By now, you've probably surmised that we test-drive a lot of beauty products here at Who What Wear HQ. From nail polish and makeup to hair and skincare, we're eyebrow-deep in all things new, exciting, and wish list–worthy. That said, due to the number of products we come in contact with, we've also transformed into the nitpickiest of beauty consumers. Within seconds, we can tell if a new hair oil is too heavy, and we're quick to ignore a serum that yields disappointing results.
The good news? We're far more often impressed than unimpressed after trying out a new product, and usually, we simply can't wait to spread the word to all of our fellow beauty lovers (also known as you!). Therefore, we've decided gushing over our latest fave products should become a monthly ritual, and every 30 days or so, you can expect a full report detailing the highlighters, hair wands, and overnight skincare saviors we've quickly fallen head over heels for.
For the most part, we'll be covering buzzworthy launches, as those typically take up most of the action atop our product-filled desks, but we won't dismiss new-to-us products, either. Sometimes, our best discoveries are found on a friend's vanity or on someone's face at the bar (true story). Ahead are the best beauty products we tried in April! Grab your game face and wallet—you'll be needing both.
I can't get over how beautiful this new fragrance is by Aerin. It smells like a sun and salt-drenched vacation along the Italian riviera, and when it comes to my spring and summer scent aesthetic, that's really all I want! It's the perfect blend of citrus and floral thanks to Corsican clementine, Italian bergamot, jasmine, and honeysuckle, but earthier base notes à la ambrox, musk, and moss, keep it grounded.
I'm a fiend for self-tanner, especially once spring and summer roll around and I want a touch of sun-kissed glow without the damage. However, because I'm naturally so fair, nine times out of ten, self-tanners end in complete disaster for me. (Either the color is off, the results look streaky, or the formula is a nightmare to apply or marinate in.) My biggest test for a self-tanner is whether or not it tricks other people into thinking I'm actually tan, and this one did that. I was lucky enough to have L.A.'s master airbrush artist, Alexandra DiMarchi, spray me with this new express water, and the results were impeccable. I was sprayed in the morning and ended up sleeping in it. (It's not sticky in the slightest and the smell is totally bearable.) The next day, I had a vacation-caliber tan. Plus, it's infused with key ingredients like vitamin C, beta glucan, and hyaluronic acid, which keep your skin hydrated and supple so the tan looks better, longer.
My L.A. apartment is essentially one big live-in advertisement for Dedcool. You'll find about four of the brand's fragrances on top of my vanity, their detergent next to my laundry bin, their room spray on my night stand, and their air freshener tucked into my closet. Clearly, I cannot get enough. I've been loving the brand's new hand and body wash hybrids. I have yet to use it as a body wash, but I love having one of the best clean, layer-able scents ever made (Milk) next to my bathroom sink.
It finally happened. I finally experienced a body scrub so fine and so perfect, I can no longer say I hate body scrubs. It has the perfect level of grit to really make you feel like you're exfoliating, but without any scratchiness or irritation. The hero ingredient is the manuka honey which draws essential moisture back into the skin, and the formula also utilizes AHAs and fruit enzymes to aid in gentle yet effective cell renewal.
I haven't touched an actual brush in years. As someone who has been highlighting and bleaching my hair since elementary school, I know better than to be ripping a brush through my delicate strands each day, opting for a wide tooth comb which keeps breakage way more at bay. This new detangling brush from Act + Acre is the first one to ever turn my hair. It's so incredibly lightweight which I love and the bristles are double-length to help smooth, detangle, and gentle massage the scalp in the most delicious of ways. I have yet to hit one snag when I use this—even in my wet hair! I also appreciate that it's made from ultralightweight postconsumer recycled plastic.
Once spring and summer come, I pretty much ditch my liquid liners until the fall, and I reach for pencils instead. I find the end result just looks softer and more natural, which is what I really want when I'm outside more and putting less effort into my makeup. Róen just launched these dreamy new pencils, and I couldn't be more smitten. They're nontoxic, richly pigmented, and apply like butter. BUT, once you apply and let sit, your work won't budge. (Something that's extra importamt for me in the sweaty months of the year!) I've been loving the two brown shades, especially.
