31 Beauty Products That Work So Well You’ll Think They’re Powerful Potions

Promising review: “I had received a deluxe sample of this from Urban Decay and had been using it on the days where I had a yoga class from 7:30 p.m.–9 p.m. —which means my makeup was on my face for OVER 12 hours. My makeup always came out just fine after my class, even after sweating like a pig! I forgot to spray it on last week and what a mistake! I came out of my class looking like a drowned raccoon. I’ve since bought a full-size bottle. It doesn’t bother my sensitive skin and I haven’t seen issues with breakouts either (but I don’t use it daily). It does seem to make my makeup look more polished, similar to if you set your makeup with a light spray of water. If you sweat when using it, somehow the makeup stays put and you just sweat. It’s magical. I do think it can feel a little tight when first sprayed. I noticed that the first few times in particular, but not so much now and after a few minutes I don’t notice it. Anyways, if you dance or exercise and can’t wash your face beforehand, try this!” — latp

Promising reviews: “I loved this stuff, it was magic. The evening moisturizer was fabulous. It is the first plumper that actually works for me. Will be buying more for gifts!!!!!” — Alexandra

“I discovered this product from TikTok and I had to give it a try. I tried the day lip plumper and within a few seconds, there was a subtle tingling/burning that lasted for a few minutes but as it occurred, the plumping started to happen! It made a noticeable difference and made my lips look like I had filler! I’m obsessed!! — Amazon Customer

Youthforia is an Asian woman-owned small business established in 2020 that specializes in environmentally friendly, cruelty-free makeup.

Promising review: “I’m done, no more experimenting with other blushes, this is my forever blush. BYO is such a unique product on the market — it’s plant-based, provides a natural/beautiful bespoke flush, and can be used on the lips as well. Its color-changing formula is a game-changer as it magically picks the most complementary shade/hue for the user. Furthermore, I don’t feel like I’m wearing makeup, and the oil formula is nourishing for my skin! I loved it so much I bought all my friends a BYO Blush!” — JZ

Promising reviews: “Like many women, I started with the Gwen Stefani 2000s trend of really thin eye brows. Honestly, they hadn’t grown back since no matter what I used. Until I found this product. I’m on my second bottle. It’s absolute sorcery, I don’t understand how or why or what’s in the formula but it does work.” — Michelle

“Ya’ll. This stuff actually works. The first couple of months I felt like I was applying this clear magic liquid to my brows wondering if it’s actually doing anything. Then one day, I got home and washed my face and for some reason, I couldn’t get the rest of my eyebrow pencil off — IT WAS MY ACTUAL EYEBROW! I didn’t realize how full they had gotten. I feel so much more confident without any makeup on and don’t use nearly as much brow filler as I used to. I use it on my eyelashes too and they grew faster than the brows. Wish I would’ve taken before and after pictures. It’s worth the money!” — Alyssa G.

Promising review: “I’m so glad someone came up with an affordable product for people like me that have a very thin line for eyebrows due to YEARS of pulling them out. In my childhood years I had (what I thought) were ‘thick’ full eyebrows. I spent years pulling them out to have a thin brow (wish I still had them). Now that I’m older (I’m 53), they stopped growing back where I NEEDED them to grow and only grew where I don’t want to grow. I can’t afford microblade so this product adds a brow to where I have NONE and darkens the fine line I have. I do have to leave it on twice as long as it’s recommended. I just wash my face around my brow area and it will last for at least 48 hours (some times longer) for me. I’m sure it does better for someone that actually has brows and just needs areas to be darker and fuller. I love it.” — Robin Thomas

Live Tinted is a South Asian woman-owned small biz that specializes in clean, vegan, cruelty-free beauty products for all skin tones.

Promising reviews: “I can’t believe I’ve lived without this product for so long! This is SOOOO much better than the concealers I’ve used in the past because it really covers up my dark circles. This product is a staple in my makeup routine! Can’t live without this!” — Undisclosed

Promising review: “When I ordered this product, I admit, I didn’t think it would work. I have adult acne and visit a dermatologist regularly, my chin area is especially bad. I used one the first night I received them. It’s acne sorcery. I honestly could not believe it worked. Pimple gone overnight and a flat surface remained. I do not know how they get this pimple magic to work but I am sold and have literally texted all the people in my life. It’s complete magic! Do it, I promise you will be shocked!” — Heather L.

Promising review: “This glitter body oil is so magical, I LOVE it. Definitely makes me feel like a sun fairy or a mermaid or some other fantasy creature. A+++ I am obsessed with these Sol Body Oils.” — Ilze P.

