After Testing New Beauty Products All Month Long, These 12 Are PEOPLE Editors' April Favorites
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Including a new floral Vince Camuto perfume that makes a great Mother’s Day gift
People / Kristin Kempa
At PEOPLE, we take beauty testing very seriously. We sift through hundreds — nay — thousands of pitches and products on a regular basis, carefully swatching, spritzing, and applying the latest and greatest offerings so that we can then share with you, dear readers, those that are worth your hard-earned money.
And we're keenly aware that beauty products are subjective, which is why we consult with experts like dermatologists, makeup artists, and hairstylists to determine what will best suit our specific skin and hair types. We also boast a large testing pool of varying beauty needs, so we're each giving the products a fair trial before writing them off. Sometimes, though, there are those especially shiny offerings that we feel the need to shout from the mountaintop of bottles, tubes, and compacts, which is why we publish this monthly series of our absolute favorite picks.
Below, we're rounding up the makeup, skincare, and hair products that made us do a double-take this month — and then reach for them again and again. From a mineral sunscreen that we serendipitously stumbled upon mid-vacation to a new K18 dry shampoo that worked on an editor with the most stubborn scalp, here are the products we tried and loved the most this month. (We think any of these would make pretty good Mother’s Day gifts, too. Just saying.)
Project Reef Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50
“Like any good beauty editor, I schlepped half a dozen SPF products on our family vacation. From oils and sprays to sticks and lotions, we were totally covered. Or so I thought.
“Within two days, it was clear that our stash wouldn't make it through the week. Luckily, the Ritz-Carlton hotel places giant bottles of sunscreen around the pool and beach areas. That's how I discovered my new favorite brand, Project Reef.
“Everyone in my family applied the SPF 50 lotion multiple times a day, and no one got even a hint of sunburn, which is impressive considering how strong the sun is down there. And even though it's a mineral formula, it was easy to blend and didn't leave a white cast. What's more, true to its name, the sunscreen is reef-friendly, which is even more important to us after spending the majority of our trip enjoying the gorgeous Caribbean ocean.” — Andrea Lavinthal, Style and Beauty Director
Chantecaille Pure Rosewater
"We're officially heading into warm-weather territory (at last!), which means I'm trading in my heavy-duty moisturizers and balms for lighter, more refreshing skincare products. The number one thing I've been reaching for so far this spring is Chantecaille's Pure Rosewater face mist. I keep it on my desk for whenever my skin needs a hit of hydration or just an overall boost, and I swear it's worked wonders for both my complexion and my mood.
"The face mist — made with hand-harvested rose petals and well water from the South of France — smells positively divine and leaves my skin feeling soft and moisturized. It's replaced my second coffee as my go-to afternoon pick-me-up." —Karli Bendlin, Director of Content Strategy
Ban Thigh & Body Rub Remedy
“I love wearing dresses in the spring, but I do not love my thighs rubbing together while I run around town. This anti-friction stick from Ban is my new best friend. I just swipe it on my inner thighs (like deodorant), and then I can throw on any dress or shorts without hesitation.” — Erin Johnson, Associate Editorial Director
People / Erin Johnson
Korres Pure Greek Olive 3-in-1 Nourishing Oil
“Moisturizers of all kinds are spread plentily around my apartment, so I can combat dry skin throughout the day with just a reach of my hand. But lately, I've felt lotioning my legs and arms hasn't been quite enough to get my skin to the supple, nourished state it yearns for.
"I saw this product from Korres and loved the multi-use of this olive oil, which is designed for your face, hair, and body. I've loved treating my skin to it when I feel it needs an extra dose of TLC. (And fortunately, it doesn't even smell like cooking oil.)” — Erika Reals, Senior Shopping Editor
Vince Camuto Wonderbloom Eau De Parfum
“I was first introduced to this fragrance in a flower-decked room at a glitzy New York City launch event, and even now, as I spritz it onto my skin weeks after our first meeting, its tantalizing floral scent hasn’t lost its magic.
“While some spring scents can be overwhelming or sickly sweet, this perfume has a delicate aroma of white freesia and pear leaves and rounds out with grounding notes of sandalwood. As someone who can easily be overpowered by thick scents, this light and airy mist has been a welcome addition to my growing collection. Plus, it’s the perfect Mother’s Day gift — I mean, have you seen this gorgeous packaging?” — Alyssa Brascia, Shopping Writer
People / Alyssa Brascia
Related: The 17 Best Perfumes for Women of 2024, According to Testers
K18 AirWash Dry Shampoo
“Normally, I wouldn't call this out because there is a waitlist to buy it, but that's also why I need to. I have been in a battle with my hair-washing schedule for a decade because if I go longer than two days without washing my hair, it looks terrible. Dry shampoos rarely, if ever, work for me (I've tried them all). So, when K18 sent me a sample of their AirWash Dry Shampoo, I was highly skeptical. Then I used it and discovered that it's a spritz, not a spray. I was intrigued.
