From the bathroom sink to the facial table, following a finely tuned skin-care regimen pays dividends. These are the heroes that will get you glowing.

From the bathroom sink to the facial table, following a finely tuned skin-care regimen pays dividends. These are the heroes that will get you glowing.

and Kara Jillian Brown

Skin care is the foundation of any beauty regimen—but the pursuit of healthy, glowing skin means something different to everyone. Whether you’re looking to calm a breakout, supercharge your dry skin, or get an instant glow before a big event, it all comes down to finding the right ingredients for your skin type and using a product you truly enjoy (because sensorial delight goes a long way).

From the cleanser that sets the stage for greatness to a sunscreen so good you’ll want to slather it on, we’ve got you covered. Below, shop the 34 best skin-care products of 2024.

Best Makeup Remover:

Dr. Barbara Sturm Make-Up Remover, $70.00 Shop Now

Since I first tried it last summer, Dr. Barbara Sturm’s makeup remover has been a permanent fixture in my medicine cabinet—and total lifesaver at the end of a late night. Its silky, non-greasy formula is unique in that it utilizes a dual-phase oil and micelle technology, which combines when you give the bottle a good shake. It only takes a couple of seconds to eviscerate the day’s makeup—yes, even highly pigmented eyeliner and lipstick. —Lauren Valenti, beauty director

Best Cleansing Balm:

True Botanicals Ginger Turmeric Cleansing Balm, $52.00 Shop Now

When I come home after a long day, the first thing I want to do is get my makeup off. And this cleansing balm makes that an easy and delightful experience. From the bright, herbaceous scent to the buttery texture, it feels amazing on my skin as it melts off the day’s grime. —Kara Jillian Brown, beauty editor

Best Exfoliating Cleanser:

Hyper! Hyper Even Gentle Brightening Cleansing Gel, $28.00 Shop Now

There's nothing better than a multitasking product. This Hyper! goodie allows you to cleanse your skin while gently exfoliating. It's made with balancing mandelic acid and a brightening botanical trio—licorice root, bearberry, and willow bark—to prevent the acne that leads to scarring while brightening past evidence and leading to clearer, more even-toned skin over time. —K.J.B.

Best Hydrating Cleanser:

ZO Skin Health Hydrating Cleanser, $49.00 Shop Now

When your skin is super dry, cleansing can be intimidating. This cleanser assuages all barrier-related worries, with its silky formula that hydrates, moisturizes, and soothes all while wiping away dirt and debris. You're left with clean, pillowy soft skin. —K.J.B.

Best At-Home Device:

LYMA Laser, $2,695.00 Shop Now

Low-level light and laser therapy using near-infrared light have multiple benefits to the skin, including increased blood flow, regulation of pigmentation, increased collagen synthesis, and reduced inflammation via a mechanism called photobiomodulation. Most home devices use LED light which is beneficial but cannot penetrate very deep. The LYMA laser, on the other hand, can deliver this wavelength of near-infrared light as a laser, therefore penetrating much more deeply and more powerfully. —Dan Belkin, M.D., board-certified dermatologist.

Best At-Home Peel:

Noble Panacea Overnight Chronobiology Peel, $300.00 Shop Now

This is one of the best at-home peels. It takes five alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), including glycolic, lactic, and mandelic acid, plus beta-hydroxy acid (BHA ) salicylic acid, and delivers them slowly to the skin during the early hours of the night. Then, it delivers centella asiatica, or "cica," a popular soothing ingredient, in the later hours of the night. You get an effective but totally gentle and non-irritating peel by morning. —D.B.

Best Purifying Mask:

The Outset Purifying Blue Clay Mask, $46.00 Shop Now

Clay masks are known for soaking up oil and leaving behind shine-free skin. But the best formulas do that without overdrying and stripping the skin. This creamy clay mask provides that perfect balance thanks to moisturizing glycerin, supportive sunflower seed oil, and soothing pansy extract. —K.J.B.

