Talk Of The Team: The 15 Best Beauty Items Of 2023, Vetted By Our Editors

I truly cannot stop raving about this eye serum; neither can our beauty director Alexandra Engler, who is currently on her second bottle. As I declared once before: I never believed an eye product could do that much to treat my dark circles until I tried this formula.

The hyaluronic acid complex with low and medium molecular weights plump and hydrate the thin skin using the brand’s signature subtopical firming technology—a very cool, very innovative delivery system that makes sure those humectants actually penetrate the skin. It’s pricey, but it’s 100% worth the investment. — Jamie Schneider, senior beauty editor

I caught myself reaching for this SPF because I wanted a dewy glow and a nourishing primer—something I’ve never said about sunscreen before. The gentle formula comes with hydrating ceramides and skin-soothing allantoin for protection that works overtime. Anyone who hates the feeling of classic SPF will be shocked and sold by this product upon just one application—I’ve seen it happen with friends, family, and editors alike. 

Schneider also counts herself a fan: “This sunscreen doesn’t just sit well under makeup—with ceramides, peptides, hyaluronic acid, and allantoin, it actually enhances your look by leaving behind a dewy, plump film over your pores,” she says. — Hannah Frye, assistant beauty editor

Without question this is the best mascara of 2023—and is currently in competition for my favorite mascara of all time. The silky, richly pigmented formula glides onto lashes, instantly adding volume, lift, and fullness. It’s dramatic enough for a proper makeup lover, but never so much that it looks garish. It’s honestly just perfect. No notes. 

And honestly, even if it was just the superficial effect, I’d love it just the same. But this formula goes one step further and improves the look of your lashes while wearing it. It's infused with a special active (called Symlash 1631) and antioxidants (vitamin E, B5, and B3) that helps create fuller lashes overtime, too. — Alexandra Engler, beauty director

I'm admittedly very impatient when it comes to at-home beauty treatments. If I have to sit for 20 minutes, I likely won't commit to it. So I was immediately drawn to this 9-minute LED treatment, which cycles through each color (red, blue, and infrared light) for a mere three minutes each. Easy! 

And those few minutes do procure results: After a few weeks of treatments (at least three times per week), I noticed my skin looking brighter and much more even-toned. My dark spots faded in record time, and I even noticed less inflammation from picked pimples (hey, it happens to the best of us).  

I also hold a lot of tension in my forehead and scalp, so I especially love the added vibration therapy. I can literally feel my facial muscles relax. A bonus? Stimulating the scalp increases circulation in the hair follicles, so it’s great for hair growth, too. I’ll apply a hair growth serum, do my skin care routine, and enjoy my 9 minutes of pampering. — Schneider

Over the summer I was sent the entire collection of Love by Essie. I took a few of the shades home with me for testing—and fell hard. The plant-based collection glides on with ease, comes in 17 classic shades, and just looks chic. I haven’t worn a different brand of nail polish since, and that’s 100% the truth. 

I shouldn’t be surprised that Essie knocked it out of the park with a nail polish collection—it’s Essie for god sake—but I was delighted by the fact that the formula was 80% plant-based and that the bottle was designed with recycled materials and filled in a carbon neutral factory.

Hot tip: If you are someone who loves a red nail, I very much encourage you to get Lust For Life. I receive endless compliments on it. A real crowd pleaser, that cherry red. — Engler

Because I test so many products with strong actives, I’ve been hesitant to use retinol on a consistent basis—until this beginner-friendly gel came into my life. It’s my go-to retinol product in my skin cycling routine (right after exfoliation night) and it leaves my skin so soft and glowy in the a.m. 

It’s so gentle that cocokind founder Priscilla Tsai once told me she even layers it over exfoliating products with zero irritation; I don’t recommend making that a habit without a dermatologist’s blessing, but it’s a testament to the formula’s ability to comfort sensitive skin. The retinol complex (0.05% retinol, 0.025% time-released retinal, and 0.025% granactive retinoid) even comes buffered with soothing centella asiatica, aloe, and squalane—so there is literally no chance of angry skin, here. — Schneider

For some silly reason, it took me a while to test out Tower28’s new concealer. It received rave reviews from editors and users alike (including mindbodygreen’s team), but for some reason I only tested it out recently. And let me tell you: I regret all of those precious moments I could have spent with this heavenly concealer if I had just got myself a tube sooner. 

It glides on like a second skin, and blends into the surrounding complexion effortlessly. And throughout the day, it stays put—no smudges, fading, or folding into fine lines. I get countless complements on my complexion when I wear it, and I have no qualms about sharing that it’s my secret coverup. 

As Schneider notes, it became her favorite with one swipe: “It’s infused with hyaluronic acid and centella asiatica to calm and soothe sensitive skin, and the pigments are coated in lysine, an amino acid that supports collagen production. In terms of coverage, it’s not too thick (read: caky) yet not too sheer—truly a buildable concealer that leaves behind a weightless, skin-like finish. I won’t be replacing it any time soon!” — Engler

Whether applied to clean skin or to top off a full-face glam, this blush-meets-highlighter brings life to my complexion no matter how dull it’s looking. The creamy product adds a lift to the face through the power of subtle highlights that never look too much like glitter or shimmer. 