“Since it dampens your hair, you can tell how long you have to massage it in (until it's dry), and I could see it actively working. I don't know what witchcraft went into this product, but I have never had a dry shampoo work so well with my hair. I have woken up with flat, stringy, dirty hair and watched as this product transformed my hair to look textured, volumized, and actually clean — like blown-out clean.
"I am not one to rave about a product unnecessarily, but this one warrants it. This dry shampoo lives up to its name of ‘air wash.’ I am absolutely floored by the results.” — Madison Yauger, Shopping Editor
EM Cosmetics Divine Sky Eyeshadow Palette in Magic Hour
“A look that's been having a resurgence on my TikTok For You Page is 2000’s K-pop makeup. As a big K-beauty fan, I rushed to my makeup drawer to compile whatever I needed to create the early-aughts smokey eyeshadow.
"After experimenting with all sorts of products, I found that Em Cosmetics’ icy silver shade from the Magic Hour palette excelled at giving me that nostalgic Y2K frosted look without any blending catastrophes or irritation, despite all the shimmery goodness packed inside. And take it from me, a girl who even gets oily on her eyelids, that these creamy power eyeshadows will last all day, which makes the palette a perfect candidate for the best day-to-night option.” — Michelle Lee, Editorial Assistant
Oshin Oil Head-To-Toe Moringa Oil
“I’ve been wanting to try this oil ever since I met with the founder, Marilyn Schlossbach, who discovered the benefits of its star ingredient, moringa oil, during a surf trip to Nicaragua. I threw it in my toiletry bag for a family vacation to Grand Cayman, thinking I’d maybe use it once or twice post-beach. I ended up slathering it head-to-toe (it’s non-comedogenic, so you can — and should! — apply it on your face) every night.
“It’s super lightweight, yet leaves skin feeling incredibly silky. I even used it on my daughter to calm a mid-trip eczema flare-up and on my son to hydrate his skin after hours and hours of swimming in chlorine and saltwater. The 2 oz. bottle is perfect for travel, but consider this a formal request for the brand to make a family-sized jug of the stuff!” — Andrea Lavinthal
Related: These Are the 11 Best Face Oils That We’ve Tested in 2024
Zoya Violetta Nail Polish
“There's something so silly and fun about wearing glittery nail polish as an adult. This new spring color from Zoya is a Y2K throwback if there ever was one, and it's been on my toes since the day I got it. (I'll spare you a photo of my feet, but trust me, it's a really cute color!)” — Erin Johnson
Tatcha The Kissu Lip Tint SPF 25
“One place I often neglect to use SPF is on my lips, which has resulted in cracked, painful, sunburnt lips on beach vacations in the past. I’ve since learned my lesson, but I hadn’t been able to find a SPF-infused product that wasn’t a lip balm that tasted like chemicals… until now. You can imagine my relief when I swiped on Tatcha’s luxurious Kissu Lip Tint for the first time.
“Armed with silk protein and botanical lanolin, this hydrating lippie works overtime to restore and repair dry lips while also protecting your lips, which are already extremely thin-skinned, with SPF 25. The tint is available in three everyday shades, including baby pink, soft red, and plum, adding a weightless kiss of color to your lips. This little tube has been a staple in my bag for the past few weeks, and I only see myself reaching for it more and more as the weather warms up.” — Alyssa Brascia
Dermelect Revital-Oil Nail and Cuticle Oil
“I confess: I’m a major nail polish picker whose guilty pleasure is doing an at-home gel removal. However, I’m fully aware that all that scratching and acetone soaking means I have to go the extra mile with my nail care routine, which Dermelect has been a big part of.
“Last May, I raved about the brand’s Peptide Polish, and this time around, I’m going to put you on its reviving oil. Nourishing and super absorbent, it hydrates the nail bed and cuticles in seconds, which means I can still go about my day but get the perks of having stronger nails as if I'd just gone to the salon. A drop of this is the easiest way to show your nails some love.” — Michelle Lee
Nars Powder Blush
“I’ve recently become a blush convert, but that’s only because of this new and improved formula from Nars. Though this product has been around for quite some time (we all know the signature shade ‘Orgasm’), its contents were recently upgraded and re-released in late March, and ever since trying the blush for myself, I haven’t been able to stop painting my cheeks pale pink. Even after long days of wear, this blush never dulls.
“The matte shade ‘Thrill’ has been my vice, and applying it with the Yachiyo Kabuki brush is the secret to controlled application. This new and improved formula is buildable enough that I feel comfortable swiping on several layers to create a custom color — sheer to start and bubblegum pink after a few swathes. Plus, you can refill this compact after it’s done (a great way to keep your makeup stash sustainable).” — Alyssa Brascia
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