Online reviews are an integral part of business, and achieving insightful feedback from industry experts enhances a brand’s credibility. According to a 2021 survey conducted by PowerReviews, “99% of consumers say they read reviews when shopping online.” The dedicated members of the Beauty Expert Review Program helped both companies and consumers in 2023, and their top picks covered a myriad of categories in the beauty niche.

This year’s best brands with fewer than 100 reviews achieved top billing for their ability to brighten skin, transform our personal spaces, and put the brakes on aging. Multipurpose products tackled everything from dark spots and dehydration to elasticity and exfoliation. From head to toe, the microbiome took center stage, and whether achieving truly luminous skin or faking a Champagne glow, these products and brands won the hearts of the Beauty Expert community. Here are the 2023 winners in the “under 100” bracket.

#1 Kat Burki C20 Velocity Serum - 4.9 / 30 reviews

As an internationally recognized Skin Nutritionist, Kat Burki crafts skincare products that deliver truly efficacious formulas. In fact, the eponymous brand garnered two top 10 slots in the “under 100” awards for 2023. The Kat Burki C20 Velocity Serum is a fan favorite because its encapsulation technology noticeably brightened dark spots, be they UV induced or the result of healed acne. Experts loved the non-stinging formula and the non-sticky texture that also evened skin tone and refined skin texture.

#2 VACATION by Vacation® Black Label Candle - 4.9 / 56 reviews

Vacation® tapped ARQUISTE Parfumeur to create its mesmerizing signature scent and it was pure genius. Incorporating poolside notes in an impressively-housed matte glass vessel brought light and luxury to the homes and offices of our beauty experts, making the VACATION by Vacation® Black Label Candle an instant paradise-in-place necessity. This candle is what daydreams are made of and turns an ordinary day at the office into a beachside escape on demand.

#3 Solawave Full Face Flexible LED Mask – Wrinkle & Acne Clearing Light - 4.9 / 50 reviews

Solawave proved that light therapy doesn’t have to be done in a professional setting. Better yet, the Solawave Full Face Flexible LED Mask – Wrinkle & Acne Clearing Light proves that the device itself can feel comfortable and lightweight while still delivering medical grade light in either blue or red options, which is a win-win for anti-agers and acne-sufferers alike.

#4 YSE Beauty Vacation Glow Highlighter Stick - 4.9 / 28 reviews

YSE Beauty (pronounced wise) Founder Molly Sims created a specialty line of performance skincare that rocked the beauty expert community in 2023. And in the process, the brand landed three spots in the Beautytap Top 10 for products with fewer than 100 reviews. The subtle Champagne sheen and nourishing ingredient deck of the YSE Beauty Vacation Glow Highlighter Stick made it a favorite among makeup artists and beauty educators alike.

#5 Kat Burki Vitamin C Nourishing Cleansing Balm - 4.9 / 20 reviews

If this brand name has you doing a double-take, it’s because the number five slot also belongs to this year’s top brand in the under 100 category. For skin that feels nourished, brightened, and clean, the Kat Burki Vitamin C Nourishing Cleansing Balm can’t be beat. Its blend of cold-pressed oils restores skin’s moisture while calming irritation. It’s a fan favorite as a second cleanser when paired with Burki’s 3D Supreme Weave Muslin Cloth.

#6 YSE Beauty Last Call Retinol Serum - 4.9 / 36 reviews

YSE Beauty strikes again with their YSE Beauty’s Last Call Retinol Serum targets UV damage and inflammation while boosting collagen production and hydration in a single step. This irritation-free cocktail makes incorporating multiple ingredients a breeze.

#7 YSE Beauty Your Favorite Ex™ Exfoliating Pads - 4.8 / 34 reviews

Three times a charm! Want an exfoliating product that won’t leave your skin raw or roughed up? Your Favorite Ex™ Exfoliating Pads from YSE Beauty are steeped in retexturizing glycolic acid and polyhydroxy acids as well as gluconolactone and ectoin to reduce inflammation and strengthen your skin barrier. That’s an uncommon combination for an exfoliant!

#8 COSMEDIX Fortify Cooling Enzyme Scalp Treatment - 4.8 / 64 reviews

Proving that the skin on your head deserves the same pampering as the skin on your face, COSMEDIX makes yet another appearance in this year’s Beautytap Awards with an invigorating treatment that clarifies the scalp and restores the sheen and softness to dry, damaged hair. When used as a pre-cleanser, the COSMEDIX Fortify Cooling Enzyme Scalp Treatment removes product buildup and bathes the scalp in antioxidant-rich ingredients as well as hyaluronic acid to relieve itchiness and flaking.

#9 Plantkos Phyto Replenishing Facial Essence - 4.8 / 67 reviews

Pharmacist-developed brands met with praise and enthusiasm in 2023, so it’s no wonder the Plantkos Phyto Replenishing Facial Essence, with its Ayurvedic herbs and clean actives, impressed experts of all skin types. The watery essence, filled with soothing rose water and licorice as well microbiome-balancing probiotic ferment quells thirsty skin on contact.

#10 Bluelene Serum Plus+ - 4.8 / 41 reviews

As a skincare ingredient, Methylene Blue delivers results akin to retinol without the irritation, and the Bluelene Serum Plus+ surpassed Beauty Expert expectations on multiple fronts. This pre-biotic serum supports the skin’s microbiome by repairing DNA and protecting mitochondrial health. In layman’s terms, it boosts collagen, elastin, and skin thickness while smoothing texture and reducing age spots and fine lines in just one step.

Congratulations to all the 2023 winners! We look forward to seeing what 2024 brings!

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