This is the lip product (topped with Kosas's Plump & Juicy Lip Booster Buttery Treatment) I'm wearing in the pic above. It's not a new launch, per se, but I love a rich berry hue on my lips for that drippy popsicle vibe all-year-round. (And when I posted this photo to my stories recently, I got so many questions about what was on my lips!) The color payoff is pretty saturated with these crayons, so I applied, tapped, and dabbed, until it looked more like a stain than a full-on lipstick. I'm not a big matte lip girlie, so I topped it off with some juicy gloss.
"I've been completely in love with this toner-essence hybrid from Epi.logic this month! I've always struggled to find an exfoliating toner that works well for my delicate/sensitive skin, but this one is perfect. It's super hydrating with ingredients like aloe and cucumber water, but also helps with dark spots and gently exfoliates to keep your skin smooth and bright. I've noticed such a positive difference in my skin since I've started using it. Dark spots are a lot less noticeable and way less redness."
"This perfume is sweet, woody, and warm—all the qualities I look for in a signature scent. Earthy scents really bring me a lot of comfort and this is easily one of my new favorite ones."
"I'm a huge fan of going to The Now for massages and now acupuncture since they offer it! I love using the Now Calm Balm, but I recently picked up this body oil after an acupuncture session and have been using it every night since. The hydration it offers is so long-lasting that I wake up feeling smoother than ever if I use it the night before."
"My skin can get really dehydrated and these sheet masks help so much. Soothing plant actives in the formula help repair and revitalize the skin. They combat dryness, dullness, and give your skin a glow after just one use."
"These acne-zapping patches have become a staple in my routine! I don't usually put much faith in drying lotions and other zit zappers because honestly, most of them don't work for me. But these patches are the real deal. You just leave them on overnight, and pimples are significantly reduced in the morning and go away so much quicker after use."
"I'm obsessed with Ellis Brooklyn's Eau de Parfum Sun Fruit so naturally, you can imagine my excitement when I found the brand was releasing it as a body oil! It smells like summer in a bottle and leaves my skin so hydrated, soft, and silky."
"This is not a super new product, but I recently threw one into my purse and have been absolutely obsessed. I've been very into glossy, low-key lips, and this is the ultimate product for a hint of color but tons of moisturizing shine."
"I hate how much I love the Rhode peptide lip treatments—they're hard to get your hands on! They make lips so moisturized and give you a reflective, out of this world gloss—and they're not sticky at all. I highly recommend getting your hands on the Passion Fruit flavor, because it smells like an island vacation, but Salted Caramel is my second favorite."
"If you love slicking your hair back like I do, this product is a total game-changer. It holds hair in place but doesn't make it look stiff—instead, it gives hair a glossy shine, and ensures you don't miss any strays. I have been using this constantly ever since I got it."
"I've been doing gel on my nails for quite some time. While I staunchly believe that if you remove gel correctly, your nails won't get damaged (this is true according to every single celeb manicurist I've talked to) I do not always get mine removed correctly. In fact, I got mine removed so badly a month ago that my nails are severely damaged and I'm planning on taking a beat from gel for a while. In the meantime, I've discovered this truly life changing nail product. It fills ridges and damage, fixes discoloration, and gives nails a gorgeous shimmer. Plus, it's infused with peptides and biotin, so it helps heal damage while concealing it."
"This is my ideal spring fragrance. It's peachy, but not in a cloying way—the addition of lemon and fougère make it light, airy, and extremely wearable."
"I love body lotions more than the average person, and I cycle through them like crazy. This lotion is my latest obsession—it's extremely hydrating, but the main attraction for me is that it smells soooo good—like cracking into an orange."
"I'm very picky with eye creams because my eye area is so sensitive—plus, I feel like so many of them don't do anything. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think this one really works for discoloration—my dark circles have been much less noticeable since I started using it. That's a major feat!"
"I cannot get over how easy this eyeliner is to use. It makes drawing a super sharp wing easy. I recently drew the thinnest eyeliner I've ever drawn using one of these pens, and even replicated it on the other side. This is the eyeliner pen I've always wanted."
