I tried the plant-based skincare brand No B.S. that's getting a lot of buzz — and it cleared up my breakouts better than the pricier products I own

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• Recently, I tried the Cleanser and Toner ($50) from the up-and-coming skincare line, No B.S.
• No B.S. carries no-fuss, to-the-point products that are a stiff departure from the studied subterfuge of the beauty industry at large. They don't feel super luxurious, but, as a trade, they do actually work.
• All No B.S. products are made from potent, plant-based ingredients, scientifically-proven heavy hitters, and no fillers like parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, or phthalates.
• You can shop all No B.S. products on Amazon directly.

Over the years, I've heard the same advice repeated to me by dermatologist after dermatologist: "the best skincare routine is a simple one."

It's the kind of common sense, anti-impulse consumerism advice that feels dissatisfying. The latest, greatest, and most complex products, while exciting, are not necessarily going to be great for you — and they might even make problems worse now and in the long term. However, that's not something a Sephora VIB member wants to hear.

So, when a few products from the new skincare line No B.S. crossed my desk, I was reluctantly excited given their "simple is better" approach.

No B.S. is a line of products that extend from a "no b.s." methodology: they're made from potent natural ingredients and scientifically-proven heavy hitters, and none of the excess "bad stuff" — no parabens, phthalates, sulfates, or synthetic fragrances. The products look how the whole line feels: clean, understated, and to-the-point transparent. Even the company logo is austere.

I've had troubled skin intermittently since high school, and since I started using the No B.S. cleanser and toner ($50) on a regular basis and schedule (alongside my Holy Grail $10 Aztec Mask and some great moisturizers), my skin has become clearer. The simple products have the good, efficacious ingredients and no fillers. They just work — as my past dermatologists would probably have already known.

The company functions on the idea that "skin is skin," and it needs to be treated with plant-based ingredients first and foremost. Or, in other words, "The fountain of youth is not in a $300 champagne serum." Instead, the No B.S. line is filled with ingredients you'll recognize without a Google: tea tree oil, rose hip, vitamin c, vitamin e, aloe vera, pomegranate, cucumber, jojoba oil, coconut oil, and so on. They're made in the US, not tested on animals, pretty affordable, and relatively easy to understand. The closer you look into the beauty industry, the easier it is to understand that it's not always the efficacy of products that sell them — it's the occasion and the luxury.

You won't find No B.S. in the dimly-lit halls of Sephora, though its burgeoning cult-following might land it there eventually. However, it's much more at home in the accessible, to-the-point Amazon marketplace. No B.S. has been getting a lot of hype recently (especially their fan-favorite Retinol Night Cream, $50), and I hope it doesn't derail their transparency, pricing, or brusque approach to skincare.

The bottom line

If you're searching out skincare products for the lavishly indulgent Self-Care-Sunday feeling, these aren't those costume-y, $300 champagne serum products. But, I'm not sorry to tell you, they do work.

I still love using the occasional garish beauty splurge (because they are fun!), and I'm not likely to stop quality-testing new skincare lines any time soon, but No B.S. is a great option for anyone who values clean, simple ingredients, relatively low prices, convenience, and — perhaps more lastingly — the kind of clear, happy skin that can only come from an actually simple routine.

Shop all No B.S. Skincare products on Amazon.