April Basi.

"The Barrier Restore Cream is where Rhode put their most serious formulation effort. There are four peptides, palmitoyl tetrapeptide 2, palmitoyl heptapeptide 27, palmitoyl oligopeptide 78, and palmitoyl tripeptide 24, palm oil peptides, and pomato peptides specifically have better research for collagen support and skin firmness, so this peptide investment is more meaningful than the glazing fluid. But shea butter is the fourth ingredient in this formula, not a trace amount, not low on the list, that's a primary ingredient, and shea butter is high in oleic and stearic fatty acids which are known to be comedogenic for breakout prone skin, so if your breakouts leave marks that linger for months, that's a concern. It also contains a lactic acid slash glycolic acid copolymer, which is an exfoliating acid in your last step, so if you're already using a BHA or AHA in your routine and you layer this on top, you may be stacking exfoliants without realizing it, and for melanin rich skin that can trigger PIE. 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."

"The first product I recommend for dry skin is CeraVe's Daily Moisturizing Lotion. I recommend this for dry skin because it has all three ceramides naturally found in the skin, ceramide MP, ceramide AP, and ceramide EOP, which dry skin tends to lack because the skin barrier has been compromised. 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."

"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."

"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."

"This product has a lot of protectant properties, it's made to prevent water loss, especially for someone with dry skin. It's very hydrating with shea butter to help improve lipids on the skin, dimethicone to form a film layer that helps prevent water loss, and mineral oil, a well known occlusive that helps prevent water loss, I love mineral oil. The microcrystalline wax gives it a lot of body. I think this is a great product if you have dry skin, if you have compromised skin, if you're dealing with eczema, or if you're starting to see signs of aging, it will help restore the integrity of your skin and prevent your skin barrier from breaking down, so it's super amazing for the skin barrier. It doesn't have a sticky finish and it repairs dry skin. It also has niacinamide, which is great for oil control, hyperpigmentation and dark spots, helps rebalance the skin's microbiome, and is amazing for sensitive skin, it's even accepted by the National Eczema Association. Comparing both products, I think this one feels better on the skin, especially if you want longer term hydration."

"This one has two vitamin C forms in it, sodium ascorbyl phosphate and ascorbic acid, alongside a bioactive blend that includes plum, which is rich in vitamin C, and a gold complex for stability. The formulation pH is around 5.5 to 6.5, which is high for L-ascorbic acid to penetrate effectively since pure vitamin C needs a pH of about 3.5 for optimal skin penetration, so at this pH the ascorbic acid is probably not doing the most potent work, but that doesn't mean it's not working, it's clearly formulated for someone with more sensitive skin. 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."

"The Peptide Glazing Fluid is the product that made Rhode famous, and I need to be honest about what's actually in it. It contains one peptide, acetyl hexapeptide 8, but it's listed well down the ingredient list, meaning it's not at a high concentration, so the hero ingredient in a product called Peptide Glazing Fluid is low on the ingredient list. What is actually doing the heavy lifting is glycerine and butylene glycol, marula oil for emollient hydration, niacinamide for brightening and barrier support, and sodium hyaluronate for plumping. Niacinamide is a win for us specifically, with solid research for fading hyperpigmentation and post acne dark marks, but the estimated concentration here based on list position is around 2 to 3 percent, which is on the lower end for meaningful dark spot work, so it's contributing, not leading. Glyceryl caprylate is in this formula too, which is another potentially comedogenic ingredient for acne prone skin, and benzyl alcohol is listed, which functions as both a preservative and a fragrance, so that's something to keep in mind if you're fragrance sensitive. 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."

"Drunk Elephant TLC Framboos is one of the most talked about exfoliants in Sephora right now, and it's ninety dollars for a one ounce bottle. Glycolic acid sits close to water on the ingredient list so it's probably around seven percent, doing a lot of the heavy lifting, with lactic acid and tartaric acid as supporting AHAs, which tracks with the ten percent AHA total on the label. The salicylic acid is at one percent, not two percent, and that's a deliberate formulation choice, not a shortcut, so you're getting real BHA activity and genuine pore penetration, but at a concentration that's gentler and better tolerated for regular use. 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. If you have congestion, blackheads, enlarged pores, or oily skin alongside texture concerns, you need both AHA and BHA working together, and this is an actual AHA and BHA treatment where both things are working. The price tag is real, but the functionality difference is also real, so pay the ninety dollars if that's what your skin needs."

"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."

"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. It's very effective for hyperpigmentation and also firming your skin, so if you're older this might actually be a better investment for you compared to vitamin C. I have definitely seen a huge difference in brightening my skin. This is definitely my number one hands down."

