As grateful as I am that my job has allowed me to sample some incredible luxury products over the years, I stay true to my roots and still buy beauty on Amazon. Honestly, it was one of the first places I started shopping for beauty five or so years ago because it was so affordable— it was also when my love for the industry was truly born. After sifting through plenty of budget-friendly items and trying tons of its offerings, I can confidently say I know better than anyone that the retailer is full of under hyped buys that don’t get the attention they deserve.
While I do love a good viral TikTok product or a cult-favorite, I think there’s always room to expand our horizons. What most people don’t know is that Amazon is the perfect place to find deals on K-beauty, drugstore favorites, and even some more luxury-priced brands if you really keep an eye out. Today and through October 8, it’s the perfect time to shop for all of the above because it’s Amazon Prime Big Deals Day. If you have an Amazon Prime membership, you can shop flash deals on everything from fragrance to skincare, makeup, and haircare. To help you find where to start, I’ve put together a list of all the on-sale items I’m shopping that deliver on results, but don’t often get the hype they deserve.
Cat’s out of the bag, I guess! These items are some of my not-so-best-kept secrets. For everything I’m stocking up on, keep scrolling.
BIOSSANCE
Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Advanced Facial Oil
This highly-rated Biossance product combines two of my favorite ingredients—vitamin C and rose extract. While vitamin C is perfect for post-acne marks and overall hyperpigmentation, rose extract also helps calm inflammation. When both are combined, they give your skin a megawatt glow. Plus, this oil is so hydrating you only need a few drops on top of your regular skincare routine to really lock it all in. Honestly, it’s kind of pricy, so scoring a deal on it for Prime Day is truly all I can ask for.
Abib
Gummy Sheet Mask – Heartleaf
These sheet masks were recommended to me by master aesthetician Varuni Palacios and they’re now a K-beauty staple in my routine. I try to use them at least once or twice a week. They’re so hydrating and anti-inflammatory—perfect to use if you have breakout-prone skin. As a bonus, they’re refreshing and cool on the skin, something that really got my skin through a rough time. When you’re dealing with angry breakouts and redness, sometimes it feels like nothing will calm it down. But, let me tell you, these sheet masks always do right away. All while leaving your skin supple without clogging your pores.
VT COSMETICS
Cica Reedle Shot 100
This product went viral in Korean so naturally it piqued my interest. I tried it out for myself and couldn’t believe how great it was for texture and breakouts. It utilizes spicule technology which are tiny needle-like particles that essentially “push” unwanted debris out of the skin and drive active ingredients deeper into the pores. It’s so innovative (right on par with other Korean beauty products) and I couldn’t believe how affordable it was for what it could do. My skin has never looked more even-toned since I started using it. You may purge a bit at first if you decide to try it, but trust the process—the results are worth it.
BIODANCE
Refreshing Sea Kelp Real Deep Mask
I know everyone loves Biodance’s collagen masks (which also happen to be on sale for Big Deals Day), but you definitely don’t want to sleep on the brand’s Refreshing Sea Kelp Masks. I wont even lie to you, I actually prefer these over the collagen masks. I find that these are more soothing, hydrating, and calming—perfect for acne-prone skin. They still contain collagen peptides, but they also feature niacinamide, galactomyces, and sea kelp to help restore the skin’s water-oil balance. I love popping them on for three or more hours at night when I have nothing else to do and they always leave my skin with a subtle radiance without leaving any sticky residue.
This is one of my favorite deep conditioning masks of all time. It’s tough to find brands that offer products that can be used for coily hair outside of its designated curl collection, but Unite is one of those brands and I love it. This deep conditioning mask is silicone-free, but still adds so much definition, shine, and hydration to my hair in a flash. When it said “all hair types,” it meant it. It’s never heavy either, but I love to combine it with the brand’s curl collection for an extra boost.
Live Tinted
Hueguard Skin Tint SPF 50
I’m not usually huge on skin tints because some of them are a bit underwhelming and don’t cover much, but I really love this one from Live Tinted. It’s a little more buildable than your average skin tint, comes with SPF protection, and has a pretty good shade range for a lighter finish product.
COSRX
Snail Mucin Sheet Mask
CosRx’s Snail Mucin Essence is obviously one of the brand’s star products, but if you don’t necessarily want to incorporate snail mucin into your daily routine, these sheet masks are the perfect way to reap the benefits without having to do so. They’re so nourishing, hydrating, and repairing for a damaged skin barrier. Like my Abib sheet masks, I love using them once or twice a week to boost hydration and help perk up my skin after using a more aggressive exfoliant.
Moon Juice
Acid Potion Liquid Exfoliator
I always say this liquid exfoliant is a facial in a bottle. It contains a trio of glycolic, lactic, and salicylic acid to really decongest pores. But, what I love about it is that it also contains adaptogens like reishi mushroom to help soothe the skin barrier and keep it from getting overly sensitive or red. It’s definitely not a product my sensitive skin can use every day, but I do see a visible difference in my skin after using it once or twice a week.
L’Oreal Paris
True Match Lumi Glotion
A few celebrity makeup artists told me they often use this glow-enhancing product from L’Oréal on celebrities for red carpet events so I knew I had to try it. It’s now a favorite of mine. I like to mix a bit of it with my foundation to give it extra glow. I notice that when I do, people always ask how I got my foundation to look like that. *Conspiratorial whisper,* now you know!
Lumineux
Teeth Whitening Strips – 21 Treatments
It’s really hard to find whitening strips that work without making my teeth super sensitive, but I love Lumineux’s strips for this exact reason. They’re a bit of an underrated option IMO. It uses all-natural whiteners to lift stains from your teeth without making them feel insane for a few weeks after. I’m also picking up the brand’s toothpaste while I’m at it because a two-pack is also on sale for Big Deals Day.
Ellis Brooklyn
Vanilla Sin Fragrance Mist
This body mist from Ellis Brooklyn is sinfully delicious. If you’re like me and are a sucker for a good gourmand, you’ll totally fall in love with the rich combination of bourbon vanilla, black cherry, hazelnut, and almond cream. And, for a body mist, it has a lot of longevity and projection. Ellis Brooklyn’s other offerings usually get all the attention, but don’t let this one slip past your radar. It’s just too good.
Sulwhasoo
Gentle Cleansing Oil
This cleansing oil from Sulwhasoo is like a power washer for your makeup. It melts away waterproof mascara, foundation, blush—you name it—almost instantly. I use it when I want to be quick about removing my makeup at night, but it also works great as a first step cleanser to really break up debris in your pores too. It never leaves me feeling greasy afterwards either, but it does leave it hydrated with the brand’s Hydra Capture Complex.
