A couple of weeks ago I was talking about beauty (what else) with my lovely co-worker Schuyler Youngstrom, Who What Wear’s Sr. Manager of Email, SMS & Partnerships. At the time, she was wrapping up an “I Tried It” story where she used the buzzy sculpting tool Hailey Bieber swears by, for a month straight, to see if the hype and results were as incredible as Bieber (and countless other celebs) have touted them to be.
I won’t give away the results—you’ll have to read all about it here—but the whole concept of trying products based on word of mouth and/or social media influence was interesting to us. As someone who is forced to read WWW’s beauty content each and every day as part of her job, Schuyler confirmed that our glowing product reviews have convinced her to buy on more than one occasion, and eventually, her reviews of the products she’s tried because of us, have influenced people in her own circle to buy and try. And so the cycle goes.
Obviously, we are still living in comparatively remote times so “word-of-mouth” may look more like “word-of-reading-or-watching” but the influence of people we trust sharing their favorite beauty discoveries isn’t lost on us. (I’m sure you can relate.) So many stories are born out of conversations I have with my co-workers, and this one is no different! After talking with Schuyler I was inspired to reach out to a bunch of different people who work at WWW (from our amazing Creative team to our ultra-fab People team) to see which beauty products they’ve been influenced to buy solely based on good ‘ol word-of-mouth gushing. Keep scrolling! 18 outstanding beauty finds we’ve unearthed through friends, significant others, co-workers, TikTok, and more, are just below.
“Our Editor in Chief Kat Collings wrote a story where she tried our Chief Revenue Officer Shayna Kossove’s skincare routine for five months, and I have never added something to cart so quickly. Shayna is flawless and ageless, so if she says SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic is her secret, I am in. It has not disappointed. I feel my skin looks instantly brighter from the moment I put it on.”
“This product was recommended to me by my friend April Uchitel who knows everything about the business of beauty! My mom has been pressuring me to use a natural deodorant for 10+ years—escalated by the fact that her sister very sadly died from breast cancer at a fairly early age. Still, I was never happy with any of the brands I’d tried in the past. But Corpus Neroli = perfection. It’s safe, effective, smells divine (but not too strong!), and looks sleek on my beauty shelf.”
“True story: I’d never worn foundation until I tried this one. And there is a reason we keep hearing about this since it first launched in 2000! This is a go-to foundation for every celebrity makeup artist (seriously). Plus, everyone on TikTok is so excited about the mini size! It’s lightweight and really serves as a second skin. If you’re looking for a natural, glowy makeup look that doesn’t feel or look bulky, search no more. It’s never cakey, always radiant, and the formula is also oil-free, comes in 40 shades, and has Micro-fil Technology that sculpts and brightens. No doubt this is what I will wear on my wedding day this October, and I know it will wear beautifully through the night.”
” I was influenced to buy this through TikTok *shocker* it is truly amazing for a natural everyday look (the only WFH makeup I will put on). It comes out looking white but once you rub it together, the heat from your hands creates a natural shade that blends perfectly into your skin tone. This product is like magic and it has SPF which I love. 10/10 recommend!”
“I’m a fragrance person. And I’m one that will rotate between a few scents (rather than having just one signature scent). So I’m actually going to share two fragrances I got because a few fashion friends told me how heavenly they were. The first is Celine’s Black Tie Eau de Parfum. It’s delicious with the notes of cedar, vanilla, and must. Celine is actually launching a new fragrance called Rimbaud (a dedication to the French poet, Arthur Rimbaud) on January 21 that I’m also excited to test out. The other is an oldie but a goodie, Le Labo’s Thé Noir 29. I’ve worn this fragrance for years after a colleague told me to go for it, and I’ve rebought over and over again.”
“I was convinced to try out this mask that I’m now calling my own personal skincare warrior by none other than Paris Hilton. It comes at a steep price but the amount of money and time it will be saving me on facials is exponential. It has become a part of my daily routine and while it’s healing my acne and dark spots I also slow down with a good book or a quick meditation while I’m using it.”
“If you’re medium- or dark-skinned, you need this SPF in your life. One of my pet peeves is when sunscreens leave my face looking ghostly from a mean white cast, but because Live Tinted’s formula is a yellowish hue, that’s no longer an issue for me. I found out about it from a YouTuber I like whose skin tone is similar to mine. It’s basically undetectable and gives off a glowy finish, plus it’s a good base for makeup. Oh, and it’s a mineral SPF too, so no eye irritation here!”
“I couldn’t decide between an esthetician or an at-home facial option, so I asked my boyfriend if he had any ideas because he has great skin, and I can trust his judgment with that kind of thing. He started talking about this clean skincare brand that he loves named Versed and told me about this fantastic resurfacing mask that I should try. It was kind of funny because he didn’t realize that Versed is Who What Wear’s sister brand, and after explaining this to him, he shamed me for not already knowing about it and turned the entire situation by asking me to buy more of this for himself!”
