facial moisturizer. Not water resistant. Yeah, this is a nice option. I recently finished it and rather enjoyed it. Didn't sting or burn around the eyes for me."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Olay Invisible Sunscreen SPF 35

"The newest thing was that Olay uh SPF 35 chemical scented sunscreen"

~Mixed

76%Guru Score

EltaMD UV Daily

"I have always recommended UV Clear and UV Daily because they look really nice on the skin and in my opinion these are the quintessential matte formulas. There is no shine with these sunscreens. They're a lightweight lotion formula though so they're moisturizing. They don't have alcohol denaturant like many gel sunscreens that I recommend for oily skin types but in contrast to a lot of lotion cream formulas they're not shiny. [...] UV Daily on the other hand does not have niacinamide so that might help you out if you're sensitive to that ingredient."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

EltaMD UV Glow Broad-Spectrum SPF 36

"I highly suggest EltaMD UV Glow. I love this. I didn't know they had a shade lighter than Sunbeam for some reason. I thought Sunbeam was the lightest shade. This is the one I use. It has niacinamide which is helpful for redness. It has a nice tint, blends in well, zero white cast. It is an organic, AKA chemical sunscreen. Yeah, really a great option. I really like this. I am currently almost finished with my second tube of it. It's nice because it's water resistant."

✓Yay

71%Guru Score

Bumble and bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Heat and UV Protective Primer

"This is the other hair product that I swear by for outdoors the Bumble and Bumble invisible hairdressers heat UV protective primer I actually like this a little bit more than that sunbum one"

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

e.l.f. Suntouchable Whoa Glow SPF 30

"My sunscreen base layer is basically a primer it just helps the makeup stay on better and doesn't crease as much like a lot of sunscreens are a really good primer like the e.l.f. Suntouchable Whoa Glow it builds itself as a sunscreen moisturizer makeup primer"

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer SPF 30

"This is just as good as another moisturizer with niacinamide that's also great for the face and body, and that is the La Roche-Posay Toleriane moisturizing lotion. It's similar type of ingredient family with the niacinamide in there but often significantly less fragrance, also has panthenol and avocado oil."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Neutrogena Beach Defense Sunscreen Lotion SPF 60 Plus

"Costco also has Neutrogena Beach Defense SPF 60 Plus, um this is a great one also with fragrance. This one you get an eight and a half ounce can so you get eight and a half total body applications worth, because that one total body application is an ounce, so if it's a cream that's roughly a shot glass worth of product, um a dollar a 13 per unit $17.49, this is a good deal."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Airy Sun Stick SPF 50

"I love Isntree, and if you were looking for a sunscreen stick for like your lips for example try this one out. It has hyaluronic acid again which is very hydrating, it has homosalate, octinoxate, and tinosorb s for the sunscreen aspect. It also has ceramides which are good for the moisture barrier keeping lips hydrated, and it has sodium hyaluronate. It has astaxanthin which is an antioxidant to help ward off oxidative stress, and that good old fashioned niacinamide. One thing I also like about the Isntree sunstick is I like the shape it's almost a teardrop shape the head of the stick, so the wider end is good for like certain aspects of your eyes and the narrow end you can really get in there. So I like that aspect of it as well."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

DRMTLGY Luminous Eye Corrector SPF 41

"It moisturizes the skin, it hydrates it, it allows for a more even base. [...] I don't even use makeup primer now. While this is a more affordable dupe, it certainly is less expensive compared to the Color Science one, it is not cheap at $44. [...] I think it is worth it if you are someone who is seeking a product to color correct and protect and also you find that your sunscreen that you use on your face you do not tolerate it around the eyes, you have very sensitive eyes. You might want to try this, you might really end up liking this. If you have prominent dark under eye circles that you're looking to improve the appearance of but you also want sun protection, this is a great product to try out. If you have any kind of true hyperpigmentation, not just dark under eye circles from the veins showing through but true hyperpigmentation, sunspots, age spots, discoloration around the eyes, you want something to color correct, to camouflage that a bit. Although it's not a concealer so don't expect it to completely cover it, but something to protect it and help actively assist in clearing it up via sun and visible light protection. This would also be a great product to try if you're someone who loves and adores the Color Science one but you want to dial back on your spending."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Colorescience Total Eye 3-in-1 Renewal Therapy SPF 35

"One of my favorite skincare products that is definitely a splurge is the Colorescience Total Eye 3-in-1 Renewal. It is a sunscreen for around the eyes. No, you don't need a specific product as a sunscreen for around your eyes, the sunscreen you use on your face is more than adequate, but this particular product has some ingredients in it and the overall formulation is such that it offers really nice color correction around the eyes and it helps to hydrate and smooth out little fine lines. It really has a nice cosmetic bang for its buck. So it's like a hybrid between sunscreen and a makeup product offering really good sun protection but also giving you some color correction. Now, because of it being so expensive, I am always getting comments anytime I mention it asking if there's a dupe or a more affordable alternative. I've tried a few over the years and I always go back to that one."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Good Molecules Sheer Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30

"Good Molecules has a newer, new to me at least, Sheer Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30. It's zinc oxide, probably going to leave a white cast, but it has ethyl ferulate which is an antioxidant."

~Mixed

75%Guru Score

Eucerin Sensitive Mineral Face Sunscreen SPF 35

"I really like this Eucerin Sensitive Mineral Face SPF 35. It's a dewy finish. It has licorice root extract in it, which is good for redness and it's an antioxidant, also good for hyperpigmentation. It does not have niacinamide in it either, which I'm pointing that out because I know some of you guys are sensitive to niacinamide. The other nice thing about this is that if you are someone whose skin tends to heal with a dark mark, the iron oxides from the tint can help protect against non-UV wavelengths of sunlight that lead to more early onset and more stubborn hyperpigmentation."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Iris and Romeo Weekend Skin SPF50+ with Vitamin C and Glow

"This is a sunscreen that I want to feature it's from Iris and Romeo I bought it several months ago but it's nice and hydrating"

✓Yay

70%Guru Score

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Tint Lotion SPF 30 Fragrance-Free

"Neutrogena has a fragrance-free version of the old gel cream now. This one has natural moisturizing factors and ceramides and it's a thicker consistency. This is a great lightweight facial moisturizer for oily or dry skin."

✓Yay

70%Guru Score

Naked Sundays Mineral Sunscreen

"I bought this a while ago, the Naked Sundays Mineral Sunscreen was pretty casty but and a little on the dry side if I remember correctly."

✕Nay

61%Guru Score

Naked Sundays Glow Balm Mineral Peptide Stick SPF 50

"They also have a stick, SPF 50 stick. This is an organic, aka chemical sunscreen, so it shouldn't leave a cast. You do want to do multiple passes and then physically rub it in with your hands."

✓Yay

71%Guru Score

NYX Blur Screen Sunscreen SPF 30 Primer

"Check it out you guys NYX has a sunscreen primer SPF 30 blurring primer I might have to give this a try sometime"

~Mixed

76%Guru Score

Colorescience Sunforgettable Total Protection Face Shield Flex SPF 50

"The Colorescience Sunforgettable Total Protection Face Shield Flex is one that I've had cleansers fail to remove, and they should take it off, but I mean it's a testament to how good that sunscreen is in terms of staying on the skin. That's great, you want it to stay on the skin until you don't."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Banana Boat Protection Plus Vitamins Sunscreen SPF 50

"This one's really good by Banana Boat, the Protection Plus Vitamins SPF 50."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Anthelios UV Correct Daily Lotion SPF 70

"This is La Roche-Posay's SPF 70 Anthelios UV Correct Daily Lotion sunscreen. I've been using this off and on. It is an organic sunscreen with avobenzone, which is good for redness and hyperpigmentation. It's not water resistant and the finish is a little shiny. I have gotten some peeling with this, which is when the sunscreen kind of comes up in little balls, including when I just put it on a bare face with no product underneath."

~Mixed

60%Guru Score

Coppertone Every Tone Invisible Finish Face Sunscreen SPF 50

"Coppertone came out with Invisible Finish Face in their Every Tone line. So I tried the body one on my face and man did it burn my eyes. I wonder if the facial formula, which is water resistant for 40 minutes, is better for around the eyes than the body one was, because the body one was one of those where it ends up making you have blurry vision, watery eyes, burny eyes. You know what I'm talking about if you've ever experienced that, it's quite quite horrific."

✕Nay

74%Guru Score

CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30

"I need to finish this CeraVe hydrating sheer sunscreen that I have going on. This is okay."

~Mixed

76%Guru Score

Coppertone Sport Sunscreen Lotion

"The Sport Sunscreen Lotion, $5.99, no white cast, very moisturizing, but it does kind of burn around the eyes. It's a great body sunscreen, but on the face it definitely burns in the eyes."

~Mixed

73%Guru Score

Sun Bum Face Mist SPF 45

"The deal with these mists is they're kind of spotty [...] in terms of the adequacy of the coverage and you actually have to spray them into your hand and then rub them in. When I tell people that [...] they're under the impression that they can just mist these on their face and they don't have to touch their face but unfortunately you do have to rub them in. Make sure you don't inhale when you use them."

✕Nay

62%Guru Score

Avène Sunscreen Tinted Lotion SPF 50

"The nice thing about the tinted mineral sunscreens is the tint may offer some additional protection against visible light"

✓Yay

67%Guru Score

Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Pure Mineral Relief Daily Sunscreen SPF 50+ PA++++

"If you have very sensitive skin, the texture overall and the consistency make it a great option, not only for dry and or sensitive skin but also for oily, acne-prone skin. I think pretty much any skin type should get along well with this. That being said, no one person's skin is exactly like another, so predicting these things is basically impossible to say for sure if it's going to work out for you or not. But for me, this was a standout best of 2023 Korean skincare product that I highly recommend checking out, especially if you like mineral sunscreens."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Beauty of Joseon Matte Sun Stick SPF 50

"Their matte sunstick has really good sunscreen active ingredients for broadspectrum UV protection. Avobenzone, which is excellent for UVA protection, and it has Octinoxate and Avobenzone T150. There's no white cast with this. It has Centella, which is anti-inflammatory, turmeric root extract also is anti-inflammatory, hyaluronic acid and glycerin are hydrating, and panthenol is very moisturizing. These sunscreen sticks are kind of handy for using as an SPF lip balm. I ended up using this one up as my SPF lip balm, using it a lot on my lips."

✓Yay

72%Guru Score

Cetaphil Healthy Renew Day Cream SPF 30

"It has salicylic acid and Ava benzone, it has rice leaf extract in it which is anti-inflammatory, it has peptides derived from botanical ingredients that have been purified and help improve moisture content, it also has soy extract, and soy isoflavones are anti-inflammatory and show promise for improving skin yellowing as it relates to aging. This is a really nice drugstore facial moisturizer with sunscreen. It's a great one to consider this winter season for keeping your skin protected and moisturized."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

PEOM Water Barrier Sun Cream SPF 50 PA4+

"I actually recently finished a tube of this I really really like it"

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

IOPE UV Shield Sun Ample

"I'm so excited about this sunscreen because I love this brand iope or at least everything from them that I've tried"

✓Yay

68%Guru Score

Isntree Yam Root Milk Tone Up Suncream SPF50+ PA4+

"If you like tone up sunscreens try this one, it does not disappoint in my opinion. It's a tinted mineral sunscreen with zinc and titanium dioxide, it's fragrance-free and it has the peachy tint that is typical for a tone up sunscreen. It's moisturizing but it's not shiny or greasy. It has niacinamide which can help with tackling dark spots as well as redness and dry skin. Oat extract and root extract make this a very hydrating formula in my opinion. The zinc and titanium dioxide are what are offering broadspectrum sun protection from ultraviolet radiation. The iron oxides, which are what are giving this a tint, may actually offer additional protection from visible light that comes from the sun. Visible light from the sun plays a role in hyperpigmentation and sunscreen active ingredients don't really cover that aspect, so a tinted sunscreen is an option for getting that. It really addresses more of the root causes of dark spots besides ultraviolet radiation. I definitely appreciate the tone up aspect of this sunscreen in terms of brightening up complexion. As it's going on it's a little like oh my God this is going to be too casty, but just trust the process. In my experience the cast actually is not too bad."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

Eucerin Oil Control Dry Touch SPF 50+

"I'd be interested to give this a try oh they put fragrance in it I wonder why they did that that's a bummer"

✕Nay

70%Guru Score

MD Solar Sciences Mineral Tinted Cream SPF 30

"A mineral version of this, in my experience it's really silicon rich like this but it's mineral and tinted. This the MD Solar Sciences tinted mineral cream, so right here as I'm sitting in the car there are a few things going on that can aggravate melasma. First of all the UV, of course you can get UV tinted films for your car that cut down on that, but the UVA rays come through and that can aggravate melasma. The visible light, namely the blue light from the sun, comes through, that can aggravate melasma, plus the heat. You know, if your face is getting warm you have to be careful, that can actually work and melasma."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Paula's Choice Youth Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50

"One of my favorite sunscreens from Paula's Choice, the Resist Youth Extending SPF 50. This is an organic sunscreen, chemical sunscreen, there's no cast, it's a really nice hydrating formula. It has antioxidants in it from pomegranate and green tea which may help diminish or lessen the burden of oxidative stress upon exposure to environmental stressors."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Undefined Beauty RNR Sun Serum SPF 50

"Undefined Beauty has a sunscreen that's tinted that I really like I've been raving about for a few years, the RNR Sun Serum. They also recently came out with an organic non-tinted sunscreen that I've been trying out and I really like. It's like nice and amoyan."

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

Eucerin Age Defense Plus Hyaluronic Acid SPF 50 Face Lotion

"This product, the Age Defense with hyaluronic acid by Eucerin, this is a chemical sunscreen. There's no cast with this one. I have used it and really like it. It has hyaluronic acid in it so it's very hydrating, but it also has compounds from licorice root which are anti-inflammatory, has antioxidants which may help ward against oxidative stress upon exposure to UV as well as other environmental stressors like pollution and infrared radiation that can lead to even more damage to your skin."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Bubble Plus One Tinted Mineral Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40

"I tried their tinted sunscreen and that one wasn't bad but it was not like at the level of a lot of other tinted sunscreens. The nice thing about that product is that it is tinted, it has iron oxides, it's a sunscreen so it's going to protect against UV which leads to DNA damage and upregulates pigment production which you don't want when you're trying to fade dark spots, and the iron oxides also protect against visible light which comes from the sun and basically leads to more early onset and more stubborn hyperpigmentation in people with deeper skin tones. But all that to say, like the Bubble tinted sunscreen, there are a lot of other tinted sunscreens on the market that I think look a lot better. They're not as shiny."

✕Nay

66%Guru Score

Undefined Beauty RNR Mineral Sunscreen

"Undefined Beauty has a new sunscreen that is a chemical sunscreen, also known as organic sunscreen. I haven't tried it yet, so I need to try it."

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

Supergoop Glow Screen Sunscreen SPF 40

"I tried out the Supergoop Glow Screen, it's an organic sunscreen, chemical free. There's no white cast, it's tinted, it's not water resistant. It didn't burn around my eyes. The finish was okay, a little shiny, and the tint is very shimmery so it kind of gives you that glittery bronze look, which is okay. You may really like that, but personally for me it just was not my favorite."

✕Nay

68%Guru Score

Supergoop Play Everyday Lotion SPF 50

"It's not my favorite. It's an organic sunscreen with no cast, but it has citrus oils, which in my opinion are not great additions to sunscreen because they can be irritating. That's not my preference, and it's not a sunscreen I would ever choose myself."

✕Nay

63%Guru Score

Supergoop Glow Stick SPF 50

"The Glow Stick didn't burn around my eyes. The finish was okay, a little shiny, and the tint is very shimmery, so it kind of gives you that glittery bronze look, which is okay, you may really like that, but personally for me it just was not my favorite. It's also an organic sunscreen that is not water resistant, it doesn't leave a cast. [...] Sunscreen sticks can be convenient, especially for applying around the eyes since they don't have any water, so they're less likely to seep in your eyes, however sunscreen sticks are very prone to skip areas and under application. If you love the Glow Stick and you like the idea of having this stick on hand, then this is a pretty good deal."

~Mixed

71%Guru Score

Cetaphil Sheer Mineral Face Liquid Sunscreen SPF 50

"Cetaphil's Sheer Mineral Face Liquid Sunscreen is an SPF 50 water resistant mineral sunscreen. It does leave a white cast but it's not super pasty, so if you have a paler skin type you may find that this is just fine for you. It's zinc oxide as the active sunscreen ingredient and it's a wonderful base for makeup. It has a demi matte finish, it's not overly shiny in my opinion but it's very easy to tolerate around the eyes. It's free of fragrance as well with a nice fluid consistency. One note about ordering: if you don't think you're going to be home in time to receive this or you're concerned that it may sit out in the heat, I would not order this because if sunscreen gets too hot then it can separate and no longer be effective, but it should be fine in the amount of time that is being shipped to you."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Moist Sun Serum SPF 50+ PA++++

"This isn't bad but I don't like fragrance in my sunscreens. I can definitely smell the aroma to this."

~Mixed

64%Guru Score

Skin Aqua UV Super Moisture Milk

"As it spreads on the skin surface it's almost giving a smoothing down of any sort of dry rough texture that you may have. It wears very nicely under makeup. It does not burn or sting around the eyes. It is a hybrid sunscreen with active ingredients from mineral and active ingredients from chemical. This is one of my favorite Japanese sunscreens. It's very, very nice and free of fragrance. I just wish it came in a bigger bottle because I go through this in like a couple of weeks."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Bliss Block Star Daily Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30

"I've heard good things about this Bliss Block Star invisible daily SPF 30. This is the kind of thing though that you use as an everyday moisturizer. It has iron oxides which can offer some protection against visible light. It does have fragrance though, lavender oil, rose fruit oil, so be aware."

~Mixed

73%Guru Score

Australian Gold Botanical Tinted Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50

"This particular sunscreen aggravates my skin. It's too matte for me and it aggravates my skin. I have eczema and it triggers eczema flares, I get irritation from it, I cannot use it. Part of me also thinks it may be related to the kakadu plum in the formula, I'm not entirely sure, but I've tried it numerous times over the years and it does not work for me. It's free of fragrance and water resistant, and it's a really good deal for the price, so if you're looking for that super matte finish you'll probably like it, but if you have even a hint of dry skin or a tendency toward dry skin, or if you have eczema or very sensitive skin, stay away. I could not tolerate it, ever."

✕Nay

78%Guru Score

Sun Bum Mineral Tinted Face Sunscreen SPF 30

"This is a drugstore water resistant tinted mineral sunscreen that I just discovered last year and it's very good. It's SPF 30 and only comes in one shade, but they did a great job with that shade. It's not too orange and it doesn't lean too red, and it doesn't give you that chalky look that some tinted sunscreens can. It's actually a very good blendable formula that works out well for a lot of skin tones despite only offering one shade. No fragrance, no niacinamide, it's moisturizing, and it has almost a whipped consistency. This one is only water resistant up to 40 minutes, unlike the others I've mentioned which are water resistant up to 80 minutes."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Olay Sensitive Mineral Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen

"The Olay sensitive SPF 30 has gone up in price, it used to be like twelve bucks and now it's like fifteen here at Walmart, which is probably the least expensive. It's a hybrid sunscreen, the cast is not bad and it's very moisturizing. It's just a good everyday moisturizer with sunscreen, and it has tea leaf extract and niacinamide, so antioxidants that may help minimize oxidative stress."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Pipette Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50

"I reviewed the Pipette mineral sunscreen a few years ago when it came out, it's actually not bad, kind of chalky but not too bad. It has gone up in price though."

~Mixed

65%Guru Score

Thank You Farmer Sun Project Skin Relief Sun Cream SPF50+ PA++++

"This Thank You Farmer sunscreen, it's not my Holy Grail Korean sunscreen by any means, but I like it, I've been enjoying it. Unlike some American sunscreens, zero burning eyes with this. I put it all around my eyes and I don't even feel like I have sunscreen on."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch SPF 55

"The Neutrogena sunscreens are quite good in terms of protection, they have helioplex which really helps stabilize the avobenzone in them, so you get really good reliable UV protection provided that you use it correctly. The Ultra Sheer Dry Touch SPF 55, water resistant, this one's nice, it's very lightweight, it does have a fragrance to it which again is not my preference."

✓Yay

73%Guru Score

Eucerin Sensitive Tinted Mineral Face Sunscreen SPF 35

"I've really been loving the new Eucerin tinted zinc oxide sunscreen that I reviewed for you guys, that's another new to the drugstore tinted sunscreen option that is not disappointing whatsoever."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protector Lotion SPF 50

"Over the years I've tried this numerous times via samples, and it does not do it for me. It's a chemical sunscreen, it has fragrance, and I like to avoid fragrance in sunscreens in particular. It is tinted, but the tint is not going to work out so well for everyone, it's kind of a peachy pink tint that ends up blending in pretty much sheer. It also has some antioxidants in it. Ordinarily it's 50 dollars, which is too steep for me, there's not much about how this wears, feels, or looks to differentiate it from something like Banana Boat. I'm not going to pay 50 dollars for a scented chemical sunscreen ordinarily, but if this is your holy grail then get it on sale."

✕Nay

66%Guru Score

Clinique Moisture Surge Broad Spectrum SPF 25 Tinted Moisturizer

"I've tried this, it's very heavy, very thick, not much to my liking. It's a chemical sunscreen, so there's no cast, it's not chalky, and it is tinted so you get the benefit of the iron oxides for visible light protection perhaps, but I didn't care for the consistency, I thought it was a little too heavy for my liking. If you have very sensitive skin, heavy moisturizers can sometimes make you feel flushed and overheated, and that's how this one was for me. If you have rosacea you may already be sensitive to chemical sunscreens and they may make you flush, so I would say pass on this."

✕Nay

60%Guru Score

IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream Illumination SPF 50

"These look good on the skin, the formulation looks beautiful, however the ingredients are potentially very irritating to people. I have never cared for the fact that this brand puts citrus peel oils in their sun care, citrus peel oils can be photosensitizing, and while the cosmetic industry says they filter these things out, they can still be pretty irritating for the skin. I've heard from a lot of you that these CC creams from IT Cosmetics end up aggravating rosacea and sensitive skin, so I say skip these. This new version does have snail filtrate in it, which in my opinion is a good ingredient, rich in humectants and shown to be beneficial for healing radiation dermatitis, but I'd still skip this one."

✕Nay

67%Guru Score

Coppertone Glow Shimmer Sunscreen SPF 50

"Coppertone has this tinted chemical sunscreen that's very glowy and glittery, I actually like it."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50

"Their Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 is a casting sunscreen, there is a cast to that. It's not as bad as some, but it's going to leave a white cast, FYI."

✕Nay

55%Guru Score

EltaMD UV Luminous

"This water resistant mineral sunscreen claims to have a light rosy tint, but in my opinion it looks a bit like Pepto-Bismol. It's not greasy and it doesn't pill, but it's one of those mineral sunscreens that's a bit on the drying side, and it obviously leaves a white cast, honestly a striking white cast on the skin. I don't think it's that wildly different from any other mineral sunscreen to justify the 36 dollar price point. I love many EltaMD sunscreens and was really excited to see this tinted version, but it's just not their typical work."

✕Nay

64%Guru Score

Naturium Dew Glow Tinted Moisturizer SPF 50

"This is a really good sunscreen, I just wish it were not so expensive. It's an SPF 50 tinted mineral sunscreen, this has got to be one of my favorite drugstore tinted sunscreens, although I only ever find it in Target. This is really good though, I have to say, I love it, I just, like I said, it's kind of expensive."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

ISDIN Eryfotona Ageless Ultralight Emulsion Broad Spectrum SPF 50

"The sunscreen itself I actually really like, with two main criticisms. This is the tinted version, a very thin, liquid consistency, and on the central part of my face I don't really notice an orangey cast, but if you look carefully out towards the hairline you can see some orange hue, which I don't care for. It also has a fragrance, it doesn't linger and it's not off-putting, but I prefer not to have fragrance in my skincare products. It does have alcohol denatured in it, which for sunscreens I actually find pretty beneficial, it creates a formula that's not greasy, not heavy, fast absorbing, and it tends to be better especially in a hot humid climate. This product is actually pretty moisturizing, I used it a lot throughout the summer and fall. It is expensive, which is a bit of an upfront risk if you're not sure it's going to look good on you, but for me it ended up working out and I actually rather enjoyed it. The finish is matte but moisturizing, so it's not cloyingly drying or tight like a lot of matte products can be. You can put cosmetics on over it, though it may pill if you put it on over a gel moisturizer. Overall I really like their sunscreens, I just wish they were free of fragrance."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

Alastin HydraTint Pro Mineral Sunscreen SPF 36

"The Elastin Hydra Tint sunscreen was not a win for me whatsoever. It's sixty dollars for an SPF 36 sunscreen, water resistant forty minutes, a daily facial moisturizer with a tint. The tint was orange for me, very orange. The product peeled no matter what I did and I got a lot of pilling. I do not see that the price point justifies the product. It was an epic fail for me."

✕Nay

70%Guru Score

Avène Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+ Tinted Compact

"These compacts from Avène are underrated. They perform like a foundation in terms of how they look and the coverage, and they've actually been used in a clinical study showing improvement of hyperpigmentation, both from the sun protection and because they have iron oxides which can protect against the blue light that drives hyperpigmentation. I wish it came in more shades, honey and beige, and I wish there was some way for people to test these out like a swatch before investing because they are expensive. But they're like makeup, like a foundation, if you have discoloration you want to camouflage, not only does it camouflage it, it protects it. The formula is also moisturizing, it has almost a matte finish but it's not drying and it doesn't settle into creases."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

Garnier Ambre Solaire Super UV SPF 50

"I really like the Garnier Ambre Solaire Super UV sunscreen."

✓Yay

73%Guru Score

IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream SPF 50+

"Here's their CC cream. I don't recommend this product because it's got a lot of fragrance and essential oils in it, orange peel oil, bergamot fruit oil, though it does look good on the skin. It's ironic because this line was originally kind of marketed as being for people with rosacea, and those ingredients can be pretty irritating for people with rosacea. I have used this in the past, some of my first videos on this channel are of me using this product. I liked it, I had one tube in my life and I enjoyed it, but I've never repurchased it again."

✕Nay

66%Guru Score

Tula Protect + Glow Daily Facial Sunscreen Gel SPF 30

"Tula has an SPF 30 sunscreen, a chemical sunscreen that shouldn't leave a cast, but it has a bunch of citrus extract in it, similar to the IT Cosmetics CC cream, so I wouldn't necessarily recommend that."

✕Nay

74%Guru Score

Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Mineral Sunscreen

"Walgreens has a generic for Neutrogena's Sheer Zinc Mineral Sunscreen, but this leaves a pretty intense white cast, it's actually very notable. If you have oily skin I don't think you're going to care for that."

✕Nay

59%Guru Score

Coppertone Sport Sunscreen Spray SPF 30

"This Coppertone 30 spray I would skip, because it's difficult to get enough sunscreen on the skin in these sprays, they're susceptible to under application. Practically speaking they're not that great of a value."

✕Nay

68%Guru Score

ISDIN Eryfotona Ageless Tinted Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50

"I'm going to wear the ISDIN Ageless, the tinted one, the sunscreen with DNA repair enzymes I reviewed earlier this week. I tried it as a sample a few years ago and I really liked it."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica Ultralight Emulsion SPF 50

"I really like these Isdin ones, I gosh I wish they didn't have fragrance, but so far it's not been a problem for me with these, and these are beautiful on the skin. I've gotten a lot of comments from you guys over the years that these are like your holy grail sunscreens, and I definitely can appreciate why that is."

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50

"This SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion SPF 50 water resistant lightweight fluid is good, it's one not to sleep on. The tint is kind of similar to the Sun Bum one but the consistency is a liquid, it's got really good spread on the skin, no cast for me. It's even thinner in consistency than the Colorescience Sunforgettable Mineral Face Shield, it spreads very quickly on the skin, and it doesn't do any kind of peeling. I think it would be a great base for makeup too, it has almost a matte finish but again it's not cloying or dry."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

ISDIN Eryfotona Ageless SPF 50

"This is the tinted version, also a zinc oxide mineral sunscreen with photolyase in it, protecting against UVA and UVB rays. The tint is a bit on the orange side, but it looks nice on the skin, it's not super orange like Oompa Loompa orange, though if you look closely near your hairline or at the edge where you've applied it, it is a little more orange. It also has Peptide Q10 in it, a proprietary peptide that allegedly stimulates your skin's own ability to make more coQ10, though I don't honestly know how that peptide stacks up to just putting actual coQ10 on the skin. It's nice in terms of application consistency, moisturizing but not greasy, and it doesn't give me any pilling, which I cannot stand. It does have fragrance, a powdery fresh scent that fades quickly and doesn't linger, though fragrance isn't my preference in sunscreens. It's water resistant up to 40 minutes. At seventy dollars it's a pretty steep price point, ten dollars more than the non-tinted version, and I don't know that it's necessarily any better at protecting you from UV exposure than a more affordable option, but it's worth it if you like the way it looks and feels and it motivates you to wear it consistently."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Nivea UV Deep Protect and Care Essence SPF 50+

"I went ahead and ordered the Nivea UV Deep Protect and Care Essence SPF 50 plus, it has a PA rating of four plus, and I have always loved these Nivea sunscreens. I kind of like the packaging, it comes out as a yellowish white cream, it does have a fragrance to it, but it's got that nice lightweight watery gel consistency and this one seems even more quick dry than some of the older formulations. So far it's pretty easy around the eyes and I really like the finish, though it's a little shiny at first, that'll probably dry down a bit. It's wearing pretty well after an hour and a half, and it is water resistant. I wish it didn't have this fragrance, because the fragrance definitely does linger, though it's not headache inducing and I've not had any issues with it causing blurry eyes. It does have a low molecular weight alcohol denaturant in it, which isn't the devil, it just makes for a more fast absorbing quick dry formula with a nice lightweight texture, almost like a thicker serum consistency."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

EltaMD UV Restore Tinted Sunscreen

"Yesterday I wore the EltaMD UV Restore Tinted and after my run my forehead was a little bit itchy and felt a little tight. I don't feel as though it is as moisturizing as the COTZ, though I do like it too and I've gone through more than one tube of it."

~Mixed

79%Guru Score

EVY Technology Daily Defense Face Mousse SPF 50

"This brand claims this will not come off with sweat, friction, or rubbing, and they kind of imply you don't need to reapply it, which I have reservations about, I don't agree with that recommendation. It's an interesting texture, like shaving cream when it comes out, which kind of weirds me out a little bit, but I didn't mind using it on the body, I really liked it a lot, I used it and went in the pool. It's not greasy, however it is a little bit sticky. I've enjoyed using it on my body, but I find it a little bit difficult to apply to the face, it was hard to tell how much I needed to apply to get a good layer, I didn't feel like I had a good grasp of the quantity. For the face it does feel kind of sticky on the skin but it looks good, there's no cast, it's not drying, it's not particularly moisturizing either. While I really like it personally I don't feel very comfortable applying it, I don't feel like I'm getting adequate coverage. The Evy sunscreen mousse, I just feel uneasy and uncomfortable using it."

~Mixed

85%Guru Score

Hello Sunday One Serum SPF 45

"This is a chemical sunscreen, there's no cast. It has sodium ascorbyl phosphate, that form of vitamin C that may be helpful for people with acne prone skin, it also has gluconolactone, a polyhydroxy acid that's moisturizing and really helpful for skin texture, very mildly exfoliating but not irritating, and it's got hyaluronic acid which can help with hydration. I would think of this product as like a daily moisturizer with sunscreen, it's pretty moisturizing. It is not water resistant so it's not a product I'd use for sport. It's a fluid formula, very moisturizing, I'm able to tolerate it without any burning or stinging, but it did run into my eyes a little bit as the day went on and I got a subtle kind of burny, blurry eye effect. This is pretty good though, if you are looking for a nice daily moisturizer that has sunscreen, I would suggest this, it's great, it doesn't peel and I think cosmetics will go on over it just fine. The one thing I will point out is the product suggests adding drops of it to your moisturizer for added SPF, that is misleading, I would not dilute out your sunscreen into your moisturizer, it will impact how the product protects you, so I would not suggest doing that."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Black Girl Sunscreen Make It Matte Sunscreen Gel SPF 45

"Black Girl Sunscreen came out with a hybrid sunscreen and their sunscreens are really, I really like them. This one has got zinc and then it's got some chemical filters in it to protect against UVB. The Make It Matte gel is really nice, it has a nice kind of pore blurring effect, colorless, zero cast, all chemical sunscreen."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

Tatcha Silk Sunscreen SPF 50 Weightless Mineral Sunscreen

"This is Tatcha's The Silk Sunscreen SPF 50. It has one of my favorite moisturizing ingredients, isododecane, but the tint on this is very, very negligible, there's not much to it, and I was surprised by how sheer this is. If you have a deeper skin tone I think this is going to show up as a very sheer white veil on the skin. It does have niacinamide in it, which a lot of you have issue with. It's sixty dollars for 1.7 ounces. This is not one I would buy myself or go out of my way to repurchase. I definitely would not buy the Tatcha one for the price, I didn't think this was worth it. I would much rather get the EltaMD UV Restore, I think that's a better option."

✕Nay

66%Guru Score

Garnier Super UV Sunscreen

"I got this amazing sunscreen from Garnier, sent by a viewer in Germany. I believe it has Tinosorb in it. It's a chemical sunscreen, so there's not going to be a white cast with a sunscreen like this, oh that's nice. It does have a hint of an alcohol smell, which is not a bad thing to have in sunscreens, but overall it does feel pretty moisturizing, so I look forward to using that."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Natural Sun Cream SPF 50+ PA++++

"This is a Korean brand mineral sunscreen that does leave a white cast but it's not too bad. If you have a medium to pale skin tone it's doable, but if you have a deeper skin tone I'm not going to lie and say it doesn't leave a cast. The consistency is very hydrating but not greasy. I really enjoyed it and I prefer this one to that Coco Kind one for sure."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

Coppertone Tinted Body Sunscreen

"It's not perfect because it has shimmer in it which can be irritating, but personally I've used this one a lot for like running outside and it's really good on the body. It has that kind of quick drying effect that helps keep you from getting overheated."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Vanicream Broad Spectrum SPF 50

"I would definitely encourage you to check out the Vanicream SPF 50 Plus instead of that other one. It's a mineral sunscreen but a lot less expensive. It's water resistant. It is shiny and does leave a cast like the other one, but it's much more affordable."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Hero Cosmetics Force Shield Super Light Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30

"I really enjoy this mineral sunscreen because it's one of those moisturizing sunscreens that doesn't really feel like sunscreen. It spreads on the skin really well, it's fast absorbing, it's not greasy, and it's actually very moisturizing without leaving the skin feeling dry. It has a green tint that helps camouflage redness, and for a mineral sunscreen there's very little cast. The only limitation is it's not water resistant, so it's better for everyday use than for sports or water activities. Overall, it's a comfortable and easy-to-wear sunscreen that I've really enjoyed."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

DRMTLGY Broad Spectrum SPF 45 Untinted Sunscreen

"I've been using this for a long time and it's a long-standing favorite of mine. It's very lightweight, not greasy, not shiny, and they also make a tinted version which is also a favorite. The only thing is it has an odd odor kind of like a plastic pool float, but that odor fades very quickly after you put it on. It's not water resistant though, so if you're going to be participating in sports or doing water-based activities or it's really humid, then I wouldn't suggest wearing this. But don't sleep on this brand because they have a lot of good skincare products that are the same formula as expensive medical grade products but at a more affordable price."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Ultra Sun Anti-Aging Face Fluid SPF 50

"I got this on a European website and I love this product. It's water resistant with really good chemical filters like Tennis orb M and Tennis orb S, which aren't approved in the States, along with Juvenal and other filters that give you nice UVA and UVB protection. However, this one has a more noticeable white cast than some other hybrid sunscreens because of the titanium dioxide, so if you have a deeper skin tone you may not get along well with it."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Invisible Fluid SPF 50

"La Roche-Posay Anthelios Fluid is an oldie but a goodie and a long-standing favorite of mine. It's a chemical sunscreen with tinosorb and a variety of other chemical filters that offer broad-spectrum UVA UVB protection. It's super lightweight and fragrance-free, just a very nice lightweight liquid fluid with no pilling and doesn't look greasy whatsoever. It's probably one of the easiest sunscreens to wear because it goes on and then you completely forget it's even on there. I tolerate it around my eyes just fine with no burny eyes. It's definitely a favorite."

✓Yay

87%Guru Score

Cocokind Daily SPF 32 Mineral Facial Sunscreen

"I actually really like the sunscreen. It is a mineral sunscreen with zinc oxide which gives broad spectrum protection against UVB and UVA. It has sunflower seed oil and shea butter and licorice root which can help reduce redness and is helpful for hyperpigmentation. There is a cast since it's a mineral sunscreen but it's actually pretty mild. This particular sunscreen is not water resistant so I would not advise using this if you're going to be participating in sport, but it is a good option if you have sensitive skin and you just want an everyday moisturizing sunscreen. I liked it overall, it didn't peel, it wasn't greasy, but it is a touch shiny. However, this works out to roughly fifteen dollars an ounce, and I would suggest before plugging down the money for this one to consider instead the MD Solar Science mineral kids cream, which is about ten dollars an ounce. They're both mineral sunscreens, they're both cruelty free and vegan, but this one is water resistant, this one is not. This one is SPF 50 whereas this one is SPF 32. This one is also less shiny than this one in my experience, it's more matte."

~Mixed

82%Guru Score

Murad City Skin Age Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 50

"This is a mineral sunscreen with zinc and titanium dioxide and it's also tinted, but the tint is very light so if you have a deeper skin tone this is going to leave a cast on your skin. It's not water resistant but the formulation overall looks really good on paler skin tones. It's not greasy and doesn't have any shine to it. The iron oxides that give it the tint may also offer some protection against visible light and blue light wavelengths that leads to hyperpigmentation and possibly free radicals. It's one of my long-standing favorite sunscreens."

~Mixed

77%Guru Score

Heliocare Oral Sunscreen Capsules (Polypodium Leucotomos Supplement)

"The dietary supplement with strong research to suggest it may help in reducing the burden of UV damage is polypodium, and the brand name is Heliocare. If you're looking for something to use in conjunction with sunscreen—remember it's not a replacement for sunscreen—that may help in reducing the burden of UV damage after spending time outdoors, then that would be one to consider. But to what extent it will minimize visible signs of aging around the mouth and volume loss, there are no studies to back that up."

~Mixed

79%Guru Score

Purito Daily Go-To Sunscreen SPF 50

"I don't have much confidence in this as a sunscreen because of the brand's prior scandal where their sunscreen had a substantially lower SPF than claimed, and I'm not confident the new manufacturer has expertise in sunscreen formulation. It is very moisturizing with no white cast, but it's more of an everyday moisturizer that happens to have some sunscreen ingredients—good for someone staying indoors—but I wouldn't recommend using it as your sunscreen."

✕Nay

70%Guru Score

Olay Complete SPF 15 Moisturizer

"This is a combination sunscreen with zinc and optinoxate. The SPF 15 isn't enough for being outside, but I've actually used this recently as a nighttime facial moisturizer and it leaves your skin really soft—it's amazing. This is actually a very good product and I highly recommend it."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Altruist Face Fluid Sunscreen SPF 50

"Altruist came out with a facial moisturizer that has shea butter and urea in it, and it's very good, I highly recommend it. It's free of fragrance, and this brand gives a portion of their proceeds to a charity that supports people living with albinism. Everything this brand has made has been top-notch. It's lightweight, and the consistency is not heavy or greasy, though if you have very sensitive skin, the urea might sting a little bit."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Moisture Airy Fit Daily Sunscreen SPF 50

"Coming back to an oldie but a goodie, I repurchase a lot of my favorite sunscreen, why reinvent the wheel. So I went back to the Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Moisture Airy Fit Daily Sunscreen, and this one comes up in like 90% of these videos because I just love it so much. It gives broad spectrum UV protection that does not feel miserable to put on the skin. This is a richer texture, if you're someone who tends to have drier skin and you want something a little richer but still not oppressive or heavy, this one is great. It has lingonberry extract, rice bran oil, and Houttuynia cordata, all of which offer soothing and antioxidant properties. If your skin tends to be dry, I would suggest this one."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum SPF 50+ PA++++

"Last but not least is the sunscreen in this line, which is not new to me, it's like a frequent repurchase. This one is honestly very similar to the Round Lab one, only with some different ingredients. It's got Centella asiatica combined with hyaluronic acid for additional hydration, niacinamide, and rice extract for additional moisturizing properties. It has excellent broad spectrum coverage from its filters. It's so hydrating, it doesn't sting, it doesn't burn, you can put it all around your eyes and it's not going to irritate them in the least, zero white cast. It really does offer an excellent moisturizing effect that cuts down on dryness and irritation, but it's not going to feel heavy on your face."

✓Yay

90%Guru Score

Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 50 PA++++

"This is the Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturizing Sun Cream SPF 50. This is one I've probably recommended in numerous videos over the years time after time, and it's one I've repurchased numerous times. It really performs quite well. What I like about this is the texture, there's no greasy feel to it, it doesn't take a lot of effort to get a good layer on the skin, and once it dries down you can put makeup on over it with no worries. It does not burn on the face when you apply it, nor does it sting around the eyes. There's absolutely no white cast. It has hyaluronic acid, sodium hyaluronate, and niacinamide. If your skin is dry, oily, or combination, I think this is a fantastic one for you. I highly, highly recommend it."

✓Yay

90%Guru Score

Merit The Uniform Tinted Moisturizer SPF 50

"It's expensive for what it is. They also sent me a sunscreen last year that was horrible. A lot of people liked it, but it was just so matte. It felt like I had put calamine lotion all over my face. Did not like that at all."

✕Nay

77%Guru Score

Neutrogena Collagen Bank SPF 30 Facial Moisturizer

"I love this sunscreen, too. [...] It's chemical, no white cast, didn't burn or sting around the eyes. Now, this is not water resistant, so it's not one you're going to want to use if you're going to be doing sport, but it's great for this time of year when you're mostly indoors. You need that UV protection for incidental exposures, which still happen and cumulatively throughout your lifetime contribute to skin aging and even skin cancer risk."

✓Yay

70%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Anthelios UV Pro Sport SPF 50

"This is a really good high performance chemical sunscreen for sport, for really active lifestyles outdoors. It's great for the face and the hands. It's moisturizing, it's not greasy, and it's also really good at locking in hydration. [...] It doesn't leave a cast, but it's really easy to reapply over and over throughout the day. [...] If you're actually going to be doing stuff outside for a good chunk of your day, like playing golf or tennis or basketball or whatever sport you do outside for a couple of hours, [...] this is a great high endurance formula to consider. And it's pretty inexpensive."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Eucerin Daily Protection Face Lotion SPF 30

"It's a hybrid sunscreen and it does have a little bit of a tendency to peel. If you apply it really quickly, you're not careful with taking your time to rub it in. It can peel, especially if you put it on over oilier products, but I really like it. It doesn't really leave a striking white cast. Again, it's hybrid, so there is zinc in there. It's not like an all mineral formula. It's pretty no-nonsense fragrance-free formula. It's another one that's great for days when you're mostly indoors. You're not really spending a lot of time outdoors. It's a great option for those cold winter days where you need something moisturizing, but you also want to have the UV protection on board for when you're outside during daylight hours."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Neutrogena Pure Screen Mineral UV Tint Face Liquid

"I think unfortunately Neutrogena is discontinuing these pure screens. I'm hoping that they come out with them again and rename them and basically put them in a better bottle. That's what I'm hoping for because I love these. They're water resistant if I remember correctly. They have I want to say five shades altogether. They're really good. Really, really good."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics SPF 50+ PA++++

"The Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Rice Probiotics is one that I discovered a couple of years ago and continues to be a go-to. It's one of those where you're like, oh wait, I'm putting sunscreen on, didn't even notice because there's no burning, there's no stinging, it's not irritating. It doesn't have the sunscreen smell and it's fragrance-free. It has a great combo of filters offering broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection. Key ingredients include niacinamide, glycerin, lactobacillus, and pumpkin ferment extract packed with hydrating, soothing, anti-inflammatory compounds and rice ferment. It's very hydrating, soothing, great for the moisture barrier. You can use it on your eyelid area to protect your eyelids, and the great thing about it is it doesn't burn around the eyes."

✓Yay

92%Guru Score

Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturizing Sun Stick

"I really like this product a lot actually, this is great. First of all I love how cute the packaging is. This is a chemical sunscreen. I like using this as an SPF lip balm, it works really well. With sunscreen sticks you need to be careful because they're prone to skip areas, so I don't rely on a sunscreen stick as my body sunscreen if I was going to be out at the beach, but they are really handy for applying around your eyes or your lips. It's got niacinamide and a variety of peptides, it's a really moisturizing formula, free of fragrance. Chemical sunscreen, no cast."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel UV Sunscreen SPF50 Clear

"I cannot go without sharing with you guys the Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel UV Sunscreen SPF50 Clear, this is one of my all-time favorite sunscreens. It's actually a hybrid sunscreen, meaning it has sunscreen active ingredients that are considered chemical, or organic, as well as those that are considered mineral, or inorganic metal oxides. It has zinc, it has titanium dioxide, it has Tinosorb S, it has octinoxate and Avobenzone Plus. This formula has no cast for me, but it is a hybrid sunscreen, so if you have a deeper skin tone you may note a little bit of white. It's very hydrating, it's very moisturizing and makes an excellent base for makeup. And it has an ingredient in it, phytic acid. Now phytic acid is an antioxidant, so good for inflammation. The other benefit though is that it helps with gentle exfoliation, and that's going to help address some of the issues that people can run into who have oily or acne-prone skin, which is pore clogging. It helps keep the skin surface smooth, and while overdoing it with exfoliating can end up drying out your skin, a gentle exfoliant on a consistent basis can ultimately end up helping to improve the integrity and health of your skin."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

Kosas DreamBeam Silicone-Free Mineral Sunscreen SPF 40

"This is their DreamBeam sunscreen SPF 40 PA 4+, a zinc oxide tinted sunscreen. The tint on this product is much deeper in comparison to the Iris and Romeo one, so it may not work out well if you have a paler skin type, but for me personally it's almost a little bit too deep in that it gives the look that I maybe have a light coating of sunless tanner on my face. In contrast to the Iris and Romeo one, this one is water resistant, so it's a good option if you're going to be outdoors for a prolonged period of time doing activities where maybe you work up a sweat. It just ensures that it stays on the skin a little bit better, water resistant up to 88 minutes. This product does not have niacinamide, which I'm pointing out because I know some of you all are sensitive to niacinamide. This has ceramides which are good for the moisture barrier, and hyaluronic acid, a humectant that helps hydrate the skin. I really like the finish on this as well. No white cast whatsoever with this formula."

~Mixed

75%Guru Score

Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel SPF 50+ PA++++

"The Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel is one of my all-time favorite sunscreens. I've used it so many times before and bought it myself multiple times."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Hero Cosmetics Force Shield SPF 30 Sunscreen

"Hero Cosmetics also has skin care products I've shared with you guys in the past how much I love their sunscreen it's really good"

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

Hada Labo UV White Gel SPF 50 PA++++

"This is one that I've had as a favorite for many years now, it's the Hada Labo UV White Gel. I've been getting this in a jar the past couple of times, but it used to be one that I would get in a tube, and I prefer the tube to this jar packaging, but the formula I love, love, love. This is technically a hybrid sunscreen, it has some really good UV filters, and it does have titanium dioxide in it as well, which can give a bit of a white cast, but in my experience using this it's completely cast free, however if you have a really deep skin tone there's a chance it may show up on your skin. It's not water resistant, so this is one of those day to day everyday moisturizers, there's no tint to it, but the formula gives a nice deep hydration, it has hyaluronic acid in it. You really get a nice healthy moisturized glow to the skin with this, it's not greasy, it's not shiny, I don't get any burning around my eyelids when I wear it, it's really a comfortable wear and spreads on the skin surface really nicely. There's no niacinamide in that, so if you're sensitive to niacinamide you're good to go there. I don't get any peeling with that sunscreen, it's also a really great makeup base. It does have a low molecular weight alcohol in it which makes it a faster absorbing formula, but it's not the least bit drying, the formula overall is very hydrating. It's a really great sunscreen if you live somewhere very hot, it's very fast absorbing and it allows for good evaporation of sweat so you don't feel overheated. I do prefer it in the tube to this jar, I just find the jar a little unwieldy to scoop the product out of."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

Sunplay Clear Water SPF50+ PA4+

"It's a hybrid sunscreen with zinc and titanium dioxide plus Uvinul A Plus and octocrylene, and I love hybrid sunscreens because the white cast is a lot more doable than an all mineral sunscreen. This product I adored. It's a super lightweight fluid, a color correcting formula with ultramarine pigments, and it spreads on the skin very easily without peeling. It's a fantastic base for makeup and it's easy to tolerate around the eyes, it doesn't cause burning or stinging there. It's an SPF 50 PA4+ sunscreen with hyaluronic acid, licorice root, panthenol, and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate. It does have alcohol in it, which can be drying, but overall the formula is fast absorbing, non-greasy, and allows good evaporation of sweat, so it's wonderful for a humid, hot climate and great if you have oily skin. In my experience it's not drying at all, even if you have dry or combination skin. It has a dewy to demi-matte finish and there's basically no cast for me personally, though if you have a deeper skin tone there's likely going to be some white cast, just not as striking as an all mineral formula."

✓Yay

75%Guru Score

Moisturizers146 reviews

AmLactin Daily Moisturizing Lotion 12%

"I find that the Amlactin 12% lotion really imparts this deep hydration that I haven't ever gotten from other products. The following morning, my skin almost looks like glass where I've applied it, like on my legs it's reflective. It's just so hydrated and much happier. I personally get a lot more out of the Amlactin 12% than I do from Gold Bond. It does sting more though and some people don't like the smell of it."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Ponds Cold Cream

"Ponds Cold Cream is like the original cleansing balm. It works well, it helps to remove makeup and simultaneously moisturize the skin. It can be used for double cleansing. Some people use it as a moisturizer, left it on the face, and it works quite well. They make a fragrance-free one."

✓Yay

67%Guru Score

Epiduo Epiduo Gel

"We now have adapalene 0.1% plus benzoyl peroxide 2.5% in one combined gel marketed as Epiduo, and that's a great addition to the over-the-counter available armamentarium for patients with acne. Before this, you would have to go pursuing the Epiduo dupe, where you'd buy an over-the-counter adapalene gel and then go find a benzoyl peroxide leave-on product and wonder how to layer them. Now it's great, you have it in one thing you have to buy, one thing you have to apply, and you don't have to sit there wondering whether you can put it on."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

OneSkin OS-01 Face Topical Supplement

"I think OneSkin Face Lotion is a hundred dollar niacinamide containing lotion for the face. What is there about that that is any different from any of the thousands of niacinamide containing moisturizers on the market that you can get for twenty bucks, fifteen bucks, five bucks, at any drugstore or Target? I just think it's all marketing essentially. I would not go for that."

