Blog

Collage: Paula Balondo; Source images: Courtesy of brands and editorsSave StorySave this storySave StorySave this story

There’s glowy skin, and then there’s glowy skin—the best body shimmer oils deliver that next-level luminosity that catches the light every time you move and leaves your skin looking like it’s permanently on vacation. Though these body oils are especially popular in the summer when you’re showing more skin (don’t forget to apply sunscreen underneath them), they add a little touch of sparkle to any occasion year-round. They “provide a high-shine, high-sheen, sometimes metallic-looking finish on the body,” says New York City-based makeup artist Kasey Spickard. Some oils don’t stop at shimmer and are infused with nourishing ingredients such as squalane and cocoa butter to soften and hydrate skin.

Our Top Shimmer Body Oils

• Best Overall: Patrick Ta Major Glow Nourishing Bronzing Body Oil, $52
• Best Drugstore: Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Shimmer Radiance Body Oil, $14
• Best Dry Oil: Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Shimmer Multi-Purpose Dry Oil, $34
• Best Bronzing: Cyklar Vanilla Verve Illuminating Body Oil, $38

Frequently Asked QuestionsAccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Is shimmer body oil good for your skin?
• What does body shimmer oil do?
• What shade of body shimmer should I choose?
• Meet the experts
• How we test and review products
• Our staff and testers

Bottom line: These glistening formulas are an easy way to elevate bare skin with nearly zero effort. Whether you prefer a subtle sheen or a full-on body glow, these are the best body shimmer oils to add to your body-care routine.

Best Overall: Patrick Ta Major Glow Nourishing Bronzing Body Oil

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Patrick Ta

Major Glow Nourishing Bronzing Body Oil

$52

Sephora

Allure social media manager Bianca Richards applying Patrick Ta Major Glow Nourishing Bronzing Body Oil

Bianca Richards

Why we love it: The buildable, bronzey Patrick Ta Major Glow Nourishing Body Oil hydrates dry skin, warms, brightens, and shimmers like nobody’s business. Depending on your desired body glow level, you can layer this luminizer until it’s the perfect warmth for your mood. Golden, reflective pearls catch the light just right, while shea butter and mineral oils deliver long-lasting hydration. And the scent? Divine. A luxe blend of bergamot, sandalwood, and jasmine makes the whole experience feel that much more elevated. It’s a go-to for Spickard, who likes that it slightly tints the skin and gives “a warm glow to the skin while providing a high-shine payoff,” he says.

Tester feedback from social media manager Bianca Richards

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

“Summer is all about that radiant glow, and I love using the Patrick Ta Major Glow body shimmer on my décolletage and shoulders for an extra boost of luminosity. It also doubles as a body moisturizer, which is perfect for those hot days when I want to skip heavy layers.”—Bianca Richards, social media manager

More to know

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Key ingredients: acai oil, cupuassu butter, plant-based antioxidant blend
• Fragrance-free: no
• Shades: 1

Best Drugstore: Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Shimmer Radiance Body Oil

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Palmer's

Cocoa Butter Formula Shimmer Radiance Body Oil

$14 $12 (14% off)

Amazon

Allure commerce production assistant Hailey Roy applying the Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Shimmer Radiance Body Oil

Hailey Roy

Why we love it: Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Shimmer Radiance Body Oil proves you don’t have to splurge to get luminous, moisturized skin. Infused with the brand’s signature cocoa butter, along with vitamin E and nourishing oils (like sesame seed and sunflower seed), the lightweight formula hydrates as it highlights, leaving skin soft, supple and subtly radiant. It’s infused with fine shimmer particles (rather than chunky glitter), absorbs quickly, layers seamlessly over moisturizer and sunscreen, and offers a bronzed, golden look. It also has that sweet, creamy, and classic Palmer’s scent, thanks to shea butter.

Roy before applying the Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Shimmer Radiance Body Oil

Hailey Roy

Roy after applying the Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Shimmer Radiance Body Oil

Hailey Roy

Tester feedback from commerce production assistant Hailey Roy

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

“As a recent college graduate, I have a special appreciation for products that won’t break the bank, and an even greater appreciation for products that get the job done better than their pricier counterparts. This Palmer’s body oil makes me feel like a glowing goddess—and with very, and I mean very, little product. You may not be able to see the glitter as well in photos or videos, but trust, it’s there in person. Although the glitter was camera-shy, the glow it left on my skin was loud and proud. As for the smell, cocoa butter may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I personally enjoy the creamy aroma.” —Hailey Roy, commerce production assistant

More to know

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Key ingredients: cocoa butter, sesame seed oil
• Fragrance-free: no
• Shades: 2

Best Dry Oil: Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Shimmer Multi-Purpose Dry Oil

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Nuxe

Huile Prodigieuse Shimmer Multi-Purpose Dry Oil

$34

Amazon

$34

Ulta Beauty

Allure senior staff writer Elizabeth Gulino applying the Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Shimmer Multi-Purpose Dry Oil

Elizabeth Gulino

Why it’s worth it: Nuxe products have been a French girl essential for decades—unlike traditional body oils that can leave behind a slick residue, Nuxe’s Huile Prodigieuse Shimmer Multi-Purpose Dry Oil uses a shimmering dry oil formula that absorbs quickly with no residue, leaving skin silky but not slippery. A blend of seven botanical oils (argan, macadamia, and others) nourishes and softens while fine golden shimmer adds a sophisticated, light-catching radiance that isn’t overly glittery. As its name suggests, the French pharmacy staple is also surprisingly multipurpose: In addition to smoothing it all over your body, you can also run a small amount through the lengths of your hair for extra shine or pat a touch onto the high points of your face to highlight.

Tester feedback from senior staff writer Elizabeth Gulino

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

“I love this dry oil for two main reasons: It's not sticky or greasy and does not have a strong scent, which are two of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to body products. I usually put this on my shoulders and collarbone area before going out in the summer for an added shimmer, and a major plus is that it leaves my skin feeling extra soft.” —Elizabeth Gulino, senior staff writer

More to know

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Key ingredients: tsubaki, macadamia, borage, camellia, hazelnut, sweet almond, and argan oils
• Fragrance-free: no
• Shades: 2

Best Bronzing: Cyklar Vanilla Verve Illuminating Body Oil

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Cyklar

Vanilla Verve Illuminating Body Oil

$38 $34 (11% off)

Amazon

$38

Sephora

Allure designer Briana Rengifo applying the Cyklar Vanilla Verve Illuminating Body Oil

Briana Rengifo

Why we love it: Cyklar’s Vanilla Verve Illuminating Body Oil is golden hour in a bottle: It’s infused with bold glittery pigments that create an eye-catching, almost gilded bronze glow, making it especially well-suited for weddings, vacations, and other special occasions when you want your skin looking extra shimmery. Sweep it across your collarbones, shoulders, arms and legs to instantly amplify your glow, or layer it over moisturizer for extra hydration (though the formula’s squalane and multi-oil blend does a fantastic job on its own, too). Despite its dramatic radiance, the formula absorbs beautifully and leaves skin feeling soft and nourished, while the warm vanilla scent (a Best of Beauty-winning scent, by the way!) lingers for hours.

Tester feedback from designer Briana Rengifo

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

“I love my Vanilla Verve perfume oil, and now with this body oil added as another layer, I’m smelling edible all day. The packaging is super luxe and beautiful for your vanity but the formula is what makes it special: It's super absorbent and does not leave me greasy or sticky at all. It’s a lighter body oil in my opinion, but as someone who has sensory issues with a lot of body oils, this one is one of my faves!” —Briana Rengifo, designer

More to know

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Key ingredients: lipidic botanicals, safflower seed oil, squalane, green coffee seed oil
• Fragrance-free: no
• Shades: 1

Best Gel: Vaseline Glazed and Glisten Sunlit Glow Shimmer Gel Oil

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Vaseline

Glazed and Glisten Sunlit Glow Shimmer Gel Oil

$9 $8 (11% off)

Amazon

$14

Ulta Beauty

Allure contributor Catharine Malzahn applying the Vaseline Glazed and Glisten Sunlit Glow Shimmer Gel Oil

Catharine Malzahn

Why we love it: If traditional body oils feel a little too slippery for your liking, Vaseline Glazed & Glisten Sunlit Glow Shimmer Gel Oil bridges the gap between an oil and a body serum. The unique gel-oil texture has a thicker viscosity that feels less messy than a typical oil and offers a little more application control while still giving the same high-impact shimmer. The formula helps lock in moisture with hydrating lipids and cocoa butter while still letting skin catch the light for a glazed, donut-like sheen. If you prefer more of a bronze tint, you can instead opt for the brand’s darker Glazed and Glisten Golden Hour Shimmer Gel Oil. And for a slick, wet-look finish rather than a shimmery style, Spickard also recommends the brand’s Intensive Care Cocoa Radiant Body Gel Oil as a high-shine finishing product.

Malzahn before applying the Vaseline Glazed and Glisten Sunlit Glow Shimmer Gel Oil

Catharine Malzahn

Malzahn after applying the Vaseline Glazed and Glisten Sunlit Glow Shimmer Gel Oil

Catharine Malzahn

Tester feedback from contributor Catharine Malzahn

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

“I love the consistency of this shimmery gel oil—it comes out as a gel rather than a watery oil, yet feels just as hydrating (and it’s easier to work with!). It dries down quickly, leaving no residue behind—just moisturized skin. I swipe it along my arms, chest, and legs for special events, especially during the summer, and the shimmer seriously lasts: Even through sweat, humidity, and movement, it stays put all day and all night.” —Catharine Malzahn, contributor

More to know

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Key ingredients: sunflower seed oil, cocoa butter
• Fragrance-free: no
• Shades: 2

Best Smelling: Tom Ford Soleil Blanc Shimmering Body Oil

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Tom Ford

Soleil Blanc Shimmering Body Oil

$110

Sephora

Former Allure shopping market editor Angela Trakoshis applying Tom Ford Soleil Blanc Shimmering Body Oil

Angela Trakoshis

Why we love it: We can always count on Tom Ford for a worth-it splurge, and the Soleil Blanc Shimmering Body Oil proves us right—again. The warm, slightly spiced fragrance sets it apart, amplified by body heat for an extra-sensorial experience. And since it’s a perfume oil, it packs more punch than its eau counterparts. The formula glides on light and silky, leaving behind soft illumination and glowing skin. Just be sure not to rub it in too much—doing so can dull the scent’s staying power. If you’re not feeling particularly spendy, grab a mini bottle. But don’t be surprised when you want to size up even before it’s empty.

Tester feedback from former shopping market editor Angela Trakoshis

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

"Tom Ford Soleil Neige was one of the first Tom Ford scents I ever added to my collection, and I was obsessed from the second I sniffed it. It’s fresh, radiant, and just so elegant. Now I use the Shimmering Body Oil too; it leaves the most beautiful, natural glow on my skin and carries that same signature scent I fell in love with. I’m planning to wear both on my wedding day—it’s that special to me.”—Angela Trakoshis, former shopping market editor

More to know

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Key ingredients: jojoba seed, olive fruit, safflower seed oils
• Fragrance-free: no
• Shades: 1

Best Subtle: L’Occitane Instant Golden Glow Shimmering Body Oil

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

L'Occitane

Instant Golden Glow Shimmering Body Oil

$59

Amazon

$59

Nordstrom

$59

Sephora

Allure commerce market editor Sarah Hoffmann applying the L’Occitane Instant Golden Glow Shimmering Body Oil

Sarah Hoffmann

Why we love it: There’s a fine line between looking glowy and looking glittery, and L’Occitane’s Instant Golden Glow Shimmering Body Oil delivers the former. Rather than coating skin in obvious sparkle, this formula imparts a gentle golden sheen that enhances your skin’s natural luminosity rather than covering it up. Enriched with nourishing sweet almond oil, sunflower seed oil, and castor oil, it leaves skin feeling silky and moisturized while still managing to absorb quickly with a non-greasy finish. With an ultra-subtle, very fine shimmer, this oil, complete with the brand’s recognizable almond scent, catches the light just enough to accentuate shoulders, collarbones and legs—it’s perfect for anyone who prefers an understated, elegant glow.

Tester feedback from commerce market editor Sarah Hoffmann

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

“Name a scent more delicious than L'Occitane's signature almond scent, I dare you. Applying body lotion is one of my least favorite tasks, but body oils are a totally different story. Maybe it's the immediate gratification of seeing the sheen appear on your skin, but it's just a much more enjoyable experience, IMO. The skin on my arms and legs is naturally super dry and dull, so a serving of this subtly shimmery body oil is a necessity in shorts, skirts, and tanks weather.” —Sarah Hoffmann, commerce market editor

More to know

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Key ingredients: sweet almond oil, sunflower seed oil, castor oil
• Fragrance-free: no
• Shades: 1

Best for Uneven Tone: Sol de Janeiro Glowmotions Glow Body Oil

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Sol De Janerio

Glowmotions Glow Body Oil

$36

Amazon

$36

Sephora

$36

Ulta Beauty

Allure social media intern Leasjah Johnson applying the Sol de Janeiro Glowmotions Glow Body Oil

Leasjah Johnson

Why we love it: Sometimes a good glow alone isn’t enough, and you want skin to look smoother, too—almost like you have a camera filter on, but IRL. If you have bumpy, rough, or otherwise textured skin, Sol de Janeiro’s GlowMotions Glow Body Oil delivers on both the glow and the blurring fronts, thanks to light-reflecting pigments that help softly diffuse the appearance of uneven tone and texture while drenching skin in a bronzy, event-ready sheen. The nourishing oil contains fatty acid-rich cupuaçu butter, antioxidant-packed açaí oil, and coconut oil to soften and moisturize. Whether you’re highlighting shoulders, legs, décolleté, or all of the above, the formula creates a soft-focus effect that gives you a camera-ready finish. Plus, it imparts the brand’s signature nutty Cheirosa ’62 scent.

Tester feedback from social media intern Leasjah Johnson

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

“I used the shade Copacabana Bronze, and it blended seamlessly into my skin while still giving me a beautiful bronzed effect. It applies so quickly, I could honestly put it on anywhere in about 60 seconds. I also noticed that my skin stayed noticeably shimmery throughout the day. I would have loved a bit more of a natural, radiant glow instead of the shimmer, but overall it was effortless to apply and gave my skin a gorgeous sun-kissed look.” —Leasjah Johnson, social media intern

More to know

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Key ingredients: cupuaçu butter, açaí oil, coconut oil
• Fragrance-free: no
• Shades: 1

Best Customizable: Live Tinted Hueglow Liquid Highlighter Drops

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Live Tinted

Hueglow Liquid Highlighter Drops

$38

Amazon

$38

Ulta Beauty

Why we love it: These Live Tinted Hueglow Liquid Highlighter Drops are a step away from your classic all-over shimmer body oil. Rather, they’re glow drops that you can think of as liquid highlighter for your whole body. Completely customizable, you can add a few drops to your fingers or a kabuki brush and wear it alone on the high points of the body, mix a few drops into your favorite body lotion for all-over radiance, or blend it into foundation or tinted moisturizer to boost your complexion.

They swap the traditional oil base for a lightweight formula that feels less emollient and more like a serum. The skin-care-forward formula contains squalane, hyaluronic acid, and sunflower seed oil and acts as a great multitasker that can be used all over or just in key spots. Whatever the use case, the dropper format is easy to use and delivers a precise amount of product. Spickard likes that Hueglow gives “high-shine metallic payoff without chunky pieces of glitter,” adding that he loves using these drops on his clients for red carpet events. Reach for this when you’re looking for a customizable glow that feels more like skin care than body makeup.

More to know

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Key ingredients: squalane, hyaluronic acid, sunflower seed oil
• Fragrance-free: yes
• Shades: 4

Frequently asked questions

Is shimmer body oil good for your skin?

It depends on the formula. While many shimmer body oils are infused with nourishing ingredients, others prioritize shimmer over skin care. For some, Spickard sees them as the finishing touch rather than the foundation of a body-care routine. “Oftentimes what I find that I do is I will take a rich, nourishing body moisturizer and apply that first over the entire body, let it soak in for a few minutes, and then finish and go back over the skin with a shimmer body oil,” he says. “That provides good-for-skin benefits as well as the high-shine payoff of a shimmer body oil.”

However, many formulas on the shelf now include plenty of skin-friendly ingredients so you can streamline your routine. To find out if a shimmer body oil is good for your skin, take a close look at the ingredient list. “Some shimmer body oils do already have ingredients like vitamin E, almond oil, or cocoa butter,” says Spickard. In other words, a little shimmer is always nice, but shimmer body oils get bonus points if the glow comes with skin-care benefits, too.

What does body shimmer oil do?

