SKINCARE’S BEST IN SHOW

What’s worth buying now? The skincare boom has led to packed shelves and an overwhelming selection for you to choose from. We narrow down 2021’s best new arrivals.

We haven’t counted, but the number of beauty products that come across our desks in a year would likely number in the hundreds – over half of them skincare.

It wasn’t always the case. Lipsticks and eyeshadows were considered more desirable than a tub of moisturiser, but the number of skincare offerings have increased significantly, particularly in the past two years, with formulation developments also leaping ahead.

So what is behind this increasing drive in the market? Has it been the wider, more accessible and effective range of options available to us? Or has it been our lifestyle changes: some thrust upon us thanks to the pandemic?

Likely it is a bit of both. Either way, the industry is on the rise, with Euromonitor International recently estimating global sales in the category set to hit US$181 billion by 2025.

So how to pick the best of them? It’s a big ask, and definitely subjective, but we’ve rounded up some of our favourite releases of the year for you. Whether they offer something completely new or an upgrade on everyday essentials, these are items that have made it into our ongoing routine.

They also represent some of the latest trending approaches when it comes to how we achieve and maintain beautiful, healthy skin, from managing new challenges like the effects of wearing masks to old bugbears like breakouts and wrinkles.

They also signpost the way for what we’ll be using next year and beyond.