Presenting: Marie Claire's 2025 Skin & Hair Awards

Everything about this wand seems like it has arrived from an acne-free future. It features neon and argan gas electrodes that emit a gentle electrical current to help kill acne-causing bacteria without disrupting your skin’s natural oil balance—no harsh ingredients or exfoliation needed. With three unique attachments to target your specific breakout needs—plus a comb attachment for an invigorating scalp treatment that stimulates hair growth—you’ll see an immediate improvement to the severity of your blemishes with less redness, irritation, and inflammation.

Ditch the razors and the bumps and cuts that come with it. This IPL hair removal device from Silk’n delivers up to 92 percent hair reduction on lighter skin tones with dark-colored body hair. It uses a combination of galvanic and optical energy to open the pores so it can use a lower intensity energy and cause less irritation than similar at-home IPL devices, meaning a less intense experience. Used consistently, you’ll see a reduction in hair growth after a month, with the hairs that do grow back coming in finer and at a slower pace. After three months, you’ll only need to do touch-ups every few months to keep your skin hair-free.

It’s not often that something that goes viral on social media lives up to the hype, especially when it’s a device that makes some pretty lofty promises. But the Shark CryoGlow—which, if you’ve been on TikTok or Instagram in the last year, then you’ve definitely seen somebody you follow using—is the rare gizmo that’s actually as good IRL as it is online. It uses FDA-cleared LED technology to smooth fine lines, tighten skin, enhance radiance, even tone, and help fight acne, plus unique cooling plates to deliver a targeted cryo treatment to the undereye area that refreshes and depuffs. Developed with dermatologists and clinically tested, it’s like having a full medspa in one high-tech face mask.

The updated version of this bestselling at-home microcurrent device takes everything you loved about the original ZIIP and puts it into a more compact, easier to use product. It emits both microcurrent and nanocurrent, allowing you to get a wider range of treatments and benefits with one device. The microcurrent is the higher intensity electrical current and it helps to boost muscle stimulation, clear bacteria from the skin, and encourage increased ATP production (a.k.a. the process which powers cells' vital functions). Nanocurrent is a gentler electrical current, similar to your body’s own natural electrical currents and helps stimulate cellular repair and renewal in the skin. The Halo lets you create 26 different electrical current combinations for 14 different treatments. The result is skin that is more lifted, toned, and brighter, with fewer fine lines, sunspots, and less sagging.

You don’t generally put a lot of thought into your tweezers until you’re battling stray hairs with a pair of dull, unwieldy ones that just can’t seem to grip the stragglers underneath your arches. Every time you grab delicate skin instead of the errant hair that keeps evading you, you swear you’re going to get a new pair to replace the ones that you’re pretty sure have been in your medicine cabinet since grade school. This precise pair from Tweezerman is a classic for all the right reasons: Expertly shaped to grab even the finest of hairs, the 25-degree slant design is the perfect angle to work against your browbone. It has a hand-filed tip and is perfectly aligned so it feels comfortable in your hands. Designed to evenly close, it firmly grabs each hair and is the perfect blend of control, precision, and comfort.

Lymphatic massage is more commonly thought of for the body, but the benefits for the face definitely should not be overlooked. It’s a common technique in spas to help reduce puffiness and promote a healthier complexion. Thanks to this funky brush by aesthetician Cecily Braden, you don’t have to be an expert in facial massage to get the benefits of lymphatic drainage. This patented brush features a curved shape that fits your facial contours and unique bristles that are densely packed and a bump pattern on the surface. This allows you to target the lymph nodes and lymphatic pathways on the surface of the skin, allowing you to apply the perfect amount of pressure to stimulate lymphatic drainage without scratching or irritating the skin.

Traveling can always pose a unique set of issues for those of us who are dedicated to our skin routines. Cleansing, in particular poses hurdles. You can’t really pack a full double cleanse without hitting a baggage overage. It's why we love these reusable Cleansing Coins from The Skinsheet. They start as compact tablets, but add water and they expand into soft, reusable cleansing cloths that can be used on their own or soaked with a micellar or makeup remover to be used as a more environmentally safe option. Made from cotton cellulose, each cloth can be used one to three times before you dispose of it and is biodegradable and compostable.

There’s gua sha, and then there’s this next level tool from makeup artist Isamaya. The French genius who keeps Madonna, Rihanna, Bella Hadid, Charli XCX and Lily Rose-Depp looking chiseled and glowing knows a thing or two about facial massage, so even though this sleek chrome objet d’art doesn’t look intuitive, trust that this is going to sculpt and smooth away any puffiness easier than you believe. It helps with lymphatic drainage and tightens your contours, creating a more angular face as it releases tension and gives you an otherworldly glow. It’s like Pilates for your face, with every side having a purpose to create a firmer, healthier complexion.

An at-home laser? The difference between this handheld and what your dermatologist uses is that the Lyma Pro is a “cold” laser, meaning it doesn’t produce any heat. Instead, it delivers 1800 nanometers of near-infrared light at 808 nanometers, penetrating up to 10 cm into the skin, which allows it to help regenerate not just the surface layers of the skin, but the fibroblasts, which are the skin cells responsible for renewing collagen. In just three minutes per treatment area for 30 days, you see tighter skin, less redness, less crepey texture, less sagging, fewer breakouts, less visible wrinkles, and a more even complexion.

At-home microneedling made easy (and painless!) with this high-tech version from BeautyBio. The GloPRO has a built-in LED to help boost the benefits of the microneedling, giving you an enhancement in the penetration of your topical skin-care products. It also helps firm, smooth, enhance your glow, and make pores look visibly smaller and wrinkles less noticeable.

Soap that’s not really soap, this body cleanser washes away the day without stripping your skin of its natural oils and moisture. It’s a solid serum bar made with plant-based cleansing agents that are safe for every area of the body, including your intimate zones. Use it as a body wash or even a shave cream—it lathers up that creamily. It has antiseptic gardenia, shea butter to moisturize, and fermented sugarcane enzyme that acts as a natural deodorant so you feel (and smell) fresh all day long.

A super-sized hydrocolloid patch to target body acne on the back, chest, butt or wherever those stubborn pimples like to crop up. Instead of trying to cover yourself in a patchwork of tiny stickers, this mega patch covers a ginormous 52mm x 95 mm area so you can speed up healing and get out the gunk that is clogging up your pores, for smoother, soothed skin in as little as six to eight hours.

Body deodorant is one of those products no one thinks they need until it’s too late. While sweat happens and usually isn’t a whole thing, some of us experience more of it than others. This can lead to uncomfortable situations like having to sit in our soaked clothing as the office A/C blasts or the joys of catching a whiff of our B.O. waft by in the middle of an important client meeting. It’s especially frustrating for women going through perimenopause or menopause, who deal with an increase in both sweat and body odor due to a rapid shift in hormones. Secret’s specially formulated, aluminum-free body deo creates a dry feeling all over your body as it absorbs sweat and masks odor for up to 72 hours, providing some anti-chafing protection to sensitive areas in the process.

Proof that a body exfoliator doesn’t have to mean coating your body (and the bottom of your tub) with an oil slick and scratchy sugar crystals, this set of exfoliating gloves from NERRĀ is microbiome friendly—meaning it won’t disrupt your skin’s natural flora and fauna, which are essential to a healthy skin barrier. Made of 100 percent biodegradable plant fabric, the beige glove features a more gentle exfoliation, while the black is for a deeper, more thorough scrub.

Barrier repair for your body, this fluffy, cloud-like cream from 54 Thrones offers instant hydration as it restores and soothes damaged skin barriers. Ultra lightweight with not even a hint of a greasiness, it sinks into the skin thanks to a special form of hyaluronic acid. Peptides plus South African resurrection plant help soothe irritation and fortify the skin, leaving you glowing, soft, and bouncy.

The main expectation for deodorants has always been simply to keep you from smelling stinky. Bonus points if it also helps reduce excess sweating. This gorgeous deo from Saltair goes above and beyond by not only keeping us fresh and dry, but by helping to exfoliate the underarms with a five percent multi-acid blend, brightening discoloration and reducing ingrown hairs. It does all that and is both aluminum- and baking soda-free and smells deliciously like vanilla, sandalwood, and sea salt. Talk about an overachiever…

Bumpy skin bumming you out? Byoma’s smoothing serum is exactly what you need to banish the bumps and transform rough skin into a silky smooth bod. It uses blue tansy, plus succinic acid and the brand’s Barrier Lipid Complex to gently exfoliate away rough, dry skin, creating a smooth texture as it hydrates, brightens, and illuminates all your curves.

Dove managed to do what we didn’t think was possible—they created a body wash with the hydrating powers of a lotion. Ok, it doesn’t completely replace your lotion, but it comes pretty close. The secret is what the brand calls MicroMoisture™ technology. It deposits millions of oil-based droplets that have been shrunk down into millions of microscopic, nano-sized ones. It helps visibly reduce dryness by up to 50 percent after every shower and renew your skin’s natural moisture barrier, for instant and long-lasting hydration and nourishment. Just ask Marie Claire Beauty Director Hannah Baxter, who tested this body wash in the driest desert on Earth and still left with soft, hydrated skin post-shower.

There’s a common misconception that the best way to get rid of dry, cracked heels is to slather it with the thickest moisturizer you can find. The reality is, you need to balance exfoliation with hydration that can get past the cracks and into the skin where it’s needed. This foot repair cream delivers the perfect blend of urea, a hybrid moisturizing and exfoliating ingredient that both attracts and retains moisture as it gently breaks down the dead skin cells. Meanwhile, epsom salt and essential oils draw moisture deep into the skin, ensuring they penetrate and help speed up the repair and soothing of the cracked patches.

The OG Theraplush hand treatment has been a staple on every MC editor’s nightstand since its initial launch. With its retinol-infused formula that softens and smooths hands as you sleep—miraculously keeping your cuticles in check and strengthening nails—we didn’t think it could get any better. Then Soft Services released this scented version and our worlds were rocked. Warm spices blend with powdery florals and subtle musks to create this comforting cocoon of scent that lulls you to sleep as the retinol, colloidal oatmeal, and panthenol go to work on your hands and nails. We’ve never hit “add to cart” so fast.

Grown Alchemist is one of those stealth wealth brands that manages to be both understated and luxe. This hand wash is no exception—it’s packed with skin-softening and smoothing ingredients, plus natural surfactants that won’t strip away your skin’s natural moisture. An essential oil blend of cedarwood, ylang ylang, and tangerine leaves behind a subtle uplifting scent. Your hands feel softer and smoother after each wash.

Natural deodorant is infamous for having good intentions but failing to stand up to the rigors that more physically active peoples can put it through. AKT London’s Deodorant Balms are the exception. Developed by two dancers in London’s West End, they created this natural deo after both traditional and natural deodorants couldn’t keep up with the intense physical schedule of dancing eight shows a week under hot, bright lights on a stage. Gorgeously scented, each balm transforms into a dry, invisible powder when applied. It protects, absorbs sweat, and deodorizes while keeping you dry and fresh all day—without the use of aluminum.