~Mixed

74%Guru Score

Elidel Pimecrolimus Cream

"Most dermatologists will consider a topical medication known as a calcineurin inhibitor, tacrolimus or pimecrolimus, with brand names like Protopic and Elidel. These are a lot more precise and specific as to how they reduce inflammation to heal the skin compared to steroids, and are considered steroid sparing without those concerning side effects that one can develop with topical steroids, especially to the eyelid area."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Aveeno Therapy Rescue Relief Gel Cream with Colloidal Oatmeal

"I also like Aveeno makes an eczema therapy gel, I think it's called, that is really comfortable on the skin. That's a great option."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

CetaPhil Moisturizing Cream

"The Cetaphil cream, I love this. It's $14.99 for the two jars and you can use it on the face too. If you get this now, it'll carry you through the rest of summer and probably into fall, unless you moisturize liberally like I do, in which case it'll run out sooner."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

Prequel Half & Half Peptides & Ceramides Fluid Moisturizer

"Overall, I have enjoyed this product. It's very pleasant, lightweight, hydrating and moisturizing. It plays well under sunscreen and layers well under other things. It's a fragrance-free liquid moisturizer, essentially a milky toner marketed as a fluid moisturizer, formulated with glycerin, squalane, sodium PCA and amino acids, a ceramide blend, rice protein and peptides, which together support hydration and the skin barrier. It's basically suitable for any skin type. That said, I don't think it's doing anything particularly revolutionary above and beyond any other lightweight milky toner. It's well formulated and I would happily repurchase it and use it again in the future, and I get why it's so popular, but personally [...] I would not put it above Haru Haru Wonder Black Rice Probiotic Barrier Essence or the Cellamax dual barrier cream. [...] There's nothing wrong with it, [...] it's a good one, but [...] it's not a must-have, a holy grail. [...] Prequel did a good job with this."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream

"Illiyoon's barrier concentrate cream and their newer toner [...] have actually very similar ingredients but differ mainly in texture. If you have an actively impaired barrier, or in the colder, drier months, you [...] want to go with the richer ceramide cream. [...] You'll notice [...] little spheres throughout it, and [...] as you rub it on the skin those dissolve to deliver ceramides and lipid supporting ingredients to help with the barrier. Very, very good formula."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Concentrate Lotion

"Their body lotion, which might also be on sale, is another great one which you can use on the face. It's a big bottle with a pump, a real no-nonsense moisturizer with glycerin and dimethicone. You can't go wrong with that product."

✓Yay

91%Guru Score

Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream

"The Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream is on sale. Normally, this is $36.99 for the tube. This is another excellent Korean brand, but right now you can get this $28.99. This has rice bran water in it, which is hydrating, soothing, and has compounds in it that can help with skin brightening, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamides. Kind of like a Korean elevated version of CeraVe."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5

"La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 is great. It's dimethicone based skin protectant."

✓Yay

91%Guru Score

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Cream

"It's the water cream. Very similar texture, finish, feel, performance. Has hyaluronic acid like the CeraVe product to hydrate. No niacinamide, no phenoxyethanol. So, if those are CeraVe stingers for you, you might want to go with this one. It's got ceramides also. It has urea and amino acids, which are very hydrating and good for the dryness."

✓Yay

87%Guru Score

Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Soothing Cream

"Skin1004 is another Korean brand that I think is definitely worth it. I don't think $24.99 for the two tubes is too too bad. I would go with this."

✓Yay

73%Guru Score

Lactin Daily 12% Lotion (Ammonium Lactate)

"This is why lactic acid or ammonium lactate, the salt of lactic acid is a go-to recommendation for dry skin conditions like keratosis pilaris, ichthyosis vulgaris, just very dry skin. In fact, it's one of my top recommended products on my channel across my social media is an ammonium lactate lotion and Lactin."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

The Ordinary Rice Lipids + Ectoin Micro Emulsion

"I went through it very quickly. This is one that I hate to say it, I probably at some point will repurchase again. It's not as rich and luxe and wow factor as some alternatives, but ectoin is great. It's an extremely light antioxidant. It's hydrating. That remains like one of the top ectoin products that I have used."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

Eucerin Roughness Relief Lotion

"Euster's got a great line, the roughness relief."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Physio Gel Calming Relief Redness Relieving Facial Cream

"They have an excellent redness relieving facial moisturizer that I featured in my Korean moisturizers for sensitive skin video. That one was really great."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Cetaphil Healthy Renew Skin Activator Hydrating and Firming Cream

"If you watch one of my prior empties videos, you'll recall I finished up the cream, the cream in the tub of this line as well as the neck cream and those are both fantastic."

✓Yay

90%Guru Score

Heimish All Clean Balm Mandarin Orange Limited Edition

"I just got into and finished up the Heimish All Clean Balm Mandarin. And I loved this. So Heimish All Clean Balms are cleansing balms, which are wonderful for breaking up makeup and helping to take it off. This one obviously has fragrance in it. The fragrance wasn't bad. It was just like a nice light citrus aroma. There's not a whole lot to say about this other than it's a very effective, pleasant to use cleansing balm."

✓Yay

71%Guru Score

Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator

"Clinique Moisture Surge is actually a really good facial moisturizer. I love the texture on this. It has caffeine, an antioxidant that's good for temporary redness reduction. This product also has urea, which is really good for hydrating. And it's a nice hyaluronic acid containing moisturizer, sort of the thick gel cream consistency but very lightweight on the skin. $54.99 for 4.2 oz."

✓Yay

74%Guru Score

CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream

"I am a big fan of the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream. This has niacinamide. It also has of course ceramides in it which are good for the moisture barrier. It has some peptides in it which also may help with moisture retention. It's a very nice rich night cream."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

I'm From Rice Bran Cream

"The I'm From rice cream is really nice. Rice is very moisturizing."

✓Yay

90%Guru Score

Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream

"I love the Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream, but it's so expensive."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Eucerin Radiant Tone Night Cream with Thiamidol

"The fragrance I believe is stinging my skin and I just started using it at night before tretinoin. Let me tell you that thiamidol containing line from Eucerin, they need to eliminate that fragrance. I know I'm not the only one because I get a lot of comments from you guys saying how headache inducing it is."

✕Nay

72%Guru Score

L'Oreal Revital Lift Moisturizer

"It's a thick, rich moisturizer. What's it got in it? The workhorse of the skin care industry, niacinamide. Great ingredient. Dark spots, redness, the moisture barrier, anti-glycation, anti-aging. Wonderful if you tolerate it. Also has proretinol. Pro retinol is a marketing gimmick because they know that the term retinol sells better. It has retinyl palmitate. Retinyl palmitate is a retinyl ester. These act as antioxidants in skincare products. They do not do what retinol or retinaldehyde do. They don't improve collagen production. So it's not the same thing as getting a retinol as far as the outcome. Also has vitamin C, right? Not ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid is the form of vitamin C which has been shown to improve collagen production and reverse some sun damage but has its stability issues and is challenging to get into the skin. So you have all these other vitamin C derivatives which they work at the surface of the skin as antioxidants but doesn't appear as though they actually improve collagen production."

~Mixed

58%Guru Score

Avène RetrinAL 0.1% Intensive Cream

"One of my go-to recommendations is actually from Avène, their Retinal. This is one I've been recommending the longest because it's one that has been around the longest in my experience and it is a drugstore product. Avène is a reputable company with a large R&D. So I have a lot of faith in the formulation itself. I've used it myself. Here's what I can tell you about the formulation. It's very moisturizing. It is less likely than a prescription topical vitamin A like tretinoin, for example, to irritate your skin. It works more slowly, but over time, it can definitely help to firm the skin, reduce wrinkles, and improve the visible signs of skin aging."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Aestura Atobarrier 365 Cream

"Another gateway into Korean skincare. I want to say I tried that first along with some Purito stuff and I was like, Wow, I get the hype."

✓Yay

95%Guru Score

Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Gel Moisturizer

"My top drugstore moisturizer favorite of all time is the Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Gel Moisturizer with Senella Colloidal Oat. This is a gel cream, a texture I personally rather enjoy. Fragrance-free. It has a bit of an oaty aroma, which some people have noted they don't care for, but I enjoy. I associate that smell with a smooth, hydrated skin barrier, so I really like it."

✓Yay

90%Guru Score

Eucerin Intensive Repair Lotion

"Eucerin, I've said it before, they do not make a bad moisturizer. The Eucerin Intensive Repair Lotion right now is like the least expensive I've ever seen it. [...] This moisturizer has become a holy grail for a lot of you because anytime I mention it, I get comments, 'Oh my gosh, I use that. That's my go-to.' It can be used on the face, the rest of the body. It has lactic acid, but also has urea in it, and it has ceramides. This is a great head-to-toe, cold weather product, and it also can help in improving the visible signs of sun damage. The Eucerin lotion is really thick, but it's not like super oppressive or sticky. It sinks into the skin nicely."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Abib Ectoin Panthenol Moisturizing Cream 11% Moisture Barrier Tube

"I did in fact finish the Abib Ectoin Panthenol 11% Moisturizer that I reviewed for you guys in my ectoin video. This was likewise wonderful. It's a richer cream and it's great for areas of the face or body where you've developed irritation. You really want to take advantage of some rich moisturizing, but you want to also work in the ectoin angle. This would be a great one to consider. And it's pretty cost effective, fragrance-free. No complaints. I would definitely repurchase that one."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Bubble Slam Dunk Hydrating Moisturizer

"Bubble has a tricked out glitterified version of their Slam Dunk moisturizer. That's cute for the holidays. I like that for tween and teens."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

La Mer Crème de la Mer Moisturizing Cream

"In 2025, they want you to pay $390 for 2 oz. Like, even if we were not pinching pennies, are people really just throwing that kind of cash around on a cream?"

✕Nay

48%Guru Score

RoC Multi Correxion Hydration Plus Moisturizer

"This has algae extracts in it. In contrast to the La Mer, it's fragrance-free, so you don't have to deal with the scent. It feels very similar, if not identical, going on the skin. It hydrates and moisturizes the skin the same, if not arguably a bit better in my personal experience using it. When we're talking about performance and what the ingredients are offering, I would say this one from Roc is the closest to La Mer. I have tried it out and used it regularly and consistently."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Anua 3 Ceramide Panthenol Moisture Barrier Cream

"This barrier cream combines ectoin with ceramides, panthenol, and hyaluronic acid. All excellent ingredients for the skin barrier. It's fragrance-free. It's rich. It's thick. It has a very elegant, sophisticated texture. It feels nourishing and calming. A downside to this product is that it is a richer texture, so one of those to lean into as the final step in your nighttime skincare routine. It can feel a bit rich, however, under makeup or under sunscreen. It might lead to sunscreen peeling. And if you don't like heavier products on your face or you find that they make you get a little flushed easily, then this would be one to stay away from."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Prequel Advanced Relief 10% Urea Moisturizing Milk

"This 10% pure urea from Prequel I really like because urea is very hydrating and gently exfoliates. This would be a great option for the winter months. You can use it on the face. It has niacinamide which is also good for the moisture barrier along with redness, dark spots and also good for oily acne prone skin."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream with Urea

"I reviewed this a while back. I rather enjoyed it."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Probio-Cica Enrich Cream

"This is a holy grail favorite from Skin1004, their Madagascar Centella Probio-Cica Enrich Cream. This is so rich, so glossy. This has a completely different texture than anything we've talked about here. It's not sticky. [...] It's got a little bit of slipperiness to it. It really just envelops your skin in this cloak of glossiness. [...] This cream is really excellent, very rich."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Lipikar Urea 10% Roughness Smoothing Lotion

"Use a moisturizer that has niacinamide in it. Niacinamide helps to address hyperpigmentation. It's also great for the moisture barrier, cutting down on irritation in the long run. La Roche-Posay Lipikar Lotion has niacinamide. It's a great option. You can put moisturizer under your arm. In fact, after you shave, when you get out of the shower, if it's a night that you're not putting on antiperspirant, go ahead and apply some lotion. That fragrance-free body lotion from La Roche-Posay with niacinamide can be a great option."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Eucerin Skin Calming Itch Soothing Cream

"Skin Calming Itch Soothing Cream is also really good with colloidal oatmeal. This is great if you have eczema. Very rich. I also like the hydrogel formulation. It's a little bit more lightweight, not as greasy feeling on the skin."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream

"It's got salicylic acid in it, which is a little bit something that you could use as a justification to keep repurchasing this nostalgic orange tinted ointment. The scent, every skincare brand that insists on putting fragrance in their skincare, take note of this Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream because this is how scented skincare should be. It makes it pleasant to apply, doesn't actively sign your face. This is great on the heels, and that's really where it's going to perform the best, honestly. I've also used it on my hands a fair amount. A little greasy, but good for dry hands. The scent here is kind of pleasant and doesn't really linger or anything."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Ambi Skincare Fade Cream with Hydroquinone

"Ambi used to be notorious for their hydroquinone that is no longer able to be sold over the counter without a prescription. So we now have a few other new products. They have this fade cream with 5% niacinamide, which is good for hyperpigmentation and licorice root, but it has a really strong fragrance. That's kind of like what they were left with once hydroquinone was removed from being able to be sold over the counter."

~Mixed

67%Guru Score

BYOMA Moisturizing Gel Cream

"As gel creams go, it is a bit of a richer texture. It's not greasy or oily, though. It has ceramides, which are excellent for the skin barrier. And it also has niacinamide, with all of the pluses and minuses of niacinamide. It has tea leaf extract, which may offer some antioxidants, panthenol, the moisturizing B vitamin, and glycerin, a humectant. If you're looking for a fragrance-free facial moisturizer that won't feel greasy or heavy, but gets the job done for moisturizing the skin, there's nothing wrong with this. It's a great option. This is a particularly good facial moisturizer, I would say for someone maybe in their late teens, 20s, 30s. Not to say that if you're 40 and plus this wouldn't be good for you, but someone who maybe is coping with acne breakouts, is using acne treatments like topical retinoids, and they're looking for a lightweight facial moisturizer that will combat the dryness and irritation one might expect with some of those treatments, but not be greasy or heavy, this is a great option. [...] And as a side note, it also works as an eye cream. If you are looking for an eye cream to moisturize the skin around your eyes to plump up and diminish dehydration wrinkles, this is something you could use around your eyes for that purpose. I don't have anything negative to say about it, but it's not as jazzy as far as the wow factor in terms of plumpness and hydration that I get from it in comparison to a lot of the Korean moisturizers that I'm always raving about. But it's good. In the landscape of gel creams, it's not the top tier."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream

"This product is probably one of my favorites from them. The Protini Polypeptide Cream. It's really nice. This is looking attractive with vitamin E and beta size sterile squalane omega 9. Pretty substantial jar here. I'd be excited to give that a try."

✓Yay

65%Guru Score

CeraVe Daily Facial Moisturizing Lotion

"This is amazing. The daily moisturizing lotion, and while this is more expensive per unit, it's definitely worth it. You can use this on the face. You get the two 18oz bottles plus a little 8oz travel size which you could throw in your travel bag, use it as a face and body moisturizer for hotels."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Nivea Creme

"Nivea actually means snow white speaking to the white color of the cream. It does have fragrance and the fragrance is what keeps people loyal to it. Now, fragrance is a common allergen in skincare products. So, it's not something that I routinely recommend. And honestly, I have never really used Nivea Creme myself, but I understand the popularity of it. It is an effective moisturizing formula. Without a doubt, it has withstood the test of time as a popular and effective skincare product."

~Mixed

74%Guru Score

Rhode Barrier Butter Intensive Moisture Balm

"Their newer barrier butter with poly glutamic acid is so good. It's so good."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion

"This is a great daily facial moisturizer."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

SkinFix Barrier+ Triple Lipid & Peptide Cream

"SkinFix Barrier+ Triple Lipid + Peptide Cream, it's pretty good but it's really expensive."

✓Yay

95%Guru Score

Physiogel Calming Relief Redness Relieving Facial Cream

"It's a great option in general for people who are dealing with sensitivity, but it's marketed for people who have eczema. Like, it's got the eczema seal of approval. [...] It is another layer of reassurance that this is free of common aggravating ingredients for eczema. I have really enjoyed this and I'm glad I repurchased it."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Klairs Midnight Blue Calming Cream

"That's one of the first Korean skin care products I started using regularly and being like, wow, this is where it's at. Love that."

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

CeraVe Intensive Moisturizing Lotion with 5% Urea

"CeraVe Intensive Moisturizing Lotion with 5% Urea plus the backbone of the typical CeraVe moisturizers with ceramides, hyaluronic acid. Both 5% and [...] 10% urea are great for hydrating dry skin. [...] This one is a little spicy, urea can burn, sting, tingle a bit, especially if you [...] have atopic dermatitis and you're in the early stages of a flare-up where things are a little raw and rashy. Sometimes that sting, that tingle is uncomfortable, but sometimes it kind of tricks the little itch nerves and you get some relief from itch. [...] Even with my atopic dermatitis not flaring, it's well controlled, but it's still a little spicy, especially on my hands where I get dyshidrotic hand eczema. [...] This one in particular really has a nice noticeable effect on skin firmness. It's not going to restore lost volume, [...] but on the forearm especially, it gives you that youthful forearm bounce, which is underrated. Plus, the urea can help brighten up the appearance of little age spots through hydration and gentle exfoliation."

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

Haruharu Wonder Centella 5% Niacinamide Radiance Gel Cream

"This is Haruharu Wonder Centella 5% Niacinamide Radiance Gel Cream. Like the name implies, it has 5% niacinamide, a reasonable percentage strength for achieving things like improving dark spots, redness, the moisture barrier, anti-aging, skin yellowing. Also has compounds from Centella. Centella's botanic extracts do have anti-inflammatory properties, soothing. I really like the texture of this. It was a nice lightweight gel cream, but very hydrating. Great. No complaints about this. Fragrance-free."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

CeraVe Eye Repair Cream

"For me personally, this was one I would never waste my time on again because [...] it did nothing and was just having to dispense from another bottle. If [...] you're caffeine sensitive to topical caffeine, I still say just use your regular moisturizer. We're starting to split hairs here on what that's really offering."

✕Nay

68%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+M Triple Repair Moisturizing Cream

"La Roche-Posay Lipikar line is great, the lotion, the moisturizer. You can use it on the face. I'm not talking about the Urea one. I think you can use that Urea one on the face as well, but the Lipikar moisturizer is great."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

Mederma Advanced Scar Gel with Allantoin

"You'd be much better off with just the plain medical grade silicone"

✕Nay

51%Guru Score

Goodal Vegan Rice Milk Moisturizing Cream

"I'm currently using the Goodall vegan rice milk moisturizer which I really like."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Posthelios Gel

"Around my eyes, the La Roche-Posay Posthelios Gel, my eyelids are so happy with this. Since I've been using this, I just feel like my eyelids are so strong and nothing can dry them out. Because not only do my eyelids get dry if I happen to have like salicylic acid make its way there or sometimes even tretinoin creeps in, but just the seasonal pollen, the allergens and stuff will get my eyes itchy. I'll start rubbing and that really irritates my eyelids and can dry them out a lot."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Aquaphor Healing Cream 3-in-1 Diaper Rash Cream

"I recommend a fair amount the Aquaphor diaper rash cream fragrance free. Aquaphor healing ointment or the Up and Up version which in my opinion is not that inexpensive at $5.49. If you want the least expensive version of Aquaphor, go with the Amazon basic one, it's really inexpensive for a giant tub of it."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture Lotion

"They also have this daily moisture lotion which is fragrance-free, dimethicone as a skin protectant plus the oat to hydrate and soothe."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Isntree Onion New Pair Gel Cream

"I love the sunscreen in this line. Onion bulb extract may be anti-inflammatory. It's got niacinamide good for dark spots hyperpigmentation. The moisture barrier, panthenol is very moisturizing and it's also got hyaluronic acid sodium escorial phosphates, a stable form of vitamin C, tranexamic acid good for post acne redness. Kind of got a little bit of a purplish hue, nice light gel cream, no fragrance."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Aveeno Eczema Therapy Daily Moisturizing Cream

"I have atopic dermatitis and it's just something I have to do and I adore Aveeno moisturizers, they Eczema Therapy Daily Moisturizing Cream, love this. Two bits free of fragrance, it's got colloidal oats which are hydrating, soothing and help protect my already impaired skin barrier, this is fantastic. It's rich, it's thick, glides on the skin without feeling greasy, oily or heavy, and I successfully am able to use this on my face around my eyes. It's wonderful, really really great. My main complaint is the bottle. Once you get down to the end, while you can get all the product out, the nature of the plastic bottle gets a little tough to squeeze out the last remains, but you can do it."

✓Yay

90%Guru Score

Minimalist Sepicalm Moisturizer with Oat Extract

"I really like the texture of it. Waking up this morning my face after wearing this overnight felt moisturized and hydrated. It seems like it's going to be a good moisturizer. It has oat in it which is great, it also has shea butter, a very popular ingredient, a variety of amino acids which are good for the moisture barrier, and it has a really nice emulsion in my opinion."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Strivectin TL Advanced Tightening Neck Cream Plus

"StriVectin is back with their Alpha 3 peptide neck cream allegedly is going to lift the skin of the neck, but it's not like if you have saggy skin on the neck it's not going to be addressed by any sort of neck cream like this. Just applying a moisturizer really does do quite a bit for the appearance of the skin surface, but you don't need to drop $67.99 on it."

✕Nay

63%Guru Score

Eucerin Skin Balance Facial Day Cream

"The day cream has licorice fruit in it and the night cream does not. Licorice fruit is helpful for like redness and dark spots and irritation but there's nothing about it that says that you can't use this at night. So if you get along with licorice fruit get the day cream one, if you don't get the night cream one. It can be used one to two times a day whichever one you choose you don't have to get both of them."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Bubble Level Up Balancing Gel Moisturizer

"Level Up Balancing Gel Moisturizer people with oily acne prone skin tend to prefer these gel formulas it's kind of like a lightweight gel cream it has hemp seed oil which has antioxidants and is anti-inflammatory this one does have niacinamide so if you're sensitive avoid it but that being said niacinamide tends to go over well for people who have oily acne prone skin because it's an antioxidant it's anti-inflammatory it seems to be really helpful for oily acne prone skin as well as anti-aging moisture barrier dry skin and redness"

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Bubble Cloud Surf Water Cream Moisturizer

"I've tried some of their products and they're actually pretty good. I haven't had an issue with any of them. They've got a nice lightweight moisturizer here, the Cloud Surf Water Cream, and it does not have niacinamide if you are sensitive, which I know many are."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

Vanicream Moisturizing Lotion

"The Moisturizing Lotion, this pairing right here with a gentle cleanser, I think meets the needs of a wide variety of people. [...] Men, women, children. [...] A moisturizer [...] can really just rejuvenate the appearance of your skin quite a bit and it can improve barrier turnover. It can have a lot of benefits."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

CeraVe Oil Control Gel Creme

"If you are someone who likes to use a moisturizer in the morning, I found that this product led to peeling of my sunscreen. You would put this on in the morning after cleansing, allow it to absorb, and then you're going to put sunscreen on over it. I got peeling with pretty much every sunscreen I tried putting on over this, so sunscreen did not layer over this particularly well. It moisturizes the skin just fine, it does what it's supposed to do, it helps combat dry skin and it dries with a matte finish. But you've introduced this new issue which maybe not an issue for you but for me it's that burning and stinging discomfort, and you've also introduced an issue where it pills under sunscreen, which I've never had happen with CeraVe PM."

✕Nay

63%Guru Score

Fresh Black Tea Advanced Age Renewal Cream

"This is new from Fresh, the Black Tea Advanced Age Renewal Cream. [...] It has tea extract, green tea, black tea rich in polyphenols, which may help cut down on oxidative stress that contributes to the aging process. You can attribute the anti-wrinkle aspect [...] to the tea. It also has ceramides, which are good for the moisture barrier, and with age production of ceramides declines, which is part of the reason why we're more inclined to develop dry skin. It does have fragrance. [...] It may hydrate and plump the top layers of the skin, delivering antioxidants."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

Benadryl Topical Cream

"Benadryl cream is completely useless. Topical diphenhydramine, don't waste your money on that."

✕Nay

51%Guru Score

CeraVe Itch Relief Moisturizing Lotion

"CeraVe Itch Relief Moisturizing Lotion [...] is really good. I often recommend this for itchy rashes. Put it in the refrigerator and then apply it to the skin, chill it really helps whether it be a itchy bug bite or heat rash. This is really good for heat rash actually because it's nice and lightweight and hydrating and soothing. Unfortunately, that is really expensive at $26.99."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

Gold Bond Pure Moisture Daily Body and Face Lotion

"This is one of the first Gold Bond moisturizers I ever tried out and instantly fell in love. It's a fragrance-free face and body lotion, super lightweight and hydrating, excellent for dry sensitive skin. It has ceramides, panthenol, and niacinamide which is good for the moisture barrier and also good for redness and hyperpigmentation. It also has grape seed oil, an emollient that softens and smooths dry rough skin, and gluconolactone, a polyhydroxy acid which is not only hydrating but gently exfoliates dry rough buildup. In contrast to some of the other Gold Bond moisturizers, there's no petrolatum in this formula. I love petrolatum, it's excellent at reducing transepidermal water loss, but some people find they don't care for the way that petrolatum-based products feel on their face, so if that's you, you might want to check this one out. It's great if you have sensitive skin, rosacea, acne-prone skin. Really, it's an all-around excellent head to toe moisturizer for pretty much any skin type."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Trader Joe's Nourish Oil-Free Antioxidant Facial Moisturizer

"This facial moisturizer is pretty decent too"

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

e.l.f. Pure Skin Moisturizer

"The reason I like this for acne is it has niacinamide, an antioxidant which is anti-inflammatory and also helps with redness and hyperpigmentation and has a track record of being helpful in particular for people with acne-prone skin. Niacinamide also can help improve barrier function, which can be an issue especially for people who have acne. I like that it's fragrance-free. It also has ceramides which can help with your skin barrier, they're lipids that are naturally part of your skin barrier and when applied to the skin can help improve barrier function. It has hyaluronic acid, a humectant, and also oat which has anti-inflammatory compounds. It's moisturizing. This particular moisturizer I have used, it goes on a little streaky but it's otherwise great."

✓Yay

70%Guru Score

Walgreens Silicone Scar Gel

"There's the Walgreens brand scar gel. Definitely can work. The sooner you start using it and the more consistently you use it the better."

✓Yay

75%Guru Score

Prequel Hand Wrap Shielding Lotion

"It's very light and if you are in the throws of really dry cracked hands you would probably benefit from using just plain petroleum jelly to the hands at night under gloves but for throughout the day when you can't be bothered with all that it's too messy this is a great basic hand moisturizer. I have rather enjoyed it. I was thinking when I read hand shielding lotion and I saw glycerin and dimethicone the consistency of this would be probably very similar to some other hand creams I love adore and rout that have this characteristic texture, namely Neutrogena Norwegian formula hand cream or L'Oreal Posay seea plast hand cream they have this characteristic almost gel-like feel on the hands but fast absorbing non greasy they're clear they're colorless this on the other hand was a bit more in the box of lotion like creaminess so just different in texture than what I was expecting but a good product."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

FutureWise Slug Bomb

"This is fragrance free. [...] It's a good option for dry skin but some people with acne-prone skin or rosacea find it aggravates their skin. This has hydrogenated vegetable oil, which is anti-inflammatory, so it's capitalizing off of using an occlusive. But you have to ask yourself would you rather pay $24.49 for their Slug Bomb or $ [...] 4.99 or the drugstore version at $2.99 or whatever for just plain petroleum jelly."

~Mixed

72%Guru Score

Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream

"It's sticky and tacky. I didn't really find it to be amazing as far as a moisturizer. [...] I didn't see a noticeable difference using the collagen jelly with or without the device. The texture may appeal to people, but I have reservations about this product for a few reasons. There's fragrance in it, and fragrance is a common allergen in skincare products and it can be irritating. Using this and then trying to drive those fragrance ingredients further into the skin with an electroporation device, I have reservations about."

✕Nay

50%Guru Score

CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion

"CeraVe's PM facial moisturizer is a great option. Niacinamide is really a versatile anti-aging ingredient."

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

Cetaphil Rich Hydrating Cream

"The Cetaphil Rich Hydrating Cream [...] is a really good rich facial moisturizer. It has avocado seed oil in it as well as hyaluronic acid."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Cetaphil Healthy Renew Purified Peptides Night Cream

"I finished the Cetaphil Healthy Renew night cream love that I have a backup it's like a really nice rich facial moisturizer"

✓Yay

90%Guru Score

Mison Phyto Plump Collagen Night Cream

"This is a night cream. [...] Collagen and moisturizers act as a humectant to help improve water content in skin's outermost layer. Licorice root is going to be anti-inflammatory, and I'm not seeing fragrance. [...] The texture looks really rich."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Haruharu Wonder Centella Asiatica Vital Miracle Healing Multi Balm

"It seems to be okay and obviously has anti-inflammatory compounds. This also has shea butter, it has Bol which is anti-inflammatory, it has sea buckthorn extract which is anti-inflammatory, it has vanilla fruit oil which may impart an aroma to it. I did not detect otherwise it doesn't have any other fragrance. It's kind of a little stiff, it feels a little stiff applying it if I'm being honest, might be helpful though for reducing chafing."

~Mixed

73%Guru Score

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream

"The Ultra Repair Cream is excellent. It's [...] really good, it's nice and thick."

✓Yay

75%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Lipikar Eczema Soothing Relief Cream

"For rosacea just based on ingredients I might gravitate towards this"

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Rhode Barrier Restore Cream

"The Rhode Barrier Restore Cream has shea butter which is nice for reducing water loss, it has squalane and emollient that can soften and smooth rough dry skin texture, slip between shedding corneocytes to help them desquamate more efficiently. And this has sodium hyaluronate, hyaluronic acid which along with the peptides can help improve the moisture content of the top layers of the skin and ultimately that does have a wrinkle smoothing effect. In my opinion the Barrier Restore Cream is a very nice product, but I have to tell you I did run into issues if I try to use this as my morning facial moisturizer prior to applying sunscreen. [...] If I added this and then sunscreen I would get pilling, which is not surprising when it comes to your sunscreen you really don't want to be layering it on over a ton of stuff because it can have issues setting up properly. [...] I would reserve the Barrier Restore Cream for your nighttime skincare routine as a PM moisturizer. It is actually quite good, it's not heavy, it's not greasy, and if you wanted to do the whole three steps, [...] the three layer on top of one another quite nicely."

~Mixed

72%Guru Score

Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Rich Barrier Moisturizer

"This is good, I've used it and recommend it. It's just expensive, so it's not one that I ordinarily encourage you to choose because there are so many moisturizers out there on the market that are pretty good. The reason I like this though is it's a very nice consistency, it's richer than their gel moisturizer in this line, so it's a really nice night cream. It has polyglutamic acid in it, which I love. Polyglutamic acid is hydrating, it improves skin elasticity, and it also kind of just almost acts as like a barrier, but it's not heavy or anything of that sort. This also has gluconolactone, a polyhydroxy acid that's hydrating and helps to soften and gently exfoliate the skin, and it has lactic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid that can be hydrating and help soften and smooth and gently exfoliate the skin. So this is a great option as a moisturizer if you're someone who has rough skin texture or if you have keratosis pilaris. This is a great option. It is pricey, I will say that, so it's not one that I ordinarily reach for, but it is objectively good."

✓Yay

71%Guru Score

Aveeno Restorative Skin Therapy Oat Repairing Cream

"This Aveeno Restorative Skin Therapy is a great option. It is gentle enough for people who are undergoing radiation therapy. It was tested on those patients for cancer treatment, and so it's really, really very mild but does a good job removing any dirt from the skin surface without stripping the moisture barrier."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Face Cream

"This Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Face Cream is one of my favorites, it's totally underrated. At 13 percent, Q10 gets into the skin pretty well as an antioxidant. It can boost up the skin's endogenous antioxidant production, so it's a good ingredient. It's pretty well tolerated. This is just a nice rich night cream."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Beta Glucan Lightweight Formula

"This is not it. I was really hoping this would be a good moisturizer to recommend to people who have oily skin and just want something super light. Yes, it is super light but it leaves the skin feeling filmy and almost drier than it did to begin with. Putting this on to the skin while it's still damp after cleansing, once it absorbs in which doesn't take long, my skin feels like I didn't put any moisturizer on. It feels dry and filmy."

✕Nay

81%Guru Score

The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Phytoceramides

"It is on the heavier side and is going to help reduce water loss. This actually really does make you look like a glazed donut, it's good. If you have oily skin you may find this is uncomfortable, you may not like it, it may make you look oilier, shinier. If you put it on in the morning and try and put sunscreen on over it, I suspect many sunscreen formulations will pill going on over this because it is so emollient. [...] If you have rosacea, sometimes heavy moisturizers they actually can make you feel a bit overheated and precipitate a flush of redness, so you may not care for it in that regard. But overall, I really like it. The Natural Moisturizing Factors + Phytoceramides is a great addition to their portfolio for offering something that when you need extra barrier support, especially as [...] a rich night cream, I think this is nice."

✓Yay

75%Guru Score

Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion

"Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion is a good option. It has panthenol and niacinamide. [...] If you have hyperpigmentation under the arms, a moisturizer with niacinamide can help brighten it, depending on the cause. [...] If you have hyperpigmentation related to chronic irritation, the niacinamide can help because it interferes with the transfer of pigment packets from the melanocyte to the surrounding skin cells. It's also anti-inflammatory and helps with the moisture barrier. Those things together really help support clearing of discoloration under the arms, which is an area prone to hyperpigmentation because you have sweat and friction."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Augustinus Bader Rich Cream

"It's the Augustinus Bader Rich Cream. Right now at Nordstrom you can get a one-ounce pump and a half-ounce pump for the low, low price of two hundred dollars, yikes, versus two hundred and seventy-two dollars. I've never used this before. Objectively speaking, there's nothing wrong with the ingredients. I do imagine that people who use this and love it appreciate an improvement in moisture content, skin luminosity, and radiance. Do I think you need this cream versus any other moisturizer to get those types of results? No. This is not something I would ever buy myself. It also has a peptide in it, palmitoyl tripeptide-8. Peptides probably just mostly act as humectants. We rely on manufacturer studies, which are obviously going to be biased; it's not like they're testing these peptides in rigorous double-blind placebo-controlled trials. This particular peptide, at least in cells-in-a-dish type models, shows a reduction in inflammatory markers after UV radiation. In skin explants, so a model, not on an actual human, this peptide has been shown to be associated with a decrease in dilated capillaries. And when used on actual humans who have the skin condition rosacea, this particular peptide is associated with a decrease in persistent facial redness. However, that particular study on rosacea patients was using a product that not only had this peptide but also had caffeine, and caffeine can likewise help in minimizing redness, so whether it was the peptide or something else in this cream like the caffeine is hard to determine."

✕Nay

65%Guru Score

Olay Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Cream

"Q10 is good it's an antioxidant it is otherwise known as ubiquinone gets into the skin relatively easily helps ward off oxidative stress so if you are looking for a night cream to help with barrier recovery and recovery from oxidative stress from environmental stressors like pollutants this is one I really like"

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Gold Bond Rough and Bumpy Moisturizing Cream

"This rough and bumpy skin cream from Gold Bond has gluconolactone and urea. Gluconolactone is a polyhydroxy acid that is very hydrating. It also has urea, which is another name for hydroxy Apple urea, and it has petrolatum, one of my favorite ingredients for reducing water loss and aiding in barrier recovery. Now this does have citrus extract and fruit extracts, which potentially could be irritating."

~Mixed

73%Guru Score

CeraVe SA Cream for Rough and Bumpy Skin

"The salicylic acid cream from CeraVe, the SA Cream for Rough and Bumpy Skin, [...] these are good for keratosis pilaris or if you want something more lightweight in consistency the lotion option is good. [...] Not only does the salicylic acid help to soften that rough bumpy stuff but then the formula overall helps to address the needs of the skin barrier as it relates to having dry skin. It has niacinamide, ceramides, and it also has lactic acid which is likewise going to be helpful for softening and hydrating."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Equate Gentle Skin Cream

"I reviewed the equate version of Cetaphil cream a couple of years ago and it was great."

✓Yay

65%Guru Score

Goodal Apricot Collagen and Youth Firming Cream

"I've been using the Goodal Apricot Collagen and Youth Firming Cream that I bought several weeks ago, and I've been liking it, it's very moisturizing."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

belif True Cream Moisturizing Bomb

"I enjoyed this, if I remember correctly I actually liked it, but it does have fragrance. I found it very hydrating, it has ceramides in it, and oat kernel extract, which is really good for the skin. But it does have fragrance, and when I tried this I liked it, but I prefer the Hydro Boost."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Pyunkang Yul Nutrition Cream Blue Label

"The nutrition cream by Pyunkang Yul is another great one, though it's more expensive than the Intensive Repair Cream at $28. The consistency is a lot like the black tea enriched cream, though there's no black tea in it, and it doesn't have niacinamide, so it's a good option for those of you who are sensitive to niacinamide. It has shea butter and astragalus membranaceus root extract, which I think is really what delivers a real pack of hydration, along with sodium hyaluronate and macadamia seed oil."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

L'Oréal Revitalift Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer

"If you're in the market for a moisturizer with hyaluronic acid instead of a serum, try the L'Oréal Revitalift moisturizer, it's nice. It highlights hyaluronic acid and ceramide to help the moisture barrier, and it also has niacinamide, which is good for redness and has anti-aging benefits as an antioxidant."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

Naturie Hatomugi Skin Conditioning Gel

"I have rather been enjoying this Hatomugi Skin Conditioning Gel."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Vanicream Moisturizing Cream

"Vanicream is also a fantastic option if you're able to tolerate it. I suggest choosing a moisturizer that's free of fragrance, especially when priming the skin."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

Eucerin 5% Urea Facial Cream

"I tried out a lot of facial products with urea this year, and I liked them all. Honorable mention goes to a five percent urea facial cream from Eucerin as well."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Paula's Choice Calm Rescue and Repair Intensive Moisturizer

"The rescue and repair intensive moisturizer left my skin feeling dry, plain and simple, it was not good whatsoever, which really disappoints me because I loved their previous moisturizers in this Calm line. I used to recommend that moisturizer, and now I no longer recommend it since they changed it, so that was definitely a fail for me."

✕Nay

66%Guru Score

Kahi Wrinkle Bounce Multi Balm

"This is the Kahi Soul Wrinkle Bounce Multi-Balm, popularized because a Korean actress was seen using it. I thought it looked like a nice emollient, lubricating stick, maybe like the Vaseline stick, but it smells not good, it is heavily heavily scented in a scent that lingers on the skin. It just puts out a stiff oily lubricant, it's not hydrating, it doesn't even give a gloss. You can use it on your lips but it doesn't end up making the lips very moisturized or hydrated. That scent lingers, it makes the skin look greasy and shiny wherever you put it. It pales in comparison to the Vaseline stick balm in terms of delivering results. The only reason to buy this is if you want to look cool holding it up."

✕Nay

70%Guru Score

Olay Micro-Sculpting Cream

"I've used the Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream in the past and if I remember correctly it was okay. It's on sale but it's still pretty expensive. It claims 25 percent more hyaluronic acid and it also has niacinamide, which helps with redness and hyperpigmentation, but some people do find niacinamide irritating, so if you're one of those people this would not be a great product for you."

~Mixed

75%Guru Score

Eucerin Roughness Relief Moisturizing Cream

"This Eucerin Roughness Relief Cream is really good for the feet. It has urea, and it also has lactic acid I believe, yes, and ceramides. It's very good."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Tatcha Water Cream Oil-Free Pore Minimizing Moisturizer

"The Tatcha Water Cream, that's a pass. I did try it and was not impressed."

✕Nay

78%Guru Score

The INKEY List Omega Water Cream

"I've tried out the Inky List Omega Water Cream and I don't know, it's a pass for me. It's $9.99 and I don't think that's that inexpensive."

✕Nay

75%Guru Score

Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Aqua Gel Cream

"I really like this Hyaluronic Acid Aqua Gel Cream from Isntree, I reviewed it a while ago, it's quite good."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Drunk Elephant Silk Amino Mega Moisturizing Masque

"I don't think the mask is as good as some other hair masks I've tried. The mask I would say is kind of a little underwhelming in terms of the thickness."

✕Nay

79%Guru Score

COSRX Hydrium Moisture Power Enriched Cream

"I also really like this Moisture Power Rich Cream, although it does have propolis, which some people develop an allergy to and can cross-react with a fragrance allergy, but it does have moisturizing properties."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Seen Blowout Cream

"I like using this Blowout Cream. I put this on the night before while the hair is still damp, and then the following morning I use the blow dryer, so this is already on my hair when it's fully dry, and that further helps cut down on frizz, dryness, brittleness and breakage. This is SEEN, this is their fragrance free Blowout Cream, but they also have a scented one. It's vegan and color safe. If you're looking for a heat protectant, try this one out."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Versed Dew Point Moisturizing Gel Cream

"I tried this Dew Point moisturizer at one point and I was not, I was not impressed."

✕Nay

74%Guru Score

CeraVe SA Lotion for Rough and Bumpy Skin

"CeraVe SA Lotion has ammonium lactate plus salicylic acid, so it has two things working on that rough dry bumpy skin, and salicylic acid is also anti-inflammatory which helps because keratosis pilaris bumps are often inflamed. It also has three essential ceramides in MVE technology for slow release hydration, hyaluronic acid for moisture retention, and vitamin D, which the AmLactin product doesn't have. It's around a dollar ninety four per ounce, about thirty cents more per ounce than AmLactin, but I actually do think it's worth it in the long run, you're getting additional ingredients and CeraVe's ceramide technology does consistently demonstrate benefit in clinical studies. It's a lightweight lotion that absorbs quickly and isn't greasy, and in my experience it doesn't sting the way the AmLactin product does, even on a paper cut. It does use parabens as a preservative, so if you're allergic to or irritated by parabens you'd want to avoid it and choose AmLactin instead. I've gotten feedback that it works well on the face too, though I'd still say proceed with caution since it's formulated for the body."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Jordan Samuel Skin Performance Cream

"I've been trying out these Jordan Samuel moisturizers and I rather like them. The Performance Cream is a nice thick cream."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Jordan Samuel Skin Moisture Recovery Cream

"The Jordan Samuel Skin Moisture Recovery Cream I tried out last night and I rather liked it. It's more of a whipped consistency, nice and rich and creamy, and it feels really good applying to the skin. It's a much richer formula than the performance cream, so I worry it might not perform as well under sunscreen since the performance cream is more lightweight and that's the one that performed well under sunscreen. I've only been trying it a few days so it's not enough to make a full opinion yet, but it's free of niacinamide."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

Topicals Faded Brightening & Clearing Gel

"Faded by Topicals is one I've reviewed here before, and it has tranexamic acid as well as other skin lightening ingredients like licorice root and kojic acid. That's certainly an option to try out and it's relatively safe, though if it causes your skin irritation then it's not something you'd want to continue using. It's promising as an alternative to hydroquinone, especially during the drug holiday."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

CeraVe Itch Relief Moisturizing Cream

"I happen to like the CeraVe Itch Relief Cream with peroxin."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream

"They claim their ethyl lactoretinoid, a conjugate of retinoid retinoic acid and lactic acid, will get into your skin and be slowly converted to the active form while minimizing irritation, but I have yet to see a study showing this compound actually gets into the skin and converts to retinoic acid, or any biomarkers or skin biopsy evidence that it truly works to increase collagen production. The study they have is poorly controlled with no vehicle control, so you cannot tell if the improvements in wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and redness are from the retinoid ester or from all the other ingredients like niacinamide, glycolic acid, green tea extract, CoQ10, and hyaluronic acid, which all can achieve these same endpoints. I believe the results are simply because it is a good moisturizer, and I am not convinced by this product whatsoever."

✕Nay

82%Guru Score

Bioderma Atoderm Ultra Nourishing Cream

"I discovered this body moisturizer this year and fell in love with it. I love it because it has niacinamide in it which is a helpful ingredient not only for redness and for improving the health of the moisture barrier but for hyperpigmentation. It has mineral oil which is a wonderful occlusive, it has laminaria extract that's a marine extract that acts as a humectant helping to pull water into the top layers of the skin. It's definitely a standout product in my mind. It's similar to another favorite body moisturizer of mine, the La Roche Posay Lipicare cream, but this one's a little bit thicker in consistency and I have rather enjoyed it."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Cetaphil Healthy Radiance Renewing Cream

"I finished this moisturizer from Cetaphil. It's their Healthy Radiance Renewing Cream. It's one of those moisturizers that goes on a little bit streaky and patchy I found, and I personally much prefer the Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream that comes in a large tub as a facial moisturizer to this. This isn't bad or anything, but I would not repurchase it."

✕Nay

77%Guru Score

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel

"I used to use the Dramatically Different Moisturizer. It didn't lead to dramatically different results, but it wasn't a bad product. I don't use it anymore because moisturizers are so readily available at a fraction of the price that are just as good if not a thousand times better."

~Mixed

69%Guru Score

Bioderma Atoderm Cream

"I recently recommended this product in my winter must-haves video, and I have been loving it from Bioderma—it's their Atoderm Cream. It's free of fragrance and it's actually similar to the La Roche-Posay Lipicare Balm. It has niacinamide in it, which is a good ingredient for skin brightening and for improving the health of the moisture barrier. It has some anti-aging properties. It has mineral oil in it to help lock in hydration, and it has laminaria extract, a marine extract, to help pull moisture into the top layers of the skin, helping to plump up the look of wrinkles and fine lines and smooth out the skin surface. You can wear this comfortably on the face or the body."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Cetaphil Redness Relieving Night Moisturizer

"Another great option is Cetaphil's Redness Relieving Night Moisturizer, and they also make one for the daytime that has a little bit of sunscreen in it. That product also has niacinamide and licorice root."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Moist Cream

"The consistency is very lightweight and also very moisturizing, so it does a good job addressing dry skin without feeling greasy or heavy. It has ceramides which are good for the moisture barrier, and matrixyl which is a peptide that may help in improving the look of fine lines. It also has beta glucan which is good for hydration and smoothing out dry dull skin and improving elasticity, and argan oil as an emollient along with panthenol which is wonderful for the health of the moisture barrier, plus cacao seed butter and shea butter as occlusive ingredients. It's good to consider if you have very oily skin and don't like heavy moisturizers or if you have rosacea and find that heavy moisturizers exacerbate flushing."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Purito Oat-in Calming Gel Cream

"I was very underwhelmed by this. It's oat seed water, not colloidal oats, so it doesn't have the beneficial compounds I expected. It's very watery—more of a lightweight serum than a true moisturizer—so you still need a moisturizer over it. I expected something like the Aveeno Oat Gel Moisturizer, but this is misleading marketing."

✕Nay

67%Guru Score

Biafine Topical Emulsion

"This is a trolamine emulsion that has been shown to improve the rate of wound healing for post-surgical wounds. It's also used in Europe to treat radiation dermatitis. It does have fragrance, which is not ideal for healing because it can trigger more irritation. I can see why people like it, but I still prefer Vaseline because it's more affordable, especially petroleum jelly for wound healing. That said, the fragrance is actually pretty nice and is in that family of light fresh citrus scents."

~Mixed

82%Guru Score

Pacifica Vegan Ceramide Barrier Repair Cream

"I was not too impressed with the moisturizer, I mean it wasn't bad, but for the price point I would go with ceramics products that are much better."

~Mixed

78%Guru Score

Cocokind My Matcha All Over Moisture Stick

"This has coconut oil which is antibacterial and can help reduce water loss out of the skin, beeswax, and green tea leaf powder which has EGCG an antioxidant that can help reduce oxidative stress that leads to damage in your skin cells, this looks promising unless you're allergic to beeswax."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream

"CeraVe Moisturizing Cream in the tub, I think that's a good deal. It's not on sale, but worth grabbing for the colder months, which I know many of you are already facing."

✓Yay

87%Guru Score

RoC Advanced Hydration Plus Water Cream

"I happen to really like this moisturizer. In addition to hyaluronic acid, it has a marine extract, which is what La Mer is known for using and considered prestige for, but that ingredient is not necessarily rare. It's very beneficial in imparting improved moisture content in the skin's outermost layer, but you do not need to spend La Mer prices to get the benefits from marine extract."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream

"Avene has a product, the Cicalfate cream, which I've recommended in several videos. Recently they have had an issue. People on TikTok and in Reddit threads are complaining that their Cicalfate cream is arriving in orders completely separated out, where they go to squeeze it and this clear blue liquid shoots out and it's all messed up. Avene claims it's because the product was exposed to freezing temperatures. It seems to be happening a lot, so there's some kind of quality control issue going on with the shipping."

~Mixed

90%Guru Score

Purito Mighty Bamboo Panthenol Cream

"Purito has been doing some good stuff these days. The Mighty Bamboo Panthenol Cream [...] has a nice glossy finish to it, which I really like. It's soothing. It's great for very irritated skin. [...] If you're dealing with a lot of sensitivity issues and you're trying to heal, [...] this would be a great option as a facial moisturizer at night. It has this nice glossy saucy finish to it, so you feel like you're getting a little something something luxe there. And it works really well on the body, too."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

Purito Deep Sea Pure Water Cream

"I love this. I also love the cream version of this, the thicker cream, the hydration plus. I consider it to be a dupe of La Mer because it has these algae extracts that are super hydrating. And it's the algae extracts that are La Mer's claim to fame and the texture to me is very similar. [...] This is a really good moisturizer if you have oily skin and you want something rich but not heavy. It's very lightweight but deeply hydrating. It has hydrolyzed collagen which just helps with water retention. No niacinamide you guys that are sensitive to niacinamide and cannot escape it. I was very happy with this. I ended up using it a lot on the face, neck, and also arms and legs."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer

"You get a travel sample of the Toleriane facial moisturizer, which is great. It has niacinamide. It's very hydrating, soothing."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream

"I also adore the cream, which comes in this set. The cream is much thicker. I like to stack them when I'm really feeling zesty, the serum, and then the cream. But sometimes I just use one or the other. You could do a moisture sandwich, snail mucin power essence, retinoid, snail mucin cream. Or you could just use the power essence alone as the bottom layer and maybe your retinoid and cream alone is enough of a top moisturizer."

✓Yay

74%Guru Score

Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Capsule Cream

"They gave us this Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Capsule Cream. If you have not heard my PDRN rant, it is a scam. PDRN is not it. It's just so unfeasible to think that that would ever work in skincare. The hero ingredient in this is 5% niacinamide. I'm telling you, the B vitamin that single-handedly is carrying the skincare industry."

