Yes, the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream is iconic, but these are 8 of our favourite products that we think should be on your radar too

Truly a household name

Five of the best Elizabeth Arden products featured in this guide
(Image credit: Getty Images)

I’d venture that anybody with a vague interest in beauty can name at least one of the best Elizabeth Arden products. The brand has been around for more than 100 years and, as such, it can truly call itself iconic.

At a time when women didn’t have as much of a presence in the world of business, Arden was something of a pioneer. She famously created a red lipstick to match the uniforms of women serving in WWII, for example. And, according to the brand, she was also the first to launch samples and travel-sized products—as well as the "makeover". In other words, she really is a key figure in the beauty industry’s history.

Today, many of the products still feature the red door logo that represents those of her salons.

Having tested quite a few of them in our beauty journalism careers, these are the best Elizabeth Arden products beyond the iconic Eight Hour Cream (though, of course, that features here) chosen by myself and Marie Claire's Senior Beauty Editor Katie Thomas.

Group shot of five of the best Elizabeth Arden products featured in this guide

(Image credit: Lucy Abbersteen)

The best Elizabeth Arden products, reviewed by beauty editors

1. Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant Lightly Scented

(Image credit: Elizabeth Arden)

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Skin Protectant

Specifications

Size: 50ml

"It would feel wrong to write a guide to the best Elizabeth Arden products and not mention this iconic cream. Actually more of an oily balm, Eight Hour Cream was invented by Arden almost a century ago and, according to the brand, is considered the first “multipurpose” beauty product. It got its name after one of her customers used it on her child’s scraped knee and, within eight hours, it was healed. If you have given Eight Hour Cream a test and liked the texture but weren’t so keen on its heady scent, you’ll likely get on better with the Lightly Scented edition, which has a barely-there sweetness to it." - Lucy

2. Elizabeth Arden Prevage City Smart Hydrating SPF 50

Elizabeth Arden Prevage City Smart Hydrating SPF 50

(Image credit: Elizabeth Arden Prevage City Smart Hydrating SPF 50)

Elizabeth Arden Prevage City Smart Hydrating SPF 50

Specifications

Size: 40ml

"The first thing I noticed when I tried the Prevage sunscreen—one of the best facial sunscreens in Marie Claire’s guide—is how lightweight and non-greasy it is. The formula has a kind of beige tint, which rubbed in to be barely detectable on my pale skin (though I obviously can’t say from my experience how it looks on warmer and deeper skin tones). As well as the user experience, this formula offers broad-spectrum protection, meaning it protects against both UVA and UVB, as well as defending against pollution." Lucy

3. Elizabeth Arden Retinol + HPR Ceramide Rapid Skin Renewing Water Cream

Elizabeth Arden Retinol and HPR Ceramide Rapid Skin Renewing Water Cream

(Image credit: Elizabeth Arden)

Elizabeth Arden Retinol and HPR Ceramide Rapid Skin Renewing Water Cream

Specifications

Size: 50ml

"This was the standout retinol product of 2023. Every beauty editor I spoke to last year was using it and had fallen in love with it. It's rather special because it combines retinol with HPR (high performance retinol), which delivers retinol-like results without the dreaded retinol purge. Not only that, but there are ceramides and peptides in the formula for good measure. It's so gentle it can be used night and day (yes, daytime), which makes it one heck of good moisturiser for mature skin." - Katie

4. Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Intensive Lip Repair Balm

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Intensive Lip Repair Balm

(Image credit: Elizabeth Arden)

Elizabeth Arden Eight-Hour Intensive Lip Repair Balm

Specifications

Size: 10ml

"Elizabeth Arden has a couple of lip balm options in its roster and within the Eight Hour line. I’ve tried both and this one has the edge. It’s easy to think that lip balm is just lip balm and any will do a good enough job, until you try one that noticeably takes the edge off of dry, cracked lips in a single application. This is that. You only need to use a tiny bit at a time so the pot will last ages. I also have it on good authority that the Marie Claire beauty editors also deem it one of the best lip balms in existence." -Lucy

5. Elizabeth Arden White Tea EDP

Elizabeth Arden White Tea Eau de Parfum

(Image credit: Elizabeth Arden)

Elizabeth Arden White Tea EDP

Specifications

Size: 100ml
Key notes : Rose, mate leaves, tonka bean, amberwood, musk

"Elizabeth Arden’s White Tea fragrance is one of the brand’s best-sellers. With rose, tonka bean, musk among its notes, it’s what I would describe as a nice, wearable, everyday floral fragrance—not punchy or a striking signature statement, but lovely nevertheless. Where it performs particularly well is its longevity, which actually surprised me considering it has a fairly low price tag, as fragrance goes. Get it if you want something light and elegant that will lend itself well to any occasion at any time of year." - Lucy

6. Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Skincaring Foundation

Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Skincaring Foundation

(Image credit: Elizabeth Arden)

Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Skincaring Foundation

Specifications

Size: 30ml
Number of shades: 40

"There are so many incredible contenders for the best foundation that it’s increasingly difficult to stand out in the market. On first impressions, this base did impress me, however. Despite its slightly unassuming packaging, it’s extremely comfortable to wear and blends seamlessly, yielding medium, buildable coverage that looks like your skin but a bit healthier, glowier and more even-toned. The shade range is also decent, with 40 shades that span a wide range." - Lucy

7. Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Miracle Hydrating Mist

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Miracle Hydrating Mist

(Image credit: Elizabeth Arden)

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Miracle Hydrating Mist

Specifications

Size : 100ml

"Face mists aren’t as essential a part of your skincare routine as sun protection, but they are a nice extra to have—particularly at this time of year when the skin gets hot, parched and uncomfortable (as do we). And this one from the Eight Hour range is really, really good. Ideal for topping up your skin’s moisture levels throughout the day, it’s lightweight, refreshing and particularly good for skin that gets dehydrated. Keep it in the fridge if you want an extra cool hit." - Lucy

8. Elizabeth Arden Advanced Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum

Elizabeth Arden ADVANCED CERAMIDE CAPSULES DAILY YOUTH RESTORING SERUM

(Image credit: Elizabeth Arden)

Elizabeth Arden Advanced Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum

Specifications

Number of capsules: 30

"Naturally, I had to include some of the brand's iconic capsules and, for me, it had to be these. The ceramide serum pods can always be relied on when my skin barrier is having a funny moment. Ceramides are the glue that holds your skin in place, so as I get older and my skin's natural stock slows down I find myself leaning on these much more. I love that each one contains exactly the right amount you need. If you're concerned with how sustainable they are - they are fully biodegradable. The serum is a little rich so I prefer to apply it at night, but if you have particularly dry skin you might love it both in the mornings and evenings." - Katie

Lucy Abbersteen
Beauty Contributor

Lucy is a freelance beauty editor and contributor at Marie Claire, and has written for titles including Glamour, Refinery29, Popsugar, woman&home and more. She was previously Marie Claire’s junior beauty editor. During her career, she’s covered everything from backstage beauty at fashion week to interviews with famous faces like Drag Race royalty and Little Mix. As for her beauty ethos, she’s a big advocate for not having to spend a fortune on beauty products to get good results, and when she’s not got beauty on the brain you’ll find her reading or hanging out with dogs.

With contributions from