April Basi, cosmetic chemist: 140 skincare products reviewed

Every review.

All 140 products April Basi has reviewed, grouped by product type. Click a product to see the full guru consensus.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Against the gurus

Type

Serums34 reviews

Prequel Lucent-C Brightening Vitamin C Serum

"My final thoughts on this product is it's the most scientifically rigorous formula in the entire video. If you have resilient skin, use your vitamin C consistently, and want the most evidence-backed form, this is the one."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Naturium Vitamin C Complex Serum

"The [...] Vitamin C Complex Serum is honestly one of my favorites so far, it's super gentle, it worked really well on my skin, and my skin barrier absolutely loved it, I used every single drop out of the bottle. The vitamin C forms are legit, but the pH issue [...] will limit the potency of that acid unless you have sensitive skin, in which case you would absolutely love this."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Summer Fridays CC Me Vitamin C Serum

"The vitamin C complex is legit and the niacinamide concentration is genuinely really good, but the fragrance load in the brightening serum is a significant concern, especially for anyone with sensitive or reactive skin. Beautiful packaging, great ingredients, but the fragrance is something to definitely watch out for."

~Mixed

78%Guru Score

Dr Sam's Flawless Vitamin C NAD+ Serum

"The supporting cast is excellent, with ferulic acid to stabilize and amplify, ectoin for barrier protection, [...] vitamin E, and sunflower shoot extract positioned as an NAD+ booster. The NAD+ claim is ahead of the science though, the research on topical NAD+ penetration is limited. [...] That said, two stable, well-chosen vitamin C forms, ferulic acid, ectoin, no fragrance, this is well-formulated. [...] This is worth it if you can access it, especially if you live in the UK."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Rhode Peptide Glazing Fluid

"The glazed finish is real, the glow is real, but it's coming from the marula oil and the formulation texture, not the peptide, and calling it a peptide fluid and centering that as a hero ingredient is just marketing winning again. [...] Honestly, it really is a beautiful hydrating serum, but it really is for the finish and the niacinamide, not the peptide claim, because the peptide isn't doing what it suggests."

~Mixed

71%Guru Score

Reale Actives Go Deep 8% Mandelic Acid Serum Concentrate

"It's the star of the line for dark skin, acne prone skin dealing with hyperpigmentation, texture, and uneven tone. If you've tried glycolic or lactic acid and found them too irritating, mandelic acid is your answer. [...] It's one of the most underutilized ingredients for darker skin tones in my opinion, and the eight percent formulation here is doing real work."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

Torriden Dive-In Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Serum

"There's no fragrance, no essential oils, and it's alcohol free. This is a very well thought out formula, the five form hyaluronic acid system isn't just marketing, the molecular weight variation is a real formulation decision, and the label backs it up. If you have sensitive or reactive skin and want something fragrance free, this is one of the most well formulated pure hydration serums I've seen at this price point, and the label fully backs up what it promises."

✓Yay

68%Guru Score

Innisfree Green Tea Seed Hyaluronic Acid Serum

"That doesn't make it a bad product. The formula feels beautiful on the skin. If you love the sensorial feel of K beauty and [...] your skin isn't reactive, this is for you, you get gentle brightening benefits alongside hydration, so it's really a double whammy product. [...] Just know that the HA concentration is lower than the name suggests and the essential oils are there."

~Mixed

61%Guru Score

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops

"The watermelon extract, sodium hyaluronate, and marula oil make it genuinely [...] excellent for [...] instant glow and hydration, and the niacinamide at that concentration is actively supporting your skin barrier and calming mild redness. It layers beautifully and the glow it gives you is real. It [...] does contain a small amount of fragrance, less than zero point five percent from natural plant extracts, which could be an issue if your skin is sensitive or reactive."

~Mixed

68%Guru Score

Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum

"This is not a weak formula by any means, I think it's a thoughtfully calibrated formula. [...] The rest of the formula, the horse chestnut extract, raspberry fruit extract, marula seed oil, cross polymer hyaluronic acid, and allantoin, is where it really earns some of its price tag."

✓Yay

68%Guru Score

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum

"A drugstore product I love is the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Serum."

✓Yay

74%Guru Score

Good Molecules Hyaluronic Acid Serum

"This one from Good Molecules is only six bucks and it's two percent. I've been using it for a while and a lot of my colleagues love it too. It's a popular reverse engineered product and a wonderful serum. It isn't a K-beauty brand, but if you're a K-beauty lover this is a great one because it has that mix of different molecular weights of hyaluronic acid."

✓Yay

74%Guru Score

Caudalie Vinoperfect Brightening Dark Spot Serum

"The main ingredient is viniferine, derived from resveratrol, which has antioxidant benefits, and the formula also contains squalane and bisabolol to prevent the irritation some people experience with vitamin C. This is [...] for anyone with dark spots and hyperpigmentation who has sensitive skin and is looking to brighten their skin without irritation. If you've found vitamin C to be a little too sensitive for your skin in the past, this is a great substitution."

✓Yay

72%Guru Score

Caudalie Vinohydra Hydrating Hyaluronic Serum

"This is for someone looking to increase hydration with antioxidant benefits, though if you're solely looking to increase hydration and don't want to spend fifty two dollars on a hyaluronic acid serum, there are cheaper options out there."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

"The Ordinary's 10% niacinamide plus zinc is super popular, and I'm sure there are people who have seen results, but it's also caused a lot of people a lot of issues, like triggering their redness, pretty much the opposite of everything I love about niacinamide. I don't love that product. I do not recommend it."