✕Nay

67%Guru Score

Hero Cosmetics Rescue Balm

"I love the Rescue Balm. It's good for the dry flaky skin after a pimple goes away."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Face Cream

"e.l.f. also makes a Holy Hydration Face Cream that is pretty affordable."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Dermavant Vtama Cream 1%

"The Vtama cream's vehicle is a water-based cream designed to minimize skin irritation and in a large clinical trial most patients said that Vtama cream absorbs quickly and was not greasy. I really like that Vtama cream is a once daily topical treatment. In fact, 83% of patients said they would use Vtama cream again or continue to use it and 84% of patients said they would recommend Vtama cream to others if available. In clinical studies, patients who use Vtama cream achieved significantly clearer skin as early as four weeks and up to 40% achieved clear or almost clear skin in 12 weeks compared to 6% of those who used a cream with no active ingredient. Patients also experienced a significant reduction in itch as early as week two. Patients who achieved clear skin with Vtama cream and stopped treatment stayed clear or almost clear while off treatment for a median of about four months."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Cream

"I really like the moisturizer and the cleanser and the thermal Spring Water spray may be beneficial in reducing like irritation in theory compounds in thermal spring water are anti-inflammatory as they come from certain thermophilic bacteria. This is a great little set though if you're looking to do a skin care reset something I recommend doing if you are in the middle of a skin problem you don't know exactly what's going on it's a way to just pair down your skin care routine to the Bare Essentials a really mild cleanser a moisturizer and a sunscreen."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Neutrogena Daily Facial Moisturizer with Multi-Vitamin Complex

"It's a nice lightweight fragrance-free moisturizer. It's super lightweight, it's not greasy, it feels pleasant to apply, and it offers 24-hour moisture."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Etude House SoonJung 2X Barrier Intensive Cream

"I didn't realize it's been such a long time since I've used this, the SoonJung 2X Barrier Intensive Cream from Etude House. This is a long-standing favorite, I've been using this for years. It's been a while, they changed up their packaging, and it's actually really cool, it's a really smart change. This line from Etude House I like, they've got great products in the line, pretty affordable, and very hydrating, nice for the drier months."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Serums140 reviews

SkinMedica TNS Advanced+ Serum

"TNS, that TNF alpha growth factor serum, was one of those medical grade products that got really popular, and a lot of derms were sold on it, saying that stuff was legit. But I was like, no, there's no way this is working. Growth factors put on the skin are not going to do anything above and beyond maybe moisturizing the skin, and I don't think they're worth spending a lot of money on."

✕Nay

79%Guru Score

Remedy Copper Peptide Complex Advanced Firming Serum

"I did not personally get along well at all with the copper peptide serum, I would never repurchase that. It gave me this tight, dry, irritated feeling to my skin right away. The copper peptide was just a disaster for me, not a bad formulation per se, it just did not agree with me."

✕Nay

76%Guru Score

Remedy Intense Hydration Multi-Depth Moisture Advanced Hydrating Serum

"This is Remedy's new Intense Hydration Multi-Depth Moisture Advanced Hydrating Serum. The first thing I noticed was the texture, it's very lightweight but it doesn't feel watery, and it's not heavy, greasy, or suffocating either, it's a nice balance of the two. It's a great hydration serum for these transition months, lightweight enough that it's not oppressive but it imparts a nice degree of long lasting hydration to support the skin barrier. A dime size amount is all I needed to cover my whole face and neck, so I think this bottle is going to last a long time. I use it around my eye area too since it's just hydration with nothing irritating. It has a really nice ingredient lineup, ectoin, glycerin, lactobacillus ferment filtrate, polyglutamic acid, beta glucan, superoxide dismutase, and peptides like acetyl hexapeptide-8 and palmitoyl tripeptide-5. My experience with this serum has overall been very good and very positive and I've really enjoyed it, it layers nicely at night before my retinoid and in the morning before sunscreen. I'd classify this as a low irritation potential product, it doesn't have fragrance or anything that tends to cause irritation. I've seen it going anywhere from seventeen to twenty dollars for an ounce, which with the polyglutamic acid and the peptide in it is pretty reasonable. I think this is Remedy's best serum to date, arguably my favorite product from them yet."

✓Yay

93%Guru Score

The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum

"The Ordinary's Multi-Peptide Plus Copper Peptides 1% Serum is one I've used, very much enjoy, have favorably reviewed, and recommended in other videos. I would ten out of ten go back to The Ordinary's copper peptide, and paying two dollars more for it was worth it for me in my opinion."

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

Eucerin Radiant Tone Dual Serum with Thiamidol

"Fragrance can commonly trigger stinging and burning, and personally I just did not care for the strong fragrance in Eucerin's facial care products like this dual pigment thiamidol serum. I could not use them long term, it got on my nerves."

✕Nay

71%Guru Score

AmLactin Bright & Smooth Serum

"I reviewed the Amlactin Bright and Smooth Serum and I am still using that, but I would just keep using the Amlactin lotions on my face."

✓Yay

72%Guru Score

CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum

"I personally didn't experience a lick of peeling with this, which I appreciate because a lot of times when you see the word gel, that's one that can ball up on you. Not this one at all. And the other thing about this is that it worked really well for me around the eyelid skin. I tolerated it. You know, eyelid skin is more delicate, but you get ingredients in there that plump, that hydrate, and will diminish the appearance of little dry dehydration wrinkles around the eyes. It gives hydration, a little bit of plumping, and it's great overall in that regard without being greasy or running into your eyes. The ingredients have ceramides, niacinamide, sodium hyaluronate, the salt of hyaluronic acid, cholesterol, phytosphingosine, those barrier lipids that we all are seeking in a product that addresses the barrier like a moisturizer. Glycerin is super hydrating and works really well to moisturize the skin and offer long-standing moisture retention."

✓Yay

66%Guru Score

Torriden Dive-In Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Serum

"This is the Dive-In serum. It's pretty good. It's a hyaluronic acid serum from Torriden. Of this line though, the Dive-In line, I really like their gel cream. I wish that was included instead of the travel size of the serum because that's honestly one of the best products from that line, specifically for people with oily skin who want a real lightweight moisturizer, or if you live in a hot humid climate. You don't want something too occlusive for your facial moisturizer in the summer especially. They don't have it in this set, but they do have this. These are good hyaluronic acid serums if you're in the market for that."

✓Yay

69%Guru Score

Paula's Choice 7% Ectoin Booster

"I finished a bottle of Paula's Choice Ectoin Booster serum. This is so good. It's very rich, very nourishing, very thick, very deeply hydrating. I even tried dragging this one out and not allowing myself to use it as many days because I wanted it to last. And I made it last a little bit longer this time around, but I went through it very quickly. This is one that I hate to say it, I probably at some point will repurchase again."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Neutrogena Collagen Bank 15% Vitamin C Serum

"I recently reviewed a vitamin C serum from Neutrogena. I get along well with it and think it's a good option if that's something you're interested in."

✓Yay

69%Guru Score

Maelove Glow Maker Vitamin C Serum

"I got the May Love Glow Map Maker and Peptide Squad recently, but I found some advice saying that not saying not to layer these two ingredients, but May Love officially official claims it's fine to do so."

~Mixed

85%Guru Score

Maelove Peptide Squad Collagen Renewal Serum

"What is of concern here is peptides may include copper peptides, and vitamin C serum may include ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid is not the most stable ingredient, and it's vulnerable to oxidation, and it has its penetration issues. Copper is theoretically something that can accelerate the degradation of ascorbic acid. That being said, I have heard from cosmetic formulators that it's fine to use ascorbic acid with copper peptides, that it's not something that truly happens. I think it's fine to do so. The brand is telling you it's fine to do so, so I wouldn't worry about it."

~Mixed

81%Guru Score

SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic

"When it comes to ascorbic acid topical products, I also recommend SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic. Why? Well, because it has actually pretty good research, a really good publication backing up that the product actually works. Given the challenges of formulation, I think that that is nice to know that yeah, theirs actually works."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

Hero Cosmetics Cella 4% Dark Spot Serum

"This one does not have ascorbic acid in the product, and the ascorbic acid in the product if it's there is not stable."

✕Nay

68%Guru Score

Prequel Multi-Quench Plumping Hydration Serum

"It's definitely unique to this product. The discomfort is not significant and it's very mild and it doesn't last very long. It's short-lived. There's no accompanied redness. I haven't had any peeling or irritation. I have found that it's average in its performance as a hydrating product. I don't think it is as good for me or I don't enjoy it as much. I don't get as much wow factor from this."

~Mixed

63%Guru Score

Torriden Dive-In Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Soothing Cream

"I have been using the Torriden Dive-In moisturizer off and on for a while now and I really like it. If you have oily skin, you don't want a heavy moisturizer, you don't like the feeling of rich creams on your face, this is a great option. It's hyaluronic acid, fragrance-free."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

The Ordinary Growth Factor 15% Solution

"Growth factors are like in skincare as a marketing hype, a precursor [...] to PDRN and exosomes nonsense claims that don't hold up at all. Putting growth factors on your skin, that's not going to do anything. They're not doing anything in skincare. Maybe they're moisturizing."

✕Nay

66%Guru Score

CeraVe Skin Renewing Gel Oil

"They have this gel oil. I haven't seen it in a while, so fingers crossed they didn't discontinue it, but the gel oil was really good if you had flaky skin to massage on in a circular fashion to help that to exfoliate a little bit better without disrupting the skin barrier. It was also really good on the lips."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Urban Skin RX Cystamine Pre-Cleanse Treatment

"For example, Urban Skin RX has one that you might consider. Not sponsored."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

Peach Slices Super Fade Discoloration Serum

"[Centella], [madecassoside], aiaticide, and asiatic acid are antioxidants that are anti-inflammatory and have been shown to portend benefits for the healing and recovery of the skin and are even thought to be beneficial for healing of a scar. It's fragrance-free, lightweight, and super affordable. I really enjoyed using this myself personally. I found it very hydrating, moisturizing, and soothing. It just helped to brighten up overall skin complexion. If you're going to try this out, try using it twice a day. Apply it to the face first thing in the morning either after cleansing or to a dry bare face, allow it to dry so it's no longer wet to the touch and then put sunscreen on over it. That's a great pairing for tackling dark marks. At night time after cleansing, apply it to clean, damp skin. You can use this alongside other ingredients provided you tolerate the combination. It's wonderful for sensitive, dry, oily, acne prone. Any sort of skin type could use this just fine. It's moisturizing without being greasy or heavy. It's very lightweight and layers under sunscreen quite well once it has dried down."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

Paula's Choice 7% Ectoin Plus Hyaluronic Acid Milky Hydrating Serum

"This without a doubt is the best product Paula's Choice in my opinion has put out in the past, I don't know, 3 or 4 years. Been a while since they've had a winner in my opinion. And this is good stuff. It's very emollient. It's hydrating. It gives the skin this nice plump, glowy, fresh look. It also has hyaluronic acid, jojoba seed oil, glycerin, which is going to be very hydrating, and squalane, a lightweight emollient. This is a milky serum toner, and in contrast to many milky toners out there, it has a very emollient texture."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Peach Slices Hypochlorous Acid Spray

"I think people tend to overstate its benefits on social media, but uh it has been shown to be helpful for cutting down on itch in a topic. specifically like if your your skin gets itchy with sweat, I recommend that."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

Timeless Coenzyme Q10 Serum

"A product that I think is amazing is the Timeless Q10 serum. I'm much more interested and enjoy using far more their Q10 serum. The thing about it is that you do want to shake it up before you apply it because it does have a tendency to separate out, but that has been an amazing amazing one for me. Back when I was using it consistently, I felt it was a great first step in a morning skincare routine sort of as a lightweight moisturizer and then I put my sunscreen on. That pairing together was really nice. You had the antioxidant on there from Q10 to kind of help with all the environmental aggressors and then the sunscreen. It's a really nice environmental protection package first thing in the morning. So I really love that."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

The INKEY List Ectoin Hydro Barrier Serum

"I ended up enjoying the INKEY List Ectoin Hydro Barrier Serum, [...] but it is not as hydrating, it's not as moisturizing. It doesn't impart that overall improved plumpness, smoothness, radiance, and glow. So you are paying less, but you're not quite getting the same thing. This is fine, but I don't know that I would necessarily repurchase it."

✕Nay

77%Guru Score

Minimalist Tranexamic Acid 3% Serum

"I reviewed the Minimalist brand's topical tranexamic acid about a year ago and I thought it was pretty good."

✓Yay

71%Guru Score

Maelove Forever Firm Peptide Neck Treatment

"It's good. It will moisturize your neck. It will reduce irritation likely by reducing transepidermal water loss. It'll improve the appearance of those little dry dehydration wrinkles. But when you've used other things that do the same thing, then it's like what is this bringing to the table? If this product is over $30, if it's like $40, probably not going to buy it. [...] The Maelove product is good. It's as good as the Cetaphil one as far as the results I got, which you know will vary from person to person quite a bit. Assuming it's going to be a lot more, the Cetaphil one worked just as well and I probably will just go back to that."

~Mixed

74%Guru Score

Abreva Cold Sore Treatment

"You'll probably notice Abreva sold over the counter without a prescription. And in my opinion, Abreva is way too much effort. You have to apply it multiple multiple times a day and it really only shortens the duration by like maybe half a day. So it's a lot of work. It's expensive. Valtrex is a much better way to go in my opinion."

✕Nay

58%Guru Score

DRMTLGY Needleless Growth Factor Serum

"It has this anti-redness property, plus it's good for skin yellowing. So if you tolerate it, it's really quite a good ingredient. [...] If you were gifted it or you bought the DRMTLGY one, I'd say thumbs up, use it. It's good if you tolerate it. I had no problem with it."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

EOS Kashmir Shave Oil

"EOS has a shave oil too that's also good."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Olaplex No. 7 Bonding Oil

"I've used a lot of their products over the years, but the packaging is really chintzy. Like, it breaks easily."

~Mixed

66%Guru Score

Prequel Redness Reform Soothing Serum

"They have a Redness Reform Soothing Serum with licorice root that is really good for redness, as is oat. And this also has, I believe, a green tint through the chromium oxide green, which will help camouflage the redness. Likely would be good for rosacea and post acne red marks."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Hada Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Lotion

"Speaking of hyaluronic acid Japanese lotions, this is great. The super hyaluronic acid lotion. Really like this. $11.99."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

e.l.f. Vitamin C Serum with Ferulic Acid

"E.L.F. has a new Vitamin C Serum with Ferulic Acid and vitamin E which stabilize the ascorbic acid. Hopefully it doesn't oxidize because of that and it hopefully allows for a formula that if effectively created penetrates your skin to improve collagen production and act as an antioxidant. I don't get along well with ascorbic acid. I find it often irritates my skin and honestly many of the benefits of ascorbic acid I find you already get if you're using niacinamide and a retinoid. I don't really find that ascorbic acid adds much to the picture other than this whole complicated journey of finding one that's not irritating, that is actually stable and effective, and not extremely expensive. This one's $16 and it also has sea buckthorn oil in it which is an emollient rich in antioxidants and polyphenols."

~Mixed

63%Guru Score

Olay Super Serum

"Objectively, it's a good product, and it's marketed to use at night, which you can use."

✓Yay

72%Guru Score

Arencia Holy Hop Serum 30

"Arenia Holy Hop Serum 30, you might think is going to be a fluid. It's not. It's basically like a gel cream, a gel moisturizer. It's really thick. It's really glossy. It's deeply hydrating and limits penetration of stuff that you put on top of it and evaporative water loss. It doesn't feel greasy on the skin likely because it's very glycerin rich. Glycerin is a humectant but in glycerin rich products starts to act more as a barrier to water loss. This is a product that people might be intrigued to pursue because it's got a variety of antioxidants which may help to combat oxidative stress. I think this is a great product to consider using as the final step in your nighttime skincare routine especially if you're someone who has oilier acne prone skin because you might not like the full-on barrier cream feel. You might want the more hydrating glycerin based skin protectant. If you wanted to use it in your morning routine I would worry that because of the thick consistency that you put it on and then when you put your sunscreen on over you might encounter what is so annoying the peeling. For that reason alone I think this is better suited as a nighttime product. The following morning used at night you do wake up with that glowy radiant skin soft hydrated supple."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Maelove Fade Away Dark Spot Correcting Serum

"I love May Love's discoloration serum. It's excellent. I used it consistently for over a year and got really great results."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Dark Spot Correcting Serum

"This is the Anua Niacinamide 10% Tranexamic Acid. I really liked this. Now, 10% niacinamide is on the higher end, above and beyond what is necessary. 5% max is really what has been shown to do anything, which includes improving hyperpigmentation, redness, the moisture barrier, anti-aging purposes, skin yellowing. 10% maybe more likely to cause irritation. And then some of you out there are already like no more niacinamide, so for those of you who cannot do niacinamide, this is off the table. This also has tranexamic acid. Applied topically, it seems to help with redness. Not a ton of data out there with regards to topical tranexamic acid, but that's really where it seems to shine, and possibly because some evidence suggests that it's helpful for improving barrier function. Ultimately, that could help reduce irritation that leads to redness. Plus, this has this kind of pinkish, reddish tint to it, which comes from B12, topical B12. Not a ton of data, okay? But the data that we do have suggests it might be helpful for reducing itch. I love B12 and things, and I'm hoping to see more of it. Anua, this was really good. I ended up really liking that."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

"The Ordinary looked at a study in vitro [...] using this followed by their Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% serum [...] and they showed that this allowed for two times better absorption of that serum in vitro at least so in cells in a dish after 1 hour. [...] However, it's cells in a dish right like facial skin is much different you've got this 3D shape you've got the pores you've got a lot going on keep that in mind. They also claim clinically on human volunteers it shows an improvement in skin hydration that's immediate as well as long-lasting improvement in luminosity all day and a visible smoothing effect. [...] The main players are water and glycerin. Propane diol which is also in this may also to a certain extent be influential as well in the efficacy of this product but for the most part the heavy lifters are water and glycerin. This product is very thin it's very watery. Put a blindfold on and you're going to have a very hard time realizing that this is any skincare product other than water."

~Mixed

70%Guru Score

CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum

"Even though I don't get along with [...] vitamin C serums because they tend to irritate my skin, I did like the CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum. [...] They're an L'Oreal brand with lots of R&D. [...] They also threw in some caffeine, so caffeine in a serum is an interesting ingredient [...] because a subset of people who have puffiness [...] get a good depuffing effect from topical caffeine, especially coupled with a cold temperature like a chilled moisturizer or a cold applicator. [...] It's got licorice root which is anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, soothing, and may help with hyperpigmentation like post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. You've got hyaluronic acid and ceramides."

✓Yay

72%Guru Score

The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%

"I love the Ordinary's azelaic acid suspension, great for redness, dark spots. The azelaic acid is also good not only for redness but for hyperpigmentation, a bit of acne control, and rosacea."

✓Yay

75%Guru Score

NIOD Copper Amino Isolate Serum 2:1

"It's not a holy grail mustave but yeah if you don't know the backstory you need to watch the backstory"

~Mixed

73%Guru Score

The Ordinary Power of Peptide Set

"I reviewed them second bottle mentioned this last weekend"

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Beauty of Joseon Glow Deep Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide

"We have the Beauty of Joseon Glow Deep Serum with propolis and niacinamide. If you're allergic to fragrance be really careful with propolis because propolis can cross react with a lot of fragrance allergies, but it is a very hydrating ingredient. Centella asiatica extract is anti-inflammatory. Niacinamide is good for redness, dark spots, and moisture barrier."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Eucerin Advanced Repair Cream with Polyhydroxy Acid

"Here's another great rich cream this time with polyhydroxy acid, even gentler, and colloidal oatmeal which helps to hydrate."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Bio-Oil Bio-Oil

"Bio oil, anyone who says that this is helpful, they're getting essentially the benefits of using mineral oil to lubricate the scar, cut down on frictional forces, but they're adding in a steeper price point, $38.49 mind you, plus fragrance which again can be irritating, not always but for some people it can be irritating. Fragrance and essential oils ultimately will worsen the appearance of the scar, so this is not something I recommend. People who use it and claim that it helped their scars, just know it worked by lubricating the skin surface. You can get that same effect for half the price without the risk of irritation from fragrance just by using mineral oil or any of the skin protectants."

✕Nay

45%Guru Score

Haruharu Wonder Centella 4% Tranexamic Acid Dark Spot Go Away Serum

"I got this in one of the Korean Advent calendars and in contrast to that one this is more of a clear colorless gel it has a little bit of a grip to it, it's a little thicker than that other one. I don't know off the top of my head if and what percentage niacinamide this has, I'm almost certain it does, but I look forward to using this. It's also got compounds from centella."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

Kerx 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum

"I wasn't expecting much from this product and boy did it deliver. It's very hydrating. It has glycerin and it also has a variety of amino acids which are naturally found in skin's outermost layer and help with moisture retention and barrier function. But it has a variety of peptides. Peptides can be helpful for hydrating the skin and some peptides do have some evidence, albeit mostly limited to industry studies, demonstrating that they could be helpful for improving the appearance of fine lines around the eyes specifically. This has argireline, which a lot of people claim is Botox in a bottle, doesn't actually get into the skin to work at the level of the neuromuscular junction, but it is one of the peptides for which there is some evidence that it improves the appearance of wrinkles. There's also another similar peptide as far as improving the appearance of wrinkles, and some people claiming it's kind of like a Botox-esque peptide, that is snake peptide, that also is in this. And it has a variety of copper peptides which have anti-inflammatory properties and again are soothing and good for hydration. This has niacinamide, so I like that. Good for not just the moisture barrier but for dark spots and redness. You get a lot of product in this bottle. You don't need very much to create a thin film on the skin surface."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Nzen Vitamin Concentrate Serum

"It seems to be promising for the moisture barrier which ultimately can cut down on irritation. It also has Alpha arbutin, good for dark spots. It's got a lot of hydrating ingredients: beta glucan, bifida ferment lysate, sodium hyaluronate, niacinamide, and 30o ethyl ascorbic acid, which is a stable form of vitamin C and may help as an antioxidant. I look forward to trying this. I haven't had great luck with Nzen. I tried a few of their serums and toners a couple of years ago and they were not so great for me, but I'm going to give this a try."

~Mixed

81%Guru Score

Cetaphil Healthy Radiance Brightening Antioxidant-C Face Serum

"They went with 3o Ethyl ascorbic acid. This also has niacinamide which is good for dark spots, so if you're looking to improve hyperpigmentation this definitely can help but probably mostly through the niacinamide. Free of fragrance. I ended up really enjoying using this but not something I would go out of my way to repurchase and consistently have in my routine because while it didn't cause any problems for me I found it was nice lightweight hydrating."

~Mixed

72%Guru Score

Anua Peach 70% Niacinamide Serum

"10% niacinamide is playing with fire, just more likely to be irritating compared to you know 5% 4% and below. Tranexamic acid applied topically can be helpful for post acne redness and for the moisture barrier. Pretty sizable bottle we get here. Mancic acid, Asiatic acid, those are compounds from centella which are anti-inflammatory. Sodium hyaluronate, oh it also has arbutin which is good for dark spots. This actually looks kind of promising. It's a thinner serum, very watery, no fragrance."

~Mixed

58%Guru Score

Cocokind Ceramide Barrier Serum

"The Ceramide Barrier Serum has ceramides of course which are good for the moisture barrier and it also has glycerin which is very hydrating and beta glucan."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster

"Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster is almost always going to make an appearance in these Sephora what to buy type videos [...] because when it comes to azelaic acid, an ingredient that is very helpful for redness, for hyperpigmentation, for acne breakouts, as a cosmetic ingredient there are a handful of products out there that have this ingredient, this has to be the best one in my personal experience testing out many. Azelaic acid that you buy in cosmetic products here in the US is not the same strength as what you get from a prescription product, but it shows promise as being helpful especially for addressing some of these issues. In addition to azelaic acid though, this has licorice root which again is good for redness dark spots and it also has a little bit of salicylic acid 0.5% so helpful for breakout prone skin cutting down on blackhead and whitehead formation. Azelaic acid can kind of tingle a little bit maybe make your face itch a bit. I have never found that to be the case with this product specifically, but it does happen for some people. By and large azelaic acid is well tolerated and it can be used alongside other ingredients. This is a great product to complement, maybe even a retinol. You could use it in the morning if you wanted to in an effort to help hasten the clearance of say dark spots for example."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Cedil Vitamin C Serum

"I like to call this a niacinamide serum with a stable form of vitamin C of questionable efficacy. I've been using it [...] as the first step of my nighttime skincare routine after I get out of the shower when my skin's still a little bit damp. I've been putting this on my face and neck and then I put other products over it. I've been liking that combination. But I would not repurchase this per se. It's not a bad product. I've actually enjoyed using it."

~Mixed

74%Guru Score

Clarins Double Serum Complete Age-Defying Concentrate

"I really don't get the draw of this double serum from Clarins. It has a bunch of plant extracts which can offer some anti-inflammatory compounds and be soothing, for example it has avocado oil, oat kernel oil, and mango leaf extract that may have some polyphenols. It's like $95."

✕Nay

62%Guru Score

First Aid Beauty 10% Vitamin C Brightening Serum

"Here's their 10% Vitamin C Brightening Serum. This has 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid as the form of vitamin C, that's a stable form that may be helpful as a surface antioxidant, but if you're looking for a product that offers the full spectrum of what vitamin C does, 3-O-ethyl is unlikely to do that, because the likelihood that it gets converted to ascorbic acid is very, very low. What's probably doing most of the heavy lifting in this is the licorice root extract, which is anti-inflammatory and good for redness and dark spots, and it also has oat, which is hydrating and moisturizing. This 1.7 ounce bottle, where the licorice root is likely doing a lot of the heavy lifting, is $50."

✕Nay

73%Guru Score

SkinCeuticals P-TIOX Wrinkle Modulating Peptide Cream

"This is a good product, it works, it does what it claims to do, and I appreciate that the claims aren't outrageous, the ingredients really do support them. It has good ingredients, objectively there's nothing bad to say about it, but we need to talk about that price point. It's $148, and I think this serum is too little too late in a saturated market of peptide serums. It's a good product, but there are so many other similar formulations with these particular peptides for much less, like the QRxLabs peptide booster serum, which I find just as good and honestly more hydrating than this. It's the price point that keeps me from recommending it, it's just way too expensive, so I would never buy this myself."

~Mixed

75%Guru Score

Beekman 1802 Milk Drop Ceramide Serum

"It has willow bark and honey and sodium hyaluronate so it is hydrating and it delivers coenzyme Q10. I like to use coenzyme Q10 serum as an antioxidant serum in the morning, gets into the skin fairly easily, can replenish your skin's own Q10 levels and ultimately help in warding off against oxidative stress upon exposure to environmental aggressors. I've tried this before and it is really nice. Actually, everything I've tried from Beakman I've really liked. Normally it's $45 though, but if you can get it for 50% off you might consider it, especially if you're somebody who like me uses coenzyme Q10 antioxidant serums in the morning."

✓Yay

69%Guru Score

CeraVe Six Peptide Booster Serum

"I have been using this now for many months. It has niacinamide, one of my favorite ingredients for redness, hyperpigmentation, the moisture barrier. It's an antioxidant, but it also has a variety of peptides, and peptides are helpful for hydrating the top layers of the skin. Some peptides in theory can help with improving the health of your collagen, smoothing out wrinkles and fine lines, and some of these peptides in this particular booster serum do have some industry studies behind them suggesting that they can be helpful for improving the look of fine lines. But this also has some amino acids which are good for the moisture barrier. They're part of skin's natural moisturizing factors. I use this to my face in the morning either after I've done my omnilog Contour mask or just to a bare face, and I just put a little bit all over my face, around my eye area, to my neck, and then let it absorb. I also often use it at night time as well, and I have noted an overall improvement in skin tone. It's very hydrating, very moisturizing. $25 at baseline I don't think is too bad, but $12.50 is a steal."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Dark Spot Corrector Serum

"I recently gave up on the Mela B3 serum. It's actually decent. It does have fragrance, which is not as strong as some of the other La Roche-Posay serums. It's a 10% niacinamide serum with their new Micéal ingredient that is supposed to disrupt some of the early processes that lead to pigment production. It also has niacinamide, which we know is good for dark spots. 10% is unnecessary, more likely to be irritating. 5% is kind of within the zone of what has been studied."

~Mixed

69%Guru Score

COSRX Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum

"This morning I did the hydration lip stack the hyaluronic acid serum from COSRX followed by the Kerx Lip Sleeve Mask"

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

Bubble Day Dream Vitamin C + Niacinamide Tone & Texture Serum

"The Bubble Daydream Tone and Texture Serum could be applied as the first step in a morning skincare routine after cleansing as your antioxidant and barrier support ingredient. This has niacinamide, which is good for dark spots and redness. It also has alpha arbutin, which can be helpful for dark spots, and tranexamic acid, which [...] applied topically can help with redness. So basically, these ingredients, niacinamide, alpha arbutin, tranexamic acid, together they're really great for helping to improve skin tone, even it out. If you've got dark spots, redness, blotchiness, it may help depending on what exactly you're dealing with. It also has sodium ascorbyl phosphate, which is a stable form of vitamin C that does show promise, specifically for people with oily, acne-prone skin, likely similar to how niacinamide is beneficial through its antioxidant effect."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Bubble Water Slide Hydration Boosting Serum with Hyaluronic Acid and Peptides

"Water Slide, this is a hyaluronic acid and peptide serum. Peptides such a broad category of ingredients that may or may not do anything above and beyond hydrating the skin. Phytic acid is an antioxidant, gently exfoliate. Lactic acid is hydrating. This also has ceramides, which are good for the moisture barrier."

~Mixed

75%Guru Score

Paula's Choice Clinical Discoloration Repair Serum

"Paula's Choice has 3% tranexamic acid but it also has 5% niacinamide. Niacinamide like tranexamic acid is a good ingredient for dark spots, redness, the moisture barrier, reducing sensitivity, it's anti-inflammatory. All of these things that tranexamic acid may do depending on the formulation, niacinamide has a lot more research supporting that it does. I like that that's included because treating dark spots and hyperpigmentation, it's not usually just one ingredient. Having multiple ingredients in there that target different arms of the pigment pathway really can lend better results. Niacinamide specifically works for hyperpigmentation because it slows down the spread of those pigment packets that are produced in the melanocytes to the neighboring keratin sites, so that's totally different from how tranexamic acid is going to be working for dark spots. Tranexamic acid is going to be working for dark spots by hopefully making its way down to the junction between the epidermis and the dermis, targeting the plasminogen pathway."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil

"I'm a fan of the Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil. The conditioners will help to limit the absorption of things that can discolor your hair from pool water. It's also a heat protectant, so when you do heat style your hair, use the lowest heat setting and it will help to offset heating of the hair strands from your treatment that would otherwise damage your hair even further."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast B5 Face Serum

"I want to get back on my La Roche-Posay Cicaplast gel because when I was using that around my eyes, man, it really had a drastic effect in tightening the skin on my eyes. I got a little trouble on my upper eyelids and so they've been kind of dry and irritated, but that is a great skin protectant for around your eyes for reducing eyelid irritation. We have all sorts of aerosolized allergens here, pollen, molds, and if you're into cooking certain spices and things they can end up causing eyelid irritation because they settle on the eyelids. The skin there is thin, so I really like that product as an eyelid skin protectant for eyelid dermatitis, for preventing it by protecting the skin and for healing it as well. It's glycerin based, and in contrast to other balms, it is a lot more hydrating and it doesn't go on opaque white. It's clear and colorless."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

Cetaphil Future Renew Damage Reversal Serum

"I finished another bottle of Cetaphil Future Renew Damage Reversal Serum with purified peptides. This is a lightweight hydrating serum I rather enjoy using after cleansing in the evening as the first step in my nighttime skincare routine followed by my toner because it's just a little lightweight hydrating. It helps to improve water content in skin's outermost layer. You get a subtle softening of fine lines. It's also a really good first thing in the morning facial moisturizer because sunscreen layers on over this just fine and you don't get any peeling. I absolutely adore the packaging because you get every little last drop out and you can see it. You can see exactly how much is in there, how much is left. No drop remains. I love that you don't have to whack or squeeze or guess. There are so many packaging systems where we are just chalking it up to oh this is done but if you were really able to crack into it you would find there was a lot more product lingering, especially these airless pump type packaging systems. If this were all opaque you would have no idea what was left in there."

✓Yay

69%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Pure Niacinamide 10 Serum

"You really only need max 5% niacinamide, 10% is kind of overboard and if anything can be more irritating. The fragrance in their serums is so strong."

✕Nay

71%Guru Score

StriVectin Anti-Wrinkle Peptide Plump Serum

"StriVectin has some peptide plump with alpha-3 peptide. You get these two bottles for $78.99 for some peptide plumping. Contours Crispus extract is very hydrating. I imagine this will help moisturize and give it sort of a plumping effect but you can achieve that with many other moisturizers. The packaging is kind of interesting for a moisturizer, almost looks like the kind of packaging they would use for foundation. I don't know, I think that would be annoying to use."

~Mixed

65%Guru Score

Prequel Lucent-C Brightening Vitamin C Serum

"I didn't find it to be irritating, a lot of ascorbic acid serums irritate my skin, especially ascorbic acid serums like this which have an acidic pH of 3. This one's 3.2, that 3.2 is a great pH in theory for allowing good penetration of the ascorbic acid but it can be more irritating. This product warns against using it around the eyes where the skin is more delicate, more prone to irritation. I [...] didn't experience any irritation with this one. One of the problems with ascorbic acid if you've ever used it is that it oxidizes with time, exposure to air and light, and it can turn this orange yellow color. I did not have that issue with this product. But it does have that vitamin C serum smell. People describe it as hot dog water. The smell of the actual product is not what bothers me, but rather as I wear it throughout the day it's the way my skin smells. I can smell my face and it has that smell. If you've ever used a sunless tanner, that kind of toasty smell, I get that with ascorbic acid serums including this one."

~Mixed

82%Guru Score

VT Reedle Shot 100 Collagen

"So once I saw this had spicules in it it was an immediate no for me I was not interested in using it"

✕Nay

59%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Glycolic B5 Serum

"This is a good serum from them, the Glycolic B5. It's a glycolic acid serum but it also has tranexamic acid in it which can help with mostly redness but to a certain extent may help with dark spots. It has kojic acid which is good for dark spots. It chelates copper which is necessary for the active activity of the enzyme that makes pigment, it's called tyrosinase. I'm glad they came out with this because I think the other one had fragrance."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Peter Thomas Roth FirmX Eye Treatment

"Really like this sunscreen it's really good actually no white cast doesn't burn around the eyes very hydrating"

✓Yay

68%Guru Score

Rhode Peptide Glazing Fluid

"I really like this. I liked putting this on after cleansing and then over it the Rhode Peptide Glazing Fluid. [...] This is objectively a good lightweight facial moisturizer that kept my skin hydrated. [...] I really can't say anything bad about these products, they worked well for me and I would repurchase them."

✓Yay

72%Guru Score

Caudalie Vinohydra Hydrating Hyaluronic Serum

"This is a hydrating serum from Caudalie. It has hyaluronic acid in it, of course, but it also has some components in it for the moisture barrier, natural moisturizing factors like amino acids. It has ceramides, which of course are good for the skin barrier, and no fragrance. I really like the texture."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Beauty of Joseon Calming Serum: Green Tea + Panthenol

"This particular serum from Beauty of Joseon has Tea Leaf water, probably has some anti-inflammatory compounds in it. It has artemisia extract which is anti-inflammatory, panthenol and glycerin are hydrating, allantoin is anti-inflammatory, Codonopsis root extract is very hydrating, licorice root compound is good for redness and hyperpigmentation, sodium hyaluronate good for hydration. You use two to three drops of serum onto the face, pat gently to help absorb. On the back of my hand it feels really nice and hydrating, no fragrance."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Rosaliac AR Intense Serum

"I have tried the Rosaliac AR and it's kind of interesting it has a green tint to it but overall it kind of goes on streaky and chalky. It's not been my favorite."

✕Nay

71%Guru Score

Differin Dark Spot Correcting Serum

"Differin came out with a new Dark Spot Correcting Serum that's basically just a niacinamide serum which is a shame although it also has sodium ascoril phosphate that's a stable form of vitamin C that's been shown to be helpful for acne in a small study. Unfortunately they left the fragrance in which again is a common allergen and irritant."

✕Nay

64%Guru Score

The Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum

"It has a funky aroma to it, a little earthy. I [...] do use it around my eyes too and it's all absorbed and dry on there. [...] It does give the skin a little hydrated glow. Not the best thing I've ever used, but it does what it claims to do. It soothes, it supports, has that B12 in there for calming down age."

~Mixed

76%Guru Score

Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum

"This brand you can often buy at Whole Foods. Sodium ascorbyl phosphate is a stable form of vitamin C and newer research suggests that it may actually be helpful for people who have acne because it acts as an antioxidant so it helps to theoretically cut down on the oxidation of sebum. [...] But in contrast to ascorbic acid, it's not known whether or not it actually gets into the skin and elicits collagen synthesis and leads to a wrinkle smoothing effect. It's a kind of like a precursor to ascorbic acid, which if you remember from my Vitamin C Serum videos, ascorbic acid is not the most stable ingredient, so there are these stabilized derivatives but then there's always the question of like does it actually do anything. Anyway, it does appear to help cut down on acne and may be helpful via the sebum oxidation thing."

~Mixed

68%Guru Score

The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum

"Polyglutamic acid creates almost a hydrating hug like a film on the skin surface to help lessen water loss from the skin and it is known to help improve skin elasticity, so if you have dry rough skin texture, polyglutamic acid is a great ingredient to entertain in your routine. It can be applied to the skin after cleansing while the skin is still a bit damp, then you can put moisturizer on over it. This is actually a very good product from them. I've used it myself and repurchased it, probably one of my favorites from them. It offers many similar benefits to snail serum but does not involve the snail, and this one is a great one at 3% polyglutamic acid."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

BYOMA Hydrating Serum

"You get the jelly cleanser and the Hydrating Serum from BYOMA, I've used both of those, they're pretty nice. [...] The Hydrating Serum has ceramides in it and glycerin, so it's very hydrating and helpful for the barrier."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Tula Brightening Treatment Drops Triple Vitamin C Serum

"This has citrus peel extract in it as well, which may be a more natural source of vitamin C, but citrus extracts can be irritating, especially if you already have pre-existing fragrance allergies or a lot of compounds in citrus extracts that can cross react with that sensitivity. This has sea buckthorn oil in it, which is an emollient that I actually rather enjoy in skincare products. My reservations with vitamin C make this a product that I'm skeptical about. With vitamin C serums, you really just never know if they're actually going to end up working out or doing anything for you, and if anything they can end up being a lot more irritating."

✕Nay

63%Guru Score

Vichy Neovadiol Serum for Perimenopause and Postmenopause

"This is new from Vichy, it is a serum marketed for people peri and post menopause with omegas. Omega fatty acids are helpful for the skin barrier and replenishing lipids in the skin and helping with lipid barrier integrity. Cassia extract may be anti-inflammatory. It has niacinamide, which is anti-inflammatory and good for hyperpigmentation and redness. Tocopherol is vitamin E. It has Scorpio glucoside, which is a stable form of vitamin C, but whether or not it improves collagen is questionable. It also has caffeine, which can help temporarily de-puff and brighten up the under eye area. It has urea in it, which can be hydrating and soften and smooth the skin. Shea butter is going to help reduce water loss. Capital oil salicylic acid, that is a L'Oreal ingredient, goes by the name LHA. It's like a modified form of salicylic acid that can more precisely exfoliate and improve the look of skin texture and dark spots. They market this to menopause and perimenopause age groups because, I don't know, it seems like another antioxidant serum with a gold package."

~Mixed

78%Guru Score

Moroccanoil Treatment

"I do this a couple of times a week just to help my hair be a little bit more stylable. When I take a break from it and return to my Moroccan oil, my hair is a lot more manageable. This is the one hair oil that has not left my hair like uber greasy."

✓Yay

73%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Serum

"I use this blackheads daily serum in my morning routine and you know you could use that multiple times a day as instructed if you tolerate it. It can be dry and can be irritating, same thing with any salicylic acid product or salicylic acid combination with other hydroxy acid products. These over-the-counter salicylic acid things they can cause irritation but it's not as though they're like super aggressive. They have to be safe enough to be sold over the counter and for consumers to use them safely without medical supervision. That being said they can be very irritating if you are using them along with tretinoin. For me, for example, I'm not going to put this on and then put my tretinoin on."

~Mixed

76%Guru Score

The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + Hyaluronic Acid

"This is a really good option if you have rough and bumpy skin on the face. It's a pretty no-nonsense mild exfoliant that can help with maintaining hydration in the skin."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum

"It has a type of vitamin C that is more stable than ascorbic acid, more stable, easier to get in the skin, however less evidence-based for things like improving collagen production. So if you really want the benefits of topical vitamin C, THD may be easier to tolerate, maybe more reliable of an ingredient for formulators to work with, but for you the consumer you may not be getting the full package of benefits, but you may be getting just enough benefits to meet your needs. For example, THD as an antioxidant, it may be helpful in fading hyperpigmentation, it may be helpful in combating against oxidative stress from environmental exposures. This also has glycolic acid in it, which is an alpha hydroxy acid that can smooth and soften the skin. Both ingredients, you do want to be careful that you are protecting your skin from the sun, which you should be doing anyway when you are using alpha hydroxy acids. They can make your skin more sensitive to sunburn, so you do want to be really careful in that regard."

~Mixed

64%Guru Score

Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Facial Oil

"I'm not really one to use facial oils personally, but where I find them effective is if you have patches of dry flaky skin. I find they're helpful for exfoliating the dry flaky stuff without causing barrier disruption because they just slip between the rough skin and help it to desclamate without scrubbing away at the protective barrier. So I'd use this off and on for that purpose. It's fine, but because it's now beyond the best by date, I was going to use this for getting sticky labels out."

~Mixed

65%Guru Score

Some By Mi Beta Panthenol Repair Serum

"Don't buy it. This packaging is all wrong. [...] The dropper is pretty short and just the overall shape of this bottle, the dropper ends up tunneling into the product and all the product gets pushed to the sides of the container. It's very difficult to get any sucked up into the pipette into the dropper with each one, so you've constantly got to be moving it around to try and get product up into the little dispenser. It's the worst packaging. This is not it. This dropper is not it. The formula is just too thick for the dropper."

✕Nay

65%Guru Score

The Ordinary Marine Hyaluronics

"The Ordinary makes a wonderful hydrating serum, the Marine Hyaluronics. I highly recommend it. It keeps the top layers of the skin hydrated and ultimately that smooths out fine lines and skin texture. It also helps support skin barrier turnover because the hydration that is held there in place allows the enzymes and the skin barrier to function better and ultimately that supports cell turnover. You also have glycerin which can penetrate a little bit more deeply to hydrate the skin. You have marine extracts which are very, very hygroscopic."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

Paula's Choice Calm Repairing Serum

"I reviewed products from the Paula's Choice Calm line, the newer products, [...] and I did finish up their Repairing Serum. This was so-so. It was a hydrating serum with beta glucan, which I really love, it's humectant rich. This also has sodium hyaluronate and other humectants. It has ceramides, which are good for the moisture barrier. Honestly, this whole line was a bit of a letdown in my opinion coming from Paula's Choice. I just felt like the products were kind of underwhelming. [...] It was nice, but I would not purchase it."

~Mixed

79%Guru Score

Aveeno Calm + Restore Triple Oat Serum

"These products in this line from Aveeno, calm and restore, are top dog. I especially love the calm and restore serum."

✓Yay

92%Guru Score

L'Oréal Revitalift Hyaluronic Acid Serum

"I like the L'Oréal Revitalift Hyaluronic Acid Serum, it's really nice. I am a fan of hyaluronic acid serums, though you don't strictly need one since hyaluronic acid is pretty common in moisturizers. I do find I get a little extra bang for my buck using a serum, and personally you don't need very much of it. You can get a trial size, but that's a huge markup for it."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Vanicream Vitamin C Serum

"Vanicream recently came out with a Vitamin C Serum which I felt a twinge of disappointment about, I was not blown out of the water by it."

✕Nay

83%Guru Score

RoC Revive and Glow Vitamin C Serum

"The serum has 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid, which is a stable form of vitamin C, whether or not it does anything, question mark, question mark. It also has fragrance and some botanic extracts and a peptide that may help with moisture retention."

✕Nay

71%Guru Score

Numbuzin No.3 Skin Softening Serum

"I just finished my skincare routine, moisturizing solely with the numbuzin No.3 Mela-Fadeaway Serum. I just reordered another bottle because I'm about to finish this one up."

✓Yay

65%Guru Score

Timeless B5 Hydration Serum

"I alternate these Timeless serums, three drops at a time, and I find they do add a little bit of a pep to my moisturizing step, but not like a must have or anything like that. The B5 Hydration Serum is helpful for the moisture barrier, but you can get that from a moisturizer too."

~Mixed

72%Guru Score

Timeless 100% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum

"I'm still plugging along with these Timeless serums because they really carry you a long way. This hyaluronic acid serum is one of my favorites, just for a little bit of extra hydration. It has matrixyl 3000, which may or may not be doing anything, but when I traveled recently and didn't take it with me, I did feel a bit of a difference in my skin without using it, maybe it's all in my head, but I noticed a slight difference."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

L'Oreal Revitalift Derm Intensive 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Face Serum

"Their hyaluronic acid serum is, you know, good. I currently have this."

✓Yay

75%Guru Score

Timeless Hyaluronic Acid Serum with Matrixyl

"I also have really liked their Hyaluronic Acid Serum with Matrixyl and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, that's been another good one."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Timeless Matrixyl 3000 Serum

"I actually did not try this one. I was already going to be trying the other serums that have matrixyl 3000 in them, so I don't know that it necessarily offers anything over the other serums that have matrixyl 3000 plus additional active ingredients. I'd say this one is a skip, at least for me, in terms of what it offers."

✕Nay

75%Guru Score

Timeless Matrixyl Synthe'6 Serum

"This has matrixyl synth prime 6, a different synthetic peptide from matrixyl 3000, along with glycerin and hyaluronic acid. It tolerated fine for me, no irritation. But to what extent it's going to offer strikingly different results from some of the other serums, I'm not convinced, so this one for me is one I would not repurchase."

✕Nay

76%Guru Score

The Ordinary Resveratrol 3% + Ferulic Acid 3%

"A product that I personally like and use, not sponsored by this company at all, is the ordinary's three percent resveratrol with three percent ferulic acid, another antioxidant. That product is like nine bucks for a dropper bottle full and works well. I tolerate it and I like it because it's relatively inexpensive, it seems to be logically formulated, and I've had good success with many of the ordinary's products, so that's why I like it. A word of caution though, you do not need a lot, you only need a few drops, and you can spread it on the surface of the skin very easily. With a product like this it is on the acidic side, so it can be irritating for you, so be really conservative in the volume that you use."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

Olay Vitamin C + Peptide 24 Brightening Serum

"The vitamin C in the Olay Vitamin C Peptide 24 serum is 3-O ethyl ascorbic acid, a stable form of ascorbic acid, not very well studied in terms of doing anything, and there are case reports of people developing an allergy to it. That's not going to be everybody, and it's not something you should go out of your way to avoid, nor should you go out of your way to necessarily incorporate into your routine, but it's there. It may help with fading hyperpigmentation, but it's not as research backed as ascorbic acid, though it's easier to work with in formulation. It also has lactic acid, which can really help soften dry skin and help with fading discoloration and brightening skin tone, and peptides, which can help with more moisture retention."

~Mixed

72%Guru Score

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5

"If you want to use hyaluronic acid, the Ordinary is pretty good, they have a lot of it and it seems to be their main product."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

Glow Recipe Guava Vitamin C Dark Spot Brightening Treatment Serum

"This brand is just like overhyped, Glow Recipe, let's put fruit juice in everything. This is a $45 hydrating serum with a bunch of humectants, fragrance, fruity extracts, and a peptide I'm not sure what it does. It's $45 for a guava vitamin C serum, and it has a variety of stabilized vitamin C derivatives, I'm not seeing actual ascorbic acid, probably because that's difficult to formulate and prone to degradation, so they use these derivatives which are not very well studied."

✕Nay

69%Guru Score

TruSkin Vitamin C, E and Hyaluronic Acid Facial Serum

"This TruSkin Vitamin C serum has ascorbic acid in it and hyaluronic acid. It was okay, it did oxidize pretty readily, and it's also got an ingredient that can help with healing and barrier recovery."

~Mixed

78%Guru Score

Bioderma Sensibio AR Serum

"They've got one of my favorite anti-redness moisturizers, the Sensibio AR by Bioderma, at 25.99. That's pretty steep."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Vichy LiftActiv Vitamin C Brightening Skin Corrector Serum

"When we talk about vitamin C, I like to focus on ascorbic acid because that's really where the data lie, and this one by Vichy is an option. I suggest going with bigger brands that have large R&D, like Vichy, which is a L'Oreal brand. But the packaging here is a dropper bottle, and as the ascorbic acid is exposed to air each time you go in and out of that package, it is more likely that the ascorbic acid will degrade, so ideally airless pumps would be a better option."

~Mixed

76%Guru Score

Finacea Azelaic Acid Gel 15%

"I really think Finacea should be an over the counter medication. It's an effective skin lightening ingredient, you don't have the risk of ochronosis like you do with hydroquinone, and while it can be irritating it's generally pretty well tolerated. You don't get rebound worsening of hyperpigmentation, you can use it all over your face, it's not going to bleach the surrounding skin, it's naturally present on your skin unlike hydroquinone, and it's safe to use in pregnancy. It's been shown in clinical trials to be as effective as hydroquinone for melasma, and it's also good for treating acne and rosacea. Finacea at the prescription strength is an equally if not more compelling ingredient than even Differin for being available over the counter."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

BYOMA Brightening Serum

"The Brightening Serum has niacinamide which is going to be good for redness. I love niacinamide, but for those of you who don't get along well with it, you're kind of screwed because it's everywhere in skincare now."

✓Yay

68%Guru Score

Boots Vitamin C Serum with 3-O Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

"When seeking out vitamin C serums, the more coveted form you're hoping for is L-ascorbic acid, but it's very challenging to formulate in a way that remains stable and gets into the skin. Three-O ethyl ascorbic acid may help act as an antioxidant, so it's not a bad ingredient, but it hasn't been shown to actually get into the skin and convert to ascorbic acid. People do develop allergy to it."

~Mixed

77%Guru Score

I'm From Honey Serum

"This is the I'm From Honey Serum with honey that's antibacterial and rich in humectants, so it's moisturizing. It has centella extract for healing, turmeric root extract with antioxidants, niacinamide, bee venom, royal jelly, and propolis, which are going to have humectants and antioxidants. This product, unfortunately, does have fragrance. If you're allergic to fragrance, propolis and royal jelly often will cross-react, so you have to avoid it."

~Mixed

62%Guru Score

Tatcha Indigo Overnight Repair Serum in Cream

"I also finished the Tatcha Indigo Overnight Repair Cream. This was sent to me in PR and I finished it. It's not bad. It's a very thick balm. It's really good if you're dealing with very dry skin and you're looking for something almost kind of like slugging. This will get you there. If you're somebody who's interested in doing slugging and you don't get along with petrolatum, you want an alternative, some sort of balm or ointment, try this, although it is ungodly expensive. I don't necessarily think it's worth the price."

~Mixed

86%Guru Score

Timeless 20% Vitamin C + E Ferulic Acid Serum

"I reviewed the Timeless vitamin C serum and I'll link it down below. If you're looking for a less costly alternative, you can use it like you use niacinamide, with other ingredients like retinol."