"Leave it to Glossier to create a matte lipstick that I actually want to wear. It definitely has a matte finish, but it feels buttery and light—like a veil for your lips. It doesn't settle into lines or dry down to make lips feel dry. Instead, the pillowy formula leaves lips feeling soft after you use it. The colors are flexible, flattering, and easy to blend with each other for an endless amount of looks!"
"I had seen glowing reviews of this mascara all over the internet, but I didn't fully grasp how amazing it is until I tried it earlier this month. It makes my lashes look so long and fluttery and it doesn't smudge or flake. Plus, it doesn't take too much time or effort to remove. I literally don't even use makeup remover—I just wash it off with water and my standard cleanser. I'm obsessed."
"This perfume was recommended to me by Who What Wear's associate beauty editor, Shawna. She said it smells warm and summery and all-around amazing, and she was right. With notes of orange flowers, bergamot, and musk, it's both comforting and refreshing, like a summertime sunset."
"I've been taking this 3-in-1 prebiotic, probiotic, and postbiotic for a couple of weeks, and I can totally see and feel a difference in my gut health. I'm less bloated and I even feel like I'm more energized/have less brain fog throughout the day. This has quickly become a non-negotiable part of my morning routine."
"I always love discovering new makeup must-haves that can multitask. Tarte's Marcajua Juicy Lip & Cheek Shift adds a natural-looking hint of color to the lips and the cheeks with a simple swipe."
"I'm absolutely obsessed with the way these blushes look on my deep skin tone (especially Watermelon Bliss). It's very smooth, easy to blend, and super pigmented. A little goes a long way with this one!"
"I don't think my hair has ever been this shiny or soft. Usually, that good hair day wears off a day or two post-haircut, but after getting the most life-changing cut from Rossano Ferretti at his midtown Manhattan salon, I've been keeping up with the Dolce Nourishing Shampoo and Hair Mask and I swear my hair still looks, feels, and smells like I just stepped out of the salon when I fully style it, even though it's been two months."
"I may have already waxed poetic about my love affair with this set of hot rollers I picked up on Amazon, but it can't hurt to express my adoration once more because I'm officially a changed woman. Ten minutes with these setting in my hair leaves me with the bouncy '90s blowout of my dreams."
"Clean-smelling unisex fragrances are my jam, so I was pumped to discover Dedcool's Milk and in a mere matter of days, none of my perfumes were doing it anymore. Within a week, I lost count of how many people came up to me to inquire about it. Within a month, I had turned my sister and two friends onto it and within two months, I was already placing a restock order for another bottle. Good luck getting me to care about any other fragrances right now, or maybe ever."
"If you want your under eyes to look as dewy and plump as the rest of your skin, this contour mask from Sisley Paris is the only product you need. It says to wipe it off after 10 minutes, but my under eyes are extra puffy and dark so I just keep it on all day/night."
"Before I bought this bronzing stick by Merit, I hadn't worn the stuff since my early days in college, and back then, everything was powder. Something about the way this product seemed to glide on so smoothly on TikTok made me purchase it during a recent trip to Sephora and I haven't stopped wearing it since. It's great for a makeup novice like myself and just gives you a subtle sculpted and bronzed look that's super easy and lasts all day."
"I put this product everywhere, on my high cheekbones, lips, nose, and even eyelids for a little color. It's so pretty for the summer when you want to look slightly sunkissed."
"A couple of months ago, I added this serum (above) and SPF (below) to my skincare routine, which had previously only consisted of cleansing and moisturizing. I can't tell you how many compliments I've received ever since. I love how the serum feels and makes my skin glow after, and the SPF is tinted so it provides the perfect, super light coverage for every day."
"I’ve always been a micellar water girlie, so I’m a bit late to the Living Cleansing Balm party. This stuff really is as good as everyone says—the sorbet-like texture is seriously addicting (I’m now excited to take my makeup off every night), and the balm feels ultra-nourishing yet thorough."
