We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. The multifaceted CeraVe Salicylic Acid Cleanser with salicylic acid to naturally exfoliate and hyaluronic acid to help hydrate. Your skin will feel smooth and *won't* have that annoying tight-skin sensation.
Promising review: "I've struggled with incredibly sensitive, acne-prone, textured skin for a lot of my adult life. I stumbled onto this cleanser via TikTok (I wish I was kidding) and bought this in conjunction with CeraVe's Moisturizing Cream and, LET ME TELL YOU, these products have become holy grail skincare items for me. Prior to this, I was using homemade soap and an exfoliating mitt to wash my face, but my skin would quickly develop uneven texture in between exfoliations. This cleanser makes my skin smooth and it doesn't irritate it. My breakouts are already a lot smaller and I've noticed a huge difference in the overall appearance. This is a holy grail cleanser." —C. Hallgrimson
Get it from Amazon for $10.79+ (available in two sizes).
2. Or a luxuriously creamy CeraVe facial cleanser gentle enough for everyday use, but made with powerful enough ingredients (hyaluronic acid, ceramaides, glycerin) to remove dirt, makeup, and excess oils.
Promising review: "This was recommended to me by a dermatologist friend with beautiful skin. She uses CeraVe cleanser once in the morning, once at night, with the regular CeraVe lotion, and I was so jealous of her skin and tired of buying expensive junk that promises the moon, so I figured I'd give it a shot. I'm very glad I did! This cleanser/lotion combo works beautifully. My skin is cleansed and refreshed and looks great, never feels over-dry, and I'm not paying an arm and a leg for snail goop or milky jelly or whatever marketing bull I was buying before. It feels great to wash my face, too, not like I'm doing a chemical peel or scrubbing a layer of skin off." —E. Giffen
Get it from Amazon for $14.57+ (available in four sizes).
3. Or! A purifying foaming cleanser by La Roche-Posay great for combination skin. This gel will foam up into a sudsy lather that'll help remove excess oil while maintaining your skin's natural protective barrier & pH.
Promising review: "I have found the HOLY GRAIL of face wash for sensitive skin. This product cuts through a full face of makeup with just one pump and lather. Leaves my skin smooth and soft. I have had less acne since using this for a month or so. This entire bottle has lasted me for three months (one pump per day)." —Kat
Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in two sizes).
4. OR! A medicated gel cleanser that targets excess oil & helps clear breakouts while reducing surface oil by up to 47%. Time to say hello to a breakout-free and mattified face that'll make people think you have a full-coverage foundation, but you'll be bragging that it's actually just your skin!!
Promising review: "I have been using La Roche-Posay Effaclar Medicated Gel Acne Face Wash for cystic/hormonal acne, and it has seriously been the best product I have tried so far. I have very sensitive and dry skin, so I also follow up with an eye cream and moisturizer (because this product can be drying if you don't). This cleansing gel has completely changed my skin in just 10 days; it is more clear, smooth, and even-toned. I think this product is great for all skin types that struggle with acne, as long as you follow up with the proper moisturizer/skin regimen according to your skin type." —Chelsea
Get it from Amazon for $16.99.
5. OR!!! Krave Beauty Matcha Hemp Cleanser which is here to prove your cleanser can be effective *and* gentle at the same time! It uses matcha and hemp seed oil to help restore hydration and antioxidants. Tight-feeling skin post-wash, you've just met your ~matcha.~
Krave Beauty is a Korean woman-owned small biz that believes in simplicity and aims to make skincare easy and stress-free in an oversaturated and complicated industry. They believe in respecting the skin and restoring it back to health.
Promising review: "Upon first use, my sensitive skin didn't turn red or breakout! This is a great gentle cleanser that doesn't strip and leaves my skin feeling soft and moisturized. There is a slight fragrance but nothing overpowering which I love. This is also one of the few gel-like cleansers that I've tried that's easier to wash off. Some of them feel a bit too slimy and take a bit more effort to completely wash off, but not this one. I'll definitely be repurchasing in the future!" —Sydney
Get it from Krave Beauty for $16.
6. Radha Beauty Rosehip Oil that'll nourish your skin with antioxidants, vitamins, and essential fatty acids to help hydrate and soothe your skin. This amazing concoction will also help brighten your skin tone and banish blemishes (Cue infomercial voice) But that's not all! You can also use it on your hair, cuticles, or in your lotion!