✓Yay

71%Guru Score

Regimen Lab Vitamin X Serum

"I finished the Regimen Labs Vitamin X Serum, which is an antioxidant serum. It has ferulic acid, which is a really good antioxidant. It's what's in vitamin C serums and this one also has vitamin C in it. I really enjoyed this. I did appreciate a skin brightening effect with this product, tolerated it really well, and honestly I like this brand, Regimen Labs. Unfortunately, this has gotten so popular they sell out frequently, but it was a good one."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Bliss Vitamin C Plus Tripeptide Serum

"This particular vitamin C is 3-O ethyl ascorbic acid, which is a form of vitamin C that's a lot more stable than ascorbic acid. But unfortunately it hasn't really been shown to work as far as brightening. It might brighten because it's an antioxidant, but it's not going to get in the skin and boost up collagen production. This has fragrance in it too."

✕Nay

67%Guru Score

Bliss Bright Idea Serum

"This is a more lightweight version. It does have licorice root, which is anti-inflammatory, and has glabridine, which actually can help in inhibiting how pigment gets transferred around and have a skin-brightening effect."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Honest Beauty Beauty Sleep Resurfacing Serum

"This has alpha hydroxy acids with glycolic and lactic acid, and niacinamide which is good for redness, this is something that would probably be helpful for improving skin texture, you may want to just use something like this once or twice a week at night time in the beginning."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Geek & Gorgeous C-Glow 15% Vitamin C Serum

"The stability concerns suggest to me that it's not the most stable formulation because the manufacturer is telling you to refrigerate it, to decant it, to keep it in special conditions. I would say skip it given the many limitations of ascorbic acid."

✕Nay

87%Guru Score

Geek & Gorgeous Stress Less Serum with 0.5% Beta-Glucan and Metacast-Aide

"I was actually very underwhelmed by this product. It's just very blah, and I've been using this for several weeks and I'm really not getting anywhere with it. I really don't notice any difference in my skin with this. The Karx CeraVe Hydration or Pure Fit would be a better choice."

✕Nay

75%Guru Score

Geek & Gorgeous All Clear Azelaic Acid

"I find that A.Pad tends to sting a little bit more than azelaic acid for me personally. It's an ingredient that doesn't have a lot of research behind it, and if you're wanting azelaic acid, you should just use an azelaic acid that you can buy over the counter. The Ordinary or Face Theory have better options."

✕Nay

77%Guru Score

First Aid Beauty Oil-Free Mattifying Gel

"This has ceramides and licorice root. This actually looked pretty promising."

✓Yay

65%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Redermic R Anti-Aging Treatment

"I trust La Roche-Posay and imagine their retinol is quite good, but unfortunately this product has fragrance. Fragrance can be irritating when you're dealing with the retinization process of getting used to a retinol. If you want a retinol, I'd recommend going with another L'Oreal product instead - CeraVe's retinols for example are good. Aside from the fragrance though, this product isn't bad."

~Mixed

60%Guru Score

Facetheory Polypep Collagen Boosting Peptide Serum

"Peptides in skincare products help improve the moisture barrier by acting as humectants, and in some cases may penetrate into the skin and stimulate healing pathways or help boost collagen production, but you're often left to the mercy of industry studies which are always very biased. This has centella, which is good for healing and recovery, and urea, which is a fantastic ingredient for hydration and removing dry skin cells. It has polyhydroxy acids like lactobionic acid and gluconolactone, which are very very gentle exfoliants that people with rosacea and very sensitive skin tend to tolerate very well. If you have sensitive or rosacea-prone skin, this may be a good product to consider if you want to improve skin texture."

~Mixed

76%Guru Score

Anua Azelaic Acid 10% Hyaluron Redness Soothing Serum

"There was some controversy around the Anua Azelaic Acid 10% Serum based on a TikTok video from a chemist pointing out a recent formulation change that affected the pH and the free acid value. I don't necessarily agree that this makes the product ineffective, because azelaic acid works primarily at the surface of the skin, so a pH change doesn't mean it stops working. I've widely promoted that serum across all my social media platforms for a while now. I've used multiple bottles of it, including some I recently got, and I didn't notice any difference personally. I think it's still just as good, I've always found it to be very effective, and I continue to recommend it."

✓Yay

65%Guru Score

Remedy Daily Defense Vitamin C Serum

"I liked the antioxidant one just fine. I would gladly use the antioxidant serum again."

✓Yay

93%Guru Score

Virtue Alpha Keratin Healing Oil

"I got to say the Virtue Healing Oil. I mean, I have not bought the Orbe Gold Lust Oil in a while. And then since discovering the Virtue Healing Oil, I actually completely forgot about the Orbe one because what I like so much about the Virtue Healing Oil is, you know, I have pretty fine textured hair, like my individual strands are pretty fine and so a lot of hair products weigh it down and I almost never put things like that up here on the crown. Well, the Virtue Healing Oil I definitely can use up there. I'm using that still."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Abib Glutathione Dark Spot Serum Vita Drop

"One of the most proactive things you can do in your skincare routine is to incorporate some sort of antioxidant. This is where the Abib Glutathione Dark Spot Serum Vita Drop really comes in and fits into a morning routine early in the day before you are really hit with the onslaught of environmental aggressors. This antioxidant serum layered under your sunscreen is a winning pair right there for protecting against the key aggravants. What I really appreciate about this particular serum is that it incorporates multifunctional ingredients. First of all, you have the golden child: 5% niacinamide, a B vitamin that is an antioxidant. It helps replenish antioxidant stores to defend against environmental aggressors that lead to oxidative stress, which ages our skin. 5% niacinamide also does much more than act as an antioxidant. It actually helps actively address dark spots and hyperpigmentation related to cumulative sun damage and aging skin. It disrupts the transfer of pigment packets from the melanocytes to the surrounding keratinocytes, which make up the bulk of your epidermis. Niacinamide also helps to address sallow skin, that skin yellowing that happens when we get older as a result of cumulative sun exposure and environmental aggressors like pollution. And it also helps to strengthen skin barrier resilience, helping our skin be a better defense against environmental aggressors. This serum also incorporates 5% glutathione, another antioxidant, which when applied topically can help to improve antioxidant reservoirs in your skin."

✓Yay

73%Guru Score

Merit Great Skin Instant Glow Serum

"I wonder if it's the niacinamide in this is just like not formulated correctly because it can be an irritating ingredient. This is like niacinamide and not a whole lot else. Maybe hyaluronic acid. Yeah, it's a pass for me, but I don't recommend it to you guys. Not only because it caused that issue for me, which can just be a me specific issue, okay? But it's expensive for what it is. So, this is a pass."

✕Nay

79%Guru Score

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel with Hyaluronic Acid

"Hydro Boost is on sale, you guys. It's $23.99. This has urea, which is wonderful for hydrating the skin and gently exfoliating."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

BYOMA Phyto-Mucin Hydrate + Plump Glow Serum

"It's become a 2025 skincare favorite. It's the BYOMA Phyto-Mucin Hydrate + Plump Glow Serum. It's sort of an alternative to snail mucin. One of the things I really have liked about this is that it's very hydrating and it doesn't dry down filmy. It offers that plumping effect that you get from snail mucin. It's not quite on par with snail mucin. For me personally, the snail mucin really plumps the surface of my skin, firms the surface of my skin and diminishes pore size. This is pretty close without the usage of snail-derived mucins. What really makes this product work well for me though is the polyglutamic acid. It's very hydrating and kind of creates this little hug on the surface of the skin to reduce water loss. My one gripe with this is the packaging. Once you get down to about this much product, it becomes very challenging to get the remains out and you have no clue what's left in this."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Wishtrend Mandelic Acid 5% Skin Prep Water

"Mandelic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid that's super gentle. Great for rough skin texture, softening keratosis pilaris, hastening the clearance of dark marks, generally well tolerated. I've been recommending this product from Wishtrend for years now, at least 6 years. Not only does it have mandelic acid, but it's got licorice root, great for redness, soothing the skin, and it's got betalucan, which is really hydrating. Love this. Fragrance-free."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

COSRX 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum

"The COSRX 6 Peptide Skin Booster is a peptide serum that's very hydrating. It has acetyl glucosamine, which is great for moisture balance, amino acids, and a variety of peptides which may help to a certain extent in helping your skin with its collagen production needs, but at any rate seems to be helpful for improving moisture content. I really like actually using this serum as the first step in a skincare routine after cleansing. It [...] does have niacinamide, which is great for redness, hyperpigmentation, and the moisture barrier, but some of you are sensitive, so if you're sensitive, skip the peptide serum."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

NIOD Copper Amino Isolate Serum 3:1

"I find that the NIOD serum is fine, it works well, but I don't enjoy using it as much. I find it a bit more unwieldy texturally speaking. The Ordinary serum has a little bit more substance to it and feels like you're putting more on than just a very thin liquid that slips through your fingers. That's really just a personal preference; it doesn't necessarily speak to efficacy per se."

~Mixed

83%Guru Score

RoC Derm Correction Firming Serum Stick

"This Derm Correction Firming Serum Stick is retinol on a stick. It's easy to use and fast absorbing. I did test it out on my skin, and Rock retinols are all really good. I'm confident the retinol in this is good. I just didn't really see the utility of this because when I'm going to use retinol on my neck, I want a moisturizing cream that's very hydrating and soothing. This is pretty moisturizing, but it wasn't like the Rapid Wrinkle Repair regenerating cream, which is such a lux cream and smooths out fine wrinkles while you wait for the retinol to kick in over several weeks. That being said, this product does have ascorbic acid in it, which can help with collagen production provided the formula is stable and it can actually get into the skin, which is a whole other black box of unknown territory. Is it stable enough in a stick? I don't even know about that. But it wasn't bad. It's just not one that I felt strong enough to even really feature on my channel."

~Mixed

77%Guru Score

Remedy Dark Spots Nightly All-in-One Treatment

"I've tried this out myself and I really like the formula. As far as the cons, consistency, the feel, it spreads on the skin easily, it's hydrating, didn't cause me any irritation, didn't sting. Of course I love that it's fragrance-free, there's no odor with this. The formulation is really logical and makes a lot of sense, nothing unnecessary or superfluous. Now whether or not it's going to work for any one person is very difficult to predict. Some people will have hyperpigmentation from maybe spending a little bit too much time outside without adequate sun protection and they may get really striking results with this, whereas other people may have types of hyperpigmentation that are more involved, have been persistent for a prolonged period of time, maybe have an uncontrolled skin condition driving more stubborn hyperpigmentation. Those people may see little to no results, some may see a little bit of improvement. So I do think it is a good formula worth trying out if you're looking to improve the look of dark spots. You could also use it on the backs of the hands, or on the upper chest to specifically tackle dark spots. It does have 0.1% retinol, so if you're already using a retinol I don't suggest using this along with it because using multiple retinols in the same routine is not ideal."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Remedy Clear Serum

"I actually think they're really really good um I I think the formulations make a a lot of sense the ingredients are directed at the issue that the product claims to be targeting"

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum

"I rather enjoy this the hyaluronic acid serum"

✓Yay

74%Guru Score

The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA

"This is a really good product for improving the look of sunspots and hyperpigmentation. It has a really short, simple ingredient list. The hyaluronic acid helps pull water into the top layer of the skin, plumping up skin cells and smoothing everything out."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Cleansers115 reviews

Banila Co Clean It Zero Original Cleansing Balm

"From everything I remember, I did really like Green Clean. This is a small little thing. Good for your travel bag. This is their cleansing balm. I love a cleansing balm. It's the first step in a double cleanse."

✓Yay

68%Guru Score

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil

"I personally like the DHC Cleansing Oil quite a bit."

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

Prequel Pre-Cleanse Cleansing Oil

"Overall, I really like this cleansing oil. I think it's fantastic. I would gladly repurchase it over and over again. It's relatively affordable. I mean, it's not the least expensive, it's not the most expensive. It's pretty similar performance-wise to the Kose Softymo Speedy Cleansing Oil, which I frequently repurchase from Japan."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser

"This is a fragrance-free creamy cleanser that I actually used as the first step in the double cleanse. You can come on a dry face with this just like you would a cleansing oil and it actually spreads really easily over the surface of the skin. It breaks up that cosmetic residue and then you hop in the shower and use a gentle cleanser to wash your face properly. Works wonderfully. [...] It's not as stripping and it's like you're rubbing a moisturizer on and then you rinse it off. You don't have to get the skin wet before using this. [...] I really ended up enjoying using it in that way quite a bit."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Prequel Redness Reform Sulfur Cleanser

"I have not tried the Prequel sulfur cleanser yet. Prequel has some wonderful options though as far as their skin care. The majority of things I've tried from them have been good if not stellar."

~Mixed

77%Guru Score

Garnier Erase It All Makeup Cleansing Balm with Hyaluronic Acid

"It's from Garnier. My one complaint is that they have a sticky label on the package. And for cleansing balms or ointments, they shouldn't do that because it inevitably starts to peel off with a greasy or oilier ointment."

~Mixed

73%Guru Score

Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes Fragrance-Free

"Neutrogena makeup wipes, in my opinion, some of the best out there. As far as the purpose of these, it's not any sort of skin care, it's not to wash your face, it's to remove makeup mess-ups, wipe your fingers of the makeup residue. I find them very useful in makeup application purposes. I love the fragrance-free ones."

✓Yay

61%Guru Score

CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser

"The CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser is great for gentle exfoliation as well as blackhead prone skin."

✓Yay

75%Guru Score

Eucerin Radiant Tone Face Cleansing Gel with 2% AHA

"This is a fragrance-free gel cleanser with 2% AHA. Lactic acid and glycolic acid are the AHAs in the 2%. Those are great ingredients in a gel cleanser like this for not only hydrating the skin but also offering some gentle exfoliation. This is a really great option as well for those of you who have keratosis pilaris on the cheeks for exfoliating away those rough bumps gently. It will help to reduce the buildup of dry dead dull skin at the surface. Now, you want to be careful with this cleanser to not use it to wash your eyelids because it can be very drying to eyelid skin to use alpha hydroxy acid. So, just be mindful of that. It ended up being for me personally one I really loved and I feel as though it will kind of fly under the radar unless you are a regular viewer of this channel."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser

"Cleanse with a mild cream cleanser like the CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser. [...] It has ceramides in it, good for the skin barrier."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Walgreens Hypochlorous Acid Cleansing Spray

"This stuff is great when you get really sweaty if it makes your face itch. Hypochlorous can be helpful for reducing itch and people who have atopic dermatitis and sweat is a common trigger for that. Plus, it's antibacterial. It can kind of help cut down on body odor too if you get really sweaty. People who have acne prone skin like to use it because it's anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial, but it's not like an established acne treatment."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Purifying Foaming Cleanser

"I actually have a big bottle of it right now that I'm using as the first step in my nighttime double cleanse. [...] You can actually put it on to a dry face, rub it around almost like a cold cream approach. [...] You just massage it on, it breaks up most of the cosmetic film. It's a little less forgiving with water resistant mascara, but it works well to remove cosmetic residue and debris. [...] If you don't wear a lot of makeup, it is great to use as just a facial cleanser and then rinse it off."

✓Yay

92%Guru Score

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser

"This is one of my favorite facial cleansers to have in the shower as the second step in my double cleanse. Great for pretty much any skin type. Super gentle, super effective. Hyaluronic acid to hydrate, glycerin to hydrate. Get the fragrance-free formula. I don't like the scent in the ones with fragrance."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

CeraVe Acne Control Cleanser with 2% Salicylic Acid

"CeraVe's acne control cleanser is also another salicylic acid facial cleanser that's great for those issues."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

BYOMA Milky Jelly Cleanser

"It doesn't really generate much of a foamy lather, but there is a bit of a silky, creamy lather to it. I love that it has licorice root, which helps calm down redness. It is anti-inflammatory, and of course it also has ceramide, similar to the CeraVe cleansers, but without the niacinamide, if you are niacinamide overloaded right now in your skincare routine. This was fine, I didn't have any gripes with it or problems, but the packaging is a reason why I would not buy this again, because I just don't like the uncertainty of if this is truly empty or not. That bothers me like you would not believe. Otherwise I really liked it a lot."

✕Nay

70%Guru Score

PanOxyl 4% Benzoyl Peroxide Cleansing Wash

"It's 4% benzoyl peroxide. It cuts down on the bacteria that break down your sweat and lead odor. It doesn't keep you dry or anything, but it will help cut down on odor. And you can also use it to wash your feet to cut down on foot odor. And some people have a condition on their torso called progressive macular hypomelanosis. They continue to get these little white spots and it's actually related to the acne causing bacterium, cutibacterium acnes. Using this as a body wash, if you have that can actually help to get rid of it. This is pretty good."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Shiseido Perfect Cleansing Oil

"I was like, cleansing oils all pretty much work the same. Like, is it really that advantageous to have a more expensive scented one? No."

✕Nay

71%Guru Score

Garnier Micellar Gentle Peeling Water with PHA and Glycolic Acid

"This one's got PHA and glycolic acid. This seems more like a toner to me. Like it would be useful in that regard."

~Mixed

73%Guru Score

Anua Heartleaf Plus Vitamin E Pore Control Cleansing Oil

"Anua is a Korean brand that I also really like. This cleansing oil, however, the Heartleaf Plus Vitamin E, really popular on TikTok, which means nothing to me. As a cleansing oil, cleansing balm fan, this is not one I would repurchase. It has fragrance and that killed it for me. You know, it does what it's supposed to do. No shade to this as far as its efficacy. It works. All right. There's not a whole lot you can do to make a cleansing oil not work. They pretty much all work the same. But you can ruin a cleansing oil by making the experience unpleasant. And for me, this fragrance was unpleasant. One of the reasons I like using cleansing oils so much is for eye makeup removal. So if it makes it uncomfortable, then yeah, it's a no-go. Plus, like this label does not work. It does not look bubbling up all over the place. Ratchet."

✕Nay

62%Guru Score

Versed Day Dissolve Cleansing Balm

"Speaking of cleansing oils, that did not go well for me and I suffered through to the end. Don't buy this. Whatever you do, don't buy it, unless you like putting Vicks VapoRub in your eye. Do not buy the Versed Day Dissolve Cleansing Balm, vitamin E and eucalyptus. Do we have a head cold? I think not. This was misery to use. [...] It's pretty hard to actually screw up the functionality of a cleansing oil or cleansing balm, but [...] you can really ruin it from an experiential part of things."

✕Nay

79%Guru Score

SkinFix Barrier+ Foaming Oil Cleanser

"Skinfix has an oil cleanser here. Prebiotic foaming oil cleanser. Skinfix is expensive. This has some peptides. It has lactic acid which may gently exfoliate as well as hydrate. Ceramides good for eczema, the skin barrier."

~Mixed

80%Guru Score

Prequel Non-Drying Glycerin Cleanser

"I liked everything from Prequel that I've tried. [...] The glycerin based cleanser works well as a body wash. [...] Relatively affordable, too."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Youth to the People Kale and Green Tea Spinach Vitamin Superfood Cleanser

"It was a little bit too salad in your face adjacent for me if I recall correctly."

✕Nay

64%Guru Score

Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water

"I wish it were fragrance free though because I don't like scented face stuff. If this weren't horrible, I'd say it's a great value. But I personally detest this micellar water in particular. If I were to use a micellar water, it would be to help remove my mascara, eyeliner, eyeshadow. And this burns, burns and stings around the eyes and burns my cheeks, too."

✕Nay

96%Guru Score

Manyo Factory Pure Cleansing Oil

"This is a cleansing oil from Manyo Factory. In contrast to a micellar water, a cleansing oil is amazing in my experience, my preference for removing eye makeup. This is a vegan formula, it is scented. You get the two 6.7 oz bottles and an 1.8 oz bonus travel size for $29.99. I have to say, when it comes to travel, travel size cleansing oils are very difficult to come by. More brands should offer travel size cleansing oils in a bottle and packaging that you can throw in a travel bag and not have it leak all over the place."

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

Softy Mo Speedy Cleansing Oil

"They've got the Softy Mo Cleansing Oil. These are really good. $9.99."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Tatcha Matcha Cleanse Daily Clarifying Gel Cleanser

"Tatcha, and they're $32.98 for a gel cleanser. That works out to $6.60 per ounce. I'm sure it washes your face just fine. I may have even tried it out at one point. I'm honestly not remembering it, so it can't be that notable."

✕Nay

71%Guru Score

Caudalie Vinoclean Cleansing Oil

"I love cleansing oils"

✓Yay

68%Guru Score

Kate Somerville Eradicate 3% Daily Foaming Cleanser

"I decided to try Kate Somerville's Eradicate foaming cleanser with 3% sulfur. It's a very thick paste that generates a pretty rich lather. You could use it as a mask. It does have fragrance. The reason I tried the cleanser is because I was thinking, well, maybe this will not leave the skin smelling like sulfur. And it does not. It does smell a bit like sulfur when you're using it, but it doesn't actively leave the skin smelling that way. It has a lavender scent to it. Not strong, not headache-inducing. The lavender does not remain on your skin. Don't use it around your eyes because eyelid skin is very delicate and this could be too drying. I had no issue with it except after a while, I started to notice that around my mouth in particular, I was getting a lot of dryness and redness. So, I backed off on using it. If I wanted to use sulfur in my routine on a regular basis, I would just do the de la Cruz one because it's significantly cheaper than Eradicate. But I don't have anything bad to say about Eradicate provided you're not allergic to fragrance. And it's nice that it doesn't smell so strong of the sulfur."

~Mixed

77%Guru Score

Kose Softymo Speedy Cleansing Oil

"Their speedy cleansing oil is one of my favorites. It's pretty affordable, too."

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Moisture 5.5 Soft Cleansing Gel

"My 2023 cleanser favorite was the Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Moisture 5.5 Soft Cleansing Gel. Recently, I finished another tube of it. This is a great mild fragrance-free gel cleanser. Really pleasant experience. Silky lather, zero complaints, rinses off like a dream."

✓Yay

73%Guru Score

Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil

"This was not my favorite cleansing oil. It was okay. It just wasn't like a go-to. I really like the Japanese Sapimo Cos cleansing oil or the DHC one."

✕Nay

72%Guru Score

BYOMA Melting Balm Cleanser

"Oh, they have a new Melting Balm Cleanser. That's new. Might have to try that. I love cleansing balms. I like the packaging, too. I don't know if you guys already knew about this. Is this new? This is the first I'm seeing it."

~Mixed

67%Guru Score

Vanicream Z-Bar

"Their zinc pyrithione cleansing bar is back. Highly recommend that for those of you with seborrheic dermatitis."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

Isntree Yam Root Vegan Milk Cleanser

"I recently finished up the Isntree Yam Root Vegan Milk Cleanser, which I love. I think that was bottle number three."

✓Yay

92%Guru Score

Tirtir Hydroboost Enzyme Cleansing Balm

"This is a good cleansing balm. I repurchase it 100%."

✓Yay

72%Guru Score

Skin104 Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil

"It's a really thin really lightweight not my favorite cleansing oil not bad works well not horrible and I was enjoying it in the beginning but just over time I've kind of been like you know this is not really my favorite cleansing oil"

✕Nay

66%Guru Score

CeraVe Hydrating Foaming Oil Cleanser

"I really put this to the test [...] with two rounds of the CeraVe Hydrating Foaming Oil Cleanser for dry to very dry skin. This was a 2023 cleanser favorite for me and I have since repurchased it. What I like about it is that it has this oily emollient feel to it as it's gliding over your skin and then it works up into a gentle silky lather. It's not the least bit drying or irritating. It's very effective at getting makeup off without using an oil cleanser, although if you have heavy makeup this alone might not be enough. Like all of CeraVe's products, it has ceramides, it has hyaluronic acid, it has cholesterol. These are things that in a cleanser can be deposited behind on the skin and don't just rinse off right away, so they can help in making sure that your skin does not become overly dry or stripped with cleansing. I really like this, and I also used it a fair amount as a hand wash."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Neutrogena Stubborn Body Acne Wash

"This is a favorite body wash of mine, it is the Neutrogena Stubborn Body Acne Wash, this is a 1% salicylic acid body wash which is good not only for helping with breakouts but also good for exfoliating rough and bumpy skin. This also has polyhydroxy acid, again those are really hydrating ingredients that gently exfoliate, they're really good for sensitive skin. The polyhydroxy acid is gluconolactone. There is no fragrance in this, it has cocal purle betaine, a mild surfactant, so it's actually pretty gentle, great for acne-prone skin."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm

"Clinique's Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm is [...] probably okay to get here. It's $19.99, pretty good deal. I'd get the travel one though because that's kind of a more convenient thing to have in your travel bag as a cleansing balm, and it can be hard to find cleansing balms that are small."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

Beplain Mung Bean pH Balanced Cleansing Foam

"Something mung bean from this brand I've never heard of, Beplain, we have a Mung Bean pH Balanced Cleansing Foam, pretty sizable tube here. This has ceramide, it has some flower extracts, eggplant fruit extract, glycerin. Only time will tell how this is. I'll definitely use it because cleansers, I definitely make my way through."

~Mixed

76%Guru Score

Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil

"This is the oil cleanser I'm currently using from Skin1004, the Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil. I've rather been enjoying this. It is lightweight and it does have a bit of an aroma to it, which is not so bad. I find it to be a superior way to remove eye makeup, um mascara, all that stuff with an oil as opposed to a typical cleanser."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser

"I finished the Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser. I also like using this as a hand wash. It gets the job done. It's very gentle, it's free of common allergens and irritants, it has a nice gentle foam to it, it's great for oily, dry, or combination skin."

✓Yay

92%Guru Score

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

"Micellar water is helpful for some people for removing makeup, water resistant sunscreen, cosmetic residue. It's like an option, right? You have oil cleanser, cleansing balm, micellar water. It works for some people. For me, I never find that these work particularly well. [...] When I've tried this, it just burns around my eyes and causes eyelid irritation."

✕Nay

66%Guru Score

Olay Cleansing Melts Hyaluronic Acid

"I love that they have a fragrance free one with hyaluronic acid. I think these would be great for travel. Retinol can be deposited on your skin from a wash through the process known as coacervation, any active can be deposited on the skin. For those of you who have really sensitive skin and haven't tolerated retinol, you might try it in a facial cleanser and take advantage of the short contact therapy approach. Be careful using this around the eyes though, it can be irritating to eyelid skin."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Hada Labo Cleansing Oil

"My beloved Holy Grail Hada Labo Cleansing Oil has been discontinued. That product was my gateway into the realm of double cleansing. Were it not for this channel and that product in particular, I don't think I'd be double cleansing at this moment in time. I tried it out and I'm hooked. I will never go back."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

Prequel Gentle Cleanser

"I finished up the Prequel Gentle Cleanser, really enjoyed that. Not only is it a great facial cleanser but it's also a really good body wash, and it's a pretty good value too. I honestly have to give props to everything I've tried from Prequel. While some of the things for me are not necessarily something I'd go back to, a lot of the products I have really enjoyed using, like they've been really good."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Paula's Choice Omega Cleansing Balm

"The Omega Plus Complex Cleansing Balm from Paula's Choice is just a non-nonsense effective pleasurable to use in my opinion fragrance-free cleansing balm to help melt away cosmetic residue and water-resistant sunscreen. It's a great option easy to tolerate around the eyes for eye makeup removal. You spread it on the skin surface, massage it in, and then with just a little bit of water it will emulsify and rinse off the skin surface, and then you can wash your face as normal. It's not super sexy or anything, it doesn't have any exotic ingredients, but it gets the job done and it's a great formula."

✓Yay

75%Guru Score

Cetaphil Gentle Exfoliating Salicylic Acid Cleanser

"This is a really good salicylic acid cleanser from Cetaphil if you want to try salicylic acid but you've always found that it's like too drying or maybe you have really sensitive skin, because it's like a really nice creamy formula it's not drying at all. It's free of fragrance and it has compounds from white tea which are anti-inflammatory."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Cetaphil Pro Acne Prone Skin Micronized Benzoyl Peroxide Wash

"They micronized benzo peroxide cleanser is also good 2.6% benzo peroxide good for acne"

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Senka Perfect Whip Cleansing Foam

"Senka Perfect Whip, I think I've tried the beauty foam before, it's pretty good, mild cleanser. I believe they're scented. This is one of my favorite, I haven't used it in a while."

✓Yay

61%Guru Score

Biore Ultra Deep Cleansing Pore Strips

"It's basically the same principle of waxing. You put something down, grabs on those little hairs and pulls them out. That's basically what the Biore pore strips are doing here, and they can temporarily get rid of them. Of course they're going to come right back, so it's one of those things you have to keep doing. I do caution with Biore pore strips that they definitely can cause a lot of irritation. Anytime you're stripping, whether it be putting tape on your skin or something like a pore strip which is basically a type of tape, it can strip away at your skin barrier. Along with that you can get dryness and irritation, so don't overdo it with those. But they certainly can help."

~Mixed

60%Guru Score

e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm

"They also have a little tiny e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm like this product. It does have fragrance but it's pretty mild, like it's not headache inducing or anything. Obviously if you're allergic to fragrance you have to avoid it, but I don't mind it in this. And then you know you're rinsing it off so it's less likely to be irritating to the skin."

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

Olay Regenerating Cream Cleanser

"Here we've got ascorbic acid may help ward off oxidative stress and salicylic acid. It's got niacinamide which is a great ingredient if you tolerate it, good for the moisture, be good for redness, hyperpigmentation, anti-aging, helps improve ceramide production. Palmitoyl pentapeptide 4 is going to be hydrating."

✓Yay

71%Guru Score

Klairs Rich Moist Foaming Cleanser

"Klairs Rich Moist Foaming Cleanser, that'll be good. It's got ceramides, turnip leaf extract, some amino acids, it looks like for hydration, licorice root, tea tree leaf oil. Now, you know, you can be allergic to that, but it shows promise for seborrheic dermatitis, so there's that. It comes in a pump and you can smell the tea tree. It's puffy, I got a little bit on my nose, but looking forward to trying that out."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Bubble Fresh Start Gel Cleanser

"Bubble has a little Starter Set you get their Fresh Start Gel Cleanser which I've used and is pretty good."

✓Yay

70%Guru Score

e.l.f. Holy Hydration Cleansing Balm

"I really like the cleansing balm in this line this works it works and it's pretty affordable at $11"

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Creamy Cleanser

"They have a creamy cleanser in that same line that is great if you have very dry extremely sensitive skin, have the least impact on your skin barrier. The creamy one is actually really good."

✓Yay

75%Guru Score

The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm

"The Inkey List has many excellent skincare products and they're actually pretty affordable brand at baseline, especially for Sephora. One of my favorites is actually their Oat Cleansing Balm. Use it to dissolve makeup, water resistant sunscreen. It has emulsifiers in it so that when you come in with a little bit of water and then a mild cleanser, it all just rinses away. It's very effective, gentle around the eyes. It kind of has an odd odor to it. It's fragrance-free but it has oat in it, so it's kind of like if you've ever bathed in colloidal oatmeal, you know that smell, that aroma. A lot of people have told me over the years they don't like the way it smells, but many of you have discovered it and that is like your holy grail cleansing balm. It's great, affordable at baseline, and if you can save, why not add to cart."

✓Yay

75%Guru Score

First Aid Beauty Pure Skin Face Cleanser

"The Pure Skin Face Cleanser is really good"

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser with 4% Benzoyl Peroxide

"The acne foaming cleanser is a 4% benzoyl peroxide wash that can help to clear up and prevent breakouts. It can also be used on the body as well. Benzoyl peroxide can be a bit drying, so a wash form is one way to utilize the ingredient, derive the benefits with less irritation and dryness. May take a little bit longer to start working, but definitely beneficial in a wash form."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

PanOxyl 10% Benzoyl Peroxide Wash

"The Holy Grail benzoyl peroxide wash for me is PanOxyl. It's just the one that's been around the longest that I've been using and recommending for the longest. PanOxyl 10% wash is a great body wash for people who have body acne, chest, back, shoulders. Works really well for clearing up and preventing acne breakouts on the body. Can also be used on the face, although it is a bit more drying in comparison to their 4% strength. The other way I always encourage to use this is for cutting down on body odor. Lather it to the skin under the arms while you're in the shower, let it sit on there for a few minutes and then rinse it off. This cuts down on the bacteria that would otherwise break down your sweat and lead to body odor. Also use it as a foot wash, especially if you're someone who has sweaty feet that become malodorous. It'll cut down on the burden of bacteria on your feet that break down the sweat and lead to foot odor."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Versed Purest Antioxidant Cleanser

"It can help aid in reducing oxidative stress from those things that damage DNA and proteins and lipids, but it's very variable from product to product in terms of whether an antioxidant is going to do anything for you. It has to be the right form, it has to get into the skin, it has to be at the right place at the right time."

~Mixed

78%Guru Score

The INKEY List 2% Salicylic Acid Cleanser

"The INKEY List has come out with a two percent salicylic acid liquid exfoliant in a base formula with blue algae extract, which marine extracts are super hydrating. This is going to be helpful if you are someone who has comedones, which are facial bumps. This can also be helpful to use if you're someone who is prone to getting milia, those little white firm bumps that can happen in areas where you have a lot of sun damage or if you have had a procedure recently like dermabrasion. Milia sometimes people find that using greasy heavy products triggers milia, that association hasn't really been firmly clarified, but using a salicylic acid product consistently may help reduce formation of those. Likewise salicylic acid is going to be helpful for both closed and open comedones. This is two percent which is good for comedones but maybe it's too irritating for you."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Current State of Skin Salicylic Acid and Green Tea Exfoliating Cleanser

"Current State of Skin here we have a Salicylic Acid and Green Tea Exfoliating Cleanser. If you're someone who doesn't tolerate these salicylic acid products and find them drying because it can be consider using a salicylic acid cleanser you can derive the benefits of the ingredient but it tends to be less irritating. It also has alpha hydroxy acids, glycolic and lactic."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Skin1004 Pore Minimizing Deep Cleansing Foam

"Skin1004 has a pore amazing deep cleansing foam here. I like this brand, their sunscreens are nice. Centella, most of their products have, which is a botanic with anti-inflammatory properties."

✓Yay

57%Guru Score

The Ordinary Glucoside Foaming Cleanser

"You apply this to a wet face, it's like a traditional foaming cleanser. It's very boring, and you all know I like boring skincare, I like bland, basic, no-nonsense. It works, it gets the job done. But if you're sitting there thinking to yourself, oh my gosh, this new cleanser, is it going to be like this wonderful experience, I think you'll be let down a bit. It's just very, it gets the job done, but it's not anything to write home about. I was not able to use it by itself to remove eyeshadow and mascara. If I try to just use this, it would leave raccoon eyes, so I did need to use an oil cleanser or cleansing balm first to remove my makeup and my non-water resistant sunscreen."

~Mixed

70%Guru Score

The Ordinary Glycolipid Cream Cleanser

"The Glycolipid Cream Cleanser has glycolipids which are helpful for the moisture barrier and phytic acid which is an antioxidant that also can mildly exfoliate the skin. This is a cream cleanser that you can apply to dry or damp skin and I have to tell you guys I have been rather impressed with the performance of this. If you have very sensitive irritated skin, or maybe you're using Accutane and you want the mildest gentlest products, this is a very very very mild gentle creamy soothing frankly cleanser that actually does a good job removing cosmetics. It may not be the best at removing water resistant sunscreen you may need to use an oil cleanser first but I was able to get mascara that is not waterproof, eye shadow, non-water resistant sunscreen off with just this applying it all over to a dry face and then when I get in the shower rinsing it off with no additional cleanser. [...] It's fragrance free and has kind of a coconutty aroma to it. It kind of reminds me almost like a more liquid version of a cold cream. Twelve dollars and fifty cents for the 150 ml."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

The INKEY List Fulvic Acid Brightening Cleanser

"I tried this and it's okay, it's not like magical. I felt like it was a bigger issue that a lot of The INKEY List products have a short Best By opening number. This one's only good within six months, which seems really short for a cleanser. I mean, that's small packaging anyway, so you'll probably go through it quickly, but it's just kind of odd."

✕Nay

74%Guru Score

Pixi Cleansing Oil

"Pixie also has a new Cleansing Oil with soybean oil and argan oil, no fragrance. It's 14, not too bad."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash

"This is a favorite of mine personally, it is the Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash. This has been around for a really really long time, so it has a long standing track record of being useful for people who have acne. I've personally used it, I've recommended it to acne patients, it's reliable, it's good. It does have fragrance though, and fragrance can be irritating to the skin, some people are allergic to fragrance, and if you are allergic to fragrance you'd want to avoid it. This is definitely a nice gel formula and it works into a really nice lather."

✓Yay

61%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Effaclar 2% Gel Cleanser

"Last but not least is the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Medicated Cleanser. This has two percent salicylic acid, a really good option specifically for people who have acne, because in addition to the two percent salicylic acid this has a micro LHA, lipohydroxy acid, a modified form of salicylic acid, so it exfoliates in a little bit different fashion. It's a great option for people who have acne, blackheads and whiteheads, a really great comedolytic face wash, and it's a gel formula. For me personally I have encountered some eyelid dryness from time to time if I'm not careful with the frequency of use, but overall it is a very good hydrating cleanser. It does have menthol in it, which gives it almost a medicated feel with a bit of a tingle, and if your acne is very itchy that may offer some symptomatic relief, but menthol is a fragrance ingredient, so if you are allergic to fragrance be aware it could cross react with your fragrance allergies."

✓Yay

87%Guru Score

Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Facial Cleanser

"If you prefer a liquid cleanser, the Daily Moisturizing Facial Cleanser is a great option too. It's very very mild. This is perfect if you have really really sensitive skin, because a lot of cleansers leave your skin feeling extra sensitive, red, burning, stinging, irritated."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Krave Beauty Makeup Rewind Transforming Jelly Oil Cleanser

"One that I really enjoy is the Crave Beauty jelly oil cleanser, it's really nice, definitely really nice. For this jelly oil consistency I think the Crave Beauty one is better than the Fenty Skin cleanser."

✓Yay

87%Guru Score

PanOxyl Acne Foaming Wash 4%

"I really like the four percent PanOxyl. The ten percent is fine too, but you may find that one more drying and more irritating."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Beauty of Joseon Green Plum Refreshing Cleanser

"I recently finished up the Beauty of Joseon Green Plum Refreshing Cleanser. I was using this for a bit in the shower as the second step in my double cleanse, and it's nice, it's a gel cleanser, hydrating, not overly drying, doesn't have a robust foam. It's one of those gel cleansers that's a little bit slippery in your hands though, so you have to be careful with it, but it was good."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

d'Alba White Truffle Return Oil Cream Cleanser

"This is the d'Alba Oil Cleanser, this is my gateway into oil cleansing, for the double cleanse this will always be the golden child, quite literally, because it's in a gold covered bottle. I actually saved this bottle and purchased refills, but I finished a whole bottle's worth over this past month. This is one of the best cleansing oils in my experience, it does a good job, it's a nice experience, there's no fragrance and it emulsifies nicely, and I love that you can purchase refills of this."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Peach & Lily Ginger Melt Oil Cleanser

"The Peach and Lily Ginger Melt cleansing oil was a bit of a fail for me, not a complete fail, I continue to use it, it works, it's effective, but I was a bit like, okay, cleansing oil, so what, it's not magical, not a sensorial experience, just kind of blah, kind of bland. It has sunflower seed oil, grapeseed oil, pineapple fruit extract, which for some people might actually end up being irritating, and some anti-inflammatory ingredients like licorice root and centella asiatica, but overall it's just very neutral. The texture isn't particularly oily, it's more like a shampoo texture, there's a bit of a grip to it, it feels silicone heavy even though it isn't in terms of the ingredients, and it has a bit of an odd odor. It's not bad, it does the job, it's just thirty five dollars, and it just didn't bring anything else to the table compared to my favorite cleansing oils. It does emulsify just fine and it does rinse off well, I had no issue using it to remove eye makeup and water resistant sunscreen."

✕Nay

76%Guru Score

Neutrogena Classic Salicylic Acid Face Wash

"I had acne, and I washed my face with Neutrogena salicylic acid face wash, and that was really helpful for me personally. I was lucky, my acne wasn't that severe, so I didn't need to see a dermatologist for it, and I was able to control it with that cleanser. I didn't try much else, I had that cleanser, I figured this is an acne cleanser so this must be what I need to wash my face with, and I used it and it helped."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser Mask

"I love their clear pore cleanser mask. This is basically guiding you through the short contact therapy if you choose the intensive mask option, it's 3.5% benzoyl peroxide. Alternatively you could just use this as a cleanser, lather it to the affected area, leave it on the skin for a few minutes and then rinse it off, and the nice thing about this short contact therapy is it puts you in the driver's seat as far as duration of contact, you can increase the duration gradually while minimizing the drying side effects."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Noxzema Original Deep Cleansing Cream

"If you are somebody who has eczema and you're wondering about Noxzema, I would say I don't recommend it, even though it was initially developed for people with eczema. It has menthol so it can be actually pretty soothing to itch, but the ingredients are super irritating overall, like camphor. A lot of people love this and use it and it works out well for them, so I'm not telling you that you should stop using it, but if you have eczema, I don't recommend it."

✕Nay

59%Guru Score

CeraVe Makeup Removing Cleanser Balm

"I also finished the CeraVe Makeup Removing Cleanser Balm. I like it, it's a little expensive actually, pretty expensive for what it is, but it's effective, it works well, there's no fragrance. It kind of smells like buttered toast as you're smearing it over your face, which I rather enjoy but you may not care for. It rinses off, it works, it's got ceramides. The jar is TSA friendly so I used this a fair amount traveling this year. One thing about this is I wish it came with something to get the product out because it's actually kind of hard to scoop out a small amount and not get too much, and I think that's part of why I went through it so quickly. They did a good job with it, I just wish it were a little less expensive."

✓Yay

59%Guru Score

Heimish All Clean Balm

"I do like their All Clean cleansing balm."

✓Yay

73%Guru Score

Paula's Choice Ultra Gentle Cleanser

"The Ultra Gentle Cleanser was an epic fail for me. It's described as a cushioning cleanser, but I think they put too much glycerin in it because the lathering is completely off, it clumps up and doesn't distribute over the surface of the skin well, which is exactly what a cleanser is supposed to do. That said, when you rinse it off the skin does not feel dry or irritated, it does feel soft and clean, but if you don't already do a pre-cleanse you're going to have a difficult time adequately cleansing your face with this. Honestly I think the whole formulation is completely out of whack, and they completely ruined this from Paula."

✕Nay

65%Guru Score

Paula's Choice Resist Anti-Aging Hydrating Cleanser

"I didn't bring a second cleanser this time because I finished my travel size of the Paula's Choice cleanser, so I just used that, emulsified it and rinsed it off, and it seemed to do the trick."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

Aveeno Calm + Restore Nourishing Oat Cleanser

"For the Calm and Restore Nourishing Oat Cleanser, this is a great gentle cleanser. I reviewed it in the past, and now you can get a refill on Amazon which is less expensive than repurchasing the bottles."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

CeraVe Micellar Cleansing Water

"A long time ago I reviewed the CeraVe micellar water, I hated it, it burned my eyes like none other."

✕Nay

61%Guru Score

Le Domaine Cleansing Emulsion

"The Cleansing Emulsion, like the cream, has fragrance, and it has centella and sunflower seed oil. Sounds like it might be a very nice mild cream cleanser for dry skin. But it's coming in at $80, which is just absurd, and I will not be buying it."

~Mixed

62%Guru Score

Burt's Bees Gentle Cream Cleanser

"This is a pretty decent cleanser, the Burt's Bees Gentle Cream Cleanser, but I would not pay six dollars for this little tiny sample of it."

~Mixed

78%Guru Score

CeraVe Eye Makeup Remover

"I don't know what they were thinking with this cap, it's got a child safety lock like it's full of children's medicine, and I don't suggest ingesting the whole bottle, but it's not very mobility friendly. That said, all I have to say is this is actually a really good product. My experience with eye makeup removers is that they kind of burn for me personally, but this one does not, and it really takes it all off nicely. If you like to take your makeup off when you get home from work but you're not going to do your skincare routine yet, you can actually leave this residue on the skin, though ultimately I do suggest taking it off with a gentle cleanser. It works really well."

✓Yay

65%Guru Score

CeraVe Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser

"I reviewed this hydrating cream to foam cleanser a while ago. I like it, but I just didn't really see that it added much to the CeraVe cleanser portfolio. It's kind of like a hybrid between the hydrating and the foaming, like they combined properties of both into one. Was that necessary? I don't know, a lot of people adore it, so I guess it added something for some people, but to me I couldn't really tell that it made much of a difference."

~Mixed

78%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+ Gentle Foaming Cleansing Oil

"This is another great option from La Roche-Posay, the Lipicare Wash AP, and you can use this both on the face and the body, so it's a double-hitter. You can use it in your shower, wash your face, wash your body and get out."

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

e.l.f. Pure Skin Cleanser

"The Elf Pure Skin Cleanser is good - I particularly like it because it's a gentle cleanser. I suggest getting the little Pure Skin kit to see if you actually like it before committing to the big size."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Juno Skin Cleansing Balm

"I was not impressed with the Juno Skin Cleansing Bomb."

✕Nay

70%Guru Score

Rovectin Skin Essentials Conditioning Cleanser

"Rovectin's Skin Essentials Conditioning Cleanser is one that has a little bit of a slightly foamy lather. It's very mild but effectively cleanses to remove dirt and impurities. It has centella extract in it which is helpful for healing, and it also has disodium edta which is a chelating agent that's actually helpful if you live somewhere with hard water. There are no sulfates in this, and I think it's not only a gentle cleanser for those with dry irritable skin but also a good one if you live somewhere with hard water like I do. I have repurchased it and continued to use it, and I do think it is one of the best cleansers that I've tried out this year."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Philosophy Purity Made Simple One Step Facial Cleanser

"I don't recommend spending a lot of money on cleansers. Seriously, just find one from the drugstore because you're literally throwing money down the drain."

~Mixed

66%Guru Score

Cocokind Oil to Milk Cleanser

"This has oak kernel oil that's really good for gentle cleansing and is packed with humectants and antioxidants, this actually looks pretty good."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

Geek & Gorgeous Jelly Joker Cleanser

"Jelly Joker is a very gentle creamy cleanser that works into a gentle lather with almost no foam, which makes it great if you have exquisitely sensitive skin. However, it's fine if you don't wear makeup or water-resistant sunscreen, but if you're wearing makeup or water-resistant sunscreen this will not take that off in my experience. You will need to do a double cleanse, but overall this is a very gentle cleanser and pretty affordable."

~Mixed

78%Guru Score

Simple Micellar Gel Wash

"I love this and I think they've discontinued it, but it's a really good face cleanser. I love it."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

AcneFree Oil-Free Acne Cleanser

"This is a two percent benzoyl peroxide acne wash with glycolic acid that can help with increasing penetration, and it's got ceramides in it too. This looks good you guys. I'm not seeing any fragrance."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Pacifica Vegan Ceramide Extra Gentle Face Wash

"It's a very creamy consistency, very gentle and very mild. I was able to use this to get off non-water resistant sunscreen with no problem and I took off my Maybelline mascara with no problem. I don't have anything bad to say about this. It's a very mild cleanser good for people who have very sensitive skin, dry skin, or eczema-prone skin."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Cleanser

"This is the Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Cleanser and I really enjoyed using this one. It produces a dense creamy foam that feels really luxurious, but it doesn't leave your skin with that stripped squeaky feeling of an impaired barrier. It contains three forms of hyaluronic acid, ceramide NP, panthenol, and allantoin to support the skin barrier while cleansing. It lathers beautifully, does an excellent job removing dirt, oil, and cosmetic residue, and rinses away efficiently without leaving behind any residue or leaving the skin feeling dry or irritated."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturizing Cleanser

"The second cleanser I've been using this summer is also from Round Lab, the Birch Juice Moisturizing Cleanser, and this one might actually be my favorite of the two. It has a lower pH of around 5 to 6, which is perfect for supporting the needs of the acid mantle, and lower pH cleansers tend to be a little bit gentler. It definitely does not leave your skin feeling stripped or squeaky clean. It contains birch sap with amino acids, minerals, antioxidants, vitamins, and naturally occurring sugars that help with retaining moisture, plus natural moisturizing factors and artemisia extract, which is soothing and anti-inflammatory. It feels a bit more hydrating than the other cleanser."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Remedy Derm Dissolve Cleansing Balm

"I love the cleansing balm, the packaging on the cleansing balm, it's one of my favorites."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Gel Cleanser with Hyaluronic Acid

"It's a holy grail favorite cleanser of mine. I love using it as a second step in my double cleanse. I like the fragrance-free one, but the base formula is great. It's a great gentle hydrating cleanser that effectively washes the face. It's great as a second step in the double cleanse. I just don't like the fragrance choice that Neutrogena goes with. This is one I would keep in the shower and use as a second step in the double cleanse."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

Beauty of Joseon Radiance Cleansing Balm

"You can get the Beauty of Joseon Radiance Cleansing Balm. This I'd almost forgotten about how much I like this. I really like that."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Micellar Water

"La Roche-Posay's Micellar Water, first of all, it does have a scent. Second of all, it does burn around the eyes. It does a pretty good job taking stuff off of your face, but it will not touch long-wear lipstick. It's not going anywhere. Just the Micellar Water, rubbing it around, and then getting in the shower and trying to rinse it off. No, forget about it. It's staying on there."

✕Nay

75%Guru Score

Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser

"These have nyioinomide, which I love."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

"Cetaphil has a ton of amazing skin care products that are aimed at people who have various skin conditions for playing a supporting role in their skin needs. If you've never used this particular cleanser though, you might be a little frustrated with it. It's very creamy. It's almost like rubbing lotion on your face. Doesn't sud or lather, but it is a very mild and effective option. And I actually personally like using it as the second step in a double cleanse."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Arencia Rice Mucin Cleanser

"It works up into that silky lather, it's just a really fun product to use. You don't need very much to get a nice lather, which is another thing I really like about it. It allows you to get a more conservative amount of cleanser worked up into your hands. You can also use it to wash your hands. It's a great hand wash. It rinses off the skin well and leaves the skin clean but soft, hydrated, and not feeling stripped or tight or that squeaky clean feeling."

✓Yay

58%Guru Score

Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser for Combination to Oily, Sensitive Skin

"Wa look Cetaphil got a new look what do you guys think of their new packaging on their daily facial cleanser I kind of like this font it's easier to read"

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

Neutrogena Stubborn Texture Daily Cleanser

"This is the Neutrogena Stubborn Texture Cleanser. This whole stubborn line is meant for people who have acne prone skin and is excellent. It is excellent. This cleanser represents an improvement upon some of their older acne cleanser formulations. It has 1% salicylic acid which is an ingredient that exfoliates the pore, is an FDA approved over-the-counter acne treatment for helping to cut down on breakouts and clear existing breakouts. In addition to that it has 2% glycolic acid which can exfoliate rather than focusing in on the pore, kind of gently exfoliates the top outermost layer of the skin giving the skin a smoother texture. That's going to be good for those of you who have keratosis pilaris, rough and bumpy skin, but also just by smoothing out the skin surface it can to a certain extent cut down on comedone formation as well which is part of acne. It has 2% polyhydroxy acid in the form of gluconolactone. Polyhydroxy acid, it's super super super mild in terms of its exfoliating but it also along with the glycolic acid, both of these ingredients they help improve moisture retention in skin's outermost layer and that ultimately helps naturally improve exfoliation. When you have better water content in the stratum corneum, when you don't have dry skin basically, then the skin can naturally exfoliate much more."

