InStyle Readers Couldn’t Stop Buying These 15 Amazon Beauty Products in 2023

The passage of time punctuated by crossing the threshold from one year into another kind of bums me out. Does anyone really want to be faced with the ticking clock of mortality? IMO, one of the only good parts of this is year-in-review content — I love mini retrospectives and things condensed into neat and tidy lists (the latter I attribute to being a listicle-era millennial). 

In that vein, here are the 15 Amazon beauty products InStyle readers bought the most of this year. It’s a mixed bag of retinol lotions, primers, and eye creams with a couple of surprises thrown in Shop these top products below — because they have to be good if so many readers have bought them — and for comparison, check out 2022’s top 30 list here.

Shop InStyle Readers’ Most-Loved Amazon Beauty Products:

• Advanced Clinicals Retinol Advanced Firming Cream, $18 (Originally $20)
• L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Face Blurring Primer, $11 (Originally $14) 
• CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum, $13 (Originally $22)
• Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Eye Cream, $17 (Originally $29) 
• Kristin Ess Hair Three-in-One Titanium Flat Iron, $90
• Mario Badescu Super Rich Olive Body Lotion, $10  
• CeraVe Skin Renewing Eye Cream, $12 (Originally $22) 
• Nature Well Clinical Retinol Advanced Moisture Cream, $13 (Originally $25)
• Drmtlgy Tinted Moisturizer With SPF 46, $24 with coupon (Originally $28)
• SimplyVital Collagen, Retinol, and Hyaluronic Acid Anti-Aging Cream, $23 
• L'Oréal Paris Collagen Daily Face Moisturizer, $18 (Originally $19)
• Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Dry Body Oil Mist, $10 (Originally $14) 
• L'Oréal Paris Age Perfect Rosy Tone Anti-Aging Face Moisturizer, $16 (Originally $25) 
• Gold Bond Age Renew Neck and Chest Firming Cream, $12 (Originally $16) 
• Kitsch Rice Water Shampoo Bar, $12 with coupon (Originally $20)
• Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, $19 (Originally $24) 
• CosRx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence, $14 (Originally $25)
• Remedial Pax Day and Night Eye Cream, $20 
• Conair Infinitipro SmoothWrap Hair Dryer, $40 (Originally $55) 
• Mario Badescu Super Collagen Mask, $18

Advanced Clinicals Retinol Advanced Firming Cream

The Advanced Clinicals Retinol Advanced Firming Cream was by far the most popular product among InStyle readers. It’s a great deal — just $18 for 16 ounces — and has five-star ratings from more than 29,000 shoppers. 

The key ingredient here is, of course, retinol, which is complemented by glycerin and aloe vera. Retinol is a revered ingredient thanks to its scientifically proven benefits, which include wrinkle reduction, collagen stimulation, faster cell turnover, and smoother, more even-toned skin. The secondary ingredients provide hydrate and soothe. 

A shopper said this made “sagging skin under [their] chin tighter and firmer,” in addition to plumping “deep wrinkles.” 

Mario Badescu Super Rich Olive Body Lotion

I used to associate Martha Stewart with old money and expensive quiet luxury, but my view of her changed when I discovered that she’s a longtime fan of the ultra-affordable skincare brand Mario Badescu. 

Her facialist Carmela Barabas previously told InStyle that one of Martha Stewart’s “long-time favorite” products is the brand’s $10 Super Rich Olive Body Lotion. She called it great for “imparting moisture and leaving the skin feeling silky and smooth.” 

This is a simple formula that makes the most of squalane- and vitamin E-rich olive oil. It’s an antioxidant-packed, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial ingredient that not only provides moisture, but retains it, in addition to boosting collagen production and mitigating signs of aging. 

A 72-year-old shopper with dry, “alligator skin” said this “did miracles after the first application… It left [her skin] so soft and touchable.” 

Kitsch Rice Water Shampoo Bar

This was a surprising hit among InStyle readers, but after doing some light research, I can understand the appeal. It’s a now-$12 shampoo bar that takes up less space in your shower than a bottle, is good for the environment, and helps immensely with hair growth, according to many reviewers. The double whammy of rice water protein and castor oil promotes hair growth, makes strands shiny and moisturized, and follicles strong. 

After using the bar for a month one shopper said, “not only does my hair look and feel healthier but I’ve noticed it’s also growing faster.”