The best of 2020
From mascara to perfume, these were the new beauty buys that won us over, says KATIE WRIGHT
EVERY year, thousands of new beauty products hit the market, with brands hoping they’ll find their way onto our bathroom shelves and into our make-up bags. Faced with so many tubes, tubs, bottles and lipstick bullets promising to transform how we look and feel, it can be hard to sort the good from the duds, but we’re here to help.
We’ve rounded up the make-up marvels, skincare saviours and fragrance favourites that blew the competition out of the water.
Here are nine of the best beauty editor-approved launches of 2020...
1BAREMINERALS
STRENGTH AND LENGTH SERUMINFUSED MASCARA, £23, bareminerals.co.uk YOU may be confused by the wand of this mascara, which looks a bit like a venus flytrap plant, but once you get the hang of it, trust us, you’ll never look back.
First, you use the inner bristles to coat your lashes, then the outer bristles to lengthen and separate, and do your lower lashes.
The vegan formula is also enhanced with strengthening serum to give you fuller-looking lashes over time. It’s a win-win.
23INA THE LONGWEAR LIPSTICK 270,
£14.95, 3ina.com
A HIGHLY-PIGMENTED but non-drying matte lipstick is hard to find, but this liquid formula covers all the bases. Both lightweight and longlasting, it’s available in 16 shades. We love shade 270, a deep ruby red that’s ideal for winter glamour.
3REVOLUTION BEAUTY XX REVOLUTION METALIXX GOLD CRUSH EYESHADOW PALETTE,
£14 (was £20), Superdrug
WITH a mixture of pale nudes, shimmering brown tones and bold metallics, this 15-pan eyeshadow palette has everything you need to create subtle daytime looks, dramatic evening eyes and everything in between.
4TYPOLOGY TARGETED BLEMISH SERUM 2% SALICYLIC ACID + 1% ZINC,
£19.80 DURING this, the year of face masks and, subsequently, the dreaded ‘maskne’, salicylic acid has become a daily essential for many. The beta hydroxy acid penetrates deep into the skin, dissolving the debris that clogs pores and produces spots, and helps to dry out existing acne.
Containing 2% salicylic (the maximum allowed), this light serum is easy to apply – smooth over problem areas nightly, so it gets to work while you sleep.
5WISHFUL CLEAN GENIE CLEANSING BUTTER,
£31, Boots THE first cleanser from beauty mogul Huda Kattan’s skincare line Wishful, Clean Genie is the ideal make-up remover, the creamy balm melting away even the most stubborn mascara and rinsing off to leave your skin feeling clean and soft.
6DIOR CAPTURE TOTALE SUPER POTENT SERUM,
£59.50, dior.com
HARNESSING the power of the Madagascan longoza flower, this silky serum gives your complexion an instant glow while working, over time, to help skin appear plumper and firmer. A great addition to your skincare regime in winter, when we could all do with a bit more radiance.
7ORLY OPULENT OBSESSION,
£8.81 (was £11.75), Nailpolishdirect.co.uk FROM the autumn/ winter Metropolis collection, this deep burgundy hue is the perfect accessory for winter nails and, as you would expect from Orly, the longlasting polish stays pristine for days.
8GIORGIO ARMANI MY WAY EAU DE PARFUM REFILLABLE,
£76 for 50ml, The Perfume Shop ONE of the most hotlyanticipated women’s fragrance launches of the year, My Way did not disappoint.
Not only is the scent seductive, blending potent tuberose and jasmine with zesty bergamot and white musk, the perfume production is carbon neutral and it comes in a refillable bottle.
9JO MALONE CYPRESS & GRAPEVINE COLOGNE INTENSE,
£128 for 100ml PART of the Lost in Wonder collection, this unisex scent has a real depth to it.
A woody composition, the cypress tree notes are elevated with the freshness of vetiver and the warmth of amber, evoking the cool air of a shady pine forest.