Promising review: “I have acne=prone skin that is on the combo to oily side with large pores and this stuff has truly been a lifesaver! I really appreciate the short ingredient list and the fact that this product is fragrance-free! I use this after cleansing and apply about five drops on a cotton round both morning and night. I then follow up with a retinol serum, moisturizer, and SPF. Since I have started using this product (FIVE DAYS AGO) my skin is soft and glowing, my acne is clearing up, and my pores actually look smaller!! Like, this is literally witchcraft in a bottle and my new holy grail! Ditch your harsh scrubs and give this a go, your skin will thank you!” — Philena

Promising reviews: “What is this sorcery? I’m pretty sure it’s just straight up whatever liquid comes out of a unicorn when it happy cries. I have scars, stretch marks, and acne that are healing or disappearing literally overnight. It’s hands down some of the best stuff I’ve ever gotten my hands on. Thank you magical wizard for creating this supernatural concoction, you can now have all of my money. If only I’d taken some before and after pictures to capture the results!” — Purpleflowerseverywhere13

Promising review: “Hardly ever do I review but this time, sheesh! This product blew me away after only three uses! First off, it’s easy to use! I’ve tried a ton of products for teeth whitening and all have been either inconvenient to use, or make you wear a mouthguard etc. This is a PEN/brush! Hold it like a writing pen and twist up for the solution, the solution feeds through onto the brush (which is actually the size of a tooth) and you just brushstroke on dry teeth as you are smiling! It dries on and you rinse off. Magical! I’ve seen a noticeable difference after only using this for three days!! My husband even said ‘WOW your teeth look amazingly white’. I’m a smoker/tea drinker/coffee drinker too! I noticed the difference but never said a word to my husband about it, he’s a firm believer that nothing like this ever works…LOL. Well boy oh boy this product changed his mind instantly! He already swiped my other pen and has been using it too. We see the difference and are very satisfied. What’s even more awesome is the price! Remarkable difference and it lasts! If I could give this 1,000 stars this would have earned 1,001, know what I mean?!” — Lisa E.

Promising review: This product is incredible — just WOW. In all my years of existence, I was never able to tame my naturally curly hair into a sleek, silky, frizz-free look, until now. I l don’t know what kind of magical sorcery went into making this product, but this stuff is amazing. — Lillee45

This kit includes lash glue, lash perm, lash fixation, lash nutrition, lash cleanser, five silicone pads, three lash cleaning brushes, 10 lash micropores, 10 brushes and five gel under-eye pads.

Promising review: “Okay I’m not gonna lie, I was worried that this stuff would either not work at all or make all my lashes fall out. Thankfully, it was neither and the results are UNREAL. I HIGHLY suggest watching some YouTube videos of other people using their perm kits before attempting to use yours. I have big fingers and small eyes so it was difficult for me to get the lift pads in the right positions but once that was over, the rest was a breeze. Unlike some of the other kits I’ve seen on here, this one has basically everything you need. The only other things I needed were a mirror, some tissue, and a little bit of plastic wrap to cover my lashes while waiting for the lotions to work their magic. I’m totally impressed and will definitely be buying this again! — Ryan

Promising review: “This stuff is a magical miracle elixir! I use it twice a day and after about six weeks the results are literally unbelievable! It works, and it works fast. I have naturally straight, light brown, thin lashes. They’re now darker, thicker, and so long they touch my glasses!” — V. Campbell

Mooncat is a woman-owned, vegan and cruelty-free small business founded by Michelle Lin.

Promising review: “I received my first one in the mail. It was so easy and smooth going on. Two coats later, AMAZING, vibrant, beautiful color. The way the light dances off of my nails, the sun shining off the polish, the prismatic guess have me mesmerized. Yep, I picked two more colors a week later. My daughter is now hooked as well. We love this polish and will be picking out a few more. This is the ONLY polish that we use now.” — Johnine L.

Pretty Fab Nails is a Florida-based and woman-owned small business.

Promising review: “Probably the best nail wraps I’ve used so far. I applied these to my Kiara Sky Gelly tips as I am not great with painting my own nails lol. I finished them off with a gel top coat and cured them. I’ve been wearing them for the past week and no chips or tears. I’m sold!!” — Etsy Customer

Promising reviews: “I LOVE this stuff. My everyday makeup is literally just this undereye concealer, mascara, and Chapstick. I work 12+ hour nightshifts so under eye concealer is a MUST. I am literally always tired and my dark circles never seem to go away but this magical makeup makes me look so much less like a zombie. I don’t know what I would do without this concealer. Do yourself a favor and try it!” — gustavo

“How am I just now using this amazing concealer? I have horrible dark circles and this is my miracle worker! This literally blends away any dark bags under my eyes like it has some sort of magical sorcery mixed in it.” — Myranda Z.