A true multi-tasker, this classic clarifying cleanser is also a makeup remover, a toner, and it can be left on the skin to be used as a flash mask. It deep cleanses without drying thanks to a mix of cica, chamomile, sugarcane, and white willow bark, which act as antioxidants and mild resurfacing acids to smooth, exfoliate, and brighten then skin. It's a beauty-editor favorite for a reason.

We adore Starface for its cute pimple stickers, but turns out the brand also makes an absolute banger of a clarifying face wash, too. This salicylic acid foaming face wash helps unclog pores and minimize breakouts, but keeps skin hydrated and oil under control thanks to glycerin and hyaluronic acid. And, because it’s Starface, of course it’s rad to look at—the glittery blue hue makes washing your face feel fun and washes away without polluting the waterways (the shimmer is made with mica, not microplastics).

Combination skin is all about balance—you need to add moisture without clogging pores and eliminate excess oil without stripping skin. Thankfully, this CeraVe foaming cleanser gets it just right by managing oiliness and dryness in one genius formula. It uses an innovative Glycolysine™ Cleansing Technology to trap dirt and oil as it balances the skin’s moisture levels. Allantoin helps soothe and calm, while skin-identical ceramides help restore and maintain skin’s moisture barrier.

A water-based jelly cleanser that transforms into a creamy foam, this face wash is perfect for those with parched skin. It’s powerful enough to remove makeup and SPF from your visage, but gentle enough that it won’t make you feel dry and tight. Glycerin and betaine (a sugar beet-derived amino acid) help reinforce your skin’s moisture barrier so you feel soft, fresh, and dewy after you wash.

As you age, your skin naturally needs a bit more from your products, including cleansers. This multi-use hydrating face wash is packed with good-for-your-skin ingredients that lets it double as a brightening mask, exfoliating peel, detoxifying mud mask, vitamin C treatment, or firming mask, depending on how you use it. Apply it daily to wet skin and wash off to use as a cleanser, or use weekly on dry skin and leave on for three to five minutes to get its treatment benefits for uneven tone, elasticity, clogged pores, dullness, and rough texture.

We’d be obsessed with this cleansing balm based on its formula alone—it removes every last trace of longwear makeup and leaves us feeling fresh and velvety (never greasy) thanks to camellia sinensis leaf extract, soybean oil, jojoba seed oil, and rice bran oil. But what truly puts it at GOAT status is the innovative grinder container—instead of repeatedly digging your hands into a jar, you simply twist the top and it grinds off a fresh chunk of balm with just the right amount for you to use. Not only hygienic, but it makes sure you don’t over use it so you get more out of every jar. Saving your skin and your wallet? Please and thank you.

Sensitive skin needs a sensitive touch and Farmacy has just the right formula to cleanse even the most reactive skin types without causing a total meltdown. Upcycled moringa oil helps clear away the day without drying you out, while oats, apples, and aloe soothe, nourish, and calm. Omega-rich vitamin F helps build up your moisture barrier to reduce sensitivity, keeping your skin hydrated, soft, and strong.

If you put this gel cleanser in an unmarked bottle, we guarantee you’d have no idea this came from a drugstore. Everything from the texture to how hydrating it is and how soft and supple it makes your skin feel afterwards makes it seem like this HA-packed face wash came from a much pricier brand. But, lucky for us and our bank accounts, it’s from Neutrogena, so it’s both safe for your skin and won’t give you sticker shock when you need a refill.

In her heart of hearts, Victoria Beckham is a woman of the people. But she does have champagne tastes on a caviar budget, so of course her skincare line is going to reflect that. Her dad did drive her in the Rolls to school, after all. But, if you don’t mind dropping $120 on a cleansing regimen, this one will make you feel extra posh and pamper your skin in all the right ways. It features an oil cleanser made with olive fruit oil to help break down makeup, dirt, and sunscreen while loading skin up with essential fatty acids and antioxidants. The second cleanser is a lactic acid exfoliating cleanse to gently dislodge dead surface skin and reveal fresher, brighter, more hydrated skin underneath.

We know Guava Girl summer is all the rage right now, but thanks to this two-in-one cleanser, we’re more Papaya gals ourselves. That’s because this exfoliating cleanser uses the tropical fruit—plus vitamin C, ginger root, and lactic acid—to instantly brighten skin as it smooths away dullness and dryness. You get more even toned and radiant skin with every wash, and it smells like a tropical island, all juicy and delicious.

Listen, we love makeup and we’re super impressed with the staying power of today’s formulas. What we don’t love is waking up the next morning to find mascara smeared all over our cheeks and foundation staining our silk pillowcases. This double cleanse in one has the power to remove even the most longwear formulas while still being gentle on skin. It’s a makeup remover and cleansing gel in one step, combining tiny micelles with goat milk saponins and golden sea moss to remove dirt, makeup, SPF, and whatever else is on your face while moisturizing and replenishing essential minerals.

A cleansing oil that also doubles as an exfoliating and brightening treatment, this stunning formula not only removes makeup but leaves skin looking brighter and more glowy after each use. Made with the brand’s signature algae blend, plus four types of fruit enzymes, squalane, kelp, spirulina, and chia and moringa oils, it infuses skin with essential vitamins and minerals to nourish and hydrate as it wipes away the day.

If you look in the mirror and can’t figure out if it’s the dark circles, the undereye hollows, the wrinkles, the sagging skin, or the puffiness that’s making your eyes look to haggard, then this eye cream is exactly what you need. It addresses all of those and then some with a powerful formula that firms, rejuvenates, smooths, and contours the entire eye area. The secret is a blend of retinol, vitamins C & E, Indonesian ginger extract, chai hu (a traditional Chinese herb), safflower, honeysuckle, and iris root extract. Use the included faceted wand to gently massage the cream in for a depuffing massage that’s as heavenly as the texture of this dreamy refillable cream.

When your undereye area looks dull and fatigued, retinol is one of the best ingredients to help perk it up. The only issue? Retinol also tends to be irritating on the sensitive skin around the eyes. If you’re prone to irritation and dryness in that area—but would also like to look like you slept more than two hours last night—this soothing cream from ILIA has you covered with a formula that features sea fennel extract, a retinol alternative. It brightens, firms, and smooths without irritation, while upcycled avocado extract reduces dark circles and puffiness. Caffeine and peptides work to depuff and revive tired eyes. The cooling ceramic tip is also clutch for soothing, massaging, and depuffing as you apply.

If you’re still skeptical about the whole eye cream thing and don’t want to drop a ton of cash on a product you can only use on part of your face, this under-$15 cream from Versed is a great way to dip your toes into it, so to speak, without actually spending a ton. Made with niacinamide, vitamin C, and caffeine, it smoothes, depuffs, and brightens tired undereyes to give you an instant pick-me-up. The metal rollerball applicator is a nice bonus, cooling on contact to provide a soothing effect as you roll the gel over the undereye area.

Gorgeous packaging aside, this cream is a four-in-one product that brightens, hydrates, and smooths the eye area as it primes it for makeup. Because once you get to a certain age, your eye area needs more than a simple moisturizer is going to provide. With peptides, hyaluronic acid, and jasmine flower extract, this lifts and firms as it softens the skin, supporting your natural collagen and elastin production so your undereyes look and feel brighter, plumper, and more energized.

If your eye bags are big enough to get charged an oversized fee at the airline check-in counter, it’s time to add this smoothing eye cream to your regimen. It uses bakuchiol, a gentler bio-alternative to retinol, to help increase collagen production without irritating the skin. It firms the undereye area, helping to decrease the appearance of bags, so you look smooth, supple, and hydrated—instantly and long-term.

Want all the benefits of a retinol eye cream without any of the irritation? Those with sensitive skin will love this overnight serum from Summer Fridays. It features a plant-based retinol alternative that’s safe for even the most sensitive complexions. Apply it to your eye contour at night, go to bed, and wake up to eyes that look fresher, brighter, firmer, and smoother. For extra sensitive skin bonus points, it also has licorice root extract, which not only soothes the look of inflammation, but also helps with puffiness.

Epidermal growth factors are at the forefront of skincare innovation, and few brands are harnessing their rejuvenating powers as well as Icelandic brand BIOEFFECT. As the sister eye product to the brand's cult favorite eye serum (which is also loaded with signature active ingredients, including EGF, caffeine, bakuchiol, barley seed extract, niacinamide, and ceramides) this formula has everything you need to promote a healthy skin barrier on the most sensitive area of your face. Minimize fine lines and wrinkles, soften dark circles and puffiness, and ensure that skin is deeply hydrated from day to night with just one swipe. No more waking up looking exhausted—just radiant, healthy undereyes from here on out.

Ballads could be written for what the original 2% BHA toner from Paula’s Choice can do for the skin. It’s like a five-second flash facial that clears congested pores, brightens uneven pigment, helps reduce breakouts, and smooths texture. This takes everything we love about the BHA toner and puts it into a convenient swipe-on toner pad. Each of the 10 pads is pre-soaked with the salicylic acid and green tea formula that is so beloved by the MC team to help accelerate skin cell turnover, make your pores look non-existent, and your complexion look glassy and glowy.

Usually when you think of exfoliators, you think of scrubs or acid toners. Maybe a clay mask or facial treatment. But this serum helps clears the skin’s surface and decongest clogged pores with a mixture of PHA, BHA, and tranexamic acid, while niacinamide supports the skin barrier and larch tree extract hydrates. Acne-prone skin doesn’t need harsh exfoliation to help keep it clear, it needs a blend of exfoliators that work on the surface and in the pores to clear debris that can fuel acne-causing bacteria. This serum works on multiple levels while keeping your hydration levels balanced and ensuring you aren’t overly dried out, which can trigger breakouts.

An exfoliating pad gentle enough to use every day, StriVectin has created the perfect exfoliator for those with combination skin. Made with four types of acid, it also has physical exfoliation thanks to the micro-peel fiber pad. It’s able to help unclog pores in your oily T-zone without stripping your drier areas, leaving you looking smooth, radiant, and even toned with pores that are clear and less noticeable.

If you think you can skip exfoliation because your skin is dry, then you must be fine with a complexion that looks perpetually dull and flaky. If you’d like to join us in the glowy light, meet this creamy polish from Ursa Major. Packed with minerals from glacial oceanic clay, volcanic ash, and aluminum oxide, it acts as both a physical and chemical exfoliant to whisk away the dry, dead skin that makes your complexion look drab and give you a brighter, more even-toned, smooth, and radiant visage. Wintergreen and willow bark act as a chemical exfoliant to shrink the appearance of pores, while birch hydrates and meadowsweet flower balances your natural sebum levels for optimum oil production.

As your skin matures, it also gets thinner, meaning you need to treat it a bit more gently than you did in your earlier years. No more harsh scrubbing and tugging or you risk damaging the barrier, which can now take longer to heal. It's why we love this gentle exfoliator from Oak Essentials—it features vitamins that support the skin barrier and biodegradable polishing beads that dissolve under pressure, so they won’t scratch skin’s surface or over-exfoliate skin like many physical exfoliators can. Upcycled pineapple extract helps remove dead skin with gentle enzymes, while red algae extract acts as a natural hydrator that also boosts circulation to enhance your glow.