Body shimmer oil lends a subtle sparkle while offering the benefits of a traditional body oil. “A [body shimmer] has a smaller pearl pigment which gives the appearance of more of a sheen or glaze on the body,” explains Los Angeles-based makeup artist Gregory Arlt. “It’s such a great summer tool, but also beautiful year-round to illuminate the body,” adds bicoastal makeup artist Kirin Bhatty. “Depending on your desired effect, shimmer oil can be super reflective, bringing attention to collar bones, legs, arms, and décolleté,” Bhatty adds that it can also enhance a tan.

Meanwhile, the skin-loving ingredients in a non-shimmery body oil provide myriad benefits. New York City-based, board-certified dermatologist Michele Green, MD, explains that a good body oil softens, moisturizes, and strengthens your skin barrier with ingredients you probably already recognize, like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and blends of butters and botanicals.

What shade of body shimmer should I choose?

Pick your body shimmer shade based on your desired effect. Want bronzing vibes? Grab a bottle of something darker than your skin tone. Want to go more sheer? Opt for a non-tinted hue or one that more closely matches your skin.

Meet the experts

• Gregory Arlt, a makeup artist based in Los Angeles
• Michele Greene, MD, a dermatologist based in New York City
• Kirin Bhatty, a bicoastal makeup artist
• Kasey Spickard, a makeup artist and creative consultant based in New York City

How we test and review products

When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that's included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.

For our list of the best body shimmer oils, we considered each product's performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team of in-house writers and editors, as well as contributors, along with special consideration from makeup artists and dermatologists. To learn more about our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.

Our staff and testers

A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.

After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we've solicited opinions from are folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it's never been tested on curls? We're proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.

More body-care faves to keep skin hydrated, smooth, and protected:

• 7 Best Body Washes That Are Anything But Boring
• 6 Best Bikini Trimmers for a Smooth Glide—and Even Smoother Results
• Your Summer Plans Need a Water-Resistant Sunscreen—Here Are Our Faves

Getty ImagesSave StorySave this storySave StorySave this story

Eye shadow was everywhere in the mid-2010s, especially on YouTube, where makeup artists and beauty influencers taught eager viewers how to craft a cut crease and layer warm-toned shadows into a full-on smoky eye for 8 a.m. algebra class. But as the 2010s faded into the 2020s, eye shadow faded too, replaced by the reigning “clean girl” aesthetic. However, it appears that we're on the horizon of an eye shadow comeback, and Zendaya is one celeb bringing it back to the forefront.

Though she wears very minimal makeup as the goddess Athena in her new movie The Odyssey, Zendaya and her makeup artist Ernesto Casillas have been having fun with light, ethereal shadows while on the press trail. For the Paris stop, they went for a frosty, icy baby blue shade, which Casillas brushed across most of Zendaya's lids and into the inner corners. Casillas then swept a champagne color under her brows and a shimmery, pearlescent hue underneath her lower lashline, and paired the blue eye shadow with fluttery lashes and majorly dewy pink blush. (The exact shadow Casillas used is from Prada Beauty's Dimensions Multi-Effect Eyeshadow Palette in 5 Pure, which also includes a gold and auburn color.)

Getty Images

It was their first major look, however, that has gone the most viral: bright white shadow concentrated in the inner corners of her eyes, giving her a goddess-like glimmer in the camera lens. Since she wore it for the London premiere, it's been endlessly reposted and replicated on TikTok, leading us to believe that not only is eye shadow due for a comeback, but inner-accent eye shadow in particular! There's also been some spirited discussion about inner-corner shadow, with Gen Z and Gen Alpha makeup fans encountering the look for the first time and Gen X and millennials being like, “What? I never stopped doing this!” (Another star who has really embraced the eye shadow life: Zara Larsson, whose tropical-hued glam also has makeup fans reaching for their blending brushes.)

Photo: Getty Images

If it's been awhile since you dusted off your favorite eye shadow palette, it might be time to revisit those light, cool-toned pastel shadows once more—the prettiest way to cool off your look this summer.

Source Images: Allure staffSave StorySave this storySave StorySave this story

Who among us hasn’t left the house feeling like their makeup looks flawless, only to catch their reflection a few hours later and wonder where half of it went? Between heat, normal facial movements, skin type, and stress-induced face-touching, keeping makeup in place and looking just as fresh as when you applied it can feel like a full-blown side hustle—but without the money.

Fortunately, creating a truly long-lasting, sweat-proof makeup look isn't about piling on more products. It's about using the right techniques from the very beginning. In fact, some of the most effective tricks happen before you apply your foundation. The timing of your skin-care routine, the way you use (or don’t use) primer, how you apply powder, and even what you do before filling in your brows can make a surprisingly big difference in how well your makeup holds up.

To separate fact from fiction in the quest for long-lasting makeup, we asked professional makeup artists Katie Jane Hughes, Karol Rodriguez, and Jenny Patinkin to share the tips they rely on when they need makeup to withstand hours under hot lights, in front of the camera, or just existing in the real world. Ahead, discover their best advice for making your makeup stay put, from strategic layering techniques to inevitable touch-up tricks that can help keep everything unwavering from morning to night.

Don’t jump into makeup immediately after skin care

Being in a rush and having your makeup last are not reconcilable, especially when it comes to timing your makeup application to your skin care. It’s an absolute must to put some space between the last step in your skin-care routine and the first step of your makeup routine. “It’s best to let your skin care dry down a little bit before moving on to makeup,” says Patinkin. Hughes agrees, telling Allure you should wait five to seven minutes, “then go on with a complexion product.”

You’ll know it’s time when your skin doesn’t feel slick anymore. “I have dry skin, so I like to go in with a thicker moisturizer,” Rodriguez says. “When I can tap my cheek, and it's no longer wet—just bouncy—that's when I know I'm ready for makeup.”

Use as little product as possible

Is “less is more” a cliché? Yes. Is that because it’s true? Also, yes, especially when it comes to makeup and the skin care you’re applying before it. “Don't overdo skin care because too much is detrimental to your makeup,” Hughes says.

Our pros unanimously agree. Rodriguez says resist the urge to do a full "12-step Korean skin care routine" before starting your makeup. “You're making a little mess.” Instead, they say, use minimal product all the way up to your powder.

Patinkin always tells her clients, the thinner the layer, the longer the wear. “Definitely use a light hand, apply as little product as you can get away with, and you don’t have to apply makeup on every surface of your face—especially those areas that are prone to getting sweaty, like the sides of the nose and the upper lip.”

Foundation primer is optional—unless you’re oily or sweat-prone

Allure social media manager Bianca Richards applying Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder before base makeupCourtesy of subjectSave to wishlistSave to wishlist

Danessa Myricks

Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder Universal

$39

Sephora

Richards immediately after applying Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder under her base makeupCourtesy of subjectRichards five hours after base makeup applicationCourtesy of subject

Patinkin says she’s not a big primer person, noting that the aforementioned thin layers of skin care can have just as much of an impact on the longevity of your makeup.

Although Rodriguez doesn’t insist on primer either, they do acknowledge how helpful it can be if you’re working with oily skin or you tend to get sweaty. For very oily skin, they recommend Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder Universal, which Bianca Richards, Allure's social media manager, routinely uses for her combination skin.

Eye shadow primer, on the other hand, is not optional

Allure senior editor Jesa Marie Calaor applying eye primer before shimmering shadow and liquid linerCourtesy of subjectSave to wishlistSave to wishlist

Too Faced

Shadow Insurance 24-Hour Eyeshadow Primer

$28 $24 (14% off)

Amazon

$28

Nordstrom

$28

Ulta Beauty

Calaor immediately after applicationCourtesy of subjectCalaor five hours after applicationCourtesy of subject

“If you’re wearing powder eye shadow, eyelid primer is a must,” Patinkin insists, saying that it creates a smooth layer that prevents the sebum that’s naturally present on your lid from disturbing the shadow. She happens to love Nars Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base.

But you don’t necessarily have to use something specifically indicated as an eye shadow primer to make your look last. Hughes and Rodriguez are fans of simply applying some powder to your lids before going in with shadow. “The best eye shadow primer is just a bit of setting powder to neutralize the base and make it not sticky,” Hughes says. “But if you need more longevity than that, I would say go in with a Laura Mercier Caviar Stick, put some setting powder over the top once you’re done blending it, and then go in with your powder eye shadow for a really bulletproof eye.”

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Nars

Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

$28

Nordstrom

$28

Sephora

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Laura Mercier

Caviar Stick

$33

Amazon

$33

Nordstrom

$33

Sephora

Jesa Marie Calaor, Allure’s senior editor, considers primer essential for all eye looks, especially if you have oily lids. She considers Too Faced Shadow Insurance 24-Hour Eyeshadow Primer “ol’ reliable.” “My lids will eat anything you lay on top of them, and this primer not only prevents that from happening, but it also keeps my eye makeup looking vivid for hours.”

Double up on powder

Richards applying loose and pressed powdersCourtesy of subjectSave to wishlistSave to wishlist

Fenty Beauty

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Pro Filt'r Instant Retouch Setting Powder

$36

Ulta Beauty

$36

Sephora

Richards immediately after applying loose and pressed powdersCourtesy of subjectRichards five hours after applicationCourtesy of subject

Powder is arguably the most important element of long-lasting makeup. (“It's your best friend,” says Rodriguez.) If you’ve ever wondered which is going to help your makeup last longer—pressed or loose—the answer may surprise you: both—together.

Rodriguez recommends using a loose powder (like the Makeup by Mario SurrealSkin Soft Blur Setting Powder) first, before adding your pressed powder (like the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish) when setting your face.

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Makeup by Mario

SurrealSkin Soft Blur Setting Powder

$38

Sephora

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Charlotte Tilbury

Airbrush Bronzer

$59

Amazon

$59

Nordstrom

$59

Ulta Beauty

Richards also doubles up on powder (both by Fenty Beauty), but she has her own method with an extra step. First, she sets her entire face with powder. She then spritzes on setting spray before patting on a pressed powder.

When it comes to this tip, do you, but be careful not to overdo it with any of your products. While using both types of powder can prevent eye makeup from budging, excess pressed powder can cause the finish to look cakey and broken up, Rodriguez says.

Don’t sweep on your powder—press it in

Allure contributing editor Marci Robin applying powderCourtesy of subjectSave to wishlistSave to wishlist

Rose & Ben

C42 Brush

$45

Amazon

Robin immediately after applying powderCourtesy of subjectRobin five hours after applicationCourtesy of subject

How you apply powder is just as important as the powder itself, and it can mean the difference between a makeup look that lasts and a long-lasting makeup calamity. “Pressing it into your skin instead of sweeping it on top of your skin is more beneficial for longevity,” Patinkin says.

Hughes, who loves using powder foundation as a setting powder, agrees and recommends pressing it in with a puff or brush. “When I say ‘press,’ I mean really blot it. Blot it on like you would use a blotting sheet,” she says. That technique ensures the most staying power.

I tried this technique with the Rose & Ben C42 Brush and Catrice Soft Blur Matte Setting Powder over Rose Inc. Softlight Skin-Smoothing Liquid Foundation and was pleasantly surprised to find very little shine hours later, though I think a puff may ensure even less change over the course of the day.

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Catrice Cosmetics

Soft Blur Matte Setting Powder

$9

Amazon

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Rose Inc

Softlight Skin-Smoothing Liquid Foundation

$54

Nordstrom

Sandwich your powder or setting spray

Allure content director Sophie Panych “sandwiching” her setting powderCourtesy of subjectSave to wishlistSave to wishlist

Laura Mercier

Translucent Loose Powder

$43

Amazon

$43

Nordstrom

$43

Sephora

Panych immediately after using the “powder-sandwiching” techniqueCourtesy of subjectPanych seven hours after applicationCourtesy of subject

Of course, you’re going to set your foundation and concealer with powder and/or setting spray, but have you considered a sandwiching technique? “I will use loose powder before foundation,” says Rodriguez, who likes this technique especially for oily skin. “That way, your oils have to go through the loose powder first before breaking through the foundation.”

Just make sure that you don’t put powder on top of sweat. “You never want to powder on top of something wet,” Rodriguez says. “It's just gonna make the powder look darker.” You know how getting a pan of pigment wet makes it look darker? Same concept.

The same sandwiching technique works for setting spray, too. “It’s a great trick to apply a setting spray before you start applying your makeup as well as after applying,” says Patinkin. The options are endless with formulas for every skin type and desired finish, but Rodriguez names Makeup by Mario SurrealSkin Soft Setting Spray and Milk Hydro Grip Setting Spray as fantastic picks for everyone.

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Makeup by Mario

SurrealSkin Soft Setting Spray

$36

Sephora

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Milk Makeup

Hydro Grip Setting Spray

$38

Amazon

$38

Sephora

$38

Ulta Beauty

Allure content director Sophia Panych put this tip to the test with the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Powder and Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation during the recent London heat wave. Seven hours later, she found that her foundation still had coverage. “I’m a face toucher,” she admits, which might have had something to do with the fading. In addition to resisting the urge to touch your cheeks, she advises steering clear of a hydrating foundation, which is more prone to slipping than other formulas.

Layer your cream and powder blush

Robin layering cream and powder blushCourtesy of subjectSave to wishlistSave to wishlist

Morphe

M202 Slanted Blush Brush

$13

Ulta Beauty

Robin immediately after layering cream and powder blushCourtesy of subjectRobin five hours after applicationCourtesy of subject

Patinkin is excited to see how many cream blushes these days have sophisticated formulations that allow for long wear time without sinking into the skin or sliding off. Hughes’s own KJH.brand Soft Smudge Lip & Cheek is a perfect example, and I personally love how long it lasts on its own. That said, layering a powder blush on top of a non-dewy cream blush means flushed cheeks that stay flushed all day long.

“It can be helpful to layer powder on top of cream, but you’ve got to use a very light, fluffy brush and a very light touch so that you don’t get patchiness or streaking,” says Patinkin, who recommends her namesake Jenny Patinkin Luxury Sustainable Cheek Brush for the job. We also love the Allure Best of Beauty Award-winning Jones Road The Blush Brush, which we’ve found never deposits too much pigment and allows you to build color with control.

ArrowArrow

I used the Morphe M202 Slanted Blush Brush to apply Milani Baked Blush atop the KJH Soft Smudge (pressing on first, followed by blending), and while that seemed a bit intense at first, I successfully avoided the dreaded color fade that so often leaves me looking dreary in the afternoon.

Prep your brows with alcohol

Calaor prepping her brows with alcohol and filling them in with pencilCourtesy of subject

Sweat comes for us all—brows included. But whether your brow product of choice is a pencil, gel, powder, or a combination, there’s one trick that makes all the difference between staying filled in and disappearing into the night. Rodriguez recommends moistening a cotton swab with 70% rubbing alcohol and running it not just through brow hairs but also onto the skin on the brow bone. “That way, you're prepping the brow and the skin underneath, getting rid of all the excess skin care and anything that could have been accumulating, like sweat, so that your brow product works like it’s supposed to.”

Calaor, who has sensitive, dry skin, used a pad saturated with 70% alcohol and found it worked wonders at keeping her brows from fading in the summer heat. “I’d only do this on occasions I need my makeup to stay in place for an extended period of time,” she says, concerned about drying out the area.

Calaor immediately after applying her brows with pencilCourtesy of subjectCalaor five hours after applicationCourtesy of subject

Jenna Queller, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Boca Raton, Florida, validates those concerns. “In general, using a small amount of isopropyl alcohol on the eyebrow area before applying brow products is unlikely to cause problems for most people if done only occasionally,” she says, as it can strip skin’s natural oils and disrupt the skin barrier over time. If you have sensitive skin or underlying conditions like rosacea or atopic dermatitis, she says you may want to try this trick with micellar water to remove excess oil instead.

Lock in your lip liner

Panych locking in her lip liner and color with powderCourtesy of subjectSave to wishlistSave to wishlist

Best Loose Powder

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Talc-Free Setting Powder Ultra-Blur

$48

Amazon

Panych immediately after applying lip colorCourtesy of subjectPanych four hours after applicationCourtesy of subject

Unless you literally don’t move your mouth at all, you should just accept that you’ll need to retouch your lips, Hughes says. But that doesn’t mean you can’t give yourself an advantage during the application process.“

A little bit of powder over any lip liner or lip contour does a really good job of locking in that first base, therefore making everything that you put on after that last longer,” says Hughes, who recommends putting a bit of powder over your lip liner. “That will dry the perimeter of the mouth a little, making that area last longer.”

Rodriguez says to save some of that powder for your lipstick, too. “I'll use my powder to set my lipstick just to give it a little bit more transfer-proof quality,” they say. But keep your expectations realistic, especially if you’ll be eating or drinking.

Panych has been using this tip for dance performances for years. “I always found that it helped keep lip liner and lipstick on despite all the smiling and sweating and costume changing,” she says. “But, as the makeup artists said, if you're eating and drinking, there is a reality to how long your lip liner and lipstick are going to last.”

