The Best Beauty Products We Tried in April Strengthened Our Nails, Softened Our Skin, and Saved Our Thighs

“Like any good beauty editor, I schlepped half a dozen SPF products on our family vacation. From oils and sprays to sticks and lotions, we were totally covered. Or so I thought. 

“Within two days, it was clear that our stash wouldn’t make it through the week. Luckily, the Ritz-Carlton hotel places giant bottles of sunscreen around the pool and beach areas. That’s how I discovered my new favorite brand, Project Reef. 

“Everyone in my family applied the SPF 50 lotion multiple times a day, and no one got even a hint of sunburn, which is impressive considering how strong the sun is down there. And even though it’s a mineral formula, it was easy to blend and didn’t leave a white cast. What’s more, true to its name, the sunscreen is reef-friendly, which is even more important to us after spending the majority of our trip enjoying the gorgeous Caribbean ocean.” — Andrea Lavinthal, Style and Beauty Director

“I love wearing dresses in the spring, but I do not love my thighs rubbing together while I run around town. This anti-friction stick from Ban is my new best friend. I just swipe it on my inner thighs (like deodorant), and then I can throw on any dress or shorts without hesitation.” — Erin Johnson, Associate Editorial Director

“Moisturizers of all kinds are spread plentily around my apartment, so I can combat dry skin throughout the day with just a reach of my hand. But lately, I’ve felt lotioning my legs and arms hasn’t been quite enough to get my skin to the supple, nourished state it yearns for.

“I saw this product from Korres and loved the multi-use of this olive oil, which is designed for your face, hair, and body. I’ve loved treating my skin to it when I feel it needs an extra dose of TLC. (And fortunately, it doesn’t even smell like cooking oil.)” — Erika Reals, Senior Shopping Editor

“I was first introduced to this fragrance in a flower-decked room at a glitzy New York City launch event, and even now, as I spritz it onto my skin weeks after our first meeting, its tantalizing floral scent hasn’t lost its magic. 

“While some spring scents can be overwhelming or sickly sweet, this perfume has a delicate aroma of white freesia and pear leaves and rounds out with grounding notes of sandalwood. As someone who can easily be overpowered by thick scents, this light and airy mist has been a welcome addition to my growing collection. Plus, it’s the perfect Mother’s Day gift — I mean, have you seen this gorgeous packaging?” — Alyssa Brascia, Shopping Writer

“Normally, I wouldn’t call this out because there is a waitlist to buy it, but that’s also why I need to. I have been in a battle with my hair-washing schedule for a decade because if I go longer than two days without washing my hair, it looks terrible. Dry shampoos rarely, if ever, work for me (I’ve tried them all). So, when K18 sent me a sample of their AirWash Dry Shampoo, I was highly skeptical. Then I used it and discovered that it’s a spritz, not a spray. I was intrigued.

“Since it dampens your hair, you can tell how long you have to massage it in (until it’s dry), and I could see it actively working. I don’t know what witchcraft went into this product, but I have never had a dry shampoo work so well with my hair. I have woken up with flat, stringy, dirty hair and watched as this product transformed my hair to look textured, volumized, and actually clean — like blown-out clean.

“I am not one to rave about a product unnecessarily, but this one warrants it. This dry shampoo lives up to its name of ‘air wash.’ I am absolutely floored by the results.” — Madison Yauger, Shopping Editor

“A look that’s been having a resurgence on my TikTok For You Page is 2000’s K-pop makeup. As a big K-beauty fan, I rushed to my makeup drawer to compile whatever I needed to create the early-aughts smokey eyeshadow.

“After experimenting with all sorts of products, I found that Em Cosmetics’ icy silver shade from the Magic Hour palette excelled at giving me that nostalgic Y2K frosted look without any blending catastrophes or irritation, despite all the shimmery goodness packed inside. And take it from me, a girl who even gets oily on her eyelids, that these creamy power eyeshadows will last all day, which makes the palette a perfect candidate for the best day-to-night option.” — Michelle Lee, Editorial Assistant

“I’ve been wanting to try this oil ever since I met with the founder, Marilyn Schlossbach, who discovered the benefits of its star ingredient, moringa oil, during a surf trip to Nicaragua. I threw it in my toiletry bag for a family vacation to Grand Cayman, thinking I’d maybe use it once or twice post-beach. I ended up slathering it head-to-toe (it’s non-comedogenic, so you can — and should! — apply it on your face) every night. 

“It’s super lightweight, yet leaves skin feeling incredibly silky. I even used it on my daughter to calm a mid-trip eczema flare-up and on my son to hydrate his skin after hours and hours of swimming in chlorine and saltwater. The 2 oz. bottle is perfect for travel, but consider this a formal request for the brand to make a family-sized jug of the stuff!” — Andrea Lavinthal

“There’s something so silly and fun about wearing glittery nail polish as an adult. This new spring color from Zoya is a Y2K throwback if there ever was one, and it’s been on my toes since the day I got it. (I’ll spare you a photo of my feet, but trust me, it’s a really cute color!)” — Erin Johnson

“One place I often neglect to use SPF is on my lips, which has resulted in cracked, painful, sunburnt lips on beach vacations in the past. I’ve since learned my lesson, but I hadn’t been able to find a SPF-infused product that wasn’t a lip balm that tasted like chemicals… until now. You can imagine my relief when I swiped on Tatcha’s luxurious Kissu Lip Tint for the first time.

“Armed with silk protein and botanical lanolin, this hydrating lippie works overtime to restore and repair dry lips while also protecting your lips, which are already extremely thin-skinned, with SPF 25. The tint is available in three everyday shades, including baby pink, soft red, and plum, adding a weightless kiss of color to your lips. This little tube has been a staple in my bag for the past few weeks, and I only see myself reaching for it more and more as the weather warms up.” — Alyssa Brascia

“I confess: I’m a major nail polish picker whose guilty pleasure is doing an at-home gel removal. However, I’m fully aware that all that scratching and acetone soaking means I have to go the extra mile with my nail care routine, which Dermelect has been a big part of. 

“Last May, I raved about the brand’s Peptide Polish, and this time around, I’m going to put you on its reviving oil. Nourishing and super absorbent, it hydrates the nail bed and cuticles in seconds, which means I can still go about my day but get the perks of having stronger nails as if I’d just gone to the salon. A drop of this is the easiest way to show your nails some love.” — Michelle Lee