Celebrity-Approved Beauty Buys — As Seen On “Great Day Houston”

Have you ever wondered what skin care products line the bathroom shelves of your favorite celebs? Sure, many an A-lister will rave about products from a brand for which she’s a spokesperson —think Selena Gomez and Pantene, Emma Stone and Revlon, Sofia Vergara and Covergirl, Charlize Theron and Dior fragrances, Kerry Washington and Neutrogena, Shay Mitchell and Bioré, and the list goes on and on — but it’s often hard to discern whether they’re truly passionate about these products or whether they’re simply sticking to their script as brand ambassadors. So, in my latest “Great Day Houston” segment, which you can see above (or click here to view at KHOU.com), I rounded up some fantastic beauty products that celebs have raved about in interviews, on their Instagram feeds, on their Facebook pages and more. These are just some of the products celebrities really rely on to maintain radiant, bouncy, youthful-looking skin. Read on for more info on these celeb-approved beauty finds!

DR. DENNIS GROSS ALPHA BETA EXTRA STRENGTH DAILY PEEL

Kim Kardashian recently revealed her entire skincare regimen in a post that she published on her app, and she mentioned how much she loves the Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Extra Strength Daily Peels ($88 at Sephora stores and Sephora.com), crediting them for helping her attain a brighter, more radiant complexion. These peels feature a patented two-step formula that not only gives you more radiant skin, but also reduces fine lines, improves skin texture, evens out skin tone, and yields smaller-looking pores. Step One contains a combination of seven acids that exfoliate that top layer of dull and dead skin cells while Step Two consists of a neutralizer that soothes the skin and also contains anti-aging actives. The great thing about these peels is you can use them daily, and there’s no downtime, no redness, and no irritation.

BIOSSANCE SQUALANE + VITAMIN C ROSE OIL AND SQUALANE + ANTIOXIDANT CLEANSING CLOTHS

I’ve been raving about Biossance for a while now. It’s a sustainable and clean skincare brand with a biotechnology background, and the hero ingredient in its products is 100% plant-derived squalane. What’s squalane? Well, it’s a mega-moisturizing molecule that’s naturally found in our skin but, as we age, our bodies produce less and less squalane. For years, beauty brands were formulating products containing squalane harvested from shark livers (yup, it’s true) and, as a result, a ton of sharks were being killed in the process. Needless to say, environmental activists and animal rights group were not too pleased. Biossance set out to find an alternate, sustainable, animal-friendly way of obtaining squalane — and they succeeded, developing the technology to create squalene from sugar cane.

One of the hero products in the brand is the Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil ($72 at Biossance.com and Sephora.com) which nourishes, softens, and rejuvenates the skin while giving it a healthy glow. Whitney Port and actress Lily James (who we know from the Mamma Mia! sequel and from Dowton Abbey) are both huge fans of this face oil. It contains 100% plant-derived squalane, as well as an oil-soluble form of vitamin C that boosts the skin’s radiance, and Damascus rose oil, which smells absolutely divine!

Constance Zimmer, star of Lifetime’s UnReal, is a huge fan of the Biossance Squalane + Antioxidant Cleansing Cloths ($18 at Biossance.com and Sephora.com) because they effectively and gently remove makeup, plus they’re biodegradable. Most makeup removing wipes aren’t biodegradable, so Biossance really stands out from the fray on that front. The wipes are gentle, alcohol-free and contain moisturizing squalane, as well as a blend of antioxidant-rich botanicals including rice bran extract, rosemary oil, and sunflower seed oil to soften the skin while protecting it from free radicals.

NYAKIO BAOBAB YOUTH-INFUSED DAILY DEFENSE CREME 

Nyakio is a skincare brand that specializes in products formulated using natural ingredients ethically and sustainably sourced from all over the globe. This is Shailene Woodley’s favorite skincare product: the Nyakio Baobab Youth Infused Daily Defense Crème ($35 at ULTA.com). In an interview with Bon Appetit, the star of the Divergent movie series raved about how the cream contains coffee extract and how the smell just wakes her up. In fact, she said the when she applies this moisturizer, she feels like she can take on the world.

