Disclosure: Our FoodFamilyTravel.com® Luxury Beauty Edit for Fall of 2026 recommendations are based on hands-on testing, research, and personal experience. Some links are affiliate links, which may earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you. Some products featured in this guide were provided for editorial consideration. All selections reflect our independent editorial judgment, and all opinions are our own.

The following FoodFamilyTravel.com® Luxury Beauty Edit is the result of six months of testing the serums, creams, haircare, beauty tools and natural formulas that have earned a place in my routine. I’m on television multiple times every single week, so I NEED to keep my skin and hair looking its best (and goodness knows that can be a struggle).

After six months of testing- along with a few products I’ve been using for years- I’ve found quite a few products that I genuinely feel work. And that, to me, is what great beauty is really about: finding the products that work for you and work consistently. Whether it’s an investment-worthy formula or a simple product you keep coming back to, the ones that deliver the results you’re looking for are the ones worth keeping in your routine.

You’ll definitely find some trendsetters here, including innovative formulas and technologies that are pushing beauty forward (including some I feel work almost overnight!)

We’re starting with skincare and haircare, and I’ll be sharing some of my favorite cosmetics and makeup picks very soon. But think of this as the foundation. When you give your skin and hair a great base to work with, everything you put on top of it is going to look and feel that much better.

Because a beautiful finished look starts with what’s underneath.

You’ll also find beautifully simple botanical products, luxury splurges and a few remarkably affordable discoveries that I’ve purchased again and again.

These are the products I’ve personally been using, testing and returning to, organized by category and by what I feel each one does best.

SKINCARE

This is where the biggest part of my testing has gone. My skincare shelf has increasingly become a mix of regenerative formulas, growth factors, barrier-supporting products and targeted treatments- with a separate group of natural and botanical standouts that I genuinely love.

The Luxury High-Performance & Regenerative Favorites

MUMUK Regenerative Complex

One of my favorites

If I had to pick one of the biggest standouts from the past six months, this would be very high on my list. I use MUMUK for that overall glow, more even-looking skin tone and smoother appearance, and I noticed what looked to me like a difference almost overnight.

I also noticed a difference (and not in a good way) when I stopped using it to test out new products.

The formula combines EGF/growth-factor technology with peptides, probiotics, bakuchiol and antioxidant ingredients. MUMUK says its 21-day consumer study found that 94% of participants noticed smoother-feeling skin and 91% saw improved texture and hydration.

My highlight: This is the one I reach for when I want my skin to look rested, healthy and luminous.

KeraCell Line Filling & Erasing Serum

Best for: Neck + décolleté

I started by using this around my eyes and full face and neck, and then pivoted to more targeted treatment.

This has become one of my favorites specifically for my neck and chest. KeraCell positions the serum around firming, plumping and restoring the appearance of skin, with its MHCsc technology.

For me, the key is remembering that skincare shouldn’t stop at your jawline. The neck and décolleté can be some of the first places where texture and lines become noticeable.

If you have any sun damage or chest wrinkles (I’m looking at you, side sleepers), I think you’ll love this on your face, neck, and chest.

(plated) INTENSE Serum

Best for: Targeted facial treatment

I really like this one for targeted areas of my face. INTENSE is the most concentrated serum in the (plated) line and uses platelet-derived exosomes. The brand says it contains more than one trillion platelet-derived exosomes and is designed to address the appearance of fine lines, dark spots, uneven tone and loss of luminosity.

It’s also one of those products where consistency matters. This isn’t a “try it once and decide” product; the results are designed to build over time. I loved this around my eyes (where I’m fighting fine lines and wrinkles). I haven’t tried the rest of the plated line, but this one is a great all-around serum that you can use almost anywhere.

EPICUTIS Luxury Skincare Set

Best for: Post-treatment skin

This is the product I want in my bathroom cabinet whenever I’ve had microneedling or other cosmetic treatments.

The Luxury Skincare Set pairs EPICUTIS Lipid Serum with Hyvia Crème and is specifically designed around stressed, sensitive and post-procedure skin. EPICUTIS recommends it for treatments including microneedling and laser resurfacing, with an emphasis on calming, hydration and barrier support.