To test the technique out for this story, she used MAC Lip Pencil in Beige-Turner, Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Powder, and Chantecaille Lip Crème. “After two hours, the lipstick had faded, but my lip liner was still firmly in place,” she says. Four hours later, after lunch, the lipstick was completely gone, and the lip liner had faded. “It is definitely still there, and the outline of my lips definitely remains.”

Illustration by Allure; Source images: Getty ImagesSave StorySave this storySave StorySave this story

It’s peak summer, which means sunny skies, lemonade stands, half-day Fridays, and for many people who have yet to grasp the very real dangers of unsafe sun exposure, tanning. It’s a topic we’ve written extensively about for years, most recently the concerning uptick in tanning amongst young people and ever-changing regulations for tanning beds. Despite the fact that people know tanning is dangerous and can lead to skin damage, skin cancer, and even death, they’re still doing it—and now, potentially injecting themselves with a currently banned peptide called Melanotan II to stand in for a sun tan… or amplify the sun’s rays for an even deeper bronze.

Peptides have become increasingly popular in recent years, driven by the stratospheric rise of injectable GLP-1s for weight loss and a fleet of gray market peptides claiming to help with post-workout recovery, hormone balance, hair loss, and skin health. A handful of currently restricted peptides are up for review, with a meeting of the FDA’s Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee set for mid-July. Melanotan II—also called “the Barbie drug”—is one such peptide on the banned list.

Obviously, dermatologists and anti-tanning organizations have a lot of thoughts about Melanotan II and its potential impact on tanning culture, and they’re very concerned about the outcome of this meeting, not to mention how easy it is to acquire peptides online. The Skin Cancer Foundation recently issued a statement from its president, Deborah S. Sarnoff, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and director of dermatology at Cosmetique Dermatology, Laser & Plastic Surgery in New York, saying the organization “strongly discourages the use of Melanotan II and other unapproved tanning agents marketed as shortcuts to achieving darker skin.”

But wait a second: how can a peptide make you tan in the first place, and how is the sun involved, if at all? According to Jenna Queller, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of DermWorks in Boca Raton, Florida, Melanotan II is a synthetic peptide designed to mimic alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (also known as α-MSH), which she describes as “a naturally occurring hormone that stimulates melanocytes, the pigment-producing cells in the skin.” By activating these receptors, the peptide can increase melanin production and thus make skin look more tan.

Though Melanotan II promises to make you look tan without soaking up the sunbed light or laying out, many Melanotan II users are using it as a tool to speed up the sun’s rays. “It’s important to understand that increased pigmentation does not eliminate the harmful effects of UV exposure,” Dr. Queller says. “Many users still intentionally expose themselves to ultraviolet radiation to deepen or accelerate the tan, further increasing their cumulative UV damage and long-term risk of skin cancer. Any cosmetic benefit is outweighed by the potential health risks.”

Amanda Kahn, MD, a board-certified internist in New York City, says Melanotan II should not be considered a “benign beauty shortcut” to use in place of bed or suntanning. “You are pharmacologically stimulating melanocytes, or the pigment producing cells in the skin, which raises safety questions,” she says. “I’ve heard that it can cause new moles, or darkening of existing moles, which raises concerns about melanoma risk. We cannot say melanoma is caused by Melanotan, but the signal is concerning enough that I do not recommend it.”

In her statement, Dr. Sarnoff notes that Melanotan II is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and has no established safety data—quite the opposite, in fact. She adds that published medical literature has “raised significant concerns about the potential risks” associated with the peptide, including “rapid changes in moles and pigmented lesions that can make the detection of skin cancer more difficult” and increased risk of melanoma. The Skin Cancer Foundation’s statement also notes that additional reports have linked Melanotan II to “serious adverse health effects” like muscle damage. Dr. Queller adds that other side effects include nausea, vomiting, elevated blood pressure, and flushing.

In addition to that very concerning laundry list of potential side effects, people are currently buying Melanotan II and its peptide peers from unregulated online sources, also known as the gray market. There are a variety of loopholes enabling such purchases. As Allure previously reported, one popular workaround is labeling restricted or banned peptides as “for research only,” then selling them online. As Dr. Kahn previously told us, this is how vendors can “bypass traditional medical and pharmaceutical oversight” and end up on the gray market.

Because restricted peptides like Melanotan II are unregulated, this means there’s no FDA oversight to ensure it’s safe to inject into your body. “This means patients may not know what they’re actually injecting—whether it’s sterile, whether it’s dosed accurately, whether it contains contaminants,” says Dr. Kahn. “My advice is always simple: do not inject a research tanning peptide for cosmetic purposes.”

There are also no studies or data pointing to Melanotan II as an acceptable substitute for suntanning. “We simply don’t have sufficient long-term safety data to consider this an acceptable cosmetic treatment,” notes Dr. Queller.

Dr. Queller says her immediate reaction to Melanotan II is one of concern. “The pursuit of a tan has always carried risks, but injecting an unregulated peptide to achieve a tan raises those risks significantly,” she says. “There’s a misconception that if something is marketed as a peptide or appears in the wellness space, it’s inherently safe. That’s simply not true. Melanotan II has never been approved for cosmetic tanning, and people are essentially experimenting on themselves with products that may contain unknown ingredients, inconsistent dosing, or contaminants.”

If Melanotan II and its cohort are taken off the restricted list, will we be seeing it sold at medspas and pharmacies, promising a safer, easier, faster tan? Maybe, but it would take awhile, especially when you factor in that it would still need FDA approval—an extensive, time-consuming process. “It’s worth clarifying that even if a peptide related to this pathway were to receive FDA approval in the future, approval would depend on a specific product, formulation, manufacturing process, indication, and demonstrated safety and efficacy,” explains Dr. Queller. “That should not be interpreted as a blanket endorsement of currently available compounded or black-market tanning peptides. Every product must be evaluated on its own scientific evidence and regulatory review. Until we have robust long-term safety data for cosmetic tanning peptides, I would strongly discourage their use.”

Anetta Reszko, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, says that while it’s difficult to predict what will come from the July review, there has been increased interest in expanding access to certain peptides—especially those with established clinical use. (Melanotan II does not have established clinical use.) “I think there is a reasonable possibility that the regulatory landscape surrounding some peptides may become more permissive, particularly within physician-supervised or compounding settings,” she explains. If peptides are appropriately regulated, she says, that could open the doors for better patient care, quality control, and increased safety data collection.

Of course, even if Melanotan II is taken off the restricted list and it becomes easier to access, derms caution that that doesn’t mean it’s safe to use. “Regulatory changes around compounding or prescribing are distinct from demonstrating efficacy and safety for a specific indication,” Dr. Reszko clarifies. “At present, Melanotan II remains unauthorized by the FDA for cosmetic tanning.” From her perspective, she’d be “particularly cautious” if you have numerous or atypical moles, a history of melanoma or skin cancer, or fair skin. But why inject yourself with a peptide when you could just book a spray tan or self tan at home? “A tan, whether achieved naturally or enhanced by a peptide, should never be viewed as a sign of healthy skin,” says Dr. Reszko. “The goal should always be achieving the desired cosmetic appearance while reducing cumulative UV damage and long-term skin cancer risk.”

Collage: Paula Balondo; Source images: Courtesy of brands and editorsSave StorySave this storySave StorySave this story

To smooth flyaways and other wild, tough-to-control wisps, treat your strands to one of the best hair masks for frizzy hair. “Using hair masks helps to prevent breakage and leaves the hair feeling healthy and frizz-free,” says Los Angeles-based hairstylist Kylee Heath. “A mask helps the ends stay hydrated and keeps the cuticle smooth.”

These at-home hair treatments have a leg up on the usual conditioners and styling creams thanks to their über-moisturizing ingredients, like castor, coconut, and argan oils. Plus, you don’t have to worry about their formulations weighing hair down, since they easily rinse off; all you’ll be left with is a silky, shiny base for your next hairstyle. If you need a frizz-defying treatment mask, these deep-conditioning formulas provide all the moisturizing properties that crinkled strands need to look and feel their best. Keep reading for the formulas loved by hairstylists and editors alike.

Our Top Hair Masks for Frizzy Hair

• Best Overall: Isima Súperbomba Triple Repair Peptide Hair Mask, $38
• Best for Dull Hair: Pureology Smooth Gloss Mask, $45
• Best for Damaged Hair: Olaplex Rich Hydration Moisture Mask, $44
• Best for Curly Hair: Amika ​​The Kure Intense Bond Repair Mask, $44
• Best Drugstore: L'Oréal Paris Elvive Total Repair 5 Damage Erasing Balm, $9

Frequently Asked QuestionsAccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• What causes frizz?
• How can I minimize frizz?
• Can I use a hair mask every day for frizzy hair?
• What are the disadvantages of a hair mask?
• Meet the experts
• How we test and review products
• Our staff and testers

Best Overall: Isima Súperbomba Triple Repair Peptide Hair Mask

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Isima

Súperbomba Triple Repair Peptide Hair Mask

$38

Ulta Beauty

Allure executive beauty director Jenny Bailly after using the Isima Súperbomba Triple Repair Peptide Hair Mask

Jenny Bailly

Why it’s worth it: Shakira’s hair-care line, Isima, is the latest addition to the ever-prolific list of celebrity beauty brands, and the Súperbomba Triple Repair Peptide Hair Mask is among its standout offerings. This 2025 Best of Beauty Award winner has an impressive ingredient list, starting with nonapeptide-3, a retinol alternative that helps keep the scalp clean and buildup-free. It’s bolstered by two proprietary ingredients: GluconaBond, which helps reinforce weakened strands by recreating lost hydrogen and ionic bonds, and FiberSeal to help smooth and seal the cuticle. (There’s also soy and rice hydrolyzed proteins for restoring keratin.) So the thick, creamy mask doesn’t just leave hair looking frizz-free and silky smooth; it improves overall hair health, repairing and preventing damage along the entire strand to increase strength and decrease breakage.

Allure former senior commerce editor Sarah Felbin before using the Isima Súperbomba Triple Repair Peptide Hair Mask

Sarah Felbin

Felbin after using the Isima Súperbomba Triple Repair Peptide Hair Mask

Sarah Felbin

Tester feedback from executive beauty director Jenny Bailly

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

“After using this three times in one week—once I left it on for 10 minutes, the other times I rinsed out after maybe two minutes—my [long, gray-and-bleached hair] was much softer and less fuzzy. The musky-sweet fragrance I could do without, but it doesn’t stick around once my hair is dry, so fine, I’ll deal with it for the silkier hair. “And the packaging is 10/10—the soft-touch/matte finish doesn’t slip around in the shower and the lid has a little doohickey (I think that’s the official term) on the edge that lets you easily open it with wet hands.” —Jenny Bailly, executive beauty director

Tester feedback from former senior commerce editor Sarah Felbin

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

“A hair mask needs to be seriously hydrating to make a difference in my thick, frizzy, wavy hair. I absolutely love this one from Isima because it has a creamy, super-satisfying texture (like a really good body butter) and actually gives me results I can see after one shower. It only has to sit for 5 to 10 minutes—after rinsing it out, my wet hair already feels softer and smoother. Then, after drying, I notice that my hair looks way healthier and shinier. It tames frizz and provides results that last until the next time I use it (usually about a week). I'm obsessed!” —Sarah Felbin, former senior commerce editor

More to know

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Key ingredients: nonapeptide-3, GluconaBond, soy and rice hydrolyzed protein
• How long to leave in: 5-10 minutes
• Frequency of use: weekly

Best for Dull Hair: Pureology Smooth Gloss Mask

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Pureology

Smooth Gloss Mask

$45 $33 (27% off)

Amazon

$45

Sephora

$45

Ulta Beauty

Why it’s worth it: The key to shine is hydration, which is exactly what Pureology’s Smooth Gloss Mask provides via a trio of ingredients that work together to attract and retain moisture—imparting a glass-hair finish that’ll round up compliments from everyone around you. Said ingredients include serine, a water-drawing humectant, as well as alanine, which repels excess moisture, and smoothing glycine. The creamy formula, while thick, isn’t super heavy (it feels closer to a lotion than butter), so it won’t weigh down hair that’s on the thinner or finer side. Along with how quickly it works—you can clock an immediate improvement in luster in sub five minutes— this mask also scores points for its fruity-floral scent, which features notes of red currant, magnolia, and sandalwood.

Allure commerce editor Sarah Han before applying the Pureology Smooth Gloss Mask

Sarah Han

Han after applying the Pureology Smooth Gloss Mask

Sarah Han

Tester feedback from commerce editor Sarah Han

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

“Regular conditioners rarely do much for my dry, color-treated hair, so I have to reach for a hair mask at least once a week to soften my strands. This Pureology mask smells divine and I appreciate that it’s literally made for my hair type (color-treated and frizzy). It does a much better job at minimizing frizz than most hair masks, even though I’m not particularly skilled at blowouts, and I love that it works fast. I can’t be bothered to stand in the shower for 10 minutes waiting for a mask! It’s thick but not heavy, which is the perfect balance for my fine but dense hair. Post-shower, my hair actually has a sheen to it, which is truly a feat.” —Sarah Han, commerce editor

More to know

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Key ingredients: serine, alanine, glycine
• How long to leave in: 3 to 5 minutes
• Frequency of use: weekly

Best for Curly Hair: Amika ​​The Kure Intense Bond Repair Mask

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Amika

The Kure Intense Bond Repair Mask

$44

Amazon

$44

Sephora

Allure senior commerce director Shanna Shipin applying the Amika ​​The Kure Intense Bond Repair Mask

Shanna Shipin

Why it's worth it: Dehydrated curls need intensive moisture to maintain their natural bounce, which is why our curly-haired editors love the defining results of Amika’s ​​The Kure Intense Bond Repair Mask—and they aren’t the only ones. "This one is great for heat-damaged or overly processed hair," says Ohio- and New York City-based hairstylist Mia Santiago. The fast-acting formula packs a triple punch of moisture with hyaluronic acid, squalane, and polyglutamic acid, along with sea buckthorn extract for antioxidant protection against environmental-related damage. Plant butters, including mango and shea, help this thick and creamy mask lock in moisture—not to mention, lend it that rich consistency. (Those with finer curls might want to opt for the Smooth Over Frizz-Fighting Hair Treatment Mask instead.)

Shipin before applying the Amika ​​The Kure Intense Bond Repair Mask

Shanna Shipin

Shipin after applying the Amika ​​The Kure Intense Bond Repair Mask

Shanna Shipin

Tester feedback from senior commerce director Shanna Shipin

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

“This mask is my go-to when I've gone a bit too blow-dry-brush-happy on my hair. I only use it once every few weeks, but it's a nonnegotiable in my shower. It instantly brings softness and adds shine, but The Kure doesn't just make my hair look healthier; I keep coming back to this mask because I find that it truly revives my strands, virtually undoing the split ends I habitually create, resealing each one. Despite using it for years, I still can't pinpoint a smell (it's not one to remember, apparently!). And note that you really need to take your time washing it out; a little goes a long way, and it's easy to over-apply. I have thick hair, but I can imagine someone with finer hair finding the product to be heavy.” —Shanna Shipin, senior commerce director

More to know

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Key ingredients: squalane, hyaluronic acid, polyglutamic acid, sea buckthorn extract
• How long to leave in: 5 to 10 minutes
• Frequency of use: once per week

Best for Damaged Hair: Olaplex Rich Hydration Moisture Mask

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Olaplex

Rich Hydration Moisture Mask

$44

Amazon

$44

Nordstrom

$44

Dermstore

Allure commercial editorial assistant Hailey Roy applying the Olaplex Rich Hydration Moisture Mask

Hailey Roy

Why it’s worth it: Best suited for dry, medium-to-coarse hair, Olaplex’s Rich Hydration Mask deposits plenty of frizz-free shine, thanks to its avocado and shea conditioning complex (which provides a hefty dose of hydration and moisture), but it’s the Biometric Cuticle Technology that’s the captain of the damage-fighting arm. It wraps around each strand to keep moisture in and cuticle damage at bay, thereby strengthening them over time and allowing them to grow healthy, strong, and smooth. The mask’s consistency is appropriately thick and buttery; that said, it provides excellent slip for detangling and leaves the hair feeling smooth and soft, not heavy or greasy. However, for finer hair types, Olaplex’s Weightless Nourishing Mask is the better move.

