Coola Original Liplux Lip Balm Sunscreen (Three-Pack) — Best For…
Nordstrom deal price: $21; street price: $36
What we like: The best smooth and invisible lip balm with SPF. Lightweight, with no white cast or terrible taste. Formulated with moisturizing oils and three chemical sunscreens to hydrate and protect lips. Sturdy metal tube. Colorless and can be worn over lipstick. Beachy scent.
Other things to know: The chemical sunscreens in this balm—avobenzone, octisalate, and octocrylene—are FDA-approved. Some of our staffers disliked the SPF-synthetic-induced aftertaste and stopped using it. As with most sunscreens, reapply every two hours for full sun protection.
Read more: The Best Lip Balms
Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment (Any Tint, Add Four) — Staff Pick
Fresh deal price: $78 with code WIRECUTTER4; street price: $104
What we like: A tinted lip balm staff pick that we also like as a gift for teens. Glides on smoothly with a sheer flush of color. Long-lasting wear (about five hours). Light, pleasant scent. Luscious and hydrating beeswax formula. Sturdy twist-up metal tube.
Other things to know: A former pick in our lip balm guide, and a variant of one of our current picks. Available in over a dozen tints. Pricey, even on sale. Add four to cart (any tint combination) to get the deal price and free shipping using promo code WIRECUTTER4.
Read more: Fresh Sugar Lip Balm Is Expensive. But It’s Great.
Beautyblender Original Makeup Sponge — Best For
Amazon deal price: $16; street price: $20
What we like: The best makeup sponge. Creates an almost airbrushed finish. Its curves fit all facial contours. Foam expands when wet without feeling mushy and waterlogged. Moistening this sponge creates a barrier that keeps makeup from sinking in and wasting product.
Other things to know: Damp sponges can harbor mold, and at $20 a pop, you probably don’t want to keep replacing yours. Cleaning the sponge—lathering, rinsing, blotting repeatedly—is a process, but essential. Not the lowest price we’ve seen, but a decent value if you need one now.
Read more: The Best Makeup Brushes
CosRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence (Two-Pack) — Staff Pick
Amazon deal price: $23; street price: $29
What we like: A clear snail mucin concentrate we like that smooths and soothes. Made of 96% snail-secretion filtrate. Thicker than a watery essence, more like a serum. Absorbs quickly. One or two pumps hydrates and primes skin, creating a glassy K-beauty complexion. Doesn’t pill under makeup.
Other things to know: Yes, this is the sticky stuff secreted by live snails. Studies suggest it may improve skin’s overall hydration, texture, and elasticity. Gloopy texture and animal origins may be turnoffs for some. Deal is for a set of two 3.38-ounce bottles with a small retinol mini-sample, which we have not tested.
Read more: The Best Korean Skin Care Products
Abib Quick Sunstick Protection Bar SPF50+ — Staff Pick
Amazon deal price: $17; street price: $21
What we like: A sunscreen bar we recommend in our guide to the best Korean skin care products. Works over makeup, doesn’t pull on skin, and doesn’t leave a film. Uses five chemical UVA and UVB filters for SPF50.
Other things to know: Contains a few botanical extracts, including tea, aloe, and cucumber.
Read more: The Best Korean Skin Care Products
Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner (2-Pack) — Staff Pick
Amazon deal price: $19; street price: $22
What we like: A refreshing exfoliant staff pick for acne-prone skin from our guide to the best Korean skin care products. With a fresh minty fragrance, this mildly exfoliating, water-based toner gently treats acne and whisks away dullness. Contains surface-buffing citric acid (AHA), pore-excavating salicylic acid (BHA), and brightening lactobionic acid (PHA).
Other things to know: Also has gently soothing components like witch hazel and niacinamide. If you prefer acne-fighters with a strong smell and skin-firming aftereffects, this toner may be too gentle. Deal for two 150 ml bottles.
Read more: The Best Korean Skin Care Products
Hero Force Shield Superlight Sunscreen SPF 30 — Top Pick
Amazon deal price: $12; street price: $20
What we like: Our top pick for an unobtrusive mineral formula face sunscreen. Easy to rub in. Doesn’t feel chalky or leave a white cast. Reef-safe. Well-designed bottle dispenses just the right amount.
Other things to know: Green tint is marketed to reduce skin redness, but doesn’t seem to do anything. Not great for those with facial hair. Matches lowest price we’ve seen.
Read more: The Best Sunscreens for Your Face
Supergoop Glow Stick SPF 50 (Two-Pack) — Staff Favorite
Supergoop deal price: $50 with code WCGLOW; street price: $60
What we like: A stocking stuffer we love for a sun-safe, dewy glow. It rolls on easily and doesn’t leave slimy residue behind, so even the most reluctant sunscreen wearer won’t mind it.
Other things to know: Two-pack of tubes that are small, but sized for travel or stuffing in a stocking. Use promo code WCGLOW to the get the deal price and free shipping.
Read more: 50 Wirecutter-Approved Stocking Stuffers for Adults
Panasonic Nanoe Compact Quick-Dry Hair Dryer — Staff Pick
Amazon deal price: $70; street price: $85
What we like: A folding hair dryer staff pick. This little dryer runs on a cooler temperature and has an oscillating head to distribute heat more evenly for quick rough drying. Lightweight and quiet. Folds down into a tiny rectangle.
Other things to know: Doesn’t come with any attachments such as a diffuser or concentrator, limiting style options. Not dual-voltage, so you’ll need a converter to use it abroad. The cooler tech probably won’t work for every hair type.
Read more: Hotel Hair Dryers Are Notoriously Bad. This Travel Dryer Is Better.