At first glance, this hunk of minty soap doesn’t look like it’d be the obvious choice for those with sensitive skin. But it’s truly the best choice if your skin is easily irritated. It has a base of French blue clay that gently draws out impurities without stinging or burning and uses poppyseeds to exfoliate, which are naturally round and won’t cause micro-tears on the skin. Organic peppermint oil energizes you and your complexion while Big Sur sea salt balances pH and soothes everything from acne to psoriasis and eczema as it softens the skin.

Upgrade your exfoliation with this luxe mask from La Mer. It’s a detoxifying treatment made with the brand’s signature Miracle Broth, plus witch hazel, bentonite, kaolin clay, charcoal powder, and a blend of acids. It pulls debris from your pores and helps keep them clear as a form of “pretoxification” to protect them from getting plugged in the first place. Skin looks smooth, clear, and radiant.

To claim the crown of best all-around moisturizer, a formula needs to offer something for everyone while still being gentle enough that it won’t irritate those with easily irritated or sensitive skin. This soothing, reparative, and protective moisturizer from Avène checks all those boxes thanks to a formula infused with the brand’s signature soothing and calming thermal spring water, plus a copper, zinc, and sulfate complex and a unique protein-rich postbiotic ingredient that helps promote and maintain a healthy skin microbiome. It can help restore a damaged skin barrier as quickly as 48 hours, soothing redness and extreme dryness as it protects the barrier from future damage.

This multi-functional cream from OLAY really earns the title of Super thanks to a laundry list of powerful active ingredients. It has niacinamide, vitamin C, collagen peptide, vitamin E, alpha-hydroxy acid, and SPF 30, all in one stable hydrating formula. That means it can deliver benefits like providing up to 24 hours of hydration, reduce the appearance of dark spots and lines, give you a dewy glow, improve skin firmness, protect against UVA/UVB damage, and create a soft matte texture with zero sticky feel. Like we said, a super moisturizer.

Inspired by regenerative medicine, this rich cream is the closest thing to a longevity treatment for skin. Dior gave its iconic Capture Creme a makeover, infusing it with a new technology that took 40 years of research to perfect. Called OX-C Treatment Technology, it targets the skin’s stem cells and uses oxygen transport to improve skin quality. OX-C ensures oxygen is delivered directly into the skin, jumpstarting collagen production and helping to visibly rejuvenate the skin with a firmer look and wrinkles that are visibly plumped.

Sofie Pavitt is the undisputed queen of clear skin, with those in the know flocking to her NYC studio for one of her signature facials. The next best thing to having Pavitt herself working her magic on your skin is her eponymous skincare line, and this moisturizer was made with acne-prone skin types in mind. It’s made with omega fatty acids to deeply hydrate and smooth your texture while balancing the production of your natural oils—all without clogging pores or exacerbating existing pimples, so you can hydrate without fear of waking up to a new breakout the next morning.

This advanced moisturizer uses a patented ultrasonic technology to transform water so that it can dissolve into the omega-rich sunflower oil, creating a lush cream with multiple levels of hydration. It nourishes your skin and balances moisture levels so you’re never too greasy or too dry—always just right. That nifty activated water charged with omega-6 fatty acids also has the benefit of softening skin and providing barrier support and moisture retention, so you get immediate and long-lasting benefits for the skin.

The peptide blend in this rich moisturizer is not only ultra nourishing and smoothing for the skin, but it also helps to firm as it targets fine lines and wrinkles. It uses a combination of palmitoyl pentapeptide-4, copper tripeptide-1 and encapsulated ferulic acid, plus linseed extract to lock in moisture so your skin always looks plump and dewy with hydration. You can feel how soft and conditioned your skin is instantly after application and for hours afterwards—we’re talking cashmere soft every time your fingers are near your face.

Realistically, there’s only so much a moisturizer can do once gravity starts to naturally take hold of your skin. Sagging is inevitable and that’s ok. However, this hydrator from OBAGI does an admirable job of firming and sculpting your contours for a noticeable lift to skin that’s looking a bit more lax. It uses a combination of zinc, copper, and malonic acid to support skin elasticity. But, the real secret ingredient is polyglutamic acid, a peptide also found in dermal fillers, which intensely hydrates and helps re-plump and fill in wrinkles and lines.

Skinfix is well known by those with sensitive and reactive skin for gentle formulas that won’t irritate or upset complexions, however this water cream is our new favorite pick for those with oily skin. Not only is it the usual slam dunk ingredient list of nothing superfluous that would cause any reactions or irritations, but it’s made specifically for and tested on oily skin types to ensure it delivers both fast absorption and oil control. It uses zinc PCA, niacinamide, and green tea to absorb excess oil and boost your glow, plus prebiotic peptides to support your skin’s barrier.

Typically, most moisturizers for sensitive skin focus on being as inoffensive as possible so as not to cause irritation. Kind of like dodging an extremely chatty co-worker in an attempt not get dragged into an hour-long one-sided convo you do not have time or emotional energy for. This cream from Sisley takes a different tact by providing ingredients that actively help to prevent a sensitive skin reaction in the first place. It uses golden seaweed extract to stifle overactive skin nerve fibers that cause skin reactions and reduce redness, plus a polysaccharide that calms the skin, and shea butter, rapeseed oil, and plum kernel oil to nourish and comfort the skin.

Inspired by the famed plastic surgeon’s in-office InstaFacial treatment, this technologically advanced serum uses bioengineered human identical growth factors to stimulate your body’s own platelet-rich plasma to support its ability to repair and rejuvenate the skin. Also featuring sodium hyaluronate and polypeptides, applying this in the a.m. and p.m. will have your skin looking firmer, tighter, more lifted, and overall more luminous.

Combining three of the most potent antioxidants to work in tandem as brightening BFFs, this glow-inducing serum will help even out your skin tone and break up dark spots for visibly brighter and more radiant skin. And, because it’s living up to that iconic status, it also helps reduce the look of fine lines and makes skin look firmer, while bisabolol (a.k.a. chamomile) soothes your complexion and keeps the high percentages of actives from irritating your skin.

Vanilla is the secret to Chanel’s luxe sculpting and firming serum—but, since it’s Chanel, of course it’s not just any vanilla. The brand took vanilla planifolia, which was selected from over 117 different varieties of vanilla, and then polyfractionated it through a unique process within the brand’s laboratories. This creates an ultra-pure extract that is 40 times more concentrated than the raw plant material would be on its own. Combined with solidago (goldenrod) extract and a lipopeptide, it instantly smooths skin and counteracts dullness by imparting a visible radiance. With continued daily use, your complexion will start to look firmer and more lifted as skin feels softer and more hydrated.

When it comes to preventing and treating acne, the gold standard ingredient for breakout-prone skin is vitamin A, a.k.a. retinol. It not only helps regulate your oil production, but it helps speed up skin cell turnover, exfoliating the surface to ensure that there’s less debris to clog pores and cause congestion in the first place. British brand Medik8 uses a next-gen version of vitamin A called retinal, which works 11 times faster than traditional retinol, speeding up cellular turnover for faster declogging without the irritation. The brand uses a specialized stabilizing system that ensures maximum potency and efficacy without worrying about the formula degrading. Bonus: Retinal is also super effective for brightening dark spots and smoothing fine lines and wrinkles, so your complexion with look luminous, even, and radiant as well as clearer with continuous use.

Inspired by neuroscience, this serum links the skin and the brain, working to influence skin function through messages to the brain. This happens via signaling molecules released by the cells in the skin known as cutaneous neuromediators. The brand uses a proprietary technology called N|A3™ that combines textures, fragrances, and ingredients that have been proven to be neuromediators. The serum helps to reset your skin and restore balance using alpine skullcap, red indigo, and eperua extract, resulting in skin that feels and looks more relaxed, less stressed, and less tired.

Think of this serum from SkinMedica like a tall glass of water for dry, parched skin. It doesn’t just provide the skin with hyaluronic acid—it features five types of HA (hence the name) plus a Hydra-Collagen Complex for immediate hydration. It also has the brand’s proprietary Advanced VITISENSCE Technology for long-term hydration that works by targeting your skin’s existing collagen to help restore its ability to naturally produce hyaluronic acid in the deeper layers of the skin. Your barrier function is improved over time and your skin’s ability to retain moisture is increased with daily use.

Exosomes (the little messenger molecules that help cells within your body communicate) have been getting a lot of buzz recently and for good reason—scientists believe that when used in skin care treatments, they have the power to help heal wounds and decrease inflammation. While it’s still debatable as to how effective topical application of shelf-stable exosomes are compared to in-office procedures by a dermatologist, we can’t argue with the results this exosome serum. Featuring over a trillion (yes, with a T) platelet-derived exosomes in every bottle, this powerful serum reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, evens out tone, reduces redness and pigmentation, enhances luminosity, and smooths out skin.

Makeup artist Daness Myricks is well known for her Yummy Skin collection—makeup that enhances skin’s natural beauty so that it looks radiant while addressing a multitude of skin concerns. So the fact that she’s taken that same approach and put it into a mattifying serum that primes oily skin with a blend of kaolin clay, zinc PCA, tremella mushroom, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, apple extract, and olive derived squalane is cause for celebration, especially if you’re looking for smooth, matte skin but not a big makeup wearer. While it’s meant to be used as a primer, we’ve found this water powder serum is great on its own as a traditional serum to absorb oil without over-drying the skin. It helps make pores disappear as it leaves skin velvety soft and shine-free.

Ceramides are truly a sensitive skin must-have. Think of them like the glue that helps hold the skin barrier together—when your skin barrier is damaged, you need these lipids to help repair that damage and strengthen your barrier so that moisture stays in and irritants stay out. This nourishing serum from Cocokind has five types of ceramides and other lipids to help strengthen your barrier, reducing moisture loss and soothing signs of irritation. It’s like a cozy cocoon for your complexion, keeping you safe from all the damage and dryness trying to turn your skin red and cranky.

Dark spots got you down? Time to call in the heavy hitters—this serum from dermatologist Dr. Shereene Idriss features two brighteners that help even skin tone and fade dark spots, kojic acid and alpha-arbutin. It uses niacinamide to soothe and restore the moisture barrier, glycerin to hydrate, and diglucosyl gallic acid to help visibly reduce redness. It visibly brightens your skin tone and reduces the appearance of dark spots without irritation, a major feat when you’re using such powerful active ingredients.

This Australian import is a sunscreen, moisturizer, and primer in one. Beloved Down Under, the U.S. version gives you all-day hydration and a bouncy skin feel without leaving behind a white cast or chalky feel. We love that skin feels satiny after application, so we can apply a full face of makeup and not worry about it sliding off our face fifteen minutes later. Pentavitin and squalane give the formula its hydrating power, making this one of the most moisturizing SPF formulas we’ve ever slathered on our complexions.

This tinted moisturizer from Sun Bum manages to provide both hydration and protection, plus a hint of dewy glow, giving your skin everything it needs to face the day and look fabulous in the process. Made with kakadu plum and vitamin E, it’s water resistant up to 80 minutes and guards skin from UVA and UVB rays with a lightweight formula that’s perfect for everyday wear.

