It was the dermatologists who went viral first, offering sage advice on social media platforms often filled with overhyped products and misinformation. Then, the cosmetic chemists soon followed suit. One after the other, they took to their front-facing cameras, demystifying ingredient lists, explaining formulas, and educating viewers on hyper-specific products. By stepping out of the laboratory and meeting viewers face-to-face, cosmetic chemists have become a new type of beauty influencer, racking up hundreds of thousands of followers and dedicated fan bases. After all, who knows more about your favorite products than the people who actually created them?

Having the knowledge to look at a list of ingredients and know how a product performs is a studied gift. But what products do these experts admire? We ask 12 chemists to spill the sunscreen, skincare, haircare, and fragrance they idolize most.

Shiseido

sephora.com

$29.00

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Ron Robinson is a celebrity in his own right—famed for his brand, the efficacious and beloved BeautyStat, but also the long list of formulations in his 25 years of cosmetic chemistry. Hailey Bieber even turned to Robinson for help with the formulation of her skincare line, Rhode. What does one of the most celebrated chemists wish he created? Sunscreen. Specifically Shiseido’s Clear Sunscreen Stick SPF 50+.

“I love it because it’s completely clear, fast absorbing, hydrating, and provides broad-spectrum protection,” Robinson says. “And its stick form makes it super portable and convenient.” He’s even a fan of the bright, bold packaging, making it easy to locate in a bagful of products. Robinson does note that the formula leaves a dewy sheen on the skin, which might be a bit too much shine for those with more oily-prone skin. But he says it works beautifully on his normal-to-combination skin.

Estée Lauder

sephora.com

$18.00

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Some products on this envy list are new launches, packed full of ingenious science the beauty industry couldn’t have even imagined possible 10 years ago—let alone 40 years prior. But the apple of cosmetic chemist Julio Lamberty’s eye is a product created in 1982. Estée Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair Serum is the one product the 35-year industry veteran wishes he created, calling it “innovative” and far ahead of its time, especially in addressing multiple signs of aging.

The serum is still one of the brand’s best sellers—and it’s the number one-selling serum in all the United States, according to The NPD Group. Lamberty knows about trailblazing formulation too. The Paula’s Choice chemist has helped formulate some of the brand’s biggest and most clever products, including the new CALM collection.

Clean & Clear

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$6.47

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Sometimes a formula is just too brilliant, too unexpected that it could never be replicated again. Other times a product would just be too expensive to mimic. (Sometimes it’s both.) For Ginger King, the OG cosmetic chemist and founder of Grace Kingdom Beauty Consulting, the product she wishes she created is just too good of a deal. She’s referring to Clean & Clear’s Advantage Acne Spot Treatment, which is the acne-focused brand’s best-selling spot treatment.

“This is a fabulous product. Whenever you feel there’s a pimple coming out, it kills it without any irritation or drying the skin out,” King says. The 2 percent salicylic acid treatment could be potentially replicated, but at under $7, why bother, she says? Just grab it at your local drugstore.

SkinCeuticals

skinceuticals.com

$124.00

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Victoria Fu and Gloria Lu met at their previous employer, a large international conglomerate, as skincare formulation chemists. The duo, now known as Chemist Confessions, bonded over their love of chemistry education and meaningful formulas. They eventually struck out on their own—creating a blog for educating readers, their own line of skincare products, and even a book: Skincare Decoded. What product does Lu wish she created? SkinCeuticals’ Biocellulose Restorative Mask, which she describes as “a genius product.”

The brand characterizes the product as an “air conditioner in a mask,” and it contains just one ingredient: biofibers. “The mask uses a unique biocellulose material to create extended soothing, cooling relief—without actual active ingredients,” Lu says. “The lasting relief really does feel great, and no ingredients mean compromised skin doesn’t have to worry about irritation.”

Bioré

amazon.com

$14.19

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Fu finds sunscreen to be the most challenging category to formulate. “From packaging issues to puzzling SPF test results, there are a whole host of challenges that come with this category,” she says.

But sunscreens formulated in Asia are especially great, because chemists can use a much wider range of ingredients for better textures. This Bioré SPF is one of her very favorites. “The Aqua Protect Lotion is a beautiful fluid that doesn’t dry out skin (a common trait of fluid sunscreens) and layers well under my makeup,” she says. “A lovely texture and robust sunscreen!”

Beauty of Joseon

$18.00

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Speaking of sunscreens formulated in Asia, Beauty of Joseon’s instant cult-classic sunscreen is a favorite of cosmetic chemist Gracia Bahati. Bahati, the head of innovation for the buzzy new skincare brand Soho Skin, agrees that formulating sunscreens is one of the most difficult products to perfect.

“There are a lot of aspects to take into consideration, and you need time, money, and patience for it, because they must undergo strict testing to determine their safety, efficacy, and SPF,” she says. Which is what blows her mind about this formulation. “It has such a unique, elegant, lotion-like texture that has come a long way from the traditional heavy, greasy sunscreens,” she adds. “This is fast absorbing and leaves your skin with a glowy finish.”