✕Nay

69%Guru Score

Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Dark Spot Correcting Serum

"This is a niacinamide 10% dark spot correcting serum by Anua, and I really like this one. I normally don't tolerate niacinamide over 5%, but this one just does it for me. It's literally super soothing, the ingredients formulated in here are so great for the skin, it's super gentle on the skin, and it is super functional."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

Good Molecules Discoloration Correcting Serum

"This is Good Molecules' discoloration serum, and it's only 12 bucks, that's drugstore price. It has 4% niacinamide plus a tranexamic acid transporter in there to help deeply transport that niacinamide into the skin."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Glossier Super Pure Niacinamide + Zinc Serum

"This one from Glossier has 5% niacinamide. It's not tacky and it's super gentle on the skin."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Innisfree Green Tea Enzyme Vitamin C Brightening Serum

"This formulation has 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid pretty high up in the ingredient list, so we know it's in there at a pretty high amount. That derivative is only shown to be functional between 2 to 5%, but it's nice to know it's in there at a really good amount, at least it's not below that 1% line. There's also niacinamide and allantoin for soothing the skin, and tocopherol and folic acid to increase the potency of that vitamin C."

✓Yay

72%Guru Score

VT Reedle Shot 100 Collagen

"What's really popular about this specific serum is that it has microneedles that create tiny little punctures in the skin so all the functional ingredients in the formula can go deeper into the skin, like injecting it in, versus a regular serum that still has to create pathways to get in. I used this on a test portion of my skin and it did not feel good."

✕Nay

59%Guru Score

Isntree Ultra Low Molecular Weight Hyaluronic Acid Serum

"Another product I fell for the hype on is the Isntree Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Serum. This one has fourteen types of hyaluronic acid, and I was a little terrified it had that much hyaluronic acid in it, but I wanted to try it anyway. It has sodium hyaluronate, which is pretty standard, potassium hyaluronate, and hyaluronic acid. If you're really, really dry, this might be a good product for you to explore."

~Mixed

71%Guru Score

SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic

"For serums choose an antioxidant rich serum with vitamin C, it will help brighten your skin, reduce dark spots, and fight free radicals from photo damage. SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic is a great option."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

Timeless 20% Vitamin C + E Ferulic Acid Serum

"For serums choose an antioxidant rich serum with vitamin C, it will help brighten your skin and reduce dark spots. Timeless C E Ferulic Serum is a great, [...] more budget friendly option."

✓Yay

71%Guru Score

CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum

"The product I recommend for dry skin is CeraVe's 10% Vitamin C Serum. It's lovely for dry skin because it has three ceramides, ceramide NP, AP, and EOP, which are naturally found in the skin, so the product having these ingredients is very complementary because your skin instantly recognizes it and it really helps to start repairing that skin barrier."

✓Yay

70%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Pure Vitamin C10 Serum

"There's no oil so it's not going to add any extra oils to your skin, it's noncomedogenic, and it also has salicylic acid, which is a hero ingredient for oily skin because it goes into the pores and clears up any clumps or clusters to prevent your skin from developing acne, and just really overall exfoliates and refines your skin tone and texture. It's a 10% ascorbic acid serum."

✓Yay

60%Guru Score

Maelove Glow Maker Vitamin C Serum

"For sensitive skin I recommend Maelove's Glow Maker Vitamin C Serum. It's unscented, there's no fragrance, because fragrance can be an allergen and cause a lot of irritation. [...] It has a potent ascorbic acid for its brightening effects, plus vitamin E and ferulic acid, which help boost the antioxidant properties of the vitamin C. It will hydrate your skin as well as leave your skin with no irritation, and there's a reason why it's popular and called the dupe for C E Ferulic."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum

"For sensitive skin I recommend their serum. It's not really a moisturizer, it's more of a serum formulation, the Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum. This one has that MVE delivery technology again, it's fragrance free so it's not going to irritate your skin, and it's also non-comedogenic. It has ceramides and hyaluronic acid to help moisturize the skin barrier."

✓Yay

68%Guru Score

Geek & Gorgeous C-Glow 15% Vitamin C Serum

"For oily skin, I recommend Geek and Gorgeous 15% Vitamin C because it has a lot of rich ingredients in there. It also has ferulic acid, which is a wonderful antioxidant that helps stabilize the vitamin C as well as increase its antioxidant properties, like the brightening effect. So I really recommend this one."

✓Yay

87%Guru Score

The Ordinary Ascorbic Acid 8% + Alpha Arbutin 2%

"If you're on a budget, The Ordinary 8% Ascorbic Acid Plus Arbutin is a great one. Arbutin is actually a plant derived version of hydroquinone."

✓Yay

74%Guru Score

Bliss Bright Idea Serum

"I also like the Bliss Bright Idea Serum. This one has tripeptides in it which will help boost collagen in the skin to help with elasticity. It also has squalane, which really helps seal in that moisture and protect the skin barrier."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum

"I have been using The Ordinary Copper Peptide Serum and I'm obsessed, it has been a game changer in my morning skincare routine. [...] It's aesthetically pleasing [...] but it's also really functional. [...] Studies have shown it's a lot more effective than some vitamin C serums and it's even better for people who have sensitive skin, although it's not compatible with vitamin C and it's not compatible with retinoids because they just cancel each other out."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