Molly Sims’s YSE Beauty created one of our fave sun protection products of all time with this three-in-one primer with built-in SPF 30. It has niacinamide and sodium hyaluronate to reduce the appearance of dark spots and hydrate, but what really clinched it for us was the light-scattering microspheres which create a subtle glow and soft-focus effect—like a built-in filter. Apply it for a more luminous look that instantly plumps skin, blurs uneven texture, and primes skin for makeup application—or just makes your skin look incredible on its own.

Mineral sunscreens are a fantastic option for sun protection if your skin is sensitive to chemical filters. Unfortunately many mineral SPFs can still leave behind a white cast, especially on darker skin tones, or they can feel heavy and chalky compared to more fluid chemical formulations. Good Weather Skin has managed to do what many other mineral SPFs still struggle to achieve by creating a 100 percent non-nano zinc broad-spectrum sunscreen that blends seamlessly into the skin and feels silky on contact with no residue. With 40 minutes of water resistance, moisturizing squalene, brightening niacinamide, antioxidant sea buckthorn oil, and peptides to help stimulate collagen production—plus a truly elegant texture and glowy finish on the face—it's a game-changing in the SPF space.

While those with acne-prone skin might be tempted to reach for a chemical sunscreen option for fear of putting something too heavy on their skin, we found this mattifying mineral option from MDSolarSciences to be the best pick for those prone to breakouts. The combination of micronized zinc and naturally soothing ingredients like green tea and pomegranate and cranberry extracts all have a calming effect on pimples, while the hint of tint helps to tone down the appearance of active breakouts. It has a blurring effect, making pores, uneven texture and tone, and blemishes all look less noticeable as it protects the skin from UV exposure and acts as a primer if you do decide to add makeup over top.

Another Aussie import, Blue Lizard’s mineral SPF lotion for the face is a stellar option to protect against damage from the sun and your screens. It guards skin from UVA and UVB rays and has a Blue Light Complex to help keep skin safe from the damage caused by blue light emitted from computer and phone screens. Sheer and lightweight, it goes on smooth and won’t make the face feel greasy or have a white cast.

A non-nano zinc SPF, these Mineral Serum Drops from Naked Sundays hydrate with a mega dose of hyaluronic acid, while pink algae delivers antioxidant protection and helps increase firmness and elasticity as it reduces visible redness. Available in three blendable shades, so you can customize your finish to get the glow that’s right for you.

A sunscreen serum that’s enriched with skin-care ingredients, One Kind’s Solardrops protect, brighten, hydrate, and color correct in one SPF that you’ll actually enjoy applying. Lightweight and 100 percent mineral with non-nano zinc, it features a barrier-protecting blend of prickly pear extract and desert date oil. Water resistant for up to 80 minutes, the peachy pink hue both ensures no white cast and helps add a universally flattering glow to all skin tones.

If there’s one thing people with oily skin hate, it’s wearing sunscreen. That’s because the majority of formulas tend to feel greasy on the skin, making oily faces look and feel like a slip n’ slide and supersizing pores to look more noticeable. This mattifying option from Murad does the opposite—it’s made with salicylic acid so it helps control oil and keep breakouts at bay. It also keeps your pores looking minimal and your face matte thanks to oil-trapping microspheres that smooth and blur out texture and shine.

No, you don’t need to adjust the colors of your screen—this SPF is indeed green. To answer your inevitable second question, no, it will not turn your face green so you don’t have to worry about looking like Elphaba’s long-lost twin. This mineral sunscreen helps reduce redness two ways—the green tint color corrects to neutralize visible redness instantly, while the patented blend of three amino acids helps repair the skin barrier and reduce redness with daily use. It’s perfect for those with rosacea, those who are prone to irritation from chemical UV filters, and even post-procedure skin, as it will help reduce the redness from lasers, peels, professional treatments, and other energy-based devices.

Milky toners are all the rage in K-beauty, striking the perfect balance between a toner and a moisturizer by delivering a mega-dose of hydration in a creamy, lightweight liquid that sinks into the skin. One of the first to do it also still happens to be one of the best—Laneige Cream Skin. Made with ceramides and peptides, it floods the skin with intense hydration that feels like a whisper, leaving you with a glazed and glowy look that lasts for up to 120 hours(!). Mist it on for an immediate boost in hydration levels—you’ll see an increase of up to eight times in just one use as well as a firming effect.

Thayers has been around in one form or another since the 1800s, with its witch hazel toners providing gentle skin priming to generations of people with oily skin. The rose petal variation is a fave of the MC crew because it helps to hydrate as it visibly reduces the appearance of pores and soothes and refreshes skin. Featuring rose, aloe, witch hazel, and glycerin, it’s a soothing, non-drying way to control oil and balance skin while improving texture and maintaining skin’s moisture barrier.

While technically an essence, this treatment from Vintner’s Daughter is more like eight products in one—the brand actually calls it a “facial in a bottle.” And we can confirm that it lives up to the hype, based on how soft, toned, and glassy our complexions look. It takes five weeks to make one bottle of the Active Treatment Essence and features a massive amount of active ingredients, including two forms of hyaluronic acid, stabilized vitamin C, exfoliating acids and enzymes, antioxidants, adaptogens, bio-fermented nutrients, glycerin, niacinamide, microalgae, plant stem cells, and enough botanicals to start your own community garden. The result is an essence that also functions as a vitamin C serum, hyaluronic serum, prebiotic serum, micro-exfoliator, a collagen stimulator, a skin barrier supporting treatment, and a pH-balancing toner in one lightweight product.

While pumpkin wine might sound like a potentially questionable drink option at the newest trendy bar in your neighborhood, it’s actually the star ingredient in this pore-refining toner from PCA. Rich in vitamins, amino acids, enzymes, and nutrients, it gently exfoliates, smoothes skin texture, deeply hydrates, and reduces the look of fine lines and wrinkles as it helps to make pores look less noticeable and balances skin’s oil production with lactic acid, glutathione, and aminoguanidine.

In ye olden days (read: the ‘90s and aughts), conventional wisdom with toners was that you wanted them to be as dry as we currently like our martinis. If your skin didn’t squeak when you touched it, you were doing it wrong. Now, we know that’s actually a one-way ticket to an oil slick, as the skin tries to compensate for that sudden oil loss by creating more oil, which in turn leads to breakout city. Instead, toners for acne-prone skin should be about mattifying, not erasing every last trace of your own natural oil. This prebiotic and postbiotic toner from Sunday Riley has the right idea—it clarifies and reduces excess oil while shrinking the appearance of pores and brings balance back to the skin with zinc PCA, fermented oat complex, and silanediol salicylate, a gentler form of salicylic acid that conditions skin as it refines.

With three different molecular weights of hyaluronic acid, this hydrating essence works both on the surface and in the underlying layers of the skin to draw moisture for long-lasting hydration. Three different types of sugars and zinc PCA help your skin retain moisture, while fermented sakura flower extract sake extract firms and plumps the complexion. It’s a multi-action moisturizing essence that preps the skin for whatever hydrating steps that follow, giving dry complexion an extra shot of much-needed nourishment and conditioning.

These serum-soaked pads from K-beauty brand Mediheal are not the toner pads you might be familiar with. Instead of being astringent or drying, these are infused with centella asiatica and madecassoside, an amino acid-rich active compound found in cica. The pads can be used to help soothe and treat blemish-prone skin, but we’ve found they are incredibly effective for hyperpigmentation, minimizing the appearance of dark spots and improving uneven skin tone in as little as four weeks. Use them as a traditional toner pad by swiping them across the skin, or create a DIY treatment mask by placing them on the skin in targeted areas (nose, cheeks, forehead, chin) and leaving on for 15 minutes for maximum efficacy.

Makgeolli is a traditional Korean drink made of fermented rice wine that also happens to make an outstanding skin care ingredient, as seen in this rich toner from K-beauty brand House of Dohwa. Made from rice sourced from the famed Icheon district of South Korea, its rich in amino acids, vitamins, and proteins, making this milky toner extremely moisturizing, nourishing, and a fantastic first step to boost skin’s elasticity and soften the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.

Just like acne-prone skin doesn’t every list trace of oil eliminated, oily skin also doesn't require the use of harsh astringents and alcohol to minimize excess shine. Remember, squeaky skin is not your friend—it will only lead to heartache and oil production that would make the fry station at a fast food joint feel like you’re being a bit too extra. K-beauty again to the rescue with this milky toner from TIRTIR. It has four percent niacinamide, panthenol, allantoin, and rice bran extract to hydrate, refine the look of pores, balance excess oil, soothe, hydrate, and give you a fresh skin feel and glow.

The spray that introduced us to the joys of hypochlorous acid, Tower 28’s viral SOS Rescue Spray lives up to its name by calming redness, dryness, and irritation with a simple spritz. Accepted and recognized by the National Eczema Association, National Rosacea Society, and National Psoriasis Foundation, it uses hypochlorous acid, an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial substance naturally produced by your body’s white blood cells to soothe skin and minimize visible redness. It works on all types of redness, from psoriasis and rosacea to sunburns and breakouts, making it a must-have not just for sensitive skin, but really anyone with skin that needs to calm down.

We’re not sure what we did before pimple patches. Suffered, probably, and those of us with the unfortunate habit of skin picking dealt with the consequences of those actions and have the scars to prove it. What sets these Retinol Spot Covers from Rael apart is the fact that they are made specifically for hormonal pimples, i.e. those deep, painful, under-the-surface blemishes that take forever to surface and even longer to heal. These overnight hydrocolloid patches not only protect the pimple by creating a physical barrier, but they infuse it with healing niacinamide, soothing ceramides, and retinol, which helps speed up cell turnover and unclog the pore. The result is a hormonal pimple with a drastically shorter life span that looks less red and inflamed and doesn’t hang around on your skin for weeks like an unwelcome party guest.

Looking to take your retinol treatment to the next level? This rich night cream from Eighth Day uses the brand’s proprietary RetinalXR treatment, which promises 250 percent more potency than standard retinol creams. That means it delivers better collagen production and more effectively targets fine lines, dark spots, large pores, and uneven texture while you slumber. The retinal comes in a microencapsulated, extended-release formula, so you get the maximum level of efficacy without the irritation. That said, based on just how powerful this treatment is, it’s definitely not for retinol newbies.

A glassy skin glow is just five minutes away with this rapid resurfacing peel from U Beauty. One application is all you need to see an instant improvement in skin radiance and tone. It uses glycolic acid and fruit-derived alpha-hydroxy acids to retexturize, break up hyperpigmentation, and iron out fine lines and wrinkles. Vitamins C & E, jojoba, panthenol, organic aloe vera, and essential fatty acids help soothe and hydrate skin, creating a cushiony texture and restoring lost moisture for a plump and radiant look.

