Are you looking for the best beauty products to buy in the USA? Then take a look at this list full of the best creams, soaps, moisturizers, face products, and more!
Ok, usually when I talk about how amazing the United States is for shopping, I’m talking about makeup or electronics. Buuuuuut I have to admit that you can also find incredible skincare products. Drugstores are full of creams that offer you all kinds of results, and there are so many different brands we don’t have abroad. It’s (the best type of) crazy!
The number of products may seem like the best thing ever at first, but it can also make it harder for you to choose what to try. For example, you may find yourself wondering, “is this moisturizer good for oily skin” or “is this too expensive?” and then lose some precious time during your trip trying to find out what are the best options.
Luckily for you, I already did all that and some more research, and I’ve compiled a list of the best beauty products to buy when traveling to the USA. So you can enjoy your trip knowing beforehand what you will look for during your stop at a drugstore or Ulta.
You will find all types of skin products on the list below, be it for the face or the whole body. I divided the list by categories (cleanser, moisturizer, etc.,) and in each one, I picked an affordable and a more expensive option, so you can choose the one that better fits your budget. Whatever the price, all recommendations here are good quality and raved about online, and I’ve already used (and approved) several of them.
O TIME FOR SHOPPING? No worries! Just buy whatever you want at Amazon.com and have it delivered to your hotel. It's super convenient, and you can find almost everything there. If your hotel charges you for deliveries, you can try using Amazon Locker, the free locker service from the company.
BEST BEAUTY PRODUCTS TO BUY IN THE USA
Like every other product list post, the recommendations here are all cruelty-free. You won’t find any Neutrogena, Loreal, La Roche Posay, and similars here since they stand on animal testing is debatable. You also don’t need me to tell you they are good. They are bestsellers for a reason. Instead, I chose different brands that are still of incredible quality and are becoming huge in the US!
Facial Cleanser
Best affordable: Yes To Cucumber Gentle Milk Face Cleanser
Get used to seeing Yes To on this list cause the brand is superb, and their prices are even better. The Gentle Milk Face Cleanser is no different – it has 97% natural ingredients, and it’s recommended even for those with sensitive skin. In addition, it cleans without giving you that annoying stripping feeling.
I have already used two bottles of this cleanser, and I always buy more when I visit the states.
Best high-end: OLEHENRIKSEN Truth Juice Daily Cleanser
Formulated for all types of skin, this gel cleanser by OLEHENRIKSEN has orange fruit water on its formula, as well as PHA to give you a deep cleanse. It’s vegan, sulfate-free, and paraben-free, and it not only removes your makeup but it will also refresh your skin.
Cleansing Oil
Best affordable: Burt’s Bees Cleansing Oil
Burt’s Bees’ cleansing oil removes makeup and everyday dirt from your skin with coconut and Argan oil. It’s perfect for those who like to do the double-cleansing method, and it’s 100% natural, free from parabens or petrolatums.
If you have never used a cleansing oil, give it a chance! After cleaning, your skin will feel fresh and moisturized but without feeling oily. It’s a crazy concept, but it works!
Best high-end: Josie Maran Argan Cleansing Oil
Did you think Argan oil was just for the hair? Nope! Leave to Josie Maran to prove you wrong. All products of the brand are formulated with this ingredient, and you can find options such as moisturizers and cleansers. The cleansing oil is popular because it removes day-to-day pollution and has sunflower oil among its ingredients.
Looking for hair products recommendations to buy during your trip? Then check out this list with the best hair products to buy in the USA!
Tonic
I didn’t find any good high-end cruelty-free options for tonics, so here goes two affordable options:
Thayers Witch Hazel Astringent
The main ingredient of Thayers Witch Hazel Astringent is, as you may imagine, Witch Hazel. It is a medicinal plant with numerous benefits. This product is a true top-rated, being one of the bestsellers tonics in the country since 1847!
All its ingredients are natural, including aloe vera and rose water. It is a powerful astringent with vitamin C and helps with oily skin.
Pixi Glow Tonic
A must, according to beauty gurus all over YouTube. Pixi’s Glow Tonic has Glycolic Acid on its formula, which means it helps with dead skin and minimizes pores. It doesn’t have alcohol among the ingredients, so it is recommended for all skin types. It will help make your skin softer and healthier!
Serum
Best affordable: The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5
The Ordinary is another famous brand due to its quality ingredients and affordable prices. This Hyaluronic Acid serum is made with different molecular weights of HA to ensure that it will intensely hydrate the skin. You can use it on your morning and evening routine, and it also has vitamin B5 to help make your skin smoother. I’ve used countless bottles of this product, and I can guarantee you: it’s worth every penny!
