Best Skincare Products of 2023
Here's the final, official list of my favorite beauty finds this year!
If you saw me on the street, you wouldn’t think twice that I’m your average, normal person walking around.
You might think “hey, she has great skin!”, but you wouldn’t know I have a massive secret . . .
My apartment is nearly overflowing with hundreds and hundreds of skincare and beauty products.
Some of them I bought, some of them were gifted to me by skincare brands, and most of them I didn’t think were worth writing to you guys about.
So, as I’m sitting here thinking about my year-in-review, it’s time to give you an update on the absolute best products I found this year.
Here’s the official list for 2023:
Best Overall: CurrentBody Skin LED Mask
Best Skincare Set: Exponent Discovery Kit
Best Cleanser: H2.O Facial Cleanser
Best Moisturizer: Naturium Marshmallow Root Barrier Balm
Best Retinol Serum: FaceTheory Hyaluret Serum S13
Best Vitamin C Serum: Naturium Vitamin C Complex
Best Peptide Serum: Medik8 Liquid Peptides
Best Eye Cream: FaceTheory OcuWake Pro
Best Acne Treatment: Murad Deep Relief Acne Treatment
Best Skincare Device: Banish The Banisher 2.0
Best SPF: Vertra Beach Break Daily Facial Moisturizer SPF 30
Best Facial Oil: True Botanicals Pure Radiance Oil
In this article, I’ll walk you through each of these products, why I loved them so much (so much that I kept repurchasing most of them!), and whether they’re right for you.
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Best Overall: CurrentBody Skin LED Mask
Nothing could have prepared me for how incredible red light therapy is.
I’ve read all the studies, heard all the anecdotes, and seen all the transformations, and I was still blown away by how incredible CurrentBody’s Red Light Therapy Mask is.
I no longer have hormonal acne, my skin has never been glowier, my eyebrows are thicker, a couple of dark spots I had faded away . . . need I say more?
If I could buy this product a thousand times, I would. 10/10 loved it.
For more information, read my full review of CurrentBody’s Red Light Therapy Mask.
Heads up – you can get $60 off a purchase of the CurrentBody LED Face Mask and a 60-day money-back guarantee with my code STACYLED.
Best Skincare Set: Exponent Discovery Kit
If you’re new to skincare and you want to experiment with anti-aging products, I wouldn’t bother trying to go to a thousand brands trying to find stuff that works.
Just try this like I did.
Exponent’s Discovery Kit uses incredible packaging that allows you to create single doses of each product each time you use it so the product stays fresh and you can see exactly how your skin reacts before you purchase a whole big bottle of it.
It’s also easier to travel with and includes retinol, vitamin C, and a coenzyme Q10 serum that I rarely see other brands offer.
Best Cleanser: H2.O by biöm
Well, I’m biased . . . because I made it. But this is, without a doubt, the best cleanser of 2023.
Other cleansers that you’re used to use cheap, harsh surfactants that strip away your natural oils and compromise your skin barrier.
Those brands use old, outdated ingredients and cut corners to make basic cleansers thinking you won’t know the difference.
Worse, they grab the cheapest formula possible from a foreign supplier, slap a label on it, and try to pass it off as an innovative product.
Here’s what sets H2.O apart:
At 10%, the key ingredient, acetamidoethoxyethanol, interacts with water and keratin (skin protein) to keep the water molecules tightly bound in your stratum corneum.
It is the first-of-its-kind, next-generation hydrator that outperforms every other humectant both at initial application and after 30 hours.
Plus, acetamidoethoxyethanol is non-tacky and totally safe for people with texture sensitivities, unlike glycerin.
And I threw a couple of other incredible ingredients you’ll love, but you’ll have to try it for yourself to experience the magic!
Getting overwhelmed? Don’t worry - I put together a complete, easy, quick skincare guide here:
Best Moisturizer: Naturium Marshmallow Root Barrier Balm
I wrote about Marshmallow Root Barrier Balm a ton when I first got it a few months ago, and for a good reason.
If you have dry skin, this will be your new holy grail moisturizer.
Packed with tons of skin-loving ingredients like black seed oil and extracts that fight redness in a near occlusive-like balm, this stuff feels like a pillow you apply to your face.
I’d rank this as one of my greatest purchases of the year (if not all time . . . okay, that might be dramatic).
Best Retinol Serum: FaceTheory Hyaluret Serum S13
I use tretinoin, not retinol anymore, but I think FaceTheory’s Hyaluret Serum is one of the absolute best retinol serums for beginners.
It uses a derivative of retinol that shows improved bioavailable of standard retinol and is super hydrating which is a perfect combination to counteract the drying effects.
That said, this is more of a serum, so if you want something with more of a lotion texture, I’d suggest trying out CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum.
Unlike retinol, tretinoin is a prescription medication.
