The Best Skin Care Products of 2025 from the PEOPLE Beauty Awards

Let’s face it: finding the right skin care products for your regimen isn’t always a breeze. But we love the hunt. So much so that we tested tons of new products — among them cleansing balms, SPFs and serums that ranged from under $20 to nearly $200 — to share launches with the most impressive results. This list has everything you need to upgrade your routine!

THE BEST SKIN CARE OF 2025

Best Cleansing Balm: RMS Coconut Clean Cleansing Balm

This makeup-remover received heaps of praise for its “buttery” texture and
gentle but effective cleanse. 

Best Cleanser: goop Beauty Daily Detox Foaming Cleanser

Gwyneth Paltrow’s brand nailed this gently exfoliating formula that a tester said made skin “feel clean with zero tightness.”

Best Face Mist: Weleda Skin Food Hydrating Face Mist

A tester confessed that she and her husband are now equally “obsessed” with this hyaluronic acid and glycerin mist. “We fight over the bottle.”

Best Serum for Dark Spots: e.l.f. SKIN Bright Icon Vitamin C + E + Ferulic Serum

If dark spots are your biggest concern, this vitamin C noticeably diminishes them for an incredible bargain.  

Best Firming Serum: SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Interrupter Ultra Serum

This serum, which uses moisturizer proxylane to increase elasticity and firmness, is worth the splurge.

Best Hydrating Serum: Drunk Elephant Amino Rain Glasswater Serum

Not only does this opalescent serum boost hydration, it increases radiance, giving skin a lit-from-within look.

Best Line-Smoothing Serum: Medik8 Liquid Peptides Advanced MP Serum

It’s chockfull of smoothing peptides to give skin a filler-like effect without a trip to the dermatologist.

Best Serum for Dull Skin: The Ordinary Multi-Antioxidant Radiance Serum

Testers said this antioxidant serum became a “regular” in their rotations after they swore it helped fake the look of eight hours of sleep.

Best Barrier-Strengthening Moisturizer: Mother Science Molecular Genesis Barrier Repair Moisturizer

Barrier is the new beauty buzz word. If your face needs that kind of TLC this skin-fortifying moisturizer is what you need.

Best Moisturizer for Blemish-Prone Skin: Sofie Pavitt Face Omega Rich Moisturizer

After wearing this non-comedogenic formula during a heatwave, testers had nothing but good things to say. 

Best Moisturizer for Dark Spots: Elizabeth Arden Visible Brightening Clearly Radiant Bounce Cream

This cream, which evened testers’ skin tones, was a “welcome addition” to their routines.

 Best Moisturizer for Dry Skin: Remedy For Moisturizing

This ceramide-and-lipid-rich cream, which was tested on sensitive skin, garnered a unanimous “yes” from our testers.

Best Moisturizer for Dull Skin: Pat McGrath Labs Divine Skin: Rose 001 The Hydrating Glow Cream  

Makeup trailblazer Pat McGrath’s vitamin C and rose formula boosted radiance so well, testers “rationed” it for fear of running out.

Best Firming Moisturizer: Shiseido Vital Perfection Concentrated Supreme Cream

“If I could, I would bathe in this,” one tester gushed of this velvety cream which she swore sculpted her skin with continued use.

Best Line-Smoothing Moisturizer: Chanel N°1 de Chanel Cream 

Yes the packaging and scent are very pretty, but this gel-cream won our testers over for its wrinkle-softening effects.

Best Moisturizer for Oily Skin: Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Jelly Moisturizer

Testers loved the way this jelly-like moisturizer flooded their skin with hydration, prepping it for a full face of makeup.

Best Moisturizer with SPF: L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Triple Power Face + Neck Moisturizer SPF 30

It protects your face and neck all while brightening, tightening and so much more.

Best Face Oil: Dr. Barbara Sturm Ceramide Drops Face Oil

Testers felt this was unlike any oil they’ve ever tried and for good reason: it’s boosted with ceramides to strengthen the skin barrier.

Best Chemical Sunscreen: Lancôme UV Expert Supra Screen SPF 50+

Behold: a sunscreen our testers were actually excited about applying thanks to its decadent texture and invisible finish.

Best Mineral Sunscreen: MERIT The Uniform Tinted Mineral SPF 45

“It’s insane how good this is,” one tester said of this sunscreen, which comes in 15 shades and is already a celeb makeup artist fave.

Best Sunscreen Stick: Supergoop! PLAY Everyday Sunscreen Stick SPF 50

Testers haven’t stopped using this “terrific” non-chalky, greasy or heavy-feeling stick since they threw it in their purses.

Best Retinol Moisturizer: Murad Retinal ReSculpt Overnight Cream

“Take all my money,” said a tester after this potent cream successfully smoothed lines sans irritation.

Best Mask: OleHenriksen Après Skin Multi-Use Rescue Crème

One tester called this moisture-binding ceramide and electrolyte-charged formula “the antidote to dryness.”

Best Hydrogel Mask: Augustinus Bader The Hydrogel Face Mask

Nothing made our testers skin look more refreshed than this “no-mess, no-fuss, stay-put” mask infused with lipids, peptides, vitamins and more.

Best Peel: Manuela Picard Red Carpet Ready Vitamin C Peel

“Glow, unlocked,” one tester said of the radiance this professional-grade exfoliating treatment gave
her skin.

Best Eye Serum: La Roche-Posay Hyaluronic Acid B5 Eye Serum

The massage roller elicited “oohs” and “aahs” from our testers, who were delighted by how little product it took to enliven the eye area.

Best Hydrating Eye Cream: Jones Road Rich Eye Cream

Testers literally could not believe their eyes after tapping in this “indulgent” niacinamide-packed cream.

Best Line-Smoothing Eye Cream: Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare DermInfusions Fill + Repair Eye Cream

Testers added this to their rotations after it diminished the look of wrinkles and dark circles.

Best Eye Patches: Mario Badescu Skin Care Hydrogel Under Eye Patches

“A mini spa experience” is how one tester describes the feeling she had when she sat back, relaxed and let these patches work their magic.

Best Lip Balm: Nécessaire The Lip Balm

This mint-scented balm is brimming with skincare ingretients, but it really had our testers at its precise, cool-to-the-touch applicator.

Best Lip Balm with SPF: Sun Bum Lip 30

Testers fell hard for this SPF, which on top of being water-resistant, also had a coconut taste that made them nostalgic.

Best Volumizing Lip Treatment: RoC Skincare Derm Correxion Lip Volumizer

Lip plumping products are usually a no pain, no gain situation but not so with this hyaluronic acid-powered formula.

Best Lip Mask: FEMMUE Lip Sleeping Mask

“My new favorite product,” is how one tester summed up this “long-lasting” squalane-infused mask that comes in a trio of nourishing formulas.

Best Neck Cream: Eight Saints Firm Intentions Neck Cream

Testers agreed this unscented cream was a “worthwhile investment” after it left their necks feeling softer and looking smoother.