The 50 Best Beauty Products, According to Real Simple Editors

By Lisa DeSantis
Updated April 28, 2020
Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
Credit: Brian Henn

Out of thousands of items tested, these brand new finds and tried-and-true classics are what our editor experts turn to for their own makeup, hair, and skin.

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Multitaskers

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You're expected to juggle a million things at once, so of course you want your beauty products to do the same. These workhorses will shave minutes off your routine.

Nudestix Nudies Bloom All Over Dewy Color
Formulated for eyes, cheeks, and lips, this stick is the key to a five-minute face. Swipe, then buff with the brush.

To buy: $32; sephora.com

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Clarins 4 Colour All in One Pen

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Stop rummaging through a sea of pencils only to extract the wrong one. Simply click which of the three eyeliner shades you want and finish with the red lip hue.

To buy: $32; neimanmarcus.com

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Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Heat Styling Spray

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This genius mist can be spritzed on damp hair prestyling, as well as on dry hair for touch-ups. Bonus: Its mane-taming powers last 48 hours.

To buy: $28; sephora.com

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Mary Kay Naturally Moisturizing Stick

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This soothing balm can be used from knuckles to knees or on any dry spots that need some TLC.

To buy: $28; marykay.com

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Rituals Foaming Shower Gel

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The dreamy spalike scents take us from stressed to Zen in an instant, while the mousse texture doubles as a shaving cream.

To buy: $9.50; macys.com

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It Cosmetics Miracle Water 3-in-1 Tonic

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There's not much this product doesn't offer your skin. It cleanses, tones, and enhances radiance. The one thing it can't do: protect itself when your friends try to steal it.

To buy: $38; sephora.com

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Benefit They're Real Double the Lip

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A lipliner-lipstick hybrid—so brilliant, so overdue. The pointed tip is a bit darker than the rest of the bullet to define your shape without harsh lines.

To buy: $20; macys.com

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Caudalie Body and Hair Nourishing Oil

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Grapeseed oil quenches scaly skin but isn't greasy to the touch. You can also massage it into dry hair to promote silkier strands overnight.

To buy: $32; macys.com

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Innovation

Credit: Brian Henn

We love a game-changing ingredient, a clever packaging twist, and a deceptively simple, "Why did no one think of this before?" mindblower. Drumroll for our favorite recent upgrades and launches...

Olay Clay Stick Mask
The draw-it-on stick takes away the mess of a mask, and there's a variety of formulas (pore-detox charcoal, glow-boosting pink mineral) to choose from.

To buy: $10; target.com

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Flesh Flipbook

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Each sheet is coated with bronzer, blush, or highlighter. Run one over cheeks and—voilà!—get a healthy glow sans brush.

To buy: $22; fleshbeauty.com

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Glossier Zit Stick

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Like an eraser (or magic wand?) for pimples, this chic tube is packed with benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid to nix germs and inflammation.

To buy: $14; glossier.com

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Garnier Fructis Sleek Shot In-Shower Styler

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A few drops of this liquid mixed into your shampoo can cut styling time in half and leave strands silky and shiny.

To buy: $5; target.com

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Amkiri Visual Fragrance

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If you've had enough of fragrances that dissipate too quickly, try a stencil of scented ink you can see—and smell—until you shower.

To buy: $60; amkiri.com

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Clinique Fresh Pressed Daily Booster with Pure Vitamin C 10%

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Liquid vitamin C is strong but unstable (it goes bad easily). This powder formula stays fresh and powerful down to the last particles.

To buy: $20; sephora.com

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Dove Even Tone Vitamin B3 Antiperspirant

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Underarm discoloration is a common problem. This niacinamide formula fights hyperpigmentation as it reduces odor.

To buy: $7.50; walgreens.com

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Maybelline Snapscara

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If you hate removing stubborn mascara, you're going to love this wax-free formula. It makes lashes big and bold but washes away with just water and a cloth.

To buy: $6; target.com

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Problem-Solvers

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We've all struggled with a beauty challenge, inconvenience, or hassle. But when these products are by your side, there's nothing you can't handle.

Revlon Salon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer
Get salon results at home with this tool. Hot air dries hair as the oval brush pulls and smooths.

To buy: $57; target.com

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Aquaphor Ointment Body Spray

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Scooping ointment out of a tub is sloppy—and so passé, thanks to this sheer mist that locks in hydration.

To buy: $12.50; cvs.com

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L'Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Micro Ink Brow Pen

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Modeled after semi-permanent microblading treatments, the three-pronged tip makes hairlike strokes to fill in sparse arches.

To buy: $10; walmart.com

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Chanel Baume Essentiel in Transparent

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For those who want to glow without glitter or camera filters, this sheer balm blurs fine lines, leaves a dewy finish, and catches the light.

To buy: $45; nordstrom.com

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Fenty Beauty Invisimatte Blotting Paper

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Nothing ruins a selfie like shiny skin. Dab your face with one of these oil-absorbing sheets and you'll be Instagram-ready.

To buy: $16; sephora.com

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Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi Sunshine Drops

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Mix a few of these coppery drops into your everyday SPF for a sun-kissed (but sunless) glow and a dose of antioxidants.

To buy: $36; sephora.com

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Head & Shoulders Scalp Detoxifying Pre-Wash Mask

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This eucalyptus-and-mint combo refreshes your scalp as it eradicates buildup.

To buy: $0.50; walmart.com

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Briogeo Farewell Frizz Rosarco Milk Leave-In Conditioning Spray

Credit: Brian Henn

Curly girls, rejoice! This blend of lightweight oils boosts bounce and defeats frizz.

To buy: $20; sephora.com

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Rita Hazan Root Concealer Touch Up Stick

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If you can wield a crayon, you can cover your roots—because running to the salon whenever a gray rears its wiry head isn't always an option.

To buy: $25; dermstore.com

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La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring

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The cooling mist is a good midday pick-me-up (especially in skin-parching office microclimates), plus it soothes and hydrates.

To buy: $13; target.com

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Megababe Rosy Pits Deodorant Wipes

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When there's no time to shower after spin class, these generously sized, biodegradable wipes are the next best thing.

To buy: $14; nordstrom.com

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Renée Rouleau Rapid Response Detox Masque

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Celeb facialist Renée Rouleau is considered the skin whisperer. This pot of gold clarifies and calms touchy skin.

To buy: $65.50; reneerouleau.com

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Color Street Nail Strips