I've Tried 87 Skincare Products This Summer, but Only These 3 Earned a Permanent Spot in My Routine

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Take these recommendations from an admittedly jaded beauty editor.

If you’ve come across my work before then you may have heard about the excel sheet I use to keep track of the dozens (if not hundreds) of products I test each month. So much makeup, skincare and haircare passes through my hands that I am, by default, picky. For a product to stand out against the dozens of others, it has to make a noticeable difference within a couple of weeks at most. So far this summer (meaning May, June, and July), I have tested 87 skincare products. (This includes serums, moisturizers, mists, eye creams, masks, etc.) Whew.

Some were bad (causing breakouts, congested and dull skin, etc), most were simply okay, but three were so impressive they are now part of my daily skincare routine. The aforementioned products are Mutha’s Rebirth Amniotic Toner, Yse Beauty Morning Cocktail Vitamin C Serum, and Glow Recipe Plum Plump Hyaluronic Serum.

• Mutha Rebirth Amniotic Toner, $65; mutha.com

• Yse Morning Cocktail Vitamin C Serum, $85; ysebeauty.com

• Glow Recipe Plum Plump Hyaluronic Serum, $45; amazon.com

Mutha Rebirth Amniotic Toner

$65

Buy on mutha.com

As obsessed as I was with my previous toner-serum hybrid, in the interest of beauty journalism, it was time to try something new. Mutha’s Rebirth Amniotic Toner was the only replacement product that filled the void in my heart and skincare routine.

This toner is formulated with alpha-hydroxy (AHAs) and poly-hydroxy acids (PHAs) which are both chemical exfoliants. The AHAs in the Rebirth Toner address problems in the most superficial layers of the skin — sloughing off dull and dead skin cells, evening out discoloration, and preventing breakouts. PHAs are similar — they increase the speed of cell turnover, meaning fresher, brighter skin, unclog pores, and help with signs of aging. Plus, PHAs are humectant, meaning they attract and retain moisture which helps with a more plump complexion.

Mutha has the secret sauce down pat because this does everything it should — but it’s also gentle and skin-softening. Even though my skin is infuriatingly sensitive, Mutha’s Rebirth Toner didn’t cause any purge or irritation. After two weeks of use, my skin is soft, clear, more even-toned, and has smaller, less-congested pores.

Yse Beauty Morning Cocktail Vitamin C Serum

$85

Buy on ysebeauty.com

Brace yourself for probably my most controversial skincare opinion: I don’t think vitamin C is the end-all-be-all for radiant skin. Like most ingredients, I think its prowess depends on the formula, most of which I find disappointing. Yse Beauty’s Morning Cocktail Vitamin C Serum is one of the rare exceptions where the ingredient rises to its full potential.

Three types of vitamin C combined with niacinamide, squalane, and hyaluronic acid make this a powerhouse serum. Since using it, my skin is smooth and less bumpy, and glow and dewiness shine through under makeup. Lastly, new hyperpigmentation appears less often and old dark spots are disappearing as the days go by.

Glow Recipe Plum Plump Hyaluronic Serum

$45

Buy on Amazon

I did not get the hubbub surrounding hyaluronic acid until I tried Glow Recipe’s Plum Plump Serum. The formula uses various sizes and weights of hyaluronic acid molecules, meaning the ingredient is able to penetrate various depths and layers of skin leading to the most optimally plump complexion, per the brand. The serum is also packed with antioxidants and vitamins, but those are merely a bonus to me.

This is weightless and thin and makes my skin look full and bouncy — like I’m the poster child of health and hydration. I apply it in the morning and it does such a good job at retaining moisture that I sometimes skip a nighttime moisturizer altogether. 

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