Browse links
US residents can opt out of "sales" of personal data.
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.
Expensive results at affordable prices — everything is under $20.
Promising review: "I’ve tried so many brands of pimple spots, and these are hands-down the best on the market. I’m a performer at Walt Disney World, and a clear complexion is required. Last night, I put these on a few acne problems (a small cyst, a whitehead, and a pimple I shouldn’t have picked and has been a bump for about three weeks now). I just woke up and am writing this review in disbelief. THEY'RE FLAT! Gone! All of them! I could cry I’m so happy. The packaging is also ideal because it allows you to conveniently and easily peel the stickers off without stretching them out or folding them back on themselves. Do yourself and your complexion a huge favor! Have these on hand for a stubborn zit when you really need help. Make sure you apply them to completely clean and dry skin." —Caitlyn
Get a 40-pack from Amazon for $8.50.
Buttah was founded by actor Dorion Renaud to tackle the issues faced by people with melanin-rich skin. The products are cruelty-free and many of the formulas contain organic shea.
Promising review: "I’ve noticed a huge difference in my skin since using this product! My skin is much smoother and overall more clear. It’s very luxurious and even though it’s a small jar, I can tell it’s going to last a long time as it’s very dense and you only have to use a small amount." —Casey M.
Get it from Buttah for $19.
Promising review: "Bought this on a whim, but no regrets! It smells delicious! The smell reminds me of toasted almonds and almond cookies! I love how you can lick it off (no weird chemicals added), although I just wash it off. But the little bit I have tasted tastes like an almond cookie! I used the lip scrub before bed, and I could immediately tell the difference. My lips are smoother and softer, and my ChapStick lasts much longer on my lips. I made my husband use it once, and his lips were also much smoother and super soft after one use!" —Cowie
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
Promising review: "First SPF I don’t mind wearing everyday! I know that SPF is the most important aspect of a skincare routine, but it’s usually my least favorite. Sunscreen always feels sticky or greasy, or burns around my eyes, or makes my skin break out. THIS COSRX ALOE SUN CREAM IS A GAME-CHANGER! It feels like a light moisturizer, I throw it on every morning and it absorbs quickly." —Rockin Robin
Get it from Amazon for $19.65.
This product is vegan, gluten-free, paraben-free, and silicone-free. It doesn't contain synthetic exfoliating beads.
Promising review: "This is the best face wash for my acne-prone skin. It feels great and you can see the difference right after washing. I use every night and it has helped clear cystic acne and acne scars." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $16.
Promising review: "This has been a lifesaver for the winter months! It has helped me combat dry, flaky skin, and has been a game changer in how smoothly my makeup now applies. It takes any moisturizer you have and brings it up to a whole new level. I have even noticed a lessening in lines that have started to form on my forehead and around my eyes now that I am in my late twenties. I will definitely be repurchasing." —B
Get it from Amazon for $9.49.
Promising review: "I have a very involved skincare routine that I didn't think could get any better until I added these magic babies in. WOW!!! I honestly was blown away by the difference — my skin has the most unbelievable even tone since I started using these and glows even fresh out of bed in the morning. These little power pads have taken my skincare over the top; I think I might start ditching my foundation. I hardly ever write reviews but was so blown away by these — I have been gushing about them!!!" —Austin
Get a 60-pack from Amazon for $12.95.
Read our review of The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Cleansing Oil (#2 in the list)!
Promising review: "This product is basically witchcraft, it's so good. I used this cleanser in place of a makeup remover, and it almost disintegrated my makeup for me. I read somewhere that this product wasn't recommended for the eyes, but I used this cleanser on my eyes with my contacts in with no issues. In fact, it took off my waterproof mascara like it was nothing! I simply followed the instructions, applied to dry skin, rubbed in circles, and rinsed. I was so wowed by this product that I basically ran out of the bathroom and tried to get my aunt to take her makeup off with it. There was no burning or feeling of scrubbing like every other makeup remover I've ever used. I then followed up with a foam cleanser. I've been using this routine for a few days now, and I can already see the difference in my skin when I wake up. This is what nice, clean skin looks like! Maybe soon I won't even have to wear makeup at all. My skin type is combination skin with hormonal breakouts, for anyone who is curious. 10/10 recommend this to everyone I know." —Ashley
Get it from Amazon for $10.89.
Black Girl Sunscreen is "sunscreen made by women of color for people of color." The formulas are vegan and cruelty-free!
Promising review: "I am an advocate for skin care, so protecting my skin on a daily basis is important. Buying sunscreen is usually a hit or miss for me but this one was certainly a HIT! I was so impressed by how moisturizing this product was that I almost forgot that I was wearing sunscreen. It doesn’t dry out my skin or leave a white undertone. Great for the winter weather too! This sunscreen is absolutely brilliant and I can’t wait to purchase another bottle!" —Chasidy C.
