I’m a Beauty Writer, and These Are The Products That Actually MADE A DIFFERENCE ON MY SKIN
PC: @biancabiancak
For those of you who don’t know, my day job is being a fashion and beauty writer at InStyle. More specifically, I write shopping articles, where we review and recommend the best beauty and fashion pieces available on the market. I get a lot of perks at this job, like trying dozens of the most popular makeup and skincare items for free, in the name of research. Needless to say, I’ve had access to a lot of beauty products in a short amount of time — more than the average person — and have gotten a good idea of what works and what doesn’t. Spoiler alert, just because something comes in a pretty package doesn’t mean it’s actually useful. I figured I’d combine all my experiences into one article so you can benefit from my own experiences, rather than going through a trial and error period yourself. I’m also including a number of pieces I paid for and use myself, way before I ever started this job. Combining all my experiences over the last five years, here are the skincare products I’ve tried that actually made a difference.
I did a lot of research before buying this Vitamin C serum, and it paid off. This one instantly brightened my complexion and smoothed out fine lines. I guess it’s true, Korean skincare truly is next level.
I’ve talked about this over and over again, but the Revision eye cream truly saved my under eyes. I had terribly swollen under eyes for months, and buying this expensive cream was my last effort at fixing it after many failed attempts. It was a glorious success. I will say however, after a while it plateaus. If you already have pretty decent under eyes, you may not see as big of a difference.
I was already a big fan of the above eye cream from Revision, so when I saw this C+ correcting cream in a PR goodie bag, I was ecstatic. Sure enough, this product worked like a magical charm as much as the other. My overall skin tightened and smoothed out, looking much younger and fresher after using this daily.
I tried this lash serum after someone tested it in our lab and raved over its efficacy. I have to say, after about two weeks of consistent use, I definitely see my lashes have gotten longer. The only caveat is that I experience some irritation, even waking up with red under eyes. It goes away, so it’s worth it for me, but I can’t really use it every night.
I bought this when I was starting to see fine lines on my forehead and feeling a bit self conscious about them. I’m happy to report that this serum swiftly tightened that area, removing my worries all together.
I tested a bunch of eye masks, both personally and through work, and while there were a handful that felt fine, I always found myself reaching for this one. It’s not a night and day difference, but this helps to pump in moisture and brightens any dark circles, especially after a night of drinking.
This was the first moisturizer I ever bought, and although I’ve tried dozens of moisturizers since (and I do mean dozens…) I always go back to this one… it’s simply the best! Not only does it smell friendly, but it slightly tightens the skin for a smooth complexion.
When I first got this, I figured it was just some anti-bacterial cleanser for wounds. But this is actually magical: it helps heal just about any open wound quicker and minimizes the chances of scars to appear. I’m obsessed!
I tested almost all of Supergoop’s sunseens, and honestly, they’re all great. Absolutely game-changing. But if you’re going to invest in just one, it has to be the facial unseen sunscreen. It mattes down almost immediately, and doesn’t have any of that traditional icky sunscreen feel.
When my face is full of a day’s grime — makeup, sunscreen, & sweat — and a simple wash doesn’t feel like enough, this clay cleansing mask wipes me completely clean. It’s a mask and a cleanser in one, and feels like a real treat to the skin with the way it tightens pores and freshens the whole face.
