The 42 Skin Care Winners of the Allure Best of Beauty Awards 2022

The Foundations of a Healthy Skincare Routine

If you are wondering why a skincare routine is so important, you aren’t alone. Many people just wash their faces in the shower and that’s it. But having healthy skin is good for your overall wellness, making a routine essential.

Skincare is important to many people and is growing in popularity with easy-to-find how-to videos. The main goals of a skincare routine are to provide healthy and youthful-looking skin while preventing further signs of aging.

Whether you are thinking of starting a routine or looking for upgrades to your existing one, read on for more information about finding the right skincare regimen for you.

Skin Information: Layers of Skin, Keeping Skin Healthy, and More

The stratum corneum contains dead skin cells that used to exist in the epidermis. Using facial scrubs and some other skin products will remove or thin this layer.

There are medical terms for various parts of your skin. Here's a rough guide to what those terms mean.

Over the course of your life, you should pay attention to all parts of your skin. Familiarize yourself with it, so you'll notice any changes that might occur, such as different moles or patches that might indicate skin cancer. Whenever you have a question or concern, make sure you see your doctor.

Your skin is the largest organ on your body, made up of several different components, including water, protein, lipids, and different minerals and chemicals. If you're average, your skin weighs about six pounds. It's job is crucial: to protect you from infections and germs. Throughout your life, your skin will change constantly, for better or worse. In fact, your skin will regenerate itself approximately every 27 days. Proper skin care is essential to maintaining the health and vitality of this protective organ.

Epidermis: The Outer Layer of Skin The epidermis is the thinnest layer in your skin, but it's responsible for protecting you from the harsh environment. The epidermis has four layers of its own: stratum germinativum, stratum spinosum, stratum granulosum, and stratum lucidum. The epidermis also hosts different types of cells: keratinocytes, melanocytes and Langerhans cells. Keratinocytes produce the protein known as keratin, the main component of the epidermis. Melanocytes produce your skin pigment, known as melanin. Langerhans cells prevent foreign substances from getting into your skin.

Dermis: The Middle Layer of Skin This is the layer responsible for wrinkles. The dermis is a complex combination of blood vessels, hair follicles, and sebaceous (oil) glands. Here, you'll find collagen and elastin, two proteins necessary for skin health because they offer support and elasticity. Fibroblasts are the cells you'll find in this layer, because they synthesize collagen and elastin. This layer also contains nerves that sense pain, touch, and temperature.

Subcutis: The Skin's Fatty Layer Reduction of tissue in this layer is what causes your skin to sag as well as wrinkle. This layer hosts sweat glands, and fat and loose connective tissue. The subcutis is responsible for conserving your body's heat and protecting your vital inner organs.

Collagen and Your Skin Collagen is found in the dermis and is the most abundant protein in the skin, making up 75% of this organ. This is also your fountain of youth. It's responsible for warding off wrinkles and fine lines. Over time, environmental factors and aging diminish your body's ability to produce collagen and can also break down existing collagen.

Your Skin and Elastin When you hear the word elastin, think elastic. This protein is found with collagen in the dermis, and is responsible for giving structure and support to your skin and organs. As with collagen, elastin is affected by time and the elements. Diminished levels of this protein cause your skin to wrinkle and sag.

The 42 Skin Care Winners of the Allure Best of Beauty Awards 2022

Best Facial Mist

Beekman 1802 Milk Shake

Why it won: When the clock strikes noon at Allure HQ, we all simultaneously spritz ourselves with face mist. Actually, we're often scarfing down peanut butter-stuffed pretzels and wondering how we're going to make it through four more hours of meetings — but doesn't this sound nicer? Anyway, the refresher on many of our desks is Beekman 1802 Milk Shake. The dual-phase formula (just shake it to activate) features hydrating squalane and redness-reducing mugwort.

Best Facial Serum (Antioxidant)

Lancôme Rénergie H.C.F. Triple Serum

Why it won: The triple-chamber bottle of Lancôme Rénergie H.C.F. Triple Serum pumps out a combination of niacinamide and hyaluronic acid and antioxidants vitamin C and ferulic acid. Keeping them apart until that final moment protects the strength of those powerful (but persnickety) ingredients. Once everyone gets together, this group offers just about every skin benefit known to humankind, including plumping, smoothing, and brightening.

Best Facial Serum (Hyaluronic)

Mary Kay Clinical Solutions HA + Ceramide Hydrator

Mary Kay Clinical Solutions HA + Ceramide Hydrator $38 at Mary Kay

Why it won: If there are two ingredients on everyone's lips (and cheeks and foreheads and necks) lately, it's hyaluronic acid and ceramides. Mary Kay Clinical Solutions HA + Ceramide Hydrator delivers them both in a formula that absorbs in seconds and helps strengthen your skin barrier over time.

Best Facial Serum (Retinol)

RoC Derm Correxion Fill + Treat Serum

RoC Derm Correxion Fill + Treat Serum $30 at Target

Why it won: With continued use, RoC Derm Correxion Fill + Treat Serum can help turn deep wrinkles into shallower valleys. The fine-tip applicator makes it easy to apply the retinol-enriched formula directly over fine lines.

