Beauty The 2021 Shape Beauty Awards: Best Face Products Say hello to your healthiest, glowiest skin yet. By Kate Sandoval Box, Shannon Bauer, Shannon Bauer Shannon M. Bauer is a Senior Commerce Editor for Dotdash Meredith's Beauty & Style Group. She joined the Shape team in 2022 and works with a team of talented freelance writers to create expert- and research-driven product roundups. Shannon has seven years of experience writing, editing, and producing beauty and wellness content for top print and digital publications. Shannon was previously a Beauty Editor at Parents, Parents Latina, and Shape print magazines. Shape's editorial guidelines and Chloe Irving Published on September 9, 2021 Photo: Claire Benoist The Shape Squad — a group of dermatologists, fitness pros, and staffers — put the year's new beauty products through their paces and 83 winners came out on top. Here, their picks for the best face products on the market right now. 01 of 19 Best Cleanser for a Deep Clean: Renée Rouleau Mint Renewal Cleanser Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $39 Renée Rouleau Mint Renewal Cleanser, which gently exfoliates with jojoba beads, is "magic. My skin feels brand new," says fitness trainer Mindy Lai. (In case you needed another reason to try: Camilla Mendes is also a huge fan of the brand.) 02 of 19 Best Acne Treatment: Burt's Bees Targeted Spot Treatment Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $7 Salicylic acid and soothing cica extract in Burt's Bees Targeted Spot Treatment "keep problem zones under control without irritating my sensitive skin," says a tester. 03 of 19 Best Essence: Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Moisture Essence Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $90 Hyaluronic acid and key minerals in Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Moisture Essence "make my skin feel so hydrated." 04 of 19 Best Face Tool: Jenny Patinkin Pure Luxury Organic Reusable Sheet Mask Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $38 Wet the Jenny Patinkin Pure Luxury Organic Reusable Sheet Mask in cool or warm water, then place it over any of your facial masks to help them absorb. 05 of 19 Best Vitamin C: Wander Beauty Sight C-er Vitamin C Concentrate Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $42 Wander Beauty Sight C-er Vitamin C Concentrate has top-shelf vitamin C and "isn't sticky or smelly." In fact, it "leaves skin luminous." 06 of 19 Best Hair Removal: Versed Instant Gratification At-Home Dermaplaning Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $20 An easy-to-glide, sterile, stainless steel blade on the Versed Instant Gratification At-Home Dermaplaning removes peach fuzz and dead skin for a wowza glow. 07 of 19 Best Night Cream: Cetaphil Healthy Radiance Renewing Cream Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $19 Oil-free and hypoallergenic Cetaphil Healthy Radiance Renewing Cream"has a cool whipped texture" that contains niacinamide and bakuchiol to brighten skin. 08 of 19 Best Retinol Serum: Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $98 One week into using retinoid-based Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum, a tester saw a "reduction in the fine lines around my mouth." (Related: The Best Retinol Products for Every Skin Type, According to Top Derms) 09 of 19 Best Dark Spot Treatment: Paula's Choice Clinical Discoloration Repair Serum Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $46 Tranexamic acid and niacinamide in Paula's Choice Clinical Discoloration Repair Serum "practically erased my post-acne marks in about four weeks," one tester found. (Also read: How to Deal with Hyperpigmentation In Your Skin) 10 of 19 Best Exfoliant: CeraVe Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating Treatment Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $20 No scrubbing or rinse-off needed: Just apply CeraVe Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating Treatment, and the alpha hydroxy acid formula will smooth skin without flaking. 11 of 19 Best Firming Serum: Alpyn Beauty Wild Nettle & Niacinamide Firming Serum Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $58 The soothing Alpyn Beauty Wild Nettle & Niacinamide Firming Serum "is the most effective product I've found for my irritated skin." 12 of 19 Best Micellar Water: Mary Kay Micellar Water Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $17 The "ideal post-workout cleanser," Mary Kay Micellar Water flicks away grime without drying out skin. 13 of 19 Best Hyaluronic Acid: FaceGym Hydro-Bound Daily Serum Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $68 FaceGym Hydro-Bound Daily Serum is "like giving skin a drink of the fanciest, most hydrating water." 14 of 19 Best Sunscreen Stick: MDSolarSciences Solar Stick Tinted SPF 40 Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $24 You'll tote the MDSolarSciences Solar Stick Tinted SPF 40 everywhere since "it glides over makeup, making reapplying a thousand times easier." (Need more options? Check out these derm-approved SPF sticks.) 15 of 19 Best Eye Cream: Neutrogena Rapid Firming Peptide Multi Action Eye Cream Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $43 One month into using Neutrogena Rapid Firming Peptide Multi Action Eye Cream "and my eyes definitely look less tired and puffy." 16 of 19 Best Day Cream: Uncommon Beauty Daily Water Cream Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $48 Testers with normal to oily skin love the lightweight, coconut water–based hydration of Uncommon Beauty Daily Water Cream. 17 of 19 Best Sunscreen: Le Prunier Plumscreen Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $78 Plum extract in Le Prunier Plumscreen gives this tinted, zinc-based formula lots of antioxidant power, and"it has none of the thick or sticky sunscreen effects." 18 of 19 Best Makeup Remover: Farmacy Sweet Apple Clean Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm Courtesy of Merchants Buy It, $34 Farmacy Sweet Apple Clean Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm breaks down everything — even waterproof mascara. "The best," says fitness trainer Ashley Joi. 19 of 19 Best Oil: Kate McLeod Face Stone Courtesy of Merchants Coming Soon A few swipes of Kate McLeod Face Stone — a waterless,waxless, plant-based solid oil launching September 22 — offers"a hydrating glow and calming ritual." Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit