Cheryl Shops

I am not on TikTok, but thanks to people resharing the most pertinent stuff on Instagram, I tend to find out what's getting a lot of buzz. While there is a lot of dubious information on that platform (ahem, Tide Pods), I appreciate the no-gatekeeping spirit, and once in awhile, you uncover a life-changing gem. Versed is an L.A.-based affordable clean beauty brand that's only been around for a few years but has become incredibly popular on the platform; it's now sold in Target. Most products in Versed's line are under $25, all are vegan and cruelty-free, and they formulate to EU standards, which are the strictest in the world in terms of avoiding potentially harmful chemicals. All of which is great, but that leads us to the all-important question: Is Versed skincare actually effective? I've been using a bunch of their products for the last several weeks and I have some thoughts. While Versed sent all of these products to me for free, the following opinions are 100% my own. Here's my honest review of Versed skincare. 

Day Dissolve Cleansing Balm $17.99

As I have noted many times before, I am very picky about my cleansers. (I have incredibly dry skin that is easily stripped by anything too harsh.) I was admittedly optimistic about this balm—it's a similar form to my holy grail, Elemis Pro Collagen Balm—until I opened the jar and got a strong whiff of eucalyptus (to be fair, Elemis has a strong herbal scent too, but this one is POWERFUL). In the name of journalism, I proceeded to massage the balm into my face, trying not to think of Vicks VapoRub and the ensuing irritation it might cause my eyelids. My nerves were calmed by how quickly it melted into my skin, then rinsed away without residue, and I was pleasantly surprised by how soft my skin felt afterward. My one quibble is that it doesn't do a super-thorough job on heavy eye makeup, but otherwise, this cleanser has earned a solid spot as my Elemis backup—if I ever ran out of that, I would gladly spend my own money on this. 

Skin Soak Moisture Cream $17.99

Like I mentioned above, I have dry AF skin, and I gladly wear a thicc moisturizing cream year round. I also prefer a moisturizer that doesn't have a lot of bells and whistles that can potentially irritate my skin (niacinamide, I'm looking at you). This one is just an all-around good hydrator. It has gentle yet effective ingredients like vitamin E and squalane to replenish moisture, and it sinks in quickly without leaving any greasy residue. Is it going to radically transform your skin? Not unless you layer a serum with active ingredients underneath, which is what I've been doing (and recommend). Will it effectively lock in moisture plus whatever you've layered underneath? Yes. 

Zero G Smoothing Eye Cream $19.99

I am admittedly not picky about my eye cream, which is maybe a problem, because I thought the last stuff I was using was working pretty well...until literally a day into using this cream. Overnight, my crows feet appeared less prominent, my under-eye area looked less hollow, and my concealer started going on like a dream (without getting stuck in the creases). This stuff absorbs quickly, doesn't irritate your eyes, and has a nice peachy color that intuitively blends in with your skin. All that and it's stupidly affordable. Of all the Versed products I tried, this is tied for my favorite. And the other? Keep reading. 

Guards Up Daily Mineral Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 35 $21.99

My first thought when looking at this tube and seeing 15.2% zinc oxide at the top was ohhhh no.  In other words, I was expecting a chalky white mess that would sit on my skin, make me look like Casper the ghost, and pill under my makeup. I was intrigued, however, when I opened the tube and saw the cream was actually a nice, peachy hue, similar to the eye cream. And once I put it on my skin, I was blown away by how well it sank in. I sometimes have sensitivity issues with mineral sunscreens, but I've been wearing this for several weeks and it hasn't irritated me at all. I can also confirm that it protects skin—no stealth sunburns whatsoever. It's hard to find a sunscreen that blends into your skin well and actually works, and I can't believe how well this one does both of those things. I'd gladly purchase this one again with my own money.

Doctor's Visit Instant Resurfacing Mask $29.99

This is one of the products that made Versed Internet-famous, and who doesn't love a 3-minute glow up? The texture of this mask is really nice and light—it's a bright gold gel with a little undulation to it—and it's packed with AHAs and BHAs to target tone, texture, redness, and pores. My skin can be super-sensitive to AHAs, so the first time I used this mask, I only left it on for about 90 seconds...and that didn't really do much. The next couple of times, I left it on for the full 3 minutes, which left my skin somewhat red afterward, but that's pretty typical for me and AHAs (and, according to Versed, for this mask in general). While my skin felt smoother after using this, that was about it for me in terms of results—no post-facial radiance or cleaned-out pores. It's also important to note that you're not supposed to use retinol products for 24 hours afterward, so make sure you don't use it on a Tretinoin day. Long story short, this was not the most effective mask for me, but it does seem to work for a lot of people, so depending on your skin type, YMMV. 

Weekend Glow AHA Exfoliant $17.99

As I just mentioned, AHAs don't always agree with my skin, and I knew this going in. I generally love to use a toner in the morning, as I feel like they exfoliate my skin and prep it for makeup really well. This one sounded so promising to me, because it has skin-brightening acids and pore-targeting vitamin C (another ingredient that my skin often has a reaction to), and I could use a little help in both of those areas. I found the texture of this one to be a little sticky, and it took awhile to sink in, but my skin did appear smoother and brighter immediately after using it. However, several hours later, I broke out in a bumpy red rash on my cheeks, which is my skin's usual reaction when it's super irritated (this happens a lot with vitamin C). I tried using this toner twice more, and the exact same thing happened, so I've concluded that this one is just not for me. Know thine own skin!

My honest review

I am dubious of many skincare products that go viral, especially knowing that everyone's skin is different and there's never a one-size-fits-all approach. In general, my skincare philosophy is this: Everyone should at least use a cleanser, a moisturizer, and sunscreen. If you want to see results, you need active ingredients; that's usually a mixture of acids, delivered through serums, toners, and/or masks targeted to your unique needs. (And if you're going to splurge, this is the place to do it—stable, high-quality ingredients are worth it, in my opinion.) Versed excels at the general: the cleanser, moisturizer (especially the eye cream), and sunscreen are all very well formulated and available at very accessible prices—they're an incredible value, and among the best I've tried in this price range. As for the second part of that equation, that's where things get a little tricky. I did not try any of Versed's serums, and the two exfoliating products I tried (the toner and the mask) were not really suited for my skin, which I knew going in. I would definitely try more of their products (and will update this post if and when I do!), but as with anything, make sure you read the labels first.