My highlight: Nothing has impressed me more for helping skin feel calm, moisturized and comfortable after a cosmetic treatment. I use a microneedling roller every week instead of filler now (more on that later). It’s a game changer for healing and calming redness.

re-du® Serum by Dubose

Best for: Skin barrier + fine lines

Developed by registered nurse injector Elle Dubose Moe, re-du® is designed to repair the skin barrier while plumping the appearance of skin and reducing the look of fine lines and wrinkles.

It’s a great example of where professional aesthetics and at-home skincare increasingly overlap- a powerful facial serum designed to mimic and enhance the effects of some of the most popular aesthetic treatments.

Studies on re-du®’s hero ingredient, Argireline® peptide, report a reduction in the appearance of wrinkles of 20.6% after one week and 48.9% after four weeks when applied twice daily.

Can’t wait to keep using it for dry, winter skin.

Luxury Creams, Growth Factors & Skin Repair

Vivier Crème 47 Luxe Concentrate

Best for: An all-around luxury treatment

This is the kind of product that feels like a serious investment- and it is. Crème 47 contains 47 pharmaceutical-grade ingredients, including peptides, ceramides, Vitamin C and Polyamine-DAB®, formulated to deeply hydrate and replenish the skin while supporting the skin barrier, collagen and elastin.

Vivier says the formula is designed to address a range of concerns, including hyperpigmentation and dark spots, uneven texture, loss of firmness and elasticity, inflammation and the appearance of redness. Continued use brings incredible results, and I especially like that it can be used on the face, neck and chest, making it a true all-in-one treatment.

My highlight: Better tone and texture in just a few weeks.

Vivier GrenzCine® Eye Growth Factor Cream

This is one of the more specialized treatments in my growth-factor rotation, formulated specifically for the delicate skin around the eyes. It’s designed to address the loss of volume, firmness and elasticity that can make the eye area look tired or less defined over time.

The formula combines Polyamine Growth Factors, Vitamin C and six Renewal Complexes to support thicker, firmer, more hydrated-looking skin around the eyes and eyelids. I particularly like the focus on this area, where fine lines and loss of firmness can be especially noticeable. The result is skin that looks smoother, more lifted, refreshed and luminous, with crow’s feet and fine lines appearing diminished.

Osmosis StemFactor

Best for: Growth-factor skincare

StemFactor is another standout in the growth-factor category. Osmosis describes it as an exosome growth-factor serum designed to support skin renewal and improve the appearance of firmness, texture and radiance. The formula uses advanced exosome technology and patented methods designed to support stem cells and fibroblasts, helping replenish the skin’s natural supply of growth factors and essential proteins.

And there’s some impressive recognition behind it: StemFactor won the 2024 Dermascope Aestheticians’ Choice Award for Best Stem Cell Serum. That’s a pretty strong endorsement from the professionals who work with skincare every day.

It’s the kind of formula I look for when I want to be more intentional about an anti-aging routine- not just adding another serum to the shelf, but choosing something with sophisticated technology behind it and a purpose beyond basic hydration.

It’s that good.

Advanced Firming Cream by Amala Beauty

Best for: A natural-luxury moisturizer

Amala’s Advanced Firming Cream is a beautiful intersection of natural ingredients and high-performance skincare. Formerly called the Advanced Firming Complex, it’s the brand’s highest-potency wrinkle-smoothing moisturizer, designed to visibly firm and plump while supporting the skin’s natural protective barrier.

What I like about this one is that it doesn’t make you choose between a more natural approach and serious performance. The formula uses high-performance actives and breakthrough biotechnology to help improve the look of firmness and elasticity, diminish the appearance and depth of fine lines and wrinkles, and replenish moisture for skin that feels smoother, softer and more supple. It also helps smooth uneven-looking skin tone while supporting the skin’s ability to retain moisture.

It’s a good reminder that “natural” and “luxury” don’t have to be opposing categories. You can have beautifully considered ingredients and sophisticated skincare technology in the same formula- and this is a particularly lovely example of that balance.

SeroVital RetinAll Daily Serum

Best for: A gentler approach to retinoids

Retinol can be one of those skincare ingredients that you know you should probably be using- but your skin doesn’t always agree. Dryness, irritation and that uncomfortable adjustment period can make it difficult to stick with.

