Lauren Balsamo
Beauty Director
Lauren Balsamo is the beauty director at Cosmopolitan where she writes, edits, and produces all types of beauty content—from product reviews to personal essays and trend reports. She has covered beauty for more than a decade at Cosmopolitan. Follow her on Instagram.
- Topic Specialties
Latest from Lauren Balsamo
We’ve Tested Virtually Every At-Home Laser Hair Removal Device—These 8 Stood Out
See the best picks of 2026, how they work, the results, and the deals you shouldn't miss.
6 Glowy Tinted Sunscreens Make Skin Look Airbrushed
These editor-approved multitaskers provide coverage and protection.
I’m a Beauty Editor Who Has Used Bronzer for 20 Years—These Are the 7 Best Picks for a Refined, Grown-Up Glow
No orange tones, no wacky glitter.
What It Takes to Win a Cosmopolitan Beauty Award
Plus what to expect if your product or brand is crowned a winner.
I’ve Tested Skincare for 10+ Years—These 6 iSClinical Products Are Truly Worth the Hype
Including their brand-new eye gel that firms, brightens, and depuffs.
So Many Mineral Sunscreens Fall Short, but SkinCeuticals’ New SPF 50 Genuinely Impressed Me
It’s a total game changer as far as zinc-based SPF goes.
Is Therabody’s $380 LED Mask Worth It? I Tested It for 2 Months
Spoiler: It won a 2026 Cosmo Holy Grail Beauty Award.
I Tested Tons of Skin-Tightening Treatments—Ultherapy Prime Was the Clear Winner
My honest review plus the most important info about the treatment, according to experts.
Fraxel Was the Most Intense Laser I’ve Tried—and the Most Effective
Here's what the powerful laser treatment is actually like—plus dermatologist insights.
The Year in Skincare: 102 Products, Tools, and Professional Treatments Deemed Award-Worthy by Team Cosmo
These are the standouts our editors kept reaching for long after the testing period ended.
The Year in Beauty: The Best Products, Tools, and Treatments, According to Cosmo Editors
Welcome to Cosmopolitan’s 2026 Holy Grail Beauty Awards.
The Best Clean Beauty Products of 2026, According to Cosmo Editors
These are the 32 standouts that take your health and our planet’s seriously.
