Dermstore has some of the best beauty product curation on the internet — it’s a good mix of pricier, premium skincare, like Elta MD’s beloved sunscreen and more affordable stuff like the viral CosRX snail-mucin essence. Things tend to go on sale pretty regularly, but the anniversary sale, which happens once a year, is the best time to stock up. It ends today, so you have one more opportunity to get thousands of products up to 25 percent off. There’s a lot to choose from, so I’ve curated the best of the bunch, much of which we’ve written about before, like makeup-artist favorite Embryolisse and the Revision D.E.J. eye cream, our best-overall eye-cream pick.
We’ve previously recommended the Bioderma shower oil for very dry skin. The oil-based formula nourishes skin while in the shower and creates an ultramoisturized base. It’s also a favorite of dermatologists, who like that it “it cleanses while restoring moisture to the skin.” Another bonus: it works well as a shaving cream alternative thanks to its slip.
I’m a little obsessed with Avene Thermal Spring Water, which, if I’m being very honest, doesn’t do much. So why buy fancy water in a can? It’s an indulgence, a luxury, and the thermal mineral water is incredibly soothing on the skin. I like to use it post-gym and whenever my skin feels a little dry and tight. It’s also great on a hot day and just generally feels nice. It feels a little silly to purchase full price but seems justifiable during a sale.
The massive Supergoop! Play sunscreen is a good investment, especially if you’re slathering up daily (which you should be). I’ve previously said it’s the best lotion with SPF for dry skin because it offers broad-spectrum protection and actually moisturizes skin.
Keratosis pilaris can be tricky to get under control but Strategist writer Brenley Goertzen says this body scrub from First Aid Beauty does a good job. “The tiny pumice buffing beads work to brush away dead skin cells that have been loosened by a 10 percent blend of glycolic and lactic acids,” she says, noting that it’s also helped to clear up butt acne.
First Aid Beauty also makes a great moisturizer. I’m a longtime fan of the Ultra Repair Cream, which is great at nourishing dry skin and also helpful for supporting and even rebuilding the skin barrier. It works well for eczema, too. Beauty columnist and esthetician Rio Viera-Newton is eczema prone and says the colloidal oatmeal is great at calming inflammation and soothing itchy skin.
Actress Amanda Seyfried started using Marvis, one of our favorite fancy toothpastes, because her dermatologist said it was better for her skin. “I’ve fully abandoned my Colgate,” she told us. In addition to being whitening, she says, it also tastes great.
Whenever I ask dermatologists about their favorite sunscreens, this one routinely comes up. It contains both physical and chemical blockers, goes on smooth, and offers broad UV protection. The only downside is it can be a little whitish on the skin, but the tinted options (which I personally use) are on sale too.
I generally think eye cream is useless, but if you are going to buy it, I recommend going for something moisturizing, like the Neocutis one, which contains growth factor that supports and encourages collagen production. It also contains hyaluronic acid and antioxidants, to protect skin from oxidative damage and hydrate the skin.
I use this salicylic acid toner whenever my pores feel clogged, and after just a day or two my skin looks poreless and smooth. I’m not the only beauty writer who’s a fan. Our beauty columnist Rio Viera-Newton has also recommended it, saying it “helps to diminish pre-existing blackheads as well as prevent them from forming in the first place.”
Rio loves this conditioning hair mask from Briogeo, which she says is a good dupe for her “gut-wrenchingly expensive” Christophe Robin. After using it a couple of times she noticed her double-processed hair was smoother, less-tangled, and air-dried beautifully.
The Elemis Pro Collagen Balm works well for removing makeup or as the first step of a double cleanse. Actress Abby Elliot told us it even removes eyelash glue and manages to be “very moisturizing” too, so much so that she sometimes skips her entire skin care routine. “If I’m feeling super tired, I just use this, don’t put anything else on my face, go right to bed, and I feel like I’ve done enough,” she says.
Lots of Sunday Riley stuff is 25 percent off, including the vitamin-C serum, which helps to clear up hyperpigmentation while offering protection against environmental stressors and general skin brightening effects.
And for your nighttime routine, I like the Good Genes lactic-acid treatment from the brand, a gentle-but-effective exfoliant that also targets hyperpigmentation.
I like to rotate between a few different moisturizers depending on the season, but I always come back to the La Roche-Posay Double Repair, which moisturizes and soothes skin simultaneously. Its main ingredients are ceramides, glycerin, and niacinamide, a hydrating and barrier-supporting combination.
Snail mucin has become the “It” skin-care ingredient, due in large part to this essence from CosRX. Made up of 96 percent snail mucin, it promises to fade dark marks, hydrate, and even out skin tone more generally. It’s also well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive skin.
Our favorite cheap hydrocolloid pimple patches, which writer Rachael Griffiths has said is “excellent value for the money” are also on sale. According to Rio, it helps to draw pus from whiteheads without having to touch or pop the pimple. This helps to minimize scarring and, in some cases, cut down on healing time.
We’ve previously named this the best face-exfoliator peel. The two-step system includes an exfoliating pad soaked with AHAs and BHAs followed by a neutralizing pad that soothes and moisturizes skin. Strategist writer Arielle Avila says it’s a worthwhile investment and gave her noticeable results overnight: “After just one night of using this, my skin looks bright and silky smooth the next day.”
Reapplying sunscreen can be a pain, but this powder SPF from Colorescience makes it much easier. It comes in four shades, which offers some flexibility, and helps to absorb any extra skin oils throughout the day.
This multipurpose balm contains shea butter and is good for moisturizing dry skin. Rachael, who describes her skin as so dry it “feels as though it’s cracking if you wait too long after a shower to smear on some moisturizer,” says it totally fixes her problem. “It is so intensely nourishing and quenching that when I put a layer on at night, I wake up without that tightness.”
Makeup artist-kit staple Embryolisse is also good if you need something intensely moisturizing. It’s non-irritating, nourishing but lightweight, and doubles as a makeup primer.
The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