Best Moisturizing Mask:

Sisley Paris Black Rose Cream Mask, $200.00 Shop Now

Coat your skin in this decadent mask for instantly softer, smoother, and plumper skin. Wear the mask—a blend of black rose, chlorella, geranium extract, and more—for 10 to 15 minutes to see a refreshed and revitalized complexion. —K.J.B.

Best Soothing Mask:

Talika Bio Enzymes Hydrating Mask, $12.00 Shop Now

If you open my fridge, you’re guaranteed to see a stack of Talia’s Bio Enzymes hydrating masks in the crisper drawer. This French favorite is what I reach for whenever my skin needs a flood of hydration. It is especially useful ahead of a special event for a plumper, dewier complexion. I apply it right after I shower while my skin is still damp so that it can drink up all the hydration, and its soothing ingredients can help calm my rosy flush —L.V.

Best Overnight Mask:

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow AHA Night Treatment, $40.00 Shop Now

Glow Recipe’s Watermelon Glow AHA treatment is both lovely and serious business. I have sensitive skin, so I’m very careful about what resurfacing treatments I use, and this one supplies a perfectly balanced cocktail with exfoliating 2.5 percent pH-balanced AHA complex teamed with moisturizing hyaluronic acid and skin barrier-support niacinamide. After leaving this on overnight, I wake up with bright, smoother skin, and with noticeably smaller pores. —L.V.

Best Lip Mask:

Tatcha The Kissu Lip Mask, $29.00 Shop Now

The Tatcha Kissu lip mask is a great overall lip mask. It’s ultra-hydrating, isn’t sticky, doesn’t slide around, and you can mix it into any lip moment without creating a big, glossy lip. —Romy Solemani, celebrity makeup artist

Best Dark Spot Serum:

La Roche Posay Mela B3, $45.00 Shop Now

In terms of treatments for hyperpigmentation, many just repeat the same ingredients, pairing them together in different permutations. But Melasyl is one of the newest, most innovative ingredients. What this does is, it gobbles up the precursors of melanin so that we can’t make it to begin with. So pairing that with all the other ingredients that we use, like niacinamide, it works synergistically to really reduce hyperpigmentation. —Michelle Henry, M.D., board-certified dermatologist

Best Exfoliating Serum:

Sofie Pavitt Mandelic Clearing Serum, $54.00 Shop Now

At a great price point, this serum gives results for controlling breakouts and hyperpigmentation rather quickly. It feels very soothing while refining the skin texture. —Crystal Greene celebrity esthetician

Best Balancing Serum:

Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum VI, $89.00 Shop Now

When I use Sulwhasoo’s best-selling and recently reformulated First Care Activating serum—a potent mix of ginseng extract, Korean herb extract, and a vitamin C derivative—as the first step after cleansing, it not only yields brighter, softer, and plumper skin, but it sets the stage for what comes next in the most satisfying way, allowing for better absorption and furthering the ROI on my skin-care routine. —L.V.

Best Firming Serum:

Clarins Double Serum, $134.00 Shop Now

Did you know a bottle of Clarin’s Double Serum sells every five seconds? Not for nothing… What makes it such an icon, particularly if you’re trying to target the signs of aging, is its formulation, which hinges on a two-phase formula marrying water-soluble ingredients with oil-soluble ones to mimic the skin’s natural protective barrier. It also delivers an array of 21 potent plant extracts, including anti-inflammatory turmeric, nourishing avocado, and free radical-fighting banana. —L.V.

Best Brow Serum:

Obagi Medical Nu-Cil Eyebrow Boosting Serum, $145.00 Shop Now

I was introduced to this powerhouse brow serum by board-certified dermatologist Mona Gohara, M.D. It’s the only growth serum that helped her to grow fuller brows while managing alopecia areata. This is thanks to a complex that targets the anagen phase of the brow growth cycle, yielding fluffy and flourishing brows. So it’s safe to say I’m hooked. —K.J.B.

