Top 20 Beauty Favorites of 2020: the Best of Hair, Makeup, Body, & Fragrance
2020 doesn’t really need any introduction at this point. It was a dumpster fire… and that’s probably an understatement. But that didn’t stop me from finding joy in beauty so today I’m sharing 20 of my favorite beauty discoveries from the year. Some of these are new launches and some are products that have been out for some time, but I didn’t get around to trying until 2020.
This post features my favorites in hair, makeup, body, and fragrance. I’ll have a second post dedicated purely to skincare!
Makeup
Hanskin Glam Moolon Lip Tint Syrup (PR)
$16 via Hanskin on Amazon
Amongst a sea of chalky lip tints that look ashy (think rabid clown vibes) on my brown skin, these Hanskin lip tint syrups are a diamond in the rough. Not only do they have a unique glossy finish (without stickiness), they also wear really nicely under a mask! There’s minimal transferring, and the color is still there when I remove my mask.
Lime Crime Bushy Brow Strong Hold Gel & Bushy Brow Pen in Smokey
$18 via Ulta, Bloomingdale’s, Revolve, & Lime Crime/ $20 via Bloomingdale’s, Revolve, & Lime Crime
Brow gel is a non-negotiable in my makeup bag, and this one blows all my other ones out of the water. It adds volume, it darkens my brows, and it holds them up well through the day. I also like that it has a finer brush so I don’t have to worry about large clumps in my brows.
I generally stay away from brow pens because they look to stark on me. But this is the exception! The color is dark but the pigmentation is light, so the final result is quite natural looking. If you want to fill in a few gaps in your brows quickly without worrying about precision or blending, this does the job perfectly. Together, these are a dynamic duo for quick, easy brows!
Roen Beauty 11:11 Eyeshadow Palette
$42 via Sephora, BlueMercury, Cult Beauty, & Roen
I have a whole blog post review dedicated to this palette here! TLD;R version: pretty, sparkly, shimmers that satisfy my inner magpie.
MAC Glow Play Blush in So Natural
$30.00 via Ulta, Nordstrom, & MAC
My blush preferences tend towards the clown end of the spectrum, but sometimes I want something low key and natural. And that’s when I reach for this blush. It’s a really easy to apply formula— fingers only! It blends out easily and lasts reasonably well throughout the day. The shade adds a touch of flush to my skin. If you have a deeper skintone, I think this shade would be ashy but they do have brighter and darker shades that should work!
Persona Cosmetics Super Blush in Carmel
80% of the time cream and liquid blushes are my jam, but every now and then I find a powder blush that knocks my socks off! This is a softer formula so there’s a decent amount of kickback when you dip your brush in, but a few taps to shake off the excess solves the problem. It’s worth it cause once you apply it to your face, it blends out seamlessly. The only other powder blush I’ve tried that applies as beautifully are the Surratt Artistique Blushes, but these ones from Persona are $10 cheaper and come with a mirror!
Danessa Myricks Colorfix 24-Hour Cream Color in Limesickle, Alien, Clear, (some PR, some purchased)
$18 via Beautylish & Danessa Myricks
One of my favorite brand discoveries for 2020 has been Danessa Myricks. I’ve been lucky to receive more of their Colorfix pigments to play with in a PR mailer, and I’m sooo excited to explore more in 2020! These are liquid pigments that you can wear on your eyes, lips, cheeks, wherever you fancy. Personally, I love them as eyeshadows. They’re super duper pigmented and once they dry down, they’re truly set. I can easily say they’re the most budgeproof liquid/cream eyeshadow I’ve ever tried. My eyelids can get oily, and I don’t have much visible lid space, so many eyeshadows crease on me. The creasing on these are minimal, even without eyeshadow primer!
Armani Neo Nude Foundation (PR)
$40 via Sephora, Bloomingdale’s, Selfridge’s, & Armani Beauty
My drive to wear base makeup last year was essentially 0 cause between my mask and glasses and hair, most of my face was hidden anyways. But if I did deem it worth the effort, 9 times out of 10 I wore this foundation. Calling it a foundation is probably a stretch as it has the coverage of a tinted moisturizer, but with a softer natural finish (for reference, when I think tinted moisturizer I think some moisturizing and dewy.) This got two thumbs up from me cause it wore well under masks. I didn’t get flaky, nor did it break down and get oily, nor did it completely transfer onto my mask.
Dior Nail Glow
$28 via Macy’s, Nordstrom, Sephora, & Dior
I can’t believe I’ve slept on this for so long cause I am a sucker for barely pigmented designer makeup, no sarcasm. This adds a slight pink tint with an incredibly glossy finish. I love this polish cause it makes my nails look professional and healthy with little work. If it’s chipping, I can just add a fresh coat on top without worrying about removing the old layer. It’s the exact type of low maintenance makeup I am willing to splurge on.
Patrick Ta Major Brow Shaping Wax in Tinted
$22 via Sephora, Cult Beauty, & Patrick Ta Beauty
My brows and lashes are stubborn af so it’s rare I find something that really gives them all the fluff and volume I could dream of. This does! I do have to apply a few layers of product to get my desired effect, but it’s worth it cause I haven’t found anything else that gives me that editorial, fluffy brow in quite the same way.
