The competition was stiff, but these skincare saviors reigned supreme.
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Shape / Jessica Juliao / Prop Styling by Tina DiRosa
As the largest organ in the body, your skin has a lot going on — after all, it’s responsible for protecting your body from dangerous bacteria, chemicals, and ultraviolet rays while also regulating your temperature. It’s no surprise, then, that figuring out a skincare routine that works for you can feel like a minefield, especially if you have specific concerns like acne, dry patches, or sensitive skin.
We heard your skincare SOS, and we’re delivering 13 tested and approved skincare products that will help you find the perfect skincare routine for your needs (and we also covered makeup with skincare benefits in its own unique category). Each product has been vetted by either our own testers or an experienced dermatologist, so you know it’ll actually help the overall health of your skin. Glow on.
Even the most stalwart among us sometimes needs a little incentive to apply daily sunscreen — and for our team of editors, the subtle sheen of Glowscreen is enough. The famously iridescent sunscreen protects the skin with broad-spectrum SPF 40, while other health-boosting ingredients (like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and vitamin B5) plump the skin and even out skin tone. We’re thrilled that they launched three new shades this year for inclusivity beyond the classic “Sunrise” shade. The glow-factor is dewy, not glittery, like an IRL filter.
Who It’s For: Anyone who grew up in the body glitter era of the early 2000s and knows they need to get serious about sun protection, stat.
Price at time of publish: $38
Can a facewash be both gentle on sensitive skin and powerful enough to dissolve makeup in a single splash? Until we tried the Cerave Hydrating Foaming Oil Cleanser, we would have said no. But this oil-based cleanser converted us, confidently removing our makeup without stripping our skin of its moisture, thanks to ceramides, squalane oil, and hyaluronic acid. Once you pat your face dry, you’ll be amazed at how hydrated it feels — not pulled tight across your cheekbones like harsher face washes we’ve tested.
Who It’s For: Anyone too impatient for a double cleanse.
Price at time of publish: $18
Our medicine cabinets (and our wallets, TBH) simply cannot accommodate a serum for every individual skincare ingredient. Luckily, the Olay Super Serum features five key ingredients for a well-rounded skincare routine: niacinamide, vitamin C, collagen peptide, vitamin E, and alpha hydroxy acid.
Together, these dermatologist-approved ingredients improve skin texture and tone, firm skin, smooth fine lines, and visibly hydrate the skin. "My five-step AM skincare routine gets cut down to two when I use this serum," says Shape senior commerce editor Shannon Bauer. We’re crazy impressed with this hard-working drugstore buy.
Who It’s For: The minimalist.
Price at time of publish: $35
Shape / Jessica Juliao / Prop Styling by Tina DiRosa
The fountain of youth may not exist, but this retinol serum does — and that’s basically the next best thing. Retinaldehyde is the second-strongest retinol (after a prescription), and it quickly fills in fine lines and wrinkles, reduces the appearance of pores, and evens out skin tone and texture. But that’s not all; niacinamide, the other star ingredient, strengthens the skin’s barrier and enhances the brightening effects of retinal.
“I use this super duo twice a week, and my skin feels healthy, smooth, and even,” says Geil. “My skin isn’t particularly sensitive, but I love that it still feels hydrated and soft after using this serum — especially since retinol can be so harsh.”
Who It’s For: Skincare lovers who want instant gratification.
Price at time of publish: $69
This aluminum-free deodorant was nominated multiple times by our editors, who cited its gentle, irritation-free formula as a favorite feature. Skin-soothing ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter, and baking soda are designed to work with your sensitive underarm skin, not against it. Most importantly, the stuff actually works; we’ve never felt self-conscious about smell or sweat stains with Native under our armpits.
The only thing we disagreed on? Which luxurious scent to buy. One editor loves desert grass and sandalwood, while another argues for the sage and sweet citrus scent.
Who It’s For: The person who’s been meaning to switch to a natural deodorant for years.
Price at time of publish: $13
As editors who basically work out for a living, we take our antiperspirant incredibly seriously (quick refresher: antiperspirants fight wetness too, while deodorants only fight stink). The Secret Clinical Strength is the only antiperspirant we’ve found that keeps up with our professional workout-class-hopping. Even better? It prevents three different kinds of sweat: activity sweat, stress sweat, and heat sweat. Plus, it offers three times more protection than the wetness protection required of an ordinary antiperspirant. It’s strong enough for anything you have to tackle.
Who It’s For: The no-nonsense, results-driven go-getter.
Price at time of publish: $13
We stan a full body care system — especially one designed to combat pesky body acne, which is an unfortunate work hazard of being a fitness editor. Isle of Paradise recently launched a body care collection, and we were immediately on the ground testing the Confidently Clear line of products (a cleanser, moisturizer, and polish). This trio works in tandem to prevent and clear up body acne, relying on workhorse ingredients like lactic, polyglutamic, mandelic and hyaluronic acids to gently exfoliate and smooth skin.
“I automatically reach for these shower staples when I rinse off after my workouts,” says Geil. “I’m a huge fan of the body polish in particular, which gently scrubs away any sweat or grime that’s built up on my skin.”
Who It’s For: The never-miss-a-Monday gym rat.