Paula's Choice Clinical Discoloration Repair Serum

"The Paula's Choice Discoloration Serum targets hyperpigmentation with three percent tranexamic acid, five percent niacinamide and five percent bakuchiol, which is a plant derived version of retinol. So if you have sensitive skin or if your skin just cannot handle retinol, this would definitely be a great alternative for you. Tranexamic acid [...] is great for discoloration, targeting dark spots and uneven skin tone, and niacinamide is great for controlling oil as well as pigmentation."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Naturium Multi-Bright Tranexamic Acid Serum

"I definitely think this would be a great bank for your buck, it's also very inexpensive so anyone can really get their hands on this one. I really like Naturium as a brand, I think they're always exploring and trying different things."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Kopari Coconut Oil

"I like to go in with an oil that has an SPF, I like all the Kopari oils, my skin just drinks it up and I love how my skin looks with them. It has a little bit of sheen too, so in the summertime my skin is glowing. I just love that oil, and since it has SPF you're glowing and you get SPF protection, which is great since retinol can make your skin more sun sensitive."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

Moisturizers21 reviews

Rhode Barrier Restore Cream

"The peptide complex is real and working for normal dry melanin rich skin focused on anti-aging and firmness, but the shea butter position and the hidden exfoliants make this a careful patch test situation before you fully commit if you're acne prone."

~Mixed

72%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5

"Another favorite pick for sensitive skin is the La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5. It's especially great short term, not forever, but wonderful for repair."

~Mixed

92%Guru Score

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream

"For dry skin, one of my favorite picks is the CeraVe Moisturizing Cream. It's effective and barrier focused."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion

"For combination skin I also recommend CeraVe PM, yes, even in the morning for some people."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+M Triple Repair Moisturizing Cream

"Another popular pick for dry skin is the La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+. It contains natural skin ceramides."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream

"The First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream is super dense with occlusives like shea butter, so only indulge in this one if your skin can tolerate it."

~Mixed

74%Guru Score

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cream

"If you want something lighter, the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cream is fragrance-free and can work for some dry skin types, especially if you layer it properly."

~Mixed

84%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer

"One of my favorite picks for oily skin is the La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer. It's formulated specifically for oily skin and it also has glycerine and hyaluronic acid."

✓Yay

87%Guru Score

Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer

"One of my solid picks for combination skin is the Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer. It's a simple, balanced formula, and [...] simple balanced formulas always win for combination skin."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Cream

"One of my favorite picks for sensitive skin is Avène Tolerance Control."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Naturium Niacinamide Gel Cream 5%

"Another one of my favorite picks is the Naturium Niacinamide Gel Cream. It has 5% niacinamide for oil control and hydration."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream

"I would replace this seventy two dollar Tatcha cream with a six dollar Pond's moisturizer, because the six dollar moisturizer does almost everything the seventy two dollar cream does. Tatcha markets theirs with Japanese ingredients and luxury packaging, but it gives you the same functionality, hydration and oil control. One of them is luxury, the other is retail, and the only difference is it doesn't come in a fancy jar."

✕Nay

81%Guru Score

CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream

"At night, use a rich hydrating cream with ingredients like peptides or ceramides to help repair your skin barrier and provide overnight hydration. CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream is a good option."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

Olay Micro-Sculpting Cream

"For moisturizer choose a rich hydrating moisturizer with peptides to increase collagen levels and elasticity. Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream is a great option."

✓Yay

75%Guru Score

Glow Recipe Guava Vitamin C Bright-Eyed Gel Cream

"My mom also loves an eye cream from Glow Recipe."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Overnight Hydration Gel Cream

"At night, use a rich hydrating cream with ingredients like peptides or ceramides to help repair your skin barrier and provide overnight hydration. Neutrogena's Hydro Boost Night Cream is a good option."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion

"This lotion will help optimize that skin barrier back to health. It also has MEA, an occlusive that helps lock any moisture onto the skin, which dry skin needs because it loses water fast when the barrier is compromised. There is also hyaluronic acid to [...] help boost hydration in the skin, as well as [...] hydrating surfactants that help increase hydration."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

CeraVe Oil Control Gel Creme

"The first product I love from CeraVe for oily skin is their Oil Control Moisturizing Cream. This one also has MVE technology, which is great for releasing the ingredients over time to moisturize the skin. It also has an oil control technology, which is a mix of silica that helps to absorb extra oil from the skin. There's also niacinamide, which helps to control excess oil, and hyaluronic acid to moisturize the skin in case it might be dehydrated."

✓Yay

67%Guru Score

CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Gel

"The next one is the Ultra-Light Gel Moisturizer. I love the gel texture for oily skin because it just feels better, especially for me as someone with more oily skin. I just love the feeling of a gel on my skin, it just feels so hydrating. This one is great because it has niacinamide again to help control oil, and there's also ceramides and hyaluronic acid to make sure the skin barrier is intact."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

SkinFix Barrier+ Triple Lipid & Peptide Cream

"If you have dry skin or just really irritated skin, the Skinfix Triple Lipid Peptide Cream is a must, [...] there's a reason why it's won so many different awards. This one also has all three of the ceramides I talked about earlier, as well as peptides to really work on the collagen levels in your skin, repair the skin barrier, and increase elasticity and strength. There's also a lot of emollient in it, like hemp seed oil. [...] It's always sold out everywhere, it's amazing for dry skin."

✓Yay

91%Guru Score

Topicals Faded Brightening & Clearing Gel

"Topicals Faded Serum has been on everybody's lips since TikTok blew it up, and I personally bought this serum but I honestly could not stand the smell, it just drove me nuts. The [...] smell comes from glutathione, the brightening ingredient, which has a sulfur grouping that causes that [...] smell. I heard they came out with a version that doesn't have that smell, but I haven't tried that one."