Promising review: "My new holy grail! I have super sensitive, acne-prone skin in a very dry climate. This stuff is seriously so amazing. I use it from my face to my toes. It’s completely eradicated any dry skin I had and makes me glow. I’ve gotten so many compliments on my skin since I’ve started using it, even my boyfriend noticed! I love it after chemical peels too. It gets rid of peeling and dry patches as well as soothes any redness. It’s a decent-sized bottle for what you pay!" —Brynnieb09
Get it from Amazon for $14.95.
To learn more, check out this facial oil review.
7. A skin-clearing salicylic acid treatment from Paula's Choice, which is a non-abrasive leave-on exfoliant designed to unclog and reduce the appearance of large pores, loosen dead skin cells, and brighten and even out skin tone.
Check out this TikToker's review here.
Promising review: "I have always struggled with blackheads on my nose. It was something I was super self-conscious about, always. I tried pore strips, masks, scrubs, etc., and nothing ever worked for me. But after using this product, I saw results after 10 days! I have been using it for about a month-and-a-half, and now I can barely see the pores on my nose. The redness around my nose also went away." —Taylor
Get it from Amazon for $13+ (available in two sizes).
8. A super lightweight Missha sun milk with SPF 50 that is everything you need from sunscreen and none of the stuff you don't. We're talking UV protection and skin tone correction *without* a white cast, goopy consistency, or greasy residue.
"I finally found it: the PERFECT sunscreen. I've had a constant battle with facial sunscreens — most make my already oily skin look ridiculously greasy and consistently cause me to break out. I refused to give up on my search since basically every dermatologist goes on and on about how SPF is basically the magic ingredient for healthy skin.
I thought the Missha Sun Milk would be like the rest — but it is everything I've been looking for in a sunscreen. The lightweight formula absorbs almost immediately and — here's the exciting part! — it dries down to a powdery smooth finish that keeps me matte all day long. It's basically a mattifying powder and sunscreen in the same bottle. If you hate most sunscreens, trust me, give this one a shot." — Daniel Boan
Get it from Amazon for $9.89+ (available in four versions, three sizes, and a two-pack).
9. A bottle of Bio-Oil Multiuse Skincare Oil with sooo many uses — fading scars, soothing cracked skin, moisturizing without clogging your pores — try it out and you may just discover the next big thing to put it on!
See a TikToker's before and after here.
Promising review: "After just about three weeks of use I’ve seen such a positive change in both the evenness of time and of the texture of my skin. Melasma and acne scarring have faded pretty dramatically — I don’t even bother putting on foundation when I do my makeup in the morning. The oil is so lightweight and doesn’t exacerbate my already oily complexion." —L T C
Get it from Amazon for $9.99+.
10. A tub of Aquaphor healing ointment — if you're only gonna buy one product, let it be this because it can do basically anything you could ever want. Buckle up and stay with me here…you can use it on chapped lips, dry hands, and cuticles, cracked heels and feet, minor burns, and more! There's even a trend on TikTok for this being the only makeup product you need — put some on your brows to keep them in place, layer a bit on your lashes for a natural mascara look, put some on your lips for the shine, and BOOM your full face is ready for the day.
Psst: Try it on new tattoos to keep the color from fading while they heal!
Promising review: "Awesome!! I’m on Accutane so I use this for my lips to keep them from getting super chapped and they really help! It’s super moisturizing and I love that it’s in a big tub so I don’t have to keep repurchasing! If you have chapped lips I definitely recommend, it’s super moisturizing and hasn’t caused any breakouts around my lips so far." —M
Get it from Amazon for $15.97.
11. A tube of Roc retinol night cream that you'll have to see to believe — put it on at night and wake up with smooth and radiant skin.
Get it from Amazon for $19.66.
12. An outrageously popular Differin gel beloved by reviewers for helping get rid of existing acne *and* working to prevent new pimples from forming with its prescription-strength retinoid. Go ahead and order a couple of bottles, this is now a staple in your beauty routine.
Because of the prescription-strength retinoid, make sure to consult your dermatologist before introducing this into your skincare routine.
BuzzFeed Shopping editor Natalie Brown has tried this out on her own skin! Here are her takeaways:
"1. One pea-sized application per day is all it takes.
2. It's just as effective over moisturizer as it would be if you applied it directly to your skin.
3. Apply it at night, and you MUST wear sunscreen every day when you use this!"
You can read her full review in this post "11 Products We Use, Love, And Swear By So Much, We Had To Share Them With You" at #6.
