I Shop Beauty Products For A Living. These 18 Items Actually Deliver Results.

I am by no means a trained beautician. But, what I lack in formal training, I make up for in ample first-hand product experience, hours spent conversing with the pros and a general affection for all things skin care, makeup and hair.

Throughout my career as a shopping reporter I’ve investigated, inquired about and sampled my way through the whole lot of beauty goods — all of varying price points and degrees of popularity. Now, without tooting my own horn too loudly, I feel as if I’ve established a pretty good and reliable baseline for the formulations that are worth their cost and the time you will no doubt spend using them.

As difficult as it was to choose my top product contenders, I’ve taken the time to curate the upcoming collection of items that I truly believe are notable for one reason or another. You’ll find my all-time favorite foundation that does way more than just perfect my KP-ridden skin, a hidden-gem-of-a-hydrating serum hailing all the way from Japan and tons of other beauty wares that I assure you hold the best value.

HuffPost and its publishing partners may receive a commission from some purchases made via links on this page. Every item is independently curated by the HuffPost Shopping team. Prices and availability are subject to change.