✓Yay

71%Guru Score

RoC Barrier Renew Gel to Foam Cleanser

"This new RoC Barrier Renew Gel to Foam Cleanser, they actually sent this to me and I used it, it took me pretty much the whole year to make it through and I really love the texture of it. Just as it claims, it comes out as a gel, which I enjoy, and then it works up into a very gentle foam. It has ceramides in it, which are lipids found in skin's outermost layer, and when we cleanse, that can aggravate dryness and disrupt the skin barrier. So having ceramides in the cleanser, depositing them behind, may help offset those issues with the barrier and help reduce dry skin. It also has squalane and imant that can soften and smooth the skin, and it has tea extract which may deliver antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, and it has beta glucan lipid that is good for reducing issues around dry skin. I used this a lot as a second step in my double cleanse routine. I didn't use it too much on its own in an effort to remove sunscreen and makeup, so I can't really speak to its efficacy in that regard."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Cetaphil Gentle Clear Clarifying Acne Cream Cleanser

"The Cetaphil Gentle Clear Clarifying Acne Cream Cleanser is nice, a very creamy silky lather free of fragrance. It has two percent salicylic acid, plus white tea extract and aloe leaf juice which is anti-inflammatory, though some people find their skin gets irritated by aloe so be aware that's in this product. Otherwise it's very nice. It has to be one of the most non-drying two percent salicylic acid cleansers I've ever tried. This is one where I never ran into the issue of upper eyelid dryness with it."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Cetaphil Healthy Radiance Gentle PHA Exfoliating Cleanser

"This is a very nice gentle way to exfoliate the skin without stripping it unnecessarily because it has gluconolactone, a polyhydroxy acid that's gentler than alpha hydroxy acids. It helps with skin cell turnover and gentle exfoliation without causing burning or stinging, actually improves the moisture barrier, and has niacinamide. I've been using it for several weeks and I think it's good for acne prone sensitive skin, rosacea, and people looking to improve skin radiance through cleansing. You can also use it in the morning if you're using a vitamin C serum since the hydroxy acid can help the vitamin C penetrate better."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Other79 reviews

The Ordinary Volufiline 92% + Pal-Isoleucine 1%

"I have reviewed the volume filling serum from The Ordinary, and it's not going to bring back lost volume in the face. The study behind it was bogus, done on women's breasts showing an increase in size, so they never actually showed any kind of fat restoration at all. Topicals just aren't going to correct that kind of volume loss."

✕Nay

61%Guru Score

Aklief Aklief

"Trifarotene, marketed as Aklief, was allegedly supposed to be so much less irritating because of its receptor specificity, but in clinical practice it bears out to be just as irritating as any other topical retinoid. Personally, I haven't found it to be less irritating."

✕Nay

74%Guru Score

Shiseido Shiseido

"The American Shiseido arm has highly luxury products that are super expensive. I don't use those, they're not something I buy. They all have fragrance in them, and they're not offering anything above and beyond what you can get in the drugstore. [...] I don't like strongly scented stuff for my face."

✕Nay

56%Guru Score

Domeboro Aluminum Acetate Medicated Soak

"As an alternative to calamine lotion, Dr. Dray prefers Domeboro aluminum acetate soaks, which likewise have an astringent, drying property good for weepy, oozy skin conditions. She finds them a lot more soothing than calamine lotion and not nearly as messy, since it's just a powder reconstituted in water that you can use to soak the affected area or as a compress."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Lamisil Lamisil

"Most cases of athlete's foot respond very well to topical antifungals, including those you can buy over the counter without a prescription, namely terbinafine cream. This is often sold under the brand name Lamisil, but you do not have to buy the brand name Lamisil, you can buy the store version, the generic version, as long as it's terbinafine cream. The fungus tends to typically respond to that, and it tends to work the fastest, usually doing the trick after about one to two weeks of correct twice-daily use."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Bellafill Bellafill

"Bellafill injections for atrophic acne scars [...] carry the typical filler risks like redness, temporary swelling and bruising. [...] Specific risks to consider with Bellafill in particular are the formation of lumps, granulomas, foreign body reactions and allergic skin reactions, since it contains bovine collagen suspended with polymethyl methacrylate spheres and lidocaine, which is why you may need a skin prick test first. Because Bellafill is a permanent, semi-permanent filler, if you develop a complication you can't reverse it the way you can a hyaluronic acid filler with hyaluronidase, so [...] if you have improper placement or aren't happy with the result you're kind of stuck with it, which can lead to uneven contours. Granulomas from the polymethyl methacrylate aren't easy to get rid of and require medical intervention. [...] And as with all fillers, though super rare, there's the possibility of [...] inadvertently injecting into a blood vessel, which can cause serious [...] tissue damage, especially if not recognized and treated promptly."

✕Nay

55%Guru Score

Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Pore Minimizing Capsule Ampule

"I have used this product, an entire bottle of it, and I really liked it. It's great to just freshen up the skin after you've cleansed, before getting ready to do your skin care. It has peptides and centella in it, so anti-inflammatory and hydrating ingredients. It's not strikingly different from many of their other toners, and it's not as thick or viscous as the Madagascar Centella Ampoule I like so much from them, but it's really good, I genuinely enjoyed it. I felt like my skin tone brightened up a bit using it. It doesn't have niacinamide if you're sensitive to that. I like this brand, everything I've used has been very good quality. It's $32.99 for the two bottles."

✓Yay

70%Guru Score

Certain Dri Fragrance-Free Roll-On Antiperspirant

"You can put antiperspirant to the bottoms of your feet and the palms of your hands and that can work quite well for hyperhydrosis in those areas, especially the Certain Dri one. It's a roll-on. You get real nice contact and it is fast dry. They also make antiperspirant lotions which I've personally used and found to be very effective and it really works quite well on hands and feet or forehead if you wanted to. Now aluminum salts on the face can be very irritating so I will caution with that."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Galderma Epiduo

"Epiduo is [adapalene] and benzoyl peroxide, a retinoid and benzoyl peroxide. Not only do they not actively cause scarring, but they will prevent and decrease the likelihood of acne scarring both by controlling the acne and then the [adapalene] helps with dermal remodeling to help with ultimate healing to diminish the likelihood of scarring. Plus, it's anti-inflammatory."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

Shark Beauty FlexStyle

"I can't attest to the power of a $279.99 discounted price. Shark Beauty FlexStyle seems like a lot of money for heat styling, but it all depends. I can see it paying off if you use these tools and you find them to be like game changers. There is a lot of variation, but like I said, I've never put this through the test."

~Mixed

73%Guru Score

Accutane Accutane

"Accutane, branded name for isotretinoin, an oral retinoid, that quite literally was one of the most game-changing inventions in dermatology. [...] Before Accutane, if you had acne, nodular acne, scarring was the outcome. You were going to likely have scarring in some capacity. [...] When isotretinoin came on the scene, it completely changed that because it's really the only medication that can, being the key word here, cure the acne. It can shrink those abnormally dilated and enlarged and active sebaceous glands that are driving the sebum. It has so many benefits for acne and it keeps people from having disfiguring scarring acne, completely has changed lives. There are side effects with isotretinoin for sure, and it should be administered by your health care provider, a board certified dermatologist."

✓Yay

73%Guru Score

Avène Avène

"There's also Avène. Avène tends to be less expensive there as well. They're going to have slightly different formulations and ingredients, but overall it's the same brand, so effective formulations. You may notice some differences like the texture, but overall they have some great options as far as what's available there."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Shark Beauty Depuffy

"If you get a pore extractor like the Shark Beauty Depuffy, don't waste a dime on that. These kind of things, if anything, they cause a lot of irritation by putting suction on the face. Can break little blood vessels. They may help to pull out those little sebaceous filaments, which are normal, but they're just going to come right back. So this is all for show."

✕Nay

Notverified

Dove Fragrance Free Beauty Bar

"The Dove Fragrance Free Beauty Bar that I love and adore is not on sale this month."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Vicks VapoRub

"It's habit forming, this little sniffy stick, but that's really good. The [...] vapo rub itself is also moisturizing. It's like a very moisturizing base."

✓Yay

69%Guru Score

Maybelline SuperStay Teddy Tint

"I am still really happy with this Maybelline SuperStay Teddy Tint. This is the shade Coquettish. The longevity of this on the lips is amazing. As somebody who is always sipping on a beverage, this stays on really well, but it doesn't dry out the lips and it's easy to apply even without a mirror and not have it go all over the place. It doesn't get stringy. It doesn't get goopy. It doesn't get dry and like I need to put lip balm on. But it is tenacious. So I have to take the cleansing balm and put it on my lips at the end of the day in order to melt that off."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Dove Beauty Bar

"The nice thing about the Dove Beauty Bar is that if you like the scent, provided you're not allergic to it, that's what's in the original, but the sensitive one is fragrance-free. This is gentle enough to adequately cleanse, but not disrupt skin's outermost pH to a point where it causes the enzymes there to be haphazard in terms of their function and not help with barrier integrity the way they need to. It also leaves behind moisturizing ingredients, so it cleanses and moisturizes at the same time. [...] I highly recommend this. It's great for you, and you can also use it to wash your hands. [...] These work really well for hand washing. Keep your eyes peeled because the Dove fragrance-free Beauty Bar often goes on sale for Black Friday."

✓Yay

74%Guru Score

L'Oreal True Match Lumi Glotion

"I like using this for just a little bit of color correction, a little bit of a glow. The iron oxides in the tinted moisturizer can also offer some additional protection against visible light from the sun that drives hyperpigmentation. This just looks good. It's fragrance-free. It's moisturizing. It's not overly shimmery. It doesn't make you look like a copper pot. It's really good."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Listerine Listerine

"Listerine contains thymol and menthol which have antifungal properties. Some people even combine Listerine with a little bit of white vinegar for additional benefit. So try soaking your feet in a 1:1 mix of Listerine and water. Maybe add a little bit of white vinegar if you so choose once a day for about 20 to 30 minutes. It takes time, it takes consistency, and not everyone sees results. It's not an established effective treatment, but some people do get improvement, and it is exactly the amount of improvement they need to clear up the fungal infection."

✓Yay

64%Guru Score

Colgate Total Toothpaste

"Colgate Total, you get the four pack. I was really on the fence about these for the longest time and let me tell you, I am kicking myself for waiting so long for trying. [...] This has been a game changer [...] for my gums."

~Mixed

69%Guru Score

Vanicream Clinical Strength Antiperspirant

"The other antiperspirant I recommend is Vanicream Clinical Strength Antiperspirant."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Hibiclens Hibiclens

"It is pretty intense, broad-spectrum, and it kind of wipes out your microflora, so I don't suggest using it too too regularly. Although if you have hidradenitis suppurativa, that's a scenario where it can really be helpful for controlling flare-ups. And it's great that they have this foaming antiseptic skin cleanser here. I think that's a nicer, that's a really great vehicle for delivering the antiseptic to the skin."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex

"This is a cult favorite, the Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex from Estée Lauder. I have an older video where I talk about it."

✓Yay

65%Guru Score

Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Sleeping Pack

"High aloe sleeping pack from Skin1004 is here on sale for $9.99. It has melatonin in it. It's a very nice hydrating gel cream."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

VT PDRN Reedle Shot Eye Lifter

"I do like it as a moisturizer I mean it's a really nice moisturizer No complaints"

~Mixed

75%Guru Score

Milani Conceal and Perfect

"This Milani Conceal and Perfect before it's pretty good but it's on the matte side which I'm seeking to avoid"

✕Nay

76%Guru Score

Latisse Latisse

"Latisse and minoxidil are equally effective for brow growth in women at 16 weeks. Minoxidil might be more irritating, but it might be less expensive, whereas Latisse might cause side effects of hyperpigmentation, potentially perorbital fat loss, and of course will be more expensive. You can buy minoxidil 2% without a prescription, but Latisse requires a prescription."

~Mixed

61%Guru Score

Silicone Scar sheets

"This right here is one of the most evidence-based things for raised scars going on 40 years of use for raised scars. We're talking the silicone scar sheets intended to be worn around the clock can often be reused, comfortable, flexible, protect against frictional forces, also help hydrate the scar, reduce certain triggers and pathways that lead to more scar formation."

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Thirst Burst Drops

"That's what we need"

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

Nair Nair

"Chemical depilatories like Nair work to dissolve those disulfide bonds in the keratin proteins, so there's more of a tapered smoother end so you don't have that rough stubble just like with shaving. Chemical depilatories don't make you grow more hair, they don't cause the hair to grow back thicker, darker, longer, stronger, none of that because they're really just working pretty much at the skin surface and a little bit within the pore. They don't get down to the root where the factors that work to grow hair are at play. [...] You're not going to cut yourself, and shaving also leaves you more likely to get little bacteria introduced around the hair follicles, you get these pimple-like bumps called folliculitis, very annoying and very uncomfortable to deal with, especially in sensitive areas like the bikini area. That's not going to occur necessarily with a chemical depilatory because of the way it's dissolving the hair as opposed to actively cutting, which can have the bystandard cutting and nicking of the neighboring skin. [...] Chemical depilatories don't really damage the hair shaft down below the surface of the skin, they don't fracture it, so you're less likely to get a hair that grows back kind of wonky."

~Mixed

66%Guru Score

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharge Complex

"I've been using this estee rado barrier 365 cream that I got in one of the Advent calendars and let me tell you well I'm not going to tell you you have to wait"

~Mixed

61%Guru Score

Grande Cosmetics GrandeBROW

"Grande brow and Grande lash they have the prostaglandin analogs so they can cause hyperpigmentation of your eyelids, change your eye color, cause a lot of eyelid irritation to boot. They can cause unwanted hair growth anywhere where they happen to get outside of the lashes and rarely can cause fat loss around the eyes which for all intents and purposes does appear for the most part to be reversible once you stop using the prostaglandin analogs."

✕Nay

70%Guru Score

Compound W Compound W

"There are a lot of other little products that can work, like Duofilm, or Compound W."

✓Yay

72%Guru Score

Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops

"I don't add them to your sunscreen to tint the sunscreen because adding things to sunscreens like these bronzing drops can actually mess up the overall formulation and ultimate protection. I do not get the hype with those. I also tried out they have like a pink drop that's supposed to be like a little blush and I again I didn't find either product to be very useful from Drunk Elephant. In my opinion bronzing drops are sort of overrated like they just haven't worked out well for me."

✕Nay

58%Guru Score

Skin Smart Antimicrobial Spray

"You can just spray it there and take that fan let it air dry it really can help cut down on irritation inflammation and itch and they're pretty inexpensive. Skin Smart Antimicrobial is one you can buy on Amazon."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Preparation H Preparation H

"I don't recommend doing that for a few reasons. Phenylephrine is a vasoconstrictor, may actually temporarily help because of the vasoconstrictive effect, may help push some fluid away, tighten things up a bit, and may also help with redness, but you can get a rebound worsening effect. Also, I want to say what else is in these, sometimes these have a little bit of hydrocortisone in them, so you want to be careful there. That should not be used around the eyes."

✕Nay

60%Guru Score

Peter Thomas Roth Instant FirmX Temporary Eye Tightener

"It has sodium silicate, and as it dries down it just tightens the skin. It's very temporary, but it definitely works. One issue is it's all in the application. These can get really flaky and peel up, and depending on your skin, for some people that's more of an issue. I actually never ran into that issue with this, but I see that complaint a lot. I think a lot of it may just have to do with your skin, especially if you have oily skin. My eyelids are not particularly oily, but some people do have really oily eyelids, and I think that would make it peel up more readily."

✓Yay

68%Guru Score

Rapamycin Rapamycin

"Rapamycin is one of the most promising anti-aging drugs. It's used for people who are doing organ transplants and it suppresses the immune system. It's kind of counterintuitive, but the dose I'm taking has acne side effects, so this is really great for some acne control."

~Mixed

68%Guru Score

Twinkle Pop Glittering Eye Stick

"I got this in the Advent calendar. It's like a little cream glitter stick. I'm really impressed with this Twinkle pop because it stays on for a long time."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Retin-A Micro

"Topical retinoids are the most important drug class to reverse the signs of aging, also known as all-trans retinoic acid, tretinoin, sold under a variety of brands including Retin-A Micro, a prescription-only topical form of vitamin A that can visibly improve mild to moderate photo damage, including fine and coarse wrinkles, freckles, other pigmentation, and improve overall skin texture after months of daily use. This is accompanied by restoration of collagen formation. [...] One of the advantages we have discovered of using a topical retinoid is that it can improve the appearance of wrinkles because it gets down to the deeper layers of the skin to not only improve collagen production to smooth out wrinkles but also to help actively protect the collagen that you have. A skin biopsy taken before and after ten to twelve months of tretinoin versus placebo found that while skin collagen formation dropped fourteen percent in the control group, it rose eighty percent in the retinoic acid group."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

Vichy Mineral 89 Prebiotic Recovery and Defense Concentrate

"Vichy Mineral 89 is a really good hydrating hyaluronic acid serum."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

The Ordinary Aloe 2% + NAG 2% Solution

"This particular product from the ordinary hasn't really been doing it for me, but if you have a lot of hyperpigmentation it may help."

✕Nay

77%Guru Score

Redken Acidic Bond Repair Concentrate

"I'm not going to come in tonight without Redken Acidic Bond Repair Concentrate because it's just not it's just not making me happy."

✕Nay

59%Guru Score

beef tallow Beef tallow

"The main drawback of using beef tallow is that it is not something that has preservatives in it, so you can't guarantee the stability of any of these given constituents whether it be vitamin A, D, E, or K, or the antioxidants. And because there are no preservatives, you also run the risk that with time it can go rancid, and that can be very problematic for your skin, cause irritation, skin problems, rashes, breakouts. [...] Applying beef tallow to the skin generally speaking it's not unsafe to do that, and you know it's an emollient so it softens and smooths the skin. It may help with barrier function, but to what extent any of the constituents of beef tallow are going to truly yield skin benefit remains unaddressed by research study. [...] People will claim all sorts of things, that it's got anti-aging properties, and they will try and extrapolate the fact that it has vitamin A and suggest that it is acting like retinol, which is not exactly true. You can't just have vitamin A there and expect it to get into your skin and act like retinol. It's just not the same thing."

✕Nay

52%Guru Score

Lancôme Ultra Precise Waterproof Liner

"I'm also wearing their waterproof eyeliner and this really does a good job getting in there dissolving it breaking it up"

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Eczema Honey Eczema Honey

"Eczema Honey has sunflower seed oil, and beeswax helps reduce water loss. Some people do develop allergy to beeswax as well as honey so be aware of that, but yeah I think I liked this when I tried it."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

SkinCeuticals Silymarin CF

"It's just a pretty expensive acne serum. Yeah, it has salicylic acid, but you need to be spending that kind of coin on a salicylic acid serum for your acne? I don't think that the research really supports that at this point. It seems like a pretty steep price point to pay for the potential benefit of the antioxidants in the serum. While the SkinCeuticals Silymarin CF serum does have some clinical studies to back it up, they are not perfect and I think I pointed out their limitations in my video reviewing that. When it comes to putting antioxidants on the skin, they're cosmetic ingredients and their efficacy really boils down to the formulation overall of the product in terms of if the antioxidants actually get in. They're tricky ingredients to work with. Personally I do use antioxidants in my skincare routine, but are they necessary? Are they essential? No. And you do have to take the industry studies that back them up with a huge grain of salt. Not to say that they are useless, but the devil is in the details as far as their efficacy in terms of if they are going to work. The formula has to be good."

✕Nay

82%Guru Score

Egyptian Magic Egyptian Magic

"Egyptian Magic, a few years ago I reviewed this. It's okay honestly. It's olive oil, beeswax, honey, and propolis. Those are all hydrating, but if you're allergic to fragrance you have to be careful with those ingredients because they can cross react."

~Mixed

77%Guru Score

Tazorac Tazorac

"The thing about Tazorac is that when it is absorbed in the body it's highly protein bound, like 98 percent of it is bound up to proteins in your plasma. The likelihood of it crossing the placenta to the baby is very, very, very low, and there are numerous case reports of perfectly healthy infants delivered in the setting where Mom was accidentally exposed to topical Tazorac. By and large, it's still uncertain as to the safety of topical retinoids during pregnancy, so while on a case-by-case basis it may be actually recommended depending on if the benefits of the topical retinoid for a given skin condition that the pregnant patient may be experiencing outweigh theoretical risks to the baby."

~Mixed

57%Guru Score

Hero Cosmetics Hydrocolloid Patches

"I love Hero Cosmetics Mighty patch Hydrocolloid Patches that are wonderful for those of you who deal with breakouts that you're often tempted to squeeze or pick. Some people do that absent-mindedly. Hydrocolloid helps serve as a barrier against you picking but it also will help absorb any inflammatory exudate coming from the pimple and ultimately that helps shrink it, flatten it out, and help it to heal a little bit faster. Hydrocolloid Patches they're also really really helpful if you get a mosquito bite because they help again serve as a barrier against your fingers from scratching. Anytime you scratch a mosquito bite it kind of extends along in the path of staying around longer, plus you can introduce microbes into the mosquito bite that put you at risk for an infection like impetigo. Not only does it do that but it helps to absorb some of that inflammatory fluid that comes to the skin surface in response to the mosquito bite and so it really helps flatten out the mosquito bite quite a bit. These are on sale today and tomorrow, 13 off."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Revlon One Step Volumizer

"My Revlon One Step Volumizer, I'm getting a lot of mileage out of this thing. I don't use it as often as I was using it for a while there when my hair was kind of medium length, but it's really good. It doesn't cause any breakage or anything for me."

✓Yay

66%Guru Score

Drunk Elephant O-Bloos Rosy Drops

"This is the O-Bloos Rosy Drops from Drunk Elephant, this was a disappointment for me but I did finish it up. This just did not ever show up on my skin, I had to pile it on in order to get any kind of rosy glow. For me, just putting the drops directly on my skin, I couldn't see it, so I didn't waste time adding this to other stuff. I don't recommend these."

✕Nay

59%Guru Score

Colorescience Sunforgettable Total Protection

"Colorescience has become like a BB cream makeup for me. I'm actually wearing it most days over a layer of sunscreen because it looks so good on the skin, but I don't put a full two milligrams per centimeter squared of it on, I use it more for decorative purposes."

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly

"If you like a gel moisturizer, keep your eye out for this one, it's ordinarily 32.50 so 50 percent off is going to be a great deal. This is a very good gel moisturizer. It has urea in it, which can soften rough skin texture and improve moisture content in the skin, it's part of your skin's natural moisturizing factors. It also has caffeine, an antioxidant that can help diminish the burden of oxidative stress from environmental exposure and may temporarily improve redness, plus algae extract packed with humectants and sodium hyaluronate. I particularly enjoy gel based moisturizers in the summer when it's hot and humid because they don't feel as heavy and allow for better evaporation of sweat."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Murad Targeted Wrinkle Corrector

"Murad is charging 79 dollars for this and I don't think it's worth it, but it does have an ingredient people frequently ask me about, acetyl hexapeptide-8, otherwise known as Botox in a bottle or argireline. In theory it could act like botox, but there's no way it's actually getting down to the neuromuscular junction to relax and smooth out wrinkles like botox does. There is some research showing it does have a wrinkle smoothing effect, but that's likely just because it's a peptide, and peptides are hydrating, and hydrating ingredients smooth out fine lines by space filling. If you want to try this ingredient, go with The Ordinary's Argireline instead, you don't need this whole product, you could just use that underneath whatever moisturizer you're already using."

✕Nay

67%Guru Score

Grande Cosmetics GrandeLASH-MD

"My concern with these is always that they can have prostaglandin analog like compounds in them that definitely can cause dry eyes, and there are cases of people getting hyperpigmentation around the eyes related to these non-prescription lash enhancing serums, and they also can cause eye redness. There's one concerning rare side effect, more common in people actually using prostaglandin analogues to treat glaucoma, which is atrophy of the fat around the eye and a sunken eye appearance. It's reversible, it's not really something that we see with using the prostaglandin analogues like Latisse, but it's theoretically possible."

✕Nay

47%Guru Score

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Stick

"Neutrogena also has a new sunscreen stick. I really enjoy their sunscreen sticks because they give you a pretty large surface area, kind of like a deodorant. They're super helpful for reapplying on children who tend to be wiggly, they're handy for on the go, but they are prone to skip areas so make sure you're doing multiple passes with these."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water

"It doesn't appear to be harmful, and it may have some skin benefit, but this is not essential, I would say it is a luxury item. The research on things like atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and rosacea is pretty small, and you have to take it with a grain of salt because La Roche Posay funded it themselves. If you are on a tight budget, this can of water would be the first thing to cut from your routine. Stick to skincare products that already contain Thermal Spring Water so you can still get those benefits without needing another separate product."

~Mixed

72%Guru Score

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate

"Here's the Midnight Recovery Concentrate, it's just a bunch of scented oils. It's super popular, but it doesn't do anything, it just kind of gives you a temporary glowy look."

✕Nay

59%Guru Score

Alastin Regenerating Skin Nectar

"I've used this myself and I actually like it, I don't have anything bad to say about it. I like the feel of it, it's very silicone based which is good for healing and recovery and feels lightweight, though it does feel a little greasy on the skin which a lot of people may not care for. But is it worth it? It's 199 dollars for one ounce, and if you're going to a cosmetic dermatologist and they've asked you to purchase this to complement procedures you're getting, then I do suggest following their advice. But if you're wondering should you buy this to use as your everyday moisturizer, I would tell you no, absolutely not. At 199 dollars this isn't going to offer you anything above and beyond what a basic drugstore moisturizer can offer you. I've not seen enough research to lead me to believe the peptides are really going to transform your skin, and I think your money would be better spent elsewhere. Unless you've been advised by your treating dermatologist who's doing these procedures to get this to complement the treatment, I don't think it's worth 199 dollars."

~Mixed

81%Guru Score

Blistex Blistex

"I never use Blistex unless I want contact cheilitis."

✕Nay

48%Guru Score

Q-tips Q-tips

"I'm loving this little box of Q-tips. I'm tempted to take it along with me, but I'm sure that would come with a fine here, so I will pass."

✓Yay

68%Guru Score

Winlevi Winlevi

"This is an exciting new development in treating hormonal acne, particularly for women and young males, because this drug addresses the hormonal component and can be used by both genders, shows improvement in as little as 2 weeks, and has fewer systemic side effects than oral hormonal treatments like birth control pills or spironolactone. However, there are significant limitations: it's very expensive at about $500 to $600 per tube, insurance often won't cover it, it requires twice-daily application which tends to hurt compliance, there isn't enough long-term data on potential HPA axis suppression with prolonged use, and I don't envision it as a standalone treatment but as an add-on because it doesn't address all components of acne. Tretinoin has additional benefits like improving collagen production and treating sun damage that this drug doesn't provide."

✓Yay

67%Guru Score

Betadine Betadine

"One of the least expensive, albeit messier to apply, is good old Betadine, or povidone iodine solution. This is an antimicrobial as well, it will achieve the same outcome."

✓Yay

72%Guru Score

Frownies Forehead and Between the Eye Wrinkle Patches

"Some of these patches like Frownies can have a temporary wrinkle smoothing effect by trapping water in the skin and reducing trans epidermal water loss, but it's not going to be preventative, that's for sure."

~Mixed

62%Guru Score

SKKN By Kim

"I'm suspicious of this brand. She says she's worked closely with a lot of people in the industry and got the best advice ever, but that's kind of a nebulous rebuttal to the credibility question. Nine products for $630, or $90 for a single serum, feels out of touch with the realities of these days with inflation, even though for her that's nothing compared to the roughly $4,500 worth of luxury skincare she already uses. Let's be honest, the skincare line is lacking one of the most important pieces of any skincare routine, and that is sun protection, and given her financial backing I find it a little suspicious that she doesn't have one. I don't think the brand or the products themselves will necessarily be bad, I just don't think the consumer interest is going to hold long enough to be sustained, and I doubt people are going to break up with their luxury skincare to start using hers. I predict this is going to fizzle out."

~Mixed

61%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Lift Active C10

"La Roche Posay is another L'Oreal brand, but I believe their product has fragrance in it, which can be irritating and can actually worsen hyperpigmentation. Still, this is a good brand. The packaging is a dropper bottle, and as the ascorbic acid is exposed to air each time you go in and out of it, it is more likely to degrade, so ideally airless pumps would be a better option."

~Mixed

58%Guru Score

SkinCeuticals SkinCeuticals

"The SkinCeuticals one, I've been really happy with this, and it's not that expensive for SkinCeuticals in comparison to some of these others that I've reviewed here."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo

"This is a hero product from La Roche-Posay that I've been recommending for a while now. It's got 5.5% benzoyl peroxide, which is a wonderful ingredient for acne. It's anti-inflammatory and targets the bacteria that causes acne, so it will help fight off existing breakouts and prevent breakouts in the future. Unfortunately, it's very drying and it does bleach fabrics if it comes in contact with your skin and can bleach your hair if it comes in contact with your hair."

✓Yay

67%Guru Score

Geek & Gorgeous Calm Down

"Calm Down has polyhydroxy acids and a very low percentage of salicylic acid at 0.8%, which are wonderful for very gently exfoliating and well tolerated by sensitive skin types. These ingredients help accelerate the clearance of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and improve the health of the moisture barrier. This is a good one if you have sensitive skin and are just looking for smoother skin texture."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

Geek & Gorgeous HA5 Light

"These hyaluronic acid serums are a relatively benign ingredient and can help with healing, but the difference between the two is really nothing. The Light version is similar to the Rich except without the baobab. I don't really see the point of having these two products. They should have just made one."

~Mixed

72%Guru Score

Dove Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar

"In the case of this Dove sensitive, this actually works great for both face and body. You could use the original, which is more or less the same thing only with fragrance. I personally prefer the fragrance-free one, but the scent of Dove original is kind of pleasant. This is a modern syndet cleansing bar, not an old-fashioned bar soap, so it doesn't have the alkaline pH that disrupts the skin barrier. It gently cleanses to remove dirt and debris while depositing moisturizing ingredients behind, just like the body wash. It's hygienic too, it won't develop a film of bacteria on it. This is $13.99, normally $18.49."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch Original

"Hero Cosmetics makes the Mighty Patch, a hydrocolloid patch helpful for reducing picking."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

iRestore Eye Restore Elite

"It's FDA cleared, heavily vetted for safety, and it's clinically proven. In fact, one study showed a 43% increase in total hair count in just 4 months. The Elite device is really constructed to allow for very comprehensive scalp coverage, getting good coverage of the sides of the scalp and the back of the scalp. I personally love that it's hands-free. It's really easy to do at home and multitask like while you're doing dishes or something. I actually often forget it's even on my head because it's very comfortable, light. You don't even remember that it's up there. It's non-invasive, doesn't involve any medications, and it's as easy as 12 minutes a day. Many people actually start seeing improvement in as little as 3 months. Low-level laser therapy with iRestore Elite can be done in the privacy of your own home and can be paired with other treatments. When it comes to hair loss, a multimodal approach using a couple of different therapies targeting the underlying root causes of your hair loss disorder is really a game changer for turning a corner in your hair growth goals. It can help to get you potentially better results from the therapies that you are currently using. It's been an amazing long-term tool that's easy to fit into your routine and you can feel comfortable doing at home."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

PCEL 24/7 Colostrum Pore Defense Ampule with Pixel Biome

"Like I said, this product is really popular right now. People are probably hyping it up left and right. And I am here to hopefully deinfluence you a bit. I can't say that this is a complete wash, a complete gimmick. I was fine, right? Like it's hydrating, it's nice, it's lightweight, but it's nothing novel. And the colostrum is just part of the storytelling of this. Like I said, it is an SEO hijack. It doesn't mean that there's any established track record of it being beneficial for the skin. But it's not a bad product. It does what it's supposed to do, what you would expect it to do, but it's not magical. It's not magical. It's just another hydrating liquid. This time we're misting it on our face."

~Mixed

71%Guru Score

NIOD Copper Amino Isolate Lipid 1%

"From an aesthetic perspective, my skin just looks glower, healthier, more radiant if I had put this on at night versus only using this. If I were going to purchase one of these again, [...] it would definitely be this Copper Amino Isolate. [...] This product is $93 for this little tube. I get it, ingredients can be expensive, [...] but you guys have got to give us better packaging. This is just unacceptable in my opinion for $93 to have the label hanging on for dear life. [...] The tube is honestly a good packaging system [...] because you can actually get every last drop out, [...] as opposed to an opaque pump packaging where you're just hoping they're not cheating you out of product. [...] It really does feel like you've got baby oil on your skin. [...] There's no fragrance in this. It has a bit of a vinegar scent to it, smells a little like apple cider vinegar when you're putting it on. It doesn't sting, burn, or anything."

~Mixed

68%Guru Score

Sleep and Glow Omnia Pillow

"This pillow has been a game changer for my sleep. It's basically like a high quality memory foam pillow, [...] and it's got these concavities here that cradle your face if you're a side sleeper. I'm a back sleeper and it's just so comfortable on the neck."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

JVN Nourishing Shine Drops

"These are called Nourishing Shine Drops, but here's how I found that these work for me: when your hair is dirty it is a little bit easier to style it holds better. This product kind of gives that effect without your hair looking dirty, greasy or oily. It gives your hair a little bit of almost texture grip without weighing the hair down and looking heavy or oily whatsoever. I find I need quite a bit of it to get it distributed all throughout the ends of my hair, that's where I primarily put it. When I use it, if I'm wanting to wear my hair down the next day and kind of have my waves pattern come out and look together, this works because it really keeps everything together but also allows for easy styling and hold. This really helps though for hair styling purposes."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Lancôme Advanced Génifique Youth Activating Concentrate

"I've been trying out the Lancôme Advanced Génifique that was gifted to me and I don't see any reason to buy this when things like this exist and offer similar hydrating benefits."

✕Nay

57%Guru Score

Body & Tan67 reviews

Gold Bond Age Renew Retinol Overnight Body & Face Lotion

"I love Gold Bond Age Renew Retinol. It can improve collagen production. I find it's a thicker cream, so it feels maybe a little nicer on dry skin, though I personally get a little bit more of a cosmetic benefit from the Amlactin 12% lotion visually speaking, but I really do love this product."

✓Yay

93%Guru Score

Remedy KP Exfoliating Body Scrub

"I really enjoyed the KP body scrub surprisingly."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

Remedy KP Exfoliating Body Moisturizer

"I think I'm going to repurchase the KP moisturizer come winter time because that one is really really rich. When I first reviewed it years ago I felt like it wasn't that rich, but this last time I tried it in the new packaging I was like, whoa, this is really heavy. That has become one that I really like."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion

"Another excellent value here with colloidal oatmeal, hydrating, soothing, anti-inflammatory, and barrier protective. Yes, you can use this on the face, it will just feel heavier."

✓Yay

75%Guru Score

Kerasal Intensive Foot Repair Ointment

"I also like the Kerasal ointment. It has real good staying power on the nail, it lasts a lot longer, it adheres, and it really allows for good penetration of those ingredients."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Body Lotion

"When it comes to moisturizing the body for the summer, I really like that Neutrogena Hydro Boost Body Gel Cream, fragrance-free. It's very hydrating, lightweight, not greasy on the skin."

✓Yay

93%Guru Score

Aveeno Skin Relief Oat Body Wash

"I really like this colloidal oatmeal, hydrating, soothing, anti-inflammatory. It also helps with gently cleansing just from the colloidal oatmeal alone. It's $14.99, not on sale, but that's 28 cents per unit, which is cheaper than the rain bath."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash

"These products from Dove, the bar soap and the body wash, really do a good job moisturizing the skin simultaneously. That 24-hour lotion soft skin, I can attest to that. You get three bottles for $12.99, normally $17.99, so it's a great value whether you go liquid or solid."

✓Yay

57%Guru Score

Topicals Slather Exfoliating Body Serum

"This topicals exfoliating body serum is here. It has retinol. It has lactic acid and urea. It also has ubiquinone which is an antioxidant that has decent penetration in the skin. It can help improve ubiquinone or Q10 levels in your own skin. This is on offer here for $12.99, which I think is a pretty good deal. However, urea, lactic acid, hello intensive."

~Mixed

79%Guru Score

Dove Sensitive Skin Hypoallergenic Body Wash

"With the Dove Sensitive, I want to point out: you might think of sensitive, hypoallergenic, that's an automatic fragrance-free. You'd be wrong. This body wash is in fact scented. So if you're allergic to fragrance, you really have to read the ingredients because hypoallergenic is a non-regulated term. Generally, it means the product use that term to convey that they've formulated the product in such a way that they believe it is low risk of being irritating and containing fewer allergens. But sometimes that name will appear on something that contains, yes, maybe fewer ingredients overall, but a common allergen."

✕Nay

75%Guru Score

Aveeno Eczema Therapy Itch Balm

"Speaking of Aveeno, I really wish they would get the Eczema Therapy Itch Balm here because I am about to tap out of a jar of that after just several weeks of use. I absolutely adore that. That's got to be an Aveeno holy grail product."

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

Suave Moisturizing Body Lotion

"I did not like the Suave lotions. These didn't cut it for me. They were not good."

✕Nay

59%Guru Score

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Fragrance-Free Body Lotion

"This is a product from them that I hope they never discontinue because it's affordable, it's effective, I absolutely adore it."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

CeraVe SA Body Lotion with Salicylic Acid, Mandelic Acid and Gluconolactone

"The CeraVe SA Body Lotion is something that you could layer over thinner products under thicker products. If you want a product that is going to be a moisturizer and is going to deliver the salicylic acid, then the lotion makes perfect sense. A lot of serums certainly their backbone is moisturizing, but they're not necessarily as occlusive and they don't quite really comprehensively moisturize the skin in all cases."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

Alpha Skin Care Renewal Body Lotion 12% Glycolic Acid

"The Alpha Skincare 12% glycolic acid body lotion is a wonderful option. It's a really good product for moisturizing dry, rough skin texture, but with long-term consistent use may also help to improve the thickness of the skin, helping to visibly improve the appearance of crepey skin."

✓Yay

73%Guru Score

Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream

"Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream. Amazing. They have a fragrance-free one. Highly recommend that."

✓Yay

92%Guru Score

Gold Bond Age Renew Crepe Corrector Body Lotion

"This particular moisturizer, it's called the crepe corrector because it's really good at hydrating and it has a firming effect for those little crepey lines."

✓Yay

65%Guru Score

Olay Indulgent Moisture Body Wash

"It's kind of the same principle as Dove where it cleanses but moisturizes at the same time. Unfortunately, it's got tholinones which are those preservatives that people frequently become allergic to. So yet another reason why I prefer to stick to Dove body wash. That being said, Olay body wash is pretty good aside from that, but it's not as good as Dove."

~Mixed

74%Guru Score

EOS 24-Hour Moisture Body Lotion Peppermint Cashmere

"Like I did not like the pistachio one specifically."

✕Nay

76%Guru Score

APLB Glutathione Niacinamide Body Wash

"This is the Glutathione Niacinamide Body Wash from APLB, a Korean brand. I have been working on this for like a little over a year and I love it except for the fact that the pump doesn't reach all the way down to the product. So when you're in the shower, you're like opening it up, pouring it into your hands once you get to the end. Body wash, however, is a really nice gentle, hydrating, soothing all over body wash. You can use it on your face, but it does burn and sting if it gets around your eye area. It has niacinamide antioxidants to help ward off oxidative stress. It also has hydrolyzed collagen which is very hydrating. I would definitely repurchase this. It lasted a really long time and I've liked everything from this brand I've tried so far. It'd be a great option if you have sensitive skin, eczema, really anyone honestly. It's great for gentle yet effective body cleansing."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Secret Clinical Strength Antiperspirant

"One thing I will say about this clinical from Secret is that it does not glide on the skin easily. Like the regular Secret has a better glide to it."

✕Nay

75%Guru Score

Vaseline Intensive Care Advanced Repair Lotion

"The Vaseline Intensive Care Advanced Repair Lotion is really good for face and body."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Olay Retinol 24 Smoothing Body Lotion

"I'd like to try their Olay Retinol 24 Smoothing Body Lotion. Retinol and a body lotion is useful for improving the appearance of sun damage. It does have niacinamide, which is a great ingredient actually to pair with retinol for sun damage, for hyperpigmentation, for all sorts of benefits for the moisture barrier. It's one thing about retinol, it kind of gets a bad rap because you get a lot of dryness and peeling and irritation. And people don't realize that with long-term consistent use, ultimately it improves barrier function. And therefore in the long run, you have better moisture retention, less dryness in general, and less susceptibility to flare ups of dry skin."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub with 10% AHA

"It's not advertised that way, but that product in my opinion works just as well, if not better than the KP body scrub from First Aid Beauty that's so popular."

~Mixed

69%Guru Score

Native Body Wash

"Native has Body Wash with of course niacinamide which is good for moisturizing and you know addressing dry skin needs."

~Mixed

75%Guru Score

Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Fragrance-Free Hand Cream

"This is another one that I really like. The Norwegian formula fragrance-free. Hope they never discontinue that. That would be like a sacrifice to their brand because that's one of the OG products from Neutrogena."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Dove Advanced Care Dry Spray Invisible Deodorant

"The Dove Advanced Care Dry Spray, that's one of my favorite antiperspirants, but it is a fragrance bomb right there. And that's the problem with a lot of antiperspirants. Either you're sensitive to the aluminum that causes irritation or it's the strong concentration of fragrance that causes irritation for people. And a lot of times that actually has been known to cause what's called a pigmented contact dermatitis under the arms and be a contributing factor in persistent dark underarms is strong fragrances and antiperspirance."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Lumi Whole Body Deodorant

"Lumi, whose ads we cannot escape here on YouTube, these whole body deodorants tend to be formulated with ingredients that may help absorb excess moisture, offering some of the benefits that you might get from a powder without turning cakey or becoming abrasive to the skin surface. They also have ingredients in them that in theory help to maintain the acidic nature of the skin barrier, ultimately promoting a healthier skin microbiome, reducing the burden of bacteria that cause you to stink. These products often have fragrance in them which [...] is a common skin allergen especially in the skin folds where you have a greater exposure to it because of the friction, the occlusion, the sweat leads to greater penetration, and honestly these fragrance compounds they can end up making you smell even worse in my experience."

~Mixed

74%Guru Score

Dove Whole Body Deodorant

"Everybody has got a Whole Body Deodorant these days. These products tend to be formulated with ingredients that may help absorb excess moisture, kind of are offering some of the benefits that you might get from a powder without turning cakey or becoming abrasive to the skin surface. They also have ingredients in them that in theory help to maintain the acidic nature of the skin barrier, ultimately promoting a healthier skin microbiome, reducing the burden of bacteria that cause you to stink. These products often have fragrance in them which is a common skin allergen especially in the skin folds where you have a greater exposure to it because of the friction, the occlusion, the sweat leads to greater penetration, and honestly these fragrance compounds they can end up making you smell even worse in my experience. But some of these Whole Body Deodorant products are fragrance-free and they do help to cut down on the accumulation of moisture and perhaps help to facilitate a better skin microbiome."

~Mixed

76%Guru Score

Tree Hut Watermelon Shave Oil

"You know I ride or die for the shave oils. Tree Hut Shave Oil, love it to bits. [...] The shave oil is just another way to create a barrier between you and the razor blade to cut down on irritation and dryness. I just happened to discover the shave oils a while back and I really like them. No, they're not the same as just going into your pantry and grabbing a little Wesson and smearing it on there, because they are meant to rinse off the skin and they don't clog the razor. I mean, love them."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Josie Maran Whipped Argan Body Butter - Vanilla Vibes

"It'd be way too expensive to actually moisturize your body daily with these"

~Mixed

78%Guru Score

Josie Maron Vanilla Vibes Body Butter

"They are nice i mean they're not offering the hydration the bounce that like a gold bond does or a Neutrogena Hydroboost body gel cream it's nice gives gloss glide it hydrates it moisturizes and these scents they're great"

~Mixed

75%Guru Score

Eucerin Advanced Repair Lotion

"A Urea lotion that is actually very thick, very rich is Eucerin Advanced Repair Lotion, and that's going to be on sale also fragrance-free. Arguably one of Eucerin's best products in their roughness relief series. Urea is a fantastic ingredient for dry, rough skin, for hydrating, for smoothing."

✓Yay

93%Guru Score

QV Bath Oil

"QV is an Australian skincare brand that has a Bath Oil that is mineral oil. Mineral oil is fantastic, it moisturizes the skin, reduces transepidermal water loss, cuts down on friction. I mean, it's great."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Hand Cream

"The La Roche-Posay Cicaplast has a hand cream as well that is excellent. It's likewise dimethicone based. These are great options for throughout the day because you don't want something too greasy that's going to make it difficult for you to do whatever it is that you need to do."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

APLB Glutathione Niacinamide Body Lotion

"I discovered this body lotion this year and I'm almost finished with the bottle I have been using it so much. It has niacinamide, which is good for dark spots, redness, the moisture barrier, and oxidative stress, but it also has glutathione, which is an antioxidant that can be helpful for defending against oxidative stress. This lotion is very lightweight and hydrating because it has sodium hyaluronate, glycerin, and squalane. It also has Centella asiatica extract, which are botanical extracts that are anti-inflammatory and soothing. I have enjoyed using this almost like thinking of it as an antioxidant serum for the body because it's pretty lightweight at the same time it's very moisturizing, and you deliver those antioxidants that can help with dark spots, redness, and the moisture barrier. It's great for stubborn areas on your body like your arms and thighs, and I've also used this comfortably on my face."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

CeraVe Intensive Foot Repair

"CeraVe Intensive Foot Repair is the game-changing skincare product. As the [...] name applies, it's intensive. It has urea and salicylic acid, those are catalytics. They go in there and they break up the glue between those outermost skin cells, helping to exfoliate and smooth everything out. Apply this after a shower. It's in a petroleum jelly base similar to Vaseline. Those active ingredients will get in there and dissolve up that dry, rough stuff. Apply it to the feet after a shower or bath and apply it to the palms as well. Cover with socks and gloves, that will really enhance the penetration of those active ingredients down through that thick wall of stratum corneum. [...] Be sure to wash your hands after you apply this, because if you touch your face and transfer the residue from that product to like your eyelids, it can cause a lot of eyelid irritation."

✓Yay

90%Guru Score

Prequel Foot Rescue Advanced Restorative Treatment

"I finished their Prequel Foot Rescue Advanced Restorative Treatment. This is a foot ointment with some keratolytic ingredients to really actively help improve callous above and beyond simply lubricating the skin surface. It has urea which is a hydrating ingredient but also keratolytic. It also has salicylic acid which also helps to exfoliate buildup of callous. The urea in this [...] is also really good for the health of your nail plate, so like for your toenails for example. I really enjoyed this. It was fine, but in comparison to other foot ointments it is not as intense. [...] I was able to use this on a nightly basis. Feet look great, it really does a good job, does what it's supposed to do, but it's less [...] intense in comparison. [...] I really enjoyed this as well and went through it pretty quickly."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

Loving Tan 8 Hour Express Tan

"I've heard so many rave reviews about it online but you never know if that's 100% authentic."

~Mixed

66%Guru Score

Jergens Self Tanning Lotion

"I've tried Jergens sunless tanning lotion, that's like the main one I've tried, but I've heard really good things about this one. It seems pretty expensive, but I'm not averse to the sunless tan smell."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Dove Advanced Care Acne Clear Body Wash

"Dove has launched a new set of body washes, and of course they have an acne body wash, Acne Clear, with salicylic acid, 1%. This will also potentially help if you have rough and bumpy skin. It may also be helpful if you have some hyperpigmentation on the body and may be helpful if you deal with conditions related to that yeast, whether it be seborrheic dermatitis or even Tinea Versicolor. Salicylic acid can be somewhat beneficial for that."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Vaseline Radiant X Body Lotion

"I got a sample of this Vaseline Radiant body lotion at the AAD recently and I actually really liked it. It has niacinamide in it which is good for the moisture barrier. It did have fragrance but it wasn't like headache inducing, it was kind of pleasant."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Vaseline Intensive Care Body Lotion

"You guys do not pay double the price for 100% petroleum jelly like there's no there's no reason to"

✕Nay

78%Guru Score

Dove Glowing with Shea Butter Body Lotion

"The Dove body lotion has kind of a nostalgic scent. Some of the Dove scents there's like a nostalgia to them that's really soothing."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

Nivea Coenzyme Q10 Skin Firming Body Lotion

"We have the Nivea Skin Firming Hydration with Q10, ubiquinone is a lipid-soluble antioxidant that is naturally present in your skin. There's some evidence that applying it to the skin may help in boosting up your skin's own antioxidant systems and reducing oxidative stress. These ingredients, antioxidants, a lot of it has to just be a faith effort like you're not actually going to know if they're getting in and neutralizing free radicals to reduce damage to your skin. You kind of just have to believe that they are, and with time maybe there will be a difference."

✓Yay

72%Guru Score

First Aid Beauty KP Smoothing Body Lotion

"They repackaged their KP Smoothing Body Lotion, which they've had for a while now. Alpha hydroxy acids are good for rough and bumpy skin, so lactic acid is good for keratosis pilaris, and urea. [...] This is pretty good overall. It [...] has licorice root and ceramides and colloidal oatmeal, so it really is formulated with the needs of KP in mind. It has very hydrating ingredients and very good barrier supporting ingredients, underscoring the fact that KP is a dry skin condition, but then the acid is to address the dry rough bumps."

✓Yay

75%Guru Score

Versed Backup Plan Acne Control Body Mist

"I'm a huge fan of salicylic acid sprays like this for hard to reach areas for breakouts. It also has dipotassium glycyrrhizate from licorice root, which is really helpful for calming down inflammation and redness. The tea tree leaf extract may be anti-inflammatory, but some people end up developing an allergy to it, and it also has witch hazel water, which is an astringent that some people find irritating."

~Mixed

75%Guru Score

Dial Antibacterial Hand Soap

"I don't recommend Dial soap. It used to contain triclosan, and since that was banned it now has another antimicrobial ingredient, benzalkonium chloride, which has many of the same concerns. There was a big trend on TikTok of people buying Dial soap as an acne treatment, but I don't recommend that, both because of the issues with resistant microorganisms and because Dial soap on your face is super irritating. It's not an ideal pH for the skin of your face, so it can cause a lot of dryness and irritation, and it's not an acne treatment. There are much better acne fighting ingredients out there, like a salicylic acid cleanser."

✕Nay

50%Guru Score

Eucerin Eczema Relief Body Cream

"I happen to be a huge fan of the Eucerin Eczema Relief. It's a colloidal oatmeal based product with ceramide, and colloidal oatmeal is a great skin protectant that helps reduce water loss from the skin. It also has glycyrrhiza inflata root extract from licorice root, which is helpful for people who have eczema or very sensitive skin, and its anti-inflammatory properties can help with hyperpigmentation and redness. It's free of fragrance, which is a common allergen that can be particularly problematic for people who have eczema."

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

Irish Spring Bar Soap

"Irish Spring is a true soap, and true soap is quite alkaline, which disrupts your skin's pH. Those harsh effects can leave your skin dry and vulnerable to irritant penetration. We've come so much further than that, and I don't encourage you to use it."