Promising review: "This product is a MAGIC ERASER on acne. This is the only product that works on my acne. It dried up my hormonal acne within one night! So I have mild hormonal acne due to menstrual cycle but after using this gel every night and following the directions in the package, it has really helped me get rid of acne and dark spots. This product did not break me out in initial use or even later. This one tube lasted me for a couple of months and a few days over. I love the results and I will buy another tube if my acne acts up again but for now I have clean and clear skin. Thanks Differin!" —KARTHICK RAVI
Get it from Amazon for $14.60.
13. A firming eye cream with powerful, deep hydration to reduce puffiness and dark circles. This cruelty-free and vegan cream is infused with vitamin C, vitamin E, rose hip seed oil, and hibiscus flower extract to help brighten and firm your skin.
Promising review: "Incredible product! Still cannot believe what a difference it has made in the lines and wrinkles around my eyes. I use it twice a day, and actually use it for my entire face and my neck. My skin feels so soft, and lines are disappearing." —Melissa
Get it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in three sizes).
14. Or a super-gentle yet hydrating CeraVe eye cream to help reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffiness in order to trick all your coworkers into thinking you actually slept for eight hours last night instead of staying up til 3 a.m. watching your comfort show.
Promising review: "I've been embarrassed for years about the bags under my eyes, but with two preschoolers at home, stress, and mild insomnia, I didn't see a way out. This is like a little miracle tube. I use it before bed and then in the morning too. I use it even if I didn't wash my face. I've gone from looking like there are bruises under my eyes to looking normal again. I no longer feel the need to use concealer under my eyes on a regular basis. I highly recommend!" —Amber Jaeger
Get it from Amazon for $12.56.
15. The extremely beloved Mario Badescu Drying Lotion that will help dry up blemishes while you sleep. Just dip a cotton swab into the pink solution, dab it on your pimples, and watch them shrink!!
Promising review: "Honestly, I assume that this dainty bottle is powered by some sort of magic, because this stuff is truly ah-mazing! Not long ago, I had a deep pimple that was building to a slow crescendo of awful (important to note, I usually have clear skin), and my mother-in-law recommended this stuff to me. She promised that it would drastically reduce the pimple, if not zap it altogether, overnight. I was wary, but I also had a business trip coming up and I was worried that the tender mound was going to blossom into a third eyeball by the time I stepped off the plane for client meetings. I dabbed a tiny amount of this stuff on the zit after my nightly facial routine (it kind of looks like calamine lotion) and went to bed not expecting much. No joke, this miracle elixir managed to shrink the nasty little sucker so much that the tenderness had gone away!" —Caerley Hill
Get it from Amazon for $17 (available in a glass or plastic bottle).
16. A tube of a celebrity-beloved moisturizer you can use as a lotion, apply before doing your makeup for a smoothing primer, or layer on as a nourishing face mask when you need a liiiittle extra hydration.
Promising review: "Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré, Face Cream & Makeup Primer is an amazing moisturizer! I use it as a nighttime moisturizer and in the morning as a makeup primer. My skin used to be incredibly dry but this has made a huge difference. I have already purchased a second tube and I am now on auto-ship. It’s a product that I can not live without! I highly recommend it." —asjdws
Get it from Amazon for $16+ (available in two sizes).
17. A sprayable body acne mist, which might just be the best thing since sliced bread. It's made of a blend of salicylic acid, tea tree oil, and witch hazel to help keep your breakouts under control. Plus it has a nozzle that sprays at any angle, so you don't have to scream to your partner to come help reach those awkward parts of your back.
Promising review: "I bought this a few months back just to try it out and I can honestly say I love it. I spray it all over my back, chest, bum, back of my legs, basically anywhere on my body that I tend to have breakouts, and it has cleared my acne tremendously. I also stopped getting those stubborn ingrown hairs on my bum and legs! Must try it out!!!" —MISSCHAVEZ604
Get it from Versed for $14.99.
18. A pack of Avarelle Acne Cover Patches so you can stop spending your time picking at every zit you see (seriously, your derm will thank you). Just apply a patch and watch it flatten out the pimple, reduce redness, and pull out allllll the gunk.
Promising review: "I love this product! Whenever I have a pimple that is ready to burst (whitehead), I put one of these stickers on for a day and BOOM, it flattens and sucks up all that yucky junk. It feels really comfortable and can be barely noticeable if you have a small pimple that needs to be removed. There were times where I wore these out to school. Great product!" —Jenny
Get a pack of 40 from Amazon for $8.49 (also available in a pack of 80).
19. A three-step nose blackhead control kit to help break down oil and impurities on your nose to clear pores and soothe your skin. Unlike other patches that damage the skin by ripping the strip off, this one is super soft and silky and comes right off without any pain.
Each kit includes a pore melting sheet, a cotton swab for removing excess build-up, and a soothing sheet.
