The On-Sale Beauty Products Worth the Money

I'm 40 years old and I think my skin looks pretty good.

I’ve been testing beauty products for work since 2007 — God, I’m so old — but I was a skincare obsessive even before that. When friends in high school were scrubbing their skin off with St. Ives Apricot Scrub, I was recommending a glycolic cleanser I used from my mom’s stash. (I’m pretty sure it was Serious Skin Care from QVC. That shit is underrated.) Now, decades later, when someone at an event asks what sparkly eyeshadow I have on (usually Urban Decay Moon Dust or Makeup by Mario Ethereal Eyes Eyeshadow Palette, I can’t wait to tell them. I’ll even airdrop a link to the exact shade. Is there anything more annoying than someone who says, Oh, I can’t remember! Yes, you can.

So, in honor of how much I love sharing my faves, and the fact that every retailer is having a huge beauty sale right now, here are the products I think are actually worth the money. Disclaimer: I’m 40 years old with dry but somewhat acne-prone skin, so my recommendations will reflect that!

All products are selected by me. If you buy something, I may earn an affiliate commission.

Ulta Beauty.

Ulta Beauty

Ulta’s Spring Haul features up to 40 percent off brands including La Roche-Posay, Vacation, Hero Cosmetics, and so many more favorites. Stock up on the items you run out of and run to repurchase again and again.

1. The hydrating sunscreen you’ll enjoy wearing every day: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer UV SPF 30, $19.49 (was $25.99)

2. The sanitizer that makes your hands actually soft: Touchland Glow Mist Rosewater Revitalizing Hand Sanitizer, $12.80 (was $16)

3. The absolute best drugstore mascara: Maybelline Lash Sensational Firework Washable Mascara, $9.79 (was $13.99)

4. The best lip balm out of all the lip balms: Cocokind Ceramide Lip Blur Balm Hydrating & Smoothing Lip Treatment, $8.39 (was $11.99)

5. The creamiest lip liner: Milani Color Statement Lip Liner, $4.19 (was $5.99)

Avène.

Amazon

Amazon’s Big Spring Sale is over, but there are still so many good beauty and wellness products hiding on sale.

1. The perfect Mother’s Day present: Laura Geller New York The Best of the Best Baked Palette, $43 (was $69)

2. The Dyson dupe people swear is better: Shark HD430 FlexStyle Air Styling & Drying System, $239 (was $299)

3. The affordable dark spot destroyer: Eucerin Radiant Tone Dual Serum Dark Spot Corrector, $27.99 (was $39.99)

4. The serum for strong skin at any age: Avène Cicalfate+ Intensive Skin Restorative Serum

5. The luxe cleanser: Sisley Paris Gentle Cleansing Gel With Tropical Resins, $56.99 (was $120)

Sephora.

Sephora

Sephora’s Springs Savings event starts on April 4. Use code SAVEMORE to get up to 20 percent off (depending on your Beauty Insider status) and 30 percent off Sephora Collection.

1. The texture-smoothing serum: Shani Darden Skin Care Rescue Serum With 10% Azelaic Complex, $54.40 (was $68)

2. The prettiest highlighting balm: Haus Labs Bio-Radiant Glassy Balm Highlighter Stick, $24 (was $30)

3. The buzzy spring scent: Glossier You Fleur Eau de Parfum, $62.40 (was $78)

4. The firming eye cream: InnBeauty Project Extreme Cream Eye Firming & Contouring Refillable Eye Cream, $38.40 (was $48)

5. The lightest hair dryer ever: Dyson Supersonic R Hair Dryer, $455.20 (was $569)

Happy shopping!