Beauty isn’t easy—or inexpensive. If you’re trying to look your best, you need high-quality makeups, cleansers, lotions, creams, gels, clays, toothpastes, whiteners, peels, serums, and loads of other stuff, and if you don’t have a few thousand dollars sitting around, you’re typically forced to settle for discount goods from your local drugstore.
Fortunately, Amazon exists, and beauty fanatics have spent hundreds of hours pouring over the site’s selection. When a certain product starts racking up the five-star ratings, you know it’s probably pretty good. We dug through Amazon’s enormous beauty section to find a few of the site’s hidden gems.
1. Style easily with this combination teasing brush and comb.
Reviewers call it the “best teasing brush [they’ve] ever found,” which is high praise, but the Spornette Little Wonder seems to live up to the hype.
The lightweight wood body allows for easy handling, and the boar and nylon bristles easily move through your hair without falling out, distributing your hair’s natural shine evenly. It’s gentle enough for colored hair, yet durable enough for thick and curly locks too. Plus, its small size makes it ideal for stashing in your purse.
Spornette Little Wonder Boar & Tourmaline Nylon Bristle Teasing Brush, $10.97 from Amazon
2. Get a complete skincare solution with this organic rose water spray.
Rose water is really in right now, and if you’re looking to jump on board the hype train, this 100 percent organic spray is an excellent buy. Lightweight and non-greasy, it absorbs excess oils, restoring a healthy pH balance without drying out your skin.
It contains a single ingredient, rosa dascena (that’s rose flower water, if you’re not a horticulturist). Sometimes, the simplest solutions are the best.
Teddie Organics Rose Water Facial Toner Spray, $10.88 from Amazon
3. Upgrade your soap game with these gorgeous natural soaps.
This pack contains six natural soap bars that impart the scents of coconut, papaya, vanilla, lemongrass, jasmine, and ylang-ylang. The textured touch is the result of natural botanicals; they make wonderful exfoliants, and the soaps don’t contain any parabens, phthalates, or sulfates.
Bali Soap doesn’t remove naturally produced glycerin from their soap-making process, which makes these bars an excellent option for people with sensitive skin; the natural glycerin helps to hold in moisture instead of drying you out. This pack comes with six bars, and it makes a great gift set—but we won’t tell anyone if you keep it for yourself.
Bali Soap Gift Set, $14.95 from Amazon.
4. Rejuvenate facial skin with this powerful vitamin C serum.
Per the manufacturer, this serum functions as a “deep wrinkle filler, brown spot remover for face, age spot remover for face, pore minimizer, and a treatment to reduce fine lines, dark circles, sagging skin, eye bags, and to boost skin’s natural defenses.”
It contains a blend of vitamin C, vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, and organic aloe. The aloe helps to prevent dry-outs, while the hyaluronic acid cleanses excess oils from the surface of your skin. It’s a powerful serum for improving your complexion, and the natural formula is both vegan and cruelty-free.
Natural Vitamin C Serum for Face, $21.85 from Amazon
5. Get a deeper cleanse with this Dead Sea mud mask.
It’s made with natural mud from the Dead Sea, which works similarly to bentonite clay; apply the mask, let it dry for about five minutes, then gently rub in circles. The natural salts work as exfoliants, cleansing your pores and removing blackheads, whiteheads, and dead skin cells. When you’re finished, wash off any excess mud with soap or face wash and water, then follow up with a moisturizer.
This spa-level mask gives you natural exfoliation, and for the price, it’s one of the best mask treatments on Amazon.
Majestic Pure Dead Sea Mud Mask, $14.95 from Amazon
6. Spot treat oily skin with these naturally soothing blotting papers.
Infused with green tea, these blotting papers moisturize and refresh while drawing away excess sebum. Use them with or without makeup; if you’re treating a larger area, you can use both sides of each tissue.
Tuck these into your car’s glove compartment or keep them in your purse, and they’ll help you ward off shiny, oily skin. This is an excellent oil treatment for both men and women because, in our opinion, the light green tea scent is unisex.
Natural Green Tea Oil Absorbing Tissues, $11.35 from Amazon
7. Cleanse your pores with…a volcano?
Innisfree Jeju is a volcanic pore-cleansing foam, formulated with volcanic ash to absorb oil and purify your pores. It creates a rich foam, exfoliating while cleaning. Reviewers claim that it helps to clear up acne and prevents breakouts without drying the skin.
Ideal for all skin types, this has a thick, rich consistency, and it’s excellent as a go-to face wash. You’ll still want to follow up with a decent moisturizer for best results.
Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Cleansing Foam, $10.10 from Amazon
8. Get a smoother shave without the razor burn.
If you’re using some off-the-shelf shaving cream, you’re probably torturing your skin. Products with large doses of alcohol can actually cause your pores to close, leading to the inflammation that causes razor bumps, razor burn, and other issues with “razor” in their names.
This sandalwood-scented shave cream formula lets you get a close shave while leaving your skin soft, smooth, and unbroken. Ingredients include macadamia seed oil, aloe, calendula extract, lemon extract, papaya extract, and olive leaf extract.
Cremo Sandalwood Shave Cream, $6.99 from Amazon
9. Brighten your skin while you cleanse.
The Face Shop’s Rice Water Bright is a brightening cleansing foam developed with natural rice water. Now that’s a descriptive product name.
Per the manufacturer, the rice water naturally reduces fine lines while brightening the skin. It moisturizes as it cleanses, and the light fragrance is a nice finishing touch. It’s ideal for sensitive skin and great for treating occasional dark spots and blemishes.
The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Cleansing Foam, $13.47 from Amazon
10. Remove makeup with this completely oil-free cleanser.
If you’ve got allergies or skin sensitivities, this is a game changer. Bioderma’s oil-free Sensibio H2O uses an “optimal dosage of ingredients that are already present in your body.” The idea is to mimic the skin’s natural biological barrier, reducing the chances of irritation or allergic reactions.
Reviewers claim that it’s extraordinarily effective and superior to similar oil-free products. It’s even capable of removing water-resistant makeup.
Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water, $14.90 from Amazon
11. Stay hydrated with this highly rated moisturizing primer.
This staple of French skincare makes a wonderful makeup base, and its water-based formula works well with all skin types. It’s extremely mild, so if you’ve had trouble with other moisturizers, it’s well worth a shot.
Ingredients like soy protein and aloe barbadensis hold in hydration all day, giving your skin the resources it needs to look its best.
Embryolisse Concentrated Lait Cream, $18.94 from Amazon
12. This moisturizing face wash is perfectly balanced to your skin’s pH.
Of course, pH levels vary from one person to the next, but Era Organics’ Cleans + Restore is significantly less acidic than your average facial washes, which makes it a solid choice for a skin-friendly cleanse.
Ingredients like organic aloe vera and manuka honey keep your skin hydrated. The gentle formula won’t strip away excessive amounts of skin oil, which actually makes your skin less oily in the long run since your body won’t keep over-producing sebum.
Natural Moisturizing Face Wash, $18.87 from Amazon
13. Try the “world’s most powerful” bentonite clay facial.
Granted, it has a slightly offensive name, but Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay is the real deal. It’s made with 100 percent natural calcium bentonite clay. Nothing else—no additives, no fragrances, and no animal-derived products of any kind.
Bentonite clay is an amazing exfoliant, although you’ll need to use it with care; don’t leave it on for more than a few minutes, and follow up immediately with a decent moisturizer. The manufacturer calls it the “world’s most powerful facial” for a reason.
Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay, $8.30 from Amazon
14. Get the tender feet you’ve always wanted.
This might be the most poorly named product on this list, as when we hear “Baby Foot Exfoliant Peel,” we immediately assume that a company is marketing a foot peel for babies.
Fortunately, that’s not the case. This is a basic foot mask intended to give you tender, kissable feet (but, uh, don’t actually kiss them). To use, slather it on your feet, put on the included plastic booties, leave it on for an hour, then wash away. That’s it. Within a week or so, you’ll begin to see the dry, dead skin peel from your feet. It’s both disturbing and fascinating. And after that: baby-soft feet.
It’s also effective at eliminating foot odors and treating soreness, although you’ll want to moisturize afterward since the peel contains a few ingredients that could cause skin dryness.
Baby Foot Exfoliant Foot Peel, $15.99 from Amazon
15. Feed your dry, rough skin with Weleda Skin Food.
Hey, your skin is your body’s biggest organ. Why wouldn’t it need a meal of its own every once in a while?
Weleda Skin Food is a smoothing, moisturizing lotion with rosemary, sunflower, and pansy, along with various other natural ingredients. It contains no parabens, phthalates, synthetic preservatives, or fragrances, and it’s ideal for people with skin sensitivities. Use it as a face mask or highlighter, apply it to dry cheeks and lips, or even use it to add texture to your hair. It’s backed by hundreds of rave reviews from satisfied customers (with well-nourished skin).
