40 Cheap Beauty Products With The Highest Amazon Ratings That You Never Knew Existed

Made of ultra-soft, 100% biodegradable materials, these single-use face towels are a gentler and more hygienic alternative to your usual terry cloth bath towels. They’ve garnered a cult following on Amazon, earning an impressive 4.7-star rating after over 10,000 shoppers weighed in. “I have realized such a difference in my face…mainly lack of breakouts! Also, I love how universal it is! I use it to dry my face, wipe make up, wash off clay mask, and to even clean off my vanity,” one reviewer raved. This box of 50 extra-large towels rings up at around $17, but you can take the advice of some enterprising shoppers and only use half a towel at a time.

This tinted lip balm from Honest Beauty has made quite a splash on Amazon, amassing well over 12,000 perfect five-star ratings to date. Like all the brand’s products, it uses plant-based ingredients, like acai extract and avocado oil, to leave lips hydrated, smooth, and with a wash of “lush” color, as one shopper described it. Another customer wrote, “This is my go to lip balm for feeling put together each day whether I’m in full makeup or not. Pop of color with [the] nice moisturizing feel of a high quality balm.” Choose from six natural-looking shades, or opt for the colorless option if you prefer that glossy, dewy finish, minus the pigment.

• Available shades: 7

You’ve probably seen your fair share of sheet masks on Amazon, but these sheet masks from cult K-beauty brand LAPCOS are a little under-the-radar — plus, they come in some seriously inventive iterations with targeted effects, like moisturizing “Milk,” brightening “Pearl,” “Red Wine” for elasticity, and “Cica,” the does-it-all herbal ingredient that works wonders to calm and heal the skin. “Extremely moisturizing and immediately plumps your skin,” raved one of thousands of reviewers; another weighed in, “This mask revived my skin and left me feeling like I'd had an infusion of moisture. Felt great inside and out for the rest of the day.”

• Available varieties: 13

These Julep eyeshadow sticks are probably the most popular makeup item you’ve never even heard of — a consistent best-seller on Amazon, they’re backed by over 23,000 five-star ratings and counting. It makes sense that they’re so popular. The ultra-creamy stick formulation is foolproof to apply, and though you have a solid few seconds to blend it in (via the handy built-in sponge on the other side of the applicator), it soon sets to a budge-proof powder finish that reviewers confirm is truly long-lasting — several shoppers report that it’s even stayed on after swimming. More to love? It comes in 30 gorgeous shades with metallic, matte, and shimmery finishes — the latter two of which can pull double-duty as highlighters — and costs under $15 a pop.

• Available shades: 30

At less than $30, this triple-barrel curling iron is shockingly inexpensive — and with over 25,000 ratings and a 4.3-star rating overall, it’s also shockingly popular, while still remaining under-the-radar. That triple-barrel design creates soft, mermaid-esque waves in minutes, and the ceramic plates help reduce unwanted frizz. Thanks to its thoughtful design — including a 60-second heat-up time, ergonomic handle, swivel cord, and adjustable heat settings — it’s beloved by people with all hair types and all skill levels. “I have super straight hair and with this I was able to give myself beach waves in about 10 minutes,” one wrote; and of the incredible results, another shopper raved, “I did my hair and everyone literally thought I got it done at a salon.”

Made with a potent blend of apple cider vinegar, rosemary, glycolic acid, and salicylic acid, this scalp detox from Pacifica Beauty comes backed by thousands of reviews touting its transformational effects. “My hair feels fuller and stronger after just two uses,” one shopper wrote, and another reported, “It feels invigorating while on and rinses clean! My scalp felt so clean after and my hair had a nice shine to it!” Though it’s particularly great for people with oily scalps, dandruff, itchiness, irritation, or product build-up, anyone can benefit from its clarifying and balancing benefits.

Earning an overall 4.5-star rating after over 30,000 ratings in total, this cute little kabuki brush is hands-down one of the most popular makeup brushes on Amazon. The squat, hexagonal handle fits nicely in your hand, offering much more control than long-handled brushes, and its densely packed bristles seamlessly blend out all types of makeup — including liquid, creams, and powders — to create a soft-focus finish. In other words, it’s pretty much the only base brush you’ll need — and it costs under $9.

