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I spent $400+ on Amazon beauty products this month — here are 9 I'd buy again

I'm spilling all my secret scores, including a $7 collagen hair mask and a vitamin C serum I can't live without.

a hair mask, Sunday Riley's vitamin C serum and a hair dryer
Some of my favorite beauty finds this month include a $7 hair mask, Sunday Riley's vitamin C serum and a truly stellar hair dryer — all on sale. (Amazon)

Even as a longtime beauty editor with access to new and exciting products, I still get into ruts with my skin and hair care routines, using the same dozen or so favorites again and again until things start to get a little... stale. However, over the past month — with Prime Day and now Amazon's Holiday Beauty Haul — I've been on a buying and trying spree. I shelled out at least $400 this month on goods I once loved but haven't used in years to see how they've held up and also new-to-me items reviewers (and social media) can't stop raving about.

While there were, as always in the world of beauty, several snake-oil misses in my recent buying blitz, I unearthed some truly effective finds, including high-quality exfoliators and serums I'd forgot about and buzzy products I found shockingly effective that will now become part of my regular regimen. Scroll for the gems I'll be scooping up on repeat.

  

Every once in a while a popular internet-famous product comes along that I think will never in 100 years work and then am pleasantly surprised (OK, more like shocked) when it does. Such was the case with this strange little tube of the TikTok-famous collagen and protein hair mask from Elizavecca.   

It's a repairing treatment that's meant to render even the driest, most straw-like hair into silky strands. You work it into your hair after shampooing and, after 5–15 minutes, the before-and-after is seriously profound: my thin, dry, longtime dyed-blonde mane was bouncy, soft and smooth as a satin sheet and, best of all, didn't feel weighed down. Though it does make your hair slightly greasier than normal, the conditioning impact is worth it — my results lasted for weeks. 

$7 at Amazon

This non-aerosol, talc-free, vegan and cruelty-free dry shampoo is a bit of a secret among beauty editors who praise its gentle formulation and ability to both absorb hairline oil and make your 'do look thicker and fuller all without harsh chemicals.

It smells of soothing lavender, works for all hair colors and types (it doesn't leave a white powder residue once you brush it through) and, while the bottle is on the small side, you truly only need a sprinkling for this star product to work. 

$10 at Amazon

I've been loving this extra-firming eye cream from Derma E, a truly quality brand that makes natural, vegan and cruelty-free products that won't cost you a week's pay. Made of skin-revitalizing ingredients like copper peptides and plant stem cells, it's clinically proven to improve elasticity, firmness and lighten a darker under-eye skin tone. I especially like it for my upper eyelids, where I've seen a noticeable difference in improved texture over just a few weeks.

More than 1,600 five-star reviewers praise its lifting and tightening merits, calling it: "A miracle for your eyes—no time travel required!"

$14 at Amazon
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$25 at Ulta Beauty$20 at Target

I picked up this stellar hairdryer on a whim during Prime Day earlier this month and, I have to say, I've been nothing but impressed since. It's lightweight and easy to use with five heat settings, three speeds and works with ion-generated energy which dries my hair stunningly fast (there's also a handy button for a "cool shot" at the end, which further helps tame frizz.).

In addition to the top-rated dryer, this set includes a high-quality, detangling paddle brush that works for all hair types and a 2.5" round brush for professional-grade styling.

$160 at Amazon

For those who don't know: Micellar water is not a scammy way to make you pay more for water, but actually a combination of water plus skin-moisturizing ingredients like glycerin and something called "surfactants" that are like magnets for dirt. Micellar water is the product you want to remove the daily grime from your face: super lightweight and mild enough to use on any kind of skin. It's especially good for cleansing older skin — it makes makeup removal a breeze so you're not pulling or rubbing and potentially causing fine lines. 

We can't really talk about micellar water without talking about Bioderma, "the original inventor of micellar technology," according to the brand. This is not only my fellow beauty editor Marie Lodi's favorite makeup remover of the year but also boasts 44,000 five-star reviews (including "Quite literally a FREAKING GODSEND!"). In short, this is a stellar product at a great price. 

$13 at Amazon
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$16 at Target

This beloved snail mucin from CosRx is excellent for evening skin tone and making your face look softer and brighter overall. It's won multiple awards, has almost 70,000 five-star Amazon reviews and impresses most beauty editors I know.

After using it the first time (here is my full review), my face was noticeably dewier and other users have boasted about its ability to hydrate, repair and improve dullness in the skin — all of which helps wrinkles look less deep and crepey. When I tried it again this month, after a medi-spa laser treatment, I found it soothed and calmed my skin as it healed, lending a healthy sheen. 

$19 at Amazon

I almost don't want you to know how good Sunday Riley's vitamin C serum will make your skin look (and feel). This product is expensive and so, the fact that it works beautifully, smells amazing and has a pillow-y-rich, non-pore-clogging texture remains information I would sooner rather we both forget.

However, I'm currently testing vitamin C serums this month and decided to give this one another go. It left my skin bright and bouncy and dewy and is just as incredible and high-quality as I remembered it to be. Bonus: It's currently on sale. 

$37 at Amazon
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$43 at HSN

CosRx has helped popularize snail mucin as a skin care ingredient, but you shouldn’t sleep on its other products. Case in point: this Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizing Cream. A favorite among the K-beauty crowd, it packs and seals moisture into dry, dehydrated skin. I love it for its lightweight, fast-absorbing formula and antioxidant ingredients and — after testing dozens of face lotions — honestly believe this moisturizer is more effective than brands that cost 10 times as much, including, luxury lines like La Mer.

In addition to hyaluronic acid, it contains vitamin tree water (also known as sea buckthorn), which is filled with vitamins, amino acids and fatty acids that help strengthen the skin barrier and increase hydration even more. The midrange price is the cherry on top.

$19 at Amazon
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$25 at Ulta

I hate how much I love these skin-transforming, expensive-as-hell exfoliating pads. I hate that I have yet to find a product that works as well and I hate that, while, yes, I would like to retire with financial dignity, I may continue to spend $65 on a beauty product just because it instantly makes my 51-year-old skin glow. But as my grandmother once said, "We must suffer to be beautiful."

Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel pads are made from a chemical exfoliator that does its magic via a two-step process. You use the first pad, which is soaked with five different AHA and BHA acids to lift away dead skin cells, then follow up with the second pad, which has retinol to fight wrinkles and lines.

When I use these pads consistently, my skin looks phenomenal, as if I’ve gotten a facial every single day. If you find this version too harsh for your face, there are two other types: "Ultra Gentle" for dry and sensitive skin and "Extra Strength" for oily skin, which is good for dark spots.

$65 at Amazon

If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $25 or more.)

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.