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Merry Christmas — it’s time to use your FSA funds before they go away forever after December 31. And if that acronym means nothing to you, let us break it down. A flexible savings account consists of money sourced from your (pre-tax) paychecks: to be put towards expenses like “deductibles, co-pays, and medical office visits,” per MetLife. Sometimes but not always, employers pitch into this account; in most cases, the total does not roll over into the next year, meaning it operates on a “use it by December 31 or lose it” policy, with the occasional grace period given depending on where you work. This is not the case for an HSA (health savings account), which rolls over yearly and even stays with you between jobs. That being said, while you can certainly also take advantage of HSA to shop the products we’ll be rounding up in just a second, there’s much less urgency to do so now than with an FSA.
What Beauty and Wellness Products are FSA-Eligible?
If this is news to you, you’re not the only one. The Fast Company reports that, “in 2023, around half of all FSA account holders forfeited some funds back to their employers, with the average amount left in accounts being $436.” That’s over $400 that could’ve been put towards something useful, which doesn’t necessarily mean a post-visit financial obligation to your dermatologist. Indeed, a myriad of beauty products can be bought through your FSA — including trending picks and essentials like sunscreen, LED face masks, tinted moisturizers, and more. So too does eyewear from buzzy brands like Warby Parker and Glasses USA fit the bill, not to mention our readers’ favorite sauna blankets and other devices geared towards wellness.
Sephora and Ulta each have their own dedicated sections online called “FSA & HSA Eligible,” where you can stock up on everything from editor-loved Touchland hand sanitizers and Clinique foundations to innovative liquid pimple patches from Kiehl’s and even shimmering sunscreens from Sol de Janeiro. Standalone beauty companies also have their own FSA-specific categories. Clarins’, for example, features the likes of anti-aging cream and plumping moisturizer.
Makeup products rarely qualify, but skin care that specifically has an SPF rating, plus acne-related products, almost always do. As a handy rule of thumb, any topical that’s made up of ingredients that treat or prevent medical conditions — skin cancer included — is one you’re very likely to be able to pay for via FSA.
How to Pay for FSA-Eligible Beauty and Wellness Products Online
When all is said and done and you’ve picked out all the beauty goodies that will effectively drain your flexible savings account for 2025, how does one go about actually paying for everything? Most brands and retailers have their own instructions on how to do that. For instance, at checkout, Dermstore has something called the “Flex” payment option. You can then enter your FSA debit card’s number (which automatically withdraws funds from your FSA account) in the relevant field and even have the opportunity to split the payment between this card and your regular one, should your FSA funds not be enough to cover the entire total.
Sephora, on the other hand, does not accept FSA debit cards as a form of payment: instead mandating the use of a normal credit or debit card to purchase FSA-eligible offerings. After you go through with the transaction and get a receipt, you can submit it to your benefits provider “to make a claim for reimbursement,” according to the brand.
As for Amazon, like the aforementioned Dermstore, it allows shoppers to add an FSA card and pay with it seamlessly. And, if you’re on the hunt for a light- or heat-therapy gadget, HigherDose also lets you shop its bestsellers for free at the end of the year (well, not for free, but you get what we mean): by selecting “TrueMed” at checkout and typing in your FSA card details. Do note that you need to take what the brand calls “a quick health survey to confirm eligibility.”
There are merely five days left until the new year, meaning you better get to draining your flexible savings account and doing it soon. Below, the 16 most worth-it picks — spanning from travel-friendly pimple patches to depuffing wands — that will help you do so (while also satisfying an itch for the most in-demand beauty buys these days).
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HigherDose Infrared Sauna Blanket
Craving a full-body detox after all that Christmastime indulgence? You’ve come to the right place. HigherDose’s quick-to-sell-out Infrared Sauna Blanket, one of the best ones our editors have personally tested, allows you to turn the (far-infrared) heat up and get your sweat on at home — which has been proven to supercharge circulation, help with post-workout muscle recovery, lead to feelings of total zen, and make you glow all over. What’s more, the blanket emits negative ions (thanks, amethyst and tourmaline!) that take the bliss you’re bound to experience here up many notches.