Best Facial Serum (AHA)

Shani Darden Lactic Acid Exfoliating Serum

Shani Darden Lactic Acid Exfoliating Serum $88 at Sephora

Why it won: Senior copy manager Leslie Lipton says Shani Darden Lactic Acid Exfoliating Serum is, in short, "excellent." (And with a job title like that, you know she chooses her words carefully.) The lotion-like serum uses lactic acid — as opposed to stronger AHAs like glycolic — to resurface without causing redness.

Best Facial Moisturizer (Rich)

Caudalie Premier Cru The Cream

Caudalie Premier Cru The Cream $119 at Amazon

Why it won: Caudalie Premier Cru The Cream is "super-duper moisturizing," says staff editor Jihan Forbes. Yet remarkably, it's not super-duper heavy or greasy. Use it regularly, and you’ll be on the path to firmer, more supple skin.

Best Facial Oil

Gisou Honey Facial Oil

Why it won: The words "honey" and "oil" don't exactly paint a pleasant picture for those worried about stickiness and residue. But we can attest that Gisou Honey Infused Face Oil — also infused with grapeseed, rosehip, and jojoba oils — sinks into skin immediately and imparts a dewy, not greasy, finish.

Best Eye Cream (Line-Smoothing)

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Gel-Crème

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Gel-Crème $70 at Dermstore

Why it won: With continued use, Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Gel-Creme helps reduce crow's-feet for good. But you'll be impressed with its hydrating effect that makes fine lines appear temporarily plumper.

Best Eye Cream (Firming)

Osea Age Defying Eye Serum

Osea Ocean Eyes Age-Defying Eye Serum $58 at Bluemercury

Why it won: You know the formula is stellar when the soothing rollerball applicator is merely a bonus: Osea Ocean Eyes Age-Defying Eye Serum is rich in collagen-stimulating peptides, which can firm the delicate skin around the eyes over time.

Best Eye Cream (De-puffing)

Fortify+ De-Puffing + Protecting Eye Cream

Why it won: Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee: Fortify+ De-Puffing + Protecting Eye Cream is gentle enough not to irritate your undereye area (home to some of the thinnest skin on your body), but doesn’t mess around when it comes to depuffing.

Best Eye Cream (Brightening)

Perricone MD Vitamin C Ester CCC + Ferulic Brightening Under-Eye Cream

Perricone MD Vitamin C Ester CCC + Ferulic Brightening Under-Eye Cream $65 at Amazon

Why it won: If your undereye circles feel like dark clouds, there are sunnier days ahead with Perricone MD Vitamin C Ester CCC + Ferulic Brightening Under-Eye Cream. The quick-to-absorb formula uses three types of vitamin C to treat three types of discoloration: blue, brown, and red.

Best Mask (Clarifying)

Fenty Skin Cookies N Clean Whipped Clay Detox Face Mask

Fenty Skin Cookies N Clean Whipped Clay Detox Face Mask $32 at Fenty Beauty

Why it won: As its punny name implies, Fenty Skin Cookies N Clean Whipped Clay Detox Face Mask leaves your face feeling ultraclean but not stripped dry. And the whipped formula — which contains kaolin clay and charcoal — is a joy to apply.

Best Mask (Hydrating)

Pai Skincare Resurrection Girl

Why it won: Blue tansy oil not only gives Pai Skincare Resurrection Girl a beautiful aqua tint, it's part of the magic behind why this gel mask works for even the most sensitive skin types. The calming ingredient is paired with hyaluronic acid and plant extracts for maximum moisturization.

Best Mask (Soothing)

Dr.Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Sleepair Intensive Mask

Dr.Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Sleepair Intensive Mask $42 at Sephora

Why it won: Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Sleepair Intensive Mask noticeably reduces inflammation and redness in a single application, thanks to calming cica. If only our self-soothing breathing techniques worked as quickly.

Best Mask (Brightening)

Hyper Skin Fade & Glow AHA Mask

Hyper Skin Even Fade and Glow AHA Mask $48 at Sephora

Why it won: The radiant results you get from using Hyper Skin Hyper Even Fade and Glow AHA Mask are just as impactful as you'd expect from its ingredient list, which — with glycolic, mandelic, and salicylic acids, niacinamide, and turmeric — reads like a skin-care greatest-hits album.

Best Mask (Overnight)

Fresh Floral Recovery Mask

Fresh Floral Recovery Calming Mask $68 at Bluemercury

Why it won: If a good night's rest can improve your mood, catching eight hours with Fresh Floral Recovery Calming Mask is downright transformative. The overnight treatment is made with squalane, which smooths and softens skin as you sleep.

Best Facial Sunscreen (Chemical)

Coola Dew Good Illuminating Serum Probiotic Sunscreen SPF 30

Coola Dew Good Illuminating Serum Sunscreen SPF 30 $46 at Amazon

Why it won: Coola Dew Good Illuminating Serum Sunscreen SPF 30 is basically a highlighter in disguise. The silky formula leaves behind a radiant, dewy finish.

