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.
9 easy tricks that'll shrink, tighten and minimise the appearance of pores – tried and tested
Very smooth skin coming right up!
10 best CeraVe products, including the viral cleanser – tried and tested from £11.50
Coming in at number one? The iconic Moisturising Cream!
15 best hair glosses and colour glazes for 2026 | Tried, tested and reviewed
Say farewell to dull, dry hair
Hydrafacial treatment review 2025: The pros and cons of the viral extraction facial, tried and tested
Meet my go-to "special event" facial
8 of the best nude nail polishes for your next at-home manicure
Because everyone’s “nude” is completely different
14 best skincare devices for brighter, firmer skin – tried and tested
The techy upgrades your at-home beauty routine deserves.
Cancel your tweakment appointment asap: this wrinkle serum has got you
Needles or a serum? IDK, the choice is pretty simple for me
Last 15 minutes! 36 best Amazon Prime Day beauty deals to shop now 2025 – up to 50% off Foreo, Dyson and more
Shop mega sales across viral makeup, dermatologist-recommended skincare & more.
Dyson just dropped a new version of their iconic Airwrap — here's everything you need to know
My honest thoughts after testing the Coanda 2x for nearly a month
Ranked: All of the most jaw-dropping beauty moments from the 2025 Met Gala
These A-listers understood the assignment
"The only SPF you need": Meet the lightweight suncream you'll want for your next holiday
Sunscreen + skincare + makeup = Ultra Violette.
10 best tinted sunscreens of 2025 to add to your makeup routine
Where skincare and makeup become one
We tried the Morpheus8 skin treatment, and this is our honest review
Promising smoother, clearer, tighter skin, here's EYNTK; from prep to price to pain...
The 10 best long-lasting nail polishes of all time, according to a mani obsessed editor
Including the one polish that made me quit gels entirely.
10 best nail strengtheners for dry, brittle or weak nails, tested and reviewed in 2025
Your DIY mani just got an upgrade.
10 products for acne scars that will actually make your skin look smoother and brighter
Four experts share their favourite products and best tips for fading acne scars at home
The best steps for a DIY at-home facial according to celeb aestheticians
Tool up, class is in sesh!
Best Drunk Elephant products (tested and reviewed 2024)
I've tried every single Drunk Elephant product, and these 10 are hands down my favourites
14 best hairsprays for all-day hold, tested and reviewed for 2024
A hairspray for every hairstyle
13 best Skinceuticals products to try in 2024 (tested and reviewed)
Coming in at #1? The iconic C E Ferulic Serum.
The best chemical exfoliants for ridiculously glowy skin
With options for every skin type, from super-sensitive to oily AF
What is stress acne? Everything you need to know about the very common type of breakout
Including expert-approved tips, tricks and treatments
Mandelic acid: The top products and skincare benefits, according to dermatologists
It's a gem for treating acne, hyperpigmentation, *and* signs of ageing!
7 best acne body washes of 2024 according to our beauty experts
Tested and reviewed to actually treat your acne
9 no-lamp gel nail polishes that won’t damage your nails
Gel look with no UV curing or stubborn removal? Win win win
What my teeny breasts taught me about loving my body
Push-up bras suck. And they're really expensive.
3 Korean beauty trends that will change your life
You've heard of BB creams and sheet masks, but these are the up-and-coming products that you need to know about next
What 7 people look like with and without their lips overlined
What really happens when real people try the Kylie Jenner-inspired overlined-lip challenge.