How I Test Skin-Care for Our Best of Beauty Awards
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Happy Best of Beauty to all who celebrate! (It’s me. I celebrate – and so should you!) Allure’s annual Best of Beauty awards are here, and the winners look reeeeal good. I lead this big ‘ol project, and am 100% partial to the 357 products winning Best of Beauty this year.
When we say these are the best skin, hair, makeup, nails, and fragrance products on the market right now, you better believe they are. The Allure team tested and re-tested (and then tested some more) over 7,000 products on our faces, heads, arms, legs, lips, eyes, and almost every other body part you can think of for 24 weeks—I can confidently say we did our expert due diligence when determining our winners. And that due diligence is thorough.
As a tester, specifically in the Skin category, I slough, slather, and swipe with hundreds (yes, literally hundreds) of scrubs, sunscreens, and serums. The 24 weeks flies by when you factor in every product that needs testing. In the eight years that I’ve worked at Allure, I’ve come up with a few Dos and Don’ts when it comes to Best of Beauty, which quickly help me decide if a product is worth a win:
1. Judge a book by its cover: Before anything makes it to my bathroom counter, it needs to pass the vibe test. Is the packaging aesthetically pleasing? Would I be proud to have this sit on my shower shelves? If the answer is yes, then the product has made it past the first step.
2. Patch-test everything: Before anything touches my face, it needs to be swatched on another area of my body (the inside of my wrist) to check for allergic reactions. I have really reactive skin, so if a product is making my wrist flare up, I can only imagine the inflammation it’ll cause on my face—hence why patch-testing is so important.
3. Test the texture: Once I deem a product safe for my skin, it’s time to consider its texture, scent, and finish. I like to layer my products, so I’m typically looking for a lightweight texture—from serums, moisturizers, and sunscreens—and a non-tacky, non-pilling finish with a very subtle scent. If a product meets all of these requirements, the Goldilocks pick can be added to my routine… but at a snail’s pace.
4. Slowly add into a routine: If a product passes the vibe and allergy tests, then it’s time to slowly—very slowly—incorporate it into my daily skin-care regimen. I’ll typically start by using it once a week, then try building up to three or four days over the next couple of weeks. Again, because my skin is super sensitive, I don’t want to irritate it right off the bat.
5. Rinse and repeat: Once the above steps are completed, it’s time to start all over with a brand-new product. It’s a tedious but extremely rewarding process because not only do I discover new favorites, but I also get to share them with you every year!
Reader Question
I'm tired of lugging a bag to my boyfriend's place every weekend, and he's tired of me "cluttering" his bathroom sink. Got any storage solutions for a small one-bedroom apartment?
— asks Allure Reader Shyema
Dear Shyema,
Hmm... Does your boyfriend expect you to come over without toiletries? Because let’s be real: the two-in-one, dandruff-fighting shampoo-and-conditioner duo sitting in a lot of guys’ showers isn’t gonna cut it on washday. As a person with a face and hair, you will have products to put on both—and that product will take up space. Personally, I would gently teach him a lesson: If he can’t accept your products, then I guess you can’t come over—no storage solution needed. My colleagues, however, would suggest using these organizers: Elfa Narrow Cabinet Drawer Solution Platinum and Rotating Makeup Organizer.
Have a burning skin-care question? Send one in.
Editor's Pick
BEST CLEANSING OIL: Peach & Lily Ginger Melt Oil Cleanser
This silky elixir is, by far, the best part of my double-cleanse routine. It’s a repeat winner, so you know it’s good.
BEST CLEANSING BALM: Burt’s Bees Fermented Honey Cleansing Balm
This super-rich salve feels less like a balm and more like a vat of honey, but easily melts right into my skin, removing dirt and oil in seconds. I love it so much I’ve already gone through two tins.
BEST ACNE BODY WASH: PanOxyl Acne Foaming Wash
I’m training for the New York City Marathon, which means I practically live in leggings and sports bras, which is the reason I now have body acne—fun! I’ve added this wash to my shower routine a few times a week to treat current breakouts and help prevent future flare-ups and it’s definitely helped.
BEST FACIAL MOISTURIZER | SENSITIVE SKIN: The Inkey List Bio-Active Ceramide Repairing and Plumping Moisturizer
There’s nothing I love more than hitting empty on a skin-care product. It’s just so satisfying. I’ve gone through almost three jars of this moisturizer—it’s that good. My sensitive skin drinks up the ceramides.
Trending Topic
Would you pay upwards of $100 for hand soap?
As in, the cleanser you pump into the palm of your hands… and then immediately wash down the drain? If you answered yes, we’re probably not in the same tax bracket. I will never be a part of the Fancy and Expensive Hand Soap Club. And I’m okay with that! I enjoy the suds and subtle scents from my drugstore cleansers, like this year’s Best of Beauty-winning Method Foaming Hand Soap, and the Baylis & Harding, which won in 2021.
Book Club
Rouge by Mona Awad
★★★★☆
An interesting and thoroughly confusing (in the best way!) book inspired by the “dark side” of the beauty industry. This one, though, tells the tale of magic mirrors and moisturizers in red jars—and how far a person would go to “defy” the inevitable aging process.
Originally Appeared on Allure
