With thousands of products crowding beauty shelves, it’s easy to feel confused about what actually works.
How do you separate the treasures from the castoffs?
We turned to you!
), then we shipped them off to 855 reader testers.
The 88 very best finds, one for each category.
So no more head scratching in the skin-care aisle or at the cosmetics counter.
Consider this list as essential for beauty shopping as your wallet is.
This list will end confusion, save you cash and bring out your most gorgeous, naturally glowing you.
Bargain hunters, great news35 of the winners cost $10 or less.
These 13 skin-care stars will leave you looking absolutely radiant.
More praise: “It sank in quickly, and my skin instantly felt more refreshed.”
This thick serum gained points for immediate skin-tightening results.
“From the moment I put it on, my skin looked firmer and felt smoother.”
Also, its hydrating formula (with candlenut oil) didn’t cause breakouts.
“Not a blemish to be found!”
a happy user said.
Clark’s Botanicals Smoothing Marine Cream, $95Recruits raved about this cream with exfoliating glycolic acid.
“After just two weeks, my scaly areas are well on their way to being smooth.”
L’Oreal Paris Skin Genesis Daily Moisturizer SPF 15 Lotion, $20Hyaluronic acid plumps up fine lines.
“It absorbs fast, and I like how it protects my skin.”
Also nice: The pump “squirts out just the right amount” of the fragrance-free lotion.
Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream, $25Users said massage helped the cream penetrate (how-tos are included).
“My fine lines are fading, and my skin feels firmer.”
Glycerin and amino peptides help improve elasticity.
The “clean citrus scent” also received kudos.
“I was sad when I had to move on to test the other products!”
Lancome Renergie Microlift R.A.R.E.
Eye Cream, $58This peptide eye cream seems to do it all.
“My crow’s-feet feel tighter.”
“My eyes look lifted.”
“I loved how makeup glided over this cream.”
Clay and zinc draw out dirt and grime.
“Once I run out, I’ll be buying another tube!”
“My pores disappeared!
It’s the only thing that has gotten rid of my flaky skin and minimized my pores.”
Willow bark degreases pores, and antioxidants lessen redness.
Care for the rest of you with these 14 pamperers for skin from the neck down.
Sephora Bubble Bath, $16This sudser “is like sinking into a cloud.”
Also: “Even when I was testing others, I would sneak in a Sephora session.”
Burt’s Bees Milk & Shea Butter Body Wash, $8This rinse delivers the lather, testers found.
“It left my skin smoother after only one shower.”
“The crystals melted on my skin and left it instantly plumper.”
The ingredients list reads like a multivitamin bottle, with skin-enriching calcium, magnesium and potassium.
Testers' favorite part: It has shimmer powders to brighten and even out skin tones.
Dove Go Fresh Body Mist in Cool Essentials, $4Users were excited about its portability and moisturizing capabilities.
Bonus: The spray’s scent (cucumber and green tea) invigorates.
Nivea Smooth Sensation Body Oil, $7Enriched with avocado oil, this earned top points for moisturizing.
“It’s very basic, which I like.
The fruity scent won them over, too.
“It smells wonderfully fresh.
I found myself coming back to this one again and again.”
“Also, it really did lessen the appearance of wrinkles.”
Bigelow Mentha Foot-Tingling Foot Cream, $14Want to add some pep to your step?
Recruits said this peppermint cream “has a tingling sensation that lasts for hours.”
One raved, “I could feel it work immediately.”
An enthusiast pleaded, “Make it in a hand lotion, too!”
It’s like getting a manicure without going to the salon,” one tester said.
Credit goes to the restorative formula with mushroom and red tea.
Here are 27 prettifiers that will enhance your naturally gorgeous looks!
“It evened out my tone, and I’m glad they added SPF.
It saves me a step!”
Giorgio Armani Designer Compact Foundation SPF 22, $65Testers complimented the “ideal weight” of this cream-to-powder.
“It goes on light but still has coverage.”
They enjoyed the brush, too, for “letting you build up the base.”
Sugar Cosmetics Sugar Tint, $28Jojoba and vitamin E hydrate in this fan favorite.
It gives light coverage “that allows your skin to glow through the translucent coat.”
Also, its soft formula “melted into skin.”
“A little goes a long way for an even, no-streak finish.”
More praise: The “puff makes applying the powder completely mess-free.”
Givenchy Prisme Foundation Shaping Powder Makeup, $43"It lets your face breathe" was one plug.
This compact has three similar shades with shine-blotting mica “for a natural blend.”
Blend with the brush eraser.
Swirl the shades together for a real-looking glow.
Also: “The brush applicator is sleek for a drugstore brand.”
Jane Iredale Twice Blushed Cheek Colour Kit, $46Testers awarded this duo points for its versatility.
