Spring Beauty O-Wards 2018

Photo: Jeffrey Westbrook

2018's Best Beauty Buys

It's a beautiful time of year—when we unveil our favorite finds for glowing skin, bouncy hair and a makeup look that's fast and flawless. From a magically transforming cleanser to lipsticks so bold your friends will reach for their sunglasses, these are the products that earned a standing O.

Photo: Jeffrey Westbrook

Face: Classic Cleansers

Complexion perfection is the name of the game. These products will have you looking radiant and fresh, whatever your skin type.
(from left)

Best for dry skin: CeraVe Hydrating Micellar Water
Game-changing micellar water effectively removes makeup, dirt and oil but leaves skin plump, not parched.
$10, drugstores

Best for oily skin: Elizabeth Arden SuperStart Probiotic Cleanser Whip To Clay
It starts as a mousse, turns into dirt-busting clay and, with water, finishes as a silky lather for a face that feels soft and purified.
$34, ElizabethArden.com

Best for combination skin: Cetaphil Gentle Foaming Cleanser
Get rid of your T-zone's oil slick without stripping skin of its natural moisture with this dermatologist-recommended cleanser.
$9, drugstores

Best for sensitive skin: Garnier SkinActive Soothing Cleansing Milk
If your complexion is a delicate situation, you'll love this rose water–rich wash. Makeup slips off, but natural moisture remains.
$9, drugstores

Photo: Jeffrey Westbrook

Face: Daring Day Creams

(from left)

Best for dry skin: Clinique Moisture Surge 72-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator
A refreshing gel-cream that's lightweight but seriously moisturizing.
$39, Clinique.com

Best for oily skin: Murad Nutrient-Charged Water Gel
A blend of peptides, vitamins and minerals works synergistically to reinforce skin's protective barrier, all in an oil-free formula.
$60, Murad.com

Best for combination skin: Olay Total Effects Whip Active Moisturizer
This light-as-air hydrator absorbs as soon as it touches your face, helping to even tone and downplay pores.
$30, drugstores

Best for sensitive skin: L'Oréal Paris Revitalift Cicacream Anti-Wrinkle + Skin Barrier Repair
This lotion strengthens skin's barrier to help block moisture loss and is kind to sensitive types.
$18, drugstores

Photo: Jeffrey Westbrook

Face: Notable Night Creams

(from left)

Best for dry skin: Clarins Extra-Firming Nuit
Wake up looking more youthful, thanks to kangaroo flower and moonstone extracts that help minimize droopiness and fine lines.
$93, Clarins.com

Best for oily skin: Glytone Night Renewal Cream
Glycolic acid works to unclog pores and smooth skin's surface, while a vitamin A derivative helps rev up the production of collagen underneath.
$76, Glytone-USA.com

Best for combination skin: DERMADoctor Kakadu C High Potency Evening Oil
Treat yourself to an antioxidant super-dose while you sleep: It helps undo damage without clogging pores.
$74, Ulta.com

Best for sensitive skin: Simple Water Boost Skin Quench Sleeping Cream
You and your cranky complexion can rest easy knowing there are no dyes, fragrances or parabens added.
$10, drugstores

Photo: Jeffrey Westbrook

Face: Top Treatments

(from left)

Best for dry skin: Paula's Choice Rehydrating Moisture Mask
Your thirsty outer layer will thank you for this comforting cushion of überhydrators, such as borage, jojoba and olive fruit oils.
$30, PaulasChoice.com

Best for oily skin: Neutrogena Deep Clean Purifying 100% Hydrogel Mask
Infused with seaweed extract, this mask leaves skin looking healthy and feeling refreshed after a single session.
$3, Neutrogena.com

Best for combination skin: Korres Pomegranate AHAs & Enzymes Resurfacing Mask
Alpha hydroxy acids, enzymes and pomegranate grains exfoliate skin three ways for maximum radiance.
$34, KorresUSA.com

Best for sensitive skin: Dermalogica Barrier Defense Booster
Resolve irritation and dehydration with a soothing, nourishing concentrated blend of squalane and oat oil.
$75, Dermalogica.com

Photo: Jeffrey Westbrook

Anti-Aging for All

The greatest ways to diminish lines, banish bags and bid farewell to brown spots, no matter your skin tone or type.
(from left)

StriVectin Wrinkle Recode Line Transforming Melting Serum
An exclusive form of vitamin B3 and oils, such as macadamia, work to help make even the deepest grooves a thing of the past.
$89, Strivectin.com

Perricone MD Cold Plasma+ Eye
What do copper tripeptides, vitamin C ester, and omega-3s have in common? Together they dramatically diminish bags and dark circles and firm the eye area to visibly improve the appearance of crow's-feet.
$110, PerriconeMD.com

Vichy LiftActiv Vitamin C Brightening Skin Corrector
Less is more in this potent serum. It may contain only 11 ingredients, but one of them is 15 percent pure vitamin C, known for its expert ability to fade dark spots.
$28.50, drugstores

Photo: Jeffrey Westbrook

Cosmetics

Whether you're a makeup minimalist or you paint with all the colors of the wind, you'll find plenty to play with here.

