Time and consistency are key factors when it comes to seeing noticeable results while treating beauty-related issues. It may take a couple of weeks to see improvement with a scalp treatment, months for a vitamin C lotion to show brighter skin, and that lash serum won’t make hairs sprout overnight! But we don’t blame you for wanting faster results (we’re only human after all!). If you can relate, listen up; we found products that might just offer everything you’ve been craving.
Since no one really has the time to wait for fuller hair, plumper lips or tanner skin, TODAY contributor and Senior Editor-at-Large at NewBeauty, Sarah Eggenberger, stopped by the 3rd hour of TODAY to give us the scoop on the best makeup, skin care and hair care that can help you achieve your beauty goals in an instant. And we mean fast: Think hair treatments that boost shine in just eight seconds, a quick working two-in-one redness corrector and an eye cream that smoothes wrinkles before … well, your very eyes!
No patience? No problem. Check out our favorite fast-acting beauty products below. Plus, we have a few exclusive discounts just for our readers!
Instant beauty favorites seen on the 3rd hour of TODAY
InnBeauty Project Calm The Red Down Dual-Chamber Serum
Two formulas, one bottle… too many benefits to count! Eggenberger says you can expect instant gratification with this high-performance serum, which is specifically designed to turn your redness levels all the way down. Side one contains the repair barrier treatment that targets the root causes of all that blotchiness (including sensitivity, histamine and cortisol response, per the brand). Side two is a green color corrector that works to instantly calm and balance the skin, and give the complexion a red-free, filter-like finish.
You can also score 20% off when you use the code TODAY when you purchase from InnBeauty Project’s website!
Peter Thomas Roth Instant FIRMx Eye Tightener
The instant disappearance of crow’s feet — sounds like a magic trick. Well, I guess you can call this eye treatment magic in a tube, because its formula has the power to temporarily minimize wrinkles and tighten puffy under eyes. Application is simple — just add a tiny amount of product below the eyes, between the brows and near the brow bone to see an almost instant firming effect.
One contributing writer tried the cream and said she saw an immediate difference in her number eleven lines. “A subtle tightening kicked in within seconds, and these fine lines were pulled taut,” she said. “I could also see a nice firming of the entire area between my cheekbones and lower forehead.”
+Lux Unfiltered N12 Bronzing Face Drops
For many, the last thing you want is to show up to your long-awaited spring vacation with pale winter skin. Eggenberger says the quickest way to achieving a natural-looking, summer glow — without the harmful UVA rays — is by using these bronzing face drops. It’s as easy as adding a few drops into your lotion and applying to your face. This process also makes it completely customizable, since you control how many drops are added to your routine.
What’s even better than getting a sun-kissed look faster than you can utter “spring break?” We scored our readers a discount code! Use TODAY at checkout to grab 30% off.
L.A. Girl Tinted Hydrating Lip Plumper
Part of the petite pout club? Nothing wrong with that! Just like there’s nothing wrong with getting a little beauty boost with a lip plumper. This one from L.A. Girl is designed to instantly boost circulation in the area, creating a fuller and more voluptuous finish. Plus, it leaves a stunning glossy look behind.
Production associate Audrey Ekman admits to having tried dozens of lip plumpers but says this $5 formula is one of the most effective. “I like to apply two coats onto bare lips, and it really helps with filling in lines in my lips and moisturizing them,” she says. She also adds that the color payoff is impressive, but warns that you should prepare for a spicy tingling.
L’Oréal Paris Elvive 8 Second Wonder Water
If you love the effortless shine your hair has post salon trip, Eggenberger says this treatment can help you quickly achieve the same look at home! And we don’t use the word “quickly” lightly: the brand promises the formula gives silkier, shinier and healthier hair in just eight seconds.
Contributing writer Katie Jackson says her hair felt smoother and more alive-looking after a single application. “In terms of texture, it looked like I’d gotten a Brazilian blowout,” she added. “More importantly, it felt like I’d gotten a Brazilian blowout.”