Here’s what BuzzFeed Shopping writer Jordan Grigsby has to say about this:

“You see that shine? That volume? That bounce? Babyyyy my hair is FLAWLESS. Witchcraft, right? Oh, and if you could feel it?! HONEYYYY, so, so soft and silky. It is seriously bone-straight and looks and feels soooo healthy! And, my hair is NATURAL (other than the obvious blue dye); I haven’t used relaxers or keratin treatments in over 10 years. Now, I am by no means a hairstylist, and nothing tops their magical hands, but sweetieeeee, these products blow my mind. This trio does what needs to be done, and like, I did it — I delivered these results. Nothing has ever made my hair look like this unless a stylist was styling my hair. And when I step out of my house, you cannot tell me I’m not the most fabulous person in the world — I’m literally Beyoncé. My hair flows and bounces as if I have a personal fan in front of me, and I CANNOT keep my hands out of my hair. The shampoo and conditioner help get ALLLL the product buildup out of my hair and leave my hair feeling squeaky clean. Then, I add my serum (before blow-drying and again before straightening), and BAM — I’m flawless. The combo of all three is just *chefs kiss*, and they help protect my hair from heat damage. If you want a magic wand to set everything off, invest in the Babyliss straightener! My hairdresser uses it so I grabbed one too and now I always look like I just stepped out of the salon.”

Promising reviews: “Not gonna lie I was skeptical that this could help me. A few months ago I decided I could bleach my hair. I burnt it to such a crisp that I’ve literally been wearing it up under a cap. That worked when it was winter but now it’s warm so I needed a solution. I saw this product highly recommended on other sites and the reviews were good. So I ordered a tube. Used it twice now and OH. MY. LANTA. For months my hair has felt like crunchy noodles ready to snap at a moment’s notice. After one treatment (left in about 15 minutes after shampoo, before conditioner) my ends feel soft!! After the second time washing with it, it actually moves like it’s not damaged and it is visibly SO much healthier. Like seriously idk how they bottled witchcraft but I’m going to continue to use this product even when my hair grows out. An absolute magical miracle potion! I seriously prepared myself to explain to the world that it doesn’t work. But instead, I have the healthiest hair I’ve had since being a home hairdresser. 10/10 for less then $10. Picture from left to right (blonde above): my hair before using this, my hair after first treatment, my hair after second treatment. — Beth

Blume is a women-owned, POC-owned small business based in Canada that specializes in cruelty-free, vegan and environmentally-friendly products for skin, body and period care.

Promising review: “This stuff is AMAZING and MAGIC. I ordered more out of fear of running out. All acne and fade products have dried or broken out my skin further but this stuff clears my skin, makes it glow, and hydrates it. Beyond beyond obsessed. THANK U BLUME! xoxo” — Kaitlin A.

Promising review: “I absolutely love this product. When I bought them I was a little bit skeptical because I had never tried eye patches before and I was not sure if they would actually work. After my initial use I was blown away. Left my under-eyes feeling super smooth and visibly less puffy. I had to get my mom to try these with me! She’s 48 years old and these did magic on her eyes too! Made us both feel very relaxed and we could even move around in them. Will be buying another box once I run out of the 20 packs this box provides, another pro!” — Adriana G.

Promising review: “I am so in love with this eye cream! Seriously, this stuff is amazing!!! I have used it for five days and already, the difference is noticeable. I got two hours of sleep last night and still, I look well-rested. That is nothing short of magic…like created by woodland fairies. The puffiness is gone and the discoloration is almost completely gone. I’m okay with my laugh lines, I’ve earned every one of them and I’ve grown kind of attached to them. I love who I am but I hate always looking like I still need sleep. This cream is worth the money and I will be putting this in automatic reorder as soon as I figure out how long it will take to go through a bottle. You use so little that I’m having trouble predicting how long it will take me to go through a bottle. Buy it and love it or don’t and miss out…it’s your call.” — Cassandra

Thank God It’s Natural is a Black woman-owned small biz based in Chicago, Illinois that specializes in hair products.

Promising reviews: “My scalp felt invigorated after applying. I left the masque on overnight and when I rinsed the next morning my scalp felt refreshed and clean. I actually think this product also aided in elongating my curls. Hair looks hydrated as well! I plan to use every two weeks.” — Dawn M.

