Does Cyklar Live Up to the Hype? I Tried the Full Line.
Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your account’s‘Saved for Later’section.
Comment
You’ve probably heard of Cyklar by now. It seems like everyone from celebrities (includingRebecca Black, who told us she can’t live without it) to beauty experts likeRio Viera-Newtonand Substackers like Jess Graves ofThe Love Listhave been posting about the formulas. The main draw, according to fans, is the scents, including Sacred Santal, Crescent (with notes of bergamot and grapefruit), and Vanilla Verve, which seems to be the most popular of the bunch. (As Viera-Newton wrote in hernewsletterFun Little Treat, “I want the vanilla to be present, but it needs to be balanced by more complex notes to keep it feeling grown-up. Vanilla Verve from Cyklar nails it.”) The scents are made from a blend of “natural-identical” synthetics — which, according to the brand, can be less allergenic than certain natural ones — and botanical ingredients. What truly makes the Cyklar products unique, though, is that they’ve cracked into a corner of the body-care market where there aren’t atonof actually nice-smelling (and non-cloying) products at that happy-medium price point of $25 to $35. (In my experience, the best-smelling body care usually runs you more like $50 to $100.)
Cyklar has been around since 2023, but interestingly, it went through a rebrand in late 2024,joining the Center’s rosterof other nicely packaged, influencer-led lines (Phlur was co-founded by influencer Chriselle Lim, Saltair was founded by model and influencer Iskra Lawrence, and Cyklar was founded by YouTuber and actress Claudia Sulewski). Cyklar also has a focus on sustainability. Recently, it transitioned to bottles made with 100 percent postconsumer-recycled materials and tubes made with bio-resin derived from sugarcane, which means both are fully recyclable. You wouldn’t necessarily guess it from the packaging — just about everything looks good enough to leave out on your counter.
With all the buzz — and the promise of some pretty excellent-smelling products — in mind, I set out to test a bunch of products and decide if they’re actually worth the hype.
The body oil is popular for a reason…
New! You can now save this product for later.
The first product I tested was Cyklar’s body oil. It’s one of the brand’s most popular formulas: Hailey Bieber actuallycalled it outon her Instagram Story, referring to it as a “go-to” body-care product. It’s been in my rotation for over six months now, and the Vanilla Verve is the most perfect creamy, warm vanilla scent that I’ve tried. It’s also very effective — after using it, I noticed my skin had a glowy, renewed appearance, and dark spots seemed to vanish. I’ve had such great results that I gave it the title ofour best brightening body oil. As I mentioned in my guide, over the summer, I had a mole removed from my shin. Thankfully, it was noncancerous, and once the pencil-eraser-size excision was healed enough to use regular products again, I started applying the Cyklar to fade the mark. The scar is much less obvious now thanks to the brightening vitamin C, and my legs are softer because of the sugarcane-derived squalane and the powerful humectant ectoin that work to boost hydration.
…but the body oil balm is even more hydrating
New! You can now save this product for later.
When the brand launched an in-shower body-oil balm, I was curious — I hadn’t tried the category before. It’s designed to be super hydrating and used both in and out of the shower, and the thick balm-to-oil formula means it’s not runny at all like the oil above. It locks in hydration instantly (dare I say better than most body oils) and melts into my skin. It’s thicker than the Vitamin C Body Oil, so I use it when my skin is feeling extra depleted versus the body oil, which I’ll use as a nice lightweight layer. I mostly apply it at the end of my shower once I’ve turned off the water. You’re not supposed to rinse it off, so I lightly towel-dry my legs and then slip on a bathrobe so as not to remove too much of the balm. Then, I’ll air-dry some more and pull on whatever pants (or pajamas) I plan to wear.
The body wash smells as good as everyone says
New! You can now save this product for later.
With the body wash, I didn’t notice anything super groundbreaking skin-wise. My skin is definitely soft and smooth each time I use it — but not necessarily more so than when I useNécessaire’s the Body Wash, which has an oilier consistency. This formula is a true oil-gel hybrid with a squishy texture. That said, the warm and musky scent and gentle lather have earned this one a permanent spot in my shower.
Skip the perfume oil if you want a long-lasting scent
New! You can now save this product for later.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Last year, Cyklar launched a perfume collection that further expanded its range of scents with the introduction of Flora Veil, Lover’s Leather, Sex Musk, Cedar Supreme, and Modern Patchouli. The brand says to apply them to your “pulse point” using the small roll-on applicator, which glides nicely across the skin. I tested the new Amber Hour and Core Vetiver and preferred the former because it’s spicier and less sweet. Perhaps it’s the scents I tested, but these don’t seem to last more than a few hours.
The deodorant gel is better than any natural one I’ve tried
New! You can now save this product for later.
I’vetriedto love natural deodorant despite the faintly smelly pits and discolored white tops that always seem to be part of using it. I’ve attempted to adopt quite a few natural options, including Salt & Stone, Native, Nécessaire, Megababe, and Earth Mama, and always return to my old faithfulSecret Outlast geldespite my best efforts. But then I found Cyklar’s roll-on deodorant gel, which is aluminum- and baking-soda-free. While the Cyklar technically combines natural and synthetic ingredients, it’s much cleaner than my go-to Secret. I’m convinced my underarms are smoother and the spots where I normally get ingrown hairs are less angry thanks to the combination of acids, including mandelic, azelaic, and shikimic. It also has licorice-root extract to brighten skin, plus zinc PCA and magnesium PCA (both derivatives of pyrrolidone-carboxylic acid) to improve hydration and oil control. I feel like it does a solid job at neutralizing body odor (I haven’t noticed a B.O. smell yet), and so far my white shirts seem to be unscathed. Since it’s not an antiperspirant, I do tend to feel a little sweatier by the end of the day, but the formula is still keeping bad odor in check.
Use the body polish for pre-shaving prep
New! You can now save this product for later.
This is a rare fragrance-free Cyklar product. It’s a solid body scrub with lactic acid and mandelic acid to target uneven texture, plus phytic acid to brighten skin. It also contains two physical exfoliants: microcrystalline cellulose and volcanic pumice to slough off dead skin cells and buildup. Finally, glycerin gives the skin a boost of moisture. I’ve noticed that it smoothes tiny bumps on the backs of my legs and works as the perfect skin prep for shaving.
The hand cream is super hydrating — and looks nice on my counter
New! You can now save this product for later.
Cyklar’s newest product is the Urea Hand Cream. I’m an avid L’Occitane user — I keep one tube on my nightstand and one in my car at all times — but unlike L’Occitane, which can leave my hands somewhat shiny and greasy, the Cyklar is extremely fast-absorbing. The formula hydrates my dehydrated hands thanks to a blend of deeply moisturizing ingredients, including urea, squalane, ectoin, and glycerin. I’ve been using it for only a few days now, but I already love how lightweight it is without leaving behind any residue. And it doesn’t hurt that the tubes with their marbled caps look very nice sitting out on my counter.
More From The Strategist
- The Back-to-School Hall of Fame
- The Best Things Strategist Editors Have Bought This Year (So Far)
- Everything You Need to Outfit Your College Dorm
- The Strategist Summer 100
The Strategistis designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read abouthere. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