~Mixed

81%Guru Score

Sunscreen19 reviews

Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics SPF 50+ PA++++ (Korean formula)

"This formula uses a skin brightening extract and soothing ingredients alongside probiotics for barrier support, with that dewy glass skin finish that made this brand famous. It's super elegant, and if you're more combination, I think it's honestly one of the best daily wear SPFs in this lineup, both indoor or outdoors. The original formula is still excellent, though the Aquaresh version is just a step up from this one."

✓Yay

87%Guru Score

Innisfree Daily UV Defense SPF 36 Sunscreen

"There's no white cast, and I truly think it's a great entry point K beauty SPF for everyday use. If you're outdoors a lot and actively managing hyperpigmentation, I'd probably go higher than SPF 36, but it's good for office days and general protection overall. It's my pick for best budget entry, a solid daily SPF, just go higher if you're outdoors often."

✓Yay

67%Guru Score

Numbuzin No.9 NAD Peptide Dewy Sun Essence SPF 50

"I genuinely think this one has one of the best textures in this lineup for oily and combination skin. It's my pick for best for oily combination skin, the NAD peptides, the light texture, the SPF 50, the formulation direction, it's chef's kiss, such an amazing take."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46

"EltaMD UV Clear is one of the SPFs I consistently see work well for oily or acne prone skin."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-in Milk Sunscreen SPF 60

"La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-in Milk is one of the SPFs I love the formulation of for dry skin. I find that it sits better on dry skin and doesn't leave your skin feeling stripped."

✓Yay

77%Guru Score

Colorescience Sunforgettable Total Protection Face Shield Flex SPF 50

"Colorescience Face Shield is one of the options I recommend to my friends who have sensitive skin, but if you want the tinted version, be careful because it could leave a white cast on dark skin."

~Mixed

83%Guru Score

CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30

"CeraVe Hydrating Mineral SPF is one of the SPFs I love the formulation of for dry skin. I find that it sits better on dry skin and doesn't leave your skin feeling stripped."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

EltaMD UV Physical Broad-Spectrum SPF 41

"EltaMD UV Physical is one of the options I recommend to my friends who have sensitive skin."

✓Yay

91%Guru Score

Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum SPF 50 Facial Sunscreen with Collagen Peptides

"Kiehl's Better Screen is my current favorite sunscreen for oily or acne prone skin. It's one of the [...] SPFs I consistently see work well for that skin type."

✓Yay

90%Guru Score

Tirtir Hydro UV Shield Sunscreen SPF 50+

"TIRTIR Hydro UV Shield is one of the SPFs I consistently see work well for oily or acne prone skin."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer SPF 30

"Another pick for combination skin is the La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Lotion. It's balanced and very barrier safe."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40

"I tried the one from Supergoop, I didn't actually invest in it, but I tried it in the store and the blendability was probably the best one I've seen out there so far. I might go back and grab that one, that's probably the only one that I'm pretty confident in so far."

✓Yay

73%Guru Score

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunscreen

"At just $10, this Neutrogena Ultra Sheer SPF comes through, and that's really all you need."

✓Yay

67%Guru Score

Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment SPF 30

"Dr. Jart+'s Tiger Grass is a great option too, for an extra boost of overnight hydration and nourishment."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 50

"This one is great because it has pretty much all the things I talked about earlier, niacinamide to control transepidermal water loss, and ceramides for the skin barrier. There's also SPF 50, so if you're someone who doesn't like having so many different products, like a separate sunscreen and a moisturizer, this would be great for you because you have an SPF and a wonderful lotion that's great for your skin all in one. You can't go wrong with this."

✓Yay

87%Guru Score

Naturium Sheer Reflect Antioxidant SPF 50

"I really like the sunscreen, I think it's a great product. I haven't worn it for a long time though, I've really wanted to show it [...] whenever I'm doing a video, but I've been seeing so many reviews on social media about this sunscreen, so yeah, I really really think it's a great sunscreen and you're not going to go wrong with it."

✓Yay

66%Guru Score

Murad City Skin Age Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 50

"It doesn't leave a white cast when you first put it on, you'll have a hint of a white cast, but it slowly dissipates and you pretty much won't see it anymore. I think it's my favorite mineral sunscreen right now, I am obsessed with it, it's so good. [...] I think it's a little bit pricey, but honestly it's so justifiable because it's just so good, you're really well protected, and again barely any white cast on my skin tone."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Murad Multivitamin Clear Coat Broad Spectrum SPF 50 PA++++

"It's pretty lightweight and transparent or translucent, so it goes on really clear, so if you're not a fan of any finish on your sunscreen, this is [...] it. I like that it has PA++++ [...] because that boosts its power against UVA rays, which age us, and for melanin skin we tend to show that aging really fast, so [...] I love that this one has a lot more power against UVA rays, especially if you're darker skinned like me."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Cocokind Daily SPF 32 Mineral Facial Sunscreen

"For dry skin, a little disclaimer, this one does have a white cast if you are darker skinned, but I really love this one from Cocokind, their SPF 32 mineral sunscreen. It's amazing, with essential fatty acids that really work on the skin barrier."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Cleansers14 reviews

Rhode Pineapple Refresh Daily Cleanser

"It also contains poly glutamic acid which is five times more hydrating than hyaluronic acid, [...] and the formula overall is well constructed, [...] though seabuckthorn oil is in here which is high in oleic acid, usually fine [...] but worth knowing if your skin is very reactive. Overall this is a good daily well formulated cleanser, but for $32 for a cleanser, spend your budget somewhere else, there are comparable options out there at a fraction of the price."