✕Nay

57%Guru Score

Bring Back Memories Hand Cream

"This is a scented Hand Cream with a bunch of essential oils, and it has shea butter, which is nice and moisturizing. It's pretty watery, kind of like a lotion, and it smells really strong, like a juice bar, cilantro and wheatgrass. If you like that scent you're gonna love this Hand Cream. Not mad at that, I will definitely use it."

✓Yay

66%Guru Score

O'Keeffe's Working Hands

"From the O'Keeffe's Winter Skin Essentials set, the hand cream is really good."

✓Yay

91%Guru Score

Josie Maran Argan Pro-Retinol Whipped Body Butter

"Here's a product that's expensive that I actually love, it's the Josie Maran Argan Pro-Retinol with body butter. I hate the whole pro-retinol thing because there's really nothing in here that is evidence based for having retinol activity, but it is a really nice moisturizer, I love it, I love it, I love it."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Eucerin Eczema Relief Body Wash

"Eucerin doesn't make a bad product, and the Eczema Relief Cream Body Wash is fantastic. It has colloidal oatmeal in it, a skin protectant, and it's helpful for removing dirt, debris and impurities from the surface of the skin, cleansing without stripping. It's almost like a cleansing cream for the body. I've been very happy with it. It doesn't really lather, it's a non-foaming cleanser, so if you're somebody who really enjoys body washes with a big lather, you're not going to get that pleasurable experience with this product, it's more useful for people with eczema or very sensitive skin. But I love it, I enjoy it, it's effective, and I recommend it."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Paula's Choice 5% Niacinamide Body Serum

"Update on the Paula's Choice 5% Niacinamide Body Serum, I've got to say I think this works as a facial moisturizer better than as a body moisturizer. It's kind of lightweight, it's not that body consistency, it's more a really lightweight lotion."

~Mixed

77%Guru Score

Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream

"I actually like the scent of the Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, it's kind of a vanilla amber tropical scent and it's a long lasting scent that lingers. But I don't like it enough that I would incorporate this into my regular routine, I don't like it enough to buy it, this was a free sample. It's also thinner in consistency and quite a bit more expensive than the Costco dupe."

~Mixed

63%Guru Score

Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap

"I know that Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap has a cult following, but the problem with this is it can be pretty drying overall, so just be aware of that."

✕Nay

61%Guru Score

Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Body Lotion

"Retinols to the body can help improve the visible signs of skin aging like sunspots and may help improve the look of cellulite and stretch marks, though don't get high hopes—we're talking modest benefit. This looks moisturizing, but retinol body products tend to go on in a streaky fashion. It has encapsulated retinol which is presumably more stable and has better penetration."

~Mixed

81%Guru Score

CeraVe Therapeutic Hand Cream

"CeraVe's got a good one, the Therapeutic Hand Cream. It's got dimethicone which is a skin protectant and ceramides which are good for recovery of the moisture barrier, especially with all the hand washing."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Aveeno Therapeutic Shave Gel

"Make sure you use a shaving cream, and I recommend the Aveeno Therapeutic Shave Gel."

✓Yay

93%Guru Score

Advanced Clinicals Retinol Body Cream

"Advanced Clinicals has a Retinol Body Cream that is pretty good."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter

"I love these because they give the skin this nice glossy finish. Are they the most impressive moisturizing formulas as far as the results they deliver? No. Especially for the price point. But when you're getting it sent to you for free, then you're like, "Woo!" So I always have to keep that in mind. When I get things sent to me, it's like, "Okay, but in real life, if it was not gifted to you, would you be as happy with it?" And probably I would be like, did I really spend that much money on this? But I'm not going to say it's bad. It's a good moisturizer."

~Mixed

81%Guru Score

Vaseline All Over Body Balm Jelly Stick

"I've been using the Vaseline All Over Body Balm Healing Jelly Stick as a nighttime lip balm, and I love it for the sides of my fingers because I get those little water blisters, and I have not had those in a long time. And I attribute it to this as maintenance when it's cleared up. But when it's active, this I would not use because if you've ever had hydraulic hand eczema, when you have the little blisters bubbling up, don't put petroleum jelly on them because it kind of aggravates it by trapping in those little moisture bubbles. The product is great for the lips."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Remedy For Body Bumps

"It is a great product if you are looking to brighten up and improve the look of sun damage, photo aging on the backs of the hands, the chest, the sides of the neck. If you have what's called keratosis pilaris, I think you may find that this particular formulation helps to address some of those visible changes and improve the overall appearance of the skin. It's a really good formula. I don't have any problem with it. It doesn't peel, it doesn't leave the skin feeling filmy or greasy. I really liked it. I did go through it very quickly, but then again that's me, I am a glutton for moisturizer."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

Fenty Beauty Skin Butter Drop Shimmering Whipped Oil Body Cream

"I've tried this out a couple of times. It smells exactly like a Ginger Snap cookie. It's actually a pretty nice glossy formula, however they are not joking when they say shimmer. I didn't realize that and I put it on and I was like okay this is nice like the fragrance, but y'all know it's my preference to not have fragrance in things, and this is price-wise not something I would buy. I prefer to use it because I am a moisturizer, like I really go through it fast, like I can't be dropping this kind of price point. There is so much glitter in this. You don't really see it when you put it on, you're like okay I guess, but once it dries down that ultra fine glitter gets everywhere."

✕Nay

77%Guru Score

Necessaire Body Serum

"I'm a fan of a lot of products by Necessaire. Their Body Serum is really good. I mean, I use it on my face."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Necessaire Hand Cream

"Their Hand Cream, I love it."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Haircare57 reviews

Nizoral A-D Anti-Dandruff Shampoo (1% Ketoconazole)

"I like to recommend ketoconazole shampoo a fair amount, it's very safe. It's sold over the counter here in the United States as Nizoral shampoo, and it can also be prescribed in a slightly higher percentage. It's not a DHT blocker but it has antifungal effects, and laboratory studies suggest it may also work as an anti-androgen. I would say ketoconazole shampoo is pretty low risk and potentially very high reward. If anything, it helps reduce the burden of malassezia on the scalp, which is very inflammatory and thought to play a supporting role in driving the miniaturization process even further. So it's definitely worth pursuing, especially if you have dandruff, you get a two for one there, so I say why not."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Aquis Microfiber Hair Towel

"Aquis, the Microfiber Hair Towel, I'm all about. I have several, I've had them for years. They were on the pricey side, and I think that was their ultimate downfall since consumers could get one at TJ Maxx for a fraction of the price, but they were more of an investment and they've definitely outlasted any of the TJ Maxx ones I've ever purchased."

✓Yay

92%Guru Score

K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask

"You could also try using a bond repair product. I have personally had good success with that popular K18 hair mask. These just help to re-approximate temporarily the bonds in the hair, especially if you have color treated hair with a lot of damage that ends up getting frizzy in humidity, [...] or excessive heat damage on the hair. [...] The K18 hair mask is not heat activated, unlike the other options."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Hair Serum

"I do use and prefer to the Virtue Healing Oil as far as a heavier product that I'll put on my ends, the Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum. The one I use has fragrance, but they have a fragrance-free hair silicone hair serum as well. Really good, performed amazingly for me actually in a desert climate where deserts in my hair it's a mess. My hair was amazing in Palm Springs. That's when I was using the Paul Mitchell Super Serum a lot there, when I first discovered it and I still use it quite a bit now. But I don't use it every single day. I use it a couple of days a week. Gets pretty heavy."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

RevitaLash Advanced Eyelash Conditioner

"They have prostaglandin analogues which is fine, that's an effective ingredient. But the problem with that ingredient is that it has side effects. And in contrast to getting that ingredient from a doctor where you have a prescription and you're being monitored, it's a wild west out there with the cosmetic version, which does the exact same thing as bimatoprost, which is the active drug in Latisse. You've got to be aware there are a lot of side effects that come with using these. That's why you won't see me hyping up one of these because I don't want anybody to develop perorbital fat loss or hyperpigmentation around the eyes or change of eye color."

✕Nay

61%Guru Score

Head & Shoulders Classic Clean Shampoo

"I do have atopic dermatitis and even though I'm real liberal with fragrance, there are just better preservatives out there, and with so much available I don't think there are enough alternatives that I don't need to use products with tholanones. Sometimes I accidentally get things that have tholanones, like for example certain anti-dander shampoos put tholanones in and it's kind of hard to avoid them. Head & Shoulders for the longest time always had tholanone."

✕Nay

74%Guru Score

Head & Shoulders Bare Shampoo

"They've got the Bare line which I really like, and that doesn't have the ingredient, but I don't know why they don't just phase it out of their Classic Clean as well. I was told they were going to but I still see it on the ingredient list so I don't know what that's all about."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Happy Cappy Zinc Pyrithione Baby Shampoo

"There's this Happy Cappy shampoo that is marketed for babies with cradle cap, which is dandruff that babies get. It is a great option as a gentle face wash for people who have seborrheic dermatitis. You could use it as a shampoo as well. You don't have to be a baby."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

CeraVe Anti-Dandruff Shampoo with Zinc Pyrithione

"[CeraVe], in my opinion, they really did a good job. They really brought a full package here with their anti-dandruff line, the zinc pyrithione. If you dose conditioner up by your roots, they recommend coming in with the conditioner that has zinc pyrithione. According to Proctor and Gamble, when you put conditioner up there after you've rinsed the zinc pyrithione shampoo out and let it incubate before rinsing, you end up removing some of that initial zinc pyrithione from the shampoo."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Dove Intensive Repair Hair Mask

"This Dove Intensive Repair Hair Mask is really good though. Highly recommend this. It was like a discovery for me last year. [...] It's quite good just for really helping to smooth and impart shine."

✓Yay

90%Guru Score

Maelove Full Follicle Advanced Scalp Serum

"The scalp serum I was really surprised with because I've tried many scalp serums over the years. And in contrast to others I've tried, this one actually did not leave any kind of greasy residue on the hair strands. I hate that about a lot of scalp serums. They're just not formulated for fine hair, which a lot of people struggling with hair loss, you know, they don't want some product that is so thick and goopy it's going to glom onto their hair and make it look extra greasy. I was pretty impressed with how it basically transformed my hair."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Maelove Full Follicle Shampoo

"I was pretty impressed with how it basically transformed my hair. [...] I had been using a shampoo before that was not good, and within a matter of a couple of days of using their new line, I had a significant improvement in the overall cosmetic appearance of my hair. It looked fuller, and that fullness was maintained throughout the time I used the products. It seemed to give me a little more volume at the crown, just kind of lifting the hair up a bit. Although once I finished the line and stopped using the products, my hair went back to the way it was. My takeaway as a dermatologist is that these products help improve the appearance of the hair. Shampoos or scalp directed products with caffeine definitely show promise for androgenetic alopecia, so if that's something you're dealing with and you're interested in using caffeine in your hair care routine, I would definitely consider these products. They are very good."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Dr. Groot Hair Growth Shampoo

"Dr. Groot utilizes rosemary, which is marketing. Rosemary for hair is not well established. There is a study and the study sucks to say to put it lightly, and I've explained that in numerous videos on why rosemary oil for hair is fluff BS. This also has caffeine in it though, which can get into the hair follicle, localize there, stay there, and help to energize hair follicle cells and reduce oxidative stress and has been shown to be helpful for hair loss. Haven't used this myself, but it has also bifida ferment lysate, which is very hydrating. You get two bottles for $46.99."

✕Nay

65%Guru Score

CeraVe Fragrance-Free Hydrating Hair Care Shampoo and Conditioner

"I really really like these. These work really well for my hair. The shampoo is very mild. It's very gentle and it does not leave any kind of residue behind. It leaves the hair soft, manageable. It helps that it has niacinamide in the formula and the ceramides for scalp moisturization purposes. The conditioner works well for improving manageability, shine, reducing static, all of those things that the strands need after shampooing. The conditioner nicely addresses. I've repurchased this. Obviously, it's a great option, fragrance-free. I have gotten comments though that it this particular shampoo and conditioner doesn't work out for some people. they find that it leaves the hair dry, which I don't. Yeah, that has not been the case for me with these at all."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Rogaine Minoxidil 5% Foam

"The 5% minoxidil foam marketed as Rogaine for men, but [...] women can use 5% minoxidil and often will end up getting better results than they would from 2%. [...] If you have androgenetic alopecia, which is pattern hair loss, it is definitely a go-to established treatment for that. When you first start using it, you will experience an increase in hair shedding. That is normal. That's to be expected because minoxidil works by putting more hair follicles into the growing phase and it helps to get hair follicles that have miniaturized into the growing phase. You have to give it some time. But with consistent use, you can see improvement in regrowth, hair density, hair thickness. Unfortunately, it can be a bit irritating. As far as a hair loss treatment, it's a go-to. Do be aware, however, that if you have little pets, the residue, if it gets on your pillow and they lick it or they come in contact with something you used in applying it to the scalp, it can be very harmful to them, especially to cats."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Neutrogena T/Gel Coal Tar Shampoo

"It's the Neutrogena T/Gel. This has been around for a long time. Fingers crossed they never discontinue it. It is a salicylic acid fragrance-free shampoo that is excellent for gently exfoliating the scalp, calming down scalp inflammation, reducing the formation of flakes and helping to remove product buildup. So, it's a great option if you have dandruff or if you use a lot of styling products and you've gotten some scalp buildup that is irritating and contributing to itch."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Dove Intensive Repair Shampoo and Conditioner

"The Dove Damage Therapy Shampoo is pretty good. I've used that before. You can get the shampoo for $7.98. That's 30 cents per ounce. Still significantly less expensive than that. Then likewise, they have a conditioner 30 cents per ounce."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Keristos Elixir Ultimate Hydrating Hair Oil

"I find that this performs similar if not a little bit better compared to that."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Maelove Full Follicle Shampoo and Conditioner

"I'm almost finished with the um May Love shampoo and conditioner. Been really happy with those."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Selsun Blue Selenium Sulfide Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

"Selsun Blue is the most popular selenium sulfide shampoo here in the US, and it's my go to first line treatment for tinea versicolor. The selenium sulfide is an antifungal ingredient that helps get rid of the overabundance of that yeast. Given everything I've said about the protocol, it can work, it is well established to work, though for a lot of people it doesn't work because they weren't properly counseled or didn't do the protocol correctly. It's rather involved and a lot to keep up with, but I suggest doing it once a week for at least three months, and bringing it back into your shower routine once the hot humid months approach."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Oribe Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil

"I really like their hair oil. The Oribe Gold Lust Hair Oil is amazing."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Vichy Dercos Anti-Dandruff DS Shampoo

"Vichy has a selenium sulfide shampoo here good for dandruff, similar to selenium sulfide and Selsun Blue. I really like it."

✓Yay

87%Guru Score

L'Oreal EverPure Sulfate-Free Clarifying Shampoo

"Speaking of clarifying shampoo, this is a great one from L'Oreal. I was using it a lot in my apartment where the hard water and it really helped with the hard water residue."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

L'Oreal EverPure Bond Repair+ Shampoo & Conditioner

"I was pointing out this L'Oreal EverPure shampoo and conditioner because one of you guys told me they discontinued the elastic fiber mask which really makes me sad."

✕Nay

76%Guru Score

Nutrafol Hair Growth Supplement

"Nutrafol includes 200 micrograms of selenium in their hair supplement, both their original one and the vegan one. Be really careful if you're taking that, it recently was responsible for a case of serious liver failure, likely due to a combination of things in the formula, and so the 200 micrograms of selenium in there could also be dangerous for you."

✕Nay

63%Guru Score

Nair Hair Removal Cream

"If you're going to buy Nair don't use their leg cream on your face don't use their leg cream in the bikini area"

✕Nay

50%Guru Score

Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo

"I tried the Olaplex shampoo and while I liked it, I really didn't find that my hair was any different in comparison to using that Pantene shampoo."

~Mixed

77%Guru Score

Head & Shoulders Zinc Pyrithione Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

"Head and Shoulders with zinc [pyrithione]"

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

Selsun Blue Anti-dandruff Shampoo

"Selsun Blue has selenium sulfide. Anti-dandruff shampoos are medicated shampoos that have active ingredients addressing the root causes of dandruff. They work to treat dandruff by addressing the malassezia yeast or helping to exfoliate those abnormal clumps of skin cells that aren't turning over properly because of the inflammation in the scalp, and ultimately help cut down on flake formation. They also have anti-inflammatory properties. However, a lot of these shampoos are a little on the drying side, so if you actually have a dry scalp and not dandruff, these might make your dry scalp significantly worse. [...] Some people respond really well to just one ingredient and that's what they use to control their dandruff, while others find they get better results when they choose a couple of different active ingredients and alternate them."

✓Yay

73%Guru Score

Neutrogena T/Sal Therapeutic Shampoo

"A salicylic acid anti-dandruff shampoo like Neutrogena T/Sal, that's the one I recommend. I like, I've used it myself, it's good, it's free of fragrance. Salicylic acid shampoo can be helpful if you deal with deodex [folliculitis] because it may cut down on some scalp buildup that ultimately fuels more deodex proliferation. Salicylic acid shampoo may also to a certain extent be somewhat useful for malesia [folliculitis] as well. Probably not going to cure bacterial [folliculitis], honestly it won't cure any of these, but it has anti-inflammatory effects on the scalp and may be helpful."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Seen Restore Scalp Serum

"The Restore Scalp Serum I've recommended in my video on dry scalp it's a hydrating formula but in contrast if you just want and put your body lotion on your scalp this is not going to gunk up your hair so it goes into hair bearing areas really well"

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Dove DermaCare Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

"This is one of my favorite dandruff shampoos and has zinc pyrithione in it, really good it's not drying in my experience"

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Oribe Shampoo

"I wasn't too impressed with their shampoo"

✕Nay

73%Guru Score

Kirkland Signature Minoxidil

"Just go to Costco and get the Kirkland minoxidil. That would be my first line recommendation."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Dove 10-in-1 Bond Strength Peptide Complex Serum Hair Mask

"I may have to buy this today because I have not seen this and I love a good hair mask. I wish they would start putting them in tubes because hair masks in pots are so unwieldy, you end up dropping them sometimes in the shower, water gets in there, it's just a mess. But I am tempted to buy that patented technology, sign me up. And $13.49 doesn't seem too bad."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Neral Ketoconazole Shampoo 1%

"Neral which is ketoconazole, it's an antifungal, it's helpful for seborrheic dermatitis which likewise is related to malassezia. It does not have that pesky preservative in it that people frequently become allergic to. But another thing about ketoconazole is it has anti-androgen effects, so there's interest in it topically for acne, actually for addressing the hormonal component of acne. Not like super evidence-based, but 2% ketoconazole is prescription in a cream and some people actually get good improvement in their acne when using that. You could try this as a face wash."

~Mixed

71%Guru Score

Redken Acidic Perfecting Concentrate Leave-in Treatment

"I've been using this Redken Acidic Perfecting Concentrate for over a month now. It is intended for people who have color-treated hair or damaged hair from a lot of chemical processing. It has technology in it that allegedly reapproximates those damaged bonds and it also acts as a heat protectant. For me it's not been as good in terms of the bang for my buck I get as far as the styling benefit that it provides."

~Mixed

75%Guru Score

Dove Shampoo and Conditioner

"The drugstore shampoo brand that I have really liked a lot of what I've gotten has been Dove. Dove Shampoo and Conditioner has really been good for me. I love their Derma series specifically the anti-dandruff shampoo. They have been really really good."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density

"They do sell SK SCP moisturizer a pretty inexpensive product from the ordinary it's their natural moisturizing Factor plus ha for scalp uh fragrance-free it's lightweight it's hydrating Ura and lactic acid in this formula are hydrating and can soften and exfoliate dry skin they're part of your Skin's natural moisturizing factors so they're helpful for moisture retention this formula goes into the scalp very easily and doesn't really leave any kind of residue on the hair strands"

✓Yay

69%Guru Score

Seen Shampoo and Conditioner Set

"Seen is a hair care brand. They have shampoo and conditioner that are fragrance-free, really good. They also have a styling cream that's quite nice."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Drunk Elephant Cocomino Glossing Shampoo and Conditioner

"These are really nice moisturizing. I don't know though that they are necessarily worth the price point, but I do really like my hair the way it looks when I use these, glossy, smooth, silky, manageable. They're good products. They don't have any fragrance so that they have sweet almond oil and there's very strong aroma of sweet almond oil to them. But one thing I really like about these is the packaging. This packaging is great for your shower that just doesn't take up a lot of space."

~Mixed

74%Guru Score

Viviscal Hair Growth Supplement

"Unless you are deficient in something, which is rare, honestly they're unlikely to actually do anything. The studies on these things like Viviscal, they have limitations, the endpoints that they're measuring are not very consistent. It's got biotin, and there's no evidence that biotin is helpful for hair growth in the absence of biotin deficiency, which is super rare. But the problem with taking such high amounts of biotin is that it interferes with blood tests that you might get at your doctor's office to rule out a thyroid problem or to rule out that you're having a heart attack."

✕Nay

65%Guru Score

Moroccanoil Heat Protectant Spray

"I have a little travel can of the Moroccanoil Heat Protectant Spray, that stuff is great. I have a big one that I use all the time."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Hatomugi Skin Conditioner

"I have continued to use the Hatomugi Skin Conditioning Gel. I like this a lot. I think it's a pretty good value for how much you get in here. It's a very lightweight hydrating gel, a good option for the summer months as a moisturizer because it's nice and lightweight."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

Aquis Hair Turban

"The Aquis ones are really good, I have like four or five of them I have on rotation. They help remove the water from the hair, cutting down on dry time, and it's really helped cut down on frizz for me for sure."

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

Oribe Gold Lust Shampoo and Conditioner

"I've tried their Gold Lust Shampoo and Conditioner and I did not like either of those. For me personally they turned out to be a Pantene level experience, overly scented, and they really did not leave my hair very manageable at all. I don't have color treated hair, so maybe they're great for that, which is what I hear them hyped up for, but for me personally they were a major letdown."

✕Nay

66%Guru Score

The Ordinary Sulfate 4% Cleanser for Body and Hair

"The ordinary shampoo, the Sulfate 4% Cleanser for Body and Hair, isn't going to give you the experience you may be seeking if you like highly scented shampoos and lots of lathering, it doesn't really lather too much. But it is effective at leaving the hair and scalp clean, and I don't get the residue with this that I've gotten with a lot of other shampoos. It's very good, and I love the packaging, this newer rectangle bottle style. You can also use it as a body wash."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

Trader Joe's Shea Butter and Coconut Oil Hair Mask

"I recently tried this and really liked it. If you have a Trader Joe's in your area, I highly suggest the Trader Joe's hair mask, it's really good and very affordable."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

Trader Joe's Shea Butter and Coconut Oil Hair Serum

"I decided to buy the Trader Joe's Shea Butter and Coconut Oil Hair Serum and give it a go. This is not as good as the Function of Beauty one. I can't tell that it does anything. I think it's more helpful if you've got frizzy hair, maybe it helps with that, maybe if you have curly hair it might help tame the curl pattern, but for me it just doesn't do anything. If I put it on wet hair it makes my hair smell like coconut, which I like, but the following morning when my hair is completely dry it's like I don't even have anything on there. As a matter of fact I almost kind of think it made my hair ever so slightly a bit more static prone. I've tried it on dry hair too, and it doesn't really, at least for my hair type it kind of just looks greasy."

✕Nay

67%Guru Score

Drunk Elephant Silk Amino Mega Moisturizing Shampoo

"I like these, I think they're good, they leave the hair manageable, not greasy or weighed down. I particularly like the shampoo, it's got a little bit of a lather but not a ton of lather."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

The Ordinary Hair Care Shampoo

"I just finished up The Ordinary shampoo and conditioner, which were not too bad, although the shampoo is boring. I love a really scented shampoo, I like the foam, the lather, I like to have a sense that I can feel it being massaged over my scalp. This one is like, hello, are you even up there."

~Mixed

62%Guru Score

The Ordinary Behentrimonium Chloride 2% Conditioner

"The corresponding conditioner I likewise really liked, because it does what it's supposed to do. It helps neutralize the charge on the hair strands that comes about from shampooing, which would leave hair more prone to tangles and breakage, and that's exactly what this does. I have really liked what these do for my hair, I just don't care for the experience necessarily, I like really florally or fruity scented shampoos and a lot of lather, and that aspect is lacking here. But for somebody looking for a fragrance free shampoo and conditioner, check these out, eight bucks apiece, which I think is a pretty good price. I definitely will be repurchasing these in the future."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

Necessaire Shampoo

"They sent me their new shampoo and conditioner that are free of fragrance. Unfortunately, these have not been working out well for me. The shampoo leaves a residue close to my scalp, and I'm getting a lot of scalp itch with this product. It doesn't rinse off well and does leave buildup on the scalp and the strands, which makes it itchy and really uncomfortable."

✕Nay

68%Guru Score

T3 Hair dryer

"Is this the best Hair Dryer on the market? No, I am not likely to ever plunk down the money for a Dyson. But to me, this is kind of a medium price point as far as hair dryers on the market, and I am pleased with it. It has two different attachments, you can do low, medium, or high heat, and you can do a weaker blow or a more forceful airstream. There is a little button here that switches over to cool, which helps reduce static and the heat damage after you have been applying heat. I have been really happy with this. I use it for a few minutes pretty much daily now that I have gotten into doing heat styling my hair a bit."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Living Proof Clarifying Detox Shampoo

"If you live somewhere with hard water, especially if you have blonde hair and you find that the hard water is affecting your hair color or if you get your hair color treated, I suggest trying Living Proof's Triple Detox Shampoo. This shampoo not only has EDTA in it but it also has charcoal which will help absorb some of that residue on the hair."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

K18 Airwash Dry Shampoo

"I was sent a K18 dry shampoo and it actually worked really well for styling purposes. It's almost like a texturizer and for imparting a bit of lift at the roots. It was not something that caked up on my hair at all. But my goodness is that product ever hard to spray. The nozzle is really hard to work."

~Mixed

86%Guru Score

Function of Beauty Customizable Shampoo and Conditioner

"I made it through Function of Beauty shampoo and conditioner. I love these fully customizable hair care products that you can have delivered to your door. I like them because you can tweak the formula for your specific hair type and hair needs, which may change depending on the season or what you are doing with your hair. You can keep it fragrance free, which is good if you are allergic to fragrance, since it can be tricky to find a shampoo and conditioner that works for your hair type. I have been using them for about three years now and highly recommend them. I just like the convenience of having them delivered to my door."

✓Yay

69%Guru Score

Masks & Peels44 reviews

Tree Hut Shea Sugar Scrub

"This is fine if you have keratosis pilaris, for mechanical exfoliation. My experience with these Tree Hut ones is the scent is quite strong, it actively scents the body long after you have used it, it's pretty long lasting. I haven't used one in a long time though. Make sure your skin is wet before you use this, don't go on dry skin, it'll slough off much more easily if it's wet first."

~Mixed

66%Guru Score

Abib Rice Probiotics Overnight Mask Barrier Jelly

"I have been a huge fan of and continue to like and use a lot the Abib Barrier Jelly, which is essentially a glycerin rich night face mask or repair mask. It's a great option, a little bit less sticky compared to just straight vegetable glycerin, and either of them work well."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Biodance Bio-Collagen Real Deep Mask

"I love these Biodance masks. PDRN in skincare isn't really doing anything, but these are really good in general, as long as you're not allergic or irritated by the ingredients. They're really good for reducing water loss and hydrating the skin, and it's impressive how comfortable these masks are to wear. They take some time to dry down into that adherent film, which is really what limits me from doing them as often, since I'm a busy body and can't wait around for it to set. But basically it's just the principle of occlusion and reducing transepidermal water loss. You do see a visible improvement, albeit short-lived, and the following morning your skin is great, provided you tolerated it and it wasn't irritating. This is steep, $69.99 for the 24 pack, but if you already know you like these, it's not too bad of a splurge since they are on the pricier side. They do tend to go on sale on Amazon during the big sales."

✓Yay

75%Guru Score

Prequel Multi-Acid Milk Peel AHA Exfoliating Solution

"This is a great affordable dupe for a super popular expensive exfoliant. It has lactic acid in it and it has some other alpha hydroxy acids. It's a lightweight hydrating milky toner. You get quite a bit of product in this bottle. I have been working on this particular bottle off and on for a while now. Like when I run out of amlactin, I find myself using this. I put it on my body and then I put another moisturizer on because it's real thin. It does effectively hydrate and gently gently exfoliate rough skin texture. This is a great option not only for rejuvenating dry dull rough skin texture. It can be used on the body, but it's also really wonderful if you have keratosis pilaris. I think this is a great option not only for the body like the arms, the thighs, wherever you deal with it, but you can also obviously use this on the face. The reason I call it an affordable dupe is if you have ever come across the Sunday Riley Good Genes, that is so expensive. It's very popular and at the end of the day, it's a lactic acid toner, serum, whatever you want to name it. This does what that does, but much less expensive. Very good formulation. Highly recommend that."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

"Their 2% BHA liquid exfoliant is a best seller. It's one I frequently recommend. It's got to be one of their best products. It works. It's well-loved. But [...] it has gotten a lot more expensive than I recall it being in the past. [...] These days, [...] the going rate for the liquid exfoliant is $37 for 4 fluid ounces."

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

PanOxyl 2% Salicylic Acid Liquid Exfoliant

"Poxyl is a well-known brand amongst dermatologists. We've been recommending it to patients for years. I have recommended in numerous videos here and many other derms do as well. And it is a drugstore acne brand, right? Meaning you go into the drugstore, digital retailers carry it as well. And they now have a liquid salicylic acid leave on product very similar to the Paula's Choice one. Poxyl is $10.97 for the same 4 oz size. Both brands are reputable. Both brands create really effective, well-formulated, logical products. Lower price point does not mean lower efficacy."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

CeraVe Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating Treatment

"They have a great exfoliant, leave-on exfoliant that is wonderful for rough skin texture."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Pore Minimizing Quick Clay Stick Mask

"One great option is the Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Pore Minimizing Quick Clay Stick Mask. This one uses pink clay as well as kaolin clays that help to absorb that excess oil from the surface of the skin and from within the pore. And this formula also contains centella to help soothe the skin. It's not overly drying, and the convenient stick applicator makes it really easy to just apply to problematic areas like your T-zone where you tend to have a lot of shine. Apply it to a clean, dry face. Leave it on for 5 minutes or so and then rinse it off. You don't necessarily need to use it every day, although you can if you find that every day you have a lot of shine. It's great to use in the morning before starting your skincare routine."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Refreshing Pore Mask

"Beauty of Joseon has an excellent one."

✓Yay

75%Guru Score

Cetaphil Derm Control Clay Mask

"I'm a big fan of one from Cetaphil, but I feel like they discontinued it."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One AHA Lactic Acid Treatment

"I've used the Sunday Riley Good Genes. In addition to lactic acid, it also has licorice root, which is soothing and anti-inflammatory, good for redness, and good for dark spots, too. All well and good. But $122 for 1.7 oz. Like, this is just marketing. And Sunday Riley, they have some controversy behind the hype as well. They have a history of fudging online reviews. A lot of the hype is manufactured, I believe. It is a good product. It does what lactic acid does, helps smooth and hydrate the skin. But there are other options that do the same thing for less."

✕Nay

67%Guru Score

I'm From Honey Jelly Mask

"I love these repairing hand masks. And you can't tell me that this is like actually expired. 20 bucks seems pricey for it though. But inside the mask they have it's not just [Aquaphor] in there. It is urea and glycerin and shea butter and avocado oil and panthenol. That's not what's in [Aquaphor]. But basically putting in moisturizers under occlusion is a great way to really amp up repair of dry skin."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Trader Joe's Watermelon Overnight Face Mask

"This is a scented gel cream. It's very strong."

✕Nay

72%Guru Score

COSRX Ultimate Nourishing Rice Overnight Spa Mask

"This is a fragrance-free moisturizing cream that markets itself as an overnight spa mask. It's a bit more lightweight compared to barrier jellies, but it's an excellent option for hydrating the skin, reducing water loss, dryness and irritation. It has niacinamide and rice extract which is soothing and moisturizing, and it always delivers a bang for very little buck because it's a pretty affordable option as well. It's got allantoin and glycerin as well, moisturizing, hydrating, soothing ingredients. I highly recommend it."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Isntree Chestnut AHA 8% Clear Essence

"This clear Essence I think is a great option for people who have dry sensitive skin. Alpha hydroxy acids can be particularly beneficial for dry skin but it's easy to overdo them and further worsen dryness and cause a lot of irritation. It all is contingent on kind of the overall formulation of the product as well as what else you're using with it and how frequently you're using it but this particular Essence is great for dry rough and bumpy skin."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

Isntree Real Mugwort Clay Mask

"The Isntree Real Mugwort Clay Mask is a long-standing favorite of mine. It has a variety of different clays: kaolin, bentonite, and Canadian colloidal clay. While the clays absorb excess oil, it's also very moisturizing. People with oily skin tend to believe that because they're oily they're moisturized, but oil and sebum is actually not that great of a moisturizer and you can still have dry skin. Using a product that is too drying may end up irritating your skin in the long run. So I like this clay mask because it has oat kernel extract, which is very moisturizing, beta glucan, and panthenol. It's fragrance free. You can apply it to the skin after cleansing, say in the morning. You can apply it to the entire face or you can just use it on problematic areas like your T-zone, leave it on, and then rinse it off with just water or your facial cleanser. The clays as they absorb the oil can help minimize the appearance of the pore opening as well."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Versed Doctor's Visit Instant Resurfacing Mask

"The resurfacing mask can be irritating but may help if you've got rough skin texture. In addition to the pineapple enzymes, it has glycolic acid and lactic acid."

~Mixed

82%Guru Score

Bubble Moonwalk Gentle Exfoliating Serum

"Then we have Moonwalk, allegedly a gentle exfoliating serum. A walk on the moon, I like the names of these, they're fun, they're clever, they're not too cheesy in my opinion, which no one asked for. They just tell us what's in it. Lactic acid, good for those of you who have rough and bumpy skin."

✓Yay

65%Guru Score

Walgreens 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

"Walgreens has a dupe of [Paula's Choice] 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant and we have a dupe of the ordinary's azelaic acid suspension. I love both of these brand name versions. [...] Walgreens is charging $11.99. [...] These are great options for acne-prone skin. Salicylic acid's great for closed comedones, open comedones, acne, whiteheads and blackheads. It's also good for hyperpigmentation and rough skin texture. Fragrance-free."

✓Yay

75%Guru Score

AXIS-Y PHA Resurfacing Glow Peel

"This has centella in it which is a botanic ingredient that has compounds which are anti-inflammatory and have been shown to be helpful for healing. So far it's been okay, not mind-blowingly amazing but not bad either. I don't like the packaging because it's kind of a pain to pump out enough product out of that little pump. The aperture of the stem is so small that you get little tiny squirts and you have to pump pump pump to get enough to go all over your face. It's a thinner consistency and it smells strange, has a very chemical aroma to it. There's no added fragrance so you may not care for that at all. It's not strong or anything but it doesn't smell so good. But once you put it on the skin you don't really smell it. You only leave it on for roughly 10 minutes at the most and then you rinse it off. I've continued to use it and I'm about a third of the way through the product. It's a decent product, not one that is mind-blowing."

~Mixed

77%Guru Score

Cetaphil Exfoliating Rough & Bumpy Cream

"This is good for keratosis pilaris. It has salicylic acid in it which can help exfoliate those rough bumps."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

Isntree Chestnut BHA 2% Clear Liquid

"Isntree Chestnut BHA 2% Clear Liquid, I really like it. It's really helping to smooth the skin surface and it's not irritating, although I did find that I've been putting it on my neck and I did find that I got a little bit of dryness back here."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub

"The product that everybody loves to hate on is the St Ives apricot scrub. You guys know that product, it's abrasive, it can be very irritating, but some people use it and they don't have any problem with it, it doesn't cause them problems, they enjoy using it. If you're one of those people who uses that or any other facial scrub to exfoliate your skin, get your face wet first before going in dry because those corneocytes, the skin smoothing effect that you are seeking, it's going to go much more efficiently if you have hydrated the stratum corneum first."

✕Nay

39%Guru Score

Mediheal Sheet Mask

"I've been pleasantly surprised with these. I'm not really a big Sheet Mask person, I don't think they make a huge difference, but I am someone who from time to time does enjoy dabbling in a Sheet Mask. I find them relaxing. They definitely can make a difference, especially if you have really dry irritated skin because they're basically the principle of occlusion, you know, something really hydrating on damp skin under occlusion it can be really beneficial. Now that being said, if a mask has ingredients that are irritating, this one's got a little bit of fragrance, it's got rose, has stuff that's irritating, it's more likely to be irritating under occlusion. I went through a phase a couple of years ago where I was doing sheet masks on the regular and I would get this Mediheal brand there a lot. I was curious about these because the brand I do, I've had good success with so far, I've been really pleasantly surprised."

~Mixed

77%Guru Score

Bubble Overnight Hydrating Sleep Mask

"I've been doing this a couple of times a week, and so far I don't know, this I don't know that it's like a win but it's not a loss. [...] Everything I've tried from Bubble skincare so far I've been sort of, I don't know we'll say seven out of ten, not a fail but not like oh my God."

~Mixed

65%Guru Score

Lineage Water Sleeping Mask

"I have tried the Lineage sleep mask multiple times and it is the most disappointing thing."

✕Nay

71%Guru Score

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Glycolic Acid Overnight Peel

"Here's a product that I am rather a fan of from Neutrogena, it's their Hydro Boost Glycolic Acid Overnight Peel. It's fragrance free and it has hyaluronic acid, which actually may help enhance the penetration of the glycolic acid. Alpha hydroxy acids definitely exfoliate, they dissolve the glue between the sticky skin cells."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Peach Slices Snail Rescue Intensive Mask

"This has licorice root extract in it which is actually good for dark spots and redness targets blemishes and dullness for calm clear and bright skin"

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Extra Strength Daily Peel Pads

"You get his infamous Alpha Beta the extra strength daily peel pads. You get five treatments that you do daily. The first step is a pad that's a combination of salicylic acid, glycolic acid, mandelic acid and lactic acid. These hydroxy acids are going to help with exfoliating the skin, smoothing out the skin surface, and they're also going to be helpful for lightening hyperpigmentation, although the fragrance could be irritating so be aware of that. And then the second step is actually a pad that has retinol in it which can help with wrinkles, Resveratrol and antioxidant Q10 and soy isoflavones. Q10 is an antioxidant and the soy isoflavones are also antioxidants that can be helpful for redness and hyperpigmentation."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Etude House Mask Proof Fixing Tint

"I'm also going to take the Etude House Mask Proof Fixing Tint. These are really good, they stay on really well. This is the shade midnight mauve."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution

"People go on and on about the Ordinary's liquid exfoliant, the red one, the AHA BHA one. I mean, it's a good product."

✓Yay

58%Guru Score

Peter Thomas Roth FirmX Peeling Gel

"This is a fruit enzyme peel that also has bergamot fruit water in it, bergamot is a citrus fruit that can be photosensitizing. If you're someone who doesn't regularly do skin care you may be impressed by how this performs, but if you're routinely washing your face and moisturizing this shouldn't really be necessary, and it increases the risk of irritation, not only from the bergamot fruit water but the pineapple fruit extract can be pretty irritating too depending on how it's formulated. I say pass, it's ordinarily close to 50 dollars, and I would not pay 25 dollars for it on sale."

✕Nay

60%Guru Score

Paula's Choice Calm 1% BHA Sensitive Skin Exfoliant

"This is the Paula's Choice one percent BHA Sensitive Skin Exfoliant. I've been putting it on in the morning. It's pretty moisturizing, it's got one percent salicylic acid. It's nice, it's like a moisturizer with a little bit of acne, oily control, and anti-inflammatory, hyperpigmentation, skin smoothing."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

COSRX Propolis Honey Overnight Mask

"This is the COSRX Propolis Honey Overnight Mask. I think I've tried this in the past and I actually liked it. Propolis can cross react if you're allergic to fragrance, so you have to be careful with it, but it is pretty hydrating."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Baby Foot Original Exfoliant Foot Peel

"My issue with Baby Foot peels is that they often have a lot of other ingredients that can cause irritation for your skin. They're kind of intense and it's hard to know how much they're going to exfoliate. Sometimes the exfoliation is quite robust and that can actually make you at risk for blisters. I prefer creams and ointments with keratolytic ingredients that you can use consistently, so you can self-titrate how much callus softening you get."

✕Nay

73%Guru Score

Laneige Water Sleeping Mask

"I tried this and I do not see the hype, honestly."

✕Nay

66%Guru Score

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 25% AHA + 2% BHA Exfoliating Peel

"I like this product too. I reviewed it earlier this year. It has twenty-five percent alpha hydroxy acids, and those alpha hydroxy acids include glycolic, lactic, and mandelic. It also has salicylic acid. This is a product that you put onto the skin, leave on for ten minutes, and then rinse off and you only need to use it once a week. It also has butterfly pea flour in it which has antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds and gives it this kind of purplish coloration. I like this product a lot. It's a great way to just smooth out the surface of the skin, help with oiliness, blackheads, comedones, and to improve skin texture as well. I think this is a good value. However, I would caution you that if you are using another exfoliant twice a day, it's probably going to be unnecessary and too much for you to also use this once a week."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

Good Molecules All-In-One Exfoliating Treatment

"I used this for a long time, just a few nights a week, and I highly recommend it. It's very good. It has alpha hydroxy acids and beta hydroxy acids to smooth out the surface of the skin and help improve skin texture. On the nights I used this, I didn't use my tretinoin because I didn't want to cause too much irritation. But I never developed irritation with this product, and it did help improve the smoothness of the surface of my skin overall. Good Molecules has a lot of really good products."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

Geek & Gorgeous Smooth Out Liquid Exfoliant with 12% AHA

"Smooth Out is a more intense chemical exfoliant with 10% glycolic acid and 2% lactic acid. It's good for not only skin texture but for helping with clearance of hyperpigmentation. If you have oily skin or you're used to using hydroxy acids, this should cause no problem for you. It's actually pretty good. If you have sensitive skin I would discourage you from trying this, but if you have rosacea skip this for sure."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Geek & Gorgeous Cheer Up 5% Mandelic Acid plus 1% BHA

"Cheer Up has 5% mandelic acid, which is quite large and doesn't penetrate very deeply into the skin, so it's very very gentle, almost as gentle as polyhydroxy acids. It helps with accelerating the rate of hyperpigmentation clearance and improves overall skin texture. This particular product is a good one if you have sensitive, oily, or sensitive acne-prone skin or sensitive skin that heals with discoloration."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

Medicube Collagen Night Wrapping Mask

"For me, when you put it on, it goes on really sticky. It almost feels like you're putting honey on your face, but it does dry down into a film that is not going to stick to your pillowcase or anything. A few times when I tried this I noticed by the time I woke up it was already peeling off in areas, but in other areas really stubborn to get off the skin. So in summary, no, this is a pass, I do not recommend it. There are much better hydrating overnight masks out there."

✕Nay

64%Guru Score

Iris store Red Light Masks

"Full disclosure I am affiliated with Iris store they make one of these devices that you can use at home. Before investing in it you do need to consider the fact that depending on where you're at in the telogen effluvium phase there's a good chance that it will resolve on its own. It's an upfront investment, and if it's something that is eventually going to go away and then you're left with this device, is that worth it? Probably not. That being said, some women they have telogen effluvium and it unmasks say an androgenetic alopecia, so if you're in that category then talk to your dermatologist or your doctor about your hair loss process. It might be a good option for you at home. But for the most part of hair loss, yes it can help for sure, get things back on track maybe a little faster, maybe cut down on the overall extent of shedding. But those things will also taper off in most cases and go away on their own without investing in the device."

~Mixed

Notverified

Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel Mask

"It does have cucumber in it that's a hydrating ingredient, but it also has some ingredients that I tend to shy away from because they can be irritating, namely fruit acids as well as citrus extracts which can be irritating to the skin. This product was not bad, it wasn't great, not something I would go out of my way to purchase again. [...] The main annoyance of it is that you've got to wait 10 minutes, not the most time efficient thing out there. I didn't hate using this but would not go out of my way to repurchase it."

~Mixed

84%Guru Score

Shani Darden Signature Nourishing Facial Mask

"It's a clay mask that's fragrance-free and [...] it helps to soak up excess sebum from the surface of the skin from within the pore. I rather enjoy this."

✓Yay

66%Guru Score

Eye Makeup39 reviews

Covergirl Lash Blast Volume Mascara

"I'm not sure if I've ever used the Lash Blast Volume, honestly, but I'd be willing to give it a try for that price. Although you're stuck with three, so there's that."

~Mixed

85%Guru Score

L'Oreal Telescopic Lift Lengthening Mascara

"I'm back on the L'Oreal Telescopic Lift. Far and away one of the better mascaras. A more of a spidery lash and it's a really nice formula. It's not messy. It's not goopy. And it's a reasonable price. It's a drugstore mascara."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

e.l.f. Cream Glide Eyeliner

"I've been using for a while now these eyeliners from e.l.f. in the smoky coal line. I have a white eyeliner that I love that I use on the upper lid on the inner part. And I also have this kind of rust brown that I'm using. I really like those pencils because they're real smooth application. They're a nice striking color. They don't get all muddy or patchy. They're a nice balance between a sharp line that's also forgiving and can kind of smudge a bit. Plus, I like how opaque they are. They don't get muddy or anything like that. Highly recommend them. And they're easy to sharpen. That's the other thing. They're easy to sharpen. I hate makeup pencils where you sharpen and then it like falls out. These sharpen really easily. They're really great quality. I highly recommend them."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara

"This is far and away a top mascara. [...] The L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara. This is really good. Such amazing length. And I'm telling you, 2026 is going to get off to a good start lashwise. I've been loving that combination overlaid on the voluminous base."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

L'Oreal Shadow Stick Twinkling Rose

"Day 13 is the shadow stick in shade twinkling rose."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

L'Oreal Voluminous Panorama Mascara

"I'm really liking this packaging, although from a distance it kind of looks like Pandora jewelry. I'd be interested to try that. You guys know I love to test out different mascaras, and I like this type of wand, and that just looks compelling."

~Mixed

71%Guru Score

Glossier Boy Brow

"This is the Glossier Boy Brow in [...] the lavender shade. I love this because it's lavender and it's opaque and it's a smooth application. I just put it on the upper inner eyelid area close to my lashes and it really helps open up the eyes."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Push-Up Lash Mascara

"I'm currently using the Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Push-Up Lash, and that's great."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

Tarte Tarteist XL Tubing Mascara

"My Tarte tubing mascara arrived that I got from Amazon for Prime Day, and I'm pretty happy with it. It works well."

✓Yay

66%Guru Score

Milani Highly Rated Lash Extensions Tubing Mascara

"I like the Milani one. Milani has a tubing mascara that's really good. It's really good. The longevity, like it does get a little flaky in comparison to the Tarte one, but it's hardly it, it's barely different. $12.99 for this one."

✓Yay

65%Guru Score

NYX Brow Glue Crazy Lift

"NYX, the brow glue is really good."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

Maybelline Lash Paradise Mascara

"I rather enjoy"

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

L'Oreal Infallible Grip Mechanical Gel Eyeliner

"If you watch a lot of my vlogs, maybe you'll remember several years ago, I tried this product for the first time and I hated it. I didn't like it. Tried the gray color and all of a sudden it was like, oh yeah, this is one of the best products I've ever used. And it stays on all day and it also lasts a long time. This particular pencil I've been using for several months now. So, highly recommend that."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

Maybelline Super Lock Brow Glue

"I like to arrange my eyebrow hairs in a particular order on my face. I don't want to have them moving all around. I live in a very humid climate, so there are a lot of products I have tried out over the years, and some of them just melt. I've tried many brow products, including high-end ones, expensive ones from Sephora. But this, ladies and gentlemen, is my holy grail tried-and-true brow gel from Maybelline Super Lock Brow Glue. This is excellent. It's not goopy. It doesn't get flaky. It doesn't dry down and make my eyebrows itch, which some of them do. It holds all day. It doesn't get gooey in the humidity. Amazing. This is one I have gone back to multiple times. I swear by Maybelline Super Lock. There's no color in this."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Lancôme Hypnôse Drama Extreme Volume Mascara

"The mascara I was using before and I was due to move on cuz it was getting towards the end of its shelf life is this Lancome Hypno Hypnos Drama Mascara. I ended up liking this. It has a similar wand to the new Maybelline bubble wand."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Freeze

"I bought this on Sephora because I was like, now that I'm into the brow gel I'm going to give this another try, and what is this even doing? I'm pretty sure Anastasia put a touch of xanthan gum and some water in a tube and it's trying to convince everybody that this actually does something. It does not. You want to glue the hairs in place so they're not going anywhere. This is the Dippity Do of brows. [...] That stuff did not move; it's like cement. Now a word of warning about this: you don't want to go in heavy-handed, otherwise you're going to look like you put glue in your brows. Don't try and overdo it. Less is more with this. You don't need a lot."

✕Nay

66%Guru Score

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara

"Ooh this is new mascara from Maybelline they always they always make good mascaras the Lash Sensational I just finished this"

✓Yay

90%Guru Score

Benefit Bad Gal Bang Mascara

"This is the mascara I've been using, it's from Benefit Bad Gal Bang."

✓Yay

73%Guru Score

Maybelline Superstay Brow Gel

"I put a little of this super super super lock from Maybelline brow gel, SL glue, whatever you want to call it."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Lash and Brow Serum

"If you're looking for a lash serum without a prostaglandin analog in it, I suggest The Ordinary's. I can't guarantee it's not going to cause lash irritation, but it does not have the prostaglandin analogs in it. It's like one of the only ones. I'm sure there are others, but it's the one that I've seen and know for sure does not have those ingredients."

✓Yay

68%Guru Score

Merit Solo Shadow Matte Eye Color in Studio

"Merit Beauty is what I like so much about this brand because the formulas are very skin-friendly, free of fragrance, free of common ingredients that are frequently irritating to skin. There's no essential oils. I never understood putting fragrance in eyeshadows. Eyelids skin is really delicate and cosmetics can easily be irritating around the eye area. Their cream shadows I absolutely love for a few reasons. First of all they give, in my opinion, a really good color payoff, easy to work with. I'm not some sort of advanced makeup applier, I need something that's simple to do, easy to reproduce, and that I can do basically blindfolded. That's what I really like, good color output, easy to work with, skin friendly. But what I have really come to love is some of their darker shades of eye shadows. The shadows are called Solo Shadows. I think the darker shades I actually use as liner and they have this great brush."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Babe Essential Lash Serum

"This has a prostaglandin analog in it, so be careful with these because they can cause discoloration of the eyelids, irritation, and in theory they can cause discoloration in the eye. These are cosmetic prostaglandin analogs whereas a medication like Latisse, that's FDA approved, but you definitely can develop the same side effects even though one's a drug and one's a cosmetic. So I never feel comfortable recommending those because I hate for somebody to develop those kind of side effects. At least with Latisse somebody's prescribing it and then they're monitoring for those."