Roy before applying the Olaplex Rich Hydration Moisture Mask

Hailey Roy

Roy after applying the Olaplex Rich Hydration Moisture Mask

Hailey Roy

Tester feedback from commerce production assistant Hailey Roy

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

“Usually, you need to try a hair mask a few times to truly see results, especially when you have very dry hair like moi, which is why the Olaplex Rich Hydration Moisture Mask thoroughly surprised me in the best way possible. As soon as I dug my fingers into the jar and saw the indentations my fingers left behind in the rich, thick cream, I knew this mask would hydrate my curls well and keep my intense frizz in check. My favorite part about this mask is that I didn’t need to use heaps of styling cream or leave-in conditioner after my wash day for my curls to pop. This mask had already done the job. Plus, I only left it in my hair for about 15 minutes before washing it out (I usually aim for an hour with hair masks), and it still left my curls soft and shiny.” —Hailey Roy, commerce production assistant

Key facts

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Key ingredients: biometric cuticle technology, avocado oil, shea butter, sunflower seed oil, safflower seed oil, coconut oil
• How long to leave in: 3 to 5 minutes
• Frequency of use: weekly

Best for Thick Hair: Mise en Scene Argan Oil Repair Mask

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Mise en Scene

Argan Oil Repair Mask

$20

Amazon

$18

Olive Young

Allure contributing writer Christa Joanna Lee applying the Mise en Scene Argan Oil Repair Mask

Christa Joanna Lee

Why it’s worth it: The word “rich” might not immediately come to mind when you think of K-beauty; after all, the category is known for featherweight SPFs, instantly absorbing serums, and cushiony makeup. But Mise en Scene’s Argan Oil Repair Mask fits the descriptor so well, you’d think it has robust investments and a real estate portfolio. The balm-like formula is anchored by a capsule technology that delivers argan, amino acids, and proteins deep within strands. It takes what could be called a “beauty starts on the inside” approach: By improving the strands’ ability to retain moisture from the inside—addressing breakage, dullness, split ends, and frizz–it leaves them shiny and smooth on the outside. The sumptuous texture makes it better suited to thicker hair types, but it still absorbs quickly and won’t leave your hair feeling heavy or greasy.

Lee before applying the Mise en Scene Argan Oil Repair Mask

Christa Joanna Lee

Lee after applying the Mise en Scene Argan Oil Repair Mask

Christa Joanna Lee

Tester feedback from contributing commerce writer Christa Joanna Lee

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

“I’ve just had my once-a-year haircut, so my ends were actually in pretty good shape—but the cold, dry weather where I live has completely zapped my hair of moisture and shine. The Mise en Scène Argan Oil Repair Mask is very thick and rich when you scoop it out, so I was genuinely surprised by how quickly it absorbed without weighing my hair down. It instantly detangles, and the scent is so good. My only qualm is standing around in a robe in the cold while it does its thing—but that’s true of any leave-in—and it works so well at nourishing my dry hair that I’m still excited to use this in the shower all season long.” —Christa Joanna Lee, contributing commerce writer

More to know

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Key ingredients: argan oil, amino acids, proteins, panax ginseng root extract, laminaria japonica (kelp) extract
• How long to leave in: 3 to 5 minutes
• Frequency of use: weekly

Best for Fine Hair: Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal + Tea Tree Cooling Hydration Scalp Mask

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Briogeo

Scalp Revival Charcoal + Tea Tree Cooling Hydration Scalp Mask

$34

Amazon

$34

Nordstrom

$34

Sephora

Why it’s worth it: Worried about weighing down already fine hair? Consider a scalp mask instead. Houston-based hairstylist Kimberly Michelle recommends Briogeo’s Charcoal + Tea Tree Cooling Hydration Scalp Mask to those working with this hair type. “For fine hair, sometimes the goal isn't adding more weight or moisture to the hair fiber: It is about removing what does not belong so the hair can feel lighter, fuller, and more responsive to styling,” Michelle explains. This thinner, lotion-like cream does just that by harnessing charcoal to remove product buildup, while soothing scalp irritation with tea tree, peppermint, and spearmint oils. Though you have the option of following up with an all-over mask, we recommend a lightweight, frizz-fighting leave-in conditioner to keep your hair looking airy and lifted.

More to know

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Key ingredients: charcoal, tea tree oil, peppermint oil, spearmint oil, hydration complex (hyaluronic acid and aloe vera)
• How long to leave in: up to 10 minutes
• Frequency of use: weekly

Best for Dry Hair: Gisou Honey-Infused Hair Mask

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Gisou

Honey-Infused Hair Mask

$44

Amazon

$44

Sephora

$44

Revolve

Why it's worth it: If your hair is chronically dry, color-treated, or feels especially brittle after one too many hot-tool sessions, treat it to the ultra-moisturizing cocktail that is Gisou’s Honey-Infused Hair Mask. As its name suggests, the main ingredient in this custardy formula is honey, which has hydrating properties to soften and enhance shine. The supporting stars include hyaluronic acid at two different molecular weights—a higher one for instant gloss and a lower one to hydrate deep within the strands—as well as biomimetic ceramides that fill gaps in the hair’s surface to smooth everything out. The resulting formula “leaves hair feeling soft, hydrated, and fluffy without heaviness," says bicoastal hair colorist Tylor Johnson.

More to know

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Key ingredients: honey, coconut oil, baobab extract
• How long to leave in: 5 to 7 minutes
• Frequency of use: up to twice per week

Best Drugstore: L'Oreal Paris Elvive Total Repair 5 Damage Erasing Balm

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

L'Oreal Paris

Elvive Total Repair 5 Damage Erasing Balm

$9 $8 (11% off)

Amazon

$8

Walmart

Why it's worth it: Some of the most hardworking formulas go for as little as $10. Case in point: L'Oréal Paris’ Elvive Total Repair 5 Damage Erasing Balm is a creamy mask that “uses ceramides and almond oil to repair dryness and bring back smoothness,” explains hairstylist Dimitris Giannetos (the ceramides are part of the brand’s Repair Concentrate, which also includes protein). It targets all the usual suspects when it comes to rough hair texture—think tangles, split ends, and brittleness—and does so with a light, green-floral scent. Despite what the name might suggest, the formula doesn’t feel especially thick or heavy; indeed, if you’re looking for intense repair, you can use it daily as a replacement for your conditioner, or even as a co-wash.

More to know

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Key ingredients: ceramides, almond oil, Repair Concentrate (hydrolyzed wheat protein)
• How long to leave in: 3 to 5 minutes
• Frequency of use: once per week minimum, up to daily

Best for Blowouts: Kérastase Discipline Maskeratine

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Kérastase

Discipline Maskeratine

$68

Amazon

$68

Sephora

Why it’s worth it: If the goal is a bouncy, frizz-free blowout, take note: “[Kérastase’s Discipline Maskeratine] is a formula I recommend for individuals looking to improve manageability, softness, and frizz control without sacrificing movement,” says Michelle. Through its Morpho-Kératine Complex and a blend of softeners and lipids, it tames flyaways, seals split ends, and leaves hair smooth and protected against blow-drying heat. Between the floral fragrance and the creamy texture, there’s something almost vintage skin care-coded about the sensorial experience of this mask; fitting, given how it leaves the hair with a “gets her hair done at the beauty parlor every two weeks” sheen. “I appreciate that it helps create a polished finish without leaving the hair feeling overly coated or weighed down,” says Michelle.

More to know

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Key ingredients: glycerin, arginine, serine
• How long to leave in: 5 minutes
• Frequency of use: weekly

Frequently Asked Questions

What causes frizz?

Frizz is caused by a lack of moisture. When your hair is particularly dry, your strands will try to draw in water from the air (hence why your hair might poof on humid days), which messes with your hair's natural smoothness. “Humidity is a big culprit, but things like chemical treatments and naturally dry hair also increase the likelihood of frizz,” he says. (Chemical treatments, like hair dye, bleach, and relaxers, all damage the cuticle of the hair, leaving it drier and more susceptible to frizz.) Giannetos also notes that curly and textured hair types are naturally more prone to frizz “because it's harder for your scalp’s natural oils to keep those strands smooth.” Hair that’s damaged from constant heat styling is also prone to frizz, notes Heath.

How can I minimize frizz?

To ensure your hair stays smooth and frizz-free, Giannetos says to use hydrating products at home to maintain your strands’ texture. Both Giannetos and Heath agree that moisturizing hair masks are one of the best ways to ensure your hair is properly conditioned.

Hair masks are a big stepping stone to smoother hair, but if you’re using heated tools, Giannetos says to make sure you take the proper steps to protect your delicate hair shaft as you expose it to heat. “Let your hair air dry or use a diffuser if blow-drying, and always use a heat protectant when styling,” he says. Giannetos adds to avoid over-washing and to sleep on a satin or silk pillowcase to reduce friction overnight.

Can I use a hair mask every day for frizzy hair?

Across the board, experts advise against using hair masks every day. “Using them more often won't eliminate the frizz,” explains New York-based master colorist Lauren Paglionico. “Frizz usually happens due to your curl or texture, breakage, or humidity.”

Not only will overuse do nothing to address your frizz—it could also undermine the rest of your routine, and even your general hair health. “When hair masks are used too frequently, they can create buildup and excessive weight on the hair fiber, leaving the hair looking limp, feeling heavy, and becoming more difficult to style,” explains Michelle.

Most hair masks will suggest weekly use, and “for most people, once a week is sufficient,” says Michelle. “Those with highly porous, chemically treated, or very dry hair may benefit from two treatments per week, while finer hair types often require less frequent use.”

What are the disadvantages of a hair mask?

Hair masks can “weigh down” the hair—as in leave it coated in product and heavy-feeling—especially for certain hair types and with improper usage. “Using too heavy a mask too often, especially on fine hair, can make the hair flat and look greasy,” explains hairstylist Gina Rivera. Additionally, some protein-heavy masks can lead to an overload of protein, she says, which (as counterintuitive as it may sound) can “actually make the hair become dry and brittle.”

And it isn’t just your hair that’s at risk for buildup. “Another issue is applying a rich mask directly to the scalp when it is intended only for the hair fiber,” says Michelle. “This can contribute to buildup, especially for individuals who already struggle with excess oil, dead skin accumulation, or infrequent cleansing.” As such, it’s important to concentrate masks on the mid-lengths and ends, “unless the product is specifically formulated for scalp use,” she says.

Meet the experts

• Tylor Johnson, a hairstylist based in New York City and Los Angeles
• Angelo David, a hairstylist and founder of Angelo David Salon in New York City
• Mia Santiago, a hairstylist based in Ohio and New York City
• Dimitris Giannetos, a hairstylist based in New York, Los Angeles, and Paris
• Kylee Heath, a hairstylist based in Los Angeles
• Annalouise Rusk, a hairstylist based in Boston
• Kimberly Michelle, a hairstylist, educator, and founder of Mint Well Head in Houston
• Lauren Paglionico, a master colorist based in New York City
• Gina Rivera, a hairstylist based in Las Vegas

How we test and review products

We always enlist a range of testers for our makeup vertical, but hair-care products and tools are another story. While there are certainly products that can be used across different hair textures, lengths, curl patterns, thicknesses, colors (natural and unnatural), and needs, hair products are often created with specific consumers in mind. Many are created in order to address a concern (dandruff, breakage, brittleness) or to work most effectively for a specific hair type (4C curls, wavy hair, gray hair). You wouldn't want to pick up a purple shampoo that's only been reviewed by someone with, say, auburn hair, or a diffuser that's never been tested by anyone with curls—right?

For our review of the best hair masks for frizzy hair, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, and hairstylists who all want frizz-minimizing formulations for their own hair-care routines. Testers considered performance across four primary categories: efficacy, texture and experience, fragrance, and packaging. For more on what's involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.

Our staff and testers

A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.

After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we've solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it's never been tested on curls? We're proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.

Illustration by Briana Rengifo/Allure; Source images: Getty ImagesSave StorySave this storySave StorySave this story

At the American Infusion Center’s location on lower Broadway in Manhattan, La-Z-Boy recliners with laptop tables are positioned in front of windows overlooking the Hudson River. The majority of people sitting in those seats—click-clacking away on their computers with an IV dangling from one arm—are women, including me. And many, including me, are there to get an iron infusion—a treatment that, despite being well-informed about my health, I hadn’t even heard of until I was in dire need of it at 47.

My iron levels weren’t ever mentioned at doctor’s visits until I was pregnant with my daughter at 39. With another human growing inside me, the need for adequate nutrients had new urgency. Those levels were steady for the duration of my pregnancy, but after a whirlwind four years—living through a challenging postpartum period, perimenopause, and a global shutdown—they took a nosedive.

But the drop wasn’t something my doctors picked up on easily. It took a year of relentless symptoms (fatigue, hair-shedding, brain fog, restless legs, anxiety), monthly periods reminiscent of crime scenes, and two myomectomy surgeries (to remove clusters of uterine fibroids) before I was deemed anemic. Iron deficiency is the most common cause of anemia, a condition that occurs when your body doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells. You can be iron deficient (meaning you have low stored iron, or ferritin) but not necessarily anemic, although untreated iron deficiency often leads to anemia.

Though my iron deficiency went largely unrecognized for a time, I’m certainly not alone in this journey, which—like so many diagnoses in women’s health—often follows a long and winding path. A 2024 report from JAMA Open Network found that 34% of women between the ages of 18 and 50 are iron deficient. Post-menopause it becomes less common, as women stop bleeding regularly, so there’s less iron loss; that’s also why iron deficiency is less common in men.

The reason so many women find themselves dealing with anemia, particularly in their 40s (I was 45 when I was diagnosed), is not so straightforward—which is why it comes as no surprise that many are searching for answers and sharing symptoms on TikTok. Ahead, we sort through the signs of iron deficiency, including fatigue, shortness of breath, dark circles, cracking skin, and what social media is calling “ferritin face.”

What do we need iron for anyway?

Iron is a building block for hemoglobin, a protein in your blood that is required for the production of the red blood cells that deliver oxygen throughout our bodies. It sounds vital because it is. It’s key for optimal skeletal and cardiac muscle function, for hair growth, and for making neurotransmitters in our brain (including the dopamine and serotonin that have such a profound effect on our moods), says Imo J. Akpan, MD, a hematologist at New York Presbyterian.

“[Iron] also plays a quieter but important role in supporting regular ovulation and a healthy uterine lining, both of which matter when someone is trying to conceive,” says Lora Shahine, MD, a reproductive endocrinologist and ob-gyn at Ivy Fertility in Seattle.

And iron is foundational to how our bodies produce energy. Explains Amanda Kahn, MD, an internist in New York, “When iron stores are low, women often feel it everywhere, from their energy levels to their mood to their hair.”

The face (and hair and body) of iron deficiency

Do you have heavy periods? Do you have brain fog? Do you get winded walking up stairs even when you’re in really good physical shape? These are some of the questions Jamie Rosen, a 40-something brand consultant in New York City, remembers being asked by her hematologist Rachel Kramer, MD, during her first visit. “I was like, ‘Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes,’ to everything she asked me,” says Rosen, who had a list of symptoms that she had long been brushing off.

Dr. Kramer has an office at American Infusion Center’s Upper East Side location and has worked as a hematologist for nearly 30 years. She says many of her young, female patients likely have an iron issue that they are chalking up to something else. “Lots of people are iron deficient in their 20s and 30s, and they don’t get to me until they’re in their 40s,” she explains. “They often just think they’re a tired person.”

The most common signs of iron deficiency are: fatigue, headache, shortness of breath, dizziness, chest pain, muscle cramping, pica (the compulsion to eat non-nutritional items such as ice, clay, chalk, or soap), difficulty concentrating, and depression. But this deficiency can also have more visible manifestations, such as hair loss and what the internet has dubbed “ferritin face” or “low-ferritin face.”

Macrene Alexiades, MD, a dermatologist in New York City, says that patients whose iron stores are low often have pale and sometimes dry, cracking, itchy skin. “I see it with some regularity, and when we look under the hood, we often find there’s some iron deficiency there,” says Dr. Alexiades. The washed-out pallor and undereye shadows that sometimes accompany iron deficiency have recently come to be called ferritin face.

“It’s not an established clinical term, but it reflects a real phenomenon that clinicians and patients are noticing,” says Jamie Schwartz, RD, LDN, a registered dietitian at Health Loft. And one that TikTokkers are chronicling in earnest. “I looked literally half dead,” one woman posted about the effect of her ferritin level on her face (with Mumford and Sons’ “White Blank Page” as a soundtrack). "Low iron is looking like this even after 10 hours of sleep and being asked if you're ok 24/7," wrote another, who chronicles her iron struggles online.

While skin pallor and dark circles can be a clue, they are not specific enough on their own to suggest iron deficiency, says Marisa Garshick, MD, a dermatologist based in New York and New Jersey. “Skin pallor is often only noticeable in individuals with lighter skin tones and is not always obvious or easy to detect, while dark circles can occur for many reasons, including genetics,” she points out. That said, “it’s changes in hair and nails that will most commonly prompt an iron work-up in my practice.”

Meanwhile, the connection between hair shedding and ferritin is well documented, with studies associating low ferritin levels with telogen effluvium, a form of temporary hair loss.