~Mixed

68%Guru Score

Reale Actives Get Bare Cleansing Balm

"Green tea brings antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, and cica is one of my favorite ingredients for our skin because it's super calming, supports the skin barrier, and helps with the redness and irritation that can trigger post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. This is one I actually like, it's clean, it's thoughtful, and it's safe for us. [...] It's pretty much for everyone, a solid first cleanse."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

Murad Salicylic Acid Cleanser

"If you have oily skin, this cleanser has 1.5% salicylic acid from Murad. I love it, love it, love it, this is like my hundredth bottle, I've lost count. It's a bit pricey for a cleanser, but it's one of those products you wouldn't even mind buying because it does such a great job at really deeply cleansing your skin."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser

"If you don't want to mess with anionic surfactants, [...] this foaming cleanser has amphoteric surfactants, meaning it's super gentle and not as harsh on the skin. It also has niacinamide for oil control, it's fragrance-free, and it has ceramides for barrier repair. If that sounds more like your vibe, then this is your girl."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser

"For dry skin, finding a cleanser can be like finding a needle in a haystack, but I really love this [...] hydrating gentle face cleanser. I love it because it's cream based. You want a cream or lotion based cleanser because you really need that hydration on your skin."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser

"For sensitive skin, this Vanicream cleanser is such a great one because there's no fragrance. It's formulated for sensitive skin types with such a great, wonderful ingredient list. It's also formulated with very gentle surfactants like cocoa glucoside, which are nonionic surfactants [...] usually found in baby products. [...] This is such a great option."

✓Yay

92%Guru Score

Youth to the People Kale and Green Tea Spinach Vitamin Superfood Cleanser

"For acne prone skin, I love this one. It's super gentle on the skin, it has green tea and spinach vitamins, and it literally smells amazing, especially in the morning. I love using this in the morning, [...] it's very soothing. It doesn't have harsh surfactants in it, it has very, very gentle surfactants."

✓Yay

64%Guru Score

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

"An honorary mention from my last video is the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. It's even cheaper and it's great if you have super sensitive skin."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser

"I would definitely replace the seventy two dollar Dr. Barbara Sturm cleanser with the eight dollar Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. Both are non-foaming, fragrance-free, gentle cleansers, great for sensitive skin, but with this one you're simply paying more for the luxury name and packaging. Honestly, I'd even argue that this one isn't an actual cleanser, because there are no actual cleansing surfactants in it. Looking at the formulation, it's more of a soothing mask. Again, PR working overtime."

✕Nay

61%Guru Score

CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser

"For cleanser I'd choose a gentle hydrating cleanser because it cleanses without stripping your skin's natural oils. CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser is a good option."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Tatcha Rice Wash Skin Softening Cleanser

"For starters, a great cleanser is Tatcha Rice Wash. It's super popular and very gentle."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm

"For the first step of cleansing off makeup, I recommend the INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm. I love it because one of the main ingredients is oat kernel, which is really great for moisturizing and hydrating the skin, [...] and there's also colloidal oatmeal, which helps reduce any irritation that could happen from makeup. [...] I really like this product, it's under ten dollars, and it's just an all around amazing product that works for any skin type."

✓Yay

75%Guru Score

CeraVe Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser

"If you really want a lot more hydration and you need help with your skin barrier, and your goal is targeting a damaged skin barrier, then I recommend the CeraVe Hydrating Cream to Foam Cleanser. This one has glycerin, sodium PCA, and tons of other humectants, as well as ceramides, which are essential for the skin and for repairing the skin barrier."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

Cetaphil Fragrance Free Daily Facial Cleanser

"I follow the cleansing balm up with an amazing cleanser, the Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser. It has a short ingredient list, just like I like it. This product is [...] hydrating as well as reducing oil, it has niacinamide in it for that, plus a fragrance that won't strip your skin, and it's also got glycerin to keep the skin hydrated. So I really really love this product."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Body & Tan11 reviews

Vaseline Radiant X Hydrating Body Oil

"This is great if you don't want to go the full petrolatum route, [...] it's a lot lighter than petroleum jelly but still provides that occlusive seal that locks in moisture to give your skin that glow from the inside finish. People literally stop me when I use this on my body and ask me what's on your body, did you do some type of procedure, and I'm like nope, just Vaseline. I [...] make sure to apply it on damp skin because it's easier to seal in the moisture that way."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Nécessaire Multivitamin Body Lotion

"I really love this one by Necessaire, it's fragrance free, so if you have sensitive skin, especially when I shave, I like to use a lotion that's fragrance free. [...] You really can't go wrong with either of these products."

✓Yay

73%Guru Score

Dove Whole Body Deodorant

"Dove has great formulas, they have ones that are fragrance free, and this one has coconut and vanilla and smells so good. [...] I really love this one, there's no aluminum in this formula, so if you're worried about aluminum in your body care this one doesn't have any. It's a great formula if you want an all over body deodorant to prevent chafing or friction."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

Vaseline Radiant X Body Lotion

"After the shower I put on body lotion, and I love this one by Vaseline, the Radiant X Body Lotion. It's especially great if you have really dry skin or suffer from eczema. My fiance suffers from eczema and he uses this because it has shea butter and a bunch of oils that really help keep his skin moisturized, since his skin tends to dry out really fast."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

Dove Melon and Even Tone Body Wash

"This one by Dove is actually new, [...] their melon even tone body wash. It has 5% ceramide to really help reinforce your skin barrier, and it also has BHA to help unclog your pores and prevent any acne, so it's good if you suffer from a lot of body acne or have really oily skin. The lather is so great, it smells like mango and coconut and feels so amazing. This has been a holy grail of mine, [...] I use it with my exfoliating gloves and I literally use it every single day when I shower."

