With all that time spent soaking up the sun outdoors, your summer adventures might have you feeling a bit fried. Thankfully, last-minute shoppers still have one final day to shop Dermstore’s anniversary sale. Through 11:59 p.m. PST today, August 17, you can use code CHEERS to take up to 25 percent off hundreds of beloved skin-care, makeup, and hair-care products. Plus, Dermstore members can earn up to triple points on purchases for future rewards.
Lots of tried-and-true beauty buys are included, so for your shopping convenience, we’ve rounded up some of our best-selling products that are vouched for by experts and Strategist staff alike, including a “miraculous” foot peel, our beauty writer’s go-to pimple patches, and a dry shampoo that leaves zero trace behind. Some of our favorites have already sold out, and the sale ends tonight, so as we like to say, don’t dillydally.
If sandal season has your feet looking a little worse for wear, Baby Foot’s got your back. Former New York Magazine literary critic Molly Young told us about this “podiatric miracle” back in 2016, reporting that it leaves your feet “as velvety and smooth as a baby’s appendages.” The shedding process is “shocking” but painless; after 48 hours, you’ll look as if you just received the “world’s most expensive pedicure,” Young writes.
Strategist beauty writer Rio Viera-Newton sprints to stock up on Bioderma micellar water whenever she runs out. “I don’t know what it is about this product, but not only does it take all of my makeup off, it actually does a great job of soothing my skin, especially after a night out,” she says.
Though you do have to use it multiple times before you see results, this hair mask from Briogeo leaves Viera-Newton’s hair moisturized without leaving any heaviness. “If you’re a bleach victim, or just have perennially, annoyingly dry hair, consider making it your new best friend,” she says.
Our best chemical sunscreen for dry skin, this lightweight sunblock from Coola combines protection and hydration. And if you’re planning to catch some waves, it’s water-resistant for up to 80 minutes.
This vitamin-E-infused, olive-oil-based cleanser is “refreshingly basic and extremely gentle.” Dermatologist Dr. Sejal Shah says its water-soluble formula will work for all skin types.
A longtime favorite among Strategist readers and dermatologists, the (rarely on-sale) EltaMD UV Clear sunscreen has been added to Dermstore’s Anniversary Sale offerings. It provides physical and chemical protection, has lots of antioxidants to protect from free radicals, and doesn’t dry with a greasy white tinge.
If you’re looking for a little more coverage than the above option with all the same benefits, this sunscreen gives the appearance of a skin tint or sheer makeup.
According to Viera-Newton, Beyoncé’s makeup artist, Sir John, uses this Embryolisse cream to prep her skin before he applies makeup. Featuring a slew of nourishing ingredients such as shea butter, beeswax, aloe vera, and soy proteins, it will help hydrate your skin without making it look greasy or slippery.
Viera-Newton advises massaging one of these Fur mitts “in circular motions on any areas where you’re prone to ingrowns (or over areas where they already exist) — you could even use it on your face if you happen to get ingrowns there as well.” After a few uses, she noticed that “inflamed areas were calmer, smoother, and less irritated.”
Or if it’s razor bumps you’re struggling with, five waxing specialists named Fur Oil as the key to combatting them. “A great way to prevent razor burn is by keeping the skin around the bikini line really healthy, like with Fur Oil,” says Lara Kaiser, an aesthetician at Brooklyn’s Shen Beauty. “This is an oil you apply for a few days before or after hair removal that is anti-septic and helps soften hair and hair regrowth.”
“Dewy Dudes” Evan Shinn and Emilio Quezada say this Korres oil is the “real secret” to their glow. Quezada had stumbled across this product on sale in a Sephora and “instantly copped.” If he’s looking a bit tired in the morning, “this stuff is my absolute go-to,” he says. “A quick, radiant boost to the complexion.”
This antioxidant-rich eye cream from Neocutis is one of New York–based dermatologist Dr. Shereene Idriss’s top caffeine-based eye-cream picks. This particular cream uses a blend of hyaluronic acid and vitamin E to help soothe and protect the skin while delivering the brightening benefits of caffeine.
Or if you’re looking for something to address texture around the eye area, Neocutis’s tightening eye cream is a favorite of Dr. David E. Bank, a dermatologist and assistant clinical professor at Columbia University Medical Center. It contains a special ingredient known as growth factors, which he explains are “proteins that promote the growth, development, and maturation of cells and play a role in maintaining the firmness and elasticity of skin.”
Covered in tiny needles, this face roller helped rid Viera-Newton of persistent hyperpigmentation. Though it may look “like a medieval torture device,” she promises that it’s actually “nice and gentle.”
The NuFace is another facial gadget that may seem intimidating at first but really delivers results. Dr. Michelle Henry, the founder of Skin & Aesthetic Surgery of Manhattan, says it’s perfect for maintenance in between in-office treatments; if you use it every day, “it tightens and stops that sagging gravity effect,” she says. “It just keeps everything nice and lifted.”
Since BHAs work to remove dead cells on the surface of your skin, Viera-Newton relies on this salicylic-acid-based exfoliating toner for busting her persistent blackheads. “This can help diminish preexisting blackheads as well as prevent them from forming in the first place,” she writes.
Former Strategist editor Margaret Rhodes (and her hairdresser) recommend this R+Co cream for anyone with dry or frizzy locks. “It’s a great everyday moisturizing treatment that sinks in really nicely, smooths out puffy hair, and never feels sticky or heavy,” she says.
If you’ve been at all inspired by Hailey Bieber’s summery makeup looks, or just want a warm-weather glow, this cream blush (that can also add a little extra color to your lips) is for you.
Model Miranda Kerr has been using this concealer for years. “Because it’s whipped, it’s really lightweight,” she says. “But I actually put some of my face oil in the pot and use a brush to mix it up before lightly covering my face.”
This rich, super-emollient cream is recommended for people who have overexfoliated with acids or undergone chemical or laser facial procedures that made their skin extra sensitive. “It hits heavy with moisture, without the weight you feel with most creams,” says aesthetician Candace Marino. “It promotes deep hydration, decreases inflammation, and stimulates collagen and elastin production.”
If eye treatments are your jam, Viera-Newton says these patches have a “cooling effect — meaning that they feel chilled without even having to put them in the fridge.” They also stay put, so you don’t have to worry about them sliding off your face.
Slip’s silk pillowcase has been recommended by celebrities such as Kourtney Kardashian and celebrity dermatologists including Dr. Dennis Gross. It’s also a favorite of aestheticians such as Candida Lawson, who shared her love for Slip’s silk pillowcases in 2018: “I’m a true believer that they help my blowouts last longer.”
Sunday Riley’s Good Genes Lactic Acid has made fans of everyone from Strategist readers, skin-care experts, and even Redditors. For under $100, you can snag this exfoliating treatment, which promises even and brightened skin.
This rarely on-sale vitamin-C serum is the perfect addition to your routine because it uses THD ascorbate (a stable, oil-soluble version of vitamin C) that absorbs quickly.
For her morning skin-care routine, Viera-Newton uses this Tula moisturizer, which features probiotic and superfood extracts to brighten dull skin and lock in moisture.
Sweetbitter author Stephanie Danler and Viera-Newton swear by Weleda Skin Food’s ability to soothe and nourish the driest of skin — and it’s a longtime favorite of Strategist editors, too.
If you’re looking for a lighter formula than the above Skin Food Original, Rhodes recommends this nourishing cream as a replacement. “Diet Skin Food, as I’ve taken to calling it in my head, retains the best qualities of the original (the smell and the virtuous feeling that comes with slathering your pores with restorative, puréed plants), but goes on more like a typical lotion than a thick goo,” she says.
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