I recently tested this out and was a bit skeptical because you can't really shrink pores, but I figured I would give it a try because why not?! I started with the pore melting sheet which stays on for about 10–15 minutes. It is *very* liquidy when it comes out of the package, so definitely be careful because I wasn't and made a biiittt of a mess on my counters. Unlike those other strips that are super sticky and designed to pull the blackheads out of your nose, these ones are much more gentle. I remember trying the other kind of strips years ago and it legit hurt because it was basically ripping skin off my nose. These strips have no ripping. They are just placed on your nose and kind of cling to it from the liquid that's on them. Once the time is up, you just peel it away and there is no tugging or pulling on your skin. When I took it off I was genuinely surprised. My blackheads were not nearly as visible. The next step is to use the cotton swab — which, warning, can be gross, but also satisfying — to get into the harder-to-reach crevices on your nose to remove the remaining buildup. You can actually see all the gunk that this sheet pulled out on the cotton swab. It's just as satisfying as when you pull a pimple patch off and see all the white gunk on it because you know you're getting it out of your skin. The final step is to put the soothing patch on for 10-15 minutes just to rehydrate and calm things down. I definitely recommend these if blackheads on your nose are a problem area for you!!
Get six kits from Amazon for $15.99.
20. A plant-based cuticle oil so you can give a little extra love to the skin around your nails that is often neglected. This oil absorbs quickly to help maintain nail and cuticle health without the gnarly, greasy residue.
Get it from our Goodful shop for $10.
21. First Aid Beauty's KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub Exfoliant, because even though I promise no one other than you actually notices those little bumps on your arms, you want them gone and all power to ya!! Reviewers with skin conditions like keratosis pilaris swear by this product!
Check out a TikTok of the KP bump eraser in action.
Read more about how to treat keratosis pilaris at home at the American Academy of Dermatology.
Promising review: "I've recently had a problem with these weird, itchy, acne-like bumps all over my chest and shoulders. I’ve tried tons of washes, creams, treatments, etc. but nothing seemed to be working and then I saw a review of this scrub on TikTok and decided to try it. I shower every morning and take about a fingertip full of the scrub and gently rub it over my chest and shoulders then wash it off, and after a couple of weeks my skin was already getting so much better, and I have super sensitive skin too so I’m impressed it didn’t get irritated. Overall would definitely recommend!" —Olivia Parker
Get it from Amazon for $12+ (available in four sizes and a pack of two).
22. Honeyskin Ultimate Face and Body cream designed to help fight rosacea, dry skin, eczema, flaking, and acne while soothing and rejuvenating your skin. What could make this better? Oh, just the ahhmazing anti-inflammatory ingredients — manuka honey, Australian cehami, and shea butter.
Promising review: "Simply the best healing, refreshing cream anywhere. This cream is simply magic. I have some rosacea and since I have been using it, I seldom have any breakouts on my face. I had mild psoriasis on my elbows and it is all but gone. One day I got a sunburn and put this on and all the stinging was gone immediately and it never peeled. I have tried many top-of-the line products before this. This is simply fabulous. A friend told me that he had been recommended this by his dermatologist and it was wonderful. I believed him! Glad I got it." —Carole Ciraulo
Get it from Amazon for $15.97.
23. A tea tree and peppermint remedy soap with a plethora of uses — it helps improve skin irritations (we're talking dry skin, skin infections, acne, athlete's foot, nourishes skin, ringworm, jock itch, and more!) helps reduce odors, and is just overall nourishing for everyday use. Dare I say we have found the holy grail of soaps?!
Learn more about the many uses of tea tree oil at Cleveland Clinic.
Promising review: "I purchased Remedy Soap for my 'tween' daughter who was struggling with horrible armpit and foot odor. I tried everything to help her control this — men's deodorant, alcohol, lemon under her armpits, tea bags in her shoes, washing her clothes in vinegar etc. I was literally at my wits end by the time I came across this product on Amazon. After reading hundreds of positive reviews, I bought the soap with the hope that it would help significantly reduce her foot and armpit odor. To my amazement, it eliminated her odor completely!! She went through a whole day at school, including PE, and came home smelling as fresh as she did when she left that morning. That has NEVER happened this entire school year!! Needless to say, my husband and I are beyond pleased with our daughter's results. We now have the comfort of knowing that she won't have to continue suffering from the embarrassment of unnecessary body odor. I can't thank Honestie Naturals enough for this product. It has truly put a smile back on my family's faces." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in one- or two-pack).
The reviews used in this post have been edited for length and clarity.