Welcome to Operation Goo Goo Gah Gah, a bi-weekly column by Ziwe Fumudoh where the comedian and writer tries everything under the sun in dogged pursuit of baby-smooth skin and the makeup to complement it. There is no shortage of promising products out there, but which actually work? Ziwe’s here to find out.

This week, I trusted an Instagram brand that reached out to me via my DMs with my face. I was not going to try any products from Facebook before I hosted Pop Show at the Bell House for my birthday. But, folks, that’s done and it was a hit, so now I’m more than free to try skincare that slides into my DMs.

I had never heard of Nina by LaBruna Skin Care prior to our exchange, and although it is my lifelong quest to seek the new frontier of beauty and anti-age my skin to point of conception, I approached Nina by LaBruna Skin Care with hesitation. I was worried about using a beauty product from the vast crevasse of social media. (Would I break out and need an emergency head transplant like a detachable Barbie?) But I'm happy to report that my hydrated skin has weathered new terrains and come out stronger. Here’s how I did turning back the hands of time this week.

Nourishing Face Oil

I’ll just come right out and say it: I am attracted to the packaging of this natural oil. Something about it harkens back to reminds me of the blocks I currently play with in preschool. Since this is operation Goo Goo Gah Gah, I must pay respect to a baby bottle full of potent vitamins, skin-friendly nutrients, and antioxidants. My skin was very oily upon application of this… wait for it… oil, as if I were an extra in a Paris Hilton derriere-centric music video. And then it dried, and left my skin feeling plush and bright like the underbelly of a Javelina. This is a brightening brilliance that lasted through the day. If you like it (meaning, your face) slick, this nourishing oil is for you.

Moringa Rose Detox Body Polish with Vitamin C

The description of this body polish boasts that it’s vegan, gluten free, and cruelty free with no artificial colors or fragrance, and it smells exactly like that is the case. It feels more like a creamy lotion than a gritty polish, and offers some moisture. Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s going to penetrate enough to age me in reverse.

Cucumber Arnica Eye Serum

This eye serum absorbs faster than you can say Nina by LaBruna Skin Care three times fast. Its scent reminds me of a hair salon with couches covered in protective plastic, and it successfully gave me skin that glowed with the unmitigated optimism of a baby without depth perception on first use. While I won’t be adding it to my (currently nine-step) routine of cleanser, toner, serum, lotion, backup lotion, backup to the backup lotion, sunscreen, priming oil, and Futuredew, I still liked it. I will forever keep Nina by LaBruna Skin Care in my thoughts for its brightening effects, extensive oil reserve, and social media boldness.

What beauty brands have you found through social media that you’ve loved? Drop the names and your experiences in the comments below.

—Ziwe Fumudoh

Photo via ITG