I Tried Every Product From First Aid Beauty — & This Is My Honest Review

One of the first lessons they teach you in journalism school: "If your mother says she loves you, check it out." The memorable adage is a reminder to never take anything at face value without first verifying it yourself. Honestly, it's not something I've ever had an issue with before: I'm plenty skeptical, thank you very much. So when tasked to test every product in the extensive First Aid Beauty line, I knew there would be some winners, some losers, and many downright forgettables — it's the natural order of things, right?

I was very wrong. Because with just about every cleanser, moisturizer, mask, eye cream, and serum I tried, I came to just about the same impossible conclusion: It's really good. (Also, why doesn't this cost more?) For the most part, the formulas are gentle, but feel like they're doing something. Retinols and alpha-hydroxy acid resurfacers didn't make my skin feel prickly or look red — and nearly everything in the line rings in at under $50.

Overall, my month and a half of testing nearly 35 products proved overwhelmingly positive. Ahead, see which products saved my skin post-Vegas, which were added to my gym bag, and the few that didn't make the cut. Then, click ahead to the last slide where we feature more unfiltered reviews from readers like you.