• Available colors: 10

Amazon is an amazing resource for top-rated Asian beauty products that are still under-the-radar Stateside, like this mascara remover from Japanese beauty brand Heroine Make, which boasts the most genius application vehicle ever: A tiny, mascara-like comb that you brush right over your lashes, allowing the makeup remover to dissolve your mascara (including waterproof formulas) without needing to tug at your delicate eyelids. With a near-perfect 4.7-star rating, Amazon users are beginning to catch onto this hidden gem.

Another best-selling product that’s nevertheless little-known outside of Amazon, these foot peel masks have amassed an impressive 4.5-star rating after over 65,000 shoppers have weighed in. These sock-like masks are infused with a blend of fruit acids that dissolve all the dead skin on your feet — including rough calluses and heels — which will start to peel over the next week or so, leaving your feet softer than you ever thought possible outside of a professional pedi. Not yet convinced? The before-and-after pictures speak for themselves.

• Available scents: 12

Touch in Sol’s No Pore Blem Primer has developed a cult following over the past few years, but this iteration is especially clever — the primer’s green tint cancels out any redness in your skin, so reviewers with rosacea, unwanted red-toned scarring, and run-of-the-mill ruddiness in particular swear by it. The primer itself works to mitigate shine and create a silky-smooth veil over your skin, so any base products you apply over the top will glide on so smoothly — or create a soft-focus effect over your bare skin if you prefer to go without makeup. Plus, it has over 8,000 five-star ratings to back it up.

This popular retinol body cream from Nature Well has earned thousands of reviews on Amazon, with a full 74% of shoppers awarding it a perfect five-star rating. In addition to ultra-hydrating ingredients like coconut oil and glycerin, it contains encapsulated retinol that steadily delivers the potent ingredient into your skin to reduce the chance of irritation. The pump-top packaging makes it so easy to apply all over your body. And since it’s relatively gentle, non-greasy, and absorbs quickly, several reviewers love using it on their faces, too.

Thousands of Amazon reviewers love this cult-favorite mask from K-beauty brand Skinfood for its brightening and softening effects — and it’s the rare physical exfoliant that doesn’t feel too harsh on sensitive skin. “I have very dry, very sensitive skin, and this mask is one of the only products I can find that doesn’t burn it and leaves it smooth, soft, and bright,” one shopper confirmed. You can use it two ways — either as an exfoliant, or as a mask (just be sure to massage the granules into your skin when it’s time to rinse it off). However you use it, shoppers write that a little goes a long way, so this $10 jar will last you ages.

If your hair is damaged in any way — or if you’re hoping to achieve stronger hair in general — you need this under-$10 Korean hair mask that hundreds of shoppers call a “miracle” (and over 25,000 more awarded a five-star rating). The formula is packed with every strengthening ingredient imaginable, including collagen, hydrolyzed plant proteins, and ceramides, and reviewers report all kinds of hair benefits after just one use — faster regrowth, less breakage, and more volume, to name just a few.

Over 13,000 shoppers who left a five-star rating can’t live without this Provence Beauty Rose Multi-Use Oil — and it’s an editor-favorite, too. True to the name, the simple yet potent blend of apricot kernel oil, sweet almond oil, vitamin E, and gorgeous dried rose petals can be used everywhere on your face, body, nails, and hair, infusing it with vitamins, fatty acids, and antioxidants. You can get creative with its uses, too — try it as a shave oil, massage oil, bath oil, or with your manicures.

Made with brightening vitamin C, caffeine, and mint, this eye roller is beloved by thousands of Amazon shoppers. Plus, it’s been previously recommended by Garnier’s celebrity beauty expert Millie Morales, who calls it one of the brand’s best under-the-radar products. Stick it in the fridge to really benefit from the metal roller application and the product’s soothing gel texture.

Hanalei has become one of Amazon’s best-kept secrets, and the Hawaii-based brand’s lip treatment is a particular fan favorite. It’s made with the brand’s signature Hawaiian kukui nut oil, which is packed with fatty acids and vitamins that soften and restore chapped lips. Plus, it comes in seven scents, like the delicious, sweet-and-spicy pumpkin spice version linked here. They all have a glossy finish, but some also have a subtle tint to them.