✓Yay

86%Guru Score

Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Body Lotion

"I've actually personally used this lotion and I love it so much. It's only nineteen ninety nine dollars, and it's better for dry skin, I'll say that right away. [...] It has retinol, which is great for turnover, great for hyperpigmentation, firming the skin, and keeping it looking luscious, younger, and tight. The retinol in it is encapsulated, which means it stays stable until it gets deeper into the skin before it bursts open to start taking effect."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Gold Bond Age Renew Retinol Overnight Body & Face Lotion

"It also has niacinamide and shea butter, so if [...] your skin is drier, especially heading into winter, it's going to help protect your skin from losing water, and the niacinamide helps control oil in the skin. It's just an all around amazing affordable product that does all the retinol functionality as well as controlling oil and protecting your skin from losing water, so I think it's even a more amazing product."

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

Topicals Slather Exfoliating Body Serum

"It's also got urea for moisturizing the skin, as well as encapsulated retinol [...] so it stays stable and doesn't get compromised before it reaches the areas it's targeting, the dark spots. [...] I think this is a really great product, [...] really amazing [...] if you have oily skin because it doesn't have all those thick butters and waxes that could potentially make you feel congested. [...] I'm currently using it and I'm loving every minute of it."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

Good Molecules Discoloration Correcting Body Treatment

"Whenever I used this lotion I really enjoyed it, my skin was glowing when I used it. I will say it doesn't last very long, it doesn't have a lot of product in it. [...] This one is a lot more oily skin friendly, it doesn't have shea butters or waxes, it just has jojoba oil, [...] so it wouldn't protect your skin from losing water as much as the other one, [...] especially this winter season. [...] It's very light and airy, and it's amazing if you have more oily skin."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub with 10% AHA

"I like the First Aid Beauty one too, I think it's First Aid Beauty, the popular one for KP, but sometimes it just feels like it hurts a little bit."

~Mixed

69%Guru Score

Necessaire Eucalyptus Body Wash

"I have been really liking the Necessaire body wash, the internet has been going crazy about it and it's probably for a good reason. It actually has a trifecta or quadrifecta of AHAs in there, glycolic acid, lactic acid, and it also has pyruvic and tartaric acids. Even though those aren't as functional as glycolic and lactic, they still [...] help work together to make the product better."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

Masks & Peels11 reviews

St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub

"I won't use walnut scrubs like the St. Ives apricot scrub. [...] Walnut shell powder has sharp, irregular edges under a microscope that [...] create micro tears in the skin rather than smooth exfoliation, [...] and for melanin rich skin even that micro inflammation can trigger post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation over time."

✕Nay

41%Guru Score

Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

"The classic 2% BHA is famously minimal, only eight ingredients: water, a couple of humectants, pH adjusters, and salicylic acid. That simplicity is a big part of why it's so well tolerated. My skin loves this stuff, and it's even more especially tolerated on sensitive skin. [...] If you have active hyperpigmentation, reactive skin, or you're newer to exfoliants, the 2% is still your best friend. It was built for the concerns most of us are actually dealing with."

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

Paula's Choice 1% BHA Sensitive Skin Exfoliant

"If you're new to BHA entirely, start at 1%. Paula's Choice literally has a 1% that you can start with, not the 2%, and definitely not the 4%. Build slowly, skincare is not a sprint, it's a marathon."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Paula's Choice 4% BHA Pore Refining Treatment

"But for melanin rich skin, the risk benefit calculation is different than it is for someone else. Do not touch the 4% if your main concern is active breakouts or acne, the 2% was specifically formulated for that and the 4% wasn't. [...] If you currently have active hyperpigmentation or dark marks, please do not jump to a higher acid concentration, you need your barrier stable and calm to fade existing marks, irritation will set you back, not move you forward."

~Mixed

68%Guru Score

Good Molecules All-In-One Exfoliating Treatment

"This is primarily an AHA exfoliant, it resurfaces the skin, smooths texture, brightens, and helps with cell turnover, and it does that genuinely well for six dollars. If your concern is surface texture, dullness, and uneven skin tone and your skin doesn't have significant congestion or pore issues, this delivers real results at an almost unfair price. But if you've been using it consistently and your pores still look congested and your blackheads aren't budging, it's not going to address that."

✓Yay

88%Guru Score

COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid 4%

"Price per use, it actually stretches further because you use less product per application and the bottle lasts longer, so if budget matters and your skin leans sensitive, this isn't a compromise option, it's genuinely the smarter buy for your skin type. It's also a safer choice if you're allergic to aspirin."

✓Yay

69%Guru Score

REN Lactic Acid Exfoliant

"This one from REN is also really great, it has lactic acid, which is also an AHA but more gentle, and it also moisturizes as it exfoliates."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution

"If you can handle it, The Ordinary's AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution is a great mask, but it's not for weekly use, just use it very sparingly, even bi-weekly or once a month, as long as you're incorporating a deep treatment that's all that matters."

✓Yay

58%Guru Score

Laneige Water Sleeping Mask

"Overnight masks help provide an extra boost of hydration and nourishment. Laneige makes a really great Water Sleeping Mask."