“The ‘Peachglow’ shade gives me the prettiest natural flush, no highlighter necessary, and I’m obsessed with the texture: bouncy and oh-so soft, like a cushion compact,” adds Schneider. The addition of hyaluronic acid and kukui oil make the blush a nourishing product, too. — Frye

Using niacinamide, alongside ferulic acid and amino sulfonic acid, this lightweight serum targets pigmentation concerns with aplomb. Instantly your skin will look brighter (it has a slight pearlescent finish), while the ingredients get to work to clear up dark spots.

It’s a brilliant formula because it tackles dark spots from all angles—from fighting their formation to fading existing ones. First up, niacinamide has been shown to inhibit excess pigment production that’s the root cause of dark spots. Then amino-sulfonic gently (gently!) exfoliates the surface to buff away existing marks. And finally, ferulic acid provides antioxidant protection to fight free radicals and inflammation—the things that trigger dark spot formation in the first place. 

I have a few remaining, and very stubborn, dark spots that I’m desperately trying to get rid of. But given my sensitive skin, I’m limited with choices. However, my skin has no issue with this lightweight, deeply effective formula. — Engler

This buttery hair mask is so luxuriously rich, I was shocked to find it tagged at $9.99! It has everything I could want in my weekly hair treatment: nutrient-dense ingredients (mango, shea, and avocado butters, plus glycerin and panthenol to usher water into the strands), a low-lift experience (you only need three to five minutes with this beauty), and a sophisticated, naturally-derived fragrance (this warm, woody scent rivals my favorite perfume). 

My parched strands feel noticeably softer and smoother after giving them this much-needed T.L.C., and it has stayed in my shower rotation since it launched over the summer. No doubt about it, this is a hair mask I will repurchase again and again. — Schneider

I’ve shared my adoration for this fragrance countless times since I got it, and I don’t plan on stopping any time soon. The combination of fresh fig with sensual musk and natural woods makes for an intoxicating and alluring scent on the skin that’s far different from any of the other fig fragrances on the market (which, by the way, has been a huge trend this year).

Since making this my staple fragrance, I’ve received endless compliments from friends, family, and my partner. It’s a crowd-pleaser, but not in a basic fashion. — Frye

As someone with very sensitive skin—who often talks about how sensitive their skin is—I get lots of queries for product recommendation. The good news is the sensitive skin market is quite impressive. Over the last several years, there have been so many wonderful new products and brands that I personally love, use, and recommend to other sensitive-skinned folks. Not to mention, the formulas are highly effective at soothing reactive skin, but also tending to a wide variety of other concerns. It is simply no longer true that “sensitive skin safe” equates to “boring formula.” 

Well, Aveeno was one of the originals in the space—and has long been a favorite brand of mine. I simply adored this new launch from them, which my skin practically drank up. It not only tempered my redness, but it helped smooth out fine lines and evened out some texture on my cheeks. I loved it so much that I promptly got myself a second bottle to keep the glowing results going. 

The formula’s made with cranberry extract, which is a gentle retinol alternative proven to ease the signs of aging such as texture, fine lines, and dark spots. It’s then infused with a barrier supporting niacinamide and soothing oat extract. I’ve encouraged many folks to get themselves a bottle, and no one has come back disappointed.  — Engler

There are three reasons I typically dread using dry shampoo: the white residue, the tacky feel, and the fact that it only works for about two hours. So, you can imagine my delight when I found this dry shampoo that changed the status quo on all of those fronts. 

On top of that, this formula adds tons of volume to flat and oily roots—so much so, that sometimes I use it just as a styler when my hair is clean, too. — Frye

Many complexion products claim they feel like a “second skin,” but trust me when I say that this U Beauty number really feels light as air. I can barely tell I have it on! The ingredient list closely resembles their beloved SUPER Hydrator, just with a flexible pigment that instantly fuses to the skin—a tinted moisturizer in its finest form.  

It features the brand’s patent-pending SIREN Capsule Technology, which lures free radicals to the skin like a magnet (or, you know, a siren being), only to neutralize them, immediately filling the skin with collagen-boosting ingredients, such as long-chain hyaluronic acid. U Beauty even has the clinicals to back up their claims, with 83% of consumers experiencing an increase in skin hydration after 24 hours. Super neat, no? — Schneider

There had to have been 20+ lip treatments hit the market this year from popular skin care and makeup brands, all taking a jab at a similar tubular-plumping concept—but this one is different. The ghee-based lip mask puts the health of your lips first, with a glowing and naturally full finish as the result.

I’m unafraid to speak the truth and tell you that since I started using this mask (most of the time, just once a day) my lips have not been chapped—like, at all. Plus, I’ve been using this same pot since it came out in May and it’s still going strong, so that proves how long it lasts. I’ve put my friends onto this one as well, all of them telling me it’s their holy grail, too. — Frye