Some products are just pretty lies in fancy packaging. Others actually work. The ones listed here? They’ve earned their shelf space in the Glow Lab, either by improving your skin over time or playing well with others in your lineup.
Let’s break down who’s real, who’s faking it, and where your money should actually go.
Drugstore Products Getting Their Flowers
CeraVe Hydrating Cream to Foam Cleanser
No fuss, no stripping, just a reliable cleanser that removes sunscreen, makeup, and the day. It’s gentle but gets things done. Ceramides, amino acids, and a silky texture that doesn’t leave your skin feeling tight? Chef’s kiss.
Vichy Minéral 89 Hyaluronic Acid Serum
One of my absolute favorites. If your skin leans dry, flaky, or just plain thirsty, this is a drink of water in serum form. It sinks in, plumps up, and makes everything that follows apply smoother. Formulated with Vichy’s volcanic water and pure HA, it’s so good it could’ve been triple the price and no one would’ve blinked.
La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5+
This one’s not here to be pretty. It’s here to fix your face. Infused with panthenol (vitamin B5), madecassoside (from centella asiatica), and La Roche-Posay’s soothing thermal water, this thick yet breathable cream calms inflammation, strengthens your moisture barrier, and helps speed up healing from flare-ups, dryness, over-exfoliation, or even microneedling aftermath. No actives, no stinging. Just repair.
If your skin’s been overworked, overstimulated, or just straight-up mad at you? This is your apology note in tube form.
High-End Products That Actually Earn Their Price
Yes, it smells like hot dog water. But it’s the gold standard for a reason. This serum is clinically proven to improve brightness, protect against free radicals, and minimize fine lines. If you’re going to splurge, do it on something that rewrites your skin’s future.
Tatcha Indigo Overnight Repair
Barrier damage? Irritated skin? Redness after too many actives? This is the calm-down cream that doesn’t just soothe, it repairs. Ceramides, Japanese indigo, and a skin-cushioning texture make this a nightstand essential. Just on the nights that you use it, make sure you’re not using a silk pillowcase. If you toss and turn at night, you’ll wake up with your face glued to your pillow.
Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream
This one is backed by clinical-level science and it shows. The TFC8 complex supports skin renewal by guiding nutrients to the cells that need it most. The texture is rich without being greasy, and the results are real hydration that lasts, skin that looks calmer, and a visible difference in tone and texture. It works hard without making a scene.
Overhyped and Underperforming
Watermelon might sound cute but it’s not doing anything for your skin barrier. More fragrance than function. It’s fine for the aesthetic, not for the results. I have fairly sensitive skin and this one did trigger some pretty annoying breakouts for me. Smells amazing though. Just not worth the risk for me.
The peptides are there, but so is the price tag. You could get more effective barrier support with better hydration from other options that don’t come with influencer markup.
It’s fruity Vaseline. That’s it. It feels nice, but if your lips are dry and cracking, this won’t save them. Go for Aquaphor or plain Vaseline and skip the artificial berry smoothie.
Spend Where It Matters
Worth the Investment
Serums with clinical actives and proven delivery systems
Night creams that visibly calm and heal
Sunscreens you’ll actually wear every day
Anything that improves skin texture or clarity over time
Skip the Splurge On
Cleansers that don’t rinse clean or do too little
Toners that just smell expensive
Moisturizers that only sit on the surface
Lip balms pretending to be luxury skincare
Espresso to Glow’s Final Verdict
Skincare doesn’t have to be expensive, but it does have to work. If it’s sitting on your shelf looking pretty but doing nothing, that’s not skincare. That’s decor.
Cut the clutter, keep the ones that work, and never be afraid to give the drugstore its flowers.
The Espresso to Glow Pep Talk: Buy fewer products. Buy better ones. The real glow is knowing what deserves a spot on your shelf and what never did.
