It’s that time of the year again — and I’m not just talking about fall. Her Campus’ 2024 College Beauty Awards is here, and after filing through the thousands of our readers’ recommendations for their top beauty products of 2024, we’ve rounded up the final faves in each category — including skin care.
With the end of the year nearing (wild, isn’t it?) and having so many seasons under our belt, it’s time to solidify our beauty routines with the good quality products we deserve. Any time is a good time to amp up your day-to-day beauty faves, but with fall in full swing, now is a better time than ever to get your winter routine down pat and set your future self up for success.
Whether you’re more of a 10-step skin care routine type or you just simply enjoy a good lippie with a fresh face, I’ve got the top products for you all in one place. Grab your bev of choice, a blanket, and a notepad so you can jot down these award-winning skin care products. Trust me, these recommendations are so worth it.
Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm ($40)
This best-selling cleansing balm is a classic from the brand Elemis. With elements from the major cleansing mediums (balms, oils, and milks), this balm is a total 3-in-1. It works to nourish and hydrate your skin, while also removing every last bit of makeup or grime left over on your face. This balm is made of a cocktail of nine different essential oils including lavender, chamomile, and eucalyptus to vitalize your senses. What more could you want from a cleansing balm?
Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream ($72)
Have you ever wanted to wake up glowing, like you just got a facial — but on a daily basis? Look no further, my friends. The Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream is a highly-rated (and highly-favored) facial cream that will leave your skin looking glassy, glowy, and smooth as ever. This rich cream is used to plump the skin and works to improve your skin’s barrier to retain moisture and hydration. Not to mention, the light purple tint of the cream makes me feel very demure.
CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser ($18)
One of the most-loved skin care brands of all time: CeraVe. With a wallet-friendly price point, CeraVe offers a wide range of products to target any skin concern you have. The product that has this year’s golden star? Their Foaming Facial Cleanser — a gel-based cleanser that transforms into a lightweight, airy foam when activated with water — leaves your skin feeling fresh and clean. It’s non-comedogenic (meaning it won’t clog your pores), fragrance-free, and developed by dermatologists. Green flags all around.
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Serum ($11)
The Ordinary’s Niacinamide + Zinc Serum is a water-based serum made for blemish-prone skin, mostly targeting dryness, irregular texture, dullness, and facial congestion. College students everywhere commend The Ordinary for their affordable prices and no-BS, simple products with only a few main ingredients.
La Roche Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer ($25)
A classic, dermatologist-recommended brand, La Roche Posay offers realistic solutions for every skin concern. Their cult-favorite Toleriane Face Moisturizer is oil-free, paraben-free, fragrance-free, and non-comedogenic, and includes three main ingredients to repair your skin’s natural barrier: prebiotic thermal water, ceramide-3, and niacinamide. It offers 48-hour hydration without feeling heavy on the skin — aka, further proof you need this in your life. (Especially for the colder months!)
Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask ($36)
Feeling like there’s something missing from your routine? Say, a do-it-all face mask, for instance? The Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask is a pore-clearing mask that uses two main ingredients to sweep the grime out of your skin: clay and bamboo charcoal. As a higher-end face mask, the quality of this product is worth every cent — it purifies, detoxes, and leaves your skin feeling brand new.
Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water ($12)
The quickest, most convenient, and skin-satisfying makeup remover and facial cleanser: the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water. Garnier has changed the game with this all-in-one water. This no-rinse formula is made to be used all over your face, including your eyes and lips. The most important part is that it’s alcohol-free and oil-free. All you need is a cotton pad and you’re good to remove your night-out makeup look (and I know you went for that full-face beat). We’re not sleeping in our makeup anymore, besties.
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops Serum ($35)
If you’re a watermelon fan and you also adore adding new products to your skin care routine, this serum has your name written all over it. Glow Recipe, a POC-founded brand designed to target your glow, offers a variety of products to enhance your skin’s luminosity – including this crowd-favorite niacinamide serum that quickly absorbs into the skin and leaves it looking bright.
Dr. Jart+ Cryo Rubber Face Mask ($16)
POC-founded and owned, Dr. Jart+ offers innovative skincare right from Korea — and as the website states, it “brings a smile to your face.” (IDK about you, but that made me smile.) The Cryo Rubber Face Mask comes in all shapes and sizes, including hyaluronic acid, firming, brightening, and soothing. All of the face masks are inspired by CryoTherapy and are only two steps, meaning you can use them day or night — or even on your lunch break.
Fenty Skin Cherry Dub Blah 2 Bright 5% AHA Face Mask ($39)
Another dub (see what I did there?) from Fenty — this time, their Fenty Skin 5% AHA Face Mask. Formulated with a triple cherry complex as well as AHA and BHA, this jelly face mask is all you need to brighten, smooth, and even exfoliate your skin. The mask’s light cherry scent will have you feeling like That Girl — oh, and not to mention, it’s another non-comedogenic and vegan beauty fave.
