I work in the editorial space, majorly on the beauty beat, so I have a full repertoire of lotions, potions and the like waiting for me in my bathroom vanity and makeup drawer. Make that drawers.
With each buzzy new body lotion launch or newly minted nude lipstick, I’m always the first to slather and lather, try and apply. Now, the ultimate edit of the best Amazon beauty products we reviewed has landed — and I’ve recruited some editors at Post Wanted to share their favorites, too.
Below, find the swoon-worthy smorgasbord of the best haircare, skincare, makeup and more to shimmy into your Amazon cart. Whether you’re eying e.l.f. Cosmetics or Sol de Janeiro, consider this your treat-yourself purchase. Or purchases.
Best Amazon Haircare Products We Reviewed
Keranique 2% Minoxidil Topical Solution
Pros:
- The precision nozzle makes it easy to spot treat thinning areas
- Non-sticky formula
Cons:
- It takes about 4 months of consistent use to see results
According to Cleveland Clinic, 30 million women experience hair loss at some point. If you’re part of this group, there are options, including Keranique Hair Regrowth Treatment. The 2% formula is gentler than the 5%, and its long nozzle makes it easier to target hard to reach spots on the back of the head.
“I have telogen effluvium, a condition brought on by stress,” Holly J. Coley, commerce updates editor, shared. “It makes your hair thin and fall out — obviously, very stressful! I tried this 5% minoxidil foam product, and it works. Unfortunately, it caused my scalp to itch and flake, so I had to stop using it. When my hair began thinning again (minoxidil is a lifelong beauty commitment), my dermatologist said I could try a 2% solution to see if it would be less irritating.”
Coley went with Keranique’s because one, it was on sale at the time, and two, she didn’t love how drying the foam was. “I was experiencing the most hair loss around my temples, and some sections of my part, so I liked how the long applicator made it easier to target those sections,” she added. “It was also less messy than the foam.”
It’s recommended to use every day, but since Coley already had some regrowth from when she was using the foam, she only applied the spray a few times a week. “Recently, I noticed that when I put my hair up, I couldn’t see as much of my scalp, which is huge,” she added. “I also use the shampoo and conditioner, which I like, but I’m fairly certain the spray is where all the magic is. I need to be more diligent with it, but there’s a definite improvement.”
Best Amazon Makeup Products We Reviewed
Julep Eyeshadow 101 Crème-to-Powder Waterproof Eyeshadow Stick
Pros:
- Contains anti-aging ingredients vitamins C and E
- No brush required
Cons:
- Eyeshadow stick is prone to breaking, so use with care
Eyeshadow sticks have been all the rage lately, and what better way to try out the latest trend than with Julep’s Eyeshado 101 stick? The now-$16 swiper is available in nearly every color under the sun and leaves a beautiful finish on your lids.
The Julep Eyeshadow Sticks are ones you should definitely not skip out on. When I’m in a hurry to catch the morning bus for work, I always reach for all of these because you can literally swipe them on — that’s it! There’s no creasing throughout the day like some powder eyeshadows I typically resort to in my palettes, making it an extremely practical buy. For the price, grab yourself a champagne color, a light brown shade, and then thank me later.
Best Amazon Skincare Products We Reviewed
COSRX Advanced 96% Snail Mucin Power Essence
Pros:
- Offers a glass skin effect instantaneously
- Impressive on dry skin types
- Excellent value for the money
Cons:
- May be too goopy and watery for some, though it’s buildable
For years, the COSRX Advanced Snail Mucin 96% Power Essence has been a must-have of mine for the sole reason that it’s replenishing, safe on my sensitive skin and creates that naturally dewy “glass skin” look that Korean skincare is best known for.
Don’t only take my word for it, either. More than 80,000 shoppers purchased this product on Amazon in the past month and it holds nearly the same amount of gleaming reviews. Not many people slot in an essence into their skincare routine (after all, using a face wash, moisturizer and SPF is the most basic routine a dermatologist would recommend), though this COSRX Snail Mucin arguably doubles as your best cleanser. It’s deeply hydrating, cleanses away impurities and is ideal to use both day and night.
This product is some kind of miracle in a bottle, and I don’t say that lightly. If there’s anything you pick up from this list, let it be this product. It’s nourishing serum-like qualities make it great for dabbing on after your cleanser. It’s also the most direct-hitting glass skin product I’ve tried from the brand at large.
How I use it: Following my COSRX Advanced Snail Mucin Gel Cleanser, I apply one to two pumps and blend it throughout my face, as you would a moisturizer. I focus extra on the apples of my cheeks and the tip of my nose — the areas where pores tend to be more noticeable on my skin. I use the product twice daily.
How we tested
I’ve been using the best beauty products I can get my hands on for years — even before I became a full-time commerce reporter. I’m well-versed in how to assess if a product *truly* works, so I abide by the skincare patch test, checking in hour-by-hour for makeup longevity and reading up on the best ingredients for certain hair concerns.
That said, I recruited some members of the Post Wanted team to share their favorites, too (after all, product recommendations live on our Slack channel and are already apart of our office banter). Here’s how we tested:
- Formulation: Whether it’s a haircare, makeup or skincare product, we looked into the ingredients of each product, how it applied and if the overall end formulation was effective and worth a purchase.
- Versatility: Some products are multi-taskers (think: heat protectants and frizz reducers). This versatility, if a product exhibited any, was taken into account.
- Comparative notes: Of course, we know a product is really good if it exceeds the results of others we have tried in the past. Throughout this guide — and infused within our other beauty reviews — are characteristics that stand out above the rest.
Meet the experts behind this article: Victoria Giardina, New York Post Commerce Journalist & Content Strategist, and P.J. McCormick, New York Post Commerce Deals Writer & Reporter. Victoria and P.J. combine for 7 years of experience writing shopping content for The Post, specializing in finding the very best products and deals to save readers money every day, but especially during major sale events like Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday. In an oversaturated shopping market, let them do the work for you. Not only do they scour the internet to confirm that our deals are really worth it, but they spend countless hours testing best-selling products first-hand to find the ones we actually recommend buying. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