Best Facial Sunscreen (Chemical)

Neutrogena Invisible Daily Defense Face Serum SPF 60+

Neutrogena Invisible Daily Defense Face Serum SPF 60+ $14 at Amazon

Why it won: If you're a foundation-wearer, you'll love the featherlight Neutrogena Invisible Daily Defense Face Serum SPF 60+, which also works as a primer.

Best Facial Sunscreen (Mineral)

Shiseido Urban Environment Oil-Free Mineral Sunscreen SPF 42

Shiseido Urban Environment Oil-Free Mineral Sunscreen SPF 42 $38 at Saks Fifth Avenue

Why it won: Whereas chemical blockers absorb and disperse light, mineral formulas act as a physical shield. But that doesn't mean they're made out of steel. Shiseido Urban Environment Oil-Free Mineral Sunscreen SPF 42 melts into skin and, thanks to hyaluronic acid, can even moonlight as a hydrating primer.

MDSolarSciences Solar Stick

MDSolarSciences Solar Stick SPF 40 $22 at Amazon

Why it won: The first rule of sunscreen is to talk about sunscreen — and we can't stop singing the praises of MDSolarSciences Solar Stick SPF 40 for swiping while on the go.

Supergoop Re-Setting 100% Mineral Powder (Great for touchups)

Why it won: If you're wearing makeup and not having a serious sun-exposure day, touch up throughout the afternoon using the brush-on Supergoop! (Re)setting 100% Mineral Powder SPF 35.

Best Peel

iS Clinical Active Peel System

iS Clinical Active Peel System $88 at Amazon

Why it won: Testing our peels category is high-risk, high-reward. For associate social media director Kassidy Silva, it paid off: she discovered the two-step iS Clinical Active Peel System. "I felt like I had new skin after using this," she says. "My skin felt hydrated and calm after, not stripped."

Best Acne Cleanser

Cetaphil Gentle Clear Complexion Clearing BPO Acne

Cetaphil Gentle Clear Complexion-Clearing BPO Acne Cleanser $9 at Amazon

Why it won: Proving that skincare really is an exact science, Cetaphil Gentle Clear Complexion-Clearing BPO Acne Cleanser contains precisely 2.6 percent benzoyl peroxide — the ideal amount of the antiseptic ingredient to reduce acne without leaving skin irritated or dry.

Best Allover Acne Treatment

Differin Gel Acne Treatment

Why it won: Since pimples aren't usually courteous enough to check your calendar for important events, using an all-over treatment proactively makes all the difference. Differin Gel Acne Treatment uses a retinoid called adapalene (that was previously only available by prescription) to regulate cell turnover and reduce inflammation.

Kate Somerville EradiKate Acne Mark Fading Gel

Kate Somerville EradiKate Acne Mark Fading Gel $68 at Amazon

Why it won: Kate Somerville EradiKate Acne Mark Fading Gel helps prevent new breakouts with salicylic acid and treats the remnants of previous ones with dark spot-reducing niacinamide.

Best Acne Spot Treatment

SkinFix Acne+ 2% BHA Spot Treatment

Why it won: Dabbing SkinFix Acne+ 2% BHA Spot Treatment on a breakout is the closest you can get to zapping it with a shrink ray. The blend of niacinamide, kaolin clay, and salicylic and azelaic acids reduces oil and redness instantly and helps prevent post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation from forming down the line.

Best Humidifier/Air Purifier

Molekule Air Mini+

Why it won: Next time you feel lonely, just remember there are a gazillion microscopic particles floating all around you. Unfortunately, those particles — including acne-enticing bacteria and inflammatory allergens — aren't always friendly toward your skin. Molekule Air Mini+ indoor purifier uses an air filtration system to break down those pesky pollutants in rooms up to 250 square feet.

Best Hair Removal Tool

Schick Hydro Silk Hydro Silk Dermaplaning Wand

Schick Hydro Silk Hydro Silk Dermaplaning Wand $20 at Amazon

Why it won: You haven't known softness until you've exfoliated with Schick Hydro Silk Dermaplaning Wand. Glide the smooth-edge, single-blade razor over your cheeks and forehead and you'll be equal parts disturbed and satisfied by the dead cells and peach fuzz it picks up. The ergonomic wand comes with six replacement blades; for sanitary reasons, we recommend you use a fresh one each session.

Best Skin Device (High-Tech)

NuFace Trinity+ Advanced Facial Toning Device

NuFace Trinity+ Smart Advanced Facial Toning System $395 at NuFace

Why it won: Good things come to those who wait, but really good things (sculpted cheekbones, lifted brows) appear instantly when you use NuFace Trinity+ Smart Advanced Facial Toning System. The newest version of the microcurrent tool is equipped with a boost button that emits 25 percent more power and syncs to an app with easy-to-follow tutorials.

Best Skin Device (Low-Tech)

Mount Lai Gua Sha Facial Lifting Tool

Mount Lai Gua Sha Facial Lifting Tool $28 at Sephora

Why it won: To carve out cheekbones the old fashion way, try Mount Lai Gua Sha Facial Lifting Tool. The boomerang-shaped stone is easy to grip and the ideal size for catching — and snatching — your jawline.

Like what you see from Allure's Best of Beauty Awards?