My top 10 beauty products of 2020
One of the fun things about the end of the year, and the start of a new one, is that you get a built-in moment of reflection. A chance to look back at the year – yes, even this dumpster-fire of a year – and reflect on what you loved and what you will go into the next year without.
I was inspired to create this post by LemonStripes, who created a list of her favorite products of 2020, and a recent episode of Breaking Beauty podcast, where they run down their favorite beauty launches of 2020. I am thinking I might do two posts like this to wrap up the year – one, my overall products that got me through 2020, and this one. When I started to make my own list, so many of my items were beauty items, so I wanted to put those together for you, too.
Let’s me be the first to say that I know for many, 2020 was probably the year you did not wear as much makeup, or do your hair as often, or care so deeply about your beauty routines. I felt that way in the Spring, diving deep into my skincare, but ignoring the other elements. But when I realized that we were going to be diving into another period of working from home, I vowed to myself that I would try to put myself together each day for the sake of my mental health. And in so many ways, it has helped and grounded me in some sense of normalcy and purpose when everything feels so different (monotonously so, that it’s becoming normal…) and uncertain.
While beauty was not my first love (fashion will and always will be), it is what I have become enamored by and addicted to. This year has only grown my love of and need for great skincare (hello 30’s and too much time in front of a mirror to contemplate new worry lines), but now that I am jumping back into makeup, I remember how much I love to play around with beauty products, too.
As my sister says, my medicine cabinet and vanity are much like a mini Sephora. I have tried and used a lot of beauty products, and that was why I started this blog this year – I love to share my growing knowledge with all of you. I hope to make this an annual tradition, and love the idea of looking back to see what inspired me or I fell in love with each year in beauty.
Almost all of these products are things that I was introduced to in 2020, with the exception of a few that I had in my medicine cabinet, but rarely ever incorporated into my routine. Until we had all of this time on our hands to reorganize our spaces and routines, and evaluated all of the things we never had time for before. 2020 was the year of masking, self-care, and just enough makeup to appear alive for Zoom meetings. And so, I give you, my top 10 beauty products of 2020 – all of the things I now couldn’t live without.
For me, 2020 started off so strong. Chris and I were lucky enough to celebrate my 30th birthday month of February in Antigua, the most beautiful trip filled with friends and relaxation that a girl could ask for. As our week in paradise ended, the buzz of the coronavirus started to invade our social media, and I still wasn’t really sure how serious it was going to be. A few weeks later, still tan from the trip, the entire world shut down. And here we are, 10 months later, and I’m two months away from being 31. Woof.
My first pick is this serum from PCA Skin that I bought because someone said it was botox in a bottle. Say no more, I bought this, and quickly fell in love with it as a part of my nightly skincare routine. So thin, you don’t even notice it on, you wake up with a healthy glow and texture to your skin, and I’ve even noticed the fading of some fine lines around my mouth and eyes. A new skincare staple, for sure, and a brand I will be digging into in 2021.
I think 2020 was also the year with the worst sleep of my life – a new and very unwelcome element for me. Anxiety, headaches, not enough movement or Vitamin D left me restless at night, with the added gift of puffy eyes come morning. These eye patches came to the rescue, and have become a regular part of my morning weekend routines. They are super-soaked with serum (enough for two uses if stored correctly), and they leave you with a much more awake look. I’m going on multiple repurchases of these gold eye patches this year.
Potentially my greatest purchase of 2020 is this foundation serum from Ilia. I read countless reviews (including the ones that say it smells like manure – it doesn’t smell great but I no longer notice it anymore) before buying, and I have zero regrets. I use this as my new everyday foundation. It’s dewey, medium coverage, and feels weightless on your skin – it soaks in like a serum does. It even has SPF, making it one of the best makeup products to uncomplicate your routine. My sister also loves this, and I rarely find myself reaching for anything else.
If you missed my post on the shocking results of this impulse purchase, do not sleep on it. I bought this in one of my countless rounds of midnight shopping, and I started using it religiously. I didn’t wait longer than 6 weeks (this is a 6 month supply) before I started seeing incredible results. Thicker, longer lashes, and none of the side effects that some of these eye products can give you. The results are really that good, enough to justify the price tag – and you only have to buy twice a year. This is my greatest game changing product of 2020.
Potentially my most used product of 2020, this lip butter is just so dreamy. From the smell, to the shine, to the hydration, this lip balm really does it all. It looks like a gloss, but it has the effects of a balm, I love to put this one in the morning with my skincare, before my makeup, and then again, before I go to bed. Summer Fridays is a long-time holy grail brand for me, and this lip butter is really no different. It just lives up to the hype of its beautiful packaging – it is perfection.
It’s hard to believe how long this year has felt, and that I only just discovered this product this year. After suffering from dry skin for the last two years, adding this facial oil to my nightly skincare routine as a final step has been such a game changer for me. I love this facial oil the most for its smell (subtle, but rich), and that I can use it on my hair, or rub excess into my chest and hands without feeling sticky. If you have dry skin, or use products that dry you out, this facial oil is a must-purchase product to add into your skincare routine. This would also be a great gift for any guys in your life with a bald head or facial hair, with its multi-purpose nature. It just gives you the best, most natural glow.
This is one of those products I have had in my medicine cabinet for a while, but never really had the time to use before. But as I said, 2020 was the year of the face mask for me, and this one is at the top of my list for exfoliating face masks. Cleanse your skin, dermaplane, and let this sit for 20 minutes, and you will give yourself the best facial you can get without the spa, right from your couch. This will uncomfortably tingle when you apply, and it has a steep price tag, but is well worth it for the results. I use this once a week now, and couldn’t live without my exfoliating facial routine every Sunday.
One thing I did do from the start of quarantine was my hair. Even if I wore no makeup, and had sweatpants on my bottom half, my hair was always done each day. Just a small piece of normalcy and hygiene I was clinging to. I wash my hair on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and this spray has just been such a tried and true for a long-lasting blowout that goes for days. It’s a one-stop-shop product, that gives you heat and humidity protection, sleek and shiny hair, and just locks in the most perfect volume. I could not do without this product, just like most of my Oribe products. It’s just an MVP product to have in your routine.
If you buy one thing for yourself, grab this! I wrote about this recently in how I keep my skin exfoliated and soft in winter, and I honestly will never go without this again. I have one at the shore and one at home – it’s the ultimate shower companion. I found this in an effort to buy from more Black-owned businesses in June, and I love that is also Brooklyn-based. For a great price, you are going to love the lather that this mesh exfoliator gives to literally any soap. It’s just an incredible product and one that will be repurchased again and again.
Last, but never least, is a device I did not purchase in 2020, but really fell in love with in 2020. I had bought this a few months before the pandemic hit, but never felt I had the time to incorporate this into my skincare routine the way I needed to in order to see results. Enter, quarantine, and a lot more time to focus on me, for better or worse. This device is a micro-needler that really pays off. It creates micro-sized penetration into the skin so your expensive serums and lotions really sink in and perform even better. Taking 5 minutes every other night to use this has made such a difference in my fine lines and hyperpigmentation from leftover acne scars. This will be a product that is in my routine for a lifetime. I love this set with the eye attachment (I have and love).
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