The best deals worth shopping during Ulta’s Early Black Friday sale
Each week, you can shop a new category of the sale. First up: skin care.
“This is one of my go-to cleansers,” says NBC Select editor Lindsay Schneider, who received it from the brand. “It’s really creamy and truly fragrance-free, which I appreciate. I like to use it when I’m having any sort of skin flare-ups because it’s really calming and doesn’t strip my skin. I never feel insanely dry after using it, which I appreciate.”
The Solawave wand uses red light therapy and facial massage among other techniques to reduce the appearance of dark circles and fine lines, according to Solawave. It’s about the size of a Sharpie and once you’ve applied some sort of serum or hydration to your skin, you can glide the wand in upward and outward motions along your cheeks, jaw, neck, forehead and under-eye area in five minute sessions. “It doesn’t really feel like much on your skin when you’re using it, which is part of the appeal (no tingling or discomfort),” says former NBC Select editor Christina Colizza.
These are some of the best under-eye patches of 2024 because they mimic the feeling of sticking a cold spoon under your eye to reduce puffiness. They have peptides and bakuchiol (a retinol alternative) and you can store these in your fridge to leave the skin under your eyes looking a little tighter and depuffed. “These never slip or fall off my face,” says NBC Select associate reporter Bianca Alvarez. “Because they’re so soothing on my dry skin, I sometimes even forget they’re on.”
“I’ve been using this Mario Badescu drying lotion since high school,” says NBC Page Ella Morrissey. “Whenever I have a breakout, I apply a dab of it onto any spots and they’re basically gone by morning. Even though I tend to have dry skin, I don’t find this product too drying.” The lotion dries quickly but leaves a pink, chalky residue, so it’s better for nighttime use, according to the brand.
You can use this milk-like toner after cleansing to remove any lingering impurities or excess oil from your skin. It has almond oil and hyaluronic acid in it, which leaves skin soft and glowy, according to the brand. It also acts like a primer for the rest of your skin care products, so serums and moisturizers can sink in better, according to Lancôme.
This silicone massage tool has eight adjustable intensities that you can use on your face in circular motions to get a deeper clean on your face. “I’ve been using this cleansing brush for years and I keep it in my shower to scrub my face free of dirt, oil and makeup,” says NBC Select updates editor Zoe Malin. “It helps my cleanser clean my skin much more thoroughly and on a deeper level compared to when I just use my hands. The battery lasts for weeks, which is very convenient, and it’s compact, so it doesn’t take up much room in my toiletry bag.”
Peace out makes some of the best pimple patches on the market. These use both hydrocolloid and salicylic acid (a BHA that removes sebum) to help minimize breakouts, according to the brand. Hydrocolloid is a soothing gel that’s responsible for absorbing any excess dirt away from pimples so it can heal, according to experts we spoke to. There’s also aloe vera leaf extract in these patches to reduce any remaining redness.
Bethany Heitman is a contributor at NBC Select and a journalist who regularly covers beauty, home and lifestyle.
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