Get it from Black Girl Sunscreen for $18.99 or Target for $15.99.
It's formulated with panthenol, shea butter, and glycerin — all of which helps to moisturize the skin.
Promising review: "Just wow!!! I'm blown away by this product. Really helps heal the skin when it gets compromised! I usually can't wear balms, because they usually break out my extremely acne-prone, oily skin. However, this one does NOT break me out. I sometimes over-do it with my acne medication, and a night of this balm slapped on recovers my skin back to normal." —Sarah K
Get it from Amazon for $14.99.
Promising review: "This is the last thing I put on my face at night and I feel like it locks everything else in. The smell is subtle but slightly sweet. My sensitive skin has had zero problems with this cream. My pores are much smaller. My skin is much smoother. My breakouts are less. My skin tone has evened out. This is actually one of those products you can see results from after the first week. No need to wait six months. This is the real deal." —Deborah Romero
Get it from Amazon for $11.80.
Promising review: "Want to feel disgusting about your previous self from five minutes ago and better about your health for the next couple of weeks? Wet down your schnoz and toss one of these babies on there. It will transform from malleable and comfortable to a stiff sticky pad on your face. After your five minutes of waiting is up and you are ready to see what disgusting things have been cratered in your nose, pull this baby off. Nice and slow, from one side to the other. Feel the rush of excitement as your nose has its blackheads ripped from their pores and you feel cleaner than you do after a shower. Then, flip it over and inspect it closely to see how many nasty blackheads were previously calling your nose home. Take a pic or show to a friend, preferably both. Then crumple it up and throw it away and begin the countdown until the next extraction." —r0bdawg11
Get a 24-count combo pack from Amazon for $13.70.
This all-in-one product is part cleaner, part toner, and part makeup remover.
Promising review: "I use waterproof mascara and lots of eyeshadow, liner, etc. This makeup remover takes care of it super quick. I love the way it gets rid of all traces of eye makeup, even waterproof, and then I can wash my face without worrying about leaving anything behind on my eyes." —Julie K. Nichols
Get it from Amazon for $6.78.
This soap bar is vegan, cruelty-free, and handmade in small batches. Check out Jacq's, a Black-owned business, for more skincare goodies made of natural ingredients!
Promising review: "Great soap. Doesn't over-dry my skin and is a great facial soap for my mild to moderate acne." —Arleezah M.
Get it from Jacq's for $6.
Promising review: "I really love this moisturizer! I have oily, acne-prone skin so I was hesitant that this would make me break out more. However, since using this product, I've noticed less oil on my face when I wake up in the morning as well as throughout the day without dry skin patches. I used to always come home super shiny, but now my oil balance feels really under control. The water-based formula is also really lightweight and absorbs quickly. I use this as a nighttime moisturizer, but it could probably be used for the mornings, too, since it's such a light formula. A little goes a long way so it will last a while!" —Erin Meyer
Get it from Amazon for $12.
It's also perfect for traveling!
Promising review: "I bought this to try on my body just to find out what the craze was with the sticks and ended up using it on my face as well. This product is amazing!!! My skin doesn’t break out from it and it actually cleans deeper into my pores than I expected and it even made my pores look smaller! I have combination type skin and my face isn’t left feeling oily and doesn’t get oily by the end of the day either. I recommend this product!" —Debs
Get it from Amazon for $8.67.
Promising review: "This scrub worked amazing on my skin. I have tried many facial scrubs in the past and most never get the job done, but this one has. It kept my skin exfoliated for two weeks, without any dry skin peaking through. It left my skin feeling refreshed, and baby smooth. It also smelled great." —BoyMomX3
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
Argan oil and marula oil are super moisturizing, while blue tansy oil helps with redness and irritation.
Promising review: "The blue tansy night oil is a blue oil (as it should be naturally blue), it has low viscosity and thus spreads beautifully on my skin and my skin absorbs most of it. I can't stand oils which sit on top of my skin, I get a claustrophobic feeling as if it is suffocating my skin. But not this one, it is light but strong on effect. Everywhere in the cosmetic markets you can read how expensive blue tansy oil is. Well, not this one and it works for me very well. I have rosacea and it calms my skin wonderfully. Plus the packaging is beautiful and practical at the same time, as it doesn't let light inside the white ceramic bottle and thus preserves the oil inside. Highly recommend." —zsuzsa
Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in eight formulas).
Hyaluronic acid can absorb up to 1,000 times its weight in water, which is why it's such a popular ingredient in moisturizers. This formula is noncomedogenic, oil-free, dye-free, and fragrance-free. Read our review of the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel moisturizer!