Cosmetics: Highlighter

Hourglass Vanish Flash Highlighting Stick

Use one of these five long-wearing glow-getters to accent cheekbones, browbones—anywhere you want to draw attention. It's the next-best thing to traveling with your own lighting crew.

$42 each, Sephora.com

Photo: Jeffrey Westbrook

Cosmetics: Bronzer

L'Oréal Paris True Match Lumi Bronze It Bronzer

Whether you want sculpted cheekbones or a luminous finish, this lustrous powder delivers. Bonus: The compact's ample size (it makes your palm look small) means it will last you all spring and well into summer.

$15 each, Walmart

Photo: Jeffrey Westbrook

Cosmetics: Eyeliner

Maybelline New York Lasting Drama Light Eye Liner Pencil

On crazy mornings, this shimmery liner is all you need to look polished. The waterproof cream pencil lasts all day and is available in five flattering metallic shades.

$6 each, drugstores

Photo: Jeffrey Westbrook

Cosmetics: Lipstick

Fenty Beauty Mattemoiselle Plush Matte Lipstick

Get the best of both worlds: a modern matte finish with a surprisingly creamy texture. And while you'll find the standard scarlet and nude among the 14 shades, you'll also discover more unexpected options, like forest green and navy.

$18 each, Sephora.com

Photo: Jeffrey Westbrook

Cosmetics: Tinted Balm

Dior addict Lip Glow Color Reviver Balm

This is tinted lip balm 2.0. There's mango butter for a soft, kissable pout, but the real magic is the color formula, which reacts with your own lips to achieve a unique hint of color.

$34 each, Dior.com

Photo: Jeffrey Westbrook

Cosmetics: Powder Eyeshadow

Bobbi Brown Luxe Eye Shadows

When it comes to powder shadows, the proof is in the richness of the color—and these are flush. One flick of the brush gets you intense, saturated color with an incandescent metallic finish. Add a drop of water, and it turns into molten metal.

$38 each, BobbiBrownCosmetics.com

Photo: Jeffrey Westbrook

Cosmetics: Blush

Chantecaille Philanthropy Cheek Shade

It's nice when a blush gives you a gorgeous lit-from-within look. When it does that and your purchase supports conservation projects, saving animals from honeybees to sea turtles, you're getting and preserving natural beauty.

$40, Chantecaille.com

Photo: Jeffrey Westbrook

Cosmetics: Foundation

Giorgio Armani Beauty Face Fabric

Here's one that's become even better with age: The updated version of this ten-year-old formula is a lightweight fluid available in 12 tones and made with a 3-D polymer that blurs imperfections and spreads evenly over the contours of your face for a seamless effect.

$49, ArmaniBeauty.com

Photo: Jeffrey Westbrook

Cosmetics: Concealer

MAC Studio Waterweight Concealer

When it comes to concealer, you want full coverage that's easy to blend and comes in plenty of shades. In 16 hues, this formula ticks all the boxes. Good on paper—and on you.

$23, MACCosmetics.com

Photo: Jeffrey Westbrook

Cosmetics: Mascara

CoverGirl Peacock Flare Mascara

Consider this lengthening, thickening formula a wimpy-lashes wingwoman. It comes in five increasingly intense shades of black (from a daytime coal to evening ebony) and has a brush with alternating rows of bristles for super separation.

$8, drugstores

Photo: Jeffrey Westbrook

Hair: Styling Saviors

Anyone will benefit from adding these items to their routine—they're what good hair days are made of.
(from left)

Tresemmé Compressed MicroMist Level 3 Hair Spray
If you equate hairspray with shellacked helmets of hair, you're in for a surprise. This superfine mist easily disperses to give you complete distribution, while the fast-drying, flexible formula will hold off humidity for 24 hours.
$5, drugstores

T3 Cura Luxe Hair Dryer
This model is going to blow you away: It has five heat and two speed settings plus a cool-shot switch to make the results as customizable as your morning latte.
$250, Amazon.com

Bumble and Bumble Color Gloss in Clear
Salon colorists usually recommend a transparent gloss to give hair shine. Now you can do the deed at home with a product that hydrates for softness in addition to delivering a mirrorlike finish.
$34, BumbleAndBumble.com

Photo: Jeffrey Westbrook

Hair: Styling Saviors

(from left)

For fine hair: OGX Bodifying + Fiber Full Root Boosting Spray Mousse
It lifts hair to fabulous new heights using plant collagen and bamboo fibers.
$9, drugstores