The testing (or lack of testing) is part of the problem

Screening for iron levels is not part of a standard checkup. Women are routinely screened only when they’re pregnant, and even then, testing is typically limited to how much iron we have moving in our blood (our serum iron level) and not how much ferritin our bodies are producing. Serum iron levels can go up or down in response to your diet, supplement regimen, or menstrual cycle, and they change quite significantly throughout the day. Ferritin, on the other hand, says Dr. Akpan, refers to our iron reserves and isn’t affected by your diet or periods, and isn’t likely to fluctuate from one day to the next. It’s a much more reliable marker of iron deficiency.

Dr. Akpan describes ferritin as our “iron savings account.” If you’re nearing overdraft, the low balance can have a ripple effect on your body—even if your serum iron level is within normal range. This is why it’s not uncommon for a woman who is noticing hair loss and feels exhausted to still be told by her doctor that her labs are “normal.” Few doctors will do a full iron panel, which includes serum iron and ferritin, as part of a routine visit, so patients often have to request it.

What is considered normal ferritin, though, can be subjective. (Like I said: long and winding.) “We do not have an agreed-upon threshold for diagnosing iron deficiency in women,” says Dr. Akpan. “The World Health Organization recommends using a ferritin cutoff of <15 ng/ml to diagnose iron deficiency in women, but several other medical societies suggest that this is too low and should be <30 ng/ml.” A 2025 Lancet Hematology Review proposed that any ferritin levels under 50 ng/ml should prompt a closer look, and Dr. Kahn, who works closely with a hematologist in her practice, often targets a ferritin level closer to 100 ng/ml.

A diagnosis may be further complicated because low iron can masquerade as something else or overlap with other issues. If a patient is not anemic—something measured by the hemoglobin test that is part of a routine checkup—doctors may not screen for iron deficiency at all. “A patient with fatigue who has a normal level of hemoglobin is more likely to have a thyroid test than an iron test,” says Dr. Akpan, “or someone who is depressed may be started on antidepressants but not have their iron levels checked.”

While the importance of iron is emphasized during pregnancy and postpartum, it is crucial across the entire reproductive lifespan, particularly in perimenopause, when menstrual cycles can become heavy and unpredictable. Uterine fibroids, adenomyosis, and conditions that cause heavy menstrual bleeding are, says Dr. Shahine, a major and underappreciated cause of iron deficiency in women.

“Paradoxically, the years leading up to menopause can be when iron deficiency is most likely, even though we tend to associate it with younger reproductive years,” says Dr. Shahine. “The fatigue and brain fog of this transition are sometimes attributed entirely to shifting estrogen when low iron may also be part of the picture.”

Women also tend to simply shrug off or accept some symptoms. If you’re working full-time and parenting and caring for aging parents while also trying to find time to shower every day, you might not think to question the fact that you feel exhausted. The number of post-menopausal women suffering from iron deficiency is lower, but the prevalence is not zero, says Dr. Akpan, and deficiency can still occur during this period due to gastrointestinal conditions or malabsorption.

How to close the iron gap

Once you’ve determined that you are, in fact, low in ferritin, your doctor will likely tell you to first look at your diet. But gastrointestinal absorption is a perpetual problem with iron, whether you’re trying to get enough through food or with the help of supplements. There are also a number of conditions that can further impact the body’s ability to absorb iron, like celiac disease, gut inflammation, and reduced stomach acid (common in anyone who uses proton pump inhibitors for acid reflux). Your genetics can also play a role in how you absorb iron, and research has shown that Hispanic and Black women are more prone to iron deficiency. Says Dr. Kahn, “Some women aren’t losing iron, they simply aren’t absorbing it well.”

The truth is that most women do not get nearly enough dietary iron. The recommended daily allowance for girls and women aged 9-50 is 18 mg; that number drops to 8 mg after menopause. To be clear, that can’t be 18 mg in one meal. For example, that steak you had for dinner is absorbed at only 25-30% (a lean cut will yield about 2.5 mg of iron), and that big spinach salad at only 2-10%. “More iron on the plate doesn’t mean more iron absorbed,” says Schwartz, who explains that the body has a ceiling on how much it can absorb at one time, regulated by hepcidin, a peptide hormone produced in the liver. “And how much you absorb shifts based on your current iron stores, inflammation levels, and the form of iron consumed.”

You also need to consider the type of iron-rich food you’re consuming: Heme iron is dietary iron found in foods of animal origin and is proven to be better absorbed; while non-heme iron is found in foods of plant origin and is less efficiently absorbed.

Pairing those iron-rich plant sources—like spinach, swiss chard, and broccoli—with vitamin C is helpful. One quick and easy hack is to squeeze lemon on them before consuming. Says Schwartz, “Eating iron-rich foods like lean red meat, liver, lentils, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, and dark, leafy greens alongside vitamin C is foundational as it significantly boosts the absorption of non-heme iron.” She explains further that, though vitamin C will add to the iron you can absorb during the day, it won't raise the maximum amount your body can take in: “It's more a tool that helps you get closer to whatever your personal ceiling happens to be that day.”

Plant-based eaters need to be extra mindful about their iron. “A woman relying solely on plant sources would need to eat considerably more volume [almost twice as much] and variety to hit the same absorbed amount,” says Schwartz, adding that the body absorbs iron more efficiently from multiple smaller exposures than from one large intake. “Eating twice as much [of one protein source] doesn't give you twice as much absorbed iron—it gives you diminishing returns.”

When your dietary intake doesn’t match your iron needs, which is the case for many women, that’s when supplements should be considered. “Ferrous sulfate is the classic affordable option, but it’s notorious for causing constipation and nausea, which is why so many people quit,” says Schwartz, adding that one study reports that up to 40% of people stopped over a three-year period. She recommends other types of supplements, like iron bisglycinate or liposomal iron, which are better tolerated.

Wendi LeBrett, MD, a Los Angeles-based gastroenterologist, says that pairing your iron supplement with vitamin C improves uptake, and emerging evidence suggests that taking iron supplements every other day, versus daily, helps absorption and curbs GI side effects. You may also need to be mindful about supplement stacking. Because you know those calcium supplements your doctor said you need for your middle-aged bones? Well, they're inhibiting the absorption of dietary iron and supplements, says Dr. LeBrett. So are coffee, tea, and chocolate. She recommends consuming any of these things two to three hours apart from your chosen iron.

Did you get all that? Right, it’s a lot to consider. And that’s why some women—like me—have started getting IV iron, or iron infusions. (At the end of the story, we’ll tell you how to find a reputable clinic.) These infusions go directly into the bloodstream, which can help with absorption by bypassing the GI tract and bolster your iron levels more quickly, says Dr. Kahn. Common side effects of iron infusions include nausea, dizziness, and headaches. Rarer side effects could include anaphylaxis.

When I went in for my first infusion, my ferritin level was 13; three treatments later, it had increased fivefold. This was after years of taking oral iron supplements without much discernible change. Many hematologists believe infusions, which are most commonly offered in a hospital or outpatient-clinic setting, are still thought of as a last resort. “IV iron supplementation is still underused,” says Dr. Akpan, adding that many patients simply don’t try or can’t handle other supplementation. Adds Dr. Kramer, “You shouldn’t wait until your ferritin is [low] and your hair is falling out all over the place and you feel terrible.”

Dr. Akpan usually sees an improvement in her patients’ iron levels with one to three infusions, then will continue to recheck levels every four to six weeks to assess their iron stores. Says Dr. Garshick, depending on the degree of deficiency, many people begin to notice improvements within a few weeks of treatments, including improvements in their skin; hair recovery can take longer, she adds, often three to six months to see meaningful changes.

And, importantly, Dr. LeBrett cautions that taking any iron supplements without properly investigating the root issue can itself be an issue. “People shouldn’t ignore a problem just because it’s corrected with supplementation,” she says, noting that iron deficiency can be a side effect of celiac and inflammatory bowel disease. In fact, overdoing it on iron can be another issue entirely and lead to inflammatory conditions.

More women are experiencing iron deficiency in midlife

“Whenever I would go to the infusion center in Long Island for my weekly iron IVs, I was always running into mom friends,” says Jennifer Conlon Pavelchak, a New York City-based publicist in her 40s. She was prescribed a five-dose course of iron infusions spaced a few weeks apart after hair loss, brain fog, and joint injuries prompted her doctors to test her ferritin (her level was 26). “I would say 80% of the people getting iron infusions with me every visit were women.”

Dr. Akpan and Dr. Kramer both report that more women in midlife are coming to their offices with iron issues than they were a decade ago. Parsley Health—a membership-based, functional health practice—has found the same to be true. Robin Berzin, MD, the company’s founder, has some ideas why: “We’re seeing more midlife women eating plant-forward diets and more of them on GLP-1 medications, both of which can decrease iron intake. GLP-1 medications reduce appetite and overall food volume. They can dampen the appetite for red meat, specifically, which is the most absorbable iron source, and cause slow gastric emptying, which may affect absorption.” If you do the math, eating less simply means less opportunity to reach the recommended daily iron intake.

But Dr. Kahn thinks the reason we are seeing more women with dipping iron levels goes beyond diet and exercise trends: “Part of it is increased awareness, but there’s also an intersection of multiple factors like perimenopausal bleeding changes, chronic inflammation, gut dysfunction, and women pushing themselves harder than ever professionally and personally.”

It’s that last point that really hits home. This innate need to constantly power through pain and exhaustion feels like the girl-bossification of health. The correlation between hard work and low iron may not be causal, but someone who is under chronic stress may eat poorly, skip meals, or form habits that contribute to poor iron absorption because of poor diet. “Women just feel like they should keep pushing,” says Dr. Kramer—and more awareness about iron being a possible culprit for many common symptoms is prompting us to take the reins and look into it.

Within a few weeks after Pavelchak’s course of five iron infusions, her hair stopped snapping off and grew back thicker; she no longer experiences daily mid-afternoon energy crashes; and her ability to heal following a series of knee injuries improved dramatically (she’s even running again). Now she gets her ferritin checked every three months to make sure it remains steady.

Rosen, who was switched to IV infusions after many months of supplementing, made no discernible difference, had an initial course of four spaced over six weeks; she still gets one every few months, along with regular lab work. She has noticed a marked change in her energy level and brain fog.

My own iron journey has been more of a marathon than a sprint: I’ve adopted an iron-rich diet, with plenty of tofu, eggs, red meat, sardines, and leafy greens; and been supplementing (I’m taking Pure Encapsulations Iron-C, which pairs iron glycinate with vitamin C for optimal absorption) and infusing (once a month) since January. I’m almost at the number where my doctor thinks I should feel my best (last ferritin count: 74!). My hair has stopped shedding excessively, my restless legs have chilled out, and my energy holds fairly steady on the days when I get enough sleep (an entirely different struggle). According to my mother, I also have “my color” back. I consider that progress.

FAQs

What is iron deficiency? How does it differ from anemia?

Iron deficiency occurs when your total iron stores or reserves are depleted. Anemia occurs when you don’t have enough healthy red blood cells to deliver oxygen throughout the body. You can be iron deficient but not anemic.

What are the most common symptoms?

Some of the most common symptoms are what doctors would call nonspecific and can include fatigue, shortness of breath, pale skin, dizziness, brain fog, muscle cramping, pica (eating non-nutritional items such as ice, clay, chalk, soap), and depression.

What is ferritin?

Ferritin is the storage form of iron, or what doctors think of as your “reserves.” Those so-called reserves are what the body dips into in order to make more red blood cells when needed.

What tests should you ask your doctor for?

A full iron panel measures your serum iron level (the amount in your blood right now), ferritin (your iron reserves, or stores), and often your TIBIC (your total iron-binding capacity, or how much iron your blood can carry).

What should you look for in a supplement?

Iron bisglycinate is considered to be the most tolerated and best absorbed form of oral iron supplementation. Studies confirm that it has a gentler side-effect profile than the more widely available ferrous sulfate form.

How do you find a reputable infusion center?

IV iron infusions should only be used after a referral from a doctor. They are often administered in a hospital or outpatient-clinic setting. Says Dr. Akpan, “My recommendation is to research physicians and advanced-practice providers who have clear expertise in the management of iron deficiency and have demonstrated that they usually manage patients in need of an iron infusion.”

CARLOS and ALYSESave StorySave this storySave StorySave this story

As your skin changes, your makeup should evolve with it, and that starts with finding the best foundations for mature skin. These formulas deliver even texture, a healthy radiance, and fine-line-blurring coverage without clinging to dryness or settling where you don’t want it. Many of today’s standout bases are infused with skin-care power players such as hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and even retinol to tackle common concerns—think: fine lines, dark spots, redness, and dehydration.

Our Top Foundations for Mature Skin

• Best Overall: Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation, $69
• Best for Dry Skin: Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation, $69
• Best Medium Coverage: Lancôme Rénergie Lift Makeup Foundation SPF 27, $63
• Best Lightweight: Jones Road Beauty What the Foundation, $46

Frequently Asked Questions

• What to consider when looking for a foundation for mature skin
• How to prep mature skin for foundation
• How to apply foundation on mature skin
• Meet the experts
• How we test and review products
• Our staff and testers

We put in the legwork—consulting makeup artists and leaning on our trusted team of editors—to uncover the foundations that stay smooth, flexible, and crease-free, no matter how expressive you are.

Best Overall: Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Armani Beauty

Luminous Silk Foundation

$69

Nordstrom

$69

Sephora

Why it's worth it: Constantly name-dropped by makeup artists and enthusiasts, Armani Beauty’s Luminous Silk Foundation has earned its icon status with ample accolades, including an Allure Best of Beauty Award. Countless makeup artists, including Beau Nelson and Amrita Mehta, count Meghan Markle's favorite foundation as a go-to for mature clients due to its soft-focus finish and weightless texture. "This one has been a staple in my kit for over 15 years," New York City-based makeup artist Lisa Aharon attests. "It blurs pores and fine lines while leaving the skin with a fresh finish," she says, adding that the medium coverage is ideal for concealing sun spots and other imperfections such as blemishes.

New York-based makeup artist Lauren D’Amelio Ventre loves that it’s packed with hydration—something aging skin needs more of—and helps make the skin look plumper and smoother. “It leaves a beautiful and flawless finish, and the formula melts into the skin seamlessly,” she says. Even though it’s ultra-hydrating, it’s also lightweight and won’t turn greasy throughout the day, which is why she often reaches for it for long events like weddings.

Allure creative director Amber Venerable before applying the Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation

Amber Venerable

Venerable after applying the Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation

Amber Venerable

Allure tester before applying the Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation

Allure

Allure tester after applying the Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation

Allure

Tester feedback from creative director Amber Venerable

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

​​“I like minimal to light foundation coverage and I thought this had great coverage while also being very lightweight on my skin. My skin was radiant and glowing, so it lives up to the term luminous to say the least! Love it!”—Amber Venerable, creative director

More to know

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Key ingredient: glycerin
• Finish: radiant
• Coverage: medium-to-full
• Shades: 44

Best Full-Coverage: Makeup by Mario SurrealSkin Foundation

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Makeup by Mario

SurrealSkin Foundation

$48

Sephora

Allure tester applying the Makeup by Mario SurrealSkin Foundation

Allure

Why it's worth it: Our 2023 Best of Beauty Award winner for best full-coverage liquid foundation went to Makeup by Mario's SurrealSkin Foundation—but don’t let the “full-coverage” label fool you. This formula is incredibly lightweight, buildable, and never cakey. Karol Rodriguez, a NYC-based makeup artist, said this foundation is one of her go-tos for people with exceptionally dry skin, which mature folks are prone to. Founder Mario Dedivanovic recommends using just one pump, applying it where you need the most coverage, and building from there. That’s easy to do thanks to skin-friendly ingredients like polyglyceryl-6 polyricinoleate (an ester that gives it a silky, glowy—not greasy—finish), plus hydrating staples like glycerin, grapeseed oil, and sunflower oil to help lock in moisture.

Allure tester before applying the Makeup by Mario SurrealSkin Foundation

Allure

Allure tester after applying the Makeup by Mario SurrealSkin Foundation

Allure

Editor tip

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

Even though it leaves a slightly dewy finish, our testers with oily skin found it held up beautifully throughout the day without turning shiny. Want something sheer? Mix a pump with your favorite moisturizer and pat it on with your fingers for a more natural, skin-tint effect.

More to know

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Key ingredients: glycerin, grapeseed oil, sunflower oil
• Finish: satin
• Shades: 39

Best for Dry Skin: Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Chanel

Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation

$69

Chanel

$69

Nordstrom

$69

Ulta Beauty

Why it's worth it: It may be 40% water, but Chanel’s Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation is no tinted moisturizer in disguise. The hydrating glycerin-based formula floods skin with moisture, while a mix of lightweight meadowfoam seed oil and silicones keeps the texture cushioned, comfortable, and smooth. “It leaves the skin hydrated and plump, while the radiant finish helps to create a glowy, seamless, and skin-like blend,” says Mehta. “It feels like a lightweight serum but offers light-to-medium, buildable coverage that keeps skin looking fresh and natural.” Aharon agrees, noting that mature skin often leans dry and dull, making a radiant finish ideal. With mica and other soft, light-reflecting pigments as well as a diffusing texture, it’s guaranteed to leave your complexion glowing.