In addition to coffee extract, this lightweight moisturizer contains baobab oil, which is extracted from the fruit that grows on the African baobab tree, which is known as the Tree of Life. The baobab fruit contains more antioxidants than any other fruit on Earth, plus its rich in vitamins A, C, and E, as well as omegas 3, 6, and 9, so it helps the skin retain its elasticity and it restores the skin’s glow. This rejuvenating cream also contains shea butter, grape seed oil, sunflower seed oil, apricot kernel oil, cucumber extract, and green tea extract.

ALASTIN RESTORATIVE SKIN COMPLEX & RESTORATIVE NECK COMPLEX

Ever wonder how Patricia Heaton manages to maintain her youthful-looking skin? Well, the Everybody Loves Raymond and The Middle star raved about the Alastin Restorative Skin Complex with TriHex Technology ($195; visit Alastin.com to find a physician near you) on her Instagram feed, calling it and  her “morning must.” This anti-aging cream features the brand’s TriHex Technology, a potent blend of peptides that supports the skin’s natural ability to produce new and healthy elastin and collagen, helping to lift sagging skin on the face, neck, and décolleté and restoring any lost volume. It also contains flax seed extract, avocado extract, bentonite, and dill extract, all of which are rich in antioxidants and vitamin B3, which reduces redness and helps to yield a more even skin tone.

I also love Alastin Restorative Neck Complex with TriHex Technology ($110; visit Alastin.com to find a physician near you), which is specifically designed for the neck area, which has thinner skin than our faces and loses moisture and elasticity before most other body parts. This cream, formulated with the brand’s TriHex Technology and a powerful blend of antioxidants, quite literally helps you save your own neck.

URBAN SKIN RX EVEN TONE CLEANSING BAR & PURIFYING PUMPKIN PORE MASK

Developed by Rachel Roff, a licensed medical aesthetician and the founder of the Urban Skin Solutions med spa, Urban Skin RX specializes in products that diminish and eradicate issues associated with melanin-rich skin.

Singer and reality TV star Teyana Taylor swears by the Urban Skin RX Even Tone Cleansing Bar ( $24 at Target stores and Target.com, as well as UrbanSkinRX.com), a complexion-perfecting cleansing treatment that helps to fade dark spots and even out the skin tone. The cleanser is formulated using the brand’s ClearTone Advanced Technology, a mixture of exfoliating and brightening ingredients like kojic acid, azelaic acid, black tea leaf extract, and vitamin B3, and it comes with an exfoliating sponge for a deeper cleanse.

Another product beloved by both Teyana Taylor and Fantasia is the Purifying 2-in-1 Pumpkin Pore Mask and Scrub ($34 at Target stores and Target.com). It’s a self-warming, dual-action, deep cleansing mask and exfoliating scrub that contains detoxifying kaolin clay, exfoliating jojoba beads, salicylic acid to eradicate any breakout-causing bacteria and clarify the skin, and licorice root extract to help even out the skin tone. It’s great for anyone with breakout-prone skin, enlarged pores, dull skin, and uneven skin tone. And it smells like pumpkin pie!

ALGENIST GENIUS LIQUID COLLAGEN

Collagen is naturally found in out skin and it’s responsible for making our skin appear bouncy, plump, and smooth. As we age, our skin’s existing collagen starts to break down, all while the production of new collagen slows down. So, if we want wrinkle-free skin, we need skincare products that help to boost collagen production. Enter the Algenist GENIUS Liquid Collagen ($115 at Sephora and Sephora.com), which helps to improve the skin’s resilience and restore its bounce. It’s a vegan formula that contains plant collagen and 13,000 beads of microalgae oil, which is rich in omegas 3, 6, and 9, as well as vitamin E. Model Daniela Pestova, who graced the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue three times, counts on this product to preserve her youthful good looks — and trust: her flawless face is proof of the product’s efficacy!