"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. The one I had was very functional, but I couldn't really use it on my face because it has shea butter and I try to stay away from oils, waxes and butters since I have oily skin. If you have drier skin you'll probably find this more valuable, it's definitely going to help with pigmentation, discoloration and brown spots. It's also got licorice root, azelaic acid and centella asiatica to help soothe your skin and prevent it from feeling itchy or burning. I definitely recommend it for drier skin types especially."

"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."

"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."

"The active ingredient in this one is betaine salicylate, not salicylic acid. They're two completely different molecules. Betaine salicylate is derived from salicylic acid and from sugar beet, and it's a gentler, milder form of BHA. It's listed as 4% BHA, but you need roughly double the concentration of betaine salicylate to get a similar effect to salicylic acid, so 4% betaine salicylate is equivalent to about 2% salicylic acid in exfoliation strength. The marketing is technically accurate, it does contain 4% BHA, but it's not the same BHA, and the way it's marketed makes it easy to assume you're comparing the same molecule at different price points when you're not. This one is for you if you're newer to chemical exfoliants, your skin gets reactive or sensitive easily, you've tried BHAs before and found them too harsh, or you want something you can work up to using more regularly without the intensity of a true salicylic acid. It also has niacinamide and sodium hyaluronate built in for hydration and barrier support alongside the exfoliation, which is a genuinely smart formula decision, especially for anyone whose skin leans dry or combination. 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."

"The last one is the Topicals Slather Exfoliating Body Serum, and this one is going to be a little bit more pricey at thirty dollars. It's got AHAs like glycolic acid and lactic acid to really help slough off dead skin cells that can build up and potentially cause acne. 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."

"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. This one doesn't have any fragrance, so I tend to mix it with the Fenty Cherry body scrub and it works amazing together. After I get out of the shower I can't get enough, it's really that amazing."

"The Geek and Gorgeous C-Glow has 15% vitamin C plus ferulic acid. People say this is a dupe for SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic. I don't ever say dupe on my channel because there are so many nuances when it comes to formulation, no two products are ever the same, there are so many different factors that come into making a product. So I would say this is a great alternative, because so many products, including SkinCeuticals, have different pathways to which they arrived at their vitamin C, and I'm pretty sure it has a patented ingredient as well."

"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."

"I'm starting off strong with The Ordinary 7% Glycolic Acid Toning Solution. This chemical exfoliant, if I could drink it, I would. It's everyone's favorite for a reason, and on the body it works wonders. The pH The Ordinary formulates it at is amazing for the body because that 7% is optimal for your body to handle. Glycolic acid helps speed up cell turnover, fading hyperpigmentation, smoothing KP texture, and brightening overall. Since adding this to my routine it has been night and day because nothing else was working. 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."

"K beauty has my heart, and the rice bran extract in here plus niacinamide is wonderful for hydrating and brightening. There are three types of hyaluronic acid for multi weight hydration, and it also has a ceramide complex, but it's lightweight, milky, and less emollient than the others. 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."

"I specifically recommend the Vaseline brand because they've been around for ages and they have such a unique refinement process for their petrolatum that the formulation can't be copied by any other brand. I use it as the last step of my lip mask, not directly on my lips because that actually chaps them, and I love it on the balls of my feet, my elbows and my knees when my skin gets dry in the winter. It works great as an eye makeup remover, and I've been putting a little on a spoolie and running it along the ends of my lashes to help them grow, just staying away from my tear ducts so it doesn't clog anything. It's also good on cuticles to stop them drying out, and when I slug with it in the winter my skin looks so much better in the morning even after a good skincare routine, though I only use a tiny pea sized amount or less because I have oily skin and too much will easily break me out. A little dabbed on my cheekbones gives me a really natural dewy highlighter look, and dabbing it on my wrists and neck before spraying perfume traps the fragrance so it lasts a lot longer. 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."

"A product I've been loving recently for a good glow is the L'Oreal Lumi Glotion. It's a bronzing enhancer that gives you an instant glow layer, a cosmetic glow enhancer that uses light diffusing particles to create the appearance of radiant skin, not a treatment. 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."

"The glazing milk is where I started to pay attention, this one has interesting science behind it and it's a product for melanin rich skin specifically. It has four forms of hyaluronic acid, sodium hyaluronate cross polymer, hydrolyzed sodium hyaluronate, and sodium acetylated hyaluronate, so that's hydration at multiple skin depths, not just at the surface. This formula has a full ceramide complex, ceramide MP, AP and EOP, beta glucan for barrier support, and copper and zinc gluconate for skin regulating benefits. For melanin rich skin specifically ceramides matter more than most people realize, because when our skin barrier is healthy our melanocytes behave much better, and hyperpigmentation is significantly worsened by barrier disruption. Oleic acid, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid are listed here as standalone ingredients, and for acne prone skin those fatty acids at higher concentrations can be comedogenic, so if you have reactive oils on your face, patch test this one. 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."