10 Skin-Care Product Winners From the 2021 Readers' Choice Awards
After the past year of maskne, staying inside, and having to jerry-rig at-home facials, our skin is totally over us. As we experimented and treated our new complexion concerns, products were constantly added to and removed from our skin-care routines. Through it all, Allure readers landed on some tried-and-true favorites. And fortunately for all of us, the 2021 Readers' Choice Awards exist, in which a quick survey helped us collect their findings to share with you (and your skin) for a more consistent regimen.
Those discoveries include: The Ordinary's AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution, crimson colored and a good alternative to old-school scrubs for exfoliation and unclogging pores; acne stickers, which are the new go-to blemish buster; the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Acid, and Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40 are always a good idea. (We can't stress enough the importance of that last one.)
For 2021, we also slotted in two new winners in the skin-care category. Because we can't just drop in on a favorite dermatologist or aesthetician for an in-office treatment to get skin glowing, our readers' at-home device of choice is sure to help in a pinch. You'll also find out which mask Allure readers swear by — and let's just say, Allure editors couldn't approve more of their gilded selection.
Keep scrolling to see what we're talking about and so much more.
All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
- Courtesy of brand1/11
Cleanser: Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser
The soap- and fragrance-free Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser has been coddling sensitive skin for 74 years, contains only eight ingredients, and vanishes from the Allure beauty closet in approximately three seconds.
- Courtesy of brand2/11
Tool: Michael Todd Beauty Soniclear Petite Sonic Cleansing System
No spin here: The vibrating Michael Todd Beauty Soniclear Petite Sonic Cleansing System draws out deep-seated grime with tiny oscillations, making it more effective than rotating heads that distribute debris around your face. And the antimicrobial bristles help prevent product buildup and breakouts.
- Courtesy of brand3/11
Lip Balm: Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask
The Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask is the satin top sheet of overnight treatments: Hyaluronic acid and fruit extracts form a light, protective layer over lips while you sleep, creating a creaseless canvas for matte makeup.
- Courtesy of brand4/11
Moisturizer: First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream
Loaded with ceramides and anti-inflammatory ingredients, the calming emulsion of First Aid Beauty's Ultra Repair Cream relieves dry, prickly skin on our face, neck, chest — and any other parched part that comes to mind.
- Courtesy of brand5/11
Exfoliant: The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution
Mimic the effects of a professional peel with The Ordinary's AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution. The high concentration of acids is no joke (sensitive types, beware), but neither is the refined texture and dewy glow you'll experience after one dose.
- Courtesy of brand6/11
Eye Cream: Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Crème
With vitamin C and a sunny yellow tint in Ole Henriksen's Banana Bright Eye Crème, dark circles will make like a banana — and split.
- Courtesy of brand7/11
Face Mask: Wander Beauty Baggage Claim Gold Eye Masks
An upgrade for your undereyes, the gold, crescent-shaped Wander Beauty Baggage Claim Gold Eye Masks brighten and depuff with hyaluronic acid and aloe extract. People will think you're a paragon of sleep hygiene and someone who has never said, "Sure, one more glass!"
- Courtesy of brand8/11
Serum: SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic
It practically takes a chemistry degree to interpret the list of ingredients in the free-radical-fighting SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic serum, but you don't need any honors to understand the result: radiant, stress-free skin.
- Courtesy of brand9/11
Sunscreen: Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40
We feel the same way you do about Supergoop's Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 weightless, poreless, primer-like finish and heavy-duty protection. What we don't feel? A layer of sunscreen.
- Courtesy of brand10/11
Acne Treatment: Peace Out Acne Healing Dots
The small, adhesive Peace Out Acne Healing Dots stick it to zits (even the achy, emerging ones) with a steady dose of salicylic acid, while soothing aloe keeps dryness and flaking at bay.
Photographed by Ruo Bing Li11/11See All the Winners of the 2021 Readers' Choice Awards