✕Nay

55%Guru Score

Lancôme Lash Idôle Mascara

"I've been using the Lancôme Lash Idôle Mascara on not only my top lashes but my bottom lashes. The way it's shaped, it makes applying mascara to the bottom lid really easy. I flip it so that it's concave and use that for the upper lash and then I flip it so that it's convex and I just go back and forth on the bottom lash and it really gets them coated without being clumpy and going all over the place."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

NYX Ultimate Shadow Palette Warm Neutrals

"I have been raving about this NYX ultimate eyeshadow palette. I love it. I'm actually currently wearing it right now. You get 16 shades in this palette, and some of the shades truthfully there is a little bit of fallout but it's not awful. Overall they're really good. The shades stay on the lids, last a long time, and they're also not overly glittery or that going-to-the-club kind of vibe. They're just a great array of colors for everyday purposes."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara

"Maybelline kills it when it comes to mascaras. Lash Sensational is good, Sky High is awesome."

✓Yay

75%Guru Score

NARS Clouded Eyeshadow Palette

"I really like the NARS palette because it doesn't fall out and flake all over the place."

✓Yay

68%Guru Score

Milani Anti-Gravity Waterproof Mascara

"I'm coming up on three months of using the Milani mascaras I bought, which I love. I'm still loving the Milani ones. They've been working out well."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara

"I discovered tubing mascaras a few years ago when I tried the Thrive Cosmetics tubing mascara, which I really really love. I'm considering it the holy grail tubing mascara because it's the best one that I've ever tried. You pretty much have to buy it from their website, it's twenty five dollars, and if you buy it just one time you have to pay shipping and handling, but if you have it auto delivered every three months, which is the frequency I recommend you replace your mascara anyway, they give you free shipping."

✓Yay

87%Guru Score

Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara

"I finished the Rare Beauty Mascara. I actually really like this. A lot of celebrity skincare and cosmetics you are paying a premium for, but this is actually really good, I really liked it a lot, and I really like the packaging too. It is easy to use."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

IT Cosmetics Superhero Mascara

"I've tried the IT Cosmetics Superhero Mascara in the past and I was not super impressed, I didn't find it super heroic."

✕Nay

59%Guru Score

Essence Lash Without Limits Mascara in Brown

"I know the Essence mascara was really popular, but I tried one of their mascaras and I didn't care for it at all, I thought it was like really clumpy."

✕Nay

68%Guru Score

Rodan+Fields Lash Boost

"Rodan and Fields had to pay a huge sum of money, millions or billions, for their lash serum because it had a compound very similar to bimatoprost, a prostaglandin analog. Those prostaglandin analogs can have side effects like discoloration of the eye color, and there are even reports of it changing the distribution of fat around the eyes. They got nailed on that one."

✕Nay

45%Guru Score

Charlotte Tilbury Film Star Bronze and Glow Palette

"This Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow was sent to me, I would not buy this, I would just buy something like Revlon at the drugstore. I'm not really a makeup person, I pretty much just use it for filming purposes because of camera lighting, and I find it helps me not look as washed out, but I honestly don't find it's much different from drugstore brands."

~Mixed

69%Guru Score

Covergirl Lash Blast Mascara

"The lash blast from Covergirl is pretty good."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes mascara

"We have the Double Extend Beauty Tubes mascara. I have to say I'm pretty excited about this. I have been using the mascaras so far that came in this calendar and I'm really happy with them."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

L'Oreal Lash Paradise Mascara

"Really happy for that because mascara is my favorite makeup to experiment with."

✓Yay

Notverified

Maybelline Colossal Bubble Mascara

"If you've been here for a long time, like one of my all-time favorite drugstore mascaras is the Maybelline Colossal. [...] The bubble gives a little bit more girth plus length to the lashes. [...] I have really really liked this a lot."

✓Yay

57%Guru Score

Lancôme Monsieur Big Mascara

"I've been using this Monsieur Big Mascara from Lancôme and it's kind of a little clumpy."

✕Nay

76%Guru Score

Merit Eyeshadow Cream Pots

"I came in with the cream shadow from Merit midcentury and then this is also another K beauty makeup win from one of the Advent calendars."

✓Yay

66%Guru Score

Lip39 reviews

NYX Butter Gloss

"This is one of those things that got so hyped up on YouTube and on social media, and I could not have been more disappointed. But I understand that some of you do like this NYX Butter Gloss, so if that's you, you get four glosses, and I like that it comes with a clear, colorless one too."

✕Nay

73%Guru Score

Drunk Elephant Lippe Balm

"The Drunk Elephant Lippy Balm, I always liked."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

Tatcha Kissu Lip Serum

"I've never used anything from Tatcha that I thought was worth anything, and it's super overpriced, but this product was good. The Tatcha Kissu Lip Mask, I believe it has fragrance, and I loved it. I went through two, maybe three jars of it. I haven't gone back to it in several years, simply because it's very expensive, so it's kind of a splurge."

✓Yay

75%Guru Score

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Lip Sleeping Mask

"I love the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Overnight Lip Sleep Mask. I like to keep it in my travel bag, and it's great for a dry climate like in hotels. It has hyaluronic acid and no fragrance."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Abib PDRN Collagen Lip Mask Glazed Jelly

"This is not something I personally would go out of my way for because PDRN in skin care is just a trend, there's no way it's doing much, but I do really like Abib the brand, everything I've tried from them has been great, and this was pretty good. It does have flavorants in it. It's a thick viscous jelly, a wonderful overnight mask with very good longevity on the lips, you wake up the following morning and the lips are hydrated. It was nice. My one gripe is the packaging is a little awkward because of the texture and consistency of the product, it comes with an annoying little spatula and it's hard to get out just enough, so I ended up liking this but think it would be better in a little squeeze tube."

✓Yay

73%Guru Score

Torriden Solid-In Ceramide Lip Essence

"The Lip Essences, you have got to try them. I have been, I actually finished a tube the other day. The lip essences are wonderful. They're petroleum jelly based, but they also have some other emollients in them. Fragrance free. I really like the dispenser, that type of lip balm dispenser where it's the little hole as opposed to the stick that you're always repeatedly wiping over your lips. I find that if I'm wearing lipstick, I don't want to have that lip stain on there forever, right? So I really like that applicator a lot, actually. Plus, the other thing I like about it, you can be applying it to your lips or whatever and then you can just squeeze a little bit out on your finger and you can use it somewhere else on your face for easy application. You could use it around your nails, too. Highly recommend their Lip Essence. I love it."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

L'Oreal Plump Ambition Hyaluronic Lip Oil

"Love this packaging. Hyaluronic lip oil."

✓Yay

70%Guru Score

Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Balm

"They're $27. I've tried them out before. I like them. They're good."

~Mixed

69%Guru Score

Vaseline Lip Therapy Original

"This Vaseline stick, it's kind of nice to just put it right here, like massage it in. If you need to do a little moisturizing back there, why not?"

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask

"Initially, I really enjoyed the tip for precision application because I like to dispense products directly on my face, so I love the applicator for that. However, when you get down to the last bit, it becomes work to get it out towards the end. But I really like this. This works great as an eye cream too, as many facial moisturizers do."

✓Yay

73%Guru Score

Prequel Lip Visor Sunscreen SPF 30

"They also have an SPF lip balm, lip visor. It's a chemical sunscreen. This one is clear."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Sun Bum Sunscreen Lip Balm SPF 30

"It's water resistant 80 minutes which is a really good feature in an SPF lip balm because it's really being tested to stay on your lips with chewing, talking, licking your lips, all of those things, sipping on drinks. So I value that. This does obviously have fragrance in it because it's watermelon, so that's a possible irritant. It's a chemical sunscreen, it shouldn't leave a white cast. If you're not bothered by fragrance in lip balms, that'd be a good one to try out."

✓Yay

65%Guru Score

Cocokind Lip Balm

"Love them. They're really nice, but the charms are dumb. And they want you to buy the charms separately."

~Mixed

81%Guru Score

Revlon Kiss SPF 20 Lip Balm Berry Burst

"I'm wearing the Revlon Kiss Berry Burst, and these are really nice."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Naked Sundays Glow + Go Lip Oil SPF 50

"This is an Australian company, Glow and Go lip oil SPF 50, chemical sunscreen with no white cast. The salted caramel does have a bit of a caramel aroma to it. It's a glossy lip oil that stays on really well despite not being water resistant, which is my preference. It's nice, it's glossy, it's easy to apply, it's not too sticky or gooey and it stays on pretty well. You obviously need to reapply it. It doesn't quite have the longevity of some of the others. It comes in a few other flavors and shades, coconut and watermelon. This [...] salted caramel one has a slight pinkish hue to it and a little bit of a hint of shimmer as well. [...] It's 0.15 oz, and the packaging is a little sneaky because it sort of looks like you're getting a lot but you're really not getting very much."

✓Yay

70%Guru Score

EltaMD UV Lip Balm Broad-Spectrum SPF 36

"It has alpha lipoic acid, I believe it's labeled as thioctic acid, same thing, which is an antioxidant. It has ceretin, an antioxidant, and it has vitamin E, so those will help along with the sun protection defend against damage from ultraviolet radiation. It has glycerin and [petrolatum] so it really keeps the lips hydrated. And I love that it's water resistant 80 minutes. Like I said, you lick your lips, you eat things, it's nice to have a little bit of assurance that it's going to at least remain on the lips a little bit better than if it were not water resistant."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Cocokind Ceramide Lip Blur Balm

"The Ceramide Lip Blur Balm from Cocokind. I've been using the shade Be Kind. Really like this. It's a fragrance and flavor-free lip balm. Goes on over sunscreen on the lips just fine. It's very moisturizing, has ceramides, which are good for skin's outermost layer. And the reason I like the fact that it doesn't have flavorant or fragrance in it is those are common potential causes of allergic or irritant lip cheilitis, meaning chapped lips from your chapped-lipped product. [...] It doesn't have those in it. It's very hydrating, very moisturizing and it doesn't settle in the corners of your mouth. I really liked it."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Maybelline Lifter Gloss

"Lifter Gloss from Maybelline. Gummy bears. Sign me up. $19.99. How many do you get in there? You get three."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm

"I finally gave this a go, the birthday cake Lip Butter Balm, and I was not impressed. This has zero longevity on the lips. It's very similar to if you just got a run-of-the-mill body lotion and put it on your lips, which you can do, but it does not have the longevity on the lips. Lips are of a different makeup skin, so you've got to formulate with lips in mind. I'll notice if you put products that are not meant for the lips on the lips, they just sort of fall right off. That was my experience with this. It's got shea butter, it's got murula seed butter, so it's got some more natural butters, no petroleum jelly, which is probably why I don't like it, because I love petroleum jelly on the lips to lock in hydration and prevent saliva from further drying out your lips. No petroleum jelly. It is a vegan formula, but of course it has fragrance in it, hence the birthday cake, which a lot of people probably like, but be aware that fragrance irritation or allergy to fragrance and lip balms can lead to the vicious cycle."

✕Nay

75%Guru Score

Merit Slick Tinted Lip Oil

"I use the Merit Slick Tinted Lip Oil on my lips, the pink beet one."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Lanolips Lip Sleep Mask

"I have tried the popular Lanolips Lip Sleep Mask and I do not like it. I don't like the fragrance, I find it to be a bit too strong, and honestly I just don't find that it keeps my lips moisturized throughout the night."

✕Nay

68%Guru Score

Aquaphor Lip Repair Stick

"I purchased this because I saw Aquaphor came out with this Lip Repair Stick, naturally inspired with coconut oil. So I've been using this, it has coconut oil, shea butter, jojoba seed oil. I don't like it as much as Cerave healing ointment or just Aquaphor healing ointment because it's very, it's more just like an emollient. Like I don't really feel like it's a good formula if you just want to soften the lips like you have dry cracked lips. It is free of fragrance and flavorant, which are common irritants, but it doesn't really have that petroleum jelly lock in the moisture, second skin action."

✕Nay

67%Guru Score

Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey

"Clinique's Almost Lipstick in the Black Honey shade is perfect for fall, and if you're someone like me who's very low maintenance in your makeup, this is great because it gives that hydrated gloss from like a lip gloss but the pigmentation that you get from it is much bolder than just a tinted lip gloss. I frequently wear this shade in the fall and always get compliments."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Carmex Classic Lip Balm

"CarX has ingredients that are soothing like camper phenol but also irritating. The CarX, uh, you put it on, it feels soothing, it feels like your lips are soft because it is moisturizing, but then you get that irritation that develops, uh, and several hours later you're like, oh, my lips are chapped again. So you reach for more CarX. Say vicious cycle."

✕Nay

58%Guru Score

Remedy Lip Balm

"I've been trying it out daily, using it multiple times a day to really give it a good test. [...] It is a good product for dry lips. It has ceramides which are good for the moisture barrier, squalane and jojoba, it has peptides which are hydrating, and it has petrolatum which helps to reduce water loss. [...] It goes on almost like you're putting a lotion on your lips. [...] It's not a greasy ointment, it absorbs pretty quickly into the skin of the lips, and I did find that it helped my lips stay soft, moisturized, hydrated. It's free of fragrance and flavorant, which are important to note because those in lip balms are common causes of lip irritation, lip dryness, and common allergens in lip balms. This is a good option for keeping the lips hydrated, smooth, supple."

✓Yay

70%Guru Score

NYX Fat Oil Lip Drip

"I am tempted to try this NYX fat oil just because that is that looks tempting"

~Mixed

78%Guru Score

NARS Afterglow Lip Balm

"The NARS Afterglow Lip Balm, I really like them. They're very moisturizing and fragrance free, flavorant free. I love it, worth every penny."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Paula's Choice Hyaluronic Acid Plus Peptide Lip Booster

"I finished up the Paula's Choice Hyaluronic Acid Plus Peptide Lip Booster and loved this. Very moisturizing. I liked using this before going to bed at night. It's got shea butter in it, it's pretty moisturizing. The peptide in it allegedly is going to get in and help with collagen production and whatnot. Anyway, it's very moisturizing."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

Rhode Peptide Lip Treatment

"This looks and performs like a lip gloss. It does not really lead to long-lasting improved hydration in the lips. For example, if I use it at night, the following morning when I wake up, my lips are not necessarily feeling super moisturized. But if I wear it during the day it's kind of like I just put on a lip gloss. It doesn't perform like a skin care product. It performs more like a cosmetic. When we are using skin care products, it's to support some outcome for skin health, whether it be improvement in moisture retention, whether it be minimizing redness or irritation, improving overall skin tone, and we expect when we use a product consistently that we're going to see some type of result."

✕Nay

78%Guru Score

Aquaphor Lip Repair Stick Plus Sunscreen

"I rather enjoyed this Aquaphor Lip Repair Stick Plus Sunscreen. It's a little stiff to apply and not the most moisturizing thing, but for a chemical lip SPF it did not cause lip irritation for me, and I leaned into this quite heavily. You get a two pack at Target for 7.69. One interesting thing is there's no lanolin in it, unlike Aquaphor Healing Ointment, which has lanolin, an allergen for some people. This one has sunflower seed oil, shea butter, and jojoba seed oil instead."

✓Yay

72%Guru Score

Pat McGrath Labs Lipsticks

"I'm wearing that Pat McGrath lipstick that I got in my FabFitFun box. I would never have purchased this lipstick in a million years, and I have been wearing it a ton."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

MD Solar Sciences Hydrating Sheer Lip Balm with SPF

"Another SPF favorite is the MD Solar Sciences SPF lip balms, those are really good, no fragrance either."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Kopari Lip Love

"Sometimes Kopari sends me PR and honestly I have never really been impressed with any of their products, except there was a lip balm that I rather liked."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Tree Hut Sugar Lips Lip Butter

"The Tree Hut Sugar Lips Lip Butter has moringa seed oil, which is an emollient, and shea butter, which is moisturizing, but it does have fragrance, which really can be pretty irritating on the lips."

✕Nay

57%Guru Score

Anastasia Beverly Hills Satin Lipstick in Taupe Beige

"This is a satin lipstick from Anastasia Beverly Hills. I kind of think this needs lip liner in order to look right, it kind of looks like I just have sunscreen on my lips."

✕Nay

78%Guru Score

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillow Talk

"I'm going to take this lip color from Charlotte Tilbury in the color Pillow Talk. You can see I've used a fair amount of it, so that's going to go."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

Lancôme Juicy Tubes

"I recently discovered Lancôme Juicy Tubes. I don't like lip gloss because they're sticky and my hair sticks to them, and many lip glosses are irritating with flavorants. But this stays in place and it doesn't get sticky. It feels like it's going to be sticky but then it's not, and it's actually pretty moisturizing. I love the color, the shade Magic Spell."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

COSRX Lip Sleep Ceramide Lip Butter Sleeping Mask

"I also really loved the COSRX Ceramide Lip Butter Sleeping Mask. That is wonderful."

✓Yay

67%Guru Score

The INKEY List Tripeptide Plumping Lip Balm

"I was having [...] really chapped lips, especially the corner in my mouth was getting cracked. It's 100% that Inkey List lip balm that I was trying out, so that is a no-go for me. I looked at the ingredients and I could not find anything that was suspect, so I have no idea [...] what it is about that, but I'm back on my petroleum game."

✕Nay

60%Guru Score

Eye Care35 reviews

Eucerin Radiant Tone Eye Cream with Thiamidol

"I suggest trying the Eucerin eye cream instead. It's the only product in the US line that is fragrance-free, so it's a lot gentler. I don't believe the percentage strength of the thiamidol in it is disclosed, but since I personally did not care for the strong fragrance in the other facial care products, the eye cream might be gentler for you too."

✓Yay

74%Guru Score

Abib Collagen Eye Patch Jericho Rose Jelly

"I love the Abib ones."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream

"They also make an eye cream in this line that is a little bit different as far as the texture. Performs very well. Likewise, you experience that tingling around the eyes, but not excessive dryness and irritation. This is one that always is here."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Shark Beauty Cryo Glow Under Eye Cooling LED Anti-Aging and Blemish Repair Mask

"LED technology, one of the very few devices I actually think are worth it. This also has a cryo cooling which will help depuff. I have heard although I've never used this, I have heard this is a very heavy mask. So, a bit uncomfortable to wear. Now, this set does come with a silk pillowcase which is great actually for cutting down on sleep creases and really wonderful for cutting down on breakage and frizz of your hair."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

RoC Multi Correxion Revive + Glow Eye Balm

"I get the hype, especially if you haven't found a good moisturizer for around your eyes that you like and this is your first time using it. It's nice, it glides on. But as far as the ingredients, I'm not really sold that they are going to be game changers even for just targeting pigmentation. The actual ingredients in the product may help improve discoloration, maybe nudge things a little bit further above and beyond moisturizing the skin. Being generous here as far as what this might offer, maybe it brings you something a little bit more like a slight hair above what just plain moisturizing around the eyes would do. However, there are ingredients that are formulated into eye creams that in my opinion are quite a bit more evidence-based. I would say the stuff that is more likely to move the dial is going to be ascorbic acid if it's formulated correctly, retinol because these ingredients both can improve collagen production which is going to thicken that skin up a bit over time. And these ingredients both tackle hyperpigmentation."

~Mixed

77%Guru Score

Avène RetrinAL Eyes Eye Cream

"Avène actually makes this as an eye cream. I used an entire Retrin AL eye cream around my eye. I tested it out rigorously. No eyelid irritation, no problems whatsoever. Felt like it moisturized my skin. And after I finished an entire bottle, I did feel like the skin around my eyes was a little plumper, a little smoother. The biggest difference I found between the eye cream and the non-eye one came down to the eye one being better at actually not running into the eyes. It had a little bit better tenacity. On the upper eyelid, less likely to seep into the eyes, which is really important. You don't want to get these ingredients in your eye directly."

✓Yay

91%Guru Score

RoC Retinol Correction Eye Cream

"I still think this is a pretty good value. $30 for the two, $15 a piece. Yeah, it's only half an ounce, but when it comes to just treating the eyelids, you don't need very much. A retinol eye cream tends to be a lot gentler than a retinol face cream. One big difference I've noticed in testing out many retinol face versus eye creams and using them around my face and on my face and around my eyes is that the facial ones, the formulas tend to be more inclined to melt into your eyes as opposed to the eye one. That's a big difference I've noticed personally. Retinol used around the eyes can improve collagen production, and so that may improve dark circles by thickening the skin underneath the eyes. It has ascorbic acid, vitamin C in it."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Gel Cream

"The Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Gel Cream doesn't have any fragrance, so you could use that on the rest of your face if [...] you don't like strong fragrance. It's pretty good [...] if you're just looking for moisturizing around the eyes."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum: Ginseng + Retinal

"Beauty of Joseon, if you are watching this video right now, you need to update the packaging on your retinal eye cream, which I love. Retinaldehyde for improving wrinkles around the eyes, because it's got Panax ginseng extract in it. We've been putting it around our eyes happy as clams because that's a great product."

✓Yay

95%Guru Score

CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Eye Cream

"I reviewed CeraVe Skin Renewing Eye Cream several years ago and I really thought it was quite good. It's got niacinamide, good for dark spots. It's got caffeine, which for some of you is going to help depuff, for others, it'll do jack squat. And it's got Matrixyl 3000, two peptides. One lowers the inflammatory mediator IL6, interleukin 6. The other kind of looks like a little piece of your collagen, GHK. And those together may help ward off damage to the collagen that you have and help to provide a stimulus for new healthy collagen production. I genuinely found that product to lead to a nice brightening, hydrated, smoother appearance of the skin around the eyes."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream

"One of them is Neutrogena's Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream. I'm recommending that for years. Great retinol. Johnson and Johnson has put a lot of R&D into retinol. They've been doing retinol a really, really long time. When it comes to good retinols, Neutrogena is a no-brainer for me. And I love that product. It's a nice rich moisturizing base. It really does give a very nice instant effect. It's all sort of light scattering, but it really does give instant feel-good response as far as moisturizing and diminishing those little lines. Great option."

✓Yay

71%Guru Score

Global Beauty Care Lift and Firm Eye Cream with Collagen and Peptides

"It has collagen in it which is moisturizing it's another myth people think that collagen and skincare is useless cuz of the size but it really allows for a product to be not only moisturizing but it has a lot of textural properties to it certainly not useless"

✓Yay

73%Guru Score

belif Moisturizing Eye Balm

"I would not use something like this. I'd just use my regular moisturizer. The scent is powdery and strong. It looks like a lightweight hydrating gel cream, pretty sizable amount though for an eye cream. Usually eye creams are teeny tiny. This will last you forever, like this is big enough that you could use it as a travel moisturizer honestly."

✕Nay

53%Guru Score

DRMTLGY Brightening Eye Masks

"This year I discovered DRMTLGY, a brand I adore, has these Brightening Eye Masks. This is not a must have type of skincare product, but these really work in terms of rejuvenating the appearance of the under eye. They have caffeine in them, which for some people can help reduce puffiness and temporarily brighten up the appearance of under eye skin. They also have niacinamide, which is good for dark spots and redness. They're very cooling, very soothing. I recommend putting these in the refrigerator and popping them onto the skin chilled to really help depuff. Love doing these first thing in the morning. They also have licorice root, which is very soothing, good for redness. Those of you who watch my vlogs have seen these in action, and in my opinion the outcome is actually pretty dramatic when you take these off, as far as just how bright and glowy your under eye looks. Great to do before putting on your makeup, to have a nice hydrated, moisturized face that's been depuffed. This comes with 60 patches, so one for each eye, that's 30 applications worth."

✓Yay

70%Guru Score

Good Molecules Caffeine Hydrogel Eye Patches

"Good Molecules they have a caffeine one. These have caffeine in them too which is good for just kind of brightening and depuffing. Those are really good as well."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Peter Thomas Roth 24K Gold Hydra Gel Eye Patches

"The gold ones are just like the opposite of hydrating. They're just very filmy and you take them off and you feel like you need a shower."

✕Nay

62%Guru Score

Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Hydrogel Eye Patches

"I love these cloud hydrogel eye patches from Peter Thomas Roth. They're very hydrating and don't burn around the eyes."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Eye Serum

"I definitely appreciate an under eye brightening effect with it, but like other similar products, I find that you don't need that much of that product. [...] I gave it a good try before reviewing it and I've continued to use it off and on trying to make my way through it. [...] I see benefit, I see improvement, but to me it's the same as The Ordinary Caffeine Plus EGCG. I don't appreciate much of a difference."

~Mixed

72%Guru Score

L'Oreal Caffeine Eye Cream

"This has oat extract in it which is very good for moisturizing the skin. Vitamin A is anti-inflammatory. Sodium hyaluronate can improve water content and that has a skin plumping effect. Glycerin likewise improves water content. Jojoba seed oil is an emollient. This looks like a decent eye cream for getting the temporary brightening with the caffeine."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

RoC Multi Correxion Dual Eye Cream

"The eye area is very delicate, so the collagen and things are more susceptible to damage from environmental exposures, namely the sun, but also pollution, and then of course if you smoke, certain lifestyles are going to be more inflammatory. Drinking alcohol, smoking, reactive oxygen species is just an umbrella term for derivatives of molecular oxygen and they are a type of free radical which basically can attack things like proteins, lipids and DNA in your skin, skin cells, tissues, and lead to damage. So here we have tocopherol acetate, it's vitamin E. Now that may help your skin out to a certain extent, it may help improve the levels of vitamin C in your skin. It's often exhibits synergy with vitamin C, but in this product it may also help in stabilizing retinol, which is an ingredient that can get in and convert to retinoic acid, which binds to receptors in the skin to change skin cell biology and behavior for the better and help improve collagen production in the deeper layers of the skin."

~Mixed

76%Guru Score

Dr. Dennis Gross Advanced Retinol Plus Ferulic Triple Correction Eye Serum

"You also get the triple correction Eye Serum half an ounce. This has retinol in it which can help improve fine lines around the eyes as well as vacuole, an antioxidant that may also help with stabilizing retinol. It has ubiquinone, one of my favorite antioxidants. Ubiquinone, otherwise known as Q10, helps fight off oxidative stress. It has compounds from centella which are anti-inflammatory. It has mandelic acid, a very gentle alpha hydroxy acid, and it has caffeine which can have a brightening effect and be helpful for hyperpigmentation. You get a half an ounce of that."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

Olay Retinol 24 Eye Cream

"The night eye cream has retinol, which is cool, Olay has some pretty good retinols. In addition to retinol, which can be helpful for the fine lines around the eyes, this has niacinamide and panthenol, which I love in a moisturizer, it's really well moisturizing. This is seriously one of the best products from Olay in my humble opinion."

✓Yay

66%Guru Score

L'Oreal Revitalift 2.5% Hyaluronic Acid and Caffeine Eye Serum

"I liked this L'Oreal Hyaluronic Acid Plus Caffeine Bright Eye, but my problem with this product is the packaging, it kind of got cloudy with time. I never made it all the way through this product, and in my opinion they would be better off putting this in a smaller container, because the way it goes on the under eye area you don't need very much, and you could use this thousands of times and never make a dent in the bottle. The dispenser is really nice though, three roller balls, and it gets a good amount of product without wasting it, and it has a nice cooling sensation which can maybe help with puffiness temporarily."

~Mixed

68%Guru Score

Lumify Redness Reliever Eye Drops

"I do not suggest applying the Lumify eye drops to the skin, because they have bromonidine in them, and bromonidine can lead to rebound worsening of redness."

✕Nay

77%Guru Score

Pyunkang Yul Black Tea Time Reverse Eye Cream

"The eye cream is a pass for me, it's not something I'm going to use in my routine, I do just fine with my facial moisturizer and I don't need this. It is good if you're one of those people who likes eye cream, it has ceramide, copper tripeptide, argireline, adenosine and shea butter, and it does have some more unique ingredients that may address fine lines a little better than the face cream alone. Overall it's a decent value, but it's not something I would repurchase."

~Mixed

73%Guru Score

Pyunkang Yul Black Tea Time Reverse Eye Patches

"I ended up really liking these Black Tea Time Reverse Eye Patches, they were a pleasure to use, hydrating, and once I took them off my eyes did look a lot brighter. They have hydrating ingredients, ceramide, and dipotassium glycyrrhizate from licorice root which is anti-inflammatory and good for dark spots. My one word of warning is they did put tea tree extract in these, which can be irritating once it oxidizes, though it's less of a concern once it's formulated into a product."

✓Yay

87%Guru Score

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG

"This is one of my favorites from the ordinary, their caffeine solution plus EGCG. The EGCG comes from green tea and can help minimize the burden of damage that occurs upon exposure to environmental stressors, namely UV, and the caffeine is also an antioxidant which will help with oxidative stress that leads to premature skin aging. People like to use this around the eyes because topically caffeine can help temporarily improve the appearance of dark under eye circles, especially as it relates to puffiness, because caffeine can constrict the blood vessels and help with moving that fluid out from under the eyes."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

Heimish Marine Care Eye Cream

"This is all marine, marine extracts, algae, they're super hydrating and have antioxidants in them. I'm kind of intrigued to try this, please tell me it doesn't have fragrance. Oh, it does have fragrance, that is not good, especially in an eye cream. I don't know why they're doing that. Even if you're not sensitive to fragrance and it doesn't cause problems, you're not allergic to it, the thin skin of the eyelids is a place where you're definitely going to develop an issue. Why would you put fragrance in an eye cream? We don't need scented eyelids."

✕Nay

71%Guru Score

ISDIN K-Ox Eye Cream

"This has vitamin K, which shows some promise for dark under eye circles based on limited research, plus ascorbic acid, two peptides, and hyaluronic acid, and I do like the texture, it's moisturizing without being greasy or heavy. But this product has fragrance in it, which is a surprise for an eye product, and in my experience the fragrance was very strong and headache inducing, it made my eyes water, so I actually cannot tolerate this product because of it. I did not notice any difference other than my eyes watering more. It's $97, and no, in my opinion, I don't think this is worth $97, I can't in good faith recommend you guys go out and spend that kind of money on this product."

✕Nay

71%Guru Score

Sudden Change Under Eye Firming Serum

"Do you believe in magic? That's my way of saying this doesn't look like it's gonna do much. I thought this Sudden Change Under Eye Firming Serum might be one of those like the Peter Thomas Roth Firm X product, which had silicates in it that dry down and give a temporary tightening effect, but I'm not seeing that as an ingredient here. I just see some humectants, hyaluronic acid, and preservatives, so I don't know that that's gonna give a sudden change, but if it does, it's likely temporary."

✕Nay

66%Guru Score

Cocokind Revitalizing Eye Cream

"I actually honestly really liked this eye cream, but it's not something I would buy myself or use on a consistent basis. It does have a metal tip applicator that can be very cooling if you have puffy under eyes, marula seed oil and amalia that have antioxidants, an ingredient called persian silk tree that can reduce the look of fine lines dark circles and puffiness around the eyes, and shea butter which is really good for reducing water loss and keeping it hydrated. This is a very moisturizing eye cream. However, for me personally when I think about using something around my eyelids I want something that will not only reduce water loss but also protect my eyelids from my tretinoin getting there, and for that I need a petrolatum ointment. This is not occlusive enough to do that. But if you do have dryness around your eyes this will improve that."

~Mixed

69%Guru Score

Trader Joe's Supreme Hydrating Eye Cream

"Oh no, it has fragrance. You don't need an eye cream anyway; this is your moisturizer."

✕Nay

73%Guru Score

Pacifica Ceramide Hydration Full Under Eye and Smile Line Jelly Patches

"These I enjoy using. It's more of a relaxing therapeutic thing. I find they kind of wake up the under-eye areas. Fun to use but not really necessary. I would have preferred if Pacifica had taken this fluid and put it in a bottle and sold it as a hydrating toner that you could just pat on the face prior to applying your moisturizer."

~Mixed

84%Guru Score

NIOD Fractionated Eye Contour Concentrate

"You really only need a drop to nicely create a thin film on the lower eyelid and the upper eyelid. But be really careful about getting this within roughly a millimeter of the lash line because if it gets into your eye it burns. It burns. It's a nuisance if that happens. So don't use too much and don't allow it to seep into your eyes by getting it too close to the lash line. [...] Not a ton of difference in the appearance of my eyelids or the skin around my eyes. I will say that I noticed that my eye contour area out where the crow's feet are appears smoother, brighter, firmer, but my expression wrinkles look the same. Little fine lines less obvious than had I put nothing there, not any more diminished than when I use my favorite product to use around the eyes, a glycerin skin protectant. [...] I get very similar results in terms of diminishing little fine lines, the dehydration lines especially, and brightening up and smoothing out the contour around my eyes where the crow's feet area is. This product with the peptides [...] does actually lead to sustained hydration like it claims because a lot of it in my opinion likely relates to the moisture retaining properties of peptides. I also have noticed that I have a reduction in those little fine lines, but it's not strikingly different than what I would observe with the glycerin skin."

~Mixed

79%Guru Score

Skin Iceland Hydrocool Firming Eye Gels

"On my trip I used the Skin Iceland Hydrocool Firming Eye Gels, I love these. If you're going to go on a flight especially, they're just helpful for keeping the under eyes looking awake, since the air on a plane is really dry and the first place that dryness can pop up is around your eyes. They have ceramides and peptides and ubiquinone, which has been shown to get into the skin and help mitigate some of the damage from free radicals. I really like those. Whenever there's a big sale at Sephora or online, those are a good thing to pick up during the sales, don't pay full price for them."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Toners34 reviews

Beauty of Joseon Green Plum Refreshing Toner AHA + BHA

"This looks really promising. I have yet to use a Beauty of Joseon product that I did not enjoy to some extent, some more than others, and I often enjoy their toners. This has glycolic acid and salicylic acid, which is a good ingredient combination for blackheads, whiteheads, and cutting down on build up of dry rough skin, as well as keratosis pilaris. You can use it one to two times a day as tolerated, I'd just suggest being cautious not to put it on eyelid skin, and it could be a little irritating on the delicate neck skin, but this looks like something that would last a long time."

✓Yay

73%Guru Score

I'm From Rice Toner

"This one from I'm from is actually really good. How much are they charging for it here? $16.99."

✓Yay

95%Guru Score

The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner

"I see no reason to ever go back to that Saccharomyces thing. It was more of a try use for the sake of reviewing it because people are curious. But I don't really like this that much."

✕Nay

75%Guru Score

Haruharu Wonder Milky Toner

"I really like that Haruharu Wonder milky toner"

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Celamax Dual Barrier Creamy Toner

"The Celamax Dual Barrier Creamy Toner, this is a repurchase for me. [...] It has a peptide in it called Aquatide, which allegedly is going to do stuff with our autophagy recycling pathways. [...] I love because it hugs the skin and then sinks in and quenches. Really nice formula. The Celamax one is a lot more hydrating, feels more like a quenching liquid with a little bit of support to it as far as there's a bit of texture and it really [...] glides over and hugs the skin."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Purito Deep Sea Pure Watery Toner

"Very hydrating, soothing, great as the first step in a skincare routine to kind of prep your skin for better penetration of other ingredients that you put on top. You can use it first thing in the morning, either to a completely dry face if you're not washing your face or after cleansing your face, then put sunscreen on over it. It's wonderful. I've used many bottles of this in my lifetime."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

BYOMA Milky Toner

"It's accessible. However, I do find that this one is a little bit different as far as the texture. And for me personally, that actually has made a bit of a difference as far as me just liking it overall. It's a little thinner. And if this were my first Milky Toner, I'd say this is nice. This works well. This is good. This does what it's supposed to do, but it's not like a must-have holy grail."

~Mixed

76%Guru Score

The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution

"If you're just picking up a random skincare product like The Ordinary's glycolic acid toner, for example, and trying to use it in the skin folds where it was never meant to go because that's just not how that product is meant to be used, you can get significant irritation. Glycolic acid will help acidify the skin pH, but it can be super irritating. It's an exfoliant especially in the skin folds and ultimately if you get a lot of irritation that leads to barrier compromise and can cause you as a result to have more issues with odor due to now the differences in the skin microbiome."

✕Nay

76%Guru Score

Tear Tier Milk Skin Toner

"I did not care for the Milk Skin Toner. The peppermint leaf extract can be irritating if you have rosacea. Peppermint's like a common potential trigger for rosacea."

✕Nay

67%Guru Score

Tirtir Milk Skin Toner

"I've been using this like I said started towards the end of December throughout January rather enjoying it no problems with it it's hydrating it's moisturizing I don't really notice it to be frank I'll finish it up but would I go right back to it would I go out of my way to purchase a full size bottle no really glad that I got the travel bottle because that's just enough. If you've got rosacea just stay away there are so many other hydrating moisturizing toners out there you don't need to be dabbling in the peppermint. This isn't bad but is it the best thing I've ever used no."

~Mixed

73%Guru Score

Hero Cosmetics Salicylic Acid Toner 2%

"Hero Cosmetics has a salicylic acid toner 2% with salicylic acid and polyhydroxy acid, AA Lotus water, fragrance-free. This looks promising as an alternative to the [Paula's Choice] one, which can be pricey. I always get that one on sale."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Isntree Ultra Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Toner

"This particular Essence is great for dry rough and bumpy skin in particular"

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Skin1004 Centella Asiatica Toner Plus

"I love this line from skin 10004 the Hy ALU seea line I've used their sunscreen I've used their serum great"

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Hada Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Milk Toner

"Hada Labo, this is one of my favorites. They also have the premium hydrating milk. These I believe have arbutin in them if I remember."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

Goop Good Clean Goop 10% Glycolic Acid Toner

"Glycolic acid is great for improving skin texture hydration"

~Mixed

68%Guru Score

Coats Gentle hydrating toning milk

"They also have a gentle hydrating toning milk with mandelic acid, hyaluronic acid, ceramide, vitamin C, and niacinamide, no fragrance. The 3% ascorbic acid is a stable form of vitamin C, probably not going to do all of what you're seeking out of vitamin C but it is more stable. Niacinamide is really good if you tolerate it, it does so many things for your skin, it's anti-inflammatory, good for redness, dark spots, hyperpigmentation. This is a mandelic acid toner like this is a gem right here. [...] Mandelic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid, it's very gentle, helps hydrate and gently exfoliate, and can help with fading dark spots. $22.49 doesn't seem too bad."

~Mixed

74%Guru Score

First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads

"The Facial Radiance Pads are okay. They have glycolic and lactic acid, but I just prefer to use a liquid exfoliant, not the pads."

~Mixed

70%Guru Score

Peach Slices Acne Exfoliating Toner with Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment

"This Peach Slices Acne Exfoliating Toner is another great liquid salicylic acid treatment. It also has lactic acid which can soften and smooth the skin surface reducing certain types of skin bumps."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Goodal Vegan Rice Milk Moisturizing Toner

"Coming in with the Vegan Rice Milk Moisturizing Toner from Goodal, this is not as viscous as snail mucin but it's pretty hydrating."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

Beekman 1802 Milk Shake Hyaluronic Acid & Squalane Facial Toner Mist

"This is a toner, it's kind of similar to an essence in that you're putting it on for hydration, may help with subsequent products penetrating better just by hydrating the skin. Not a necessary product by any means but one you may be interested in. This has mugwort in it, which is an ingredient I really enjoy. It's a botanic derived ingredient that's anti-inflammatory, has antioxidants, and may be helpful for barrier recovery. Goat milk as a source of lactic acid, hydrating and moisturizing, and sea buckthorn oil, an emollient that has wonderful antioxidants. Bifida ferment, which again is hydrating, rich in antioxidants, soothing. This looks like a promising toner. Toners can be helpful as an aftershave if you're someone who wants a little bit of extra moisture to the skin in the morning before you put your sunscreen on but you don't want to mess with a whole moisturizer because sometimes they can be incompatible with sunscreens and then the sunscreen pills. A hydrating toner or essence can be beneficial in those situations."

~Mixed

77%Guru Score

Peach Slices Snail Rescue Blemish Busting Toner

"It's a lot less expensive, but I've been saying I need to try this because in addition to the snail secretion filtrate, which is hydrating and has compounds in it that may help with healing, it also has centella asiatica extract, a botanical ingredient that may help with healing and recovery. That's what I need to try. I've been happy with everything Peach Slices I have ever tried before."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Isntree Green Tea Fresh Toner

"There's a tea toner from Isntree that I really like, it was featured in my best Korean skincare of 2022 video, and it offers the benefits of the tea, I see an improvement in skin hydration and it's less expensive. In contrast to it, I almost prefer the Pyunkang Yul black tea toner a bit since it has more texture and isn't a straight liquid, so it's easier to apply, but both of them are good as far as a tea based toner."

✓Yay

73%Guru Score

ITK Tri-Acid Toner

"ITK also has a Tri-Acid Toner. It has gluconolactone, which is a polyhydroxy acid and can gently exfoliate, it also has lactic acid, an exfoliant, salicylic acid, and niacinamide, so this looks to be promising for improving the appearance of pores."

✓Yay

66%Guru Score

e.l.f. Pure Skin Toner

"I was confused whether this is an exfoliant or a hydrating toner. It contains glycolic acid but this isn't called out on the packaging or website, which is problematic because glycolic acid can increase sun sensitivity. Most products with alpha hydroxy acid come with a sunscreen disclaimer but this one doesn't, and I would like more transparency about the intended purpose. While I didn't develop any irritation, I didn't notice benefits and I didn't feel like this was adding much to my skincare routine. The consistency is lightweight but the overall consistency I just didn't really feel like this was adding much. For me this one would be a pass and I wouldn't buy it myself."

✕Nay

73%Guru Score

Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Watery Toner Plus

"The Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Watery Toner Plus is a chemical sunscreen that I really enjoyed using. It made my skin look really glowy and healthy, subjectively speaking. It is a chemical sunscreen with no cast and some really good filters including Tinosorb M, Tinosorb S, and Uvinul A Plus, which allow for good UVA protection. The inactive ingredients make it a very nice moisturizer with ceramides which help with the skin barrier, centella which is anti-inflammatory, pine bark extract which is anti-inflammatory, and sodium hyaluronate. One of my reservations with this product is that it does have fig fruit extract, which can be photosensitizing. It is not water resistant."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

The INKEY List Polyhydroxy Acid Toner

"Polyhydroxy acids include things like gluconolactone, zinc gluconate, and lactobionic acid. They are very, very gentle exfoliants that help with shedding of heaped up cellular debris and help skin turnover, just improving the overall look of the skin, more radiant, even, healthy, glowing. Polyhydroxy acids also help with skin hydration and elasticity and may help in reducing glycation from sun damage. They're also great because a lot of people have very, very, very sensitive skin and want to use an exfoliant but their skin does not tolerate it. This is a great family of ingredients to include in your routine. This particular product from Inky List is great. It not only has these but is free of fragrance. The way to use it is after cleansing, while the skin is still damp, just pat a little bit in and then apply moisturizer over it. Really great product."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Wild Oat Hydrating Toner

"I was really impressed with this. I was not expecting much and I was taken aback. It is a hydrating, moisturizing toner with colloidal oats, beta glucan which is a humectant, and licorice for skin brightening. I was very impressed not only in how moisturizing this was but it really did impart a nice radiant, healthy glow. I am not kidding when I say this product really did make a visible difference in the appearance of my skin as far as evening out skin tone and just giving the skin a very radiant, healthy glow. The way to use it is after you cleanse the skin while it's still damp, pat just a little bit of this onto the surface of the skin and then apply a moisturizer on over it. I highly recommend it, especially for those looking to improve overall skin tone and texture through hydration."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Cocokind Rose Water Toner

"This is just another thing to put on your skin, everybody's doing it so you feel like you have to, but trust me you don't need rice water toner."

✕Nay

77%Guru Score

Geek & Gorgeous Liquid Hydration 5% Panthenol and Natural Moisturizing Factors Toner

"This hydrating toner has panthenol and urea, but seriously, you don't need this. You can get these ingredients in a moisturizer, and the benefits that this would yield you're going to get just by using a moisturizer. This is not worth your time or effort. It's very watery and this needs improvement."

✕Nay

75%Guru Score

Saturday Skin 4% Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Toner

"It has tea tree in it, which you know from my videos can be irritating, and a bunch of essential oils. Yeah, let's skip this."

✕Nay

69%Guru Score

Purito Tranexamic Acid 6% Niacinamide 10% Retinaldehyde Toning Booster Serum

"Recently over the past year I have discovered a retinaldehyde serum from Purito that works really well for me on my neck and upper chest, and I find that I get along better in these more sensitive areas with a cosmetic like this, which is notoriously a lot gentler than prescription tretinoin."

✓Yay

70%Guru Score

Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Toner

"The Round Lab Docto 1025 toner is one I've actually had my eye on when shopping around for Korean skin care. It's a water based toner that does not feel the least bit tacky or sticky and there's no viscosity to it, making it the perfect texture as the first step in your routine right after cleansing. It's not simply hydrating, it also provides a little bit of ever so gentle exfoliation through its moisture retaining properties, which helps loosen dead skin cells from the surface. It contains red algae, which is hydrating and loaded with antioxidants, polysaccharides for hydration, and sugarcane extract for additional moisturizing properties."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

COSRX Hydrium Watery Toner

"If you're someone who really likes snail mucin, [...] this is one that I think you will really like. If you hated snail mucin, like it didn't work for you, then I would stay away from this because it has a very similar consistency, a similar texture. [...] But here's where this product has really been one that I think flies under the radar. It's that it's got poly glutamic acid in it, which I don't know why brands are not so generous with this ingredient because it compliments hyaluronic acid really well or performs really well on its own because it is hydrating but it creates this slippery soothing film on the surface of the skin to also reduce water loss. So it has occlusive properties but it's not heavy. Wonderful option to consider if you have very oily or what you consider combination skin where you have patches of oiliness and dryness. It addresses the needs of the skin barrier without feeling super greasy or heavy. [...] You can use it at night time after cleansing, apply it as a first step after cleansing at night or if you're using another product that is more of a liquid, thinner texture, you would put that on first and then this on over. It works really well as a standalone moisturizer at that point, especially if you're going to put a topical retinoid on over it."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

Klairs Supple Preparation Unscented Toner

"This is the one, this is the one I love. This is a great product. [...] It's like a very rich cream in my opinion. It's kind of one of the OG sort of moisturizing night sleep masks, although it wasn't ever marketed that way, but it's nice and soothing. [...] Shea butter, jojoba seed oil, ceramides, a bunch of peptides. This is great, highly recommend this product."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Retinoids28 reviews

Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer

"This is the one I would recommend getting if you're into retinol because their retinol is very good. This is fragrance-free. It does have niacinamide, so if you're sensitive, you know, find another retinol. I think this is a very moisturizing cream, and Procter & Gamble, they do extensive R&D. I've been behind the scenes with them and seen what they do, and it's legit. They're legit doing a lot of R&D back there. So this is a good formula. I've used it. I've tried it. I recommend it, and I've seen all that they go through to make sure it's good."

✓Yay

70%Guru Score

Altreno Tretinoin Lotion 0.05%

"Your dermatologist might try to prescribe other topical retinoids in vehicles that help reduce irritation, such as Altreno lotion, which contains hyaluronic acid and collagen. It is often better tolerated, it's a lot more moisturizing, and it's formulated to really address the dryness and sensitivity issues, but there's no guarantee with that."

✓Yay

75%Guru Score

Anua Collagen Retinol Refining Gua Sha Cream

"This is a retinol formula marketed for use on the neck, with some really good hydrating, skin supporting ingredients like glycerin and panthenol. It has niacinamide in it, which is good for redness and the moisture barrier and is an antioxidant, macadamia seed oil as an emollient, collagen which is very hydrating, and adenosine, a moisturizing ingredient. The texture is rich and nourishing. On the neck specifically, you really do get an almost instant neck line blurring effect, mostly on the little fine lines, though deeper set wrinkles won't be erased, just less obvious. I didn't experience any burning or stinging, I used this on my neck as well as a lot on my forearms, and I noticed I was getting more consistently smooth skin where I was applying it and the skin tone appeared a lot more even, plus that plumping hydrated firming effect. I think it's a really excellent formula. It comes with a gua sha tipped applicator which is cool on the skin, but I actually found it a little awkward to use and ended up just putting the product in my hands and rubbing it on the skin instead. They also don't disclose the percentage of the retinol, which I'm not too bothered by since the overall formulation is what really supports whether the ingredient works, but I get where people are coming from on that. It doesn't stop me from using it, I have really liked it."

✓Yay

69%Guru Score

Prequel Retinal Renew Retinaldehyde Gel 0.1%

"They suggest using the Half and Half as a moisture sandwich with their retinaldehyde, which I 10 out of 10 recommend. That has to be one of my favorite Prequel products and they have a lot of great gems. Retinaldehyde can be a little irritating in the beginning, although it's generally well tolerated, and I find the base of that retinaldehyde is amazing as a moisturizer, it's beautiful. That has to be one of the best products I have tried out this year, I'm not exaggerating. It's going to make an appearance in my best of series most likely towards the end of the year."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Paula's Choice Resist Barrier Repair Moisturizer with Retinol

"I enjoy Paula's Choice retinols. Right now, you can get this here for $16.99. That's not too bad."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Cream

"Cannot go wrong with RoC retinols and this fragrance-free option. It's really good. It's competitive neck and neck with the Neutrogena rapid wrinkle repair retinol cream."

✓Yay

87%Guru Score

A313 Vitamin A Pommade (Retinol Ester)

"A313 is a cream that contains retinyl palmitate. Retinyl esters are vitamin A derivatives that don't do what tretinoin, retinol, retinoic acid, retinaldehyde, tazarotene, trifarotene, and adapalene do. It doesn't do the collagen boosting. It just acts as an antioxidant. Using a retinyl topical is not going to prime your skin for getting used to a topical retinoid. It's not a gentler version of that, and it's no different than using any other antioxidant. It may be helpful for warding off oxidative stress, but it's not going to help you deal with the retinization process or get primed for the retinization process. A313 is a facial moisturizer, and there is a pretty good study that showed that if you get patients to use moisturizer consistently a couple of weeks before starting them on tretinoin, their ability to tolerate tretinoin improves and they have fewer side effects."

✕Nay

61%Guru Score

RoC Retinol Max Hydration Fragrance-Free

"Rock also has a wonderful fragrance-free cream that is likewise pretty rich, nourishing, moisturizing. I think retinoid cream by itself is adequately moisturizing. Provided you tolerate the retinoid, I think it's fine as a moisturizer."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Retinol B3 Serum

"If it's from L'Oreal, the retinol has good science behind it. [...] L'Oreal [...] brands like La Roche-Posay, their retinols are going to be well formulated."

✓Yay

57%Guru Score

L'Oreal Revitalift 0.3% Pure Retinol Night Serum

"You can't go wrong with L'Oreal retinols. If it's from L'Oreal, the retinol has good science behind it."