For frizzy hair: Living Proof No Frizz Instant De-Frizzer
To corral unruliness, spray it on dry hair. You can reduce frizz by up to 92 percent thanks to a blend of oils and emollients.
$26, LivingProof.com

For damaged hair: Dove Style + Care Smooth and Shine Heat Protection Spray
Heat tools create beauty and destruction. This complex stops the damage.
$5, drugstores

For dry hair: Herbal Essences Bourbon Manuka Honey Oil-Infused Crème
What sounds like a craft cocktail is a refreshing drink for hair, imparting softness.
$6, drugstores

Photo: Jeffrey Westbrook

Hair: Shining Shampoos

(from left)

Best for fine hair: John Frieda Luxurious Volume Core Restore Protein-Infused Shampoo
Pump up limp strands with this body builder: Plant-derived proteins leave hair insanely full.
$12, Ulta.com

Best for frizzy hair: L'Oréal Paris Elvive Smooth Intense Smoothing Shampoo
This winner has a kera-oleo complex that tames flyaways and keeps hair looking sleek for up to three days.
$5, drugstores

Best for damaged hair: Carol's Daughter Green Supreme Sulfate-Free Shampoo
Matcha, coconut, and moringa extract strengthen the most fragile hair.
$10, CarolsDaughter.com

Best for dry hair: René Furterer Karité Hydra Hydrating Shine Shampoo
Healthy fats aren't just good for your diet: The natural oils here take strands from straw to silk.
$30, ReneFurtererUSA.com

Photo: Jeffrey Westbrook

Hair: Charming Conditioners

(from left)

Best for fine hair: Pantene Pro-V Sheer Volume Foam Conditioner
Tiny bubbles mix with moisturizing ingredients to create a creamy whipped mousse that hydrates hair without dragging it down.
$7, drugstores

Best for frizzy hair: R+Co Television Perfect Hair Conditioner
Dreaming of glossy hair? This hydrator is formulated with babassu seed oil to help smooth wisps.
$32, RAndCo.com

Best for damaged hair: Dark and Lovely Damage Slayer The Strengthener Conditioner
This reparative rinse-out reinforces weak bonds, making hair less prone to breakage.
$7, SallyBeauty.com

Best for dry hair: Garnier Whole Blends Oat Delicacy Gentle Conditioner
Soothing oat milk and rice cream will calm a sensitive scalp and deeply moisturize.
$4.50, drugstores

Photo: Jeffrey Westbrook

Hair: Tress Treatments

(from left)

Best for fine hair: Aveda Invati Advanced Scalp Revitalizer
Massage in this energizing serum with tangerine peel and organic turmeric, and your strands will plump up in an instant.
$65, Aveda.com

Best for frizzy hair: S.Oil Serum + Oil
Just a few drops before you shampoo will hit reset on frazzled tresses, repairing damage, protecting against split ends and adding shine.
$68, ThreeSquaresSoil.com

Best for damaged hair: Nexxus Keraphix Reconstructing Treatment
With keratin and collagen, this formula delivers the amino acids that make your hair resilient.
$16, drugstores

Best for dry hair: Virtue Restorative Treatment Mask
For hair that's super dry, this mask is like an oasis. Baobab seed oil, quinoa and keratin reduce split ends and breakage.
$28, VirtueLabs.com

Photo: Jeffrey Westbrook

Best Body

TLC isn’t just a face thing. Treat the whole you with the same love and attention you've been lavishing on your complexion—and revel in the top-to-toe rewards.
(from top left to bottom right)

Eucerin Eczema Relief Hand Crème
Even those who don't suffer from the skin condition will benefit from a recipe that uses licorice root, colloidal oatmeal and ceramides to tamp down redness, itchiness and irritation.
$7, drugstores

La Roche-Posay Lipikar Lotion Daily Repair
This shea butter-enriched formula, which got the thumbs-up from the National Eczema Association, is a champion reliever of flakes and dryness.
$18, drugstores

Dove Exfoliating Body Polish
Available in three delicious varieties, this luscious scrub takes care of scaly skin with silica and replenishes with the brand's legendary moisturizing cream.
$6, drugstores

REN Aha Smart Renewal Body Serum
The gorgeous results you get from using alpha hydroxy acids on your face can also happen from the neck down. Smoother arms, legs and feet can be yours, too.
$42, Sephora.com

Chanel Chance Body Oil Spray
Lock in moisture after you shower with a few pumps of this silky mist, redolent of pink peppercorn, jasmine and patchouli.
$45, Chanel.com

Vaseline Intensive Care Cocoa Radiant Smoothing Body Butter
Cracked heels and dry elbows are no match for a combination of ultrarich cocoa and shea butters that skin absorbs with lightning speed.
$6, target.com