A mud mask so fancy, you’ll have to remind yourself you’re not at some remote European spa. Orveda’s clarifying mud mask is a weekly treatment that will deep clean your pores to make them pristine without overdrying the rest of your skin. It has a base of green bentonite clay to cleanse and clear out debris, while papaya enzyme gently resurfaces skin’s surface. Bio-fermented marine enzymes and kombucha help balance skin’s microbiome, while bamboo water, glycerin, and botanical oils hydrate.

Turns out peonies are more than just a pretty face—they’re one of the signature ingredients in Chantecaille’s Multi-Brightening Botanical Complex, which powers this dark-spot diminishing face cream. When used alongside thiamidol, a new brightening ingredient that’s being touted as a safer alternative to hydroquinone, this rich cream has shown a significant improvement in the appearance of dark spots in as little as eight weeks of use. It’s potent, yet gentle and incredibly nourishing on the skin, a rarity for a dark spot corrector, which tend to cause irritation due to how the ingredients work to break up melanin. The addition of daphne stem cells extract to replenish moisture and portulaca extract to soothe helps make this a kinder, gentler option to brighten skin and banish dark spots.

Rosacea is a notoriously difficult condition to treat with over-the-counter products. Unlike sensitivity and irritation, the redness from rosacea is typically occurring in the blood vessels and the immune system, rather than a surface reaction. There are ingredients that can help calm those reactions and any subsequent bumps or thickening that may also occur, but it can be a long process of trial and error to find which ingredients will have a calming effect. ZO Skin Health has done the hard work with its Rozatrol cream, which was specifically developed for those with rosacea or who are prone to redness. It’s made with a unique complex that has been clinically proven to soothe redness from rosacea and strengthen the barrier, delivering not only an instant reduction in visible redness, but a soothing and comforting feeling to the skin.

Our favorite thing about this eczema therapy from SkinSmart is that it’s using the body’s own natural defense system to help itself heal. It utilizes hypochlorous acid, that wonderful anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory ingredient naturally produced by your immune system to target the bacteria that’s linked to over 70 percent of eczema conditions. It not only helps speed up the healing process but it stops the annoying itch that comes with eczema, which, if you’ve ever had to deal with that torture, you know is the kind of relief you can’t put a price tag on.

Like a wake-up call for your face, this exfoliating treatment has all the bells and whistles—six percent glycolic acid, four percent lactic acid, one percent salicylic acid, and fruit enzymes, all working together in tandem to work on the surface and in your pores to get rid of dead skin and debris. Skin is visibly smoother, polished, and is brighter while feeling fresher and more hydrated.

Typically when you think of antioxidants, they are a protective ingredient to ward off future damage to the skin. Mother Science’s next-gen malassezin ingredient is not your typical antioxidant. This novel ingredient is a naturally occurring molecule found in the skin that, when used alongside retinol, actually speeds up the wrinkle-smoothing benefits of vitamin A while toning down the irritation factor. So skin looks firmer and smoother in just four weeks and you don’t have to worry the sensitivity risk is decreased.

Much like the eyes, the neck is often forgotten when we’re slathering on our lotions and potions. Which, with the amount of staring at our phone we do with our necks craned downwards, is a tragedy. That delicate area needs TLC. This cheekily named cream from Trinny London helps give the drier, thinner skin on your neck a much-needed lift thanks to peptides and the isodonis japonicus plant, which creates a cohesion technology to that pulls the skin upwards, defying gravity in ways not seen since Cynthia Erivo claimed that tune for her own.

This sheet mask from Augustinus Bader takes everything you love about the scientifically advanced brand, and pours it into a chic golden jelly mask that your skin absolutely drinks up. With the brand’s proprietary TFC8 technology, which helps guide essential nutrients into the skin to help support cellular renewal, this smart skin mask hydrates and plumps skin in just 20 minutes, creating a dewy, bouncy complexion with less visible lines and wrinkles.

When Julianne Moore popped up on our Instagram feeds touting the benefits of this skin-care line, you can bet we sat up and took notice—Moore has always had one of the most covetable complexions in Hollywood and has continued to do so, even in her 60s. Developed by NYC derm Dr. Annette Reszko, the crown jewel in the SKORR line-up is the SKORR Glow, a facial device that blends radiofrequency skin tightening, LED, sonic vibrations, and microcurrent into one do-it-all treatment that’s like having the dermatologist’s office in your bathroom. We’re talking lifting, firming, increased circulation, line smoothing, increased product efficacy, and brightening. The brand also developed a heated ultrasonic cleansing brush for deep cleansing and a collection of medical grade serums to enhance the SKORR Glow or be used on their own as skin boosters in your routine. While the line itself is curated, with just six products total, we love the idea of treating your complexion as if you are in a skin clinic and focusing on stimulating it via different technologies. It’s a novel idea and one we hope to see more of.

Magic wands might not be real, however this ^{microcurrent device} from NuFACE comes pretty close. In just three minutes you can depuff tired eyes, smooth fine lines, and plump up your lips with a targeted microcurrent treatment. Just apply a thick layer of the FIX Line Smoothing Serum that comes with the wand and acts as your conductor gel (you don’t want to use the wand without it—microcurrent is low level electric current so putting that on bare skin or using it with a non-conductive product will leave you feeling tingly all over and not in a good way), then run the wand over your skin and watch lines and undereye bags disappear and lips get plumper in minutes. It’s a quick pick-me-up for your skin that you’ll swear is magical as you go from sleep-deprived to perky in a wave of the wand.

There was a time around 2019 when it felt like every product that was launching had CBD infused in it. The passing of the Farm Bill in 2018 freed up brands to use hemp-derived CBD in everything from face cream to mascara. But clinical studies around CBD and skin were still scarce and people started to view it as a fad ingredient, so it slipped away to be replaced by the next trendy ingredient. Until CielementsMD came along with this mind-blowing cream that uses CBD to help prevent sun-related skin aging at a cellular level. The brand did extensive clinical testing to prove that their version of CBD, dubbed CannaXR, which is stabilized and penetrates the deeper layers of the skin to remain active for longer periods of time, can prevent damage from UVA rays at the cellular level. The CBD is 12 times more potent than what is currently available on the market, meaning it stays active up to six hours after application to protect against UVA-induced damage when applied under SPF. In a study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, the brand proved it was able to prevent both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA mutations associated with accelerated skin aging and skin cancer.

Who knew fabric softener would be the secret to perfectly soft and fluffy ringlets? Inspired by the same technology that keeps your clothes static free, this styling lotion delivers a soft hold for touchable curls that are hydrated thanks to the addition of hydrolyzed keratin that’s been chemically altered so it can pass through the hair cuticle. Curls are strengthened, soft, moisturized, and bouncy with just the right amount of hold and volume.

A true multi-tasking cream for type-four curls. Made with Kalahari melon seed oil from the Kalahari desert in southern Africa, this tropical-scented cream helps to prevent shrinkage by addressing its root causes: dryness, breakage, and tangles. With hyaluronic serum, jojoba seed oil, coconut oil, and shea butter, it creates shiny, voluminous, defined, lengthened curls by hydrating and adding slip, hold, and volume to even the driest and most tangled coils.

Wavy hair looking limp and lackluster? Create the perfect blend of definition, hold, and frizz protection with this air dry styler from Odele. Perfect for those who love a low-maintenance styling routine, this one-and-done cream adds the moisture, shine, and hint of texture that waves need to look their artfully disheveled, woke-up-like-this best.

You know that feeling you get when your stylist does the perfect messy blow dry? The one that gives your hair a chic, tousled style with body and definition that looks effortless and like you just rolled out of bed with your hair naturally that good? This is that style in a bottle. It lets you blow dry your hair quickly using just your fingers and tames frizz while giving your mane a soft and shiny finish with just the right amount of texture, definition, and hold as it protects it from the heat. Want to add waves to your straight strands? Section your hair off and twist in place to set, then shake out for tousled waves that are beachy cool in a breeze.

Give your hair a hyper-glossy finish with this lightweight shine mist from Davines. It helps smooth flyaways and tame frizz on all hair textures, without weighing down your strands, disrupting natural curl patterns, or leaving behind a greasy residue. Just spritz it in for an instant silky feel and a shine so sparkling, you’ll swear your strands had been crystallized.

A leave-in detangling spray that pulls double-duty to nourish damaged strands and protect against heat styling. With up to 450° protection, spray this fast-absorbing prep product on before you reach for your favorite curling iron, straightener, or blow dryer. It’s packed with good-for-your-hair botanicals like matcha, Brazilian pink berry, cocoa, mint, Peruvian ginseng, edamame, pineapple, and rosemary leaf extracts to prevent breakage, seal the cuticle, tame split ends, hydrate, add shine, detangle, and stimulate scalp circulation so you can start your styling routine off right.

The Dry Texturizing Spray from Oribe is the texture GOAT, beloved by stylists, beauty editors, celebs, and influencers alike. You’ll find it backstage at New York Fashion Week and in many celebrity hairstylists’ kits. That’s because it builds sky-high volume while creating off-duty model texture without leaving a powdery residue behind. It absorbs oil and creates tousled definition with every spritz thanks to a unique crystalline form of the absorbent zeolite mineral. Best of all, it’s not a hit-it-and-quit-it kind of styler—expect your newly acquired volume and texture to stick around for a few days as it helps extend time between washes.

This alcohol-free serum and foam mousse hybrid manages to do the impossible—it builds up your hair while also being good for it. Made with a protein fusion blend of hyaluronic acid and collagen protein—plus a unique tubing technology of hyaluronic acid—it strengthens, lifts, and plumps between every strand. It delivers instant, weightless volume as it protects against heat, sweat, and humidity, allowing you to create soaring styles from even the most deflated strands.

Talk about miraculous—a silicone-free hair oil that regenerates hair bonds as it adds reflective shine to even the most damaged strands. Made with the brand’s signature pro-vitamin B5, plus antioxidants and argan, jojoba, and grapeseed oil, apply it to wet or dry hair to provide deep repair and replenishment in minutes. It smooths frizz, protects against heat damage, tames flyaways, protects split ends, and helps hair look and feel healthier from the inside out.

It’s just our luck that the gel that would make us fall in love with hair gels again would ring in at a hefty three figures. But this nourishing jelly from Sisley earns every dollar in its price tag with a laundry list of hydrating ingredients that nourish your locks as it adds touchable definition and long-lasting hold. Plant-based waxes help to define and sculpt curls while nourishing coconut, shea, and moringa oils leave your strands looking and feeling glossy and soft. We’ve come a long way from the crunchy, stiff, frozen-in-place styles bestowed by those neon-hued gels of yesteryear and this luxe beauty is proof positive.

As much as we love what the ocean does to our hair texture, we don’t love what a plane ticket to the beach does to our wallets right now. A beach vacation? In this economy? Get the next best thing to a saltwater soak with this texturizing and curl-enhancing mousse from Crown Affair. It creates that tousled, frolicking in the ocean effect without drying your hair out or hitting you straight in the bank account. Made with pink Bolivian salt, proprietary Tsubaki Meadows Blend, and Plant Protein Blend, it adds definition, volume, and vacation texture while nourishing and hydrating your mane.

