The Surprising Appeal of "Unsexy" Beauty Products

The corner of the internet known as beauty TikTok (or BeautyTok, for short) is usually filled with eye candy. Each day, my feed surfaces jewel-tone fragrances that glisten beneath their sculptural caps; celebrity-approved body creams that perch in pristine bathrooms worthy of an Architectural Digest photoshoot; or lip oils and body mists that shimmer in front of a resort backdrop. But lately, dermatologists, editors, and everyday content creators are appearing on my For You page with products more commonly seen under the harsh florescents of a CVS than a carefully positioned ring light. Each one refers to their armfuls of tested-and-approved creams, lotions, ointments, and tools with an eyebrow-raiser of a name: "unsexy beauty products."

For audiences numbering in the hundreds of thousands (and in a few cases, millions), TikTok recommendation videos are currently singing the praises of humble, drugstore-oriented skincare and beauty with the same fervor usually reserved for the latest luxury launch. The tongue-in-cheek "unsexy" moniker comes from two directions: the packaging—which favors straightforward product descriptions over flashy, photogenic designs—and the purpose. From video to video, participants in the trend share recommendations for items to treat common conditions like dandruff, dry skin, eczema, or rosacea.

As creator @haleyreidtay explained to more than 200,000 viewers of her roundup, "Nothing about these [products] has to be sexy or cool, aside from the fact that they work."

To be clear: The products defining this TikTok movement aren't new. Some, like tubs of Vaseline and bottles of hydrocortisone cream, have existed on the market for longer than this magazine. Others fall under the umbrella of "medical grade skincare," with dermatologist-backed formulas and studies proving their results.

All that's different with "unsexy beauty products" is the terminology—and the tone of the conversation. Openly discussing the diaper ointment that treats irritation or the drugstore facial cleanser that clears breakouts is a refreshing twist in an app saturated with paid placements and sticker-shock price tags.

"This is currently my favorite trend on TikTok," creator @_bousso told over 179,000 viewers on her "unsexy" product review. "These are products that are affordable but might not look aesthetically pleasing, but that just gets the job done." Her haul included a bar of Dial soap and a Dove Acne Clear cleanser.

Commenters who tune in without posting themselves also enjoy the change in perspective. "It's so refreshing to find a video I actually trust [because] you're not sponsored by this or anything," one viewer wrote under creator @sarah.kidwai's reviews of First Aid Beauty's Bump Eraser Scrub and a generic Hydrochlorus Acid Spray.

Most creators' bathroom cabinet hauls end with a line like this: "Unsexy products actually are sexy—because they work."

Marie Claire beauty editors agree. So ahead, we share the so-called "unsexy" essentials with a permanent spot in our beauty routines. Just like people, you can't always judge a product by its packaging.

Shop 'Marie Claire' Editors' Favorite "Unsexy" Beauty Products

Acne Free Adapalene Gel 0.1%

"I will swear up and down by the powers of retinol. Sure, the tube may look a little sterile. It may even make your face peel at first. But the long-term results are so incredibly worthwhile. This product will help control acne flares by speeding up cell turnover, it also helps reduce (and prevent!) fine lines and wrinkles. Just start off slow, using only a pea-sized amount twice a week." —Samantha Holender, beauty editor

Halaleveryday Raw Unrefined Grade a Soft and Smooth Yellow African Shea Butter

"Between my beauty writer role and lifelong love for hair and skincare, I've tried hundreds of beauty products. Still, for me, raw shea butter reigns supreme. Every morning and evening, I place a clump of the butter in a small bowl, then carefully put that bowl into a larger bowl filled with boiling water. The result is a thick oil that I rub all over my body and hair. My hair and skin look their absolute best when I follow this routine: My skin glows, my feet are free of callouses, and my curls are defined, with no signs of frizz or split ends. Plus, a little bit of this butter goes a very long way. A one-inch clump will usually last me for about a week, so a whole tub lasts for ages." —Gabrielle Ulubay, beauty writer

Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Facial Moisturizer With.5% Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment

"I know the pink grapefruit craze of the 2010s is over, but I still love this product. Whenever I have an acne flare-up on my face, chest, or back, I simply use this salicylic acid-based moisturizer morning and night, and the blemishes are gone. The formula is also super lightweight, so it can seamlessly be paired with more moisturizing products like facial oils and sunscreens. Non-comedogenic, unscented, and no-nonsense, it never fails to balance my skin. Although I try a lot of products these days, this moisturizer has a permanent spot in my medicine cabinet for whenever I'm in a skincare crisis." —Gabrielle Ulubay, beauty writer

Eltamd Uv Sheer Face Sunscreen, Spf 50+ No White Cast Sunscreen for Face and Body

"My defining facial feature is a brown, oblong birthmark stamped at the end of my right eyebrow. According to my derm, this small-but-not-insignificant splotch is more susceptible to sun damage and skin cancer than other areas of my skin, so I try to take extra care of it. I came across Elta MD's facial sunscreen after searching for light, non-greasy extra protection for my special spot. It lives up to the five-star reviews: It has a silky texture, it's water-resistant, and if I have to layer it under other makeup, it doesn't get cakey or alter the color. So far, my spot is safe." —Halie LeSavage, senior fashion and beauty news editor

Medpride 1% Hydrocortisone Cream

"I will never, ever go anywhere without some good old-fashioned hydrocortisone by my side. Not only is it great for bug bites or random itchy rashes, but it's also the only treatment that works to calm the inflammation of a cyst pimple. You can't use it as a spot treatment for more than three days per dermatologist recommendations, and you only want to apply an incredibly small amount, but trust me: It works." —Samantha Holender, beauty editor

A+d Original Diaper Rash Ointment

"Bear with me on this one: Diaper ointment is the skincare hero product that the world is sleeping on. Perhaps the most unsexy lotion of all time, it calms inflammation, heals chapped skin, reduces itching instantly, and works wonders on fresh tattoos. I learned about this skincare secret when I was in Northern Ireland: I'd just gotten a tattoo on my arm and was searching tirelessly for Aquaphor, which I soon discovered wasn't available there. When I told one pharmacist that I needed it to heal my tattoo, she said, 'Nappy ointment—that's what everyone here does. My son has a full sleeve of tattoos, and that's what he's used on every one of them.' Sure enough, the ointment worked wonders on my fresh, itchy, peeling tattoo (which healed beautifully and looks great to this day, five years later). Once the tattoo fully healed, the cream also worked well on dry elbows and knees, fresh cuts, and even burns." —Gabrielle Ulubay, beauty writer

Blistex Lip Medex Jar

"I genuinely think I couldn't live without this product. I use it on my upper lip after a wax, on cuts and scrapes that won't heal, on stubborn hangnails, and, of course, on chapped lips. It treats dryness and inflammation better than any other product I've tried (and I've tried a lot) and it is the sole reason I've been able to wear lipstick every single day for over ten years without having chronically chapped lips. One little tub lasts me for well over a year, and because a little goes a long way, I can wear a thing layer of it on my skin or under a layer of lipstick without feeling greasy." —Gabrielle Ulubay, beauty writer

Cortizone 10 Maximum Strength Intensive Healing Lotion for Eczema

"Is there anything less sexy than bringing up my chronic eczema online? Don't answer that, but do pay attention to this lotion if you're also a card-carrying member of the eczema club. I get breakouts all over the palms of my hands and between my fingers when I'm stressed (which is often). This lotion makes flare-ups go away as fast as they appear, just by rubbing about a quarter's worth of the lotion into my skin. It works as hard as medical-grade topical steroids I've been prescribed in the past, but it doesn't have the same skin barrier-thinning effect. Considering how often I need to use it, that's a huge bonus." —Halie LeSavage, senior fashion and beauty news editor

Aquaphor Healing Ointment Advanced Therapy Skin Protectant

"Aquaphor is another option I always use as a skincare panacea. It works on cracked feet, blisters, and scabs, and it heals dry winter skin quicker than anything else I've ever tried. It has also been my go-to healing ointment for tattoo aftercare. Because it's water-based rather than oil-based, it's less greasy than similar ointments, allowing skin (especially fragile, freshly tattooed) to breathe." —Gabrielle Ulubay, beauty writer