Tester feedback from Allure contributing commerce writer Christa Joanna Lee

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

“I’ve always had slightly uneven skin tone, and now that it’s coupled with post-pregnancy melasma, I need more coverage than my usual tinted moisturizer. Les Beiges goes on smooth and creamy, melts in instantly, and evens everything out without looking like I’m wearing makeup. It has that your-skin-but-better vibe, which for me means it’s breathable, lightweight, and with just the right amount of glow.” —Christa Joanna Lee, Allure contributing commerce writer

More to know

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Key ingredients: glycerin, meadowfoam seed oil, jasmine stem extract, mica
• Finish: radiant
• Coverage: sheer-to-medium
• Shades: 42

Best Medium Coverage: Lancôme Rénergie Lift Makeup Foundation SPF 27

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Lancôme

Rénergie Lift Makeup Foundation SPF 27

$63

Amazon

$63

Nordstrom

$63

Ulta Beauty

Why it's worth it: Lancôme’s Rénergie Lift Makeup Foundation doesn't just happen to work well on mature skin; “this formula feels like it was made with intention for people with fine lines and wrinkles," says Magen Grays, a makeup artist based in Atlanta. Beyond the skin-like finish, the formula is packed with nourishing ingredients like ceramides to support the barrier, soybean oil and sorbitol to replenish moisture, and caffeine to “bring skin back to life,” says Grays. Lightweight silicones further create a “smoothing, blurring effect that doesn’t emphasize uneven skin texture,” she says. “It’s radiant without being heavy, and it moves with your face instead of sitting on top of it.

Editor tip

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

The built-in SPF 27 is a welcome bonus, but since it falls just shy of the American Academy of Dermatology's recommended SPF 30 for daily sun protection—and most people don't apply enough foundation to achieve the labeled SPF anyway—it should be considered an extra layer of protection, not a replacement for your dedicated sunscreen.

More to know

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Key ingredients: caffeine, vitamin E, iris extract
• Finish: natural/radiant
• Coverage: medium
• Shades: 20

Best Lightweight: Jones Road Beauty What the Foundation

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Jones Road

Beauty What the Foundation

$46

Jones Road

Why it's worth it: It makes sense that Bobbi Brown, who helped define the "no-makeup makeup" movement of the '90s—a philosophy that's just as relevant today—would create a foundation that wears more like skin than makeup. Jones Road Beauty's What the Foundation is an ultra-nourishing complexion tint that "blends seamlessly into the skin, leaving you with an even, fresh complexion that looks like your skin on its best day," says Kat Dorn, a makeup artist based in New York City. The lightweight, silky feel comes from jojoba oil, olive oil, and sodium hyaluronate (a form of hyaluronic acid), which keep skin comfortably hydrated throughout the day. If you're looking for full coverage, this isn't it. But if your goal is light to medium coverage that subtly evens your complexion, this formula feels so weightless, you'll forget you're wearing foundation at all.

Editor tip

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

Because the formula is rich in nourishing oils, you may notice a little separation over time. If that happens—or if it's applying a bit unevenly—simply give it a quick stir with the back of a makeup brush or a spatula before applying.

More to know

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Key ingredients: sodium hyaluronate, jojoba oil, olive oil
• Finish: natural/radiant
• Coverage: light to medium
• Shades: 16

Best for Sensitive Skin: Kosas Revealer Skin-Improving Foundation SPF 25

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Kosas

Revealer Skin-Improving Foundation SPF 25

$45

Amazon

$45

Nordstrom

$45

Sephora

Why it's worth it: If you glanced at the ingredient list without seeing the bottle, you'd probably assume it belonged to a moisturizer—not a foundation. When it launched, the Kosas Revealer Skin-Improving Foundation also became something of an unofficial Allure office uniform—there was a stretch where it seemed like every beauty editor was wearing it because of its dewy finish and ultra-creamy texture.

“If you have reactive or sensitive skin, its gentle ingredients enhance your complexion without irritation,” says Grays. The formula is packed with staples like niacinamide, which "works with your skin's natural chemistry to improve overall skin texture by rebuilding a lipid layer, minimizing the appearance of pores, and preventing UV damage and inflammation as an antioxidant," Seattle-based board-certified dermatologist Brandith Irwin, MD, previously said. There’s also everyone’s fave hydrator, hyaluronic acid, to “bind water to collagen, trapping it in the skin, so that skin can appear plumper, dewier, and more hydrated," Beverly Hills-based board-certified dermatologist Tsippora Shainhouse, MD, previously explained.

Editor tip

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

The formula is rounded out with barrier-supporting squalane and plumping peptides, so if your mature skin also struggles with dryness, this one checks all the boxes.

More to know

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Key ingredients: niacinamide, squalane, hyaluronic acid, peptides
• Finish: natural/radiant
• Coverage: medium
• Shades: 36

Best Drugstore: e.l.f. Cosmetics Soft Glam Satin Foundation

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

E.L.F. Cosmetics

Soft Glam Satin Foundation

$9 $8 (11% off)

Amazon

$9

Ulta Beauty

$8

Walmart

Why it's worth it: E.l.f. Cosmetics’ Soft Glam Satin Foundation is "like a superfood smoothie for the face," says Los Angeles-based makeup artist Scott Barnes—and at just $9, it costs about the same as one. The lightweight, breathable formula is infused with the brand's 1% Hydrating Hibiscus Complex, along with antioxidant-rich pomegranate and goji berry extracts to help keep skin hydrated and comfortable throughout the day. It delivers buildable medium coverage with a natural satin finish that strikes the sweet spot for both dry and oily skin. Barnes also loves how seamlessly it blends into skin, and he calls out the slim squeeze tube as a travel-friendly bonus that's easy to toss into a gym bag or carry-on.

Editor tip

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

If you're wearing this on a hot, humid day or have oily skin, apply a blurring primer just through the T-zone to help keep shine at bay without sacrificing its natural satin finish.

More to know

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Key ingredients: 1% Hydrating Hibiscus Complex, pomegranate, goji fruit
• Finish: satin
• Coverage: medium
• Shades: 36

Best Long-Wearing: Nars Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Nars

Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation

$55

Nordstrom

$55

Ulta Beauty

$55

Sephora

Why it's worth it: “Long-wearing” and “radiant” might sound like an oxymoron when talking about foundations for mature skin, but Nars’s Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation proves they can coexist. The medium-to-full coverage feels surprisingly lightweight and breathable, yet stays put for up to 16 hours without fading, creasing, or clinging to dry patches. Its longevity comes from a pigment system that prevents color from oxidizing and helps it blend with your natural tone rather than sitting on top. Raspberry, apple, and watermelon extracts give the formula a smoothing, hydrating finish. “When someone wants a more polished result but still wants skin to look alive, this is a go-to,” says Renée Loiz, a makeup artist based in Los Angeles. “It holds up exceptionally well and maintains radiance without breaking down or settling into fine lines.”

Editor tip

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

This formula already contains humectants like glycerin, sodium PCA, and sodium lactate to maintain hydration throughout the day, so you might want to apply a lightweight gel moisturizer underneath, especially if you have combination or oily skin.

More to know

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Key ingredients: raspberry, apple, and watermelon extracts
• Finish: radiant
• Coverage: medium-to-full
• Shades: 36

Best Foundation Stick: Westman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation Stick

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Westman Atelier

Vital Skin Foundation Stick

$68

Nordstrom

$68

Credo Beauty

$68

Sephora

Why it's worth it: Westman Atelier’s Vital Skin Foundation Stick, a 2022 and 2023 Best of Beauty Award winner, has a second-skin-like finish well-suited for mature skin, plus it's loaded with nourishing ingredients like squalane for moisture and phytosphingosine, a naturally occurring lipid found in the skin, to soothe. This cream formula melts into the skin, whether you apply it straight to your face or use a brush. "For radiance and a second-skin finish that doesn't settle into fine lines, I love this formula for mature skin," Aharon says. Due to calming ingredients like squalane and camellia seed oil, Aharon says this fragrance-free foundation is suitable for sensitive skin, regardless of age.

Editor tip

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

We also love packing this travel-friendly stick in a shade or two deeper than your complexion to double as a cream bronzer.

More to know

AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• Key ingredients: vegetable-derived squalane, berryflux vita extract, camellia seed oil, coconut oil
• Finish: natural
• Coverage: medium
• Shades: 20

Frequently Asked Questions

What to consider when looking for a foundation for mature skin

As you age, your complexion gains texture and leans toward the drier side. New York City-based, board-certified dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD, previously told Allure that this is because your skin produces less collagen and fewer natural lipids, such as ceramides and fatty acids, which leads to dehydrated skin and a weaker moisture barrier. When it comes to base makeup, "Fine or not-so-fine lines and larger pores can make foundation look mask-like at best and incredibly unflattering at worst," explains Los Angeles-based makeup artist Fiona Stiles. That's why finding a hydrating foundation is paramount for looking fresh. Tony Tulve, a New York City-based makeup artist, recommends choosing liquid foundations as they "act more like a second skin." Overall, finding a buildable-coverage formula with skin-plumping, fine-line-minimizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid and squalane is the key to a flawless, crease-free base.

How to prep mature skin for foundation

Before you touch your makeup brushes, prepping your skin is essential for creating the smoothest finish possible. "Moisture is key, so always make sure you start with a moisturizer that's hydrating but won't turn greasy and interrupt your foundation texture," Barose previously told Allure. Gucci Westman, a Los Angeles-based makeup artist, also emphasized being vigilant about moisturizing your whole face, especially the area around your eyes. Crystal Gossman, a New York City-based makeup artist, adds that layering on hydrating serums and essence toners will give the skin that juicy, plump feel and a natural tackiness to help foundation grip without needing a primer.

However, if you know you’ll be out and about all day—or have a special event—primer can be helpful for extra long-wearing benefits. Barose recommends blurring formulas and straying away from mattifying formulas. He also gives balm-like formulations (like Danessa Myrick's Yummy Skin Moisture Repair Balm Serum) kudos for conditioning your skin while locking makeup in place. "You also don't need to wear it all over the face,” he explains. “Focus on lines or [other areas] of your face [you want to] blur.”

How to apply foundation on mature skin

Tulve leans into the "less is more" philosophy when applying foundation to mature skin. Denser, full-coverage formulations may end up accentuating fine lines, so use a buildable formula you can layer to your desired finish for a seamless, second-skin-like result. "I apply foundation on the larger areas of the face first, like the cheeks and forehead, then I go in and tweak around the nose and the chin area," New York City-based makeup artist Sandy Linter previously told Allure. “Lastly, I'll apply concealer, plus a touch of foundation under the eye area.”

If you apply your makeup with your fingers, you may want to swap your digits for a makeup sponge or foundation brush to ensure even coverage. "[Using your] fingers can look blotchy, uneven, or gloppy, which can make your lines come out more," Barose said. To buff the foundation in, Barose recommends moving the brush in circular motions. “This will help the foundation spread smoothly, even over hard-to-reach areas with lines and wrinkles,” he notes. To ensure a smooth, blotch-free canvas, you can use a damp sponge as a final step to buff and blend.

Meet the experts

• Lisa Aharon, a makeup artist based in New York City
• Lauren D’Amelio Ventre, a makeup artist based in New York City
• Crystal Gossman, a makeup artist based in New York City
• Magen Grays, a makeup artist based in Atlanta
• Brandith Irwin, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Seattle
• Sandy Linter, a makeup artist based in New York City
• Renée Loiz, a makeup artist and founder of Color May Vary, based in Los Angeles
• Amrita Mehta, a bicoastal makeup artist
• Beau Nelson, a makeup artist based in Los Angeles
• Tsippora Shainhouse, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Beverly Hills, California
• Fiona Stiles, a makeup artist based in Los Angeles
• Tony Tulve, a makeup artist based in New York City
• Gucci Westman, a makeup artist and founder of Westman Atelier, based in Los Angeles
• Joshua Zeichner, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City

How we test and review products

Before reviewing any makeup, we ask questions about a number of factors: What ingredients are in it? Does the brand offer a wide shade range that includes consumers with all skin tones and undertones? Is it safe for readers who have sensitive skin or wear contact lenses? Is it on the affordable side or more of a splurge? Is its packaging consciously designed or needlessly wasteful?

For our review of the best foundations for mature skin, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, and contributors, with a particular focus on our 40-plus reviewers. We also relied heavily on trusted makeup artists to speak to the efficacy of these products on mature skin. This ensures our testing base spans different skin tones, genders, and dermatological conditions. We considered each product's performance across four primary categories: ingredients, wear and longevity, packaging, and inclusivity. For more on what's involved in our reporting, check out our complete review process and methodology page.

Our staff and testers

A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine. You may simply be browsing for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.

After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from are folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.

Illustration by Molly Dickson; Photos: iStockSave StorySave this storySave StorySave this story

For 20-year-old Lauren, from Ontario, her best-kept beauty secret isn’t stashed in her makeup bag or hidden in her medicine cabinet—it's in her mind. She has spent years staring at other women's faces on Pinterest, cataloguing features she wants for herself, not as inspiration, but as a tool for visualisation. According to Lauren, having a clear image in her head of the physical characteristics she wants to attain, be it straight teeth or long hair, means she is better able to manifest those desired changes in her appearance. “The image doesn’t have to be a celebrity or model,” she explains. “It’s just whatever I resonate with and aspire to look like.”

The idea that, through the power of belief, we can effectively “think” a goal into becoming reality was instilled in Lauren as a young child. Her mother was a devotee of Rhonda Byrne’s The Secret, the 2006 best-selling book that helped bring manifesting into the mainstream. But it wasn’t until Lauren’s teenage years, after she stumbled across a video from HotHighPriestess—an internet personality with 1.2 million Instagram followers and a $7-a-week manifestation app called Stella—about how she had manifested her dream body with just her thoughts, that Lauren began to consider whether it might be possible to use this practice to alter her own appearance. She was already deep in the world of YouTube beauty tutorials, so for her, it felt like the next logical step.

At the start, Lauren’s goal was an overall “glow up”: clearer skin, “striking” eyes, healthier hair, better style. She would set aside time—from five minutes to half an hour—to visualise her desired look. The results came gradually, Lauren says, claiming that she saw her skin clear up, her eyes lighten slightly, and her cheekbones become more pronounced within a couple months. The changes didn't seem dramatic to her at first, but she got the sense manifestation was working when people began to compliment her appearance. More specifically, she manifested a “lethal face card,” using the phrase as part of an affirmation. “People then started commenting on my TikTok: ‘Oh my God, you have such a lethal face card’, ‘Your face card is so lethal’,” she says. “That kind of freaked me out.”

Peddling an illusion

Lauren isn’t alone in her belief in manifestation. Almost two decades after The Secret, Roxie Nafousi’s book Manifest: 7 Steps to Living Your Best Life, published in 2022, sold more than a million copies worldwide. In 2024, the Oxford Dictionary named “manifesting” its Word of the Year. Across social media, there are videos of people claiming to have manifested everything, even their soulmate or dream home. It was only a matter of a time until people like Lauren began applying the method to their physical appearance, with videos of people claiming to have achieved bigger breasts, different eye color, longer hair, and even increased height through thought alone racking up millions of views (which, given the nature of social media, is obviously not a measure of credibility). By focusing on changing immutable elements through mind power alone, the manifestation practices of Byrne and Nafousi—which promote aligning visualization with action—entered the world of magical thinking.

Naturally, an entire cottage industry has emerged around the trend. Self-styled “coaches,” “gurus,” and manifestation experts are profiting from promises that say, with the right mindset, they can teach their followers how to think themselves hot. Some have apps, like HotHighPriestess, while others offer online mentoring sessions; many create or promote beauty subliminals, audio recordings containing hidden, positive affirmations that can now be found all over YouTube and Spotify. “There is a money making machinery behind all of this manifesting content,” notes Anna Schaffner, PhD, a former professor of cultural history at the University of Kent. “The message is often deeply commercial, but couched in esoteric and spiritual language.”

Among these manifestation coaches is Kimberlee, age 26. She promises to help clients achieve physical transformations through one-to-one mentorship sessions priced at $350 for an hour. In most states, that’s more than the cost of an hour-long (out-of-pocket) appointment with a licensed therapist (which Kimberlee is not).

