



Whether the skin concern is acne or the formation of wrinkles, everyone hopes that the skin care product they choose to spend their hard-earned dollars on will actually yield noticeable results.
All too often I’ve fallen prey to the hype of a seemingly well-performing serum or cream only to find that there’s much to be desired. Granted, there are tons of factors potentially at play when evaluating a product’s effectiveness, but what better tactic than to rely on stone-cold evidence?
For this selection of beauty goods, each one comes with an impressive before-and-after photo and review. Find powerful eye creams that de-puff and brighten, balms that work wonders on saggy necks and bump-erasing scrubs that leave behind some legitimately smooth skin.
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View a before-and-after photo on Amazon.
Promising Amazon review: "I have been using this product for about a month now and I have nothing but positive things to say. I tried this product at night for the first time and when I looked in the mirror the next morning, my under eyes were visibly brighter! I was shocked. I no longer need to wear concealer on my under eyes! Also, I have extremely sensitive skin, and this product has not irritated my skin." — Julia McIntosh
View a before-and-after photo on Amazon.
Promising Amazon review: "I've had KP on the backs of my thighs my entire life and just figured it'd be something I'd be stuck with forever. Recently, the KP has been migrating to the tops of my thighs, which has been more noticeable and something that I've been a little more self-conscious about. When I found this product on a list of amazing beauty products on some random website, I decided to give it a shot.. Why the heck not. Y'all. This stuff is amazing. I'm so sold. I've been using for probably about three weeks (and fairly inconsistently too, since I'm kind of bad about remembering to exfoliate) and my thighs are so SMOOTH. Which is a total first for me - my thighs have NEVER been smooth, ever. Always very bumpy and angry. Wholeheartedly recommend this for anyone else who thought their KP was just something they'd have to live with forever!!!" — Ola Bodurka
View before-and-after photos at Sephora.
Promising Sephora review: "Before I tried it, I was so hesitant to buy it because of how expensive it is. Now I know why it's priced so much, because this stuff is AMAZING! I will buy this for the rest of my life as long as they don't change the formula, hands down. I have had eye bags for most of my life (I'm only 29). I always was insecure about not wearing concealer because of them. They were always dark, puffy, and had fine lines in the inner corners. I just looked exhausted constantly. I've been using this stuff for a month now as directed and I literally don't have bags anymore. They have DISAPPEARED! I am blown away at how wonderfully it works." — copperxhead
View a before-and-after photo at Amazon.
Promising Amazon review: "My friend recommended this for my stubborn breakouts and I am in awe. The photos above are 5 days apart. I have tried it all when it comes to skincare and I have never had results like this. 3 of my friends are now using it and the results are the same. I have combination skin that runs on the dry side. I also have sensitive skin that reacts to EVERYTHING. This never caused any dryness or flaking and my skin had no issues with it. If you’re looking for a skin fix this is it!" — Maddie
View before-and-after photos at Sephora.
Promising Amazon review: “The best retinol I have ever used. It’s been a week and I’m already seeing results. I’ve been using other retinols for years and decided to move to a higher strength one. I was worried about burning, but haven’t had any issues. I will definitely buy it again when my vial runs out.” — Michelle R.
View a before-and-after photos at Amazon.
Promising Amazon review: "[I’m] always a bit of a skeptic, after reading 139k positive reviews, I figured it was worth a try! I have some sun/aging spots on my right cheek mostly, of which I’ve been fairly self conscious. I’m in my mid fifties and these dime size spots just popped up about four years ago and got more pronounced in the last two years. I started using TruSkin C serum about three months ago and the spots have faded significantly. Also, my skin just looks fresher and slightly brighter. I highly recommend this product to anyone who’s considering it." — heather
View a before-and-after photo at Amazon.
Promising Amazon review: "I've been using this Snail Mucin for a few weeks now, and I'm absolutely thrilled with the results. This essence is a game-changer for hydration. My skin feels incredibly soft, plump, and deeply moisturized. The snail mucin formula is lightweight and absorbs quickly, leaving no sticky residue. It has visibly reduced fine lines and improved the overall texture of my skin. I use it both in the morning and night, and my complexion has never looked better. Definitely a must-have in my skincare routine!" — Juliana
View before-and-after photos at Sephora.
