You can get skin-care products at Sephora or Ulta, in drugstores or department stores, online or IRL. Hell, you can even swap for products on Reddit. With so many skin-care products within reach, how do you know what's great and worth the money -- the products you absolutely have to try?
We posed that question to the most knowledgeable experts in skin health and beauty: top dermatologists, makeup artists, writers and vloggers. The all-time-favorite products they recommend might surprise you -- and we can guarantee you there's at least one you've never, ever heard of until now. (Yep, we were furiously Googling, too.)
Here are 17 Holy Grail creams, masks, cleansers, serums, toners and more that experts say you need in your skin-care arsenal immediately.
Image via Getty
Photo 2/18
Egyptian Magic All-Purpose Skin Cream, $39
"This is a backstage staple of runway shows," says makeup artist Tasha Brown, who has worked with Yara Shahidi and Jessica Williams, of this iconic, "bargain" cream. "[It] instantly heals rough skin and elbows and gives the face a healthy glow... Originally formulated to heal eczema, it has healing properties that can calm any stressed skin type."
This simple, inexpensive mineral water spray is a makeup- and skin-saver for Brown. "I travel a lot, so I usually spray this on my face several times during mid-flight," she says. "It's great for opening up makeup mid-day by rehydrating the top layer so you can add to, blend or resettle makeup with ease."
Dermatologist Dr. Patricia Wexler, a top authority in skin care, relies on this nutrient-rich neck cream. "My neck and décolletage feels firmer, smoother, hydrated, and less crepe-y," says Wexler. "This is due to the abundance of peptides, yeast, ceramides, and glucosamine."
Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Skin Cream Protectant, $22
Ermahn Ospina, makeup artist to actresses Rosario Dawson and Darby Stanchfield, says this versatile skin balm is "always" in his kit. "I use it as a lip balm, as a body shimmer, as a highlighter. It is a great moisturizer to soften areas like your elbows and knees," he raves. "You can feel its moisturizing formula work instantly once it touches dry skin."