“It goes without saying that I follow a lot of beauty editors on social media. I can always tell when a product is going to be a hit based on who is posting about it, what they’re saying, and who’s actually using it consistently. I knew I had to get my hands on this color-correcting treatment when it kept cropping up over and over again on Instagram and Tik Tok. I can say confidently that if you deal with any redness or uneven skin tone, this color corrector really evens everything out smoothly. I love that it’s both a sunscreen and a color corrector (and it also makes a really good primer).”
“My lovely coworker, senior beauty editor, Erin Jahns made me do it. I’m not even a huge lip plump person but after seeing multiple people in the industry buzzing about it, and Erin wearing it, I pulled the trigger. This stuff is no joke—it definitely lives up to the hype, and is worth the hefty price tag. It’s made with an innovative peptide complex consisting of hyaluronate, niacin, ceramides, and palmitoyl tripeptide, all of which help hydrate and visibly plump lips. I love how lightweight the formula feels and that my lips always feel super ‘juicy’ and look surprisingly full after using it. A total game changer!”
“At this point, almost everyone has heard of Ilia’s Skin Tint—either from your friends or from someone talking about it on social media. After seeing tons of reviews on TikTok and one of my good friends raving about the product, I finally had to try it out for myself. I’m always in search of the next best foundation, one that has enough coverage to fake flawless skin while also feeling light and dewy. This product does exactly that. Everyone I’ve turned onto the skin tint is equally obsessed. Needless to say, I 10/10 recommend.”
“I can honestly say this was the best $40 I’ve spent on Amazon. Maybe the best $40 I’ve spent anywhere, for that matter. It was my coworkers who tested out this blow dry brush for a story that convinced me to try it, and I’ve never looked back. I’m so low-maintenance in the hair department (read lazy) so I just bought it on a whim, but have been impressed with how easy it is to use and fast that it’s become an integral part of my routine and I can’t imagine styling my hair any other way. It takes my hair from slightly damp to freshly blown out in less than 20 minutes and the final result looks pretty professional, if I do say so myself.”
“I was convinced by a friend to try this foundation. I was a bit skeptical cause it’s on the pricey side, but I can honestly say it’s the best foundation I’ve ever used. It blends into the skin so seamlessly and is great for days you’d like extra coverage. The shade Sand also matches me perfectly which is incredibly rare. I usually am in-between shades and have to mix, but this one does the trick! I’ll never stop buying it to be quite honest.”
“I was once the queen of falsies but since working from home for the last 2 years, I decided to give my lashes a much needed break. As I was not blessed with long, thick lashes to begin with they were already thin and on the sparse side. After seeing multiple influencers post their before and afters on Instagram using the Dime Eyelash Boost Serum, I had to see for myself what the hype was all about. Needless to say, I’m officially convinced after using it for the last 2 months. Not sure where these babies came from but I’m here for it!”
“After hearing my fellow editors talk about C E Ferulic nonstop, I splurged and gave this one a try—and I never looked back. Yes, it smells like hot dog water. And yes, for some people who have acne-prone skin, you might experience breakouts (and for that I recommend the Silymarin CF formula!). But for me, it works so well at brightening my skin and giving it that natural, let-the-compliments roll in glow. My skin always looks and feels healthier, radiant, and smoother when I apply this on the regular. And because you only need about five drops to apply, the $166 bottle can last you for a couple of months.”
“I’d never even heard of Westman Atelier before and then suddenly I’m buying all three shades of the brand’s highlighter in one go. I discovered the product after quizzing a friend who was staying with me in LA about everything in her makeup bag. It’s a creamy texture with just the right amount of shimmer to achieve the perfect glow. My favorite of the three shades is the Peau de Soleil which I dab on my cheekbones for a bronzy, sun-kissed look.”
“If there’s one thing I know for sure about myself, it’s that I truly *loathe* getting my nails done. I know that this isn’t necessarily the most popular opinion in the world, but it just is not for me! That’s why I’m absolutely in love with Tella Nails, a press-on nails small business founded by our very own Paulina Galoostian (Director of Influencer Marketing) and her sister. When Paulina launched her first collection it was love (and the bliss of pure convenience) at first sight! My favorite pair as of right now is in the shade 5th Avenue, it’s the perfect deep green and pairs well with my favorite denim and a glass of cab sav. I have my eyes on their new shade I Lilac You as well and can’t wait to test them out. Don’t forget their brush on glue for the easiest application, dare I say, ever.”
“I struggled with finding the perfect SPF for years until a friend in London recommended La Roche Posay’s Anthelios Age Correct and now I’m totally devoted. It’s SPF 50, but it doesn’t feel heavy or make me break out (which almost all other sunscreens do). For another added bit of magic it’s genuinely helping to improve my skin tone and lessen my sun spots.”
Up next, 35 Bang-for-Your-Buck Beauty Items to Try in 2022, According to Editors