✓Yay

70%Guru Score

Aveeno Retinol with Retinaldehyde

"Aveeno, their retinol is also excellent. Not a retinol, but a retinaldehyde."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Vichy Lift Active Retinol 0.2%

"L'Oreal brand and they own a lot of skincare brands. [CeraVe], Lar Ro Pose, Vichi, their retinols are going to be well formulated."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

CeraVe Skin Renewing Retinol Serum

"The retinol in that line is amazing."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Walgreens Adapalene Gel 0.1%

"When it comes to adapalene, you don't have to get the brand name gel. There's the Walgreens version."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion

"I really like the pump package I think that's a convenient way to dispense product as opposed to a tube or a dropper. It does come out yellow which is to be expected from a retinol, and I was able to tolerate this no problem, no irritation or anything of the sort. I actually really enjoyed using it. Now keep in mind, [...] I have been using retinol for a long time so my skin is good and accustomed to topical vitamin A, and therefore that might not be the case for you. You might get some irritation. One thing about retinol in contrast to tronolane or adapalene or other prescription retinoids is the irritation that you might experience with it kind of sneaks up on you. You aren't going to get it like week one, but it really kind of sneaks up week two, three, often on the cheeks, maybe along your jawline. You start getting peeling and flaking, and the cheeks are real sensitive, burn, sting. You get sensitivity and people are like, oh your cheeks look red, are you flushed, are you okay. You have a bit of this flush and things sting. Now if it's gotten around your eyelids, which they caution against, you might start feeling like, why do my eyelids look wrinkled and they're real dry and sensitive. That's something that can start to creep in there around the third week of using it."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Olay Pro Advanced Retinol Complex Night Moisturizer

"This is a pretty good option for a retinol. It can help with improving the signs of skin aging with long-term consistent use and helps improve collagen. It also has some peptides which are hydrating and may help with collagen as well, and niacinamide. So if you're sensitive to niacinamide this would be a pass, but that's good for the moisture barrier. It's an antioxidant so it's good for anti-aging purposes, and it's really helpful for dark spots along with the retinol. That's a really nice combination there."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Cocokind Advanced Retinol Gel 0.5%

"This has retinol but it's 0.05% interesting so this has retinol and retinaldehyde and that HPR granactive retinoid thing which like I said doesn't have any real evidence behind it but the retinol and retinaldehyde do. This is kind of an interesting formula I've not seen a product that combines both retinol and retinaldehyde. Looks like they're all encapsulated together. No fragrance. $26.99. The question is is it effective because honestly all retinol and all retinaldehyde are beginner friendly but there is a huge difference between the dryness irritation and peeling that you get with tretinoin compared to retinol. I mean retinol in general is super mild even retinaldehyde is something that a beginner would have a decent chance being able to tolerate."

~Mixed

76%Guru Score

AcneFree Adapalene 0.1% Gel

"AcneFree's Adapalene 0.1% Gel is a good affordable option. This is a retinoid, and adapalene is one of the least irritating retinoids, so people tolerate it better. It also has anti-inflammatory properties and it can help lighten and prevent hyperpigmentation. You don't want to use it near the eyes, corners of the mouth, or corners of the nose. You only need a very thin film. It can be used at night time or in the morning. Adapalene is photostable, so technically it can be worn during the day, although generally I advise people to put it on at night time."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

Number Seven Retinol 1%

"I have tried the Number Seven Pure Retinol and it's very good, fragrance free."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

RoC Retinol Capsules

"RoC is a good brand. Retinol differs from tretinoin or adapalene in that your skin has to convert it to retinoic acid, which takes two steps to get there. [...] It just takes a little bit more time and patience to work. This particular product I have tried and it's very nice. It's nice and moisturizing and it almost has an immediate skin smoothing and hydrating impact from a cosmetic angle, but it does take time for the retinol to work. What the retinol is going to do is help improve the rate of skin cell turnover. Retinol is not actually exfoliating the skin like an alpha hydroxy acid, but instead it is teaching the cells in the skin to move along at a more reasonable rate. [...] The long-term benefit of consistent retinol use can help with smoothing out the skin surface, removing some sun damage, getting the cells of the epidermis to turn over more efficiently, and ultimately improving moisture retention."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

No7 Advanced Retinol 1.5% Complex

"I remember being really impressed by this when I tried it a few years ago. This No7 Advanced Retinol 1.5% Complex is really good. It's a good retinol just for improving wrinkles with long-term consistent use but it also has a peptide in it that can help in improving just moisture content specifically. It has Matrixyl 3000 which is actually two peptides, they're matricides so allegedly they're going to get in and improve collagen production. I actually really liked this when I tried it out."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Olay Retinol 24 Peptide Night Moisturizer

"You can get the two jars for 33.99. This is actually a good product and this is a good value here, and they have the fragrance free one. The peptide may help with moisture retention, hydration, and improves skin firmness, which is probably going to lead to a more gratifying instant result, whereas the retinol takes some time with ongoing use, though the retinol can help improve fine lines and skin firmness."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream

"The retinol correction deep wrinkle night cream does have fragrance, it has shea butter, and zinc gluconate, which is a polyhydroxy acid that can help with hydration and gentle exfoliation. This has glycolic acid, it's going to help with wrinkles, but it can be irritating. It also has dimethicone. It's ordinarily 34.99 but right now it's some dollars off."

~Mixed

76%Guru Score

SkinMedica Age Defense Retinol 0.25

"This is a paper in a very credible dermatology journal showing the efficacy of an over the counter retinol comparable to prescription tretinoin for improving the visible signs of skin aging. If you had asked me before this study what I recommended, I would have said there's nothing about it that makes me think it's any more convincing than the retinols I typically recommend. But now that we have this paper showing it gets into the skin, activates the markers of retinoid activity, and shows clinical improvement in the visible signs of photo aging, I can actually recommend this product as a retinol. I feel pretty confident that if you chose it you would at least be getting the benefits of a retinol, although it's got its limitations, since this was a very small study that only enrolled Caucasian skin types and didn't control for the vehicle. I'll also point out that a lot of the reason people pursue retinol over tretinoin is that tretinoin can be irritating, and I'm not completely convinced this is going to be less irritating for you, because the only difference found was less redness in the SkinMedica group. Dryness and peeling were comparable between the two. It costs about 80 dollars, and this study was funded by SkinMedica, which is worth considering as a potential source of bias, though I wouldn't chalk it all up to that given how rigorous the study design was."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Geek & Gorgeous A-Game Retinol 10

"The AAME 10 with 0.1% retinaldehyde is definitely worth trying. It's actually not that common to find a retinaldehyde, and these are well formulated, free of common allergens and irritants, and affordable."

✓Yay

90%Guru Score

Geek & Gorgeous A-Game Retinol 5

"The AAME 5 is 0.05% retinaldehyde, which is a reasonable percentage strength, and I definitely recommend trying it because it's actually not that common to find a retinaldehyde that's this well formulated, free of common allergens and irritants, and affordable."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Pro+ Regenerating Cream

"The Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream, the fragrance-free one, I have been recommending for years and years and years. I swear it has this instant plumping hydrating effect. And it likely has to do with the hyaluronic acid, which helps to improve the dryness, the irritation that one might experience from their very effective stabilized retinol. That's slow release, sustained action. That's a great formula with hyaluronic acid."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1%

"I personally started my topical retinoid journey with Differin Gel. I really started to notice several months into using it improvement in sunspots. And over time I noted that the skin was getting plumper, smoother and I was seeing quite a decrease in some little fine lines. [...] I maintain that as far as an accessible affordable and generally well tolerated retinoid, it is a stellar option for not only of course acne but for anti-aging purposes."

✓Yay

91%Guru Score

Mists & Essences25 reviews

Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule

"The Madagascar Centella Ampoule is one I like so much from them, it's thicker and more viscous than their newer pore perfecting ampoule."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Probiotics Barrier Essence

"If I were going to rank the Prequel Half and Half, I would not put it above Haru Haru Wonder Black Rice Probiotic Barrier Essence, which I love. It has more of a silky, luxurious texture. It softens and smooths."

✓Yay

87%Guru Score

Rhode Glazing Milk Ceramide Facial Essence

"Can I use only the Rhode Glazing Milk without any other moisturizer? In other words, can I use it as an everyday moisturizer? Yes, you absolutely can. I love that product. Personally, I find it a very hydrating, moisturizing, lightweight fluid. You don't necessarily need to use additional moisturizer, of course everyone's skin needs will vary, some people will benefit from additional moisturizer, but it can easily be used as a standalone moisturizer."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

VT PDRN Essence 100 Elasticity and Wrinkle Care

"I used the VT PDRN Essence 100 Elasticity and Wrinkle Care. Still say PDRN is a complete bozo marketing claim. But this particular PDRN essence, the formula has a nice slippery texture. I'm very texturally oriented. At the end of the day, a lot of these things end up doing more or less the same thing, moisturizing the skin. This is a moisturizer with a nice emollient finish. So I liked it in that regard. But the thing about this is not only was this one the PDRN marketing bozo, but they took the clown show full and claimed that this was a plant derived PDRN from panax ginseng extract. We're going to pull something off the shelf that everybody in their mother in the Korean skincare industry and outside of that has been putting in their products diligently for years and now we're just going to pretend that it is a source of reliable deliverable small DNA."

~Mixed

76%Guru Score

SK-II Facial Treatment Essence

"We have SK2 here, Facial Treatment Essence, and it is $219.99. Now, I tried this a long time ago. I didn't think too much of it. Ferments are great in products, so there's that. But these kind of ingredients have become really easy to come by and there's nothing particularly magic in my opinion about their ferment patena. That's just what they've trademarked the name."

✕Nay

81%Guru Score

Purito Galacto Niacinamide 97 Power Essence

"Niacinamide has been shown in actual people to improve hyperpigmentation, sallowness, elasticity, wrinkles, smoothness. It's arguably one of the most evidence-based skincare ingredients that we've got these days. Don't sleep on it if you can tolerate it because it packs a punch. I like the texture. It was nice and lightweight. I felt like my skin looked very smooth, very hydrated, calm, collected. I like to use this at night time as the first step of my nighttime skincare routine. I went through it pretty quickly. I started it on that trip because it's sort of travel friendly, had a cap, and then I used it up in a matter of about 4 weeks. I would also use it in the morning. Niacinamide twice a day for 12 weeks. Get on that train. See if you see a difference because the clinical studies looking at niacinamide go out to 12 weeks using it twice a day."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist

"I love this lip sleeping mask, Two Bits. And these are really good."

✓Yay

75%Guru Score

The Ordinary Multi-Active Delivery Essence

"For me personally I would not repurchase this product because it really felt like just an unnecessary step in my routine. I'd like to think that the ingredients in serums that I apply do what this does, they have water, they have glycerin, and I like to think that they're formulated in a way that allows for good penetration. Coupled with the things I already do in my routine like using a topical retinoid, washing my face regularly, moisturizing regularly, [...] I feel like this is just unnecessary and superfluous. The other thing I found odd about their instructions is they really heavily caution you not to use this near the eye contour area. I mean, obviously don't pour it in your eye, but do they really think a watery glycerin solution is going to be completely hazardous around here? I am doubtful. [...] It kind of gives the illusion that this is really active and makes you think be careful around the eyes. I would say you honestly skip this."

✕Nay

59%Guru Score

Manyo Factory Bifida Biome Complex Ampoule

"The mano bifida biome serum, I never got anywhere with this. I used it, I kept expecting it to turn a corner for me and it was always like so so. It was okay but like $28.99 for that bottle."

✕Nay

81%Guru Score

Kerx Advanced Snail Mucin Power Essence

"I am a long time proponent lover of snail mucin as a matter of fact part of my current skincare routine is doing the Kerx Advanced Snail Mucin Power Essence as the first step in my moisture sandwich so I put it on damp skin at night then I put on my tread noan and then I put on another moisturizer on top it's a really really hydrating product great for smoothing out the skin surface moisturizing I find that when I use this product consistently I really see a visible difference in the appearance of pores."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence & All-in-One Cream Set

"I adore this stuff um the power Essence and then you get the all-in-one cream it really helps in my opinion um in my experience it helps with skin elasticity hydration skin smoothness"

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

COSRX Galactomyces 95 Tone Balancing Essence

"There's one product from them that I tried in the early days of trying COSRX that I did not like. The Galactomyces 95 Tone Balancing Essence did not work well for me. That's like the one product that stands out in my mind from them that was a miss."

✕Nay

70%Guru Score

Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray

"I know that Tower 28 one is also really popular. I've just never bought that or used it myself so I can't speak to how it is."

~Mixed

82%Guru Score

Prequel Universal Skin Solution Dermal Spray for Face and Body

"I have the Prequel Universal Skin Solution Dermal Spray for Face and Body, which is another great option. I have atopic dermatitis that gets aggravated by my sweat, and that makes me really itchy. I find hypochlorous acid sprays really beneficial, mostly for my body. I don't really use them too often on my face, from time to time I do, but primarily on my body."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence 5X

"One of my favorite fermented type products, not an ampoule, it's an essence, is that Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence. That is really really good. I love it."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

Bubble Bounceback Balancing Facial Mist

"The balancing mist does have fragrance, so I wouldn't recommend misting that on the face. It's got rose flour, water, glycerin, niacinamide. I mean, there's really not much need for that. It just introduces another variable into your routine."

✕Nay

73%Guru Score

COSRX Advanced Snail Radiance Dual Essence

"I would not repurchase the Advanced Snail Radiance Dual Essence, because I did not appreciate any improvement above and beyond what either their power essence or their cream already offers me. It has some unique ingredients the others don't, five percent niacinamide and glutathione, and if you have a tendency toward hyperpigmentation you might see a bit more improvement in discoloration from those than I did, though I can't promise that will happen. Looking at the cost per ounce, those unique ingredients just didn't offer me anything above and beyond. If you're sensitive to niacinamide, stick with their essence or their cream instead."

~Mixed

76%Guru Score

Haruharu Wonder Black Bamboo Mist

"This is the Haru Haru Wonder Black Bamboo Mist with ultra deep technology. It is a mist with fragrance, bergamot oil, lavender, limonene, and bamboo shoot extract, but can't say I'm gonna get much use out of that."

✕Nay

57%Guru Score

Missha Time Revolution Artemisia Treatment Essence

"I didn't realize Missha had more stuff in their Time Revolution Artemisia line, I really like the essence."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

BYOMA Balancing Face Mist

"I used to think face mists are a waste of time, but I've come to realize that for some people like if you don't want to wash your face first thing in the morning but you do want a little moisture, there's an argument for it. But if you constantly carry a mist and spray your face with it throughout the day, I think it can end up drying out your skin more because it evaporates and pulls water out of your skin."

~Mixed

81%Guru Score

Topicals Faded Brightening and Clearing Mist

"The Topicals Brightening and Clearing Mist just irritated my skin. They feel very sticky and the sticky residue doesn't go away - it's almost like you have sprayed yourself with spray adhesive. I was optimistic about trying it, thinking it would be like other spray-on lotions but with active ingredients for hyperpigmentation such as niacinamide, kojic acid, arbutin, tranexamic acid, glutathione which is an antioxidant, licorice root, and glycolic acid. But overall the formula was really sticky, felt like glue, and it was irritating. I tried it on my back and the next morning my back was really itchy. It also has fragrance which can be a culprit in worsening hyperpigmentation. These were definitely a fail for me."

✕Nay

80%Guru Score

Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Teca Ampoule

"I used this along with the Teeca soothing toner and the Cica cream, one after the other, for a good long while until I finished them all, doing the toner first, then the ampoule, then the cream, morning and night. I really like them, they have complementary ingredients that are good for the skin barrier and also help with discoloration and skin tone. I did feel like overall my skin tone appeared more even while I was using these, though it's hard to say if it was all from these or the sunscreen or a combination. Now that I've finished them, I would definitely use them again."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Mixsoon Bean Essence

"I was just about to give up on Mixsoon because this bean essence, this is a pass in my opinion. I mean, some people love it, but it's just not I was not impressed by it."

✕Nay

75%Guru Score

COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence

"COSRX Snail Mucin Power Essence has to be one of my favorite skincare products because what it does is it hydrates, it plumps, it smooths. I visibly see a difference in skin elasticity. [...] It's got greater snap, and through the plumping and hydrating effects, I see a diminishment in pore size. Very effective for me personally. [...] You could [...] use the power essence alone as the bottom layer, and maybe your retinoid and cream alone is enough of a top moisturizer. This is a product that it never does me wrong."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

Skin1004 Probio-Cica Intensive Ampoule

"The Skin1004 Probio-Cica Intensive Ampoule has a very simple ingredient list, nothing super fancy. It has a fermented filtrate from [Centella] and that imparts humectants, anti-inflammatory compounds. It does very similar things as far as just imparting that overall plump, firm, smooth, suppleness to the skin surface, brightening up skin tone. And it's not really an over-the-top complex formula. I've repurchased this before. It takes a long time to go through this too."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Acne16 reviews

Differin 2% Salicylic Acid Body Spray

"For example, the brand Differin makes a salicylic acid body spray that's quite good. There are many others on the market. That just comes to mind as one I have tested out myself and can vouch for."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

CeraVe Acne Control Gel with Salicylic Acid

"The CeraVe one has 2% salicylic acid. That's going to get down in the pore, obviously good for blackheads and whiteheads. If you have a tendency towards ingrown hairs, salicylic acid can be helpful because it's really good at finessing the follicle and exfoliating it to reduce the likelihood that you'll get trapping of the hair."

✓Yay

71%Guru Score

Neutrogena Stubborn Acne AM Treatment 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide

"I'm a fan of 2.5. It's mild as far as the dryness. Still can be drying and irritating but as effective. And using these together, it kind of hits a different angles of acne pathogenesis. You can use benzoyl peroxide actually in the morning and at night and then put adapalene which is stable in the presence of benzoyl peroxide. You can put the adapalene on at night. That combination is really tight for controlling acne. The downside of benzoyl peroxide is that it bleaches fabrics. So using a wash form is an alternative less likely to bleach stuff when you just use it in the shower and then rinse it off the skin."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Cetaphil Gentle Clear Mattifying Acne Moisturizer Salicylic Acid Treatment

"The Cetaphil acne mattifying moisturizer, underrated as a matter of fact. Cetaphil's acne line in general very good. This has 0.5% salicylic acid. You could use this as a spot treatment but I encourage you to use it to the entire face of course sparing the eyelids because too drying in that area. 5% is effective but works very slowly, so this is something that you want to be patient with. But as a leave-on treatment it's a great option at this percentage, less likely to be drying and irritating. The other reason I like this product so much is not only the vehicle because it's pretty moisturizing without being greasy or oily, but it also sneaks in there something called kic acid which is excellent for those of you whose acne heals with a dark mark. Kic acid chelates copper which is necessary for the enzyme tyrosinase, so in other words it puts the brakes on hyperpigmentation. Excellent ingredient to include in an acne targeted product."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Cetaphil Gentle Clear 2% Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment

"I love the Cetaphil Gentle Clear line. This salicylic acid treatment is great. It also has polyhydroxy acids in it which are really hydrating."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

De La Cruz Sulfur Ointment Acne Treatment Maximum Strength 10%

"I like the combination of salicylic acid and sulfur for tinea versicolor, it's underrated but it definitely can help. You can get the De La Cruz Sulfur Acne Treatment and apply it to the affected areas, about two to three inches around, leave it on for ten minutes and rinse it off, or leave it on the skin overnight. It's a little drying, but can definitely be a game changer. It's not as good as the selenium sulfide thing, but if you didn't respond to that or just can't be bothered with it, this is another option that might get you the results you need."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

e.l.f. SKIN Blemish Breakthrough Triple Acid Resurfacing Serum

"The salicylic acid, the tranexamic acid, and the polyhydroxy acid, sum total, 8.5%. It sounds really intense, but this has niacinamide as well, 10%. This was fine. Didn't cause any irritation for me. A little blah. I would not repurchase it."

✕Nay

69%Guru Score

e.l.f. SKIN Blemish Breakthrough Acne Calming Water Cream

"This I ended up really really liking quite a bit. But I think it's a bit underrated, like flies under the radar because it's their acne calming water cream. If you don't have acne and you're not in the know, you're going to dance on right by this. But what this is is a 1% salicylic acid facial moisturizer, fragrance-free. So that's helpful for smoothing dry rough skin texture if you got keratosis pilaris. And if you do have acne, that's obviously going to be helpful as well because salicylic acid localizes down within the pore, exfoliates the pore to reduce pore clogging, come formation. Also, salicylic acid can be helpful for hyperpigmentation. Plus, this has a more reasonable percentage strength of niacinamide. It's got 4%. Okay, so great for dark spots, redness, moisture barrier, anti-aging, skin yellowing, and it also has an acetyl glucosamine, which is very hydrating. This feels wonderful. No dryness, no irritation with this."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Differin Acne Patch with Salicylic Acid

"Looks like Differin came out with a new Acne Patch with Salicylic Acid, centella, and willow herb, which is anti-inflammatory. These can be really helpful, but the salicylic acid on the patch is more likely to be irritating because you have it under occlusion. The hydrocolloid helps kind of flatten the pimple and reduce the urge to pick."

~Mixed

78%Guru Score

Bubble Fade Away 5% Benzoyl Peroxide Acne Spot Treatment

"Bubble has an acne Spot Treatment with 1.8 percent salicylic acid. Now salicylic acid you could use it as a spot treatment for a pimple but it's not the most fast acting in that regard, and salicylic acid works better if you use it to the entire face but you certainly can just use it in a spot focused area. The nice thing about this product though is that it also has azelaic acid which is also going to be helpful for acne as well as hyperpigmentation. Azelaic acid helps also if you're someone who has rosacea, which again is a condition where you can have face bumps related to it. This also has dipotassium glycerizate that's going to be anti-inflammatory and help with redness. The thing about rosacea though when it comes to salicylic acid it can be pretty irritating for people who have rosacea but it's not to say that you can't use it. So you might actually find that this product is helpful to you if you're someone who has rosacea because of the azelaic acid and the willow bark. The salicylic acid is going to be anti-inflammatory and if you tolerate it it may actually end up helping you out."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution

"This is really good as a leave-on salicylic acid for blackheads, acne, hyperpigmentation, if you get keratosis pilaris on the face, for some people they find that salicylic acid helps. It's got keratolytic properties to soften and exfoliate that dry rough stuff. This one is like just a liquid but it's not drying."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Neutrogena Stubborn Acne Hydrocolloid Patches

"These are really nice, their new stubborn acne patches, they have two different shapes, a larger one and circles. These are good if you have a tendency to pick your acne, I highly recommend these."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Vichy Normaderm SOS Acne Rescue Spot Corrector

"This is a product that in my opinion does not get enough attention, it's the Vichy Normaderm SOS. It has sulfur in it which is anti-inflammatory, it can be helpful for acne as well as rosacea, though this product is formulated more for acne. It also has glycolic acid in it, which for some people with rosacea is not well tolerated, and niacinamide, which is really good for acne as well as rosacea. This is also a product that is safe to use during pregnancy. It can make you a bit more sensitive to the sun, so be sure to use sunscreen, and you don't need a big glob, just a very thin film."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Peach & Lily Transparency ProSpot Treatment with 20% Vitamin C

"Peach and Lily's Transparency Pro Spot Treatment has vitamin C and camellia. It has sunflower seed oil, licorice, ferulic acid which is an antioxidant, and licorice root extract and kojic acid, which are good for dark spots. This looks like a promising product. It also has ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate, which isn't evidence based for doing anything, but it's in there. It's odd that they market it kind of like a vitamin C serum when there are other good ingredients in here, why not market it as a kojic acid dark spot corrector."

✓Yay

74%Guru Score

Mighty Patch Original Hydrocolloid Acne Pimple Patches

"These mighty patches are the thing to put on a mosquito bite. As soon as you get the mosquito bite, it's like it takes over your brain wanting to scratch it. This will just interrupt that pathway immediately. As far as a pimple, these are great to help you reduce picking. You can also just get an inexpensive roll of hydrocoloid bandage and cut it into little squares. The little circles are convenient for a pimple. I really like them. I find these are very comfortable to wear and I forget I have them on."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Eucerin Roughness Relief Spot Treatment

"Eucerin's got a great line, the Roughness Relief. They used to have this spot treatment, but I can barely find it anymore. It was like more of an ointment and they also have a really good thick cream and a thick lotion."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Balms & Ointments16 reviews

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Gel B5 Skin Protectant 21%

"I love to use the La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Gel around the eyes. It's a glycerin skin protectant."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Vaseline Original Healing Jelly

"My second favorite is just plain petroleum jelly, aka Vaseline. I love that. If I have active lip dermatitis or dry cracked lips, I'm not using any other kind of product, I am using plain petroleum jelly."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

CeraVe Healing Ointment

"CeraVe Healing Ointment has got a little bit of something extra, [...] especially for the lips. The hyaluronic acid in there really offers some kind of plumping effect. It really works above and beyond."

✓Yay

92%Guru Score

Neosporin Neosporin

"Topical antibiotic ointments that might be used around the eyes are another common culprit, particularly those you buy over the counter that contain neomycin, aka Neosporin, or bacitracin. Stay away from those in general, they are well-known causes of contact dermatitis, and they're not very good antibiotics to be putting on the skin, so stay away from them."

✕Nay

31%Guru Score

Protopic Protopic (Tacrolimus Ointment)

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Prequel 1% Colloidal Oatmeal and Alanine Multi-Ceramides Adenosine Barrier Therapy Rich Skin Protectant Cream

"Acidic body moisturizers, which is good. You want them a little on the acidic side for barrier needs. These are great. They're colloidal oatmeal skin protectant, heavy moisturizers that you can comfortably wear on the face. Colloidal oatmeal has the ability to improve moisture content. It's a humectant. It also can create a lightweight film on the skin to reduce transepidermal water loss. And it's got panthenol and ceramides, which are anti-inflammatory. It's really, really good for eczema. It's a skin protectant, so it will protect the skin from irritants. These have ceramides like many other body moisturizers, which are great for the skin barrier. They're both fragrance-free. [...] The rich one is a little richer, a little heavier, may be less comfortable for you to wear on the face, especially if you live in a hot, humid climate. [...] Overall they leave the skin nice and moisturized. And the hydration lasts about 48 hours. [...] With ongoing use, it'll really help keep the barrier in check and keep the skin moisturized. I think these are fantastic. Prequel does a really good job."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Aveeno Skin Relief Healing Ointment

"The Aveeno Skin Healing Ointment is on sale. Normally this is $19.99, but they are knocking down $6. You can get the two 7.2 oz bottles and a 2 oz bottle for $13.99. The 2 oz bottle is great to throw in your purse. This also works really well as a hand cream. It's glycerin based and so it feels a little like you're rubbing something sticky on, but it's not sticky. I ended up liking this. Very good for dry cracked heels, too. Also good to cut down on chafing."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Eucerin Intensive Foot Repair Ointment

"But I'm a big fan of Eucerin foot ointment. It has urea and salicylic acid keratolytics that get in there and dissolve all that dry rough stuff, help hydrate the skin, and it also provides some lubrication as well."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Aquaphor Healing Ointment Advanced Therapy

"You could use Aquaphor around your eyes. It will not cause milia."

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

Da Cruz Sulfur Ointment

"Da Cruz sulfur ointment is an over-the-counter FDA approved treatment for peroral dermatitis. We do find that topical sulfur can be helpful for peroral dermatitis probably because it is a cousin, pretty much identical on pathology to rosacea, and topical sulfur can be very helpful for rosacea. It's one of two products that I frequently recommend in the drugstore."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Prequel Skin Utility Gel Multi-Purpose Skin Protectant

"I put a little drop like under each eye and then rub it around to my upper eyelids. Amazing for especially the under eye area. The glycerin is very hydrating. So it plumps the surface of the skin through light scattering, dark under eye hollows and dark circles are less obvious. Just kind of brightens up the under eye area, smooths out wrinkles, but importantly it protects the eyelid from irritants which can get there, settle and then get sucked up close to the skin as the muscles contract. The skin protectant to the eyelids helps protect them. I've managed to be able to put a tiny drop of that on my eyelids in the morning and work it in and let it dry down and then put sunscreen on over and not get any peeling around the eyes. And that pairing has worked out really well for my eyelid skin needs. I am kind of intrigued to try that with this 40% much higher than the other one."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Cetaphil Healing Ointment

"The Cetaphil Healing Ointment is nice. It's a softer ointment with slightly better spread on the skin compared to Aquaphor. It has shea butter in it, which I think gives it that soft texture, but it really does a great job as an ointment for locking in hydration. This is also really good on the lips, around the eyes, or really anywhere. If you're someone who wants to try slugging, which is the practice of going to bed with a thick layer of an ointment on your face as the last step of your nighttime skincare routine, you might want to try this one out. It's not as though it performs any better than Vaseline or Aquaphor, but it is another option. One thing worth mentioning is that in contrast to Aquaphor, which does have lanoline that some people are allergic to, this does not have lanolin."

✓Yay

65%Guru Score

Prequel Skin Utility Balm Multi-Purpose Skin Protectant

"This is a petrolatum based ointment with bisol which is anti-inflammatory and I really liked this quite a bit. Works well similar to Vaseline, Aquaphor, CeraVe healing ointment. But given how I go through ointments so quickly, I use so much ointment, this doesn't end up being a very cost effective ointment for me to pursue. I finished this in like a matter of a couple of weeks at most. I went through it very quickly. But if you're not going to really use ointments too frequently, you just like to use them say around your eyelids or to the lips, then this might be a great option for you."

~Mixed

71%Guru Score

Prequel Barrier Therapy Skin Protectant Cream

"It is very lightweight, it is not a super rich heavy cream, so if you're somebody who likes a really rich thick formula this maybe a little too on the lightweight side for you. It did leave my skin feeling moisturized and hydrated, didn't dry down with a tight film. The following day my skin was moisturized. It doesn't feel greasy, sticky, there's no odd residue."

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

Triple Paste Medicated Ointment

"This Triple Paste is really good if you get rashes and the skin folds or chafing, um that's basically an irritant dermatitis same thing happens in the diaper area for babies and the zinc is anti-inflammatory and it protects the skin. This also has petroleum which is also a skin protectant, lanoline, visol is anti-inflammatory as is oak kernel extract, glycerin is hydrating, there are a lot of hidden gems."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Eucerin Aquaphor Healing Balm

"Aquaphor has lanolin, and some people develop an allergy to that, so you could be making things worse. Petrolatum is probably the safest, lowest risk of any allergy, so just stick with plain petrolatum."

~Mixed

81%Guru Score

Tech11 reviews

iRestore Laser Device

"iRestore is one of the few devices I actively promote, because it's got data behind it and more data continues to emerge supporting [...] low-level laser therapy at home for androgenetic alopecia. Minoxidil is still the [...] go-to treatment, [...] but low-level laser therapy at home is an effective adjunct, and for some people it gets them results above and beyond using minoxidil alone. [...] I tried it myself several years ago and directly saw that it works. It's FDA cleared for safety, which is huge for me to recommend a device. Their devices are some of the most powerful on the market and offer comprehensive coverage. I use the Elite device now, but originally used the Professional device before the Elite came out and got great results with it too, and it's a little less expensive if you're on a budget. These are arguably, in my opinion, the best devices on the market. [...] It improves circulation, which is important for getting hair into the growing phase, reduces inflammation, and [...] the red light jumpstarts cellular metabolism, waking up the follicle. I would not expect it to regrow an entire bald scalp, but it can move the dial on hair growth for sure."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Red light therapy Red light therapy

"Red light therapy uses red and near infrared wavelengths of light that penetrate the skin and are thought to improve mitochondrial energy production, essentially rejuvenating the cells and improving cellular energy. They also reduce inflammation and stimulate collagen production. In the clinical setting, red light therapy can be very useful for actually improving wound healing, reducing post-procedural inflammation, and improving overall skin tone, albeit modestly. There are also at-home red and near infrared devices that can be used for personal use. These devices can actually be effective for maintenance of skin quality, supporting overall collagen health over time, reducing wrinkles, plumping the skin, reducing skin inflammation. They're a great option for people who are already investing in aesthetic treatments and want something that they can do at home to maintain the results moving forward. The big thing with the at-home devices is that results require you to stay consistent with using the device. You can't just use it here and there when you feel like it. [...] You have to use it regularly. And if you stop using it, the maintenance aspect goes away. [...] They are an upfront investment, so if you don't think you can stick with it, I say don't waste your money on it."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

Omnilux LED devices

"I always recommend the Omnilux devices. That's what I use. They're fantastic. They're the ones who make the in-office devices. They put their devices through a lot of safety testing. So that's why I always recommend them over a cheaper device. They are an investment and I tell people this all the time. They only work if you use them. If you keep them in a drawer and you only use them on a spa night every so often, they're not going to do anything really. So they have to be used consistently."

✓Yay

73%Guru Score

iRestore Laser Hair Growth Helmet

"Lately I have really started to appreciate more regrowth of my frontal hairline, new growth I should say, and it's mostly because it's getting longer so I'm really starting to see it more, especially under the little cushion there. With the iRestore, your scalp starts to feel a little bit warm around the 8 to 9 minute mark because the energy is improving blood flow to the scalp, so it's normal. It doesn't get hot or anything."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

Iris Store Elite LED Hair Growth Helmet

"I've been using Iris Store for several years now, but I switched over to their newer Elite device. It doesn't take as long to do, but you do it more often. It has more bulbs basically, and I feel like I'm seeing a slight change from the prior model. I feel like my hair is a little bit thicker. One of the biggest misconceptions that I think people have when it comes to red light devices and near infrared devices such as this is that they're not powered sufficiently to yield any kind of meaningful effect. You actually only need an energy density within a certain small range for it to be effective. If you exceed that density, you end up getting diminishing returns and you can actually have a negative effect. Photobiomodulation exhibits what's called a biphasic dose response curve, meaning you get better results and then you start getting decline in an outcome."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro

"The nice thing about this is you can do it with both red and blue, you can do it with just red, or you can do it with just blue. So if you have acne and you're looking to really capitalize on the blue light, you could just do the blue, or if you want wrinkle improvement, you could just do the red, or you could do both. And it's three minutes a day. LED therapy can be very effective, only as effective as you are willing to do it."

✓Yay

71%Guru Score

Tripolar Radio Frequency Device

"The Tripolar, I'm not sponsored by them, but it's the one I'm most familiar with, and it can be helpful for skin laxity, fine lines and wrinkles, as well as improving skin texture. It has heat sensing technology, so it will automatically turn off if the temperature gets above 40 degrees, which is a safety mechanism because it prevents overheating of the epidermis, so it would be very unlikely for this device to end up impacting someone's fat compartments. Their industry sponsored study did demonstrate a decrease in wrinkles around the mouth and around the eyes, statistically significant with their device, though unfortunately the study was not blinded."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

NuFACE Trinity Facial Toning Device

"I've been highly skeptical of NuFace since the start of my channel because the ideas behind it just don't add up physiologically, but I decided to actually try it for two months to see for myself. I used it once a day, five days a week, with the gel primer, on my neck, jawline, mid face and forehead. I did notice an immediate, subtle improvement right after using it, like less morning puffiness and slightly better facial contour and under eye tightness, but it was very very subtle and the following morning my face looked exactly the same as it did before I ever used it, so it was not long lasting and not drastic whatsoever. After using it consistently for two months I don't see any sustained difference in the contours of my face, and looking back at photographs from before I started, I honestly see no difference. There is no evidence to support that microcurrent boosts ATP, collagen or elastin, or that it enhances penetration of skin care products, and atrophy of the facial muscles isn't really a major driving force in the aging face anyway, so targeting the muscle doesn't make logical sense to me as an anti-aging strategy. It's not inexpensive at 339 dollars, and for that price you have to keep using it consistently just to maintain very temporary, very subtle results. In my opinion the microcurrent thing is a bit of a hoax because there's just no data to support it for any aesthetic purpose, and there are better technologies out there that actually have some science behind them. I honestly do not see this device as being worth your money."

✕Nay

60%Guru Score

iRestore Elite Low-Level Laser Hair Regrowth System

"I personally decided to try out red light therapy myself several years ago when I was going through a period of excessive hair shedding after training for and running a marathon. After researching the different at-home devices available, I tried out a few different models and decided that iRestore far and away was the most powerful, the most robust option that if anything was going to make a difference, it would be this device. After using it consistently for about three months, I really started noticing not only a decrease in hair shedding, but the hair that was growing back was thicker, and I was having more fullness compared to how my hair was before. One of the things I appreciated most about this device was how easy it is to use - it's hands-free so you can multitask while wearing it and takes just 12 minutes a day. The device I continue to use today is iRestore Elite, which is FDA-cleared, non-invasive, and a drug-free option you can use in the privacy of your own home. It is evidence-based and has shown to be effective for hair loss disorders. It is my go-to recommendation for people looking for a low-level laser therapy device for hair restoration."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Omnilux Face Contour Red Light Therapy Mask

"I favor Omnilux. They've been a leader in the industry for a long time, and they actually make a device specifically for the hands, which I've used myself. I happen to find it also helps my hand eczema, which makes some sense because it has anti-inflammatory benefits. But these devices only work if you're willing to use them, and you've got to use them consistently, they don't work overnight. If you're highly motivated, I do think they're worth it. Low-level laser therapy is one of the only devices I'm actually a proponent of, amidst a landscape of gadgets that in my opinion don't have any evidence behind them. It's got data behind it and it can definitely help improve things a bit, so I think it's worth it if you're motivated, but if you're not motivated, don't spend the money."

✓Yay

75%Guru Score

iRestore Professional Hair Growth System

"I've been really impressed with those devices as far as what they offer."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Blush & Bronzer8 reviews

L'Oreal Lumi Le Glass Highlighter Stick

"I'm definitely excited about anything that says Louie on it from L'Oreal. We have a highlighter stick in the shade glassy pink ballet."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Milani Luminoso Blush

"Check out this blush. Their blush is really good. Milani."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

Merit Flush Balm Cheek Color in Beverly Hills

"I use one of their flush balms every single day. I'm currently using the shade Fox, and I also really like Pimon, and there's one called Cheeky. They offer a very beautiful light color, but you can build upon it, add a couple of layers of it, do a couple of coats of it to get a stronger color payout. I love it. It's easy to blend in with your fingers. You don't need a brush. They do sell a brush, but you don't necessarily need one. You can just use your fingers. I really like the cream formulas. They're free of fragrance, easy to use, don't require a high level of skill to work with. I highly recommend."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Lily by Red Love Beam Cheek Balm

"Lily by Red Love Beam Cheek Balm. Some kind of a blush. How sweet is the packaging on this blush? I really like that. A little difficult to get into. Looks like a cream blush. It's a Korean brand, never heard of it."

~Mixed

78%Guru Score

NARS Orgasm Blush

"Now I'm coming in with my Nars Orgasm Blush. I don't need very much of this."

✓Yay

74%Guru Score

Omnilux Contour Glove

"Omnilux makes a red and near infrared light device, the Omnilux Contour Glove. It's an investment for sure, but it's pretty easy to do. You just velcro it in place. The red and near infrared wavelengths of light in this hand mask penetrate to stimulate collagen production and can help to improve the visible signs of skin aging on the backs of the hands. It also to a certain extent may help with age spots as well, not as evidence-based for that, but there has been some observation that people's sunspots seem to lighten when they do that. In order for it to really work, you have to use it consistently. You can't just use it intermittently when you want to relax and unwind. It won't work that way. Like anything with the skin, it takes time. It takes consistency. But with consistent use, you definitely can see results and improvement in the visible signs of skin aging on the backs of the hands as well as cutting down on dryness and irritation, which alone for me personally is a reason to keep using the hand device."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

L'Oreal Lumi Liquid Blush

"I do like cream or liquid blush. Usually a little goes a long way, but happy to have that."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Omnilux Contour Face and Neck Chest Mask

"The neck, you know, it doesn't lie. Some of the first visible signs of skin aging appear on the neck as well as the upper chest, the decollete. Not only in those little fine lines or wrinkles, but also in age spots, uneven skin tone, patches of redness. The Omnilux Contour Face and Neck Chest Mask is the first and only FDA cleared device for specifically targeting those little neck wrinkles as well as sun damage. It helps with evening out overall skin tone and pigmentation, reducing redness, minimizing the appearance of sunspots, and with consistent use, it leaves the skin of the chest and the neck smoother and more radiant. It uses the same red and near infrared wavelengths of light that the Omnilux Contour face mask does, 633 and 830 nm. So, it works to rejuvenate and firm the skin beyond the face."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Concealer8 reviews

Merit Minimalist Concealer

"I have been using the same concealer now for I want to say 3 years. And I keep thinking to myself, maybe I should try something else because honestly, it is on the expensive side for what I prefer to spend. But it lasts a long time. It works. So, I'm okay with spending the money. [...] I just use this under my eyes, but you could use it elsewhere as a concealer. It's a nice creamy formula. It doesn't cause any creasing for me, and it lasts all day. Merit formulas, they're not super high coverage. So, if you have something that you are really, really trying to mask to completely make invisible to the naked eye, this is not going to cut it. It's buildable, but it's still not going to give really dense, thick coverage. So, just keep that in mind. But for me, it just brightens up the under eye area just enough. It doesn't get creasy, greasy, flaky. So, that's what works for me. [...] I have repurchased this so many times."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

Lancôme Teint Idôle Ultra Wear All Over Concealer

"It's a long wear concealer and it stays on really well. I would put it on and then blend it in with that Angie hot and flashy makeup brush from BK Beauty and it held up really well. It didn't get creasy. It really does a good job camouflaging dark under eye circles. When it's 50% off, it's more of a drugstore concealer price, so this would be the time to try it out."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

e.l.f. Hydrating Camo Concealer

"This concealer is really good. I've been really happy with it. It's creamy but it doesn't get all melty and break apart, and it doesn't crease too much."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

Milani Conceal + Perfect Longwear Concealer

"The Milani Conceal and Perfect, highly recommend this. It's a longwear concealer and it stays on really well. [...] I like this because it blends in really easily, like you can just use your fingers."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

BK Beauty Angie Hot and Flashy A506 Concealer Brush

"A tool that I started using this year that I swear by is the BK Beauty Angie Hot and Flashy A506 Concealer Brush. This is the brush to give as a gift to someone that likes to wear makeup or to yourself because chances are if you know someone who wears makeup they already have makeup brushes so getting them a whole makeup brush set is probably giving them some redundancies. This brush however, this concealer brush is unique. I think it's their bestseller. It's got this kitten paw shape to it so it really allows you to very gently pat in and blend in concealer minimizing any creasing and it gets in the hollow of your eye really easily and it's super soft so it's not irritating along your eyelid."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment Concealer

"I've been using the one that was gifted to me a year ago from tarte and it's okay the shape tape um but I want to try something drugstore and this Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser seems reasonable when it comes to dark under eye circles. Caffeine may temporarily de-puff and decongest and give a little under eye brightening effect. Even gets the job done and the iron oxides in the concealer may help protect against visible light which generates free radicals in the skin."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Tarte Shape Tape Concealer

"I got the very popular Tarte Shape Tape the creamy formula so that's what I've been using under my eyes all summer just as an under eye concealer and I've been applying it with this brush and it really blends it in really nicely."

✓Yay

71%Guru Score

IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Full Coverage Anti-Aging Waterproof Concealer

"This is something I may actually buy and try. It's an under eye concealer, which is one of the few things that actually can at least temporarily get rid of dark under eye circles, obviously not permanently removing them, but under eye concealer is one of the more practical things you can do to address dark under eye circles on a day-to-day basis. This has niacinamide, which is an ingredient I love, good for redness and hyperpigmentation, so if you have actual discoloration under the eye that may be beneficial. It has magnesium and sodium phosphate, which is a stable form of vitamin C. It may have a decent opportunity to actually penetrate the skin, especially under the delicate eyelid skin. It may help as an antioxidant to combat oxidative stress that could further weaken the barrier, but whether or not it's going to get in and boost collagen, we don't have much research in that regard. This also has petrolatum, which is good for reducing water loss, and it's waterproof so it'll stay on there, which is great in this humidity that we're existing in here right now."

~Mixed

73%Guru Score

Fragrance6 reviews

Billie Eilish Eilish Eau de Parfum

"Love this perfume from Billie Eilish. Um I don't really care for the packaging though."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Nemat Vanilla Musk

"If you like a musk scent because they are so good. Now that being said, at least my experience with the roller ball. It's not a super overpowering like it's really good when you first put it on, but I feel like it doesn't last that long, which can be a good thing. I love traveling with these. [...] So I went in there whiffed it and I do like it."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Clinique Happy

"Clinique Happy is okay."

~Mixed

74%Guru Score

Pears Glycerin Soap

"Glycerin soaps are actually pretty nice for cleansing and this one does have fragrance again but you know you're going to rinse it off so less likely to be an issue. Sodium Laurel sulfate can be a little drying."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Lancôme Idôle Eau de Parfum

"I know better than to sample a perfume before getting on a flight. One of these Idôle fragrances, I did not care for, because it had a certain scent that always gives me a bad headache."

✕Nay

61%Guru Score

All Free and Clear Laundry Detergent

"All Free and Clear is another good one, free of fragrance and dyes."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Tools6 reviews

Tweezerman Tweezers

"This is great for the rogue chin hair and brow grooming. These are really good quality. I've always gone with Tweezerman, never been disappointed, not sponsored. Twelve ninety nine, that's not a bad price."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Clean Skin Club Clean Towels XL

"These Clean Skin Club towels are sort of silly in my opinion. I think they're kind of glorified paper towel. We're drying our face with an active ingredient infused towel. Acne breakouts are not a hygiene issue. You can just frequently wash your towel in hot soapy water."

✕Nay

82%Guru Score

Kitsch Satin Pillowcase

"A satin or silk pillowcase can be particularly helpful for cutting down on frizz and breakage from your hair. It's also very smooth on the skin and can cut down on irritation. I happen to think that not only are these good for you but you might consider getting them and keeping them to give as gifts over the holiday season. Who wouldn't love a Satin Pillowcase? It's nice and cool on the skin."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Hero Cosmetics Dark Spot Brightening Lightning Wand

"The Lightning Swipe looks like they put the same tranexamic acid and niacinamide from the Lightning Wand into a pad. If you start using something like that at the first sign of a pimple and continue through its lifespan and a few weeks after, it will reduce the chances it heals with hyperpigmentation, provided it's not too irritating for you. I've tried this out before and it's really good."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

Lily Silk Mulberry Silk Pillowcase

"I'm a huge fan of purchasing silk pillowcases and other silk items from Lily Silk because the quality is just unmatched not to mention their customer service has never ever let me down. A Mulberry Silk Pillowcase is really smooth on the skin surface and helps cut down on creasing of the skin when sleeping on it. Another advantage is that it doesn't soak up a lot of moisture and so from a hygiene perspective that's excellent."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Beachwaver Curling Iron

"This little thing is not it, doesn't hold much hair. Maybe if I don't go down, if I just grab like the tip here, I feel like you kind of have to leave a little piece out. You kind of have to leave that little straight edge there."

~Mixed

81%Guru Score

Nails5 reviews

Kerasal Multi-Purpose Nail Repair

"The thing I like for nails is the lacquer from Kerasal, which has urea and not lactic acid or salicylic acid. I like the lacquer because it has real good staying power on the nail, it lasts a lot longer, it adheres, and it really allows for good penetration of those ingredients."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

OPI Nail Envy Nail Hardener

"The OPI Nail Envy Nail Hardener nail strengthener works really well as a base coat."

✓Yay

75%Guru Score

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Color

"These Insta-Dri, as the name implies, they do dry pretty quickly and you'd think that their longevity would not be that great but it is, it's pretty good. I mean, is it like a full-blown gel manicure going to last until the nail grows out? No, but it'll last you about 5 to 7 days. I do like this sparkly brown, I think it's a really nice color for fall."

✓Yay

66%Guru Score

BioSil Advanced Hair and Nail Care

"Choline stabilized orthosolic acid it's a non-animal derived so if you have allergies to fish pork beef or you just want trying to avoid animal products uh you know this is completely you know free of that"

~Mixed

76%Guru Score

Dr Dana Nail Renewal System

"I've continued to use the Dr Dana Nail Renewal System and it's still working really well. I [...] really think it's helped my nails. [...] I didn't have brittle nails or nail ridging, but I definitely have seen just a difference in the shine of the nail plate."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Powder & Setting5 reviews

Zeasorb Excess Moisture Control Powder

"They sell a powder with an antifungal in it, it's called Zeasorb powder. I suggest using that as well. It'll help absorb moisture in your shoe and cut down on fungal spores because it has an antifungal in it."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel

"I'm a big fan actually of the Monistat Chafing Relief Powder Gel because it offers similar benefits [...] to a water resistant sunscreen. That's usually what I recommend people use not only under the arms for chafing and irritation, but also in between the thighs. If you have loose skin after weight loss, I really recommend that as well for cutting down on friction and irritation, since a lot of loose skin can lead to intertrigo, skin barrier breakdown, and secondary skin infections. I also suggest it for skin folds when it comes to itch there."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer

"I've never tried any Milk products, but I've heard about this Hydrogrip primer. And I went in here and let me tell you, I had the best time chatting with the folks in this booth. They were so friendly. They watched my videos and they let me test out the Hydrogrip primer and I really appreciated the information that they gave on the fact that when they designed it..."

✓Yay

73%Guru Score

e.l.f. Power Grip Primer

"This particular primer it has glycerin which is pretty hydrating castor oil hydrogenated castor oil, it's widely used in skincare and cosmetics it's an emollient, but if you're allergic to it you have to avoid it allergy is a possibility there. It's one of those super hyped like it appears in a lot of people's favorites types videos and you I have to wonder is it as good as people claim. Let me know it's only five bucks but that's a pretty small little tube like how much of it are you ending up using, I guess not much."

~Mixed

67%Guru Score

NARS Translucent Crystal Light Reflecting Setting Powder

"If I want to make my forehead less shiny I'll come in with some of this Nars translucent powder"

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

Foundation3 reviews

Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Gel Tint

"They have a new hydrogrip primer with a tint in it."

✓Yay

87%Guru Score

Covergirl Simply Ageless Skin Perfecting Essence Foundation

"Covergirl Simply Ageless Skin Perfecting Essence with Nol, that's an antioxidant. It doesn't act like retinol, it may help stabilize retinol, it may be helpful for the skin, that's about it. Oh my gosh, hold your breath because you're not going to believe what I'm seeing on the ingredient list of a makeup product: tranexamic acid. Tranexamic acid is good for the moisture barrier and some preliminary evidence suggests it may be helpful for redness, so nice to have in there. But just look at this formula. You've got these little beads of the tint in a gel base that I'm guessing bloom onto the surface of the skin as you apply it. That's kind of cool, I'm intrigued by that."

✓Yay

69%Guru Score

e.l.f. Camo CC Cream

"It is so matte it's like very drying and it goes on really chalky"

✕Nay

69%Guru Score

Supplements2 reviews

Verisol Collagen

"Verisol collagen seems to be a popular one in some of these studies. And in fact, they do suggest that these collagen peptides can make their way to the skin intact where they actually can stimulate the fibroblast of your dermis to amp up and improve collagen production and elastin production. [...] The studies are small and they look in the short term, not the long term. Many of them are industry funded, which doesn't necessarily mean they're not useful, but it is something to just be aware of. [...] The benefits are modest and there's no standardized dosing protocol. It can be difficult to know if the benefits are really due to the collagen peptide itself or simply related to perhaps an improvement in amino acid intake."

~Mixed

79%Guru Score

Olay Collagen Peptide 24

"This is actually a pretty good moisturizer. Collagen is really large and can't actually get into the skin in skincare products, but it has moisturizing properties as a humectant. This also has Tremella fusiformis which is a humectant, and it's got palmetto oil pentapeptide that in theory can help improve collagen and panthenol."

✓Yay

61%Guru Score

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