We get older. We try more. We learn more. The majority of the skincare products we cling to rarely get to travel through this progression with us. Although this is probably a net positive, turning your back on a once lifeline cleanser, cream, or toner feels a bit like treason when you think of all the times they have helped you. For me, my breakup with Clean & Clear’s foaming essentials was near traumatic. It was the center of my day, midday, and night wash cycle, and the grip it held on the teenagers of 2015 was vise-like. However, change is inevitable, and my two-year tango with the blemish controller came to a close with CeraVe’s line on deck to take its place. I learned more, found that others were a better fit, took the leap, and refreshed a part of my skincare collection as a result. Bittersweet, but necessary if you—like me—wish to consistently improve your skin’s wellness.

I give all of this to say that most, if not all, of us regard our skincare products as sacred. The thought of forgetting one on vacation, or being hit with a discontinuation announcement never fails to make our list of top ten recurring nightmares. We know we can depend on them, and we equally know that it took forever to find one that does not personally introduce us to hives. Skin can be so picky, and we do not want to restart the testing period if we do not have to. Slightly tweaked: we do not want to restart the testing period if what we trade with is not significantly better than what we had. So how do we know when it is time for an update, and how do we find what we love quicker?

Everyone has their own checklist, but below are the fundamentals I keep to when deciding if a new product is worth adding to the bathroom vanity:

Question to self #1: Do I have all of my basics covered?

Regardless of brand or formulation, at the minimum, you need a cleanser and a leave-on hydrator. Beyond this, there are toners, scrubs, oils, and masks, but those are built around the two bases (and, in my opinion, in that order). Your cleanser and core hydrator depend on your skin type: dry, combination, and oily, and should be solution-oriented and may be different from the body to face.

Below I have listed some of the 2022 end-of-year favorites. If you are missing a step, or have a vacancy, these may be helpful.

CLEANSERS:

CERAVE SA CLEANSER

REVIVE CREAM CLEANSER

OSEA OCEAN CLEANSING MILK

MOISTURIZERS:

NEUTROGENA HYDRO BOOST GEL

CAUDALIE INTENSE HYDRATION

LANCOME HYDRA ZEN GEL

TONERS & SERUMS:

BEA BRIGHTENING SERUM

SK-II FACIAL TREATMENT ESSENCE

PAULA'S CHOICE SKIN BALANCE TONER

Question to self #2: Do I know what to avoid and what to look for?

More specifically, do I know what ingredients to look for, and what ingredients to avoid? As previously mentioned, our skin is so particular, so when it comes to buying skincare, truly no product fits all. However, there are ingredients that are good to avoid across the board. After all, toxic is toxic. Sustainable Jungle has a great list and explanation of common skincare ingredients to distance yourself from that can be found here.

Question to self #3: Do I know who to trust for reviews?

You can be sure that if there is a product on the market, there are at least a handful of influencers ready to swear by it. My advice is simple: find people who have already added it to their day-to-day routines. Vlogs are great for this (if a get-ready-with-me stars the same product repeatedly, odds are the vlogger actually likes it), as are personalized beauty blogs of aestheticians, and recommendations of licensed professionals. From Bethenny Frankel and Emily Jean, to The Budget Dermatologist and Candis Mckay, there is a voice for every question, or concern you need answers to. When scoping out informal routes of skincare direction, be sure to find people with your skin type to minimize the risk. Fads and trends are fads and trends, so do not count out the brands that have not made it to the front page quite yet.

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