Best Eye Serum:

La Prairie Skin Caviar Eye Lift, $570.00 Shop Now

If you’ve got the budget and want to double down on treating the naturally thin and delicate eye area, La Prairie’s recently reformulated Skin Caviar Eye Lift serum is a robust tool for targeting fine lines and plumping the eye contour. It uses a dual-chamber bottle that supplies two different formulas—one encapsulated in caviar beads, the other in an innovative tourmaline-pink gel-cream emulsion—that come together in one silky emulsion. It supplies the brand’s proprietary Caviar Infinite, which works to strengthen and improve skin ligament structures for a more firm, lifted effect both immediately and over time. —L.V.

Best Eye Cream:

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Cream, $10.00 Shop Now

For seamless under-eye concealer, the less you have stacked up under your makeup, the better. That's why I love this velvety gel-cream formula. It floods my most delicate skin with hydration without being too heavy or greasy, sitting beautifully under makeup. —K.J.B.

Best Gel Moisturizer:

Clinique Moisture Surge, $29.00 Shop Now

This soft pink gel-cream is a go-to when I need maximum moisture under a full face of makeup. Aloe, hyaluronic acid, and a blend of vitamins C and E come together to ensure I’m covering all of my bases—namely, deep hydration with antioxidants fighting free radical damage and improving texture and tone—as it melts down into a smooth base. —L.V.

Best Cream Moisturizer:

Estée Lauder Re-Nutriv Ultimate Diamond Soft Creme, $225.00 Shop Now

I love the lightweight texture of this product. A little goes a long way, and my skin feels firmer and brighter. —C.G.

Best Face Oil:

Bobbi Brown Extra Face Oil, $78.00 Shop Now

I’m extremely particular with face oils, and can attest that Bobbi Brown’s Extra Face Oil is a true standout. Its combination of oils (olive, sesame, sweet almond, and jojoba) and antioxidant-rich vitamin E, a true hero for moisturizing, strengthening the skin barrier, and reducing the appearance of dark spots, gives my dry skin what it needs, but without the greasiness that often turns me off of oils. What’s more, I adore the subtle earthy scent. —L.V.

Best Sunscreen Stick:

Bloomeffects Tulip Dew Shield & Glow SPF Sunstick, $32.00 Shop Now

Without a doubt, this is my favorite sunscreen in the world. First things first, the formula is delightful. It's super moisturizing (a rarity for mineral formulas) and rubs in totally sheer. Plus, it's a stick, which makes application a breeze. —K.J.B.

Best Mineral Sunscreen:

Isdin Eryfotona Actinica, $70.00 Shop Now

Ask any dermatologist about their favorite mineral sunscreens for skin of color, and this one tops their list. It has a gorgeous texture that rubs in sheer for protection against UV rays. It's also a great pick for those with combo to oily skin, as it dries down to a satin finish. For even more protection, the formula includes plankton-derived enzymes to repair damage caused by the sun.—K.J.B.

Best Chemical Sunscreen:

Kiehl’s Better Screen UV Serum, $42.00 Shop Now

An SPF with a serum-like consistency? It sounds too good to be true. But leave it to Kiehl’s to do the impossible with a light-as-air yet potent elixir that supplies SPF 50+ UVA/UVB protection while also giving the skin a healthy dose of collagen peptides to undo UV damage. I love how beautifully it blends into my skin; plus, a little goes a long way and the small bottle is great for travel. —L.V.

Best Lip Balm:

Naturium Lip Balm, $10.00 Shop Now

I just love this lip balm because it's super, super hydrating. It's made with squalene and shea butter. Squalene is part of the sebum that we naturally make, so it's a very natural way to hydrate the skin. And then shea butter is more occlusive. The combination really helps to not only soften the skin but occlude the skin in such a way that it holds in moisture. I have one in my pocket at all times. —M.H.

Best Body Wash:

Olay Indulgent Moisture Body Wash, $13.00 Shop Now

I have super dry skin, so a hydrating body wash is a must. I love that this rich and creamy wash drenches my skin in vitamin B3 to strengthen and fortify my skin barrier while gently cleansing. Plus, the scent is a sweet and gorgeous mix of rose and cherry. —K.J.B.

