Vanity Guru's Top 10 Picks for Glowing Skin

Oil cleansers are ideal for those that wear a lot of makeup during the day as well as for people with dry skin types. You should always look for an oil cleanser that contains nourishing oils like olive or camellia oil! 

Avoid drying oils (yes, that’s a thing) such as lemon, tea tree or ginger oils. All skin types can use an oil cleanser and it’s the most effective way to melt away makeup. Just because you have oily skin does not mean that you shouldn’t use an oil cleanser!

The first spotlight of this series is DHC’s cult-favorite cleansing oil. The first ingredient in this vitamin-rich formula is olive oil, which effectively nourishes and hydrates your skin. 

This cleanser will remove even the most stubborn of waterproof makeup, and the best part is it rinses clean without leaving any residue. Fun fact: this cleanser is so popular one is sold every 10 seconds worldwide! The hype is real, people.

Your skin naturally produces hyaluronic acid. However, it's also important to apply hyaluronic acid to your skin directly, even more so if you have dry skin or your skin is dehydrated. This will pave the way to more glowing skin.

Hydrated skin equals healthy skin, and keeping your hydration levels where they should be will make your skin look plump. The truth about HA is it’s not expensive to make, so you shouldn’t be spending the big bucks on it. This one by The Ordinary is an effective form of HA and won’t hurt the bank!

I don’t believe a toner is absolutely necessary. However, if you are putting together a skincare routine and you have oily or acne-prone skin, it might become your best friend. A toner’s primary job is to rebalance your skin’s PH level. When you wash your face--even if it’s only with water--your skin’s pH level will become imbalanced. 

So other than rebalancing your pH levels to keep your acid mantle happy, a toner will remove all excess oil or whatever didn’t come off from cleansing. Personally, no matter how clean I think my skin is from double-cleansing, my toner always humbles me!


Indie Lee’s CoQ-10 Toner is one of my all-time favorite toners which I believe is great for all skin types. However, if you have acne-prone skin, you might want a toner that will give you a little chemical exfoliation and includes glycolic or lactic acid. 

This is solely a hydrating toner. Its second ingredient is aloe, which is especially soothing. It also contains hyaluronic acid, which helps not dry out your skin like most toners out there. However, the star ingredient in this toner is Coq-10, which is a powerful antioxidant that protects your skin against environmental stress!

If I had to pick a cleanser that worked for all skin types, it would be Youth To The People’s Superfood Cleanser! When you’re looking for a cleanser, you want something that will remove all the “guck" out of your skin without stripping it. 

Free radicals like air pollutants, chemicals and cigarette smoke all suck the life out of your face, and this cleanser contains ingredients that will protect and neutralize your skin. Packed with rich antioxidants like kale, spinach and alfalfa, this gentle cleanse will treat your skin how it should be treated!

I can’t sugar-coat the fact that this serum is expensive. However, it has got the most glowing reviews for a reason; it makes you GLOW. It has Vitamin C in an exceptionally high quantity that will help with brightening and evening out your skin tone. 

It’s important to note that not all Vitamin C’s are created equal. Here’s why this one is so different: there is only one subform of ascorbic acid that is found actively in our bodies and skin, and that's L-Ascorbic! L-Ascorbic is the purest form of Vitamin C and its price is high because it is not easy to process.


Plus, it’s packed with Vitamin E, which is a great ingredient that is extremely moisturizing and helps soothe inflammation. I believe there are certain products in your skincare routine where you can save some money, but this gem is one that is definitely worth investing in. 

Calling all sensitive skin types or skincare rookies! If you are someone that has sensitive skin or are going through a sensitized stage (everyone’s skin can become sensitized from time to time!), then this serum is for you. 

Chemical exfoliation is the most effective way to shed away dead skin cells in order to reveal a glowing complexion, and this gentle AHA and BHA serum is one of the most beautiful blends I’ve tried. It's packed with acids from superfruits and white willow bark--as well as some vitamin C--to make sure you GLOW.

When it comes to chemical exfoliation, I love when a mask or facial is gentle enough that it can work for me even when my skin is sensitized. 

As I mentioned earlier, everyone’s skin can get sensitized from time to time, but it doesn’t mean it no longer needs exfoliation. Here enters Ole Henriksen’s most brilliant launch, in my opinion: the PHAT Glow Facial. 

Instead of containing the typical chemical exfoliants like lactic and glycolic acid which are AHA’s and BHA’s, this facial contains PHA’s which are even bigger in molecular size so they don’t penetrate the skin as deeply, and therefore are way gentler. 

Yet, it's still effective enough at shedding away all your dead skin cells to reveal a “glowy-er” complexion with smoother texture!

Here's the thing: acne usually happens when your pores get clogged from sebum production (natural oil that your skin produces) with any dirt or guck that is in your skin. This is the reason why oily skin types are usually more prone to acne. 

So, one of my best advice for oily and acne-prone skin types is to use a clay mask 3-4 times a week. Clay masks are great at sucking out all the guck from your pores and thus evading acne from forming. Clay masks can be pretty drying if you already have dry skin, however. 

However, Sand & Sky’s Pink Clay mask gives your skin a deep cleansing yet not a tightening effect, so it’s safe for ALL skin types. Plus, it’s the only clay mask I've used that's easy to remove. You won’t have to tug at all, and it just washes off so easily!

I have a deep and profound love for the Jet Lag Mask by Summer Fridays. Did I think this was a hyped Instagram product at first? Oh yes, I did. Is the hype worth it? Oh YES, it is beyond worth it. 

There is a difference between hydrating and moisturizing. A hydrating product has lots of humectants which pull water into your skin. Moisturizing products actually lock in the water in your skin. 

What’s amazing about the Jet Lag Mask by Summer Fridays is it effectively delivers both. This mask is packed with humectants that will hydrate your skin and it also has moisturizing ingredients that are going to seal everything in. 

What I love the most about this product is how versatile it is. You can use it as a moisturizer; you can use it as a quick pick-me-up, wash-off mask; you can use it as a primer; or you can use it a sleeping cream. It’s so effective and amazing for all skin types!

I cannot highlight enough the importance of SPF on a daily basis. You are NOT too good for sunscreen. The first signs of aging are shown through wrinkles in our eye area, neck and hands. 

So it’s important to be protecting our skin from sun exposure since UV rays are the number one factor that will age your skin. This unscented SPF by Purito is hydrating and leaves no white cast! It also has the ultimate SPF 50+, PA++++ protection so that you know you're going to be safe for a long time.