EltaMD Skin Recovery Amino Acid Foaming Cleanser (5 Ounces) — Upgrade Pick
Amazon deal price: $28 ; street price: $35
What we like: Our upgrade foaming facial cleanser pick for sensitive skin. Cloud-like formula feels light, luxurious, and mild on your hands and face. Sulfate-free soft foam fully removes dirt and grime and leaves your face feeling deeply clean — but not at all stripped. Just one pump emits a dollop that’s just the right amount for face-washing.
Other things to know: Pretty pricey. Five-ounce bottle. Contains 28 ingredients, making it harder to determine if one of them triggers a sensitivity or irritation. Mostly fragrance-free (with slight hints of coconut and medicine).
Read more: The 8 Best Facial Cleansers
Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant (4 ounces) — Best For…
Amazon deal price: $28 ; street price: $35
What we like: The best upgrade facial exfoliant with a range of strengths. Fragrance-free and concise formula delivers a 2% dose of salicylic acid without a long list of potential irritants. More than any other BHA serum we tested, this made us feel like it was really getting in there to lift away oils and grime.
Other things to know: Some may find the price too high, even on sale. Testers were split on the tingling sensation, all appreciated how smooth the exfoliant left their skin and noted they could feel it working, but one said it could be a bit irritating.
Read more: The Best Exfoliants
La Roche-Posay 12% Pure Vitamin C Serum — Best For…
Amazon deal price: $34 (updated 12% formula); street price: $45
What we like: The best rich, skin-smoothing vitamin C serum drops, in an updated formula with 2% more vitamin C. Pretty impressive for a drugstore brand. A hearty 12% ascorbic acid gel that seemingly melts into skin to leave a sheer, touchable finish. Ingredients include glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and salicylic acid.
Other things to know: Testers didn’t love the baby powder–meets–medicinal scent. White dropper can get gummy, discolored, and dingy over time, and it doesn’t always deliver a precise portion. At 1.01-ounces, it’s pricey for a drugstore brand. We tested this at a 10% concentration, but the updated 12% formula otherwise remains largely the same.
Read more: The Best Vitamin C Serums
LilyAna Naturals Retinol Cream (1.7 Ounces, 2-Pack) — Best For…
Amazon deal price: $31 (pack of two); street price: $50
What we like: A two-pack of the best retinol plus an infusion of moisture. Ideal for dry skin. Met our criteria for an excellent retinol product, but also has many of the ingredients we require of our favorite moisturizers. Even testers with sensitive skin were able to tolerate this product—and were pleased with the results.
Other things to know: No detectable scent. The two-pack comes in tubes, rather than the pump bottle we tested. Deal is for two 1.7-ounce tubes.
Read more: The Best Retinol Products
SkinMedica Retinol Complex 1.0 Serum — Best For…
Amazon deal price: $72 ; street price: $95
What we like: The best retinol for over-the-counter potency. At 1% concentration, this serum is among the strongest you can get without a prescription. Softened and smoothed lines without irritating testers’ skin.
Other things to know: Opaque glass bottle makes it virtually impossible to tell how much product is left. Soaks in quickly, but proper portioning may take practice. No added fragrance, but testers found the aroma somewhere between meh and medicinal.
Read more: The Best Retinol Products
The Outset Nourishing Squalane Daily Moisturizer — Best For…
Amazon deal price: $31 ; street price: $44
What we like: The best mild, smooth, and refillable moisturizer. Formulated with the preferred hydrators of our other picks — like glycerin, glycol, and squalane — plus dermatologist-recommended avocado and jojoba oil. Airtight pump is hygienic and easy to use.
Other things to know: Refillable matte glass bottle feels high-end. The formula may strike some as not special enough to justify the expense. Not the lowest price we’ve seen, but within a couple bucks. Clip the on-page coupon to get the deal.
Read more: The Best Moisturizers
Nécessaire The Body Wash (16.9 ounces) — Gift Pick
Amazon deal price: $31 (16.9-ounce pump bottle, deal on eucalyptus scent); street price: $38
What we like: A luxe body wash we like as a gift for moms. A gentle gel cleanser formulated with niacinamide, vitamins C and E, and cacay, marula, and meadowfoam oils. Leaves skin softly cleansed and silky-smooth yet not dry. Comes in an extremely chic bottle or a larger pump style.
Other things to know: Its skin-like pH is gentle on the skin barrier. Comes in unscented and several scents. We expect to see it drop slightly lower here and there, but this is still a decent value.