Weleda Skin Food, $11.87 from Amazon
16. When you need pure aloe vera gel, reach for this bottle.
Aloe vera gel shows up in all sorts of beauty products, but it can be most effective on its own in some cases. Luckily, Amara Organics offers this bottle of pure, 99.75 percent organic aloe—no dyes, fragrances, or chemicals.
On its own, this cold-pressed natural product makes a great moisturizer. Try it on your cuticles for instant relief from dryness. It’s also an effective after-shave gel, and there’s simply nothing better for a sunburn.
Sometimes, aloe vera gel is all you need. That’s all you get with Amara Organics.
Amara Organics Aloe Vera Gel, $15.15 from Amazon
17. This could be the purest tea tree oil on the market.
Is there anything that tea tree oil can’t do? We use it to blast away blemishes, enliven the skin, and even fight fungus. But not all tea tree oil offers the same level of quality or purity.
We stick with Healing Solutions tea tree oil. It’s a 100 percent pure, therapeutic grade essential oil and nothing else. Use it for skincare or toss a drop into your diffuser for a quick, refreshing blast of aromatherapy. It also blends well with other essential oils; experiment to come up with your own signature scent.
Tea Tree Therapeutic Grade Essential Oil, $6.99 from Amazon
18. Add a touch of magic to your skincare routine.
To be clear, we do not believe in magic; it is not a real thing. But this all-purpose skin cream is giving us doubts. Besides supernatural intervention, how else do you explain the improvements we’ve seen to hydration, brightness, and tone since we started applying Egyptian Magic?
Well, it could be the all-natural ingredients. We have the bees to thank for those. This incredible formula adds beeswax, royal jelly, bee pollen, and honey to a base of moisturizing olive oil.
Okay, we admit it: We believe in magic now. Try this skin cream and you will, too.
Egyptian Magic All Purpose Skin Cream, $23.49 from Amazon
19. Cleanse and tone your skin the old-fashioned way.
Featuring natural ingredients and a bottle that wouldn’t be out of place in a 19th-century apothecary shop, Thayer’s Witch Hazel Toner is a timeless remedy for unhealthy skin.
This is about as simple as it gets, and it really works. Witch hazel and aloe refresh the skin while removing impurities. There’s nothing in this bottle that will dry or irritate the skin; it’s free of parabens, fragrance, and alcohol, and is totally hypoallergenic.
Maybe the old ways really are the best ways.
Thayers Alcohol-free Unscented Witch Hazel Toner, $10.30 from Amazon
20. Effortlessly remove makeup to keep skin fresh.
To paraphrase the Bard, we could be bounded in a nutshell and count ourselves kings of infinite space—were it not that we have bad skin.
It turns out makeup itself could be the culprit. When you don’t thoroughly cleanse your face at the end of the day, product can build up in the pores, leading to blemishes and dullness. The Clean It Zero Sherbet Cleanser from Banila uses papaya extract to complete the job of eliminating makeup. You don’t even have to rinse unless you feel like it; a layer of this stuff and a tissue are all it takes to keep your skin free and clear after a day of full makeup.
Banila Clean It Zero Sherbet Cleanser, $28.50 from Amazon
21. Get the most out of your favorite eyeshadow.
Thank Me Later eyeshadow primer takes your makeup game to a whole new level. It renders shadow waterproof, preventing the dreaded runny eye. It also prevents creasing and uneven distribution. Best of all, it lays down a transparent base that makes those colors pop.
As an added bonus, manufacturer Elizabeth Mott is registered in PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies program, which means the whole brand is cruelty-free. Now you can look rabbits in the eye; chances are they’ll be impressed by your eyeshadow.
Thank Me Later Primer, $13.06 from Amazon
22. Get rid of acne with a scientifically proven patch.
Washes and creams only go so far in the battle with acne. Acne Pimple Master Patches from COSRX cover and eliminate blemishes one at a time.
These translucent bandages stick directly to the skin, where they virtually disappear. They cover blemishes, preventing even worse outbreaks, and treat the zits where they form. This is gross, but pimples are little lumps of pus; Master Patches pull that stuff right out of the skin.
When the patch turns white, pull it off to reveal clean, pimple-free skin.
COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch, $4.97 from Amazon
23. This leave-in conditioner revitalizes hair that’s just about had enough.
Unlike ourselves, hair doesn’t get tired. It only looks that way. When your ’do goes limp, dry, and brittle, it’s time for a leave-in conditioner like Strengthen & Restore from Shea Moisture.
