3 Products That Earned the "What Are You Using?" Text
- Aug 8
- 6 min read
There are a lot of products I like. But very few draw multiple compliments from friends, coworkers, and family.
Between a full-time job, two little boys, and building Dew the Most after bedtime, I don't have time to chase every launch or follow a 12-step routine. So when something makes me pause at my reflection (or stare at my face on Zoom wondering why my skin looks so good) and earns enough questions that I start sending multiple "you need to try this" texts, I pay attention.
Over the past few months, I've noticed something interesting: every product below has something in common. They all passed what I'm calling The Compliment Test.
The Compliment Test is simple: people notice your skin before you mention anything about your skincare. Not because they're being polite, but because they genuinely stop and ask, "Wait…your skin looks amazing. What are you using?"
To me, that's one of the best compliments I can get and one of the best signs that my skincare is actually paying off.
These are the three products I've been RAVING about over the past few months and that will either be staying on my shelf or spending a very short amount of time on my Need to Replenish list.
SkinMedica TNS Advanced+ is a growth factor serum designed to improve firmness, texture and fine lines over time. It's one of the products that put growth factors on my radar as an anti-aging category actually worth paying attention to. I hesitated because of the price tag, but after finally taking the plunge during a major sale, I never looked back.
Why it passed the Compliment Test
This was the product that made me believe growth factors were worth the hype. A few weeks into using it consistently morning and night, I started noticing the difference myself. My skin looked bouncier, firmer, smoother and healthier. It was hard to explain, it just looked...better. More youthful.
Then, leading up to a big event, my friends told me, "Your skin looks UNREAL." Later that month, during a meeting, my boss and coworker both commented, "Your skin looks amazing...what are you using?" I'll be honest, I don't remember what the meeting was about anymore.
That was the moment my own experience felt validated. It wasn't just me convincing myself a luxury serum (and the price tag) was worth it. Other people could see the difference too.
Who I think will love it
If you're looking to invest in one luxury anti-aging serum and you're committed to using it consistently—and I mean AM and PM, every day—this is still one of my all-time favorites.
After loving TNS, I kept hearing about AnteAGE as a newer take on regenerative skincare and wanted to understand whether it could actually be a step up.
The difference is nuanced. TNS is an established growth-factor serum with a strong focus on visible signs of aging like fine lines, texture and firmness. AnteAGE takes a broader approach, pairing regenerative signaling ingredients with peptides, antioxidants and barrier-supporting ingredients. So while I'm still using it for wrinkles and firmness, I'm also interested in what it can do for overall skin quality, like tone, texture, glow, and resilience.
Why it passed the Compliment Test
I started noticing that broader difference myself. My skin looked really good: brighter, smoother, more even, and naturally glowy. So much so that I was reaching for less makeup in the mornings and wearing none on the weekends (not even tinted moisturizer!). That's how good I was feeling about my skin.
Then people started asking what I was using, which is honestly the skincare equivalent of someone stopping you to ask where you got your shoes, jacket, dress, etc.
While catching up with friends in San Francisco, one of them looked at me and said, "What are you using? Your skin looks insane!!" and my other friend agreed. They wanted to know my full routine, but AnteAGE was the biggest change I'd made at the time.
And one important detail: the system was the game changer for me. I tried the serum alone and thought it was okay. Once I started using Step 1 with the Step 2 Accelerator, I understood the hype.
That's also what has made it stand out from TNS for me. I loved the firmness, glow and visible anti-aging results I got from TNS; AnteAGE seems to give me that plus an overall "my skin just looks amazing" effect.
Who I think will love it
If your goal is healthier-looking skin overall and not just treating wrinkles, this is the one I'd point you toward. Right now, it's the one I'm personally reaching for every single day, morning and night.
VT Reedle Shot Collagen is a Korean treatment that uses tiny micro-spicules to create a treatment-like experience at home. I've added it to my rotation on non-retinol nights, and it's quickly become one of my favorite treatments because I love how my skin looks the next morning. It gives me such a good glow that I sometimes wonder if my highlighter is becoming unnecessary.
Why it passed the Compliment Test
This one gives me more immediate gratification than the first two. I consistently wake up the next morning with smoother, glowier, bouncier-looking skin to the point that I go to bed slightly excited to see my face the next day.
Around the time I'd added Reedle to my routine, I ran into a friend on BART who told me, "Your skin looks unreal." I can't attribute one compliment to one product (especially when I'm using other skincare I love) but it reinforced what I'd already been noticing in the mirror that morning and throughout the day.
And that's an important distinction for me: I don't think any skincare product deserves sole credit for great skin. But when I introduce something new, consistently see a difference, and other people start noticing too? That's when I pay attention.
Who I think will love it
If you're looking for an at-home treatment that gives you that fresh, well-rested, "my skin is having a good day" look the next morning, I think this one is absolutely worth trying.
So let's talk about price.
Yes, the first two are expensive. Honestly, I never thought I'd spend more than $100 on a serum, let alone over $200 (eek). I'd eventually be dropping this type of coin on skincare, I would've freaked out. And I still firmly believe that most of the time, it's not necessary.
For example, I'm not spending that kind of money on most cleansers, moisturizers or sunscreens, and certainly not just because something comes in luxury packaging or has a viral marketing campaign behind it. Before an expensive skincare product earns a permanent place on my shelf, it has to pass three tests:
The science makes sense. I'm looking for thoughtfully designed formulas with ingredients that have a strong rationale. Not just whatever ingredient is having its moment on TikTok.
It feels meaningfully different. If it performs like something I could buy for $40, I'm probably buying the $40 one.
The results speak for themselves. I need to actually see a difference. And when other people start noticing it too? That's the Compliment Test.
That's why TNS and AnteAGE are two of the rare $200+ products I'm comfortable recommending. They combine sophisticated regenerative formulas with real-world results I've actually seen for myself.
Would I recommend spending $200+ on a serum to everyone? Absolutely not. If you're still building the basics and figuring out what works for you, start with a good sunscreen, moisturizer and (if your skin tolerates it) a retinoid. None of those needs to come with a $200 price tag.
But if you've already built a solid routine and you're looking for one product to elevate it, these growth factor formulas are the kinds of products I think are worth considering.
And if you've been eyeing either one, both happen to be on sale right now: SkinMedica TNS Advanced+ at Dermstore and AnteAGE Biosome System at Derma Beauty. As much as I love a compliment, I love a sale even more ;)
The point here isn't more skincare.
The biggest thing I've learned this year is that better skin hasn't come from buying more products. It's come from finding the few that are genuinely worth sticking with.
I love skincare. I don't love buying products that waste my time or don't deserve a permanent spot on my shelf.
For the first time, it feels like I'm making real progress toward finding my holy grails instead of following every new trend and starting over with new products every few months. That's a big part of why I built Dew the Most in the first place.
If you're trying to do the same:
Start your Beauty Shelf and keep track of what's actually working.
Log what you love, what you'd repurchase, and what you still want to try.
Ask Dewy to help you perfect your routine. And when you're tempted by the next launch or aren't sure what actually makes sense next. Sometimes the most useful answer is that you don't need anything...yet.
It makes the whole process clearer and a lot more useful in the long run.
So, let's dew this together.
If you want more of this: what's actually worth buying, what's not, and how to build a routine that works without overdoing it, subscribe or follow along on Substack. I'll share what I'm testing, what actually makes the cut, and what I'd skip next time.
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