Best Body Scrub:

Aesop Geranium Leaf Body Scrub, $40.00 Shop Now

These days, my everything shower is never complete without Aesop’s gorgeous Geranium Leaf scrub. Even with my sensitive skin and the KP (keratosis pilaris) on my limbs, it’s a reliably gentle exfoliation treatment with hydrating bamboo stem, soft pumice, and soothing geranium leaf. And, of course, the fresh green scent is absolutely divine. —L.V.

Best Body Moisturizer:

Kate McLeod Daily Stone, $45.00 Shop Now

Before I met the Daily Stone, I hated putting on body lotion. I find the act of pump-spread-repeat incredibly tedious; plus, the easy-to-spread formulas aren't nourishing enough, and the heavy creams take forever to rub in. What Kate McLeod has created with the Stone is special. As I glide the cocobutter stone across my body, it melts into my skin, providing deep, long-lasting moisture. Now, I actually look forward to moisturizing my body. —K.J.B.

Best Body Oil:

Retrouvé Baume Ultime Body Oil, $240.00 Shop Now

When it comes to skin care, the body is the new face. So when my below-the-neck skin needs that extra dose of moisture, I look to Retrouvé’s Baume Ultime Body Oil (accurately touted as a face treatment *for* the body) to lock things in while my skin is still damp after a shower. When I do, its cocktail of vitamin E, vitamin C, ceramides, and avocado work their magic to leave my body brighter, smoother, and softer than I ever thought possible. —L.V.

Best Body Serum:

SIDIA Braless: The Body Serum, $52.00 Shop Now

Since it launched, I’ve adored Sidia's cult-favorite body serum, a supercharged mix of hyaluronic acid, squalane, and prickly pear, for giving my dry skin some TLC. Only upping the ante was it being offered in their “Braless” scent, the spicy, woody smell I can’t get enough of. —L.V.

Best Deodorant:

AKT London The Deodorant Balm, $43.00 Shop Now

One of the most exciting innovations I’ve come across in the underarm realm, AKT London’s The Deodorant Balm truly elevates the category both in odor-neutralizing results and what the ritual of applying deodorant can be. Created by a duo of theater performers from London's West End, this natural deodorant balm is powerful, can be used anywhere on the body, and comes in an array of stunning scents, from zingy citrus SC.01 to amber violet SC.05. The sleek monochrome tubes are also plastic-free. —L.V.

Best Self-Tanner:

Tan Luxe The Body, $60.00 Shop Now

Any natural tan represents DNA damage that has already been done and will always come back to bite you in the form of sunspots (lentigines), crusty spots (keratoses), and wrinkling. I recommend these drops, which you can mix into your moisturizer to get a really beautiful, glowy, and natural-looking fake tan. This way, you can practice sun avoidance without being pasty. —D.B.

Best Hand Cream:

Chanel La Crème Main, $62.00 Shop Now

Treat your hands to nothing but the best with this stunning and easy-to-tote-around cream from Chanel. It's packed with glycerin, a tried-and-true ingredient that leaves skin soft and cared for. But the real star is a complex of camellia-derived ceramides, oil, and yeast for super-nourished and fortified skin. —K.J.B.

Best New In-Office Treatment:

Juvéderm Volux, Varies Shop Now

Volux is a new filler from Allergan approved specifically for enhancement of the jawline. It is firm, expansive, and long-lasting, making it a perfect product to enhance the bone structure of the chin or angles of the jaw. My patients love their results from this even with just one syringe. —D.B.

Credits

• Photographer:
• Ruo Bing Li

• Models:
• Alexis Grace for State Management; Gabrielle Richardson and Marley Betty for Muse Management

• Makeup:
• Rebecca Alexander

• Hair:
• Yukiko Tajima

• Nails:
• Aja Walton

• Stylist:
• Kevin Huynh