“I didn’t expect much from this mask, but was pleasantly surprised.I used it as directed after shampooing with a clarifying shampoo and my hair is soft and smooth. It calmed the frizz so much that I didn’t even need a styling product!” — HumanPerson

Promising reviews: “For once, an inexpensive product is not just good for the price. It’s a fantastic product, and it’s surprising that it is so cheap! A lot of high-end-makeup-only users are going to miss out on a fantastic primer because who would dream it could possibly cost $5? For me, Poreless Putty actually performs better than a certain $52 primer to which it is VERY similar. Poreless Putty’s peachy tint is perfect for evening-out my olive skin, and the remarkably lightweight, silky texture blurs like nothing else I’ve ever tried. It’s texture almost feels magical because it’s so smooth, and it becomes ‘one’ with skin instantly. I usually use Estée Lauder Double Wear foundation, and this primer makes it look even smoother for longer. The two products make my skin look much younger, supple, and toned.” — ShaniAZ

Promising reviews: “Magic in a tiny tube. Has lasted over a month so far and my 30-year-old skin is clear for the first time in my life. Nothing else has worked, and I’ve tried it all. I wish I could give this ten stars.” — LC

“This product is a MAGIC ERASER on acne. This is the only product that works on my acne. It dried up my hormonal acne within one night! So I have mild hormonal acne due to menstrual cycle but after using this gel every night and following the directions in the package, it has really helped me get rid of acne and dark spots. This product did not break me out in initial use or even later. This one tube lasted me for a couple of months and a few days over. I love the results and I will buy another tube if my acne acts up again but for now I have clean and clear skin. Thanks Differin!” — Karthick Ravi

Promising review: “I used these socks with Dr. Scholls severe cracked heel balm, every night for the first week and then on and off for the next few weeks. Photos (shown above) are about three weeks apart. My heels had deep, painful cracks that would occasionally bleed, and now they’re almost gone.” — Manuel C.

The brand recommends using it every three to four days for up to eight weeks for best results.

Promising review: “For so many years I couldn’t wear black, would have to dust my chair off, and was constantly moisturizing my nose and face. One day, a doctor friend suggested I try this out for my nose, she didn’t know I suffered with severe dandruff as well. She then told me to use it on my scalp as well. At first it did nothing. Then magically after say, the third week of using this off and on, I noticed a difference. I now have almost zero dandruff, 10,000 percentbetter and I no longer have a dry flaky nose, brow, or beard area. My face is no longer red as well. This has been a miracle cure for me. One I take for granted but quickly remember when I put on a black shirt or check my chair for an embarrassing snow storm. Try it!!!” — Grumpy Dad

Promising review: “I caved to the TikTok hype and now I am obsessed, lol! I have extremely sensitive skin but this was the first product that I didn’t have to go through a ‘getting used to’ phase.” — Shelby

Mane Club is a New York City–based small business established in 2019 that specializes in affordable haircare products.

Promising review: “Best stuff ever!! Love love this stuff. I’ve bought a lot of hair products, and this is number one. I will not waste my money on anything else. It smells good. It makes your hair soft and shiny. And when I style my hair, it’s wonderful. The waves stay for along time, which they never did. This is the only product that will be for my hair.” — Rene C.

Promising reviews: “Always looking for the perfect cuticle cream and this is it. No need to look any further. The texture is lovely and this product is the best I’ve ever bought. Look no further, this is the one!! Definite results. Great price.” — Evelyn Owens

“Love this product! It revived my thin peeling nails in one month! I’m a crafter. I make my living at home making my creations. My hands get messy so often I wash my hands all the time. And I’m always peeling labels and stickers of of things. My nails could no longer peel back any stickers or they wold split like thin paper. This product revived my poor nails in one month! Now my nails are not very only strong but also longer and even whiter!! It also helped my cuticles! I applied twice a day for about two weeks, then once a day for the next two weeks. Now I apply it every other day and my nails are stronger then ever! LOVE this product! It’s smooth and creamy type of product. Very thick which is nice! Has a light tropical coconut smell which I love. Beautiful jar. Overall A+ product! If your nails are weak and peeling GET THIS NOW! You won’t regret it!!” — Lauren

Get more info on this shampoo in our deep dive into Fanola No Yellow Shampoo here.

Promising review: “I’m not one to leave reviews, but this product deserves it! Holy cow! I was going to go into the salon to brighten my hair up, but after discovering this product, I canceled my appointment. I’m totally in love! This shampoo is not drying at all, and just after two washes, I achieved my desired results! I can’t recommend it enough!” — Rachael