The Best Products We Tried in 2017
You know what they say: If at first you'd don't succeed, try, try, try again. That's pretty much our philosophy when it comes to testing skincare and makeup -- and reviewing the varying results along the way.
While we encountered plenty of duds in 2017, there were a quite a few gems, too. Here's a look back at our favorite finds from this year: the products we loved, restocked, and recommend to everyone who would listen.
Weleda Skin Food
This German-manufactured moisturizer is beyond lotion, way past cream, and more like a paste-style emollient. The ingredients list reads like a garden that would wage Game of Thrones-style war with my daily dose of Flonase. There's sweet almond oil, pansy and rosemary extract, and calendula. Perhaps more impressive is the list of things this moisturizer is formulated without: fragrances, mineral oil, and synthetic preservatives. Skin Food works wonders as a hand and under-eye cream, on parched elbows, and any assorted parched patches. Becky Bartkowski
Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop
The quest for glow knows no end. And Klairs Vitamin C serum is here to help. Applied with a white dropper, the quick-to-absorb clear treatment is the first thing that goes on my face straight outta the shower. It's not at all irritating -- and the healthy looking skin payoff is legit.
Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist
This mist moisturizer promises a perfectly moisturized complexion, like an IRL Snapchat filter. Does it make me glow like Chrissy Teigen? Fuck no. But my super-dry face looks hydrated and pretty great after three spritzes over my usual concealer routine. Perhaps more importantly, this purple bottle's a much-needed ally in my fight against 4 p.m. corpse face. B.B.
COSRX Blackhead Power Liquid
One of two chemical exfoliants from COSRX, this liquid wonder stings slightly and helps clear out clogged pores. At first, it kinda emphasizes any spots you might have, bringing ickiness to the surface. But with once-weekly application, the clear-faced results come soon enough. B.B.
Juice Beauty Tinted Moisturizer
B.B. cream -- a.k.a. tinted moisturizer with some added skincare benefits -- is my new BFF. I love this one from all-organic brand Juice Beauty so much. Available at Whole Foods and through Amazon, this hydrating formula blends easily, evens out skin tone with a natural finish, and has an antioxidant-rich formula featuring hyaluronic acid and a zinc-based SPF 30. B.B.
Neogen Bio-Peel Gauze Peeling Pads - Lemon
I love acids. Whether or not they love me is up for debate. But these Neogen Dermalogy Bio-Peel Gauze Peeling pads are giving me hope. The citrus-infused pads offer the best of both worlds, delivering a chemical and physical exfoliation that’s mild enough for sensitive types like yours truly. Just don’t be an idiot and use them every day right off the bat like a certain person we all know (again, yours truly). K.J.
Klairs Supple Preparation Facial Toner
The paraben-free, cruelty-free toner has a thicker consistency than expected, but it absorbs into my skin almost instantly, leaving me with a hydrated -- dare I say glowing? -- complexion. Side note: You can get it on Amazon for pretty cheap but I prefer getting it from Soko Glam because they supposedly ensure that none of the products are expired and are 100 percent legit. K.J.
Schmidt's Rose + Vanilla Deodorant
Another step in my newly reclaimed green beauty routine? Deodorant. If you’ve ever experimented with natural pit sticks, you know it’s a real roulette of “Will this irritate my skin?” or “Will this make me reek by 11 a.m.?” (Spoiler alert: Sometimes it’s both). Lucky for me and my precious underarm area, Schmidt’s has done none of these things. From morning to night, my body smells faintly of rose and vanilla -- a refreshing escape from the usual two-scent selection of tea tree and lavender that I always find at Whole Foods. K.J.
Coola Cucumber Matte Mineral Face SPF 30
Full disclosure: I didn't start wearing sunscreen until well into adulthood; partly because I don't burn much (doesn't matter, I know) and partly because most sunscreens tend to do one of two things: make me break out, or leave a ghostly white tint on my olive complexion. Fortunately, this organic cruelty-free SPF does neither. In fact, its mattifying effect actually works as a nice primer under daytime makeup. K.J.
Osmia Organics Organic Milk Bath
Okay, it might seem like a bit of a contradiction to take a warm bath when your skin is already dry and flakey but me hear me out. This. Shit. Is. Magical. It’s essentially powdered milk, oats, and some essential oils but my god does it feel divine. After a few soaks in this, I swear my eczema is virtually gone and my skin feels baby smooth. The only downside is that it leaves a mess in the in the tub. But hey, it’s a small price to pay for relief. K.J.
