The $12 Vitamin C Serum This Peloton Instructor Relies On

We can test it, we can sweat in it, we can steam in it, but nothing quite gives a solid sweatproof-makeup and non-pore-clogging skin-care seal of approval quite like a gold star from a Peloton instructor who spins all day.

“Once I get to the studio to prepare for class, I apply a primer that’s meant for putting makeup on top of,” Emma Lovewell recently told Mind Body Green in an interview, specifically calling out her simple lineup of a gentle cleanser, vitamin C serum, moisturizer and sunscreen, which includes the very budget-friendly NOW Foods, Solutions, Vitamin C & Ferulic Acid Serum ($12). Besides (as the name suggests) being formulated with vitamin C and ferulic acid, the antioxidant powerhouse also includes niacinamide and moisturizing hyaluronic acid.

On the makeup front, Lovewell says she always uses liquid foundation because she finds her skin too dry for powder, and sometimes mixes it up. “I use [foundation] strategically,” she said. “I don’t cake it on—I’ll sometimes mix it with moisturizer and then go back in with a concealer to really target [any] red spots.”

As for mascara, she goes the waterproof route: “If I wear regular mascara, I’ll have raccoon eyes—mascara always has to be waterproof. I also have pretty straight eyelashes, so when I curl my eyelashes and then use a waterproof mascara, it holds the curl better.”