As professional skincare connoisseurs, beauty editors have truly seen (and tried) it all. They’ve layered on the latest lotions and potions and take their jobs seriously: to sniff out the standout products that deserve a permanent place in your vanity. It’s not an easy job, but someone has to do it.

Beauty editor Dana Nguyen admits she was a face-oil-skeptic because of her tricky-to-treat combination skin, but the balancing effects of Active Botanical Serum quickly changed her mind. "In reality, quality face oils help reinforce your skin’s moisture barrier while breaking down dirt," she explains in her Violet Grey post. And Vintner’s Daughter? Well, the holy grail of face serums — formulated by actual vintner’s daughter April Gargiulo — nourishes, clears, and restores.

Our skin is in a constant state of regeneration, so you should customize your product use accordingly. If you are feeling extra dry, add a few extra drops of Active Botanical Serum to your routine. “At first, three to four drops of the golden elixir were all my combination skin could handle,” she notes. “Now, I’m applying six to eight drops a night, warming the serum with my hands before pressing it into my skin.” Don’t forget to use it as a spot treatment if your skin starts acting up — a hack Nguyen swears makes her blemished areas “presto change.”

It is easy to forget about what is inside your bottle of botanical goodness, but the terroir-inspired ingredient sourcing method makes a noticeable difference in the potency and effectiveness of the product. “Vintner’s Daughter — with all of its 22 active botanicals — is a beautiful blend of ingredients that work together like a freaking philharmonic orchestra,” she says, noting that the ingredients are harvested at optimal times. “The lavender’s scent is surpassed only by its ability to penetrate pores.”