The travel version of Dempsey’s full-size Roomie pomade, we love the stick application of this versatile pomade because it gives you more versatility in how you use it—plus it’s easy to take with you wherever you go. Made with argan kernel oil and synthetic beeswax, you can use it to create definition, tame flyaways, control your edges, or give hair that perfectly imperfect look. Rub some on your fingers, then warm it up to transform it from solid to soft, then style however your heart desires.

Calling all curls—and we mean all curls—this cream is exactly what your thirsty coils need. From type 3A to type 4C, this Rihanna-approved cream helps provide all day definition, hydration, softness, and hold. It provides deep moisture and nourishment with wild mango butter, protects against frizz, and helps repair split ends thanks to a proprietary Fenty complex known as Replenicore-5. It’s the rare curl-enhancing cream that actually works on all curls, not just waves and loose ringlets.

Sometimes (okay, most of the time) curls need a little help to look their bouncy best. This defining gel-cream from Phyto uses a fermented sugar complex to redefine the shape of your curl pattern. Tara gum, which has film-forming properties, envelopes each strand to create a humidity shield, while white mallow adds luminous shine. The result is silky, soft, defined curls that are protected from the dreaded humidity pouf.

Lock in your style with this strong, yet flexible hold hairspray. Made with moisturizing night-blooming cactus and Dae’s signature blend of desert botanicals, its superfine mist won’t disturb your style as it gives you the perfect finish. The brushable texture helps block humidity and prevent frizz as it leaves behind a soft veil of lustrous shine that’s lightweight and never greasy.

Edges looking thinned out? These restoring drops from Beyoncé’s note-perfect hair collection help build up your mane with a bioactive technology that features five different forms of peptides that supports a healthy growth cycle and helps to visibly increase hair density. We loved how fast it absorbed and how full our hair looked with continued use, giving us stronger roots and noticeable length retention. Your hairline—and your locks—will look healthier and feel fuller with this in your line-up.

If dry shampoo doesn’t cut it to extend your wear between washes, this liquid root refresh from Iles Formula will help you skip the shampoo without sacrificing your style. Made with moisturizing vitamin B5 and botanicals, spray it on your roots and scalp to absorb excess oil and balance the scalp microbiome as it infuses your roots with volume. It can also be used on the mid-lengths and ends as a style refresher to give your strands beachy texture, plus humidity protection, curl retention, and an instant deodorizing effect.

Made with a lightweight, fast-absorbing oil-based formula helps turn scratchy facial hair into soft, conditioned follicles thanks to a blend of argan oil and tigernut root oil. Apply it into the palms, rub together to warm up, then spread on facial hair to groom beards of all shapes, sizes, and textures into a shiny, smooth, polished look. Bonus: It not only nourishes and conditions your facial hair, but the skin underneath as well.

This genius tool brings the salon to your bathroom in a truly unique way. Now you can hydrate your curls without leaving the house with the convenience of this at-home steamer from Tracee Ellis Ross’ Pattern Beauty line. With 16 minutes of guaranteed steam time and unique attachments tailored to your curl pattern, it gives you deep moisture penetration to your cuticles to detangle and stretch as it opens the hair cuticle, allowing your products to penetrate deeper as it revitalizes and refreshes the hair and scalp. Curls are softer, shinier, healthier, hydrated, and more defined after use.

A heat styler that works without heating up your hair? This odd-looking gadget combines air and a heat-controlled ceramic fuse to give you the results of a hot tool without the heat damage. It comes with a variety of detachable accessories including an air straightener, a teardrop-shaped smoothing brush, blow-dry concentrator, and auto-wrapping curlers. Go from wet to dry without the damage, or re-style your days-old dry hair without having to wash it. No matter which attachment you use, your hair will be shiny, healthy, and protected.

The right round brush can make all the difference between an okay blowout and a salon-worthy blowout at home. This sleek wood and boar bristle brush from Fromm may look unassuming, but its intentional design delivers everything you need to create consistently smooth and silky strands when styling. It has ethically sourced boar bristles that distribute your hair’s natural oils evenly down the shaft, plus ceramic-infused pins to help eliminate frizz and flyaways which have been left longer to help penetrate even the thickest of manes. It’s heat safe up to 400 degrees and the vented barrel promotes airflow for faster drying time, which means less damage to your hair.

It’s très French and it’s très jolie—we did not know it was possible to fall head over heels for a hair brush, but one look at this beyond chic detangler and we suddenly understood why French women have such good hair. Designed to give your head a scalp massage with each pass of the soft nylon fibers, this detangling brush stimulates circulation on the scalp and promotes hair growth. Plus, it looks really, really, ridiculously good on your dresser.

Curly and wavy haired bbs know that the number one way to ruin your curl pattern is to rip a brush through those lustrous coils. If your curls are looking a bit snarly, ditch the brush and reach for a wide-tooth comb like this sleek Italian beauty from Tek. Made from 100 percent fair-trade certified ash wood, it smooths out knots without deconstructing your natural waves or causing any mechanical damage or breakage. Safe for wet or dry hair, it’s your curl’s new best friend to keep things smooth and tangle-free.

Calling a hair dryer smart might seem like a stretch, but this dryer from T3 lives up to its name. Auto-adjusting technology means it instantly adapts to both your hair and styling preferences for more efficient and safe styling. It will adjust the heat and speed settings depending on your hair texture and the attachments that are connected and even store those settings for future styling sessions. It’d be spooky if it wasn’t so convenient.

A blow dryer and styler in one, this blow dry brush from ghd can take you from wet to dry and give you a voluminous and smooth blowout to boot—all without damaging your strands in the process. It has built-in sensors that monitor the temperature at 400 times per second(!!) to ensure consistent heat while also minimizing heat damage as it works to dry and style. Air vents, placed at the exact right spacing apart, help to keep the temperature low so hair is left soft, shiny, and smooth in minimal time.

If you have curly, coily, or wavy hair, chances are pretty good you’ve encountered a diffuser before, possibly to mixed results. The Bellissima Italia Diffon Supreme Ionic XL is not the diffuser you know. This hybrid diffuser and dryer in one takes your waves, curls, and coils and creates bouncy, soft, defined, frizz-free curls with its innovative hourglass design which allows for more even airflow. It has a unique Supreme Curl Flow System made with 48 air outlets dispersed on 12 finger-like prongs with hundreds of tiny diffusing holes that oh so gently dry your curls while respecting their natural curl pattern. The light weight and easy maneuverability means it's easy to get your whole head (yes, even the tricky back parts) and ceramic and argan oil technology helps dry hair quickly and evenly while enhancing shine and protecting strands from dryness and frizz. With six customizable settings and silicone massaging tips for a scalp stimulating experience, this is the ultimate curly girl styling tool.

Supercharge your heat styling session with this pro-worthy thermal brush from Olivia Garden. With a ceramic coated barrel that heats up twice as fast and retains heat for longer, it helps you dry your hair faster without the heat damage. Tourmaline ionic technology keeps flyaways and frizz away and enhances cuticle hydration for shinier, static-free strands while an ergonomic handle ensures your hands don’t cramp up mid-styling session. With up to 550 degrees of heat resistance, you can create blowouts at home your stylist would be proud of.

When you’ve got longer hair, you know what a pain it can be dealing with curling irons. That’s why we appreciate the design effort that went into the BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Curling Iron. It has a 2-inch longer barrel than traditional curling irons to help make it easier on those with longer locks to wrap their hair around the barrel—no more coming up short or awkward ends sticking up mid-wrap. With Nano-Titanium technology to help ensure even heat distribution up to 430 degrees, it keeps curls looking shiny while providing versatility and control thanks to five different digital temperature settings. The easy to grip Cool Tip helps eradicate accidental burnt fingertips and an eight-foot swivel cord makes for easy maneuvering around your head and your styling area.

Leave it to a hair extensions brand to develop our new favorite curling wand. With an extended barrel that makes it perfect for extensions or extra-long hair, this one-inch wand has 11 heat settings that go up to 450 degrees and an auto off safety feature. It’s safe for all hair types and is perfect for creating loose, glamorous waves.

Customize your waves with this three-in-one styling iron from Wavytalk. Featuring three different barrel sizes so you can create everything from tight ringlets to loose waves, it has bi-directional auto-curling action that pretty much does all the work for you. Simply section hair out, clamp it in, and let the wand rotate. With four temperature settings and two speeds, you’ll have all the waves you can handle in no time.

This overachieving iron by Remington is proof you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a straightener that truly performs. For under $30, you can get all the bells and whistles, like an ultra fast heat-up time of just 15 seconds, 10 digital heat settings, extra-long styling plates, an LCD screen to show your settings, and two times the heat protection. It also has Remington’s unique Botanicare setting, for gentler styling, plus ceramic heating plates that infuse the hair with micro-conditioners like jojoba, aloe vera, and rose for smoother results.

This six-piece roller set lets you create massive volume and soft waves with nothing more than your blow dryer. Featuring a ceramic core to heat up faster and more evenly disperse heat, the self-gripping design means you don’t need any clips or pins to hold them in place—just roll and you’re set. We also loved that they didn’t snag or snarl our hair during the removal process, so strands stayed silky and soft.

While it makes a great detangler, the reason for our obsession with this unassuming wooden comb is that it delivers one of the best head massages outside of the spa. Made of neem, an ancient Ayurvedic wood, it has scalp detoxifying properties and can help prevent dandruff and hair breakage. But the real magic is in massaging action—apply your favorite hair oil and use the comb in both circular and gliding motions to increase circulation, stimulate hair follicles, and promote growth and less shedding. Or, start at the hairline and comb through the scalp while gently pressing down to stimulate the follicles and blood flow while distributing your scalp’s natural oils throughout the hair. Either way you choose, they both feel incredibly soothing and relaxing, especially after a stressful day.

Celebrity stylist Andrew Fitzsimons—the man behind some of the most iconic styles of Megan Fox, the Kardashians, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, and Paris Hilton—is also behind our favorite clip-in hair extension. If you want an Ariana Grande-worthy ponytail but lack the long locks to pull it off, this clip-in pony by Bellami lets you fake it to make it in the most believable way possible. Crafted from 100 percent Remy human hair and available in 17 different hues and a 20-inch or 24-inch length, it blends in undetectably to your actual ponytail. With an innovative felted bobby pin and secure hook closure, plus the brand’s Invisi-Seam technology, it minimizes scalp tension and irritation for a natural look and feel that lasts all day.

Getting 100 percent gray coverage from a root touch-up kit is already admirable, but a color kit that also strengthens your hair at the roots? That’s a slam dunk. This root touch-up kit from Schwarzkopf can freshen up your color in just 10 minutes and promises total gray coverage, but the real stand-out is a unique pre-color serum for scalp and hair. Made with collagen and vitamin B6, it soothes and moisturizes the scalp while conditioning and priming the roots for more even color application and stronger, healthier looking hair overall.

Can box color be good for your hair? It can when it’s this bond-repairing color from Revlon. The ammonia-free formula features a Bond Repair Complex and Vegan Keratin Fillers that help to repair hair from the inside out, offering 98 percent less breakage versus uncolored hair. It also boasts 94 percent silkier and nine times shinier hair versus uncolored hair, meaning hair looks better post-dye than before being colored. Available in 37 shades, the no-drip gel texture is easy to use and offers 100 percent gray coverage that works on all hair textures.