That’s what makes RetinAll Daily Serum interesting. The brand spent years developing what it describes as a next-generation hydrating retinoid compound, pairing a potent retinoid with squalane, vitamin E and linoleate, an essential skin nutrient. The goal is to deliver the benefits associated with retinoids while making the formula more hydrating and gentle on the skin.

And the clinical results are impressive. According to the brand, the key ingredients have been studied in separate clinical trials and shown to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, improve the look of elasticity, visibly lift and brighten skin, and restore hydration. In one trial, 100% of participants experienced no irritation (I haven’t either).

The formula also goes beyond a traditional retinol serum by including peptides and a plant-based epidermal growth factor, ingredients designed to support a smoother, firmer and more youthful-looking complexion. The brand says its retinoid compound showed support for cellular turnover as soon as one day, while a separate clinical trial found that the peptides visibly lifted sagging skin and reduced the appearance of wrinkles.

I also appreciate the certifications: RetinAll is both Beauty Without Bunnies and Leaping Bunny Certified, which speaks to the brand’s cruelty-free standards.

For me, this is the kind of retinoid that makes sense when you want serious anti-aging ingredients but don’t necessarily want your skincare routine to feel like a battle with your skin. It’s potent, but the emphasis is on hydration and tolerability- which may make it easier to actually use consistently.

NATURAL & BOTANICAL BEAUTY

One of my favorite discoveries during this testing period has been that some of the products I reach for most often aren’t necessarily the most technologically complicated.

Some are simply good, clean, beautifully formulated products that work.

Eva Naturals Vitamin C+ Skin Clearing Serum

Best beauty bargain

Want serious bang for your buck? This is it.

I have purchased this 17 times through Amazon over the years- yes, Amazon actually shows me that- and that might be the strongest endorsement I can give it.

It combines vitamin C, retinol, salicylic acid, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid in one affordable formula designed to brighten, smooth and clarify the appearance of skin.

My highlight: It is inexpensive enough that you don’t have to feel precious about using it- and I keep buying it.

RootedIn Tranquility Magnesium Cream

Best for: An evening wind-down ritual

This is one of those wellness products that has become a genuine part of my nighttime routine. I use the cream on my neck and shoulders before bed, and I have to say, it’s incredible. There’s something about massaging it into those areas at the end of the day that immediately feels like a little reset.

The formula combines a highly concentrated dose of magnesium chloride with an adaptogenic botanical blend of ashwagandha, rhodiola and tulsi, creating what the brand describes as a way to support a more grounded sense of physical ease and calm.

I also love the texture. Unlike magnesium sprays that can leave your skin feeling sticky or coated, this is a silky cream that glides on easily and absorbs without a greasy residue. Your skin is left soft and hydrated, which makes the whole experience feel more like skincare than taking another wellness supplement.

For me, the neck-and-shoulder application is the magic. I put it on as part of my evening wind-down, when I’m finally transitioning out of the day and getting ready for bed.

It has become one of those small rituals that makes a surprisingly big difference.

Back to Earth Skin Glow Facial Mask + GLOW Eye Cream

Best for: Clear skin + A chilled, de-puffing ritual

I love Back to Earth Skin Glow Facial Mask, the brand’s deep-cleansing clay mask. It combines kaolin, bentonite, white kaolin and mineral microbiome clay to help draw out impurities, control excess oil and minimize the appearance of pores, blemishes and blackheads. It gives you that satisfying deep-clean feeling, but without leaving your skin feeling completely stripped afterward.

That’s because it’s balanced with hydrating and nourishing ingredients like aloe leaf juice, avocado oil and cucumber extract, while mandarin, green tea and lavender help refresh and revitalize the skin. It’s especially nice for oily or combination skin when you want to reset your complexion and come away looking smoother, fresher and more radiant.

I also particularly love the GLOW Eye Cream. The three small roller balls make it perfect for keeping chilled in the refrigerator and using when your eyes look tired or puffy. There’s something about that cool application in the morning that feels instantly refreshing.

