James Welsh covers serums, toners, moisturizers, and the full Korean skincare spectrum, breaking down ingredients and calling out photo manipulation in beauty advertising with a photography graduate's eye for what brands actually do to those campaign images. His commentary-style videos trace brand histories and scandals alongside the product science, so viewers get the full picture rather than just a routine recommendation.
The products James Welsh has crowned best in their category, and brings up again and again.
James Welsh has reviewed 656 products. Of the ones he gives a clear yes or no to,he approves 80%. The products he rates highest and brings up most are Prequel Barrier Therapy Skin Protectant Cream, Undefined Beauty RNR Sun Serum SPF 50 and Prequel Non-Drying Glycerin Cleanser.
He has reviewed 109 serums and approved 79 of them. The ones he rates highest are Educated Mess Golden Hour Gold Stabilized Vitamin C Serum, Bloom Effects Black Tulip Eye Treatment and Vichy Mineral 89 Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum.
He has reviewed 87 moisturizers and approved 58 of them. The ones he rates highest are Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion, Purito Deep Sea Pure Water Cream and Glow Recipe Plum Plump Hyaluronic Cream. The full picture is in James Welsh on Moisturizers.
He has reviewed 80 cleansers and approved 57 of them. The ones he rates highest are Prequel Non-Drying Glycerin Cleanser, Kose Softymo Speedy Cleansing Oil and Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser. The full picture is in James Welsh on Cleansers.
He has reviewed 69 sunscreens and approved 47 of them. The ones he rates highest are Undefined Beauty RNR Sun Serum SPF 50, Ultra Violette Supreme Screen Hydrating Facial Sunscreen SPF 50 and Krave Beauty Beat the Sun SPF 40. The full picture is in James Welsh on Sunscreen.
He has skipped 120 of the 656 products he has reviewed. The ones he is clearest about are The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution, Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm, Caudalie Beauty Elixir and Tatcha Water Cream Oil-Free Pore Minimizing Moisturizer.
There is a guide to his picks for each skin type he covers most: James Welsh on dry skin, James Welsh on sensitive skin, James Welsh on mature skin and James Welsh on oily skin.
Products where their take diverges from the rest of the gurus.
All 656 products James Welsh has reviewed, grouped by product type. Click a product to see the full guru consensus.
A weekly read of the takes worth catching up on: the raves, the splits, the ones the gurus won't shut up about. Free, no spam, unsubscribe whenever.
Subscribe to the digestJames Welsh is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, The Guru Index. Every quote on this page comes from his public YouTube videos, linked at the timestamp. Verdicts and approval stats are our editorial read of what he said. "Guru" is a title we award, not a sign of any affiliation.