An in-shower conditioning gloss that delivers shine and a color boost in just two minutes, this innovative treatment has been a game-changer for our strands between color appointments. When your hue is looking dull, a quick session with this gloss adds instant, mirror-like shine and an instant zhush to color that lasts for up to three washes. The added vibrancy makes our hair look more dimensional and extends the time between color appointments. Mullein flower helps protect against UV damage and adds shine, while ceramides nourish strands and upcycled sugar cane makes our manes feel smooth and soft.

Creating an in-salon color without the most common irritants that also delivers long-lasting and vivid results is no small task. While you can take out those chemicals that are most responsible for causing said irritation, they tend to be included for a reason—they get the job done. But Innersense took out not only ammonia and fragrances, but also Resorcinol, PPD, PTD, and phthalates to create a safer and less irritating formula that still has the vibrancy and glossy shine you expect from an in-salon experience.

We’re not easily swayed by TikTok trends, however even we have to admit there’s something to this rosemary oil frenzy. The thing that swayed us? This delicious shampoo from Nécessaire. Made with plant surfactants, plant proteins, a micro-dose of anti-thinning peptides, ceramides, and a trifecta of rosemary—oil, extract, and water—it gives your hair a luxurious lather that smells delightful and makes your hair feel and look fuller and healthier. We also love how soothing it feels on the scalp and how shiny and soft it makes hair feel immediately post-wash.

Specifically designed for wavy hair, this shampoo helps to reduce frizz and add much-needed moisture to your texture. The result? Strand elasticity is increased, hair is smooth and shiny, and waves look defined and bouncy— even when air drying. We also can’t help but love that affordable price tag…

Made for curl types 3A to 3C, this cleanser helps to both soften and provide shape. It uses coconut oil and grapeseed oil to detangle and hydrate without disrupting your natural curl pattern or stripping away that much needed moisture that make your curls so fabulous. Made without silicones, sulfates, parabens, or phthalates, it’s a nourishing and defining first step that helps set you up for success.

When you have coily hair, you know how important wash day is, so the shampoo you choose has to be both a superstar at detangling and infusing tons of moisture into your locks. This sulfate-free cleanser from Creme of Nature does all of that and then some—made with certified argan oil from Morocco, it gently cleanses and detangles. Hair is infused with nourishment and moisture, so it’s shiny and soft for the days to come.

If you want hair so shiny you can see your reflection in it, then you’ve come to the right place. Featuring the brand’s unique Lamellar Lamination Technology to smooth each individual strand, you get a glossy finish and sleek strands that look almost liquid-like, they’re so shiny and fluid. Built-in heat protection means you can style your strands without worrying about added damage. Straight hair has never looked this glassy before.

There’s nothing more frustrating than spending bank on a beautiful, vibrant new color and then watching it go brassy courtesy of your shower water. Hard metals can take the most gorgeous hues and turn them dull or brassy—it can even cause breakage over time. This brilliant shampoo uses an active agent called gilcoamine to trap and neutralize the metal particles that are already inside the hair fiber, helping to reinvigorate your color and reduce breakage.

Just as hard metals can mess with color-treated hair, they can take naturally gray hair and create unwanted yellow tones. This purple shampoo from Pravana neutralizes yellowness that can pop up in gray hair, returning your silver locks to their cool-toned brilliance and brightening up any dullness in the process. It also helps to make your hair feel softer and easier to comb, which, when you’re dealing with the texture changes that come from going gray, is always an added bonus.

Clarifying shampoos can get a bad rap as too harsh for the hair follicle. While using them all the time is not a great idea, the fact is you do need to clear away build-up in order to keep your hair from getting weighed down in residue. This gentle clarifier is the best of both worlds—it’s not overly harsh and it helps clear away styling product resin without stripping your hair’s natural oils or disrupting your scalp’s pH. Manageability is restored and hair feels softer and looks shinier, instantly.

Thirsty hair will drink this up. Powered by hyaluronic acid and shea butter, plus a proprietary Pro-Hydra Replenishing System of active ingredients, this replenishing shampoo helps to restore lost hydration and prevent future moisture loss with every wash. Hair is softer, smoother, and shinier after washing, and it only gets better after every shower. We'd expect nothing less from a formula developed by celebrity-favorite hairstylist, Laura Polko.

Breakage is a bummer for all hair types, but it’s especially rough on fine hair. Because of its more fragile nature and smaller diameter, fine hair tends to be more prone to breakage and its effects are much more evident. That’s why a fantastic bond-repairing shampoo is a must-have for those with fine hair—and this one from OLAPLEX is the perfect way to bulk up skimpy strands. It helps to strengthen and nourish hair to repair current breakage and prevent future damage, gently cleansing without drying out your mane thanks to coconut-oil derived surfactants.

This shampoo from Garnier literally fills thin, weak hair with volume thanks to a blend of polypeptides, citric acid, and a Repair Care Complex. Limp, thin, damaged hair looks visibly fuller and thicker, with up to twice as little hair fall due to breakage. Your strands will be pumped up, puffed up (in a good way), and filled up for overall healthier locks.

If you haven’t jumped on the shampoo bar train yet, this citrusy concoction from Blue Dunes is a great place to start. Planet friendly and good for the hair and scalp, it’s as easy as rub, massage, and rinse. Made with French yellow clay to detoxify the scalp and mattify oily strands, it’s also got hydrating cocoa butter, coconut oil, jojoba oil, and a sparkling blend of wild orange, palmarosa, and pink grapefruit. One bar is good for 70 washes and replaces two to four liquid shampoo bottles.

This drugstore diamond from Dove feels like it should cost 10 times the price tag. But for under $5 you get a reparative shampoo that makes damaged hair feel absolutely reborn. Whether you chemically treat it, color it, or heat style it (or some combination of the three), this shampoo will help bring it back to life with Bio-Protein Care and Glutamic Amino Serum that strengthen the hair fibers and restores the healthy look of your strands.

The epitome of fancy lady shampoo, this luxe cleanser earns every penny in its price tag with luxe ingredients that give this a decadent fragrance and feel. The cleansers are a mix of hand-grown pracaxi seed, babassu, meadowfoam seed, jojoba, avocado, and olive oils, because of course they are. It’s infused with aloe, biotin, vitamin B5, fermented barley seed extract, and handpicked rosemary and Ionian bergamot—because your scalp deserves the very best—it helps create the absolute shiniest, softest, silkiest hair that money can buy.

Every ingredient in this clean shampoo from Côte Beauty has been chosen for its safety, efficacy, and environmental responsibility. But nothing about the shampoo screams “clean beauty” in the ways you might be used to seeing in the past. It looks chic and performs like every other shampoo on the market, proving there’s no need to sacrifice performance or aesthetics for safety and sustainability. Made with baobab seed oil, black cumin seed oil, and yerba maté leaf extract, it helps nourish and repair the hair cuticle to prevent breakage at the root, protect against free radical damage, and enhance strength, texture, and shine.

You have to be pretty confident to call your product Perfect Hair Day, but in the case of Living Proof’s beloved line, it’s an accurate moniker. Tested to actually improve your hair with every wash, this conditioner delivers 72 hours of hydration and gives you everything you love about silicones—shine, sleekness, detangling, conditioning—without actually having silicones in the formula. Hair is sleek, moisturized, and easy to brush without the silicone build-up.

Just as curls need moisture, waves get thirsty, too. But, add too heavy of a conditioner and you wind up weighing them down and losing the delicate curl pattern. This conditioner, made with wavy hair in mind, uses peptides and rice protein to help reduce frizz, increase hair elasticity, and infuse strands with hydration for bouncy, soft waves that are light as air.

This curly hair conditioner uses skincare ingredients like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide to care for your hair from scalp to ends. The trifecta of skin-healthy ingredients work on your strands and your scalp to nourish and moisturize, delivering hydration, frizz control, and curl definition. The result? Soft, weightless, extra bouncy curls that are moisturized and a scalp that feels hydrated and balanced.

Co-washing, or using a cleansing conditioner, is a coily hair secret to keeping hair moisturized when you need to cleanse but you don’t want to strip away the hair’s natural hydration. Made with Moroccan argan oil, this creamy co-wash gets rid of product residue, eliminates frizz, and revitalizes curls without drying them out or disrupting your natural kinks and coils. It’s sulfate-free and color safe, and makes your hair so soft that finger detangling is a snap on even the thickest curls.

Your glossiest, sleekest hair is just a wash away with this shine-enhancing conditioner from TRESemmé. Featuring Lamellar Lamination Technology, it smooths the hair strand for an almost fluid look and feel. Frizz is non-existent and your locks are so shiny they catch the light for a reflective, glassy glow that previously took an army of styling products to achieve.

Help prevent color fade the natural way with this vegan conditioner from milk_shake. It deeply repairs and conditions with soy proteins and moringa oleifera extract, and gives strands a lightweight volume boost courtesy of hydrating hyaluronic acid. The brand’s signature sunflower seed antioxidant complex helps to protect against dullness and color fade, so your hair looks vibrant, shiny, and healthy.

One thing that no one tells you about going gray is that your hair color isn’t the only thing that is going to change. Your texture also undergoes a seismic shift, as once hair loses melanin (a.k.a. pigment) it feels coarser and can be more prone to frizz. Which means your typical conditioner might not get the job done anymore. This OG deep conditioner from Aussie, however, is a powerhouse moisturizer that penetrates deep into the follicle with three times more moisture than ordinary conditioner, thanks to the power of avocado oil. Apply it on mid-lengths to ends, leave on for three minutes, then rinse for soft, smooth, easy to detangle hair that feels luxuriously soft and satiny smooth.

This restorative conditioner from Jennifer Aniston’s Lolavie line is just what dry, damaged hair needs to come back from the brink. It helps repair existing damage and prevent future damage with a vegan keratin complex and botanical extracts of coconut, jackfruit, orange, and chia seeds. Hair is softer, smoother, and infinitely more manageable with a noticeable reduction in breakage.

Conditioners can be tricky for those with fine hair. You need moisture, just like every other hair type, but typical conditioners can run the risk of weighing down your strands or making them feel greasy with residue. This multi-tasker from Grande Cosmetics solves that conundrum with a proprietary complex made of thiamine B1, rice protein, nori seaweed, lotus seed, and sunflower microgreens that helps support shine, manageability, and hydration in an ultra-light formula that won’t drag your hair down. It makes snarls, the bane of every fine-haired girl’s existence, ridiculously easy to detangle without the worry of breakage.

Big, bouncy hair can start in the shower if you add this volumizing conditioner to your routine. Made with arrowroot, rice protein, and sophora root, it nourishes and detangles while providing instant volume to both fine and thinning hair. Promising up to twice the volume as it hydrates, softens, and detangles, this is the conditioner you need if you want softness and moisture without deflating your mane.