The formula contains 28 natural ingredients, including coffee extract, calendula, camellia seed oil, rosehip oil, vitamin E and niacinamide. It’s another example of a product that feels thoughtful without making your beauty routine complicated.

Balm of Gilead Manuka Defense Healing Balm + Manuka Honey Cream

Best for: Dry hands + intensive moisture

These are go-tos in our house almost every day.

I use the Healing Balm on my hands, while the Manuka Honey Cream has become a favorite in our family for really dry, sensitive skin. It was even named by Us Weekly as “Best for Healing Skin Conditions” in 2023, which caught my attention because this is skincare that is designed to do more than simply moisturize.

Balm of Gilead’s formulas use grass-fed tallow, and the Manuka Defense collection centers around New Zealand Manuka honey and Manuka oil. The cream combines Manuka honey, avocado oil and grass-fed tallow, along with a proprietary blend of soothing essential oils. It’s rich in vitamins A, C, D, E and K and is formulated to provide longer-lasting moisture without the watered-down feeling you get from some traditional creams.

The Manuka honey is sourced from New Zealand and is UMF 16+ / MGO 573+, adding another layer of potency to an already rich formula.

This is the category of skincare that doesn’t necessarily feel glamorous until you actually need it—and then you wonder how you ever lived without it.

Violet Queen of Flowers Botanical Body Oil

Best for: Beautifully hydrated body skin

This is body care done right.

The Queen of Flowers Body Oil absorbs quickly without leaving that greasy layer so many body oils leave behind. It gives skin a soft, comfortable feel and a healthy, natural glow, while the warm, romantic floral scent makes applying it feel like part of the ritual. The formula is centered around marula oil, known for its nourishing, moisturizing properties.

I especially love the fragrance. It has that beautiful essential-oil quality that feels sophisticated and warm without being overpowering, and it lingers softly on the skin throughout the day.

My highlight: It actually lasts. Hours later, my skin still feels moisturized and comfortable- not like whatever I applied after my shower disappeared an hour later.

HAIRCARE

Hair is where I’ve found some of the biggest “small changes, big difference” products- especially when it comes to hydration, shine, fragrance and protecting hair while I sleep.

MASAMI Mekabu Hydrating Shampoo + Conditioner

Best overall haircare discovery

I love this combination. A little goes a long way, which matters when you’re spending more on haircare.

The shampoo uses Mekabu, a Japanese ocean botanical, along with apricot and coconut oils, while the conditioner adds ingredients including kelp, aloe, blueberry extract and vitamin B. Both are sulfate-free, vegan and designed for color-treated hair.

My highlight: The hair feels hydrated without feeling coated or weighed down. And the shineeeeeeee. My hair looks gorgeous- just be careful not to use too much if you have fine hair.

MASAMI Mekabu Shine Serum

Best for: Bringing shine back

This is the product I reach for when my hair needs that extra bit of polish.

I’ve probably used every single shine serum on the market, and I keep reaching for this one.

It’s lightweight, and for me it’s particularly good when hair looks a little dull and needs to regain that healthy-looking shine. MASAMI lists it as a vegan, sulfate-free shine treatment.

My highlight: Instant-looking shine without making hair look oily.

T-Stem Combo: Scalp Cleanser and Scalp Essence

Best for: Scalp-focused care

I honestly didn’t expect to love this product as much as I do—but I do.

My hair is highlighted and chemically processed, so I’m always a little cautious about anything that promises a deep clean. I want my hair to feel fresh, but I don’t want to strip away all the moisture and leave my color-treated hair feeling dry or rough.

The T Stem Cleanser somehow manages to do both. It thoroughly cleanses the hair and, more importantly, leaves my scalp feeling genuinely clean and refreshed without that tight, stripped feeling. And somehow, my hair still has shine and softness afterward. I don’t know how they do it.

What makes T Stem Care particularly interesting is that it really sits at the intersection of skincare and haircare, because the focus is the scalp. The company says its technology grew out of more than two decades of stem-cell research, and the line is designed around scalp care rather than simply treating the hair that’s visible above your shoulders.

The accompanying T Stem Essence is designed to nourish the scalp and fortify the strands, supporting fuller, healthier-looking hair from root to tip.