Price upon publish date of this article: $699
bareMinerals BarePro Skin-Perfecting Matte Liquid Foundation SPF 20
You know how we said, just a few paragraphs ago, that “makeup products rarely qualify” for FSA spending? Well, this right here is an exception: in the form of a liquid bareMinerals foundation that’s SPF 20 and works to secure you the professional-level matte finish of your dreams while being gentle on even the most sensitive of skin types.
Price upon publish date of this article: $44
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer UV SPF 30
French brand La Roche-Posay is an institution, and its top-rated Double Repair Face Moisturizer is here to deliver not only all-day hydration but also a major boost to your skin barrier: by way of
heavy hitting ingredients like ceramide-3, glycerin, and niacinamide. But the true star of the show here? Undoubtedly thermal spring water, which is mineral-rich and sourced right from the town of La Roche-Posay.
Price upon publish date of this article: $26.99
Mario Badescu Drying Lotion Blemish Spot Treatment
A Martha Stewart go-to, Mario Badescu’s hero product — this Drying Lotion — made it onto our list primarily because it targets acne and skin blemishes. Simply plop it on target areas of the face before going to bed and wake up to a clearer, impurity-ridden complexion. Magic? We like to think that it is.
Price upon publish date of this article: $18
Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro 3-Minute LED Device
One of our editors’ top picks for LED masks in 2025, Dr. Dennis Gross’ innovation harnesses blue and red light therapy to improve skin tone, reduce breakouts, amp up collagen production, and kick to the curb the very bacteria that’s responsible for unwanted (when is it ever wanted?) acne. All it takes is three minutes a day of wearing the SpectraLite FaceWare Pro to witness results that will make “glowy” your modus operandi in the new year.
Price upon publish date of this article: $455
Fenty Beauty Hydra Vizor Huez Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum Mineral SPF 30 Sunscreen
Want to treat your makeup bag to some of Rihanna’s finest? Go with the Fenty Beauty Hydra Vizor Huez — a mineral SPF moisturizer that not only blurs out imperfections because of its subtle tint but also pays dividends when it comes to tightening pores, increasing skin’s elasticity, and keeping things hydrated with hyaluronic acid and aloe. Note that this baby’s $5 case is sold separately, and you can equip it with 10 inclusive, wide-ranging shades.
Price upon publish date of this article: $44
Sol de Janeiro Rio Radiance SPF 50 Shimmering Body Oil Sunscreen
Sol de Janeiro was one of the most coveted brands during this year’s Black Friday sales extravaganza, and now you can finally get a sense for what all the hype’s about. Its body oil slash shimmering sunscreen is resistant to water, fights off environmental aggressors that might irritate the skin, and, most importantly, benefits from Sol de Janeiro’s sumptuous Cheirosa 87 scent. You’ll soon be enveloped in a fragrance that’s milky, warmth-exuding, and evocative of your favorite tropical vacation spot — all while protecting your bod from UV rays.
Price upon publish date of this article: $30
Clarins Multi-Active Day SPF 15 Anti-Aging Cream
This isn’t your average daily moisturizer. Instead, the Clarins Multi-Active Day Cream refines texture, strengthens the skin barrier, and grants an en vogue “glass skin” look thanks to niacinamide, organic sea holly bio-extract, and other hardworking components. The cream’s main point of pride, though, is effectively dealing with the common signs of aging, all while moonlighting as sunscreen. Wrinkles, dullness, and dryness begone!
Price upon publish date of this article: $60
EltaMD UV Clear Face Sunscreen SPF 46
Dermatologist-trusted, editor-approved, and celebrity-used (it’s got a fan base that consists of Sofia Richie, Brooke Shields, Kendall Jenner, and Gwyneth Paltrow), EltaMD’s UV Clear sunscreen variation bypasses the worst attributes of its counterparts (white cast, oiliness, heaviness), swapping them out for a transparent finish and an ingredient makeup that won’t lead to breakouts or incite irritation. Wearing it under makeup won’t feel like a struggle, and you will ultimately find yourself coming back to this product for refills more than once.
Price upon publish date of this article: $45
Clinique Moisture Surge Broad Spectrum SPF 28 Sheer Hydrator
Clinique’s “Amazon’s Choice” moisturizer hydrates and protects skin courtesy of free radical–fighting provitamin D, aloe bioferment, and hyaluronic acid. What you’ll be getting here is also a safe-for-daily-use face sunscreen that blends in sheer and feels lighter than a cloud. We’re sold (it’s 25 percent off at Amazon right now, after all). What about you?
