Best Beauty Products We've Tested and Evaluated

Vaseline needs no introduction, but this little lip balm by the classic brand does. It’s our top pick because we all agreed it’s seriously hydrating, smooth, and long-lasting. The fact that it comes in a small jar that you can fit in your pocket, boasts a light, sweet scent, and costs just $3 adds to its appeal. This balm went on smoothly and felt a bit thick, but there’s no denying that it was intensely moisturizing and seemed capable of shielding our lips from drying factors like cold air. And if your experience is anything like ours, this balm will keep your lips smooth for hours.

Our evaluators unanimously agreed that this Summer Fridays lip butter balm went on smoothly, and many loved its hydrating and moisturizing nature. Its mild vanilla scent was another standout feature of this TikTok-famous balm, which is available in several flavors.

The Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal + Biotin Dry Shampoo is a nearly perfect product. It absorbs grease well and blends easily with different hair colors. It’s also pretty comfortable on your scalp. Any dryness the evaluators felt was slight and didn’t cause any noticeable discomfort. The scent of the product is light and not too overpowering, according to most evaluators. Its strong absorption power and minimal aftereffects edged the other products out. 

The Turbie Twist Microfiber Hair Towel does a decent job of absorbing water, and it’s a good choice for people with curly hair. Our evaluators found the towel to be fairly easy to use. To secure the towel, you twist one end and loop it through an elastic band. The loop is big, which makes it easy to adjust the towel and have it stay in place on your head. And while it may be on the thinner side, texturally, it still feels soft and comfortable. Out of all the hair towels we evaluated, this one was the one that felt most like a luxurious hair towel.

The bristles of the Bestool Detangling brush are flexible yet firm and well-spaced for maximum effectiveness. The arms move with the hair as it detangles, and the brushing section is wide, so evaluators were able to detangle more hair at once. The handle’s surface consists of different types of plastic, which helps to give users a sturdy grip and the confidence to apply pressure if needed. Evaluators also felt the brush could stand the test of time. This brush is also wide with flexible arms, so it is very easy to clean.

This chic, turban-style, mulberry silk bonnet can leave hair feeling nourished and moisturized. It has a snug fit and stays on well for shorter hair (including straight hair); however, it’s not as comfortable for those with long hair. Our evaluator saw a noticeable difference the morning after sleeping in this bonnet, noting that her hair had a little bounce and shine with absolutely no frizz. It managed to stay on all night, was the perfect fit for our evaluator, and it kept her rollers secured. Bonus: It left no forehead marks.

If you’re looking for a nourishing treatment to combat hair dryness, the Siswow hair steamer may be the product you’ve been searching for. Of all the hair steamers we tried, this was the only one that made no noise, and its lengthy cord added extra convenience. Setup was effortless, and our evaluator didn’t notice a single drip while using the cap. It has three settings—30, 45, and 60 minutes— and after use, she and her daughter both had noticeably softer and easier-to-detangle hair.

This GHD Platinum+ barrel flat iron delivered great results for all three evaluators who tried it. It has only one heat setting of 365° F, but it takes only 21 seconds to heat up and then keeps that heat consistent. It comes with a silicone holder so that you can store it before it’s cooled down all the way, and the swivel cord and pivoting plates make it easy to handle. Best of all, the On button is on the inside of the handle, so you won’t accidentally switch it off while you’re using it.

Getting that last bit of toothpaste out just got a whole lot easier. The metal squeezer, which looks like a sleek key and comes in plastic-free packaging, is designed to be used with the Akt The Deodorant Balm tube, but we tried it with a regular tube of toothpaste, moisturizer, and a lip balm. It removed minuscule amounts more of the product from tubes than the others in our evaluations. But every ounce counts when you’re trying to remove, say, expensive skin care serum or moisturizer from its packaging. 

This squeezer has a generous opening that effortlessly fits tubes of different sizes, making it the simplest to use of the products we tried. It efficiently removed the second-most amount of product (behind the Akt, above). It was the only squeezer that truly, effortlessly stayed upright while storing a larger tube of toothpaste and a smaller lip balm. You can also store it on its side with the product still intact, but check its dimensions—it is a little bulkier than the others, which is something to consider if you want to keep it out on your counter.

For more options: Best Tube Squeezers