✓Yay

65%Guru Score

Tatcha Rice Polish

"Make sure you're exfoliating once or twice a week, this will help remove dead skin cells and encourage skin cell turnover. Tatcha Rice Polish is a great classic example."

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

Ren Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic

"It's very hydrating, it just really feels amazing on the skin, while the ordinary wasn't doing anything for my skin and my skin felt sticky and dry, with this one my skin felt moisturized. [...] Without question I picked this one because it feels so much better on the skin. [...] This product is definitely a really really awesome product, I think Ren really did a wonderful formulation here."

✓Yay

71%Guru Score

Toners10 reviews

The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution

"For KP specifically, [...] chemical exfoliation is fundamentally more effective than physically scrubbing, because KP is caused by a buildup of keratin around hair follicles and glycolic acid dissolves that buildup. I apply it [...] to dry skin after showering, let it absorb, and don't rinse [...] it off. I honestly can't say enough good things about the Ordinary Glycolic Acid. It has made such a huge difference in my overall skin."

✓Yay

73%Guru Score

Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner

"It's going to be amazing for my oily skin girlies to combo skin who are wanting brightening and lightweight hydration [...] without the heaviness, and it's truly a way for my oily and combo skin baddies to get that glass skin glow. But if you're looking for actual barrier repair, [...] this is not going to be very functional for that. It's more of a brightening toner, not repair support."

✓Yay

87%Guru Score

Tirtir Milk Skin Toner

"It's best for all skin types wanting lightweight hydration and brightening properties, but in all honesty I think this is just a niacinamide toner. I don't think it would pair well with a ton of products because of the ingredient profile, so it's not going to be my top choice for ceramides or barrier repair. And if you have oily combination skin, I would probably stay away from this because it contains a good amount of oils."

~Mixed

73%Guru Score

Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Toner

"The texture is more of a rich milky sensation, so it'll feel more substantial than the others. This product will also be great for dry to normal skin types that want serious moisture plus barrier repair. So if you have oily skin, I would skip this one, but if your skin is dry and you want that rich milky essence formulation, this is your girl. This one is solid."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

BYOMA Milky Toner

"This one is my favorite. It has poly glutamic acid, which holds five times its weight in water compared to hyaluronic acid, so you know it's going to have your skin shaking with hydration. It also has panthenol to help soothe and support your skin barrier. Out of all the ones I've reviewed so far, this one gives you that true milky texture and a really creamy feel."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

April Skin Artemisia Rice Essence Toner

"So if you're dry skin and chasing brightening effects, chemist approved, but if you're oily skin, it's a hard pass because it's way too rich and will most likely break you out. I've personally been using this on my skin this winter because my skin [...] leans dry during the season, and it has been a great add to my skincare lineup. My skin loves it, it has not broken me out, but I would not use this in the summertime."

~Mixed

71%Guru Score

Fresh Rose and Hyaluronic Acid Deep Hydration Toner

"I'd replace this forty nine dollar Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Toner with the ten dollar Simple Soothing Toner. Both are hydrating, calming, alcohol free toners. Fresh just has rose petals and smells like roses. The marketing and sensory feel is all you're paying for, so save your wallet."

✕Nay

62%Guru Score

Paula's Choice Enriched Calming Toner

"For toner you want an alcohol free, non-drying hydrating toner, it will balance your skin's pH and provide additional hydration. Paula's Choice Enriched Calming Toner is a good option."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Clarins Supple Preparation Unscented Toner

"For toner you want an alcohol free, non-drying hydrating toner. Clarins Supple Preparation Unscented Toner has no fragrance, so you might prefer this one if you don't like fragrance."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow PHA+BHA Pore-Tight Toner

"For toner, Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow, so gentle and smells amazing."

✓Yay

72%Guru Score

Other5 reviews

L'Oreal True Match Lumi Glotion

"For melanin rich skin the key is shade selection, I'm using shade 904 Deep Glow and it comes in multiple shades. [...] I used it on my arms and my collarbones and it is popping. The wrong shade will give you a gray, ashy cast that nobody likes, so getting the right shade plays a huge part in getting that lift, warmth from within glow. I layer it over the places where I applied my body oil, [...] just a selective application that looks more natural and avoids that coated shimmer look."

✓Yay

81%Guru Score

Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua Fresh Rice Plus B5

"It gives me a hydrated glow finish and the texture applies so easily. Honestly, if I had to choose between both of these, for melanin rich skin specifically, I'd lean towards the Aquaresh because the panthenol edition is so good for our skin, it's such an upgrade with an excellent formula. My final ranking is that this is the best overall finish, it's beautiful."

✓Yay

89%Guru Score

Murad Environmental Shield

"Murad Environmental Shield is one of the options I recommend to my friends who have sensitive skin."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

VT Reedle Shot 100

"I will say definitely chemist approved, just be very careful with it. Not going to lie, when I touch my skin it feels like there are needles in it, but over a few days I've noticed that when I don't use it I don't feel the needle as much. It has no fragrances, no paraben, or any potential irritants, so if that is comforting for you as a sensitive skin person then hopefully that puts you at ease."

✓Yay

75%Guru Score

VT Cica Reedle Shot 700

"This one definitely needs to be worked up to, don't be like me, it feels a lot pricker and thicker. I don't know if I'm going to go above the 700, I think this is probably where I'm going to stop, because I do want to see maybe after a year how my skin feels using it. The texture between the 100 and the 700 is significantly different, the 700 has a lot more serum in it, it has shea butter higher up on the ingredient list, and it has a higher dosage of film formers."

~Mixed

Notverified

Retinoids5 reviews

The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion

"There are some brands like The Ordinary that have it for a bit of an affordable price. [...] If you're on a budget and you don't want the exclusive, [...] elite option, The Ordinary is the one, it just gets us, it's for people who aren't ready to jump into the pro level."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

L'Oreal Revitalift 0.3% Pure Retinol Night Serum

"This one from L'Oreal is one that I really love. It's really gentle on the skin and super functional. A lot of people have used it and said it has great benefits: it's good at turning over your skin cells, good at increasing collagen levels in your skin so your skin doesn't start to sag and get fine lines and wrinkles, and it's good at preserving the skin cells. But it can only do so much, it's still a relatively mild retinol with limited strength, so it might just not be the right one for you."

✓Yay

78%Guru Score

The Ordinary Retinol 0.2% in Squalane

"If you're a beginner, I recommend The Ordinary point two percent retinol. Over time this product will help reduce fine lines and wrinkles and improve your overall skin texture. [...] In my personal professional opinion, this is a great introductory retinol for someone who has never used a retinol product before."

✓Yay

79%Guru Score

RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream

"For serum at night, choose a retinol or retinaldehyde serum, or even a tretinoin prescription based retinoid, it really just depends on what your skin can handle or tolerate, this will help stimulate collagen production and smooth out fine lines. RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream is a great one."

✓Yay

76%Guru Score

The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane

"For serum at night I'd choose a retinol or retinaldehyde serum. The Ordinary's Retinol 0.5% in Squalane is another option."

✓Yay

61%Guru Score

Eye Care4 reviews

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Plus Caffeine Eye Gel Cream

"For eye cream choose a hydrating anti-aging eye cream, it will help target fine lines, puffiness, and dark circles. Neutrogena's Hydro Boost Eye Gel Cream is a great option."

✓Yay

82%Guru Score

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG

"I love their caffeine 5% de-puffing eye serum. Caffeine is a wonderful ingredient because it helps stimulate blood flow in the under eyes, since blood flow starts to reduce as we get older, so caffeine in there really helps speed things up, helps your skin cells proliferate faster, and helps bring collagen faster to the surface of the skin to keep that area tight."

✓Yay

73%Guru Score

Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye Cream

"I honestly recommend this one if you're a little bit older, so if you're in your late 40s to 50s this one is amazing for helping to reduce the look of crow's feet or wrinkles on the side of the eye. It'll also help to lift and depuff your eye because it contains ceramides and hyaluronic acid, which are amazing for really building up the skin barrier, helping to increase elasticity in that area, and making it look tighter, firmer and smoother."

✓Yay

83%Guru Score

Garnier SkinActive Vitamin C Eye Contour Cream

"Niacinamide is wonderful because it's amazing for hyperpigmentation, since darkness starts to happen as we get older in the under eye, and niacinamide is amazing for really helping to control that darkness or hyperpigmentation as well as oil regulation. Vitamin C is obviously great for its brightening antioxidant benefits, [...] really helping to brighten that area and stop it from looking dull or tired as you get older. So this is a wonderful product for under $15."

✓Yay

84%Guru Score

Acne2 reviews

Caudalie Vinopure 2% Salicylic Acid Serum

"This formula seems to have been reformulated, and from my research the new formulation has broken a lot of people out, which is pretty consistent with the ingredient list since there seems to be a good amount of oils in it. I also wish there was information on the dosage of salicylic acid, because the amount approved by the FDA to treat acne is two percent, and I wish the brand was transparent about that. [...] The fifty dollar price tag is also steep for a salicylic acid serum."

✕Nay

70%Guru Score

Vichy Normaderm SOS Acne Rescue Spot Corrector

"For moisturizers, if you're on the oily skin type like me, I love love this moisturizer, [...] the Vichy Normaderm. This one has salicylic acid to help clear out pores and remove any buildup that can potentially cause acne, and it's oil free. I ran through it so fast and my skin just loved me for it."

✓Yay

80%Guru Score

Balms & Ointments1 review

Vaseline Original Healing Jelly

"It's a great wound healer for something like a paper cut or a minor kitchen burn as long as you clean the area first, though I don't recommend it [...] for deep or infected wounds, and [...] I like using it along my hairline [...] to protect my skin before relaxing or dyeing my hair. [...] This is such a great invention, I wish I'd invented it five hundred years ago."

✓Yay

85%Guru Score

Haircare1 review

The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density

"I just started using it so I can't tell you much yet, but I do have knowledge on ingredients, and this one has a lot of patented ingredients like Redensyl, Procapil, Capixyl, Baicapil and Anagain, and caffeine, which are really strong ingredients that I'm really impressed by, and that's what made me want to buy this product. My only wish is that they disclosed how much Redensyl is actually in it, since it's patented they never will. I'm excited to use it and see what it does."

✓Yay

68%Guru Score

Lip1 review

L'Oreal Lipstick shade 601

"L'Oreal has really pretty lipstick for dark skin, and they're budget friendly, some really cute affordable ones."

✓Yay

66%Guru Score

Mists & Essences1 review

Rhode Glazing Milk Ceramide Facial Essence

"This is actually the most functional formula in the Rhode lineup to me for our skin's actual needs, the multi-depth hyaluronic acid and full ceramide complex are doing real work for melanin rich skin focused on skin barrier health and long-term hyperpigmentation prevention, and this one genuinely earns its place."

✓Yay

75%Guru Score

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