Ciate Dewy Stix in Glow (PR via Ipsy)
My interest in noticeable highlighters wane as the years go on. Now I’m all about that dewy, glow from within look. And what better way to achieve that than with a clear highlighter? I have quite a few in my stash at this point, but this Ciate one is my favorite because of ease of application (doesn't get much easier than a literal stick) as well as natural finish that lasts well through the day.
Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder (PR)
$39 via Ulta, Sephora, Nordstrom, & Laura Mercier
The OG Laura Mercier loose powder has been a staple for years, but I love this new honey version even more. It adds a subtle warmth to my skin, which is much needed as I’ve barely been getting any sun lately. It’s as finely milled as the original and does a good job at keeping shine at bay.
Victoria Beckham Bitten Lip Tint in Cherie and Bisou
$36 via Net-A-Porter, Violet Grey, Cult Beauty, & Victoria Beckham
A latecomer to this list but one deserving of its spot. After wearing masks for the better part of 9+ months, it took a lot for me to purchase a new lip product that wasn’t lip balm. But I loved it so much I ordered a second color after 3 days! The colors are buildable and really compliment the natural brown shade of my lips. They do have a matte finish, but aren’t as drying as some other lip tints.
Haircare
Dae Prickly Pear Hair Oil (PR)
For the longest time (I’m talking 5+ years) Bumble & Bumble’s invisible oil has been my ultimate favorite hair oil. But I’ve finally found something I love just as much! Both oils are versatile in that I can add them to my wet or dry hair, but they don’t make me look greasy or my hair weighed down. This Dae oil has a tackier texture, similar to that of the Verb ghost oil. I think the texture makes it a bit easier to apply to my dry ends, whereas I prefer the Bumble & Bumble when my hair is wet. It’s pretty heavily fragranced but I enjoy the scent and haven’t noticed any body breakouts from it, so it’s okay in my books.
Ouai Super Dry Shampoo (PR)
$24 via Sephora, Ulta, Nordstrom, & Cult Beauty
Klorane has long been my number 1 dry shampoo but I finally found one I like even more!! Not only does it smell so good (especially their collaboration with Byredo which was sadly limited edition 😢), but it also adds volume and hides my greasy roots without creating excessive amounts of product buildup. As a result, it’s also less irritating to my scalp/ dandruff. With most dry shampoos, I’ll have to wash my hair the next day cause they make my scalp itchy and my dandruff worse. But I can apply these 3 days before worrying about my scalp getting too itchy to handle.
Body Care
Versed Skin Back-Up Plan Acne-Control Body Mist (PR)
$14.99 via Versed (get 10% off with my affiliate code “SHARMTOASTER10”) & Target
Body acne is the bane of my existence, especially when it’s in spots I can’t easily reach. Enter, this spray. It contains 2% salicylic acid, witch hazel, and tea tree oil that’s helped minimize my body breakouts when used regularly. It has a pretty fine spray AND it still works when applied upside down. It does make my skin a little bit sticky so I only apply it before bed.
Kylie Skin Rose Bubble Bath (PR)
$26 via Kylie Skin
Bubble bath is one of those rare beauty categories I don’t often splurge on, mostly cause I have a standing shower. This makes the list because it smells delicious and the teensiest bit gives a loooot of bubbles. And the bubbles and scent last a while too.
Fragrance
Diptyque Geranium Rosa (PR)
$68 via Nordstrom, Luis Via Roma, & Liberty London
Geranium isn’t one of my favorite scents but this has a sweetness to it that made me fall in love. The throw on this is insane, I can burn it in the kitchen and smell it on the second floor in my bedroom, even when the door is closed.
Le Labo The Noir 29 Eau De Parfum
$192 via Saks, Net-A-Porter, & Nordstrom
I have been lusting over this perfume for the past two years and finally took the plunge at the start of lockdown. And it’s surpassed all my dreams and expectations!! I’ve yet to smell any tea fragrance that’s balanced out with other woodsier notes. It’s also the longest lasting fragrance I have ever tried! I can wear it one day, and then still smell it on my clothes one week later. I am absolutely ✨obsessed ✨
Overose Euphoriasme
It would be really hard for me to pick my favorite candle brand… but if I absolutely had to, I would say it’s Overose. I’ve purchased more than half a dozen of their candles over the past 3 years and have found 0 duds! The experience, the gorgeous vessels, the throw, the unique scents, the overall experience of burning their candles— I’m here for it all. Euphoriasme has notes of Warm Croissant, Cranberries, Crème Brulée, Rose Water. The overall scent is very decadent but still sophisticated. I generally don’t enjoy gourmand scents but this is an exception as the rose water really balances things out.
Calvin Klein CK Everyone Eau de Toilette (PR via Ulta)
$55 via Ulta
This scent feels sooo nostalgic to me, in the best way possible. It’s a clean, warm scent that’s so easy to wear. It’s not heavy or overbearing, but light and comforting.