Love, Beauty and Planet Radical Refresher Showerless Cleansing Mist
We're not suggesting you skip bathing altogether—but for those times you can't do the whole shower thing, a few spritzes of this paraben-free elixir of coconut water and mimosa flower will leave you feeling fresh.
$9, LoveBeautyAndPlanet.com

St. Tropez Self Tan Purity Bronzing Water Mousse
Look and feel like you've just been on a tropical vacation. With its fragrant green mandarin water, this lightweight mousse gives you a streak-free glow and the calm you can have only after waking up from a restorative nap in the sun.
$42, Sephora.com

Photo: Jeffrey Westbrook

SPF Superheroes

UV rays—they're out there, and they're ready to wreak havoc on your skin. Luckily, we found six super new ways to stop them.
from left

Hawaiian Tropic Antioxidant + Sunscreen Lotion with SPF 30
The sun's UV rays increase free radicals, so this blocker smartly includes antioxidant green tea extract to quash those nasties at the source.
$8, drugstores

Banana Boat Simply Protect Sport Sunscreen Spray SPF 50+
Nothing is worse than sunscreen in your eyes, which is why this sweat- and water-resistant spray is ideal for outdoor activities. You can run, but your SPF won't.
$8, drugstores

Supergoop! Smooth & Poreless Matte Screen SPF 40
Create the perfect canvas for makeup with this featherlight, 100 percent mineral sunblock with a matte finish.
$38, Blue Mercury stores

Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion Wetforce SPF 50+
Unlike products that leave a whitish cast on very dark skin, this completely transparent blend is invisible on everyone.
$40, Shiseido.com

Aveeno Ultra-Calming Daily Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
This moisturizer makes sunscreen a part of your morning routine (as it should be). Ideal for sensitive skin, it also calms redness with feverfew extract.
$14, Target.com

Lancôme Rénergie Lift Multi-Action Ultra Moisture with SPF 30
You're aware that sun exposure can produce dark spots. Now there's a daily lotion that not only helps prevent new patches but also uses linseed extract to reduce the ones you may already have.
$99, Lancome-USA.com

Photo: Jeffrey Westbrook

Hall O Fame

Some things are just too good to sit and collect dust in your bathroom drawer. These past winners got it right when they launched—and keep on delivering now.
(from left to bottom right)

Mary Kay TimeWise Matte-Wear and Luminous-Wear Liquid Foundations
With antioxidants and peptides, this is really antiaging skincare masquerading as foundation. Both the matte and radiant finishes are available in 23 shades.
$22 each, MaryKay.com

Maybelline New York Instant Age Rewind Eraser Treatment Makeup
Use the microfiber-tipped applicator to buff away fine lines in a flash. Goji berry extracts and collagen help firm skin over time.
$13, drugstores

Sally Hansen Color Therapy Nail Polish in Mauve Mantra
Dry nails = chipped polish. Enter this brilliant formula infused with argan, sunflower and evening primrose oils to keep the nail plate hydrated and flexible. Paint on this timeless pinkish mauve or pick from one of the 37 other hues.
$9, drugstores

Pantene Pro-V Moisture Renewal 3 Minute Miracle Daily Conditioner
In a matter of seconds, dry hair springs back to life—healthy, bouncy and supremely touchable. A miracle indeed.
$6, drugstores

Burt's Bees Renewal Refining Cleanser
Get supple skin every time you wash your face. With skin-smoothing hibiscus and apple, this formula is one wash that will send uneven texture right down the drain.
$10, drugstores

Kérastase Aura Botanica Concentré Essential
The standard against which other hair oils are measured, this one boasts a plethora of natural extracts—coconut, argan, jojoba, avocado—and no silicones or parabens.
$45, Kerastase-Usa.com

Jergens Natural Glow Instant Sun Sunless Tanning Mousse
Natural Glow pioneered the idea of the gradual self-tan. But they can do instant gratification, too, with this ultraquick-drying (think 60 seconds), never-orange self-tanning foam.
$13, drugstores

Aveeno Absolutely Ageless Eye Cream
Blackberry leaf and dill extracts sound like they belong on your grocery list, but applied to your skin, they're actually extremely effective at minimizing fine lines and puffiness. The results? Delicious!
$19, Target.com

Clinique Fresh Pressed Daily Booster with Pure Vitamin C 10%
Turn your moisturizer into a power player with a few drops of this super-potent serum loaded with antioxidant vitamin C to help skin shine bright like a diamond.
$76.50, Clinique.com

Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick
Outrageously long-wearing color (up to six hours!) and pillowy-soft lips aren't mutually exclusive thanks to a time-release formula loaded with hyaluronic acid.
$32, EsteeLauder.com

Spring Beauty O-Wards 2018: 72 Products We Love This Year