Kimberlee turned to manifesting appearance changes in 2019, during a difficult period in her life. After losing her mother, she’d gained weight. When she tried to lose it, nothing seemed to work. She had already been practicing manifestation in other areas of her life, particularly for financial success, so the idea of using it for weight loss didn’t feel entirely out of reach. “It dawned on me one time: I could actually just manifest this,” she says, claiming the pounds dropped off over the next five months. “I wasn't working out as hard as I used to, I wasn't starving myself like I used to,” she recalls of the period when she was manifesting weight loss. “I was eating just about anything that I wanted to. It felt like [the weight] magically fell off.”

“At the end of the day, a lot of how we look is genetically determined and constrained by our resources."

Kimberlee now coaches people in how to attain their own manifestation goals. She’s currently working with a client who is hoping to achieve a smaller nose. “I repeatedly tell her: ‘You have your dream nose,’” Kimberlee says of their sessions. “It’s working, because she tells me there has been some movement—she’s noticing her nose getting smaller.”

It probably shouldn’t be surprising that what these coaches are spouting is resonating with some audiences. According to Spate Data, the “manifesting” hashtag receives 109.9 million weekly views on TikTok, with #glowup and #glowuptips—two common hashtags used alongside manifesting content—each receiving hundreds of thousands of views weekly (117.9K and 305.2K respectively). Some people are also engaging in beauty manifesting as part of their effort to “looksmax,” a trend that was birthed in manosphere spaces; though, it’s important to note, most manifesting is free of the toxic overlay of looksmaxxing.

In our time-strapped world, the idea of a quick fix has never seemed so appealing. But there’s also the fact that, as researchers suggest, humans are “cognitive misers,” meaning we often rely on mental shortcuts to make fast and efficient judgments in new or time-pressured situations. “People are relatively poor at detecting deceptive information from others, because we usually just take them at face value,” says Janet Boseovski, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and co-author of Beyond Body Positive, whose main areas of research include body image and child development.

With this in mind, it isn’t hard to understand how ”unscientific claims—in which influencers or coaches offer quick fixes, or simple strategies—appeal to many people precisely because they offer quick and seemingly simple solutions,” Dr. Boseovski adds. On top of this, says Charlotte Markey, PhD, a professor of psychology and director of the health sciences program at Rutgers University, “A promise like ‘you can think your way into a better face or body’ offers a seductive sense of control in a culture that constantly tells young women they are being evaluated visually.”

These coaches are peddling an illusion, Dr. Markey continues, pointing out that, “At the end of the day, a lot of how we look is genetically determined and constrained by our resources—money, time, other responsibilities.”

Manifesting can be understood as a way of trying to escape these constraints, and is a practice people often turn to in difficult times. For instance, in 2020, as COVID lockdowns began, Google searches for “manifesting” increased by 600%. Post-pandemic, in a time of economic and political uncertainty, it doesn’t feel like a coincidence that the phenomenon continues to be enormously popular.

Laila, 19, is among those drawn to the idea of manifesting beauty as a faster and more affordable way to reach her aesthetic goals, saving her money she might have spent on treatments and expensive products. After manifesting better grades in school, she decided, at age 16, to shift her focus to achieving a slimmer face, clearer skin, and longer hair. Like Lauren, she says the changes were subtle at first. “You see yourself every single day and you don’t really notice it,” she explains. “Then you look at a photo from a year ago and you’re like, ‘Oh wow.’”

When the placebo effect and puberty collide

If it’s hard to rationalize how young women like Lauren and Laila are convinced they’re able to change biological traits like face shape or eye color, there are psychological reasons why some people will report seeing results, says Dr. Markey. “Expectation effects, placebo responses, selective attention, and confirmation bias can all shape what people think they notice,” she points out. “Research shows that if we believe something to cause a change (we believe in a placebo), we may look at ourselves and think we look better because we expect to.”

"People ask me, ‘Oh, what type of product do you use?’ I tell them, ‘Just manifest it.’”

Dr. Markey also thinks it’s not a coincidence that almost all of the people Allure spoke to for this article report seeing changes in their teenage years, a time of immense and fast-paced physical and psychological change. In younger people, “some ‘results’ may also reflect ordinary developmental change over time,” she explains, “since puberty and ongoing maturation naturally change bodies and faces whether or not someone is using manifestation content.”

Laila admits to not being totally certain of the role puberty may have played in her transformation; but she’s convinced that manifestation is, at least, mostly responsible for the changes she saw. She recalls how, in high school, she didn’t have money for expensive products, like high-end shampoo and conditioner: “Still, my hair was really, really long, because I would manifest long hair growth,” she says. “I see ads [for beauty products], and I just feel like it’s a waste of time. You truly only need yourself. People ask me, ‘Oh, what type of product do you use?’ I tell them, ‘Just manifest it.’”

It’s not just the physical changes that occur during puberty that make teenagers vulnerable to beauty manifestation; peer pressure at school and from society at large also play a big role. Says Dr. Boseovski, “Adolescents, who are very sensitive to the rewards of peer acceptance and approval, may be more likely to accept guidance of this sort from peers or other influential models they admire, and less likely to rely on science-supported claims.”

Girls also tend to engage in more self-comparison at this age, making them more susceptible to this type of messaging, Dr. Boseovski notes. (Lauren, for example, says that she was initially attracted to manifesting content because of her insecurity, recalling, “I felt like I wasn’t the prettiest girl in the room, like I was never chosen.”) “Girls tend to lose the ‘rose-colored’ glasses that most have in early childhood where they feel very positive about themselves,” adds Dr. Boseovski. On top of this, “media exposure increases with age, and teens are inundated with messages about how they should look and ideas for how to ‘fix’ their ‘flaw.’”

An unhealthy focus

It’s true that research does suggest that mindset can influence behavior; and let’s be honest, actively engaging in positive thinking is certainly not a bad thing for young women. But what newer types of beauty manifesting promote—the idea that we can change often immutable things about our appearance through the power of our mind alone—is not only misguided, according to experts like Dr. Boseovski, it can also backfire, even if you go in with the best intentions.

She draws a clear distinction between visualization plus action, such as imagining yourself with a slimmer physique while also going to the gym, and magical thinking (especially when it comes to changing things that aren’t actually changeable, like height or eye color). “Certainly, thinking positively and setting goals for oneself can be associated with success when they are appropriately coupled with behavioral change,” Dr. Boseovski says. “But repeatedly using techniques like this that aren’t well grounded in science can lead to feelings of ‘learned helplessness’—giving up on your goals because nothing you do is working—and becoming passive. So, in the long term, this becomes even less of a tool for bringing about change.”

And while manifesting coaches claim to provide their followers improved confidence, Dr. Markey worries that these practices will only have the opposite effect. “One risk is that it keeps young women focused on the idea that their bodies are ongoing self-improvement projects rather than bodies worthy of care and respect right now,” she says, adding that: “Research on adolescents and young women suggests that appearance-focused environments, such as a bar or party, can increase self-comparison, self-objectification, and body dissatisfaction, especially during developmental periods when body image is already more vulnerable.”

The dangers of turning insecurity into daily ritual

For 20-year-old Kat, from New York, attempting to manifest appearance changes only worsened her self-loathing. From as early as age 10, she started listening to YouTube videos of subliminals in pursuit of things like fuller lips and longer eyelashes. “I was getting bullied at the time for my appearance, my weight, and just how I looked in general,” she says. “It felt like an easy solution to an issue that I did not know how to solve.” The specific changes she was chasing were very much shaped by conventional beauty standards. “I wanted to look like a model out of a magazine,” she recalls. (She’s not alone: The subliminal “Face Like a Model” has over 1.2 million streams on Spotify.)

Kat would play these subliminals, which could be up to 10 hours long, overnight. “It meant my appearance was literally the last thing I thought about before bed and the first thing I thought about when I woke up,” she says. Not seeing the desired results after listening to subliminals for some months was crushing: “I would think a lot about why the effort I was putting in manifesting wasn’t showing up, and I’d just be so pissed that the universe wasn't giving me what I wanted.”

From Dr. Markey’s perspective, the concern isn’t that subliminals and manifesting in general won’t magically change someone’s lips or eye color (they won’t); “it’s more that repeated appearance-focused listening may intensify body monitoring, reinforce dissatisfaction, and turn insecurity into a daily ritual,” she explains.

“Repeated exposure can make certain ideas feel more emotionally important or ‘true,’ even when there’s no scientific basis for them,”

The fear, for mental health experts, is that this unhealthy physical fixation could make people more attuned to what society says are their flaws. “Repeated exposure can make certain ideas feel more emotionally important or ‘true,’ even when there’s no scientific basis for them,” says Clint Salo, MD, the medical director of the Grove Recovery Community and a board-certified psychiatrist in Irvine, California, who specializes in behavioral health and risk-related decision making. “The brain naturally pays more attention to thoughts and cues that are repeated often, especially during adolescence.”

Of course, these messages may not be harmful just within online manifesting communities. “It’s not the case that we should only worry about messaging that purports to be subliminal. We should be as worried about the messaging [of inadequacy] that is out there in the world that girls and women are exposed to every single day, consciously,” says Dr. Boseovski. “This additional messaging may just be adding fuel to the already raging fire.”

A self-esteem crisis for women

Theiadora, a 21-year-old from the Netherlands, has more recently started to reflect on the harms of using certain subliminals for making changes to her physical appearance. She believes that some of the earlier subliminals she tried as a teenager did lead to actual changes, such as one recording specifically aimed at making curly hair straight. But she also recognizes that some of the “skinny girl” subliminals she used in the past, which contained affirmations about being able to stay full without eating, contributed to unhealthy eating habits and obsessive thinking about her body.

“It made me feel restless, like I was always looking for something about myself to change,” she says. “I started looking at myself a bit differently, more through the lens of what could be improved, rather than what already felt good.”

Dr. Salo says that the repetition of messages like “I can stay full without eating” can normalize restrictive thinking around food. “Over time, that may encourage someone to ignore hunger cues or associate eating with guilt,” he explains. “In vulnerable individuals, especially teens, that can contribute to unhealthy patterns around eating and body control…. If results don’t happen, people may assume personal failure. That can lead to shame, which tends to persist and lower self-esteem.”

It took a painful breakup a couple years ago for Theiadora to decide that it was time to stop listening to these kinds of subliminals. She has since switched to messages that focus more on self-love and developing confidence instead of specific appearance changes.

Rather than questioning the practice of manifesting more broadly, though, Theiadora thinks the problem lies with a handful of rogue subliminal creators. “Some creators use wrong or negative affirmations, so you can end up manifesting the opposite of what you want,” she says. Theiadora now only looks to “trusted” creators who are “careful and intentional” with their affirmations. She also makes her own subliminals that she shares on YouTube; she recently created a subliminal claiming to help people grow taller.

From Kimberlee’s perspective, when clients say they aren’t seeing results, the issue lies in the mindset of the client and level of commitment. “They might not be persistent enough or they don't want what they say they want bad enough,” she says. “I remind them, ‘Don’t be so hard on yourself, either. Give yourself a break. Do a lot of self-care.’”

The self-blame people feel when they don’t see results can be exacerbated when a coach reinforces the idea that they’re not manifesting correctly, says Dr. Markey. “When manifestation practices fail to produce visible appearance changes, young women may feel disappointed, frustrated, ashamed, or even more preoccupied with their looks,” she explains. “Instead of reducing insecurity, these practices can reinforce the idea that the body is a problem to fix and that failure reflects a personal deficiency, rather than an ineffective method.”

For Kat, not seeing results ultimately prevented her from finding self-acceptance. “It put me in this weird limbo spot where I felt like I can get more beautiful, but I don't truly know how, because I'm not letting myself,” she says.

Laila also acknowledges moments of frustration with manifesting, especially when it comes to her acne: “I think to myself, What am I doing that’s wrong? But then I remember that wavering delays result, and that the only person that can really drag yourself out of it is you.”

Likewise, whenever Lauren is struggling to see results, she blames her own impatience. “The main challenge [with manifesting] is staying calm and consistent, instead of forcing it,” she says. Currently, Lauren is trying to manifest a straight jaw for a more symmetrical face, but it’s something that has been taking longer than she anticipated: “My jaw is crooked because I held back emotionally,” she says. “If I want to manifest it straight, I need to work through past trauma.”

All of the experts we spoke to repeatedly emphasize just how damaging this constant effort to alter our physical appearance can be. The negative effects of social media on young women’s body image, in particular, has been well documented over recent years, resulting in research and legislative action by some governments. “For several decades now, science has known that chronic dissatisfaction with one’s body or appearance is harmful for both psychological and physical health. So this is truly a public health issue for women,” says Dr. Boseovski. “Body dissatisfaction is related to mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, eating, and body dysmorphic disorders. But it is also related to more ‘everyday’ issues with our self-image, such as a tendency to ruminate on negative experiences, and a hyper-sensitivity to the negative.”

Kat knows now that she was never to blame for her manifesting goals that failed to materialize, and credits therapy with helping her to develop a better relationship with her body. “I definitely realize now it’s not possible to manifest physical-appearance changes…. but I’ve been feeling better in how I perceive myself,” she says. “Nowadays, I try to treat myself more as a friend and someone I love closely, rather than as my enemy.”

Collage: Paula Balondo; Source images: Courtesy of Allure editor and brandsSave StorySave this storySave StorySave this story

Need a new Korean serum? I'm your girl. Want beachy waves? I have seven texturizing sprays I adore. But if you had asked me for the best fresh perfumes, until recently, I would've come up empty. As someone with year-round allergies, an extremely sensitive nose, and reactive skin, I've spent the better part of the last decade avoiding fragrance altogether. For me, it’s not just about a fragrance that smells unpleasant; the wrong one can also derail my entire day with a pounding headache.

Turns out, there's a reason some of us can happily wander through the fragrance department while those like me can’t make it past the first spritz. "Some people's brains and nervous systems are simply more sensitive to certain smells than others," says Tobias Halene, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist based in Greenwich, Connecticut. Because your sense of smell is wired directly to areas of the brain involved in alertness, emotion, memory, and pain, strong fragrance molecules can overstimulate the nervous system in susceptible people, he says. "For some, strong smells turn the brain's 'volume knob' up too high, and the brain responds with pain.”

My Top Fresh Perfumes

• Shower Power: DedCool XtraMilk Eau de Parfum, $90
• Cotton Cloud: Clean Reserve Warm Cotton Eau de Parfum, $48
• Breezy Does It: Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt, $95
• Freshly Picked: Clinique Happy Body Spritz, $34

Frequently Asked QuestionsAccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• What actually happens in the brain when a scent triggers a headache?
• When people say they want to smell “fresh” or “clean,” what are they really asking for?
• Meet the experts
• How we test and review products
• Our staff and testers

The good news: Finding the right categories of light fragrances has completely changed my relationship with perfume. “When people ask for a scent that smells ‘fresh’ or ‘clean,’ they're usually looking for something polished, pretty, effortless, and modern that enhances femininity without feeling heavy or overly perfume-y,” says Janiece Trizzino, VP of innovation and product at Scentbird New York City. Those scents often rely on sparkling citrus, crisp aldehydes, airy florals, soft white musks, and sheer woods that feel clean and uplifting instead of overpowering.

“A fragrance starts to feel heavy when there is too much richness, sweetness, or projection,” says Trizzino, pointing to notes like dense vanilla, caramel, syrupy fruits, heavy amber or patchouli, oud, tobacco, incense, smoky woods, or very creamy white florals. “If they are used too intensely, the scent can feel like it enters the room before you do.”

If you're in the same boat, fragrance isn't exactly a category that's easy—or inexpensive—to experiment with. With guidance from our experts, I sniffed out the best options for you. Ahead, the best clean-smelling perfumes that finally made me a perfume person—and just might do the same for you.

Your Skin, But Better

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Bvlgari

Eau Parfumée Thé Blanc

$165

Nordstrom

Allure contributing writer Christa Joanna Lee applying Bvlgari Eau Parfumée Thé Blanc.

Christa Joanna Lee

There's a reason "you smell good" is one of the best compliments a fragrance can earn. The most beloved skin scents don't smell overtly perfumey—they smell like you, only fresher, as if you just stepped out of the shower. Perfumers often create this effect with notes like white musk, skin musk, aldehydes, watery florals, sheer woods, and delicate citrus, which together can evoke a cozy sense of self-care. There is also a softer, more modern version of clean “built around rice, milk, and sandalwood,” Trizzino says. They create a creamy, barely there effect that feels gentle and intimate.

I recently discovered Bvlgari’s Eau Parfumée Thé Blanc's blend of white tea, soft musk, and delicate woods that's the fragrance equivalent of slipping on a perfect LBD—it instantly makes me feel chic. Better yet, it never feels like an obvious cloud of fragrance. It smells more like it’s emanating from your skin rather than sitting on top of it, and is just as fitting for a day at the office as it is for an intimate dinner. The scent's soft, skin-like quality makes it an easy choice for those of us with sensitive noses.