"The rising LA temperatures combined with my (almost daily) hot yoga sessions make me want to be extra proactive about pesky body acne. I’ve recently incorporated this salicylic acid body wash into my shower routine to gently purify and exfoliate post-workout."
"This is the hair oil of my dreams. I have *extremely* fine hair, so I avoid anything that weighs my hair down or makes it look more greasy. This oil does none of the above. It’s nourishing, super lightweight, and my hair stylist even told me that my hair feels healthier which is the ultimate dopamine boost."
"I usually don’t go for glowy sunscreens, but this one is super subtle and blends beautifully. I don’t know how the wizards at Kosas did it but it doesn’t look greasy even after 12 hours of wear. The SPF is on the high side and it doesn’t smell like sunscreen—both pluses in my book."
"I found my new warm-weather fragrance in this gem. I wanted something fresh and slightly fruity without being too sweet and this one checks all of the boxes. It combines fig, jasmine, and vanilla, which is an incredible combination (who knew?)."
"I’m obsessed with every Homecourt product I’ve tried, and this one is no exception. It looks beautiful on my vanity and the scent lingers for so long. My go-to is Cipres Mint, which smells like mint tea."
"I ordered this new Nars lipstick from the recent Sephora sale on a whim and it was a great impulse buy. It’s pigmented but glossy and it makes your lips look juicy and feel moisturized. I opted for Nars’ legendary rosy nude, Dolce Vita."
"With summer approaching, I was looking for a new lip sunscreen, as the one I used to use was only SPF 15, and left a not-so-cute white cast on my lips. When I found this one, it was an instant holy grail. It has SPF 30, applies like a clear lip gloss, and has a delectable vanilla marshmallow flavor. This lip balm will make it super easy to protect your pout from the summer sun."
"Me and blush have a complicated history—I thought I’d never in a million years want to use blush, let alone a bright red shade, as I used to get made fun of for my rosy cheeks. But alas, I’ve been reaching for this shade to achieve that adorable “sunburn blush” look. The formula blends so beautifully into the skin and leaves such a natural flush. Leave it to Gaga’s blush to make me emphasize the trait I tried to cover up for so many years."
"This one-of-a-kind whipped cream sunscreen from Vacation sparks so much joy and makes me ever-so-eager to apply SPF. And with ingredients like coconut oil, banana extract, and aloe, the scent is like summery beach nostalgia in a bottle."
"Despite only have been using this for two weeks, I have been singing it’s praises to basically everyone I know. I have very sensitive skin so I don’t like the feeling of concealer or foundation on my skin. Even a tinted moisturizer is sometimes too much for me. So on those no makeup days, I’ve been applying this brightener and it’s perfect. It’s lightweight, feels cool on the under-eye, and makes me look like I got proper sleep!"
"This is an iconic cream bronzer. The formula is creamy and melts into skin, giving it a boost of color without being overly bronze, which I very much appreciate at this age. It's subtle and natural, so I wouldn't recommend using it if you want a deeper tan."
"There are so many things I love about this blush. It’s smooth, easy to blend, stays put for hours, and the color payoff is elite. All the shades are special but I'm really into Acai Sky, this perfect deep berry hue."
"I haven't met a Nécessaire product I haven't enjoyed and this rollerball deodorant gel is no different. It's fast-drying, formulated with 5% AHA to help brighten discoloration and smooth bumps, and the eucalyptus scent is heavenly."
"I haven't been using this long enough yet to see any dramatic results, but I have to say I love applying it to my "problem areas" before bed. It's an overnight treatment that's meant to help reduce the appearance of aging and crepiness. It's made with a 1% retinol blend which helps restore skin elasticity and collagen, 10% AHA to visibly smooth skin, and sea buckthorn oil, glycerin, and HA for a soft, soothing base."
"I'm constantly looking for products to help reduce my Keratosis Pilaris and I'm impressed with this duo. I use the scrub twice a week on dry skin before hopping in the shower. This helps buff away rough, dry, dead skin cells, then after I follow up with the smoothing body cream to gently exfoliate. I've been pretty consistent over the last month and have actually noticed a subtle difference."
