We Tested Hundreds Of Skin Care Products — These Are The 25 Best

The skin care winners of this year’s awards made our judges feel like their bathrooms had turned into a chic medspa. Innovative textures, potent formulations, unique new ingredients, and jaw-dropping results that had us grabbing our phones for some before and after photos to verify the effects had us convinced that we were witnessing a new era of at-home skin solutions. From an undereye bag eraser to a celebrity line that exceeded the hype, our faces have never felt more pampered, polished, and plumped. There are a multitude of products here that are sure to please every skin tone, texture, effort level, and type — whether you’ve got specific skin concerns or have been blessed with a clear complexion, you’ll be sure to find something here to take your daily routine to the next level. After months of rigorously testing so many futuristic skin products, our faces have never looked more radiant, smooth, and dewy. Keep reading to discover Bustle’s best skin care products of 2024.

Best Gel Cleanser

Gel cleanser isn’t typically the chicest product in your beauty routine, but that’s because you’ve never tried this beauty from Oak Essentials. Besides looking all stealth wealth on your countertop, this brightening cleanser is packed with purifying and soothing botanicals like aloe, glycerin, and verbena officinalis extract. “I'm obsessed with everything about this cleanser,” says Faith Xue, BDG’s executive beauty director. “The scent is herbaceous and instantly relaxing — it actually makes me look forward to washing my face every night. It also gets off all my makeup and leaves my skin feeling soft instead of stripped.”

Best Cleansing Balm

Sometimes we wonder what we were doing before we discovered cleansing balms. Just sitting around, single cleansing and thinking that was enough to remove sunscreen, longwear makeup, and all the particulate matter lodged in our pores? Oh, the naïveté. Thankfully, we’ve got double cleanse options like this buttery balm from Tatcha, which is infused with Japanese indigo. Not only does this give it a gorgeous blue hue, but it also helps soothe sensitive skin, improve barrier function, and boost moisture as it works to melt away stubborn waterproof makeup, dirt, and oil. “This cleansing balm is a game-changer,” says BDG staffer Kelly Reed. “It melts everything off, yet still leaves my skin feeling hydrated, silky, and smooth.

Best Oil Cleanser

Everything about this oil cleanser from Byoma brought our testers joy — from the sunny yellow package to the $13 price point. But what really got them excited was its luxurious feel and how well it worked to dissolve away stubborn longwear makeup, SPF, dirt, and oil. All of them pulled a disappearing act when faced with this silky cleanser’s moringa seed oil, olive fruit oil, squalane, and unique Barrier Lipid Complex. The oil-to-milk texture feels extra comforting and cozy on skin, creating a soft and hydrated complexion without any oily residue. “I really loved this,” says BDG staffer Kelly Faircloth. “I feel like it offers a gentler canvas for my usual nighttime routine, and it smells nice, too. It's a really nice component of a two-part cleanse.”

Best Cream Cleanser

If cleansing your face usually leaves your skin feeling tight or irritated, then this milky cream cleanser from iconic French skin-care line Biologique Recherche is exactly what your complexion needs. The soothing formula is specifically designed to minimize irritation and limit reactions as it gently removes dirt, makeup, and excess oil from the skin. Safe enough for those with eczema and rosacea, it calms and comforts the skin as it cleanses, leaving your skin soft and moisturized after you’ve rinsed away the day.

Best Do-It-All Skin-Care Product

With a two-in-one formula that both tones and moisturizes, this multi-tasking product from Laneige more than lives up to its moniker by delivering the moisturizing benefits of a rich cream with the lightweight feel of a liquid toner. Bursting with nourishing ceramides and peptides — and housed in a refillable bottle to help cut down on packaging waste — skin is soothed, dewy, and hydrated after every application. “I'm a sucker for Laneige’s moisturizing products, so I was excited to try a toner that was specifically designed for hydration,” says BDG staffer Sarah Ellis. “This feels gentle on the skin and is such a nice addition to my routine.”

Best Brightening Toner

Glow Recipe has always been at the forefront of fruit-focused skin care, and this toning essence featuring Scandinavian cloudberries is no exception. The vibrant berries are antioxidant powerhouses that are positively packed with vitamins C and E, and in this toner, they’ve been fermented to up their absorption and efficacy. It also has antioxidant CoQ10, rice water, glycerin, and oat and collagen amino acids. Together, they create a brightening, hydrating, and radiance-enhancing potion that will have you positively glowing. “Everything about this product is a delight — the watery, soothing texture, the light fruity scent, and the way it leaves my skin soft and primed for my serums and moisturizer,” says Xue.

Best Hydrating Essence

If you were anywhere on the internet this year, then you are at least passingly familiar with Hailey Bieber’s Rhode skin-care line. Pretty much every product in the collection is a certifiable hit, and none more so than this milky hydrating essence that is the very foundation of the model’s signature glazed skin look. Made with a ceramide trio, beta-glucan, and a blend of copper, magnesium, and zinc, this lightweight essence delivers key nutrients to the skin while boosting barrier function, infusing it with serious hydration, creating an otherworldly dewy plumpness, and prepping your complexion for the rest of your routine. “Love the texture, love the feel,” says Los Angeles-based esthetician and guest judge Nayamka Roberts-Smith. “Once it dries down, it’s super hydrating.” Adds BDG staffer Emma Chao, “This product really stands by its name — after I put this essence on, my skin looks substantially dewier, glowier, and, dare I say, glazed?”

Best Sunscreen For Oily Skin

By this point, everyone should be well-aware that sunscreen is a non-negotiable in a skin regimen; however, that doesn’t mean it’s always an enjoyable step, especially for those with oily skin. While we’ve come a long way with SPF, there’s still always the fear that our sun protection is going to create a greasy feel or cause congestion in our skin. Thankfully, this sunscreen and makeup primer hybrid from e.l.f. gave our judges no such concerns. The completely clear gel SPF feels and works exactly like a blurring face primer, with a velvety, second-skin feel that grips makeup sans greasiness. “The clear gel is a little off putting at first — especially for someone with shiny, oily skin — but this applied matte and soaked right in,” says BDG staffer Rachel Chapman. “It's a great primer, especially in the summer when you need that extra SPF.”

Best Sunscreen For Dry Skin

A combination tinted moisturizer and SPF, we’d be better off listing what this sun protection gem doesn’t do, rather than the impressive benefits it can claim to its name. With antioxidant vitamin C and green tea, plus mushroom and rosehip, the formula helps brighten, tone, and firm skin with every use, as it also moisturizes and protects skin from damaging UV rays — not to mention the flattering, sheer tint that evens out skin tone. “This was a surprise hit,” says BDG staffer Miranda Rake. “I thought I was really devoted to the tinted SPF I use, which is twice the price of this one, but this has usurped its place in my daily wake-up routine.”

Best Nighttime Moisturizer

Nighttime is when our skin works to recover from the damage it’s been exposed to during the day, so you need an ultra-plush moisturizer in your nightly routine to help form a protective moisture barrier. This cushion cream from Summer Fridays fits the bill perfectly, thanks to a plush texture and an impressive ingredient list that includes glycerin, squalane, a plant sugar-derived humectant, hyaluronic acid, watermelon rind, apple skin, lentil fruit, and a barrier complex derived from coastal plants. “This moisturizer definitely lived up to its name,” says BDG staffer Copelyn Bengel. “It has a buttery-smooth consistency and a plumping thickness that immediately nourished my skin. A little goes a long way!”

Best Daytime Moisturizer

Pretty much everything Dieux does reaches cult status, and Air Angel is no exception. This gel cream moisturizer is a lightweight hydrator that floods skin with moisture, without leaving behind a greasy or heavy feel. Containing a whopping 10 percent glycerin, plus a barrier repair complex featuring hexapeptides and ceramides, and a moisture complex with sodium PCA, urea, and sodium hyaluronate, it plumps and firms skin as it protects the barrier and delivers lightweight moisture with a satin skin finish. “This is one of my new favorite moisturizers,” says Roberts-Smith. “It’s perfect for my dry skin and it layers well with other toners and serums. I would purchase this with my own money.”

Best Retinol Serum

There are so many incredible benefits to retinol — smoothing, fine line reduction, acne clearing, brightening. In most cases, however, you have to get through the dreaded redness and peeling that can come with it in order to see the transformative results. Not so with this powerful serum from iS Clinical, which blends retinol with the plant-based retinol alternative bakuchiol to provide enhanced potency without the harshness. “It's like a magic potion for your skin, smoothing out those pesky fine lines and giving your complexion a serious glow-up, all without any irritation,” says BDG staffer Kiara Brown. “Stick with it, and you'll be flaunting a fresh-faced, youthful vibe in no time.”