• Available shades: 7

After leaving it on for as little as five minutes, then following up with a file or pumice stone, this professional-grade gel works to dissolve even the most stubborn calluses and roughest heels, leaving your feet super-soft and smooth. It’s amassed over 50,000 ratings — reason enough to try it out for yourself. “I’ve been dealing with super dry, cracked heels forever!! This product along with a foot file did wonders. I can’t even describe what came off of my feet,” one customer raved.

You may not have heard of Cake Beauty yet, but beauty shoppers on Amazon are starting to discover the hidden gem of a brand — this curl cream, one of the brand’s most popular products, has earned a 4.4-star rating from over 7,000 ratings in total. It’s vegan, cruelty-free, and made with some amazing plant-based ingredients like shea butter and avocado oil to soften, smooth, and define all kinds of curls. “I was recommended this by my hairdresser and I’m in love. It works so amazing on my hair, it doesn’t make it feel crunchy. My hair feels soft, not heavy, and it really defines my curls,” one of those happy reviewers wrote.

According to thousands of reviewers, this little exfoliating brush works wonders to prevent razor bumps, pull out ingrown hairs, or just to buff away rough, dry patches anywhere below the neck (some shoppers use it on their faces as well, but it may be too harsh for people with sensitive skin). Plus, the handle is easy to grip in your hand, and since you can clean it with soap and water, it’s a more hygienic alternative to loofahs.

Niacinamide is the skin care world’s buzziest ingredient right now, so if you’ve been curious to give it a try, start with this Naturium niacinamide serum — at just about $16, and with a 4.5-star rating, you can’t go wrong. In here, 12% niacinamide is bolstered by zinc PCA and hyaluronic acid, creating a serum that basically does it all — balances oil production, refines uneven skin texture, hydrates, and more.

Long before hyaluronic acid became the ingredient du jour, Hada Labo was selling thousands — maybe even millions — of their hyaluronic acid essence in their native Japan. Formula wise, this lands somewhere between a toner, an essence, and a milky lotion. It makes your skin feel super soft but not sticky, and it drenches your face in multiple types of hyaluronic acid to infuse it with maximum hydration. The result? Ultra plump, dewy, radiant-looking skin.

There’s a pretty obvious reason these are one of Amazon’s biggest, most consistent best sellers in the beauty category: You get five top-quality makeup sponges for just $10 (each of which is big enough to cover your entire face, but pointy enough to get into the nooks and crannies near your nose and eyes). If you wear any sort of base makeup at all — foundation, tinted moisturizer, pressed powder, concealer — this purchase is a no-brainer.

Cutting your cuticles is actually a major nail care no-no — instead, try a conditioning cream that will help soften your cuticles and strengthen your nails. Made with nourishing ingredients like aloe vera, shea butter, vitamin E, and seaweed from Japan, this cream/serum hybrid will help restore and revive dry, brittle nails and cracked cuticles within mere days if you use it consistently. Luckily, that’s easy to do, thanks to its mess-free applicator trip and travel-friendly size.

For your next night out, turn your eyelids into a disco ball with this bold, fun, glittery liquid eyeshadow. Available in over 10 shades, from trendy mermaid green to a goth-chic black with silver flecks, this Allure Best of Beauty winner dries down quickly and stays on through a full night of dancing.

• Available shades: 11

One of Korea’s most beloved sunscreens, A’PIEU’s Pure Block sunscreen has thousands of five-star ratings on Amazon and comes in four different formulas to suit various skin types and needs. The Daily Sun Cream is the OG, but it also comes in gel, waterproof, and toning versions. (The gel is ultra lightweight and non-greasy, making it ideal for acne-prone skin; the waterproof version is self-explanatory; and Tone Up promotes a more even complexion with a slightly pink, pearly finish). All of them provide a minimum of SPF 45 protection (or higher) and are free of any annoying white cast. Plus, that $10 price can’t be beat.

When you need a quick fix for tired or puffy eyes, these golden masks tout that they’re “like an energy drink for your eyes.” Actress Jessica Alba, who has previously shared her love for the mini masks, agrees, as do the 7,000-plus Amazon reviewers who gave these Grace & Stella eye masks a five-star rating. Ingredients like hydrolyzed collagen and hyaluronic acid help to refresh, cool, hydrate, and plump up the under-eye area in just 15 to 20 minutes. But if more hydration or plumping is your primary concern, the brand offers targeted blue and pink eye masks, too. Either way, try popping them in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes prior to using them for additional cooling and de-puffing benefits.