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

No Makeup Makeup

No Fragrance Fragrance

$75

Amazon

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Juliette Has a Gun

Not a Perfume

$150

Amazon

$150

Sephora

A sister brand to No Makeup Makeup, No Fragrance Fragrance is a true skin scent, designed to become part of your natural aroma rather than cover it up. Instead of following a traditional top-middle-base note structure, it shifts with your skin's pH throughout the day, meaning it can genuinely smell a little different on me than it does on you. On my skin, the peony and pomelo opening felt bright without ever becoming too sharp, while jasmine, musk, and sandalwood melted into a soft, skin-like finish. It doesn't have the longest wear time (I get about three to four hours before it fades), but if you have a sensitive nose too, that may actually be part of the appeal.

Speaking of nontraditional perfumes, Juliette Has a Gun Not a Perfume is iconic in this category. Built almost entirely around the single woody-musky note Cetalox, it wears like a clean, warm second skin. This is the fragrance I wear when I want people to wonder if I just naturally smell that good.

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Dedcool

XtraMilk Eau de Parfum

$90

Amazon

$90

Sephora

$90

Revolve

For a creamier take, DedCool’s XtraMilk Eau de Parfum is a 2024 Allure Best of Beauty Award winner that layers bergamot over soft white musk and amber for a cozy, skin-like scent that lingers close to the body. Senior editor Jesa Marie Calaor said that when she wears this, she's “never had someone come in for a handshake or a hug and not compliment me on my scent.” And after wearing this for the last month, I’ve had a similar experience.

Straight from the Dryer

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

By Rosie Jane

White Tee

$32

Amazon

$32

Nordstrom

$32

Sephora

Lee is applying the By Rosie Jane White Tee.

Christa Joanna Lee

For some people, smelling "clean" means laundry day: Think "crisp sheets, cotton, or a favorite white T-shirt," says Trizzino. While laundry-fresh fragrances may overlap notes with skin scents, they tend to lean more heavily on powdery, soapy, and sparkling aldehydic accords, with white musk adding the soft, freshly washed feeling we associate with clean towels and clothes straight from the dryer. Together, these notes shift the focus from the intimacy of clean skin to the comforting familiarity of freshly washed fabrics, giving laundry-inspired fragrances a brighter, crisper character than skin scents. The result feels a touch more intentionally perfume-y than "your skin, but better," but don't worry, you won't smell like you spilled detergent on yourself.

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Clean Reserve

Warm Cotton Eau de Parfum

$48

Amazon

$48

Ulta Beauty

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Snif

Notewrks Clean Getaway

$74

Snif

As a mom of two, I spend an alarming amount of my life doing laundry, so it makes sense that I want my perfume to smell like the best part of it. By Rosie Jane White Tee is exactly what its name promises: a soft, easygoing blend of white musk, lily, rose, and sandalwood that reminds me of pulling on my favorite freshly washed T-shirt. It's clean without smelling like detergent, which is exactly why I keep reaching for it. Clean Reserve’s Warm Cotton Eau de Parfum leans a little more literal, pairing crisp citrus and aldehydes with floral cotton notes and musk to capture that just-out-of-the-dryer feeling.

And then there's Snif’s Notewrks Clean Getaway, which takes the fresh-laundry category in a more elevated direction. I'll admit, the opening was a little strong for my sensitive nose. I get the best experience by misting it into the air and walking through it rather than spraying it directly onto my skin. But once the laundry accord settles in alongside the airy linen and soft woods, it transforms into the kind of crisp freshness that I can't stop, well, sniffing.

Ocean Breeze, Bottled

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Jo Malone

Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne

$95

Nordstrom

$95

Sephora

$92

Bluemercury

Lee is applying the Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne.

Christa Joanna Lee

If fresh laundry isn't your thing, there's another side of "clean" that feels more like stepping outside after a summer rain rather than folding a basket of towels. "Many modern, fresh fragrances lean into watery, green, and mineral notes to create the feeling of clean skin, fresh air, mist, green leaves, or a breeze," says Trizzino. Think cool cucumber, mineral sea salt, and sun-bleached driftwood, which call to mind the scent of salt-kissed skin after an afternoon at the beach. The floral notes in these scents tend to be just as airy. Rather than rich, bold blooms like tuberose, perfumers often turn to notes like neroli for the bright, citrusy freshness.

Jo Malone’s Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne is the fragrance I immediately thought of when Trizzino describes this category. The combination of ambrette seed, sea salt, and earthy sage smells like the first five minutes of a beach vacation. It captures the feeling of windswept hair, salty skin, and that instant aahhh that comes with leaving the workweek behind. I've always loved the idea of a beachy fragrance, but too many lean into overpowering coconut or vanilla that are too heady and trigger my migraines. This one captures the feeling of sun-kissed skin instead.

As Trizzino explains, fragrances like these work with people who have sensitive noses because "the bright notes, soft notes, and clean notes all have room to breathe," while subtle touches of woods, skin musk, or mineral warmth keep them feeling natural and lived-in rather than jarring or sterile.

Florals with a Zesty Twist

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Clinique

Happy Body Spritz

$34 $29 (15% off)

Amazon

$34

Ulta Beauty

Lee applying the Clinique Happy Body Spritz.

Christa Joanna Lee

If you're looking for the brightest take on light fragrances, start with juicy citruses paired with airy florals. "Freshness often starts with the first spray," says Trizzino, pointing to zesty notes like bergamot, mandarin, and grapefruit that create an uplifting first impression. They're often blended with lightweight florals like neroli and orange blossom, which soften the citrus without making it feel overly sweet or perfume-y. "In feminine fragrances, citrus is typically balanced with florals, musk, or woods, so it feels pretty rather than sharp," she says. Neurologically speaking, citrus-based scents are generally among the easiest to tolerate, although "very sensitive people might still react to them," says Dr. Halene.

Clinique's Happy Body Spritz is the epitome of this bright citrus-meets-airy-floral category. I basically call it sunshine in a bottle. Juicy grapefruit, mandarin, and bergamot give it an instant burst of brightness, while delicate florals like orchids keep it feeling fresh, breezy, and not too flowery. Body mists are usually an easy win for anyone prone to headaches because they have a lower concentration of fragrance oils than an eau de parfum and tend to wear lighter and project less. The trade-off is longevity: You'll likely want to spritz again after a few hours, but it’s a small price to pay for a scent that feels cheerful, fresh, and never overwhelming.

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Skylar

Isle Escape Eau de Parfum

$90

Sephora

Save to wishlistSave to wishlist

Ouai

North Bondi Eau de Parfum

$64

Amazon

$64

Ulta Beauty

$64

Revolve

Trizzino also recommends Skylar’s Isle Escape with “a breezy blend of bergamot, orange, cardamom, and sandalwood that captures the same sunny, effortless energy.” Then there's Ouai’s North Bondi Eau de Parfum, an effortless favorite. Since I've been using the brand's fragranced hair products for years, I already know and love their signature scents, so wearing North Bondi as a perfume never felt like a shock to my sensitive nose. You get a pop of bergamot and lemon right away, but it quickly mellows into a soft blend of jasmine, violet, white musk, sandalwood, and patchouli. Of the bunch, this one is probably the most distinctive. It has a little more presence than the others, but it dries down quickly and never feels like it's competing with me.

Frequently Asked Questions

What actually happens in the brain when a scent triggers a headache?

Your sense of smell is wired directly to areas of the brain that regulate pain and alertness, which is why certain fragrances can trigger headaches in sensitive people. When a strong scent irritates the nose, sinuses, or airways, it sends signals to the brain that "may lead to inflammation and pain," says Dr. Halene. In particularly sensitive individuals, "the brain treats the smell like a threat," activating nerves in the head and face, triggering changes in blood vessels, and releasing chemicals involved in pain. From there, symptoms such as pressure, nausea, light sensitivity, and dizziness can occur. A rule of thumb for those sensitive to fragrance: “The stronger and more artificial the scent, the more likely it is to trigger a headache,” adds Dr. Halene.

There's another reason your fragrance preferences might suddenly change: GLP-1 medications. While scientists are still studying the connection, many people taking semaglutide report that the perfumes they once loved suddenly smell too strong, too sweet, or even nauseating, underscoring that scent preferences can shift dramatically from person to person

When people say they want to smell “fresh” or “clean,” what are they really asking for?

When people ask for clean-smelling scents, they're usually describing a feeling more than a specific note. Rather than feeling heavy, overly sweet, or too perfume-y, these fragrances tend to follow a few key scent directions: "Citrus gives sparkle, aldehydes can create that crispness—an almost soapy brightness—and white musks and skin musks make a scent feel soft and close to the body," says Trizzino. Airy florals like muguet, peony, freesia, neroli, and orange blossom, along with watery florals, green notes, and sheer woods, round out the scent while keeping it light.

“When someone asks for a fresh scent, they are often trying to avoid anything too sweet, too syrupy, too smoky, too powdery, too sexy, or too loud,” says Trizzino. They want something that works for everyday life (think: the office, errands, and travel) without feeling like too much. “They may not want heavy vanilla, dense amber, big patchouli, candied fruit, smoky woods, or an intense white floral,” she says.

Meet the experts

• Tobias Halene, MD, is a board-certified psychiatrist, chief medical officer, and cofounder of NeuroSynchrony Health, based in Greenwich, Connecticut.
• Jeniece Trizzino is VP of innovation and product at Scentbird in New York City.

How we test and review products

When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.

For our list of the best fresh perfumes, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from makeup artists. To learn more information about our reporting and testing processes, read our complete preview process and methodology page.

Our staff and testers

A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.

After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we've solicited opinions from are folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We're proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.

HBO/Ollie UptonSave StorySave this storySave StorySave this story

For a show filled with fire-breathing dragons and blood-soaked battles, you’d think the hair and makeup would be an afterthought. But for HBO’s House of the Dragon—set roughly 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones and based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood—the beauty looks are an integral part of the show’s storytelling. Who knew a few medieval braids could hold such meaning?

A wig-heavy show like this with as many as 20 to 30 principal characters may seem like a daunting task for a hairstylist, but this isn’t Rosalia Culora’s first dance with dragons. The hair department lead also worked on all eight seasons of Game of Thrones, so she knows a thing or two about maintaining the perfect shade of Targaryen blonde and tracking blood splatters across strands during large battle sequences. As the third season airs, she shares more details from behind the scenes of the fantasy hit.

A view of Emma D’Arcy’s intricately braided wig for their role as Rhaenyra Targaryen.

HBO/Theo WhitemanHow the hair in season three tells a story

Culora says that the hairstyles in the show are part of each character’s arc and personal evolution. “Each look has a backstory to it,” she says, especially with Rhaenyra, who is played by Emma D’Arcy and goes through a transformation from a princess to a warrior, fighting for her rightful title as Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. “When we first meet Rhaenyra in season one, there's a vulnerability…her hair's down quite a lot,” Culora says. “Then, as she becomes more of that dragon rider [and moves] into her own identity, the hair becomes more armored.” This leads to more intricate braiding, she says, adding that the hairstyles for the characters who ride atop the beasts and fight in battles are “part of their armor.”

The hair designer was inspired by a specific tree in Sicily for the chainmail-like styles. “I've got family that lives right by this tree," she says. “The organic quality and the binding [of the roots]… there's an element of that that I like to put into the hairstyles.” She also takes inspiration from actual chainmail and fabric. “It's all about that texture and trying to create that texture in a hairstyle,” she says.

Helaena Targaryen’s simple hairstyle in season three.

HBO

While Rhaenyra’s hair is shifting from soft to shield-like, the opposite is true for Alicent Hightower and Helaena Targaryen (Olivia Cooke and Phia Saban, respectively), who are both experiencing a loss of power this season. ”There's no trust in [The Red Keep], and it's like they don't want the handmaidens near them,” Culora says, adding that the styles were made to appear as though they’ve done their hair themselves. “You can tell that their hair isn't as regal as previous seasons, and we do see a lot more hair down and a lot more disheveled,” she adds.

After all of these years in Westeros, Culora has a bit of fun weaving in her own subtle Easter eggs into some of the styles. In episodes one and two of this season, Culora braided a figure three in some character’s hair as a nod to the third season. She did the same at the end of season two, weaving an eight through hairstyles for the eighth and final episode. “I do these hidden things that no one really knows about in their hair,” Culora says. “I actually feature my initials at the end of the last episode, an ‘R’ and a ‘C’ hidden in their hair. It's like a signature.”

Culora hints that there are other extreme changes when it comes to appearances this season, specifically for Baela and Rhaena Targaryen, who are Daemon Targaryen’s twin daughters. Of course, she can’t give anything away just yet. “It's almost like they're losing part of their identity a little bit,” she hints.

Look closely, and you’ll spot an “R” and a “C” braided into Rhaenyra’s hair (right).

HBO/Ollie UptonWhat hairstyle would a dragon-rider have?

Besides braids and the intricate, armor-like weaving, Culora says the silhouettes of the hairstyles mimic the curve of the dragons that the Targaryens are riding. “It just creates this beautiful bit of cinema…and it's not distracting,” she says. It’s also why we see so many half-up, half-down styles in the show. “It's a practicality, but it opens up the face, and it just allows the cast to essentially act and not think about what's going on on top of their head,” Culora says.

More dragon riding also means less room for frivolous hair ornaments, especially for Rhaenyra, which were prevalent in season one. “It has to be practical, and if they’re on a dragon, it's got to be bound,” she says. During season two, the team focused more on binding the hair, although they did have some dragon ornamentation, but this season, Culora has eliminated all the embellishments.

The half-up hairstyles worn by characters like Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) echo the silhouette of the dragons they’re riding.

HBO/Theo Whiteman

Bethany Antonio as Lady Baela Targaryen atop a dragon.

HBO/Theo WhitemanThe many wigs of Westeros

Culora says there are hundreds of wigs used in the show, and almost every principal character that appears in House of the Dragon has custom hairpieces—including Olivia Cooke, who wears a three-quarter wig to play Alicent Hightower. “We used about two inches of Olivia’s own hair front,” Culora says. The wigs were custom-made by Alex Rouse—the London-based company that’s made all the wigs for the series since Game of Thrones—using human hair and a lace-front technique.

For D’Arcy’s character specifically, Culora cycles between three wigs—but there’s one in particular that she refers to as Rhaenyra’s “blood” wig. Since fake blood is so hard to get out of the white blonde color and often leaves pink stains, the hair team needs specific wigs dedicated to getting dirty. “I could write a book about that wig,” she says. “It's been there from day dot, and it's been on their head for several different [scenes], like the birthing sequence. It was the same wig when young Rhaenyra killed the boar, and there was blood everywhere.”

Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower in season three.

HBO/Ollie Upton

While the wigs aren’t washed every single night, they do follow a strict regimen of care. “We have to be really careful about where we dry the wigs and how we wash the wigs,” Culora says. “I wash them at an angle. You have to keep on top of it, especially because the seasons are so long and a character, like [Rhaenyra], does a lot. Their working days are long, and they're in many scenes.”

Culora says they have to be especially careful with the wigs that have locs, worn by many characters who make up House Valeryon. “They do need regular upkeep and maintenance,” she says, especially during the first episode this season that featured the intense Battle of the Gullet. “When we got blood in the locs, I actually had to remove them, and we had standby locs in place to stitch in,” she said.

Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) in season three, episode one.

HBO/Ollie UptonThe secrets behind Targaryen blonde

While Daenarys Targaryen was the only character with the silvery blonde hair of her ancestors in Game of Thrones (besides her brother, who was killed early on in season one), House of the Dragon centers around the dragon-riding family, meaning that the cast is filled with white-blonde characters. Unfortunately for viewers who want to cosplay as a Targaryen, the icy shade likely won’t be replicable at your local salon. The platinum recipe was created back in 2009 for the very first season of Game of Thrones, although it’s been refined over time. “In theory, it's kind of the same recipe,” Culora says. “There are seven different colors in that wig. It has evolved, and each wig is ever so slightly different.”

Rhaena Targaryen (Phoebe Campbell) in season three.

HBO / Theo Whiteman

To get the frosty look, Culora says it’s important to control what’s happening under the wig as well. “That's why we bald-cap the cast. That way you see partings, you see scalp, you're not seeing hair [underneath],” she says. “There's a vast amount of hair color product that goes under the wigs as well in some cases.” Even for the brunettes. For example, Gayle Rankin, who plays Alys Rivers, had lighter hair than her character’s dark chocolate brown. “Sometimes the stocking cap is not going to cut it,” Culora says. “You have to almost use [the actor’s] own head and hair as a canvas in the prep and color it up to help sell the wig.”

While Culora doesn’t want to disclose any specific products used on set to avoid fans from selling them out, she says the most used product on set isn’t platinum blonde hair dye—although with the amount of Targaryens in the show, it’s likely a close second. But Culora says there’s something else she and her team can’t live without: “Lots and lots and lots of leave-in conditioner.”

Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy), Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Touissant), and their Targaryen blonde hair.

HBO