Promising review: "This stuff is great. I have pretty oily skin so I was looking for a light moisturizer to use at night to combat fine lines and dry spots. It is very light and does not leave my skin greasy. I wake up with a smooth complexion and have even started to notice a difference in texture after one week. Smells nice and inexpensive, especially considering that it contains hyaluronic acid." —jennieftb
Get it from Target for $16.99.
Promising review: "This stuff has been amazing for my skin. I am 38 with skin that was dry, rough on the forehead and cheeks, dull, and my makeup would catch on my skin and look terrible no matter how much I exfoliated. I began using this about four months ago and recently purchased my second bottle. I use a Korean skincare routine, and this stuff is one of the best purchases I have made. The effect wasn't immediately obvious, but using it twice a day for a few weeks, I noticed that my skin was much more hydrated and healthy looking. The texture has improved (especially after purchasing a Foreo Luna), and my makeup no longer catches when I apply it. In fact, after putting it on and letting it set for a minute to soak in, I noticed that it creates a super nice palate for applying makeup. I ran out recently and didn't use for a few days, and I noticed an immediate difference. I will definitely buy again." —Grendlebeans
Get it from Amazon for $15.89.
Promising review: "I've only used these twice, but I believe I already see a difference in the puffiness under my eyes. They stay perfectly in place for me. I wear them for the full 30 minutes. Immediately afterward, the area under my eyes is so tight and smooth! That does wear off, but even the next morning my eyes look better." —Sara O
Get a 60-pack (30 pairs) from Amazon for $9.90.
Simply dip a cotton swab into the solution and dab it on the blemish — don't shake the bottle!
Promising review: "I was going to buy those other expensive drying lotion brands but decided last minute to try this instead. I'm so glad I did. I woke up with two big ol' zits due to PMSing, put this on, and the next morning it shrunk a considerable amount! Usually it takes days to get it smaller but this literally took one night. I'm on the third day and it's nearly gone! Do yourself a favor and buy this stuff instead of the pricey brands. It's the exact same thing and works very well, the same if not better!" —M. Ksmith
Get it from Amazon for $9.07.
This nourishing eye cream is cruelty-, paraben-, pulfate-, and phthalate-free.
Promising review: "I have dark circles and have been using this eye cream on and off for about two years. During that time I also tried a more expensive eye gel sample for a while, but I still prefer the e.l.f eye cream. I use it in the morning and at night and and use a face roller after dabbing it on. Love the results." —ym217
Get it from e.l.f. cosmetics for $10.
Promising review: "This smells just like pumpkin and has a nice texture. I have used it twice now, each time leaving it on my face for 15 minutes or so before showering. My skin feels very soft and glow-y after. It could be my imagination, but the slight tingling when it's on makes me think it's attacking dead skin cells that I cannot even see. Regardless, my skin looks better after using it." —Arden
Get it from Amazon for $13.65.
This product is vegan and cruelty-free.
Promising review: "This stuff is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! As always, Pacifica products do what they promise, and this one is not an exception. Excellent for those who sleep just a few hours per night due to demanding lives. The lotion is ultra smooth and non-greasy. Fast absorbed, leaves the skin nourished and pampered. I use it as a night cream and wake up feeling it really worked. My face loves it!" —MDDM
Get it from Amazon for $15.99.
Promising review: "This mask is to die for. It has the same effect as GlamGlow Supermud and costs almost nine times cheaper. Very effective on acne, clears up my skin from blemishes, and leaves it feel fresh and squeaky clean. I'm the biggest fan of Korean cosmetics and this one is my holy grail from now on. Also, just a little of this mask goes a long way!" —Aliya
Get it from Amazon for $15.
The formula is free of artificial fragrance and colors, parabens, sulfates, alcohol, mineral oil and silicone. I have combination skin and absolutely swear by this toner — it's gentle, sinks in quickly, and seems to help with breakouts!
Promising review: "I have a couple of toners in my arsenal, but decided to give this one a try — hey, who doesn't want a miracle? And it really is: I can't believe how smooth and soft my skin is. I use it every morning and night, and am pretty sure that I'll have to reorder very soon. It hasn't quite been 30 days, but I'm very happy to see what the next few bring." —Bonbon24
Get it from Soko Glam for $16.
Promising review: "I absolutely love this cleanser! It's really creamy and feels amazing on my skin and it doesn't leave my face feeling dry. I have oily, breakout-prone skin and this cleanser does an amazing job at keeping my skin under control while not irritating it." —Megan
Get it from Glossier for $9+ (available in two sizes).
Reviews here have been edited for length and/or clarity.