Fresh as a rose, from head to toe
This rose-water spray can be used as a toner, a setting spray, and a curl refresher — among many other things. But people with sensitive skin should beware.
The most affordable product in our testing pool — the Rose Water Facial Toner — was also our favorite. I used this rose-scented mist multiple times a day throughout testing, and I continue to do so. It has cooled my face on beach days, refreshed my sweaty neck and feet midway through a long-haul flight, set my makeup, and provided a light layer of hydration right after cleansing.
The bottle says the product is intended to moisturize and refresh the skin, but it does so much more. My sister, who traveled with me for half of the testing period, used the spray toner daily to refresh her thick, shoulder-length 3C hair. “This works better at redefining my curls than the curl spray I typically use at home,” she raved. Even my partner, whose face was irritated by spring allergies, frequently reached for the cooling, soothing spray.
For a month, I used the toner a lot and shared it with others, and afterward there was still a quarter of it remaining in the bottle.
One minor complaint was the product’s name. The Rose Water Facial Toner functions more like a hydrating mist than like a traditional toner (which is typically swept across the skin with a cotton pad to remove residual dirt or sebum). Dermatologist Maryam Safaee also noted that the product includes fragrance (likely there to enhance the natural scent of rose water), so it might irritate those with highly sensitive skin.
But if you go in knowing that this product is more of a refresher than a cleanser, you should be plenty satisfied. After all, it was good enough that I moved it from my bathroom to my purse, and now it never leaves my side — even when I recently crossed an ocean.
Not too oily oil
Packaged in a lavish-looking glass bottle, this versatile oil can be used by practically anyone on the hair, the face, and even the body.
Marula oil naturally contains vitamin C (which can help prevent discoloration) and moisturizing vitamin E, and it can definitely be on the pricier side. Drunk Elephant’s marula oil costs $72 for one ounce, while The Ordinary charges around $11 for one ounce of pure marula oil. Trader Joe’s Marula Facial Oil is even less expensive, at just $7 for 0.85 ounce (or about $8.25 per ounce).
But in my medicine cabinet, the Trader Joe’s oil looks just as luxurious as my Augustinus Bader and Guerlain products, which cost 10 times as much. And on my skin, it had a decadent slip, leaving behind a flower-petal-smooth feel.
Intended to hydrate and impart a grease-free glow, this oil did just that for my skin, and it also effectively tamed any frizz and flyaways in my hair, so it’s an excellent multi-use travel companion. Additionally, its texture is slippery rather than heavy, and it absorbs quickly enough that I can wear it under makeup — even on hot summer days.
This product contains just one ingredient, pure marula oil. And Safaee said she would even recommend the oil for people with sensitive skin, since it lacks common cosmetic allergens and aggressive additives.
A gentle retinol
Testers loved this uniquely slick serum, which absorbed quickly into the skin. It has a low retinol percentage, so it should be suitable for retinol beginners and those with sensitive skin.
Trader Joe’s Retinol Night Serum contains 0.3% retinol, an ideal introductory strength for novices. This product balances the potentially drying effects of retinol with nourishing ingredients, like vitamin E and baobab seed oil. We named it a pick in our guide to the best retinols, because of its smooth texture and the clear, beginner-friendly instructions on the label. And this serum’s value was also clear to us, since it includes seven of the same ingredients as Skin Medica’s $95 retinol, another one of our favorites.
I appreciated the serum’s slick, lightweight feel and that it was smooth after drying down. While seasoned users may prefer a retinol with a higher clinical strength, this is a phenomenal, low-risk product for anyone trying retinoids for the first time. Editor Rory Evans, who wrote our guide to the best retinols, noted that its gentle formulation “takes the fear out of a notoriously intimidating ingredient category.”
A sunscreen we’ve loved for years
In brand-concealed testing for our sunscreen guide, panelists overwhelmingly favored this smooth-finish sunscreen — even over pricier options.
Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen is famous here at Wirecutter. The gel-like product is a long-standing top pick in our guide to the best sunscreens, and it’s a near dupe for the Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40.
The silicone-rich sunscreen completely disappears upon application, leaving an entirely invisible, velvety finish — even on my medium-toned skin. It uses dimethicone crosspolymer — an ingredient frequently found in high-end cosmetic primers — to smooth the texture of skin. While it felt slightly heavy on humid days under a full face of makeup, it was perfect on makeup-free days.
My thick-bearded partner also found that the clear gel melted into his skin effortlessly, without clinging to facial hair or leaving a white residue. The sunscreen is ideal for people with normal to dry skin. But those with combination or oily skin may prefer a more matte, lightweight option.
