20 Favourite Beauty Products I Loved in 2020

I’m sure I’m not the only person who struggled to compile a list of yearly beauty favourites for 2020. I tried a lot of products this year but I also barely left the house and didn’t really get a lot of use out of everything I tried. This list isn’t as thorough as my usual  favourites for that reason but there were some standout products for me.

Lumene Instant Glow Fresh Skin Tint

Makeup habits changed for a lot of us this year and I started to appreciate light coverage products even more. The Lumene Skin Tint feels more like a skincare item so it doesn’t have coverage but just evens out my skin and looks so healthy. If you like light coverage and can pick this up for a good price, this is probably my favourite thing on the whole list.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Mood Exposure

There are a lot of highend products on the list this year but that’s because my buying habits changed and I was able to spurge a bit more. This blush looks so pretty on and blends into the skin perfectly. The shade Mood Exposure is quite light but it’s fine in winter when I’m at my palest and some days I prefer a subtle colour anyway. Definitely interested in trying more from Hourglass.

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipsticks

A surprising amount of lip products made the list considering 2020 was the year of the mask but I also discovered a lot of new formulas this year and there’s just something about the matte revolution from Charlotte Tilbury. They are super pricey and not something I ever saw myself buying but if you have the budget and want to treat yourself, I really recommend taking a look at the range.

Lancome L’Absolu Lacquer Hydrating Shine Lipstick

Probably my favourite lipstick formula I tried this year is this glossy lip lacquer from Lancome. If you want a lipstick that looks glossy but stays put like a liquid lipstick, this is the one for you. L’Oreal do have a really similar product that’s worth checking out if you’re put off by the price but the Lancome shade 174 has been a stand out for me this year as it’s the perfect nude for my skintone.

Clarins SOS Blur Primer

I wasn’t going to include this primer because I only got it a few weeks ago but it’s the only primer I’ve tried this year that has really made any impression on me. I have the peach variety and it makes my skin look healthy similar to my favourite Lancome Prep & Hydrate but more mattifying and pore smoothing.

Colourpop Stone Cold Fox Eyeshadow Palette

I did pick up way too many eyeshadow palettes this year for someone who rarely wears it but this is top of the pile for me. I didn’t know I needed a full palette of neutral cool tones but these shades are just stunning and something I feel my collection was missing.

Pat McGrath Sublime Lip Liner

This along with the Charlotte Tilbury are the only two lipliner formulas I tried this year and they’re both gorgeous, creamy and expensive. I picked this one for my favourite of the year because I’ve used the shade Sublime a lot, it comes with a sharpener and there’s just something about it.

Natasha Denona Bloom Blush & Glow Palette

It was a tough decision between this and the Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look in a Palette for my favourite face palette of the year but I just ended up using this one far more. It’s way more sparkly and glowy than my usual preference but there’s something about it, especially the cream products, that makes it quick and easy to apply.

Catrice 3D Brow Two-Tone Pomade

From the mega expensive to the mega affordable. Catrice as a brand is one I’m interested in trying more from but I was really surprised by this brow pomade duo. I love the idea of two shades in one- something I’ve only seen in powders or full brow palettes before and the light medium shade works perfect for my brows so I can fill in the tail and use the lighter shade for the front.

Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb

Another lip product I fell in love with this year is the Fenty Gloss Bomb. It is just a lip gloss but it’s not super sticky, the packaging is gorgeous and I love the scent. I have the shade Fenty Glow but I would be interested in trying more shades.

Viseart Paris Edit Eyeshadow Palette

Another palette worth mentioning is this one from Viseart. Yes, the edit palettes are tiny but they’re also super versatile and great for travelling when that becomes a thing again. Viseart make great quality shadows too so if you’ve always wanted to try their formula, I recommend looking at the edit palettes.

M&S Formula Absolute Hot Cloth Cleanser

I love a hot cloth cleanser and went with this one also from the Formula range at Marks & Spencer because it makes my skin feel so soft when I use it and it smells like a spa. I do have a mini of this to try in new packaging so I hope they haven’t changed the formula because this is amazing.

PS…Naturals Balm to Oil Cleanser

Another skincare product, this time from Primark. I don’t love cleansing balms but if I’m going to use one, it will be this affordable version. You don’t get tons of product in here but it’s only £3 and it works to remove all my makeup.

Biore SPF

I started using a separate facial SPF I think in 2019 but this Biore one is the best I’ve tried so far. It has a gel-like consistency and absorbs really quickly without disrupting makeup or skincare.

No7 Lift & Luminate Serum Concealer

The shade selection is shocking but I chose this concealer because it’s a very light serum concealer that I like to use under my eyes. It doesn’t have a lot of coverage but it’s not as heavy and drying as some concealers so that’s why I like it for the under eye area.

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Superstar Highlighter

As I said in my review of this highlighter linked above, I didn’t like the way it looked on my skin at first but once I figured out how to best apply it, I loved it a lot more. It’s a pinky gold shade so I can’t see it working for everyone but it gives that real soft glow look that I loved this year and I ended up using this a lot.

M&S Formula Absolute Day & Night Cream

I also adore the serum from this range but I’ve talked about that before. I don’t think you necessarily need separate day and night creams but my skin never looked better than when I was using this duo. The day cream has really similar ingredients to the cult Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream too if you’re interested.

PS…Fake It Mascara

There were a few mascaras I loved this year from Pat McGrath, Charlotte Tilbury and Tarte but I think this £2.50 mascara from Primark deserves to make the list because it was ideal for everyday use and effortless to apply.

Radox Bath Salts

Stepping away from makeup and skincare, I’ve been through a lot of these this year so I thought they should be included too. I’ve loved getting baths and pampering myself this year and these bath salts were great for soothing muscle aches.

No7 Airbrush Away Finishing Powder

A mid-priced drugstore product that I was really excited about is this No7 pressed powder. It’s honestly so similar to the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Power but I feel like not many people are talking about it. 

What new faves did you discover in 2020?