The U.K.-based chemist also notes that the SPF doesn’t leave any white cast, even on her darker skin tone. The Korean brand’s sunscreen is so impeccable that Bahati says she will “forever continue to purchase this product.”

Aēsop

aesop.com

$31.00

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Sometimes you can’t just pick one product; instead, you wish you created the entire brand. Bryhel Cosmetic Labs’ founder, Defne Arikan, and cosmetic chemist, Yehiel Amouyal, wish they created the Australian brand Aēsop.

“The brand itself is super discreet, everything is transparent and straightforward, the brand doesn’t give thousands of arguments, and lets the products speak for themselves,” Arikan says. She’s particularly appreciative of the subtle, aromatic scents in all the formulas. “I have not yet found one brand that procures the same pleasant and light scents,” she adds. Plus, she loves the luxurious textures and the focused curation of products.

Topicals

sephora.com

$38.00

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“The product I use and love and wish I created is Topicals Faded,” cosmetic chemist and licensed aesthetician Esther Olu says. Known as The Melanin Chemist on her social media platforms, Olu is a fan of the trendsetting Topicals brand, especially its award-winning brightening serum that addresses discoloration, post-blemish marks, and scars.

“Hyperpigmentation is one of the harder skin conditions to manage, especially in darker skin tones, so having a multi-targeting hyperpigmentation product in one is not only cost effective, but simplifies my skin care routine,” Olu explains. “The multitude of active/performance ingredients (i.e., about 10 brightening ingredients) in this serum can accomplish what I would have needed two to three products for, which is why I love it so much.” The thick texture can also double as a moisturizer, she adds.

Olu isn’t alone in her love for Topicals either. The two-year-old brand just announced it had a 675 percent year-over-year revenue growth and is the fastest-growing skincare brand at Sephora. And brand founder Olamide Olowe is the youngest Black woman to ever raise more than $10 million in funding.

Tatcha

sephora.com

$88.00

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Cosmetic chemist Jane Tsui's “holy grail” product is Tatcha’s Indigo Overnight Repair Serum. She’s such a fan that she’s gone through at least four jars of the calming treatment. (Especially impressive, given the product launched less than a year ago.) “The formula is a reverse emulsion, which means the outer phase is composed of silicone, while the inner phase of the emulsion is water based,” Tsui explains. “The silicone outer phase provides a great protective barrier, especially for people with dry skin,” she says.

Most moisturizers on the market are an oil-in-water emulsion, making this rich treatment particularly unique, Tsui says. “This product leaves a dewy finish after applying—but the best part is waking up the next morning with baby-soft skin,” she says.

Biologique Recherche

biologique-recherche.com

$50.00

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Few formulas have been as celebrated and revered as the French classic Lotion P50. Even cosmetic chemists, like Krupa Koestline, are big fans. Koestline, the founder of KKT Consultants, says the exfoliating toner is “a cult favorite for a reason.” The formula consists of an impressive (albeit famously pungent) blend of acids—including lactic, salicylic, and phytic—that are designed to, of course, exfoliate, but also tone and hydrate.

“It is a one-of-a-kind formula with just the right amount of acids to tone and clarify without being overly aggressive on the skin,” Orlando-based Koesline says. The toner, or “lotion” as the brand calls it, is best used for at least 50 days to see results, Koestline suggests. But it’s still gentle enough to use every day (or every other day for sensitive skin).

Chanel

sephora.com

$80.00

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The Advanced Night Repair Serum’s 40-year-old launch date is juvenile compared to one of the most recognizable fragrances: Chanel N°5. Created in 1921 for Coco Chanel by nose Ernest Beaux, N°5 is a dream creation for longtime cosmetic chemist Susan Goldsberry.

“It’s the most iconic fragrance ever,” Goldsberry, the CEO and founder of Ina, says. The bold, concentrated scent features notes of bergamot, neroli, vetiver, sandalwood, and patchouli (just to name a few of the numerous ingredients in the composition). “Even a century later, Chanel N°5 is still one of the most popular fragrances in the world,” she notes.

Olaplex

sephora.com

$28.00

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Cassandra Celestin knows hair formulas. The research and development cosmetic chemist has previously created hair regrowth products that are clinically proven to help those with alopecia (one of her proudest formulations yet). So which product does the Maryland-based chemist wish she created? Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate—or more commonly known as Olaplex. The brand’s patented molecule (Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate) is the secret sauce behind the bond builder, working on a molecular level to improve both the strength and overall health of hair.

“This is the type of innovation I geek out about,” Celestin says. She notes the formulas not only broke the mold when it came to innovation, but Olaplex provides the customer with never-seen-before products that actually work. Nearly every single product from the brand features the bond-repairing molecule, but No. 3 is its best seller, working as an intensive booster that repairs and strengthens hair after just a single use.