We Tested 27 Products That Promised Instant Results. Here Are The Only 9 That Really Work.
Before and afters galore.
Image from Furtuna
by The Candidly Team
We lied. The number of products we’ve tried is probably closer to 127. But you get the point.
The most overwhelming part of deciding which beauty products are worthy of our hard-earned dollars is how many of them are out there saying they’ll do the exact same thing.
So how do you choose?
And once you do choose, how do you tough out the 90 days most things take to “see results” without wondering should I have just chosen something else?
At this rate, by the time we figure out which products have any sort of anti-aging effects, we are likely to be 12 years older than when we started.
Now we don’t hide the fact that in our profession, we have the perk of having beauty brands often send us stuff for free, which you might think would make us dishonest, but we think it makes us fine, 40+ guinea pigs for way more products than most humans can try.
We’re not sponsored, and we’re not here to rip into the bad stuff (and oof, there has been bad stuff), but we are going to share the 9 products that promised rapid results and well, actually delivered.
All alone. In front of our mirrors. We saw immediate, giddiness-inducing differences.
And so, here are those 9 products that have most excited us:
1. Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel
Before and afters show a few things happening with these pads: the smoothing of wrinkles and lines, the shrunken appearance of pores, and the clearing up of blemishes and acne. So pretty much the ultimate trifecta of skincare. There are so many powerful ingredients at work in these pads, you actually apply them in two steps - one pad after the other. The first is packed with 5 Alpha Beta® acids, which peel away dead skin cells, leaving behind a toned, smoothed surface. This makes lines look low-key ironed out (see below photo) and leaves behind an instant glow. The second pad has retinol, one of the only ingredients proven to reduce wrinkles for real. It also helps boost elasticity, hence you feeling a sort of radiant lift after applying. Finally, the chamomile and green tea extract in each pad ensures everything stays calm and smooth instead of stripped.
Price: $92 (for a pack of 30)
2. Furtuna Skin Due Alberi Biphase Moisturizing Oil
We know, as beauty writers and editors, we should never use the term “miracle product.” It’s just too … much. Too reminiscent of TikTok advertisement jargon. But if we were ever going to break our own rule, it would be for this oil. It plumps. It repairs. It hydrates on an oceanic level. And finally, it protects our skin with all its wildly romantic-sounding, clean ingredients. We won’t bore you with a list, but if you want one, go here. The dewy, healthy, brightened appearance of your skin is indeed immediate. But if you want to see real magic, check out our own results from one of us using it on our chest lines after just 5 weeks.
Before and after of chestlines from one of our Candidly crew.
Word to the wise: you dab this product onto your skin as a last step in your skincare, so no need to use a lot. In fact, the amount used in the above photos was just from applying to the chest whatever remained on the hand after applying to the face.
Amazingly, Furtuna gave us a code for 25% off. Use CANDIDLY25.
Price: Starting at $100
3. Wrinkles Schminkles Forehead Wrinkle Patches
Ok, we promised immediate results here. And this product is entirely about that. You put these patches on before bed, and when you wake up, poof! Your wrinkles have significantly melted away.
But … there is a but.
While these are fast results, they’re not necessarily lasting results. We think of these patches a bit like we do self-tanner. You apply them to look extra good for specific occasions. But having them on hand does sort of feel like having instant access to all the promises of filler. I mean take a look at our in-house before and after:
Another before and after from one of our own at The Candidly.
We went straight for something that would work on our forehead lines, but they also have patches for the eyes, mouth, chest, neck, and a combo beginner pack.
Price: $30 for 2 forehead patches
4. True Botanicals Phyto-Retinol Sleep Serum
Some of us just can’t do retinol with the peeling and the flaking and the heightened terror of the sun. So when we used this silky potion for the first time, there were audible gasps among us. Some felt the “lift” straight off the bat. Then, after a full month, we saw wrinkle reduction, more silky, smoothness, and better overall tone. Our skin looked healthier, more even, and more youthful. Care for a visual?
Price: $90
5. Tula Blurring & Moisturizing Filter Primer
The word “blur” is what you want to focus on here. Whatever is in this bottle is like an Insta filter. It has a sort of glowy, glossy, I-live-off-fruits-and-vegetables-and-drink-all-the-water effect. If you want the no makeup-makeup look, you can wear it solo, not a bad plan as less makeup is in itself highly anti-aging. Or you can use it under foundation and marvel at how plump and glassy and blemish-free your skin looks. Instantly.
Price: $38
6. IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Full Coverage Anti-Aging Waterproof Concealer
Eye creams hold so many (often fruitless) promises, but ultimately, it’s really the concealer that’s gonna be doing all the work. This one is so seamless and feels like it’s made for “mature” eyes. It has skincare ingredients like peptides, antioxidants, and hyaluronic acid for a little extra quench. If you put the tiniest dab on the inner corners and in the darkest spot below your eyes, it will be transformative. And it stays put, even when you sweat.
Price: $29
7. Bed Head After Party Super Smoothing Cream
Our older, dryer hair is rife with flyaways. And this is, without question, the best smoothing product we’ve tried. It’s light as air so nothing every looks greasy or weighed down - just glossy and de-frizzed. It can be brushed into wet or dry hair with or without the intention to blow dry and style, and the results will always be deeply satisfying.
Price: $26
8. Vegamour GRO Hair Serum
High stress, turning 40, even just pulling our hair back into too many tight ponytails can all contribute to hair loss. We get into the why of it all here, but one of the ways we’ve dealt with it has been turning to this savior of a hair serum. It barely felt like we’d started using it when we noticed less hair falling out in the shower. Like A LOT less hair. We saw new growth, longer strands, all the glorious signs that something is working. And when one of us stopped for merely a month in the midst of moving, the hair went right back to shedding in the shower, on the pillow, etc. Needless to say, we went for the monthly subscription, which is $49 a month, down from $64 when you buy just one. But go ahead and try it first. We’re convinced you’ll be convinced.
Price: $64
9. Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream Moisturizer with Hyaluronic Acid
The truth is you need a very, very good everyday moisturizer. The best of the best is admittedly, a major splurge, which we wrote all about HERE. It all but preserves our skin in dry or wintry weather, which makes it the one thing we’ll buy instead of 4 other less good things. There is a dupe for the dream cream that’s $36 and admittedly lovely, especially in the spring and summer. But the mid-range that’s incredible all year round is Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream. There’s a reason one sells every minute around the world. Just take a look at the immediate effects.
The plumping is off the charts. The bounce is outstanding. We wrote more adjectives about it HERE. But since it all starts with hydration, we’ll end by saying you can’t go wrong with any of these three.
Price: $100
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
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