Read more: The 34 Best Last-Minute Mother’s Day Gifts
Banana Boat Light As Air SPF 50+ Sunscreen (6 Ounces, 2-Pack) — Top Pick
Amazon deal price: $14 (6 ounces, pack of two); street price: $20
What we like: Our top pick for the best chemical sunscreen. Lightweight and easy to apply. Not greasy; rubs in with a dry, transparent finish and appears nearly colorless on skin. Oxybenzone-free.
Other things to know: Tropical fragrance isn’t overpowering, but may not be for everyone. Water-resistant up to 80 minutes. Not reef-safe. Deal is for a pack of two 6-ounce tubes.
Read more: The Best Sunscreen
Supergoop Play Everyday Lotion SPF 50 (18 Ounces) — Top Pick
Amazon deal price: $55 ; street price: $68
What we like: Our top chemical sunscreen pick for your face that’s nicely scented and available in bulk. Good for face and body. Rubs in easily and is nearly transparent once applied. Light, pleasant scent. User-friendly pump bottle.
Other things to know: Some testers noted that it left them feeling greasy. The 18-ounce jug is the most affordable size on a per-ounce basis. We’ve seen it slightly cheaper during a recent sale, but drops below this price are pretty uncommon.
Read more: The Best Sunscreens for Your Face
Byoma Sensitive Skin Body Lotion — Best For…
Amazon deal price: $10 ; street price: $14
What we like: The best body lotion for the vibes without the irritation. This fragrance-free lotion’s creamy formula has skin-calming ingredients such as calendula and oat kernel extract, and its bright packaging encourages daily use. Lightweight formula absorbs easily. Accepted by the National Eczema Association.
Other things to know: The pump top is difficult to open. The fragrance-free formula still carries a subtle scent from its ingredients.
Read more: The Best Body Lotions
Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara — Best For…
Amazon deal price: $8 ; street price: $10
What we like: The best lengthening drugstore mascara. Delivers long, perfectly delineated lashes (but not in a fake way). Nimble, bendy applicator brush is precise. Satin-slick formula evenly coats lashes. Affordable and available in multiple colors.
Other things to know: Formula can be messy and isn’t particularly thickening or volumizing. $8 is a buck more than the better deals we’ve seen of late.
Read more: The Best Mascara
Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water — Guest Pick
Amazon deal price: $4 ; street price: $6
What we like: A guest pick face cleanser that doubles as a stain remover from Broadway dresser. Safe to use on most fabrics. A fantastic quick fix for makeup stains on fabrics.
Other things to know: You’ll still need to fully wash most items for best results. Deal is for the 3.4-ounce bottle.
Read more: How a Broadway Veteran Tackles Stains, Snaps, and Rips Backstage at ‘Boop!’
Youth To The People Superfood Cleanser (8 Ounces) — Staff Pick
Amazon deal price: $29 ; street price: $39
Sephora deal price: $29 (free Sephora account required); street price: $39
What we like: A face cleanser staff pick. This cleanser outperformed all of the drugstore picks beauty and style staff write Hannah Frye has tried. It lathers nicely, cleanses deeply, and leaves skin feeling supple. Once you run out, you can opt for the larger refill pouch.
Other things to know: Some might be put off by the fragrance in the formula, it smells fresh, like a green juice. Deal for the 8-ounce bottle, which is a few bucks shy of the price we saw over Black Friday (but is still a decent value). Free Sephora Beauty Insider account required for free shipping.
Read more: You Don’t Need to Splurge on Face Wash. But This One Is Actually Worth the $40.
Supergoop Glow Stick SPF 50 — Gift Pick
Shopbop deal price: $24 (use promo code PRIME25, free shipping for Prime members); street price: $32
What we like: A stocking stuffer we love for a sun-safe, dewy glow. It rolls on easily and doesn’t leave slimy residue behind, so even the most reluctant sunscreen wearer won’t mind it.
Other things to know: Tubes are small, but sized for travel or stuffing in a stocking. Use promo code PRIME25. Free shipping for Prime members.
Read more: 50 Wirecutter-Approved Stocking Stuffers for Adults
Yves Durif Comb — Gift Pick
Shopbop deal price: $41 (use promo code PRIME25, free shipping for Prime members); street price: $55
Amazon deal price: $41 ; street price: $55
What we like: A gift pick for moms. Handmade in Italy from ivory-toned resin, this chic, wide-toothed comb works both for detangling and styling. With architecturally tapered teeth, it is a pleasure to hold and behold.
Other things to know: Anti-static. Can be used wet or dry. Use code PRIME25 when purchasing from Shopbop, shipping is free for Prime members.
Read more: The 46 Best Gifts for Mom
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