For me, that scalp-first approach makes a lot of sense. We spend so much time thinking about what we put on our face, yet the scalp is skin, too- and it’s where healthy-looking hair begins.

This was a very pleasant surprise- and one of those products I find myself reaching for again and again.

Lebanta Pink Jasmine & Vanilla Crème Hair Perfume

Best for: Hair fragrance + everyday mist

There is a legitimate disagreement between my daughter and me about which one we love more: Pink Jasmine or Vanilla Crème. And honestly, I think the answer is that you need both.

Vanilla Crème is the one that’s perfect for the fall and winter. It has that soft, warm vanilla fragrance that feels cozy and feminine without being overly sweet. Pink Jasmine is lighter and more floral, which makes it feel perfect for spring and summer. So rather than choosing a favorite, I think they’re really two different moods- and two different times of year.

Both are designed as lightweight hair mists, so you can spritz them onto your hair or curls whenever you want a little refresh. I love the idea of a hair fragrance because it gives you that beautiful scent without necessarily wearing a traditional perfume, and these leave hair feeling soft and lightly fragranced rather than heavy or coated. It also layers beautifully with my enormous specialty perfume collection (more on that later).

The formulas are also designed to add a little hydration and conditioning with each spritz, helping hair look and feel softer and shinier. They’re lightweight enough for fine, dry, curly and textured hair, and the brand describes them as clean, gentle formulas made without the heaviness or buildup you can get from some hair oils and fragrance products.

They’re particularly nice for travel, gym days or simply keeping in your bag for a midday refresh. A few sprays and you get that just-freshened feeling without having to completely redo your hair or your fragrance.

But back to the important question: Pink Jasmine or Vanilla Crème?

I’m calling it a seasonal tie. Vanilla Crème for fall and winter. Pink Jasmine for spring and summer. Problem solved.

Mulberry Park Silks

Best for: Protecting your hair from day to night

Mulberry Park Silks is one of those brands where I didn’t just try one product- I ended up with practically the whole collection. I have everything from the silk bathrobes to the scrunchies, and I use them- every. single. day.

The silk pillowcases are incredible. I use one at home, and I also have one specifically for travel, because once you get used to sleeping on silk, it’s hard to go back. The idea is simple: silk creates less friction against your hair while you sleep, which can help minimize the pulling, tangling and roughness that can happen when your hair is rubbing against a traditional cotton pillowcase all night.

And I don’t stop at nighttime. I use the silk scrunchies during the day, particularly when I want to pull my hair back without using something that feels like it’s tugging at my strands. They’re small, but they’re one of those little upgrades you notice once you start using them.

The line is beautifully made, too. Mulberry Park Silks offers pillowcases in 19-, 22- and 30-momme silk, so you can choose the weight and feel you prefer. And the collection goes well beyond pillowcases, with robes, sleep accessories, hair accessories and other silk essentials.

My travel pillowcase may actually be one of my favorite pieces. It takes up very little room, but it means I can keep the same silk sleep experience when I’m away from home- which, for someone who travels as much as I do, makes a surprising difference.

My highlight: I love that this is a beauty upgrade that doesn’t require changing what you do. You’re still sleeping. You’re still putting your hair up. You’re just changing what your hair is touching- and surrounding yourself with something that feels incredibly luxurious at the same time.

This is one of those lines that has genuinely become part of my everyday life, not just my beauty routine. It’s also makes a great gift!

GA.MA Professional iQ Sfera Hair Dryer

Best for: A faster, more comfortable blow-dry

This is one of those tools that makes you wonder why hair dryers haven’t always been designed this way.

GA.MA Professional’s iQ Sfera is an innovative spherical hair dryer that weighs just 240 grams, making it remarkably lightweight while still delivering professional-level performance. The spherical design also redistributes the weight, helping reduce wrist strain and fatigue while you style.

Underneath that compact design is a high-speed digital motor with Turbo Venturi airflow and Oxy-Active technology, designed to deliver fast, efficient and gentle drying. You can also customize the settings for more precise styling, while the included accessories give you flexibility depending on the look you’re creating.

