There’s skincare, and then there’s skincare that completely changes your skin and you’ve wondered why you’ve spent your whole life without it. While all skincare is marketed to transform skin, the ones that actually do are few. These are the big wigs in skincare that we’ve loved over and over again.
Most sheet face mask leave you on a temporary high. Ést.lab’s face mask however, take things further — experience smoother skin days after you apply the mask, and you can actually feel the difference when you apply makeup the following day. This underrated holy grail sheet mask should have a permanent spot in your skincare junkie shelfie.
You’ve never met an eye cream like this one. And trust us, we’ve met many. Not for the faint hearted, this eye cream is chock full of retinol, so build your way up into it if you’ve never used retinol before in your skincare arsenal. With consistent use, you’ll find fine lines under your eyes plumping and a gentle reduction of hyperpigmentation.
You can’t talk about Vitamin C serums without praising the beautiful name that is SkinCeuticals’ C E Ferulic. It will cause a fiend-like frenzy amongst many and for good reason — its scientifically-backed formula features 15 % pure L-ascorbic acid, and adds vitamin E and ferulic acid to the potent mix, making it an antioxidant powerhouse. This elixir provides as much as 8x the skin’s natural protection.
It sounds really intimidating, and when you first apply it to your skin, it looks even scarier. But there’s a reason many believers would rather be out of chocolate in their pantry than a bottle of this baby — it works. It’s one of the brand’s best-loved products is a 10-minute exfoliating facial that combines 30% Alpha Hydroxy Acids (Glycolic / Lactic / Tartaric / Citric) with 2% Salicylic Acid to improve visible radiance and texture in no time. We’d be calling it witchcraft if we didn’t love Deciem so much.
From texture to scarring, Drunk Elephant’s T.L.C. Framboos™ Glycolic Night Serum is your bestie in a bottle that you’ll want to take to bed, because it’s that good. Infused with 12% alpha hydroxy acid and beta hydroxy acid, this night-time serum will get to work smoothing and polishing skin as you sleep.
You don’t have to do the whole 10-step Korean skincare routine to add this essence into your skincare, but when you do, you never want to live without. It feels like you’re applying water on your face, but you’re in fact going to to truly experience what it feels like to have your skin hydrate from the inside out. This fragrance-free mega hydrating essence that’s light and fuss-free low key changed my life.
It smells like horseradish and vinegar water, yet this cult favourite has been dubbed ‘Jesus in a Bottle’ because of how omnipotent it is. It has seven versions, including the 1970 version that was reformulated in 2000, and each of the versions come in three strengths: regular, P50V (moderate strength), and P50W (sensitive skin) formula. The most popular is the newer P50 sensitive skin formula but the best way for you to determine what’s best for you is to walk into a spa or aesthetician that stocks it. That’s how elusive it is.