“I liked that there was a sparkly and matte option in one compact.”
DuWop Doubleglow 7, $25Users said this champagne-toned cream is “all you need for oomph.”
Wear it under your foundation for a lit-from-within sheen or over to add radiance.
Plus: “They are nicely piled in the order you would use them.”
“It glides smoothly and feels moisturizing.
I usually don’t wear liner, but I’m totally sold.”
“It glides on like a balm.
Dior Ultra-Gloss Reflect, $25The creamy formula “is wet but not sticky, the perfect thickness.”
One swipe, and it’s sheer.
Two, and you get “a glittery shine that isn’t too overpowering.”
A minty smell “instantly revives you.”
Bobbi Brown Metallic Eye Shadow, $20This winner outscored the competition for its longevity.
“The shadow stayed in place, which is key for an all-day-and-into-the-night look.”
Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow, $18Finding a creaseless cream shadow can seem impossible.
But readers swore by the “milky but still dry” texture that never cakes.
Thankfully, this pencil “is soft and goes on evenly.”
“My lashes looked dark, and it stayed on all day.”
Even better: “It looked as if I had double the amount of lashes I normally have.”
Revlon 3D Extreme Mascara, $9Users admired the brush’s tiny bristles for their elongating, precise tool.
“I could reach each individual lash to pull it away from my lids.”
Avon SuperShock Mascara, $9Recruits said they could wiggle the wand to lift up each lash.
“My lashes looked like the models' do in mascara ads.
I even made my husband marvel at the before-and-after.”
If there were a hall of fame for hair products, we’d be happy to induct these!
“It put the kibosh on grease without stripping.”
“I didn’t need to follow with conditioner.”
Testers were thrilled to witness “a dramatic increase in overall volume” from this height-infusing shampoo.
“It worked wonders.
“I’m an African-American woman, and this shampoo gave my hair shine and softness.”
Plus, the spray’s bamboo aroma drew praise.
“It took any unpleasant scents out of my hair.”
Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship Conditioner, $3Users liked its fruity-floral scent.
But they loved the way it “left strands silky but not heavy at all.”
Vitamins B3 and B6 restore each strand and help add sheen.
Yarok Green With Envy Conditioner, $35This fortifier relies on marshmallow to plump.
“It gave me body without drying out my hair.”
Proteins restore rifts that dye causes.
A frizz-prone user noted she had “considerably fewer flyaways even in the rain” after using this.
Also: “The beachy coconut smell made me feel like I was vacationing.”
Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Relaxing Balm, $16Users adored how this apple-scented balm detangled and smoothed strands.
“It took less time to dry my hair, and my strands weren’t frizzy or tangled.”
About three pumps and you’ll be on the way to a tamer style.
One thirsty-stranded tester raved, “It’s like no other product I’ve used before.
The first day I used it, my hair looked healthier.”
John Frieda Frizz-Ease Creme Serum Overnight Repair Formula, $10Finally!
Fans applauded the vegetable-protein-filled formula for hydration.
“It made my curls shiny and gave my hair lots of hold without the crunch.”
Because the spray covers a large area, you need only a couple of blasts.
Aveda Smooth Infusion Style-Prep Smoother, $24The lotion’s aloe targets damage to smooth out strands.
“I have ringlets that aren’t easy to work with.
This product kept my waves non-frizzy all day.
I’m telling all my curly-haired friends about it!”
It blocks out damaging heat (and UV rays) with wheat proteins and panthenol.
Plus, it didn’t leave any sticky residue like most other protectants do.”
“It’s an inexpensive product that will leave your hair feeling like a million bucks.
Fans liked how flexible any style looked after using this marshmallowy molder.
“The spray made my long, straight hair look like a sheet of glass.”
Umberto Beverly Hills Regular Hold Hairspray, $9Recruits favored this spray for the moldability and flake-free formula.
This sunblock combines antioxidants and proteins for the ultimate shield.
“It brightened, moisturized and smoothed my skin,” one enthusiast raved.
Readers praised the dry-touch formula.
“The mist’s smooth, not sticky, spray was easy to use.”
With aloe vera to calm sun-exposed skin, the sunscreen has minerals to protect against free radical damage.
“It made my skin look healthier overall.”
“I enjoyed the gel formula and how quickly the tan builds.
I applied it in the morning, and I looked more bronze by lunchtime,” one tester said.
And the ingredients list reads like a summer smoothie, with hydrating mango, guava and papaya extracts.
“It gives your body an ideal golden color.”
“Others take so much work, but this one lets you see a sun-kissed shade faster.”
St. Ives Elements Protective Cleanser, $7The first drugstore face wash to deliver UV protection.
The sunscreens are encapsulated in a silica shell, which sticks even after the water comes off.
Photo Credit: Arthur Belebeau