You won’t find any sulfates or harsh cleansing agents in this body wash, which instead uses a blend of plant oils and extracts to cleanse as it soothes and hydrates. You’ll recognize common moisturizers like coconut oil and jojoba oil among the ingredients list, but the body wash also includes peppermint oil, tea tree oil, and aloe oil to deodorize and calm skin irritations. “I was breaking out in hives with folliculitis from my skin allergies,” wrote one Amazon reviewer who gave the body wash five stars. “This has completely calmed my skin down. It also makes my skin softer and smells incredible.”

You probably already know Bioderma for its cult-favorite micellar water, which is a staple in makeup artists’ kits and backstage at every fashion week show. But the brand is also a French pharmacy staple with dozens of products across skin care, sun care, and hair care categories. One tried-and-true skin care favorite on Amazon is the Sébium Pore Refining Cream, which can be used on its own or as a pore-minimizing primer for makeup. The secret behind the cream’s effectiveness is a combination of the brand’s patented Fluidactiv complex and salicylic acid, which help to regulate sebum production and prevent your pores from becoming clogged with the dead skin and oil that contribute to a congested appearance.

Want to amp up your eye makeup looks without cluttering your makeup table? Prism’s Highly Pigmented Eye Makeup Palette created one palette with enough eyeshadow colors to rival a rainbow. While most prestige eyeshadow quads will essentially cost you more than $10 per color, Prism’s palette gives you 40 eyeshadow shades for just $10. The quality is there, too, according to the palette’s 14,000 five-star ratings. “I was blown out of the water by how pigmented, long-lasting, and easy to blend the colors are,” wrote one Amazon reviewer.

Dry skin and irritation post-shaving are problems of the past with this Tree Hut Moisturizing Shave Oil. The moisture-rich formula applies like a gel and transforms into an oil to allow for a super-close shave without causing any irritation, nicks, or cuts. Free from drying alcohols and sulfates, the shave oil instead uses ingredients like coconut oil, argan oil, jojoba seed oil, and shea butter to hydrate skin, as well as soothing ingredients like allantoin and oat kernel extract. “I got a much smoother shave using this than I ever did using shaving cream and shaving butter,” wrote one Amazon reviewer. “Everything was soft, smooth, and felt more moisturized. I had zero irritation anywhere.”

• Available scents: 3

Dry shampoo is a holy grail beauty product, but it’s also surprisingly hard to find a formula that soaks up excess oil without leaving your scalp itchy and irritated. Enter Hair Dance’s Volumizing Dry Shampoo, which contains only a few essential ingredients. Organic rice starch, silica, and organic colloidal oatmeal absorb the excess oil and sweat that contribute to greasy strands, while organic olive leaf helps to keep hair feeling soft and lavender oil leaves behind a soft scent without any harsh synthetic fragrances. Cruelty-free and vegan, the dry shampoo is also more environmentally conscious because it uses a twist-top applicator that lets you sprinkle the dry shampoo right where you need it (as opposed to the typical aerosol spray, which is bad for the environment and also drying to your hair).

Serums can get pricey — especially when they boast some major benefits like protecting against free radicals and brightening unwanted hyperpigmentation. Seoul Ceuticals’ Day Glow Serum delivers all of the above for just $20 with its vitamin C serum. In addition to the 20% vitamin C in the formula, the serum also includes ferulic acid and vitamin E, which together help to boost vitamin C’s effects and stabilize it (vitamin C quickly degrades when exposed to sunlight and heat).

If you find it difficult to comb through knots and tangles after you shower, a conditioning detangler may just be the product you’re missing. The milk_shake Leave-In Conditioner Spray is a lightweight spray that you can mist directly onto your mid-lengths and ends, but it provides enough moisture for dry hair types. Among its key ingredients, you’ll find milk proteins to strengthen and moisturize, honey extract to provide more conditioning benefits, and a combination of fruit extracts and vitamin E to protect your hair (and hair color) from environmental damage. “This leave in smells like freshly baked cupcakes,” raved one Amazon reviewer, adding, “It leaves my hair so soft and I think it really has upped my hair game with no effort on my part, which is a win.”