Best high-end: Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum
Among the best beauty products to buy in the USA, you will find numerous items from Drunk Elephant. The brand is incredibly popular, and its consumers agree that the heavy price tag is more than worth it due to the fantastic results. The Framboos Glycolic Night Serum is 12% AHA/BHA, so the formula will help exfoliate and remove dead skin. There is a reason this is one of Drunk Elephant’s bestsellers: your face will look softer and healthier with every use!
Face Moisturizer
Best affordable: Yes To Tomatoes Daily Balancing Moisturizer
The Daily Balancing Moisturizer from Yes To is 97% natural, and its formula contains watermelon extract, red tea, and lycopene to hydrate your skin. It’s rich in oxidants from fruit, so your skin will look more even if you apply it every day. It’s also lightweight, so even those with oily skin can benefit from it!
Best high-end: Tatcha The Water Cream
Another famous brand, according to beauty YouTubers from the US. Tatcha’s Water Cream is one of the brand’s bestsellers, and it’s an oil-free moisturizer that hydrates deeply without leaving that sticky, oily feeling. It’s full of Japanese botanic vitamins to boost its moisturizing effect, and it also helps improve skin texture.
Exfoliants and Peelings
Best affordable: The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution
This chemical exfoliant by The Ordinary works as any other mask: you apply it on your face and leave it on for 10 minutes, washing it off afterward. It helps to even skin texture, and if you use it regularly, it promises glowy healthy skin. I have this, and even though I’m most into Asian cosmetics now, I still repurchase it religiously and use it twice a week. It always amazes me how you can see the difference on your skin with only one use, and you can’t beat the affordable price!
Best high-end: SUNDAY RILEY Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment
Sunday Riley took the luxury skincare market by storm. Yes, the products are pricy, but with countless positive reviews, it’s hard to find a beauty Youtuber that doesn’t have at least one of their products on their skincare routine. Good Genes has achieved “holy grail” status among several customers, and it exfoliates the skin due to the lactic acid on its formula. It’s so powerful that it promises visible results in only 3 minutes!
Makeup Remover
Best affordable: Yes To Cotton Comforting Micellar Cleansing Water
We are still not done with Yes To. With cotton extract on the formula, this Micellar Water removes dirt from your skin while moisturizing it. It can be used by any skin type, even the sensible ones, and it will leave your skin feeling soft and refreshed.
Best high-end: Drunk Elephant Slaai™ Makeup-Melting Butter Cleanser
I think we may be onto a trend here with all these fruit-based products. Drunk Elephant’s Cleansing Butter has kiwi and strawberry seed extract on its formula, and it helps remove all your makeup, even that annoying waterproof mascara. It has a mix of oils among the ingredients, so it also nourishes your skin!
Interested in Korean products to add to your skincare routine? Then check out this post with the best Korean beauty products for healthy, glowy skin!
Eye cream
Best affordable: Burt’s Bees Renewal Smoothing Eye Cream
The Renewing Smoothing Eye Cream helps firm the skin around your eyes for a younger, renewed appearance. It has a hibiscus and apple extract complex to lock moisture in place while also diminishing fine lines and wrinkles!
Best high-end: Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream
With five forms of vitamin c and cucumber extract, this eye cream will firm the skin around your eyes and make you look rested and refreshed. According to the brand, if you use it on your morning and night skincare routine, you will also improve the appearance of that stubborn age lines.
Lip balm
Best affordable: Burt’s Bees Natural Lip Balm
With several different flavors, Burt’s Bees lip balms are well known across the US for a reason. They are 100% natural, hydrate like crazy, and the brand even has some advanced treatment balms for chapped lips.
Best high-end: Korres Lip Butter
This lip butter will soothe and moisturize your lips with different oils on its formula. It also contains shea butter, so even those with chapped lips can use it comfortably for long. It comes in various shades and leaves a sheer tint.
Facial Mask
Best affordable: Burt’s Bees Hydrating Overnight Mask
Burt’s Bees’ mask has avocado among its main ingredients. It will lock the moisture on your face while you sleep, so you will have that “I woke up like this” feeling but better cause your skin will feel refreshed and nourished. It’s 99% natural.
Best high-end: Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial™ 25% AHA + 2% BHA Mask
Baby skin but better? That’s the promise of the Sukari Babyfacial from Drunk Elephant. It has AHA/BHA acids to improve skin texture and make it even. It also has potent antioxidants to help nourish the face. All skin tips can use it, and it also helps with fine lines and wrinkles.
Face Sunscreen
Best affordable: Sun Bum SPF 50 Face Lotion
This sunscreen has a lightweight formula that absorbs quickly, perfect for everyday use. You will get a matte, opaque finish without the characteristic sticky sunscreen feeling. Adults and children can use it.
Best high-end: THANKYOU FARMER Sun Project Light Sun Essence
I can’t talk about sunscreen and not mention an Asian product, right? THANK YOU FARMER is a Korean brand well known for its sun protection products, and this face sun essence has FPS50 and PA+++. It’s lightweight, absorbs quickly, and you won’t even feel it on your skin after a couple of minutes!
