Beauty Reviews
Honest reviews of viral beauty products
On 'Til Dawn Mattifying Waterproof Setting Spray
by ONE/SIZE
$34
One of the best setting sprays on the market if you have normal-to-oily skin and want serious longevity. It's not cheap at $34, but it delivers. Skip it if you have dry or sensitive skin — the alcohol-heavy formula will work against you.
Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Brush
by Hourglass
$52
A beautiful, effective brush that delivers a seamless finish — but the $52 price is hard to justify when excellent foundation brushes exist for half the cost. Worth it if you're building a luxury kit or love the Hourglass aesthetic; otherwise, a good $25 brush will get you 90% of the way there.
Vanilla | 28
by Kayali
$150
A lovely, comforting vanilla that's worth trying if you love gourmand scents — but sample it first. At $150, it's an investment for a fragrance that's linear and has moderate performance. If you just want a sweet vanilla scent, there are excellent dupes at a fraction of the cost.
Pocket Boar Bristle Hairbrush B4
by Mason Pearson
$195
A beautifully crafted brush that does deliver shine and scalp stimulation, but the luxury price is as much about heritage and status as performance. If you value craftsmanship and heirloom quality, it's a worthy investment; if you just want shiny hair, a $20 boar bristle brush will get you most of the way there.
Nutritive 8H Magic Night Hair Serum
by Kérastase
$64
A pleasant, effective overnight treatment that genuinely improves softness and manageability for dry hair, but the $64 price is hard to justify when comparable drugstore oils deliver similar results. Worth it if you love the ritual and fragrance; skip it if you're results-only.
Essential Lash Serum
by Babe Original
$49
It delivers on the lash-lengthening promise for most users, but the prostaglandin ingredient comes with real risks that aren't always front and center in the marketing. If you have sensitive eyes or want to avoid potential side effects, look for peptide-based alternatives instead.
Zero Pore Pad 2.0
by Medicube
$24
A well-formulated exfoliating pad that genuinely helps with oil control and smoother skin texture, but 'zero pores' is marketing fiction. Good for oily and combination skin types; sensitive skin should start slow or opt for the Mild version.
No.3 Hair Perfector
by Olaplex
$34
If you bleach or chemically treat your hair, this is one of the few products that actually does what it claims at a drugstore-accessible price. If your hair is just dry or heat-damaged, save your money — a good conditioner will do more.
SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray
by Tower 28
$28
A legitimately good, gentle option for sensitive skin — hypochlorous acid is the real deal. But the markup is enormous for what's essentially purified water with a tiny active percentage. Worth trying if your skin tolerates few products; otherwise, a basic soothing toner does similar work.
Soft Pinch Liquid Blush
by Rare Beauty
$25
Worth the hype — incredibly long-lasting and a little lasts months. Just apply a fraction of what you think you need.
Brazilian Bum Bum Cream
by Sol de Janeiro
$48
Buy it for the unbelievable scent and the fast-absorbing feel — not for miracle firming. On that basis, it's a lovely (if pricey) treat.
Lip Sleeping Mask
by Laneige
$24
Genuinely effective and a lovely little nightly ritual. It's a 'want,' not a 'need,' but it delivers — and lasts forever.
Hollywood Flawless Filter
by Charlotte Tilbury
$49
A cult favorite for good reason — if you love a dewy, glowy finish, it's beautiful. Drier/normal skin will love it most.
Protini Polypeptide Cream
by Drunk Elephant
$72
Lightweight and pleasant, but you're paying a big premium for branding. Effective — just not $68-worth-of-difference effective.
Gua Sha Facial Sculpting Tool
by Skin Gym
$15–$45
A genuinely relaxing facial massage tool with real but temporary depuffing benefits. Just don't expect permanent sculpting results — the before-and-afters are misleading, and technique matters enormously.
Rhode Pocket Blush
by Rhode
$25
A genuinely lovely product with a beautiful formula, but its viral status is 60% Hailey Bieber's celebrity and 40% the actual blush. Check drugstore alternatives before committing.
Sacheu Lip Liner Stay-N Peel Off Lip Stain
by Sacheu Beauty
$14
A genuinely fun and effective tinting concept, but set realistic expectations — it's not a mirror of the TikTok results without some trial and error.
Medicube Collagen Overnight Wrapping Mask
by Medicube
$6.99
A solid overnight mask that genuinely hydrates and smooths, but the collagen branding is mostly hype — you're paying a premium for trendy packaging and a Korean beauty label.
Mighty Patch
by Hero Cosmetics
$8–$20
One of the most effective acne patches on the market — simple, clean, and it actually works.
Dr. Jart+ Face Masks
by Dr. Jart+
$16
A genuinely luxurious masking experience with visible results, though the price adds up if used regularly.
Shark CryoGlow LED
by Shark
$350
Interesting beauty tech with spa appeal, but the subtle results may not justify the high price.
Dyson Airwrap
by Dyson
$650
The Dyson Airwrap is innovative and less damaging than traditional tools, but the $650 price tag is hard to justify when alternatives like the Shark FlexStyle offer similar results for nearly half the price.
Rhode Lip Peptides
by Rhode
$20
Rhode Lip Peptides offer nice tints and flavors, but the glossy texture and quality issues don't match the skincare claims. For the price, you can find better lip treatments or save money on similar glosses.