Best Vitamin C Serum

An antioxidant serum is a must-have to protect your skin from free radical damage and the effects of environmental skin aging. Vitamin C is a tried-and-tested ingredient that dermatologists swear by, but it often gets a bad rap due to its instability in formulations. Fortunately, that’s not the case with this brightening serum from French brand Yon-Ka, which uses a potent, 20 percent stabilized version of the antioxidant powerhouse called ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate — an all-natural, oil-soluble form of vitamin C derived from biochemistry that makes it more stable and less likely to cause sensitivity. “The scent is nice and natural and [it works] better than any other serums I have,” says BDG staffer Ellie Lara.

Best Brightening Serum

Eliminate dullness and dark spots with this innovative, jelly-textured serum from Lion Pose. Formulated specifically to be safe for use on medium to dark skin tones, it utilizes a powerful 15 percent blend of four brightening acids (tranexamic, glycolic, azelaic, and lactic) that work with antioxidants to visibly improve the evenness of your skin tone, as it simultaneously targets dark spots from hyperpigmentation and acne scarring to make them appear less severe. It also helps lift away dead skin cells for an overall brighter, more radiant complexion. The addition of aloe, hyaluronic acid, and tiger grass (a.k.a. cica) ensures that the formula is soothing, hydrating, and won’t irritate sensitive skin.

Best Multi-Tasking Serum

You can thank TikTok for peptides' recent resurgence — the classic ingredient has been all over the platform and led to a rise in new serums and creams where peptides take center stage. But, amidst all the new launches, this unique serum from Paula’s Choice caught our judges’ attention for its ability to do what feels like all of the things for your skin. It features six pro-collagen peptides, plus newly-researched peptide technology that targets the signal proteins in the skin, instructing it to better support collagen and elastin production. This allows it to help visibly reduce fine lines and wrinkles as it firms, smooths, and plumps the skin, both instantly and over time.

Best Anti-Aging Serum

By using biomimetic epidermal growth factors, RMÈD by GoodSkin has created a unique serum that helps wake up so-called “zombie” cells, encouraging them to turn over faster and act more like healthy skin cells in order to optimize your skin’s daily function. The addition of vitamin C, peptides, probiotics, niacinamide, and bakuchiol add antioxidant protection while also visibly improving radiance and tone. “This serum is 100 times nicer to use than other vitamin C serums I've tried — it's fragrance- free and has a soothing milky texture,” says Xue. “I love that it packs in a bunch of other actives, but doesn't irritate. It's truly a do-it-all serum.”

Best Eye Cream

Using this a.m. eye cream from ILIA is almost like giving your undereyes an energy drink with a tension-relieving massage on the side. The applicator features a ceramic tip that doubles as a massage tool to depuff and soothe tired eyes, while the energizing formula goes to work perking up your gaze. It uses sea fennel extract, a retinol alternative to visibly brighten, firm, and smooth the undereye area with the same power as retinol — but without the typical irritation. Upcycled avocado extract helps reduce the appearance of dark circles, while caffeine and peptides visibly depuff and revive. “I'm such an ILIA stan, and this product is so good,” raves BDG beauty writer Olivia Rose Rushing. “I love how the formula has a slightly peachy tint so it brightens undereye bags. The applicator is unique in that it deposits product on one side, and has a cooling undereye massager on the other side that works to buff in the cream and depuff.”

Best Chemical Exfoliator

Your secret to glass skin, this chemical exfoliator wowed our judges for its ability to deliver powerful exfoliating acids without irritating the skin. With alpha-hydroxy acids, beta-hydroxy acids, tranexamic acid, and polyhydroxy acids, it addresses every type of skin congestion and unevenness, from dead skin cells to clogged pores and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. It also has a unique electrolyte mineral complex that helps draw moisture into the skin to enhance your glassy glow, plus aloe leaf juice, rosemary, and illipe butter to keep skin soothed and hydrated. “This has a mix of ingredients that blends traditional powerhouses with newer, more refined ingredients,” says guest judge Dhaval G. Bhanusali, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist in NYC. Adds BDG staffer Hayley Schueneman, “I am thoroughly impressed by this peel — my skin leans sensitive, and I was happy that I didn't encounter any redness from using this. My skin immediately looked brighter and felt smoother, and after several applications my skin texture has changed for the better. A true powerhouse product.”

Best Physical Exfoliator

When we talk about glass skin, physical exfoliators aren’t usually products that come up in the conversation. That’s because most aren’t able to achieve the same results as their chemical cousins when it comes to revealing ultra-smooth, clear, and glowy complexions. This powder polish from Peach & Lily is different. Made from a unique base called CrystalRice, it blends microcrystalline cellulose, rice bran, and cornstarch to offer a precise microexfoliation without irritation. Combined with fruit extracts and a hint of salicylic acid — plus soothing and nourishing green tea, allantoin, ginseng, and angelica root — this polisher makes skin texture smoother, tone brighter, and pores look less noticeable for a true glass skin effect. “I am a big fan of powder physical exfoliators and this one is excellent,” says BDG staffer Lindsay Hattrick. “The packaging makes for easy dispensing and my skin felt incredibly soft after use without any irritation.”