If you don’t have insurance or simply don’t want to deal with going in to see a dermatologist, I suggest checking out a reputable online pharmacy like UluRX.
They also do cool things a traditional derm can’t, like creating custom formulas for your specific needs.
Best Vitamin C Serum: Naturium Vitamin C Complex
Vitamin C is the second most powerful anti-aging ingredient in skincare behind retinol, but not all formulations are winners.
I like this serum from Naturium because it uses pure l-ascorbic acid and stabilizes it in a unique delivery system with gold.
The formula also includes sodium ascorbyl phosphate, a derivative of vitamin C with anti-acne and brightening properties, and a few different fruit extracts with antioxidant effects.
I also like Paula’s Choice C15 Super Booster and Protocol Vitamin C Superserum, though they’re both a bit pricier.
Best Peptide Serum: Medik8 Liquid Peptides
This is one of my very favorite peptide products and one of few that I actually think is worth the price point.
Formulating in a light, hydrating serum, Medik8 Liquid Peptides packs in targetted peptides to target everything from fine lines to expression lines all in one simple step.
I like using this one morning and night after my main treatment (vitamin C or azelaic acid in the morning, retinoids at night).
If this is all getting confusing, don’t worry! I offer 1:1 consultations here:
Best Eye Cream: FaceTheory OcuWake Pro
What can I say, I love FaceTheory!
OcuWake Pro is packed with peptides and a phenomenal ingredient for improving microcirculation underneath your eyes and reducing dark circles, hexylresorcinol.
I also liked Banish’s Eye Cream this year for the lovely cooling effect, but this one from FaceTheory wins out for the anti-aging peptides.
I have a bunch of other eye creams to test out lying around the house, so this might change in the future.
Heads up, you can get 20% off at FaceTheory using my code STACY20.
Best Acne Treatment: Murad Deep Relief Acne Treatment
If you have hormonal acne and don’t want to spring for the red light therapy device I mentioned earlier, try this treatment from Murad.
Deep Relief Acne Treatment is a milky-ish serum that combines salicylic acid with a phytosteroid to treat those pesky under-the-skin blemishes that hurt terribly and are impossible to pop.
I mean, it’s great for treating regular acne too, but hormonal acne is where this product really shines.
Best Skincare Device: Banish The Banisher 2.0
Microneedling is a new at-home procedure for me. I was scared to try it at home, but The Banisher makes it so easy.
I also appreciate that the needles are only .5mm as that’s way safer than some of these other devices.
Basically, I just soak the needle part in rubbing alcohol for 5 minutes and then slowly use it all over my face and hairline.
The idea is that creating these tiny channels in your skin stimulates a wound-healing response that soothes inflammation, stimulates collagen production, helps get rid of dark spots, promotes hair growth, and a host of wonderful things.
Overall, I’m super pleased with this device and will keep using it weekly.
Best SPF: Vertra Beach Break Daily Facial Moisturizer SPF 30
I am so picky about sunscreen.
I hate the smell of most of them, many have weird textures or leave my skin greasy, etc.
That’s why I was so delighted to finally find Beach Break from Vertra.
The package is unique - basically, the pump for the product doesn’t come out until you twist the tube, so there’s no way for it to leak in my bag.
Plus, the formula is lightweight and moisturizing, has a pleasant scent (well, I can’t smell it but other people have said I smell good while I was wearing it and I was like . . . yeah, no perfume, that’s just my SPF lol), and 0 greasy or tacky feeling afterward.
I would repurchase this sunscreen and its sister products, the sunscreen sticks.
Best Facial Oil: True Botanicals Pure Radiance Oil
If I were stranded on a desert island, I would bring Pure Radiance Facial Oil before I would any water or a cell phone.
Okay, so maybe that’s too dramatic.
But I use this facial oil nearly every single night without fail. It’s the ultimate sealant after using strong actives like retinol or tretinoin, and it doesn’t feel greasy or anything.
I find it’s more nourishing than your average cheap oil (although I still love rosehip oil) and absorbs more easily.
My skin is way more hydrated, plump, and glowy in the mornings when I use Pure Radiance Oil at night.
The Bottom Line
Man, I’ve tried so many other amazing products this year that don’t quite have a place in any of the categories on my list.
Like, True Botanicals Everything Rescue Balm saved my cracked, bleeding nose earlier this winter.
And I finally found a foundation I like, Blunder Cover.
And Circcell’s Discoloration Potion is the perfect moisturizer to use under SPF thanks to the iron oxides that help block blue light.
And Epres Bonding Treatment that I found was 1000x more effective than Olaplex.
Sigh - there will never be enough time in the world to test all the products I want to try and write about.
But a girl can try!
And hey, if you’ve stuck with me all year . . . well, I wouldn’t be able to do this without all of you.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
All my love,