I Tried 24 New Skincare Products in the Last Six Weeks, and These 4 Are Worth Your Money (Plus a Must-Buy Polish)

Not cheap, but definitely worth it.

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Hello, party people. It’s been a minute since we’ve talked about anything in the wonderful world of beauty, mostly because I wasn’t incredibly inspired. It’s not for a lack of trying; you name a celebrity skincare line or a TikTok-famous product, and trust me, my friends: I have tried it.

All of it.

But I’m not writing about all of it. Because if it works for you, great, but I personally have been underwhelmed by a lot of the latest launches. And, maybe like you, I’m feeling some skincare fatigue. There are so many brands it’s overwhelming to try and sort through what’s worth it.

That’s where I come in. After a lot of testing as of late, I’ve narrowed it down to four must-try skincare products that I absolutely recommend without reservations. Some are brand new, while others are hero products that I’d just never gotten around to testing until recently. All of them are excellent.

And just because, I also threw in an innovative, affordable, incredible beauty essential at the very end that your life and wallet will appreciate.

But before we get into it, a quick second for two other finds I think you should know about.

1. J.Crew’s Cashmere Relaxed V-Neck Sweater in Brilliant Kelly is so incredible not one but TWO very chic and knowledgeable friends asked me if it was The Row. Considering that my sweater (I take a small; it’s a little oversized and slouchy) is literally 1/10 the price of The Row’s (admittedly gorgeous) version, I’m now considering buying a second color, which still feels like a bargain.

2. To be completely honest, I never expected to have a love affair with Abercrombie, and certainly not for the first time in my 40s, but here we are. I mentioned that the brand makes a perfect date-night (or whenever) bodysuit in my last roundup, but I’m also newly enamored with the Slim Crew Sweater, which is stretchy, an excellent sturdy weight, and not cropped but definitely on the shorter side, which makes it great for your higher-waisted pieces. I’m also mad about the brand’s Fluffy Oversized Cardigan, which I have in a small in the brown pattern.

Okay, enough on that: Let’s talk skin favorites.

PillowtalkDerm Major Fade Hyper Serum ($68)

If you’re online and love facts about skin and skincare, you probably are familiar with Dr. Shereene Idriss, who I had the pleasure of interviewing for the Who What Wear podcast in early summer. In addition to running her practice, the NYC-based, board-certified dermatologist creates the most amazing content debunking skincare myths and breaking down the truth behind some of the industry’s wildest claims.

She also recently entered the skincare game with three products that target any kind of skin discoloration like dark spots, hyperpigmentation, and more. The products are excellent—especially the packaging, which is so innovative and thoughtful and clearly designed to keep the ingredients in her products stable and extra fresh—but the one I’m truly into is her Major Fade Hyper Serum. One package comes with two cartridges of Dr. Idriss’s gentle illuminating serum, which is formulated with hero ingredients like kojic acid (which fades dark spots) and niacinamide 5% (to support skin barrier).

I’ve been using it for a few weeks and am impressed by how it’s efficacious but also gentle, as I have somewhat sensitive skin. Even skin FTW!

Dr. Lara Devgan Hyaluronic Serum ($245)

Is this crazy expensive? Absolutely. Is it also the best hyaluronic serum I’ve ever tried? Also yes. (And yes, whatever one you’re thinking of, I’ve tried it. Yes, including the SkinCeuticals one.) So what’s particularly great about it? The formula and the consistency. I don’t know about you, but a number of the hyped HA serums I’ve tried feel super sticky or tacky once you apply, but this one really sinks in the second it hits your skin. Every time I use it (after washing my face, while skin is still a little damp, before applying sunscreen or moisturizer), my skin gets that glassy look that everyone’s chasing these days.

Even better: I’ve truly noticed that my fine lines look less noticeable when I’m using the serum on a regular basis because the formula actually boosts collagen and elastin production. This is an 11/10 recommendation from me, and I honestly love it as much as I love Devgan’s Vitamin C + B + E Ferulic Serum, which also is the best on the market, in my opinion.