Acne Treatment
Best affordable: Mario Badescu Drying Lotion
This award-winning acne treatment promises to take care of your blemishes while you sleep, cleaning your skin in only one night! It has salicylic acid and zinc oxide among its ingredients to help clean your skin while simultaneously treating it. Many people consider this the best acne treatment on the market, and it has been a bestseller for years!
Best high-end: Sunday Riley Saturn Sulfur Acne Treatment Mask
This mask helps with acne, minimizes pores, and helps balance your natural oil production. It can be used when you already have breakouts and as a prevention measure, and it works even on hormonal acne. It’s a strong product, so only use it for around 20 minutes and then wash it off with warm water. Most reviews say something along the lines of “it changed my life!” and “the only thing that worked on my skin!” so if you feel hopeless about your acne, give this a try.
Soap
Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Soap
If you are looking for an all-in-one type of product, look no further. Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Soap has many different uses, such as soap, shampoo, makeup remover, detergent, and even laundry detergent! It has different versions, but the most popular ones are chamomile and peppermint. I’ve tried both and like them a lot, and I always buy travel-size bottles when I visit the US to take them with me on my trips. It’s 100% natural and vegan.
Body Lotion
Best affordable: LUSH Sleepy
A lavender moisturizer enriched with almond and jojoba oil, as well as cocoa butter. As the name may clue you, it’s perfect to use before sleep or when you need to relax. I have a small bottle and always use a bit of it before bedtime when I feel like I need a treat!
Best high-end: First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream
The First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream is the perfect lotion for those with dry skin since it has oats, shea butter, and antioxidants among the ingredients. It can be used on your face and your body, and it will soothe your skin on the first use. In addition, it’s clinically proven to improve skin hydration by 169% when you apply.
Body Scrub
Best affordable: Frank Body Coffee Scrub
With a mix of ground coffee and essential oils, this body scrub will remove dead skin while also moisturizing your skin due to the almond oil on its formula. It also has vitamin E to help with scars and sea salt to exfoliate better. Some people swear by it to reduce the appearance of cellulite.
Best high-end: Herbivore Natural Amethyst Exfoliating Body Polish
With crushed amethyst gemstone among its ingredients, this hydrating body exfoliator is rich in magnesium and coconut oil, gently exfoliating the skin and nourishing it at the same time. It also helps improve skin texture while making it glowy! A real deluxe treat for your self-care days!
Sunscreen
Best affordable: Sun Bum Original Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 30 Lotion
Waterproof, oil-free, and reef-friendly, this sunscreen has vitamin E to moisturize your skin while protecting it from sun damage. It’s also non-comedogenic, and it’s paraben-free and gluten-free. So the whole family can use it as their everyday sunscreen!
Best high-end: Supergoop! PLAY Everyday Lotion
The PLAY Everyday Lotion Sunscreen is waterproof and sweat resistant. It absorbs quickly so your skin won’t have that sticky, oily feeling, and it can be used every day!
Self-tanner
Best high-end: St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse
St. Tropez is famous for its self-tanners, so it’s no surprise they are among the best beauty products to buy in the USA! Apply this tan bronzing mousse once, and you will have a natural tanned look for up to 7 days. You can even control how deep your tan will be – leave it on for 1 hour, and you will have a honey gold look, while with 3 hours, you will have a deep, darker tan. It also doesn’t stain, and it’s super easy to apply!
Best high-end: Supergoop! Healthy Glow Sunless Tan SPF 40
With a formula that will tan your skin as well as hydrate it, the Healthy Glow Sunless Tan from Supergoop promises a long-lasting, non-staining tan. Leave it on for 2 to 4 hours for a healthy gold glow, or leave it on for longer until you get to your desired sunkissed color. It has SPF on it, so you can even use it instead of your usual sunscreen!
Beauty Tools
FOREO Luna
Winner of Allure’s 2019 Best of Beauty Award, this toll will shake up your skincare with its 1-minute deep clean routine. You can select the pulsation intensity through the FOREO app to ensure you get a cleanse that fits your skin type. If you want to test it before investing in a more expensive model, you can try the Luna Play Plus 2, which is a little bit smaller but also more affordable.
BEST BEAUTY PRODUCTS TO BUY IN THE USA IN 2023
And there it goes, a complete list of the best beauty products to buy when traveling to the USA! Of course, some brands are not popular globally yet, but they are getting huge in the states, and I guarantee you won’t regret testing some of their bestsellers.
Something missing on this list? Need any more recommendations? Let me know in the comments!
In need of more recommendations for your shopping list? Then check out this post with the best products to buy in the USA – electronics, home appliances, make-up, sports goods, clothes, accessories, toys, etc.
