Our Beauty Lab pros at the Good Housekeeping Institute have long been fans of affordable beauty. In any given roundup, you’re sure to spot tried and true drugstore favorites that our experts have used regularly and often tested for efficacy.
So now that the CVS Epic Beauty Sale is back again, we're here to help with scoring deals on your next beauty haul. GH Beauty Award winners, top-tested skincare, hair tools and new products our editors love are all eligible for savings throughout the event. Just note that you need a CVS ExtraCare account to see the savings. (Don't have one? All good, it’s free to sign up).
How the sale works
From August 16 through August 29, shoppers can receive $10 off beauty purchases over $30. Remember, you'll want to make sure you're logged in to your ExtraCare account when you're shopping the sale. To do so, head to “ExtraCare Savings,” click on “Send to Card,” and you'll be ready to shop and earn savings.
Our favorite CVS Epic Beauty Sale finds
After testing, the Beauty Lab confirmed that this dryer brush—a 2026 GH Beauty Award winner—is on par with Dyson Airwrap dupes. This hot tool had fastest rate of drying hair compared to the others tried and easily glided through hair, leaving it shiny and smooth.
Regarded by our Beauty Lab as one of the top at-home whitening options out there, this kit from Crest will have your pearly whites visibly brighter after use. Lab tests found that the product whitened teeth an average of 2.6 shades in 19 days of use. It also received the highest scores among consumer testers for removing stains from teeth.
Multiple versions of Garnier’s Micellar Cleansing water have been praised by our experts. This one in particular, which is another 2026 GH Beauty Award winner, has outperformed several other formulas for speedily and effectively removing makeup without tugging or rubbing. Besides being part of the sale, this micellar water is buy one, get one 50% off (which is great, because daily makeup wearers know you can run through run bottle quickly).
We loved this multi-use formula so much we gave it a Beauty Award in recent years. It gives a natural, glowing look and received high scores for easy blending and application.
It has a different look, but this is the same facial cleanser that our Beauty Lab pros granted a Beauty Award, as they found it reduced irritation for those with sensitive skin. Jennifer Garner is a fan, too, saying, “It doesn't have any scent, and it starts moisturizing as you're washing your face.”
A Good Housekeeping Seal star (and one of mine and my mom’s personal faves), this moisturizer has been named among several of our best moisturizer roundups. It helps reduce the look of wrinkles while adding hydration, thanks to niacinamide and peptide. We like that it’s silky, fast-absorbing, and ultra-hydrating.
I've been a longtime fan of Mielle products for the way they leave my hair shiny and smelling delectable. I find this specific conditioner to be super hydrating for days when my dry hair needs extra love. I typically use it after washing my hair along with the Mielle Organics Babassu Brazilian Curly Cocktail Curl Mousse, and it really helps define my curls without weighing my hair down
In addition to being a Beauty Award winner, this serum was named the best value anti-aging serum by our beauty experts for its ability to help brighten skin and even texture. It's formulated with age-fighting actives including vitamin C, peptides, and lactic acid and was found in tests to be non-irritating. "This serum was well-tolerated on my sensitive and easily reactive skin," says GH Beauty Lab Director Sabina Wizemann. "I did not experience inflammation flare-ups like I normally do with products containing strong ingredients."
April Franzino, our senior beauty and style director, and Wizemann have dug deep into this serum, and they found is lightweight, spreads easily, and doesn't feel greasy. In a study, they found that a majority of women found their skin more radiant just after two weeks of use.
READ OUR FULL REVIEW: The New Serum You Need for Radiant Skin
