2020 Beauty, Skincare & Haircare Favourites

It may be February but I still wanted to post this. It’s better late than never eh? My big 2020 yearly beauty favourites, I guess you could also say these are all current favourites too. These are all products which I have discovered in 2020 which have become staples in my collection. Make-up has been quite minimal in the last year but I have discovered some real gems but mainly we’ve got some new skincare and even haircare favourites.

It’s no secret that one brand which I have fully delved into in 2020 was Glossier. I’ve already done a First Impressions of Glossier blogpost but overall, I’m thoroughly impressed. The stand out product for me was certainly the Boy Brow Eyebrow Gel. It’s the best product of its kind that I’ve tried and I did hear that it dried out quickly but I’ve not had that problem at all. My other top favourite is the Balm Dot Com Balms. I’ve bought a few more in the Black Friday sales and they are just so moisturising! They also smell incredible, Birthday Cake is my favourite but I also really love Mango and Rose.

In the Black Friday sales, I also finally picked up a Lidstar which is a cream-based eyeshadow stick. I got it in Lily which is the most gorgeous lilac shade. I’m really impressed with this as you can apply super quickly and it’s just so incredibly pretty. I can see myself buying more shades, if not all of them! A notable mention would also be the Milky Jelly Cleanser which I also love. Don’t forget that you can also 10% off your first order if you use this link.

I’m going to continue with a few make-up items starting with the NYX Angel Veil Primer. I picked this up probably mid through 2020 and it’s an amazing dupe of the Hourglass Mineral Viel primer which I also love (but I do not love the price tag). This primer leaves your skin feeling so smooth and soft making it an excellent base before applying your foundation.

I’ve also found a new foundation that I am loving this year. It’s rare for me to find new foundations that I like as I very much stick to what I like in that category. The Lumene Matte Oil-Control Foundation has become a new favourite of mine. I picked this up from Notino and I just think its got great coverage. I do mix it in with my IT Cosmetics CC Cream so it’s a little more glowy but overall, they are a winning combo.

Not that we have been wearing any lipsticks at the moment as we’ve been wearing masks for the last year, I do have a new favourite. Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipsticks have been a great favourite of mine for years but I’ve tried a few of the Matte Lipsticks and LOVED them. Especially one in the shade Coconut which I started using a mini one as part of this set. I’ll be hunting a full-size one down if they do it. The matte lipsticks are so creamy though and long-lasting, I’m really impressed. The coconut shade is a gorgeous neutral, it slightly cooler toned than Pillow Talk by Charlotte Tilbury.

Finally, a new favourite from the last few months is the Huda Nude Obsessions Palette in Medium. I think you could give me any Huda Palette and I would be enthralled by it. They really just are the most gorgeous shades, especially the sparkles. They are highly pigmentated and just the most stunning duo-chrome shades. The Medium palette has just got some beautiful shades which I’m just obsessed with. I can’t wait to experiment it a bit more when we can doll ourselves up and actually go out.

Moving on to skincare favourites. 2020 was the year I finally got into a few new brands and tried a few things from Elemis, Antipodes and The Ordinary (finally!). I finally got on board with the Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm which is one of my favourite Cleansers right now. It’s great for really refreshing the skin and I can see why it’s a cult favourite. I’ve also started using the Elemis Soothing Apricot Toner. I actually saw Molly-Mae recommend this and it’s become an everyday staple in my kit. The spritz is so refreshing and I feel like it really soothes my skin.

I think we can all agree that we have stepped up our self-care routines. Not only have I tried to nail down my skincare routine but I’ve made sure that I regularly use facemasks. Whilst I’ve been using a lot of sheet masks which keep my skin hydrated, I’m really loving the Antipodes Manuka Honey Mask. This mask is super hydrating yet really balances the skin, reduces pores and smells heavenly all with the benefits of Manuka Honey.

I’ve also been using a few products from The Ordinary after visiting one of their stores in Edinburgh. Some of their products are so hard to find online but thankfully the store was fully stocked. The Ordinary’s products are really affordable yet so effective. A favourite of mine is the Salicylic Acid Masque, you can see instant results with the mask leaving you with smooth and clear skin. I would definitely recommend picking this product up which is £10. The only problem is finding somewhere that it’s in stock.

Surprisingly, I actually have a few hair care products to include in my 2020 beauty favourites. I’ve never really used that many products in my hair but I’ve made two major discoveries which to be honest, has changed my hair. Although quite expensive, the Morrocanoil Dry Shampoo for Dark Hair is quite possibly the best dry shampoo I’ve ever used. What a statement. It’s a great colour match but it immediately irradicates any grease from my hair, adds volume, smells great and the results are long-lasting. Using this dry shampoo can easily prolong my hair washes by another couple of days as it’s so effective. It’s certainly worth the money in my opinion. You can read my full review here.

A few other Haircare products which I am loving is from the Olaplex range. I know a lot of people have started using this which was once really only used in salons. I’ve specifically been using the Olaplex No3 Hair Perfector which is a treatment that actually repairs your hair and overall improves the condition of it. I’m really lucky that the condition of my hair isn’t too bad to begin with but I’ve still seen amazing results that my hair has never been softer, shinier and just look so healthy. I’ve been using the No4 Shampoo and No5 Conditioner too but if you’re going to invest in something (as it is quite pricey) it should be the No3 Hair Perfector. It’s also worth mentioning that the bottle is quite small but you can get about 4 or 5 uses from it.

2020 was finally the year that I tried tanning brand Bondi Sands. I can now see why it’s a favourite of many. I’ve been using the Self Tan Foam in the shade dark for most of the year and I’m really impressed. It doesn’t streak and it’s pretty long-lasting. I was a bit skeptical about choosing the dark shade but it’s still quite buildable and found that it was the perfect shade for me. I’ve not actually used fake tan for the last couple of months but I think I may actually have a tanning session soon as it just immediately makes me feel better!

My final two favourites are quite random but I have been loving the Skinnydip Coconut Spray. I actually picked it up directly from Skinnydip when buying an iPhone case to boost my order to get free delivery. At the moment it’s not available on their website but it’s usually available instore in Boots! This spray is just perfect to have in your handbag and the coconut scent smells just like holidays. In a year where we’ve had no holidays, It’s good to just get that holiday feeling for just a few seconds!

Finally, I’ve been using the Feather & Down Pillow Spray on an evening. Not necessarily a beauty favourite but it’s good for self-care and helping me relax before bed. The spray has calming lavender and camomile essential oils. I just spray my pillow a few times before bed and I feel like I’ve been sleeping better.

Apologies again that this post is super late but I couldn’t not do yearly favourites. I’d love to hear what products you have been loving in the last year.

What is your top discovery for 2020?

XOXO