K18 Biomimetic Hairscience Astrolift Reparative Volume Spray
Eggenberger says volumizing trends are in right now. It’s not that hard to believe — who doesn’t love instantly lifted hair? But for the “instant” effect, you’ll want to grab K18’s brand-new reparative volume spray. According to the brand, the formula can “increase hair-fiber diameter with one use” but won’t ever weigh hair down. In addition to volumizing benefits, it can also protect strands against humidity and help reverse damage found in fine and fragile hair.
Our limited-edition beauty box just dropped!
More instant beauty favorites to shop
Repêchage Triple Action Peptide Mask
We love a sheet mask, but one that provides glowing skin in just 10 minutes? Sign us up! This triple-action mask promises additional benefits like “drenching” the skin in moisture and diminishing the look of fine lines.
Madison Reed The Great Cover Up Root Touch Up + Brow Filler
When your packed schedule can’t fit in salon appointments, this compact can offer a quick solution. Fill in sparse brows and cover up grays in seconds with Madison Reed’s concealing powder. The long-lasting formula is designed to stay until your next shampoo or wash and offers a natural look as well as the tools for a precise application.
Tresemmé A-List Collection Lacquer Shine Spray
If you thought the final touch to your hairstyle was a holding spray, you haven’t heard of Tresemmé’s Shine Spray. Give your ‘do a once over with this formula to achieve instant (yet weightless) shine, a boost in color vibrancy, humidity control and a flawless and frizz-free finish.
Peter Thomas Roth Peptide Skinjection Fill + Fix Under-Eye Cream
Peter Thomas Roth isn’t done with its incomparable eye treatment formulas. This new cream offers a “needle-free filler” effect, boasting technology that fills the look of fine lines, brightens dark circles and quickly tightens the skin.
Dr. Idriss The Depuffer Redness Reducing + Depuffing Roll-On Serum
Whether you got zero sleep or have naturally baggy under eyes, this roll-on serum is said to reduce puffiness and swelling. Use it in the morning to achieve an immediate sculpted look as well as to flush out redness.
Il Makiage Power Camo Redness Defense Primer
This Shop TODAY editor-loved brand calls their primer treatment “a secret weapon” for tackling redness and signs of aging. The formula is green-toned to cancel out discoloration and the priming part works to blur large pores and fine lines. It’s also packed with skin-loving ingredients like azelaic acid, centella asiatica and bakuchiol.
Nexxus Slick Stick Strong Hold Hair Wax
We love a chic slick-back look, but what we don’t love are frizz and flyaways. Use this stick to put the ultimate hold on your style, all while shielding strands from daily aggressors and weightless protection that won’t leave product buildup behind (per the brand).
L’Oréal Paris Lumi Glotion
This “glotion” is well on its way to becoming a cult-classic beauty product. You can use it as a highlighter, all-over illuminator or even as bronzing drops. Its formula is hydrating enough to apply anywhere, thanks to a mix of glycerin and shea butter.
E.l.f. Sun Boss Gloss Sunscreen
This high-shine lip gloss is about to transport you straight to the beach. Not only does it offer SPF 25 protection, but it also offers a coconut scent that will have you craving piña coladas! It comes in five shades and they go for only $7 each.
Neutrogena Makeup Remover Eraser Stick
Never let an uneven wing, rogue mascara mark or smudged shadow ruin your makeup look again. Keep this eraser stick at your vanity or in your touch-up bag to ensure a flawless and error-free makeup application every time.
How we chose
The Shop TODAY editors and writers search the internet to find the best products out there. We interview expert sources, comb through customer reviews and even use our own personal experiences to make shopping easier for our readers.
As an editorial team, we independently create content and determine coverage based on research, reporting and what we think TODAY.com readers would like to read about. The goal of our content is to provide a service and inform readers who are on the hunt for the latest products to help make their life better. Items are sold by retailer, not TODAY. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time.
Meet the expert
- Sarah Eggenberger is the Senior Editor-at-Large at NewBeauty, a digital beauty publication. As an experienced beauty and lifestyle expert and published author, Eggenberger acts as an on-screen spokesperson regularly, sharing beauty and fashion tips and tricks.
