When you take skincare as seriously as we do, you're always on the hunt for the next generation of game-changing skincare products. You know the ones—those holy-grail products that not only cut down on time getting ready, but also restore your skin to its smooth, glowy, angelic state (the angelic state dreams are made of).
It sounds like a tall order, but these 23 revolutionary products really, truly measure up. Find your new skin heroes, below, and get ready for a lifetime of five-star reviews of your face.
1
This Simple and Gentle Lotion
Dr Roebuck's No Worries Hydrating Face Moisturizer, $45
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Bells-and-whistles skincare is cool and all, but sometimes you don't need a moisturizer that does your taxes and calls your grandma. Sometimes, you just want a good, lightweight, moisturizer that doesn't require a PhD to use. Behold: the No Worries lotion. It moisturizes with hyaluronic acid, rosehip, and macadamia oil, and it absorbs almost immediately, so you never feel sticky.
2
These Self-Tanning Drops
Isle of Paradise Self-Tanning Drops, $29 each
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It is a truth universally acknowledged that all sunless-tanning products are messy, smelly, and patchy. Except for these drops. Not only are they fresh-smelling and easy to apply (just mix a few drops in with a palmful of lotion), but their tinted hues double as color-correctors, canceling out unwanted undertones for a natural-looking glow. Pick pink for fair skin, green for medium skin, and violet for dark skin.
3
This Overnight Acne-Fighter
Allies of Skin Promise Keeper Overnight Facial, $120
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Yes, this little tube of serum is hella expensive, but when it has the ability to clear up acne in under 48 hours (like it did for one of our editors), the price becomes easier to stomach. The formula is filled with gentle pore-clearing and bump-smoothing acids, along with a major dose of hyaluronic acid and caffeine to hydrate, plump fine lines, and reduce puffiness, all at once. Apply a thin layer to clean, dry skin overnight, then wake up with amazing skin in the morning.
4
This Rich and Gentle Moisturizer
Avene Tolerance Extreme Cream, $38
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Ask me what my favorite beauty product is, and I'll launch into a Shakespearean sonnet about this cream before you can finish the question. But it's not hyperbole—the formula is simple (only seven gentle, non-irritating ingredients that won't break you out) and incredibly moisturizing, making it a holy-grail product for dry, sensitive skin types.
5
This Spot-Lightening Serum
Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum, $80
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In case you haven't heard, vitamin C is the bee's knees of ingredients, according to every single derm we've ever spoken to. Why? Vitamin C gobbles up the skin-damaging free radicals you're exposed to every day, giving you brighter (like way, way brighter), smoother, and more hydrated skin. And this little number from Drunk Elephant contains a gentle, yet effective, 15-percent concentration of the good stuff.
6
This Repairing Moisturizer
Biossance Squalane + Probiotic Gel Moisturizer, $52
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Squalane (not to be confused with squalene, a skincare ingredient derived from sharks that can cause you to break out) is an insanely moisturizing molecule that exists in your own body, but in small quantities. Biossance found a way to derive it from sugarcane, making it pore-friendly, incredibly soothing, and—when mixed with a bunch of probiotics, like in this lightweight gel moisturizer—a total skin-repairing powerhouse.
7
This Firming Night Cream
Origins High Potency Night-a-Mins Mineral-Enriched Renewal Cream, $43
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No matter how much abuse your skin has endured in your lifetime (we know you slept in your makeup last week, and we're still not okay with it), it'll feel pretty much new again after you slather on this cream for a few nights. The little jar regularly sells out online, which is likely due to its high-powered mix of natural fortifiers that firm skin, tighten fine lines, and calm redness, fast.
8
This Exfoliating Cleanser
Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser, $78
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This all-natural exfoliating cleanser is one of the best of the best, not only in the green community, but in the cleanser community in general. The reason? It has the ability to gently dissolve dead skin cells and gunk, while also clearing pores with a mix of water-soluble oils and enzymes, all of which work together to stave off breakouts. Oh, and did we mention it smells like an ethereal garden of happiness? Yeah, that too.
9
This Anti-Aging Eye Cream
NeoCutis Lumiere Bio-Restorative Eye Cream, $97
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You heard it from us first—actually, you probably already heard about it from your dermatologist, because it's that damn good—this expert-recommended eye cream hydrates with hyaluronic acid and smooths fine lines with a mix of vitamins A and E.