U Beauty The Mantle Skin Conditioning Wash ($78)

Regular readers of this newsletter know that I do not own makeup remover, as I demand that my face wash handle it all. And while I do love the hardworking formula of my go-to facewash from IS Clinical, I have been stepping out on it with a new option from my beloved U Beauty.

Also, before we get any further, I want to acknowledge this feels like a bonkers amount of money for face wash. However, you really use a very small amount per session, and the tube is big, so my hunch is that the price per wash is actually more affordable than it seems. Also, as someone who uses both sunscreen on a daily basis and waterproof makeup on a semi-regular basis, I find it difficult to get my skin clean in a single wash and often will double- or triple-wash to really remove everything.

Not any more.

U Beauty’s Skin Conditioning Wash is an oil-balm that turns into a cleansing milk when you apply it to the skin. It easily removes the toughest oil-based products and leaves your skin feeling fresh and hydrated, not squeaky and tight.

Per founder Tina Craig’s instructions (which she sent over DM), I have been massaging the wash into my skin with my hands, adding a little water as I go to turn it into a milk, and then using a super-gentle muslin cloth to remove the last traces of mascara and the assorted grime that my face attracts during the day. After I’m done, my skin feels velvety and hydrated, which I absolutely love.

Merit Great Skin Instant Glow Serum With Niacinamide and Hyaluronic Acid ($38)

As the mom of two little kids who have woken me up every single night for the last two weeks—it’s fine, it’s just cold season, and the youngest is in a new bed, which means more freedom to do things like roll off her convertible crib mattress and onto the floor at 3 a.m.—I am desperate for anything that makes me look like I’m getting a solid eight hours of sleep instead of the broken five I regularly make do with.

Enter Merit’s first skincare product, Great Skin.

It’s a glow-enhancing, skin-soothing, radiance-boosting, incredibly lightweight serum that I wear alone on my best skin days and as the last step before makeup on days that I need a little more coverage. (It’s also specifically formulated to not clog your pores or make you break out, which I can personally attest to.)

Olive and June Quick Dry Polish ($7.50)

I’m always impressed by folks who can make it through a manicure without a smudge; I’m not that person. I always overestimate how dry my nails are and then end up wrecking them whilst digging in my bag for keys.

Happily, Sarah Gibson Tuttle, the brainiac behind Olive and June, finally released a quick-dry iteration of her amazing polish, in 19 new shades, plus a quick-dry topcoat. I’ve tried a number of quick-dry formulas in the past, and honestly most of them are garbage. And by that I mean they chip almost immediately. I have personally tested this formula for the last two weeks, and I have to say it’s remarkable. Dries in about 90 seconds (on me, I’m heavy-handed with the coats) and lasts for at least five days without a single ding, dent, or crack.

So far my favorites are Nuance (soft pink), Smooch (scarlet red), and Cateye (inky black), but you could also buy the full 19-shade set and topcoat combo for $145. A pretty rad present, don’t you think?

As a reminder: The platform I use to create and send this newsletter—Bulletin, which is operated by Meta—is closing in a few months. While I’m sad that this is the end of the road for this first iteration of Hi Everyone With Hillary Kerr, over the next few weeks, I’m going to find a new platform, hopefully. (Substack? Ghost? Beehiiv? If you have a recommendation, please either leave me a comment or DM me at your leisure.) I’ll be able to bring all the past newsletter stories with me, so the archive will live on. You may have to sign up for the newsletter again, but I promise to share more details once I have them figured out.

While I’m looking for Hi Everyone’s new home, there might be a short hiatus in newsletter stories, but fret not. I promise they will be back. It has been an absolute pleasure and joy to work on this project and speak directly to this wonderful readership, and I’m truly honored that you all have made time for me and this newsletter.

As always, thank you for being here, and thank you for sticking around. If you have any questions or concerns, or want me to touch on any topics in particular, I’m all ears. Leave a comment on Hi Everyone’s Bulletin or DM me on Instagram—I’m @hillarykerr—my inbox is always open!