Leave it to the K-beauty market to come up with a lightweight moisturizer that also targets dullness, unwanted hyperpigmentation, and unevenly textured skin. COSRX’s Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence uses an unusual ingredient to achieve all of this: snail mucin. Snail mucin has long been used in Korean skin care, and its (many) benefits are impressive. As one Amazon reviewer put it, the essence is “worth all the hype,” and it’s also easy to integrate into your routine as the serum-like formula was designed to be applied after cleansing and before your moisturizer. In addition to the soothing properties that come courtesy of the snail mucin, the essence is hypoallergenic and free from common irritants like fragrance, parabens, and drying alcohols.

Spoiler alert, none of us is washing our makeup brushes often enough (the American Academy of Dermatology Association says you should be washing them every seven to 10 days, FYI). Even though you know it’s essential for eliminating bacteria that can lead to breakouts, rashes, and even infections, it’s not exactly the most fun task. Instead of hand washing all of your brushes, Neeyer’s electric makeup brush cleaner does all of the work for you. The portable cleaning system comes with eight attachments for different size brushes and a washing bowl that looks like a mini coffee pot. To wash and dry your brushes, all you have to do is select the correct size attachment for your brush and connect it to the electric spinner before placing it into the bowl with some water and soap. As the brush spins, all of the makeup, dirt, and debris get washed away in seconds without having to get your hands wet. Plus, you can lift the brush out of the water and spin it dry so there’s no waiting around to reuse your brush.

If you’re looking to simplify your beauty routine, castor oil is the one-ingredient solution for moisturizing your skin, nails, scalp, and hair — it’s even dermatologist-approved for helping to promote fuller eyelashes and eyebrows. Kate Blanc Cosmetics Castor Oil is a USDA-certified organic option that costs just $10 for a generously sized bottle. For those looking to use the castor oil on their lashes and brows, Kate Blanc Cosmetics even comes with a mini brush and mascara spoolie for more targeted application.

Eye primer is one of those game-changing beauty products you never knew you needed (until you try it, that is). Elizabeth Mott’s Thank Me Later Eye Primer helps lock in eyeshadow from the moment you apply it until you’re ready to wash it off at the end of the day. Just a tiny dot of the pearly, pink-tinted cream helps to even your eyelid’s skin tone and enhance the color of your eyeshadow. Most importantly of all, the primer works to control sebum production to prevent that oily shine that often pops up midday and causes eyeshadow (and liner) to smudge and fade. “I’ve used many eye primers and this is the only one that works for my oily eyelids,” shared one Amazon reviewer. “After a day of Florida humidity, no budging.”

Keeping a powder compact in your makeup bag for on-the-go touch-ups is always a good idea. Especially when the powder in question can be used as foundation, concealer, finishing powder, and additional SPF coverage like PÜR’s 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup. The handheld compact, which comes complete with a mirror, is a buildable formula that can be used as a foundation or concealer to give you medium coverage. SPF 15 gives your morning sunscreen a boost, and the mineral powder also serves as a smoothing finishing powder to help keep your makeup in place when lightly dusted onto the face. Additionally, the multi-benefit powder includes skin care ingredients like shea butter, vitamin E, and PÜR’s proprietary Ceretin Complex, which includes a blend of encapsulated moisturizing and skin-resurfacing ingredients.

• Available shades: 25

Whether you’re combating cracked lips in the depths of winter or wanting to add a glossy sheen to your pout on a daily basis, this Weleda Skin Food Lip Butter is a must-have. The nourishing formula includes a mix of humectant, emollient, and occlusive ingredients like glycerin, sunflower seed oil, and lanolin to draw moisture to your lips and lock it there (all while leaving them feeling immediately softer). “Great product for dry lips,” wrote one Amazon reviewer. “Convenient for travel, TSA friendly. Handy to have on hand at all times for lips or dry cuticles too,” they added.

For a spa-like experience right at home, Body Restore’s Essential Oil Shower Steamers are aromatherapy tablets that you can place in your shower to promote stress relief, relaxation, and even decongestion. Each bag comes with 15 individually packaged tablets that are scented with natural essential oils like eucalyptus leaf oil and peppermint oil. “The wonderful eucalyptus smell in a warm shower and the ease of use made them the perfect experience for a relaxing night after a hard day of work,” one Amazon reviewer wrote, adding, “These were wrapped in individual packages so I decided to gift them as stocking stuffers and spread the relaxation to the whole family.”