Jamaican black castor oil and apple cider vinegar really set this product apart. Peppermint stimulates the scalp while the shea-butter base softens and moisturizes.
Massage a dollop of this into your hair and say goodbye to split ends and brittleness. It’s gentle enough for colored and chemically treated hair and a treat for natural styles.
Shea Moisture Strengthen & Restore Leave-In Conditioner, $13.07 from Amazon
24. Sweeten your skincare routine with this sugar exfoliant.
Sugar may not be great for your waistline, but it’s excellent for the skin. And this Black Sugar Mask from Skinfood doesn’t just use any old sweetener.
This formula is packed with grains of Brazilian black sugar, which is famed for its rich mineral content. The granules gently rub away dead skin cells and blackheads while providing a welcome infusion of skin-friendly vitamins and minerals. We’re talking calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron, along with niacin and riboflavin.
In short, this is a natural way to keep your skin healthy. Just don’t eat it.
Skinfood Black Sugar Mask Wash Off Exfoliator, $9.60 from Amazon
25. Bubbles and mud? Sign us up. This is a peculiarly effective cleansing mask.
Elizavecca Milky Piggy Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask comes to us from the innovative Korean beauty scene, and it’s a winner right out of the gate. It’s designed to clean out pores and remove blackheads, leaving skin smooth, elastic, and beautiful.
So how does it work? Well, the charcoal-and-mud base absorbs excess oils, drawing them—and the pollutants they contain—from pores. Meanwhile, natural ingredients including pomegranate and green tea nourish the skin.
Our favorite part, though, is the carbonation. Gentle little bubbles massage your face, lifting away dirt as they rise. They appear after about five minutes, telling you it’s almost time to get cleaned up.
Elizavecca Milky Piggy Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask, $9.72 from Amazon
26. Refresh your skin throughout the day with this hydrating mist.
We can’t even remember how we got through the day before discovering hydrating facial sprays. Our current obsession is from Mario Badescu. This facial spray with aloe, herbs, and rosewater freshens skin when and where you need it. Just close your eyes and give your face a spritz.
Even the most cared-for skin can become dry and dull by the afternoon. This travel mist is the best way we’ve found to fix that problem, and it only takes a second.
Mario Badescu Facial Spray, $12.00 from Amazon
27. Pamper your lips while you sleep.
Do your lips need a little special care every now and then? Reach for the Lineage Lip Sleeping Mask. Apply to lips just before bed and you’ll wake up to smooth, bright, flake-free lips. Wipe off with a tissue and you’re ready for the day.
The secret is skin-friendly hyaluronic acid, which dissolves dead skin cells that can otherwise lead to cracking and flakiness. If you have issues with dryness and peeling and lip balm alone aren’t doing the trick, maybe it’s time for this intensive, overnight treatment.
LANEIGE Berry Lip Mask, $15.30 from Amazon
28. This is the top-selling exfoliation product in Japan.
Japanese skincare products are known for being ahead of the game. When that nation’s favorite skincare product hits our domestic market, it’s worth checking out. Thanks to Amazon, that’s not all hypothetical.
Cure Natural Aqua Gel gently exfoliates with a blend of natural botanicals, including ginkgo, aloe, and rosemary. It’s light enough for sensitive skin, but it’s ruthless on dry skin cells. According to the manufacturers, they sell a bottle every 12 seconds in Japan. Get yours while you can.
Cure Natural Aqua Gel, $24.25 from Amazon
29. Guys, it’s time to start moisturizing. Here’s how.
The skincare market typically skews female. We’re not wading into the gender wars here—it’s a spectrum, alright?—but some socio-behavioral factors do make the modern U.S. dude’s facial needs a little different. Shaving, for instance.
With all that in mind, RUGGED & DAPPER facial moisturizer is formulated particularly for men. Just ask the tagline: “Skin fuel for men.”
This stuff hydrates and nourishes the skin with quality botanicals. It’s fragrance-free, which is important for a lot of guys. And it absorbs fully into the skin, leaving a healthy matte finish, not a shiny oil slick.
RUGGED & DAPPER Face Moisturizer for Men, $23.70 from Amazon
30. Break down dirt, oils, and other pollutants with this all-natural cleansing stick.
It’s not easy to take care of delicate facial skin on the go. The Real Fresh Green Tea Cleansing Stick from Neogen solves that problem. It’s a pocket-sized tube full to the brim with natural oils, cleansers, and moisturizers. Plus, there’s the star of the show: Real particles of green tea leaf for gentle exfoliation and added nutrients.