Price at time of publish: Confidently Clear Body Cleanser: $22 | Confidently Clear Body Moisturizer: $26 | Confidently Clear Body Polish: $28
Lots of body lotions only go skin-deep for a surface-level moisturizing effect — but not 54 Thrones Barrier Repair Cloud Body Cream with Peptides + Hyaluronic Acid. The intensely hydrating lotion uses shea butter, baobab oil, and jojoba oil to actually heal dry, cracked skin instead of temporarily soothe it. You’ll feel the moisture penetrating deep into your skin long after you apply it. Plus, there’s nothing better than moisturized legs that slip and slide against a fresh, warm blanket on a cold night.
Who It’s For: The person who suffers through dry Midwestern winters.
Price at time of publish: $24
Shape / Jessica Juliao / Prop Styling by Tina DiRosa
This eye cream made us feel like we were Michaelangelo sculpting David out of marble, with its gently curved applicator and thick, whipped texture. The applicator helped us massage the eye cream all around the eye area without irritating the delicate skin.
The cream is also an excellent multi-tasker, delivering instant brightness, depuffing, firmness, and hydration, as Geil can attest to. “I’ve been using this regularly for a few months now, and I’ve seen a definite reduction in the fine lines around my eyes,” she shares. “I think the applicator makes all the difference, and the cream has such a silky, luxurious feel.”
Who It’s For: Anyone who never really mastered gently patting in eye cream with your ring finger.
Price at time of publish: $42
After 450 hours of testing moisturizers, our team agreed: The Water Cream was, ounce for ounce, the best moisturizer overall. It’s suited for a wide variety of skin types, but we felt it was most effective for balanced to oily skin. The featherlight texture absorbs quickly without leaving any shiny spots on the T-zone, and we even noticed a glass-like effect on our skin as The Water Cream shrunk our pores to a near-invisible status.
“As someone with oily skin, I am careful about my morning moisturizer selection or I’ll quickly go from dewy to the grease stain on the bottom of a McDonald’s fry bag in about 10 minutes," Bauer says. “This gel moisturizer sinks into skin to hydrate without ramping oil production and it sits beautifully under sunscreen and makeup.”
Who It’s For: Almost everyone. Seriously.
Read our full review here: The 15 Best Face Moisturizers, After 450 Hours of Testing Dozens of Products
Price at time of publish: $72
Shape / Jessica Juliao / Prop Styling by Tina DiRosa
Even though we’re in love with Tatcha’s The Water Cream, we know that sometimes, dry skin needs a little something extra in a moisturizer. That extra, in our expert opinions, is the addition of phytoceramides in this moisturizer from The Ordinary. Ceramides are like glue that fill in the cracks of the skin cell “bricks” to lock in moisture. Cracks in the foundation = disaster on the inside. Dry skin needs an assist to keep the barrier strong and lubricated. This is a thick AF moisturizer, so we found it best suited to extra dry skin.
Who It’s For: Anyone who complains of having dry, scaly, lizard skin.
Read our full review here: The 15 Best Face Moisturizers, After 450 Hours of Testing Dozens of Products
Price at time of publish: $23
Another instant gratification skincare product, this exfoliating mask is as close as you can get to a professional-grade peel at home. For starters, it’s filled with 25% alpha hydroxy acids and polyhydroxy acids — two strong acids that quickly work to retexturize your skin and clear it of any dullness, discoloration, or bumps. An infusion of soothing aloe juice helps ensure your skin won’t be irritated after the powerful treatment.
“Even better than the efficiency of this mask is the experience. A holographic cream that makes my skin look smooth and fresh minus any fight-the-burn sensation? I’m so there, it’s insane,” say Bauer.
Who It’s For: Someone who wants a fresh, radiant look before a big event.
Price at time of publish: $50
Shape / Jessica Juliao / Prop Styling by Tina DiRosa
Dark spots and hyperpigmentation don’t stand a chance against the ISDIN Melaclear Serum. This dark spot corrector relies on niacinamide and Transexamic acid (which inhibits pigment production) to even skin tone and reduce discoloration while also protecting the skin against any other potential damage.
"I've been diligent about SPF on my face, but have gotten a bit forgetful about my décolletage and it's starting to show," says Bauer. "I apply this several times a week on my face, neck, and chest and it looks noticeably smoother and brighter." It does take about three to six months to see results, so be ready to stick to the routine.
Who It’s For: Anyone who was a little lax with sun exposure in their teen years and is regretting it now.
Price at time of publish: $85
As the Senior Commerce Editor at Shape, Kristen Geil tests, reviews, and analyzes all the products and gear that can help enhance your wellness journey. As a NASM-certified personal trainer, she's particularly passionate about testing new fitness equipment and finding her next favorite pair of running shoes. Before moving to Commerce, Kristen was Shape's Senior Fitness Editor, where she oversaw the Fitness category and covered workout trends, exercise tips, recovery, and more. For this article, she interviewed a dermatologist, reviewed dozens of test results and hundreds of individual insights, and pulled from her own experience testing face sunscreen, retinol, body wash, eye cream, and more. She personally tested Glowscreen, Youth to the People's Retinal + Niacinamide Youth Serum, the Isle of Paradise Confidently Clear Collection, and the Wander Beauty Baggage Claim Everyday Eye Cream.
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