I especially like the combination of power and ergonomics. If you’re someone who blow-dries your hair regularly- or simply wants to spend less time wrestling with a heavy dryer- this makes the process feel much more comfortable without sacrificing the polished results you want.

My highlight: At just 240 grams, this is incredibly lightweight, but it still delivers the power and versatility you expect from a professional dryer.

BEAUTY FROM WITHIN

This is the category I think will continue to grow: products that sit somewhere between beauty and wellness.

SeroVital Radiant Smile Kit

Best for: A complete beauty routine for your smile

A beautiful face isn’t much use if you neglect your smile.

The Radiant Smile Kit takes the idea of a beauty routine beyond what you put on your face, combining three steps designed to care for your smile from the inside out: a revitalizing toothpaste, a whitening tooth polish and a hydrating gum serum.

The toothpaste is fluoride-free and designed to be gentle on the oral microbiome while helping support enamel strength and visible brightness. It uses ingredients including nano-hydroxyapatite and fruit enzymes to help lift surface stains without relying on peroxide or harsh abrasives.

Then there’s the Whitening Polish, which is essentially the exfoliation step for your smile. It uses plant-based enzymes and gentle polishing agents to remove surface stains and help restore that smooth, clean feeling while enhancing brightness.

The part I find particularly interesting is the Hydrating Gum Serum. Inspired by skincare, it’s designed as the often-overlooked final step in oral care, using prebiotics, hyaluronic acid and botanicals to hydrate oral tissue and support gum comfort and a balanced oral microbiome.

Ingredients like nano-hydroxyapatite, hyaluronic acid, fruit enzymes and saffron extract make this feel much more sophisticated than the typical toothpaste-and-toothbrush routine.

I like that it reframes oral care as part of beauty and wellness rather than something completely separate. We think about exfoliating our skin, hydrating it and protecting its barrier- so why shouldn’t we think about our smile with the same level of care?

My highlight: This is one of those products that broadens the idea of a beauty routine beyond what you put on your face. It’s a complete daily ritual designed to support a brighter smile, smoother-feeling enamel and hydrated gums.

SeroVital Glow Sticks

Best for: The easiest glow upgrade

These are an ingestible beauty powder with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, electrolytes and red-wine polyphenols. They’re designed to support hydration and the appearance of skin elasticity and radiance.

This is particularly appealing when you’re traveling because it’s much easier to throw packets into a bag than another bottle. We recently traveled to several theme parks in a week and these were staples in my bag.

Terra Mare Morning Restore

Best for: Beauty + wellness

Founded by actress Marisa Tomei, Terra Mare’s Morning Restore is positioned as a daily “supernutrient” formula containing 30 nutrients designed to support women’s health and healthy aging.

I think of this less as a beauty product and more as part of the larger beauty-from-within conversation.

THE PRODUCTS I’D START WITH

After six months of testing all of these, a few stand out for very different reasons:

For overall glow: MUMUK Regenerative Complex

For targeted facial treatment: (plated) INTENSE

For post-procedure skin: EPICUTIS Luxury Skincare Set

For neck + décolleté: KeraCell Line Filling & Erasing Serum

For a serious luxury cream: Vivier Crème 47

For growth-factor skincare: Osmosis StemFactor

For a natural-luxury moisturizer: Amala Advanced Firming Cream

For an affordable skincare workhorse: Eva Naturals Vitamin C+ Serum

For dry hands and skin: Balm of Gilead

For body hydration: Violet Queen of Flowers Body Oil

For shampoo + conditioner: MASAMI

For shine: MASAMI Mekabu Shine Serum

For overnight hair care: Mulberry Park Silks

For hair fragrance: Lebanta

For beauty from within: SeroVital Glow Sticks

My Luxury Beauty Rule

After testing all of these products, I’ve landed on a beauty philosophy that is pretty simple: you don’t need the most expensive product- you need the right product for the job.

Some of my biggest splurges are extraordinary. But one of my most frequently repurchased products costs a fraction of them.

That’s the fun of beauty. The goal isn’t to have a bathroom full of beautiful bottles. It’s to find the handful of products that make you look in the mirror and think, yes, that’s working.

And after six months of testing, these are the ones that have earned their place in my routine.