A conditioner so light, it’s like hydrating your hair with a, well, cloud. This under-$10 steal nourishes hair with the power of weightless noni oil, giving you fresh and moisturized strands without any heavy residue. Meaning hair feels soft and has tons of movement and zero heavy oils to weigh it down. Natural vitamins and amino acid proteins support scalp health for a soothing feeling post-wash to go along with your hydrated and refreshed hair.

Do you need a $50 conditioner? Probably not. But if your wallet can afford this luxurious strand softener, you definitely won’t regret it after you feel what its decadent formula can do for your mane. It blends moisturizing avocado oil and milk thistle with tulsi (a.k.a. holy basil) and lavender essential oils to create a formula that is protective, moisturizing, and helps promote strong, healthy hair follicles. It also has babassu and pracaxi seed oil to protect hair against heat styling and environmental aggressors as it smooths your wayward, frizzy strands. The result is hair that is shiny, strong, and protected from the elements and whatever you throw at it during your regular heat styling regimen.

It might not look like the conditioners you’re used to seeing, but don’t be fooled by this tiny tube. Inside you’ll find a unique powder that transforms into a lusciously creamy formula that blends marula and jojoba oil to condition and strengthen your strands, fighting frizz as it imparts glossy shine. The refillable bottle holds enough powder for 50 to 80 uses, depending on your hair’s length, cutting down on both plastic waste and water use with its H2O-free formula.

Celebrity stylist Mara Rozak has created what is quite possibly the most perfect leave-in product for all hair types. The serum texture is lightweight and works for both air drying and heat styling, giving hair its ultimate defense against frizz, humidity, and heat protection for up to 450 degrees. It ensures effortless detangling and curl definition while infusing hair with deep moisture thanks to red algae, hyaluronic acid, and the brand’s signature BotaniComplex. It can be used on wet or dry hair, making it a versatile treatment option that can fit into your routine in myriad ways.

Pre-shampoo treatments are a very European concept that don’t have quite the same popularity here in the U.S. We’d argue that they’re very worth the extra step, especially if they are this strengthening and build-up busting version from Kérastase. Made with glycine and citric acid, applying this luxe treatment to damp hair pre-shampooing helps to eliminate the build-up of minerals from hard water that can make hair weak, stiff, and dull. It repairs bonds and persistent damage, leaving hair shiny and strong with less breakage.

A moisturizing mask that delivers big on the moisture without weighing your hair down with greasy residue or heavy additives. Made with argan oil to soften and smooth, keratin to nourish and protect, and shea butter and coconut oil to seal the hair cuticle and add hydration and shine, this is the mask you reach for when conditioner on its own simply won’t cut it.

Damaged, over-processed hair needs more than simple moisturizers can give it. This deep conditioner is made with plant proteins,which help replace lost keratin, one of the building blocks of the hair shaft. It helps reduce breakage in just 10 minutes and can help make chemically processed, damaged, color-treated hair up to two times as strong after just three uses. Rosehip and almond oils help moisturize and add shine, while algae extract nourishes and protects.

The reason fresh color looks so good is because it’s shiny and full of dimension. Fast forward a few weeks (or months, no shame) and the effects of hard water in your shower, pollution particles in the air, heat styling damage, and just living your life have taken their toll, leaving you with dull, flat color. This hybrid moisturizing mask and gloss treatment revitalizes both your hue and your hair with a specialized blend of technology and plant ingredients that mimic an in-salon treatment. The brand’s signature ArganID tech uses positively charged micro-particles (which are naturally attracted to your negatively charged hair fibers) to infuse argan oil into the cortex, repairing and sealing the hair from damage. Crambe abyssinica oil creates a highly reflective veil over top of your strands, enhancing your hue as it supercharges your shine. Hydrolyzed quinoa helps retain your color and moisture, while an amino acid blend aids with detangling and strengthens hair’s internal structure.

Seborrheic dermatitis, a.k.a. dandruff can leave your scalp flaky, red, itchy, and irritated. No matter how mild or severe your symptoms, this anti-dandruff shampoo from Vichy helps get them under control with the help of micronized selenium sulfide, a type of antifungal that slows the growth of yeast on the scalp that leads to dandruff. It provides up to six weeks off flake-free relief and, unlike many formulas that contain selenium sulfide, it doesn’t dry out the scalp and hair or cause irritation. Instead, your strands feel moisturized and scalp feels calm thanks to the addition of glycerin and niacinamide.

The vegan version of this cult classic 10-in-1 treatment is a 10 out of 10 frizz fighter. Enriched with biotin, sugar beet extract, aloe vera, ashwagandha, amla extract, and reishi mushroom, it cocoons hair with nourishing vitamins and minerals to help reduce frizz and breakage and imparts crystal clear shine and heat protection. Lightweight and residue-free, it helps enhance body and is color-safe. Literally, no notes for this overachiever.

Stealth wealth? This leave-in conditioning mist from Color Wow practically screams expensive hair. It uses an amino acid and protein complex to detangle and defrizz your mane, giving you ultra-glossy locks that have natural volume and movement. It also strengthens hair as it protects against UV rays and heat styling, adding instant moisture for silky, smooth strands that look like a million bucks.

Build up thin, sparse strands with this targeted scalp treatment from Danish brand Hårklinikken. It uses a proprietary mix of burdock root, marigold, apple, sandalwood and, yes, cow's milk to strengthen hair at the root and stimulate regrowth. Every formulation is personalized to your specific hair needs, after taking an online hair assessment, meaning your hair gains are customized instead of a one size fits all approach.

Calling all beauty nerds—time to put those high school science smarts to use. Bumble’s bond-building treatment builds three types of bonds within the cortex: hydrogen, ionic, and covalent (remember those? We knew A.P. Chem would come in handy one day). The result means split ends are mended instantly, leaving hair shinier and easier to detangle, with smoother texture and less dullness and dryness.

Whether it’s hormones, genetics, or stress, there are myriad reasons why hair can start to thin and all of them are perfectly natural. That doesn’t mean you need to just let hair fall happen. Ouai’s Scalp Serum is packed with adaptogenic plants and herbs like arctic root, chaga mushroom, and Siberian ginseng, plus hyaluronic acid, to promote a healthy barrier and increase hydration in the scalp. Used daily, the skin-care inspired serum can help support the look of thicker, fuller hair over time.

Many have tried to replicate this cleansing salt scrub’s masterful detoxifying powers, yet few have managed to nail the delicate balance between hydration, purification, and, inexplicably, lather, that it creates. Perfect for all types of scalps, even sensitive, it uses natural sea salt crystals to gently exfoliate and remove build-up and dead skin without irritation or drying out your hair. Apply it to your roots and massage in to get that satisfying scrub feel, then marvel as the water slowly transforms it into a creamy lather that cleanses and refreshes your hair, leaving it soft and bouncy.

If you haven’t tried a scalp mask yet, you (and your scalp) are missing out. This dual mask by Aveda uses squalane to replenish scalp moisture by up to 77 percent, while also leaving dry strands feeling more moisturized. It’s multitasking at its best, giving you shinier and smoother hair, plus a less flaky scalp that’s soothed from irritation and itchiness.

This pre-shampoo scalp oil promotes healthy hair growth by clearing scalp debris and product build-up as it moisturizes and soothes the scalp. Inspired by a unique ritual from the Dominican Republic, it uses ingredients from Latin America—chia seed oil, patauá oil, maracujá oil—plus rice bran extract, açai oil, aloe vera extract, rosemary extract, castor oil, and cupuaçu butter to nourish and balance dry, itchy, irritated scalps.

If you’ve ever experienced the dreaded oily scalp sensation caused by a well-meaning scalp serum that’s just a little too heavy on the nourishing oils, then you’re going to be a big fan of Cake. This restorative serum is packed with clinically proven ingredients but features a tonic texture, meaning it’s more watery than oily, so it instantly absorbs and won’t leave behind any telltale residue. Instead, you get all the goodness of the Swiss apple stem cells (to help stimulate follicle growth and stop hair fall), circulation-boosting hydrolyzed proteins from the white lupine plant, and hydrating Indian senna and rose hydrosol without any greasiness or noticeable disturbance to your ‘do.

When your scalp is chronically oily, an exfoliating scrub treatment is your BFF to keep your scalp skin balanced and healthy. Just as your facial skin needs to be exfoliated to remove excess sebum and dead skin, so too does your scalp to help maintain that natural balance. This foaming scrub uses natural apricot seed powder to gently massages away all that residue and flakes, transforming into a lush foam to refresh your scalp and hair without overdrying either. Formulated with vitamin-rich stinging nettle, emollient rosehip oil, and pea and vegetable proteins (which mimic the protein found naturally in hair), it will restore your scalp microbiome to its ideal balance and keep your oil in check.

When we talk about model-worthy hair, who better than Brooke Shields to be the one to help you get it? Her Commence line stands out because it’s made for those who are 40+, an age group that has long been ignored by the beauty industry, but who have their own specific needs due to hormone changes associated with perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause. Commence features a unique complex that helps support hair growth, nourishes and soothes the scalp, and volumizes and thickens hair from the root. We love it for focusing on the needs of the 40-and-up set, who have waited far too long to see products that are made for their hair.

We’re guessing that no matter how diligent you are with your daily SPF, your scalp and hair are often forgotten when you’re slathering up. It’s understandable—sunscreen isn’t exactly hairstyle friendly. Which is what makes this dry shampoo from Nous so genius—not only does it refresh your volume and soak up extra oil without leaving behind any powdery residue, it also gives you broad-spectrum SPF 30 sun protection. No more UV damage to your skin or your strands, which means your color and you both stay protected from the sun.

Every time Dyson designs a tool, we think it can’t possibly get any better than this. Then they go and do something really innovative and cool, and it completely raises the bar all over again. Case in point: this funky looking tube that also happens to be the lightest and yet somehow most powerful blow dryer we’ve ever used. Engineered to be 30 percent smaller and 20 percent lighter than the brand’s existing Supersonic dryer, its bendy shape makes it easy to maneuver around the head and it dries hair quickly and with a smoother finish, less frizz, and no heat damage.

These eye-catching turquoise bottles from Malibu C are more than just a pretty face—they’re also made from 98 percent recycled materials, making them some of the most sustainable plastic packaging in hair care today. Made with 49 percent post-consumer recycled plastic and 49 percent REPREVE® Our Ocean® recycled ocean-bound plastics (i.e. plastic with a high risk of ending up in the ocean), the bottles are not only recyclable, but have been made with biodegradable technology which enhances their biodegradation in a biologically active landfill. That means they have been tested to show 60.6 percent biodegradation in 388 days, meaning even if they do inadvertently end up in a landfill, they’ll break down in years, not centuries.

As admirable as refillable packaging is, it can oftentimes be a pain in practice to actually do consistently. Paul Mitchell has made the process easy with their Aluminum Shampoo and Conditioner Bottles and Refill Pouches. Aluminum is one of the most recyclable materials on the planet, making it both durable for re-use and eco-friendly. Simply buy one and when you finish with the refreshing tea tree formula, buy the refill pouch and fill up your bottle, reducing waste and keeping plastic bottles out of the landfill.