Hydrate, Protect, and Glow with These 10 Skincare Winners

Sunscreen is nonnegotiable and the quality I care most about when it comes to SPF is texture. I know mineral sunscreens are supposed to be better for you, but when the formula feels goopy or thick or greasy, I simply won’t use it. So I’ve determined that the “best” sunscreen is the one I’ll actually apply daily, and I am thrilled to say that this Geologie formula is heavenly. It’s a combo chemical-mineral sunscreen that I’ve been applying as my final step with absolutely no complaints (or dread) for months. As someone with combination skin, I love that it’s mattifying in oily zones. In addition to protecting your skin, this formula is nourishing with niacinamide and hyaluronic acid. If you fall in love with it, you can bulk buy a 3-pack and save $13 per bottle.

A daytime moisturizer must meet very specific criteria to make it into my daily routine: it must pair well with both sunscreen and makeup, and it must provide a healthy glow for when I choose to wear it alone. This Inner Light Moisturizer passed my test with flying colors and exceeded my rigorous demands for texture, quality, and ingredients. The silky-feel of the formula blends seamlessly into skin and layered beautifully under my makeup primer. It kept me hydrated (and crease-free) even when I used my heaviest coverage foundation. When I wore it alone, it made my skin glowy thanks to camellia and jojoba oils, as well as goji berry and ginger. I love this moisturizer so much that when I travel light, I pack only this and use it for both day and night.

Combining no fewer than four types of ginseng (Asian, Siberian, Crown Prince, and American), this moisturizer leverages an adaptogenic herb complex to provide your skin with radiance, hydration, and strength. The cream is lightweight and fast-absorbing, but you can feel it melt into your face (and neck) unlike some lightweight lotions that seem to evaporate and leave your skin dryer. I love this formula for nighttime because it has a richness that keeps working overnight without giving you that pore-clogging sensation. When I wake up and cleanse, I’ve noticed my skin is still hydrated and almost plump. Additional ingredients include niacinamide, fatty acids, and centella to brighten skin and promote an even texture.

If you’re looking for a super gentle, but very effective foaming cleanser, this is the formula for you. I become a zealot for this product after relying on it during a disgustingly sweaty late summer/early fall in Rome where I was washing my face 3-4 times a day. The foam is voluminous and airy with absolutely no stripped feeling after use. It’s a great choice for impatient latherers because the foam medium means it’s ready to apply right away without any sudsing necessary. It’s formulated with Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract and other skin-friendly herbs to support the skin barrier and it’s suited my oily/combination skin in every season. For days when I feel like a deeper cleanse, I’ll use the Brandefy resurfacing mask (up next!) as an exfoliant after cleansing with this.

This wash-off mask is an excellent, affordable dupe for the Drunk Elephant Babyfacial ($80) and includes many of the same ingredients including AHA, BHA, and chickpea flour. The textures are almost identical and they create the same tingly sensation on your skin as dead cells are exfoliated away. Brandefy recommends once-a-week use starting with one minute the first week, two minutes the second, and so on up to ten minutes. I’ve made it past the ten week mark and I can vouch for this gradual initiation which ensures your skin isn’t overwhelmed if you haven’t used a chemical exfoliant before. Chickpea flour means it has some viscosity which makes it easy to apply quickly (important if you’re trying to cover your whole face in one minute) and the (very slight) grittiness helps identify leftover patches when you’re rinsing. I look forward to my regular application of this resurfacing mask because it feels like shedding a week’s worth of build-up and grime to begin with fresh skin (always follow with sunscreen).

I can’t quite claim minimalist status when it comes to skincare, but I strive for it. When my layers of product don’t agree with each other (pilling is the worst), I’m inclined to cut back — but there isn’t always an obvious candidate for elimination. Do you get rid of an active? A hydrating serum? This dilemma made me open my mind to a 2-in-1 product, which I usually have no respect for. I was fully converted to a 2-in-1 believer by Wander’s Mist Connection Essence Toner that combines two must-have skincare steps. Lightweight doesn’t begin to describe this formula. The first time I sprayed it I thought I must have missed my face despite holding it only a few inches away. The mist is so fine and weightless that you don’t feel it settling on your face, but it leaves you hydrated without becoming too dewy. It feels like you’ve just passed through a cloud. Be sure to shake well before use because the two products separate.

Lotion-phobes take note, this skin oil offers all the moisturizing benefits of a lotion without the slick after-feel or greasy hands. This spray is my boyfriend’s favorite recent discovery because it dries so quickly and allows you to get dressed ASAP, unlike other body moisturizers that demand a drying period. The quick-absorbing formula is designed to be sprayed on after bathing while you’re still a little damp. This nutrient-rich plant-based spray is free of fillers and preservatives with a main ingredient of apricot kernel oil, which is rich in essential fatty acids and nutrients with triglycerides that rebuild the lipids of the skin providing deep moisturization.

As someone who loves nothing more than a post-shower lotion slathering, I fell in love with this body butter and finished the whole tub in one month. In the past, I’ve used body butters that go overboard on the ‘luxury’ texture and feel like you’re rubbing straight lard on your limbs. This formula from Melach 33 has just the right luxe texture that feels rich and creamy, but absorbs without leaving a residue. It contains 1000mg of full-spectrum CBD, and maybe it was the great smell and just-right texture, but I definitely felt calmer after applying. Additionally, antioxidant plant oils, hyaluronic acid, and Dead Sea minerals offer protection and anti-inflammatory benefits. I plan to send this body butter as a gift to long-distance friends because the packaging (it arrives nested in a bed of black rizzle) is exactly what you’d expect from a luxury brand.

Epidermal Growth Factor is the hero ingredient of this multi-tasking serum I put on every night before bed. EGF is a (Nobel Prize-winning) reparative ingredient that mimics a protein natural to human skin and provides healing benefits. It’s also known to boost collagen and elastin production, which can improve elasticity and lead to a more youthful appearance. In my routine, this serum replaced the retinol product I was using that was a bit too harsh and irritating. The formula is a little sticky (which is why I only use it at nighttime) and very hydrating, so I let it dry for a few minutes before applying my moisturizer.

I tried these award-winning masks in their intended setting: while traveling. As soon as I checked into the hotel, I threw on a pair to counteract a stressful day of convincing myself I had forgotten underwear/toothbrush/retainer. The gold foil (available in rose gold, gold, and fuschia) design is so adorable that you won’t be able to resist snapping a few photos. The foil isn’t just for looks: it serves to retain heat and prevent evaporation, allowing the serum to deeply penetrate. Unlike heavier gel eye masks, these lightweight ones are easy to adjust and slide into place — but they don’t shift around. Once you get them where you want, they’ll stay put and you’ll feel your under-eye area soaking in the aloe leaf, camu camu, and calendula extract.