Price upon publish date of this article: $36.75
Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch Chin Patches
Sure, you’ve heard of (and probably used) standard pimple patches shaped like circles or the occasional star. But Hero Cosmetics’ Mighty Patch Chin Patches are large, elongated, and made only with your chin area in mind. They do their best work overnight — absorbing pimple gunk and oils, staying in place as you snooze the hours away, and being comfortable all the while.
Price upon publish date of this article: $17.97
Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
One of the best products ever made by the viral K-beauty brand Cosrx, the Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence injects skin with much-needed moisture while making it brighter and bouncier. It does all this, to the tune of millions of searches on TikTok and thousands of rave reviews, by tapping the powers of snail mucin paired up with panthenol — the latter of which helps pull water into the skin from the outside world, also keeping it redness- and irritation-free. “After one full year of using the product twice daily, I’ve noticed less redness and a subtle plumping effect that’s smoothed fine lines, particularly on my forehead and around my eyes,” WWD Shop’s previous beauty shopping editor reported after rigorous testing.
Price upon publish date of this article: $25
Therabody TheraFace Depuffing Wand
According to Therabody, the TheraFace Depuffing Wand “never leaves [Kendall Jenner’s] bag.” The brand’s newest ambassador is onto something, as the tool uses alternating cold and hot settings to cut back on puffiness, say “goodbye” to dark circles, and minimize the visual effects of getting less sleep than you’re meant to. The treatment time here is only six minutes, and the wand is portable enough to pack into your weekender bag for a plane ride: making sitting at 30B a much more enjoyable (and productive) time.
Price upon publish date of this article: $139.99
Allies of Skin Multi Peptides & Growth Factor Advanced Lifting Serum
Staying true to its name, Allies of Skin’s Advanced Lifting Serum aids in the reversal of saggy skin — lifting it while targeting other pesky problems like crow’s feet and forehead lines. What’s responsible for this? A carefully developed concoction made of peptides, growth factor complex, copper lysinate, and other scientific-sounding elements. To use the bestseller, distribute three pumps over the face and neck daily, post-cleansing, and start savoring its impressive effects after a couple of months of consistent application.
Price upon publish date of this article: $188
reVive Acne Light Therapy Bundle
An acne-free 2026 is in your cards, we can feel it. Start the journey with reVive’s Acne Light Therapy Bundle: consisting of medical-grade light therapy treatment panels and handheld acne devices that not only deal with your flare-ups at present but also help prevent future ones and mitigate scarring. “I have been using this every morning and evening for two weeks and I already see such a difference,” one reviewer says. “In the morning, I use the small circular [device] to drive my serum in deeper with light and vibration. I use it every night to wash my skin as well. I then use the lights for three minutes.” A new, sustainable, and powerful anti-acne routine? Unlocked!
Price upon publish date of this article: $578.99
CurrentBody Skin Anti-Acne LED Pen
CurrentBody is a trusted and loved beauty tech company that specializes in everything from hair growth helmets to microneedling treatments. Its Anti-Acne LED Pen is an under-$100 gadget that emits blue and red wavelengths to kill acne-causing bacteria, diminish oil production, and rejuvenate skin on the whole. The best part is that it works with what CurrentBody calls “pen-like precision” and is the true definition of “on the go.” In other words, you can achieve a clearer complexion while catching up on your guilty-pleasure shows, reading on a Kindle, or rounding out your post-holiday online shopping from the comforts of the couch.
Price upon publish date of this article: $79.99
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Meet the Author
Stacia Datskovska is a Senior Commerce Writer at WWD. Previously, she worked at ELLE DECOR as an assistant digital editor, covering all things luxury, culture, and lifestyle through a design lens. Her bylines over the past five years have appeared in USA Today, Baltimore Sun, Teen Vogue, Boston Globe, Food & Wine, and more. Prior to joining ELLE DECOR, Datskovska learned the ins and outs of e-commerce at Mashable, where she tested products, covered tentpole sales events, and curated gift guide roundups. She graduated from NYU with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and international relations. Datskovska regularly reports on trending beauty products worth readers’ hard-earned (or FSA) money.
Source: Shop – wwd.com