Promising Sephora review: "I have had a long journey to finding the perfect skincare routine for me. I had very inflamed, often cystic, acne that was often spread across my face—and super oily, yet sensitive skin. I tried a billion different face masks, cleansers, moisturizers, spot treatments, etc—nothing worked. A lot of it made the breakouts worse. I later found out that silicones in moisturizers broke me out like crazy; specifically dimethicone. Once I removed that, my breakouts lessened a bit—but then I tried this serum in 2018 and OMG! My skin is brighter, healthier, and my breakouts are rare & only consist of a spot or two. I get compliments on my skin very often and I frequently recommend it. I have used it twice a day for over five years. The only issue I come across is that it does pill with certain moisturizers and sunscreens—but otherwise it’s perfect. I have tried one other brands but this one is the best by far. I highly encourage anyone with acne-prone and oily skin to try this serum!!!" — LivCaelin
View before-and-after photos at Sephora.
Promising Amazon review: "I hardly deem things as a “holy grail” type of product, in fact this might be the first thing, BUT this has become just that! I live in the north where 75% of the year is dry and cold and I can get splotches of dry patches on my eyelids/elbows/ankles. This does the job of making those go away without the prescription stuff. I’ve had this jar since March and I’m roughly only about halfway through, I do use it mostly for my face though. When I do use it on my body I don’t need a lot at all unless I’m very dry. I love how it can be used both on your face and on your body. I can have low energy due to mental health and the more a product can do the better! I was hesitant to buy the jar since it’s a little more pricey than I usually spend on lotion but I have no regrets!" — Lexi
View before-and-after photos at Amazon.
Promising Amazon review: “Just bought my second jar of this and I can say that I have zero acne or any skin issues and I’ve only used this for about a month. If you’re thinking about getting this, you need to get this! It will change your life! I have dealt with acne and other skin concerns for over a decade and nothing I have tried nor been prescribed by my dermatologist has ever worked for me. I literally stumbled across this product and read the amazing reviews and figured I had absolutely nothing to lose. It cleared up over a decade’s worth of skin issues in less than a week. ], I literally can’t believe it. I use it every night and every day I wake up amazed at what it’s doing. I could cry from the amount of happiness I feel and the way my skin looks and feels. I will never ever stop using this!” — Fran
View promising before-and-after photos at Amazon.
Promising Amazon review: "I've been using Bio Oil consistently for the past year and my skin is glowing! Any marks or scars have noticeably diminished. Even my stretch marks are less apparent. I was skeptical at first, however, time and consistency has proven that Bio Oil makes a difference. I am subscribed and will continue to use it. I use it once daily all over my body immediately after showering." — K.
View promising before-and-after photos at Sephora.
Promising Sephora review: "I used these pads in conjunction with the glycolic retinol serum. I am currently finishing the serum and I have about 10 pads left. I will be buying both again immediately. When I began using this, I had been on deployment for two weeks. My skin looked even worse than this 'before' picture but you couldn’t have forced me in front of a camera. My skin was truly suffering from lack of sleep, poor diet, stress, dehydration, and exhaustion. It was sagging, hollow, and generally rough. I was using another high end brand of retinol at at the time, so I wasn’t expecting much from this serum. I knew it couldn’t make my skin any worse so I dove in. It felt so nice on my skin! It was a few days before I really paid attention to the mirror and I was shocked. My face didn’t look as 'sunken' and I was quite surprised. That was enough to get me excited about the end results. I used the serum every night with zero irritation or burning. No adjustment time from my other skin care either. My skin looked better every day. I did the wipes when I remembered (about every 3 days). Now, after four weeks, I am stunned. I expected, at most, a difference in fine lines, but I am blown away. I haven’t changed anything else. I’m still not sleeping, I just don’t look like the walking dead anymore. I cannot speak for the wrinkles just yet, but my texture, the hydration, and increased volume in my face can all be attributed to PTR." — FaithHopeGrace(This review was edited for length. Read the full review.)
View before-and-after photos at Amazon.
Promising review: "This product is supposed to help firm and tighten the skin on your neck and décolleté. I bought a mini of it and used it for approximately three weeks and have seen a real difference. The skin does look more firm and has less of that crepe paper look that skin gets as you age. It also seems to be safe for sensitive skin. It doesn’t have a bad smell, though I wouldn’t say it was pleasant. Maybe kind of medicinal but not overpowering. Buying the larger sized product is less expensive per ounce." — Amanda