10
This Oil-Controlling Lotion
OleHenriksen Counter Balance Oil Control Hydrator, $34
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Finding the right moisturizer when you have oily skin can feel like a game of Risk. But this lightweight lotion takes the guesswork out of the process, since it's specifically formulated with botanical mattifiers to soak up excess oil without breaking you out.
11
This Ultra-Gentle Face Wash
Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser, $18
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Wipe away grime and makeup in approximately 30 seconds with this pH-balanced gel formula that touts five super-hydrating skin conditioners. And, fun fact, the cleaning agents are the same as those found in your contact lens solution, so you never have to worry about eye irritation.
12
This Redness-Reducing Moisturizer
Dr.Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment SPF 30, $52
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The struggle is real when you have perpetually red, reactive skin, so Dr.Jart+ created a color-correcting treatment that makes your green concealer obsolete. Its main ingredient is tiger grass, an inflammation-soother that restores moisture levels in dry, irritated skin.
13
This Skin-Smoothing Treatment
Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment, $105
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Yes, this is expensive, and yes, you're going to have some doubts about shelling out the money, but after approximately one week, your crazy-smooth, soft, and clear skin will have made up for the price a billion times over. This cult-favorite night treatment is 5 percent lactic acid, an AHA that gently exfoliates skin on a cellular level to clear clogged pores, plump fine lines, and fade dark spots and acne scars.
14
This Line-Smoothing Essence
SK-II Facial Treatment Essence, $99
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This pricey toner may seem like it's just nice-smelling water, but the magic is in its main ingredient, Pitera—a yeast derivative rich in vitamins, minerals, amino acid. Researchers at SK-II discovered Pitera after noticing that the hands of sake makers at a brewery in Japan looked startlingly youthful and smooth. Now image what this essence can do to your face with daily use.
15
This Lightweight Facial Oil
Josie Maran 100-Percent Pure Argan Oil, $48
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Fast facts about argan oil: It's a dream for oily skin, since it helps rebalance sebum levels, it's lightweight, so it won't feel greasy on your face, and it's packed with vitamin E, antioxidants, and fatty acids, which help repair and protect your skin barrier from damage. No wonder this little oil is a cult-favorite, right?
16
This Hydrating Cleansing Oil
Tatcha One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil, $48
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Throw away your makeup wipes: This cleansing oil uses camellia and rice bran oils to dissolve even waterproof mascara and long-wear foundation in seconds, leaving you with cleaner, softer, less-irritated skin.
17
This Micellar Water
Bioderma Sensibio H2O, $20
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The gentle-as-water makeup remover that was once only found in European pharmacies is now available at drugstores everywhere. And that's a good thing, because its mild formula manages to calm even the most irritated of skin, without drying it out.
18
This Wrinkle-Reducing Moisturizer
Stemology Cell Renew Hydro-Plus Overnight Moisturizer, $75
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A whole lot of science went into creating this moisturizer, but all you really need to know is that in less than a week, your skin will look and feel plumper, smoother, and shockingly more hydrated, thanks to time-released hyaluronic acids, shea butters, and natural retinols.
19
This Brightening Toner
Pixi Glow Tonic, $29
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We rejoiced when this British product—which regularly sells out in the UK—was finally available stateside. High-quality ingredients like aloe vera, ginseng, and botanical extract leave your skin extra glowy, and its alcohol-free formula will never, ever dry you out.
20
This Oil-Zapping Mask
GlamGlow Supermud Clearing Treatment, $69
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This Instagram-favorite mask uses a blend of six skin-clarifying acids to prevent breakouts and blackheads, all while leaving oily skin looking matte and smooth. And we say that's super, indeed.
21
This Softening Bath Oil
Rodin Olio Lusso, $130
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For a beauty splurge that's actually worthwhile, try Linda Rodin's celebrity-loved oil. Add a few drops of the jasmine and neroli formula to your bath to give dry skin a boost of moisture that'll last long after the tub drains.
22
This Healing Mask
Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask, $92
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Not only does this creamy, kombucha-infused mask smell like warm tea, but it's also fortified with sake and lychee-seed extract to brighten and soften skin with continual use.
23
This Damage-Fighting Toner
Chanel Lotion Douceur, $45
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Stave off big city pollution with this hydrating toner, which uses micronized wax from tulip-tree leaves to literally trap and block free radicals from damaging the hell out of your skin.
