I test anti-aging products for a living and here’s what I’m buying from Amazon’s Big Spring Sale

Here are two absolute beauty truths: 1. Retinol is clinically proven to be effective at softening fine lines and improving skin texture. 2. You don’t have to pay a lot of money for it. 

This thin, watery serum from TruSkin is a perfect starter retinol with close to 5,000 positive Amazon reviews. Warning: Retinol can be initially irritating, during your first month of use, go slow and and low — just a couple of drops spread evenly over your face two to three nights per week.   

Eye creams are one of those beauty items that often make the biggest promises and then offer the smallest, most disappointing results, but this 2-in-1 undereye roller has an anti-aging weapon most don’t: a high concentration of caffeine, a vasoconstrictive, anti-inflammatory ingredient which studies show can actually (temporarily!) reduce puffiness and decrease the pigment of dark circles. Plus, it comes with a roller application tool which, when used effectively, (gently, in repetition) improves circulation and blood flow to the orbital area and improves the appearance of skin overall.

In just 10 minutes a day, this compact, highly efficient face steamer deeply moisturizes skin and not only unclogs your pores but opens them making your skin-care routine absorb better. The steam is especially soothing and relaxing — especially when you add a drop or two of a favorite essential oil and bring on the aromatherapy good times. Face steamers are a long-time aesthetician secret — most facialists use them — and at 84% off you cannot beat this price.    

The most brutally honest beauty experts I know always say the same thing: you don’t need a drawer full of fancy creams to create an effective anti-aging routine, you just need a quality sunscreen, retinol and a moisturizer you’ll use every day. Enter Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré, a silky, hydrating cream that’s kept French women’s skin soft and supple for nearly 70 years. It’s lightweight, innocuously-scented and absorbs into skin fast. More than 20,000 Amazon users give it a full five stars and it’s such a beauty staple in France it’s often sold out. 

I’ve tried dozens of serums (often at 10-20 times the cost) and this K-beauty favorite is among the most potent, skin-glowifying I’ve come across. It’s made of multiple potent ingredients but the star here is 20% vitamin C, which is known to reduce redness and even skin tone. Also promising? The more than 20,000 positive reviews. 

Last year, Regimen Lab, a peer-reviewed skincare brand, shared a video comparing Nivea’s Creme with the ultra-pricey luxury brand La Mer and found the two use the exact same base ingredients. The biggest difference? La Mer costs hundreds of dollars and Nivea is just $12. Today, if you have Amazon Prime, you can score the versatile, highly moisturizing cream (you can use it on your face, body and hands) for 20% less than its already affordable price.

I’ve been using this multi-purpose “dry” oil for more than 20 years. A French pharmacy favorite, it’s perfect when you need a little extra facial glow (swipe across your cheekbones) and it also works for taming frizz on your hair and for softening dry spots like elbows, cuticles and knuckles. It’s not greasy and the smell — which is like a Spanish almond grove — always makes me feel expensive and rich.   

If you experience any under-eye weirdness (puffiness/dark circles/fine lines) I need you to run and buy these excellent patches posthaste. They’re packed with skin-nourishing, wrinkle-softening, pigment-reducing ingredients like snail mucin, aloe, niacinamide and hydrolized collagen and their curved gold design adheres to skin easily and stays put once there. Pro tip: Store them in the fridge for an extra soothing/de-puffing effect.

Face rolling is a facial massage technique that’s been used for centuries to reduce inflammation and improve blood circulation, giving skin a plumper, more radiant and younger-looking appearance. The most popular face rollers are made of jade, but I prefer rose quartz versions like this one, which stay cooler to the touch. Apply a serum or face oil first, which will allow the roller to glide more easily. Used in tandem, some believe the roller will help your products better sink in. 

If you lived in New York in the early aughts, you’re no doubt familiar with Bliss. The trendy beauty brand and Manhattan spa were cult favorites at the time — even Julia Roberts had a hard time booking an appointment. Since then, the Bliss spas have faded but the skin-care products remain standout: high quality and effective, like this vitamin C and tri-peptide serum which brightens skin and is gentle enough for use every day.  

This truly amazing face cleanser works in two ways: You use the oil on its own for a gentle makeup remover and, when you’re finished, add water and the product foams into the most luxurious face wash. An addition of hyaluronic acid, ceramides and amino acids means it cleanses skin while never stripping away moisture. It’s my current favorite face wash — the way it works feels like magic.