Throw one of these in your overnight bag to keep your skin clean and beautiful no matter where your travels take you.
Neogen Real Fresh Cleansing Stick, $15.99 from Amazon
31. Enter a whole new era of face-washing.
Technology has been making hard things easy since the Monolith descended among the hominids. Now there’s a machine that can take your skincare routine into the next century and beyond.
The Clarisonic Facial Cleansing Brush uses a micro-massaging action to reach deep into pores, cleaning your face up to six times more effectively than using your hands alone. It couldn’t be easier to use. Just apply cleanser to your chosen brush head, pass it under the faucet, start on your forehead and press the on button. A timer prompts you to move from one section of your face to the next, removing dirt, oil, and old makeup in about a minute.
It’s no alien Monolith, but it’s still a pretty important leap forward.
Clarisonic Mia 2 Speed Facial Sonic Cleansing Brush, $119.00 from Amazon
32. Upgrade your skincare with the power of snails (no, seriously).
“Snail cream” doesn’t sound too…persuasive, but this luxuriously smooth formula uses 92 percent snail mucus extract.
It’s intended as an anti-aging cream, but it’s also adequate for treating acne scars, improving pore appearance, and resolving various other aesthetic skin problems. It’s easy to see why this cream has such a loyal following; it feels fantastic while providing fast results.
MIZON All-In-One Snail Repair Cream, $17.92 from Amazon
33. Clear up itchy, red skin with Puriya Wonder Balm.
We’re generally skeptical about “wonder” products, but Wonder Balm uses tried-and-true ingredients to get results. Tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil, lavender oil, and other natural antimicrobials help to fight the bacteria and fungi that cause common skin issues.
If you’ve got a mild itch, this is much cheaper than a trip to the dermatologist’s office—and, per the reviews, fairly effective.
Puriya Wonder Balm, $33.22 from Amazon
34. Blast your blemishes away with the natural power of tea tree oil.
Too many face creams attack acne by drying out your skin. Why trade one problem for another? Keeva’s flagship acne treatment cream moisturizes as it fights acne, all with five-star results.
This stuff is totally vegan, non-GMO, and paraben-free. It doesn’t even use soy. If you’re looking for a natural way to treat acne fast (without leaving your skin dry as dirt), Acne Treatment Cream from Keeva Organics is a pretty good bet.
Keeva Tea Tree Oil Acne Treatment, $49.85 on Amazon
35. Shape your eyebrows without painful waxing or plucking.
We tried eyebrow waxing. To quote the infomercials of yesteryear, “There has to be a better way!”
That’s when we found Noxzema Eyebrow Shapers. They’re just tiny razors, but it turns out that’s all you need to keep your brows in check. If you’ve shaved your legs or your pits, you won’t have any problem using these little razors.
Let’s face it: Waxing and plucking both hurt. Shaving is faster and less painful, and Noxzema Eyebrow Shapers make it pretty easy to shave your brows into submission.
Noxzema Eyebrow Shaper, 3 per Package, $9.99 from Amazon
36. Cure those puffy eyes, even early in the morning.
You may have guessed this, but we are not morning people. Our “morning eyes” tend to last into the early afternoon.
We should have tried TruSkin Eye Gel a long time ago. This blend of plant stem cells, amino acids, and vitamins diminish the puffiness, the dark circles, and even fine lines and crow’s feet. It’s like an extra four hours of sleep in a can.
There’s even a 90-day manufacturer guarantee, so why not give it a try?
TruSkin Naturals Eye Gel, $15.48 from Amazon
37. Clear up your skin and prevent breakouts.
Safe House Naturals’ Detox lives up to its name with a PETA-approved, cruelty-free formula with bentonite clay, activated charcoal, and coconut oil. The natural ingredients work together to reduce oil, preventing breakouts without drying out your skin (for best results, you should still follow up with a non-greasy moisturizer).
The manufacturer even offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, and with average reviews of over four stars, it’s extraordinarily effective.
Safe House Naturals Detox Face and Body Wash, $19.99 from Amazon
38. Fill out your eyebrows for a totally natural look.
It’s official: Full eyebrows are in. So where does that leave those of us with naturally thin brows?
When you need a little boost to shape and fill out eyebrows, reach for the Queen of the Fill eyebrow gel from Elizabeth Mott. It’s tinted for a fuller look without that drawn-on look we fear and abhor. A tapered brush gives you total control, allowing you to shape your eyebrows to perfection. Plus, this product is cruelty-free.
Queen of the Fill Tinted Eyebrow Makeup Gel, $15.00 from Amazon