Best Hydrating Mask

If your first thought around sheet masks is of slippery, messy, ill-fitting masks that don’t stay put, then you need to be introduced to this ultra-nourishing option from Dr. Jart+. Made with a form-fitting fabric that stays in place, it’s packed with ceramides and moisturizing plant butters and oils to strengthen the skin barrier, soften, smooth, and hydrate parched skin. “This mask is a unique experience — while one side of the extremely thin sheet fabric is smooth to the touch, the other side has a dense layer of thick, creamy moisture that seeps into your skin,” says BDG staffer Abby Lebet. “It was a sensory breath of fresh air that the exterior of the mask wasn’t slimy and slippery like most sheet masks tend to be. While thick moisturizers don’t usually agree with my skin, this one not only left my face feeling extremely hydrated, but it also evened out some of my skin texture.”

Best Brightening Mask

A five-minute fix for brighter skin? This nighttime flash facial is as effective as it is pretty to look at. The iridescent face mask has a thick, cushiony texture and uses a triple acid blend to retexturize, brighten, smooth, and visibly reduce the appearance of pores and fine lines. It also contains soothing aloe vera juice, hydrating hyaluronic acid, and nourishing Scandinavian rowanberry water to help minimize irritation. “I love this mask,” says BDG staffer Jillian David. “I’ve already noticed a difference in my skin after only using it a few times! It instantly soothes my redness and gives me a nice glow after each use, and my skin is smooth, radiant, and brighter the following day.”

Best Purifying Mask

Scarlett Johnasson and Kate Foster’s The Outset line has been an absolute masterclass in minimalist skin care, offering the routine essentials your complexion needs to stay healthy, clear, and hydrated without superfluous ingredients. This detoxifying clay mask is a prime example of that ethos, offering a gentle alternative to overly drying clay masks that can sometimes strip the essential moisture from the skin. It uses natural kaolin clay, plus a small amount of salicylic acid to help clear congestion. Niacinamide brightens, while pansy extract soothes and gardenia helps neutralize free radical damage. Our testers said their skin looked clearer, brighter, smoother, and with less excess oil after just 10 minutes.

Best Face Oil

A moisturizing oil so good, you can use it anywhere and experience incredible results. Face, hair, or body, this botanical-based oil from Japan is nutrient dense and filled with some of the most powerful plants the island country has to offer. Japanese panax ginseng provides visible improvements in skin firmness, smoothness, tone, brightness, and fine lines, while rice bran and camellia japonica seed oils help calm irritation and relieve dryness. “I'm obsessed with this face oil to the point where I don't think I can live without it,” says Lara. “I use it every night before bed and it completely moisturizes my skin and leaves it feeling so soft. I’ve honestly used it on my body and hair as well.”

Best Lip Balm

As much as we love a good, extra-thick balm to cocoon our lips in moisture, not every formula needs to be super goopy in order to deliver the hydrating goods. This lightweight tinted balm from Tower28 wears like a smooth tint but is packed with shea butter, vitamin E, mango seed oil, and vitamin c to give your lips the moisture and nourishment it needs, plus a hint of juicy tint and a dewy shine. “This product is lightweight, moisturizing, and has great color payoff for a balm,” says BDG staffer Dayna Lawrence; Xue says it’s “the perfect everyday lip balm that will make you ditch your non-tinted lip balm for good.”

Best Acne Treatment

While acne treatments for the face abound, when you struggle with body acne, your choices become more limited. Finding products with the right strength to penetrate your thicker body skin that are also easy to apply on hard-to-reach spots like your back can be a struggle. But then, the clouds part and you come across this medicated spray that’s specifically designed for those struggling with chestne, bacne, buttne, legne, and all the other body acne that can pop up and ruin your mood. It has salicylic acid and licorice root to reduce the appearance of blemishes and brighten dark spots, plus peppermint oil to cool on contact. The spray application makes it easy to spritz on those hard-to-reach places, so you don’t have to be double jointed or enlist outside help to enjoy clear skin from head-to-toe. “I love the fact that this comes as a mist so I can spray on my back, a place where I get acne, without having to do contortion,” says BDG staffer Tyler Santora. “It has a nice minty smell and has helped clear up some stubborn chest acne.”