In the third instalment of our Beauty Editor's Top 3 series, let's take a look back at the best makeup in 2020.
It's been a strange year for colour cosmetics. While a deficit of social commitments saw many of us invest extra energy in our skin, hair and the self care side of beauty, the same couldn't be said makeup. In my case even the best foundation or most natural makeup look felt like unnecessary effort for another day indoors, and barefaced no makeup makeup was mostly ditched in favour of an actual bare face.
I say mostly. Obviously I did test, try and wear some makeup this year - I wouldn't be very good at my job If I didn't - but you'll notice my picks for the best makeup in 2020 are definitely a sign of the times. Which brings me to the caveat I'll put on all of my end of year top threes, which is that the headline is a lie. Not a great whopping porker, just a white lie to make things a bit a more exciting - like the whole Father Christmas thing (apologies to any eight-year-olds reading this)
Of course, of the thousands of makeup products launched this year these aren't unequivocally the three very best, forsaking all others. What they are is my subjective personal picks, the ones that I feel most deserve a shout out amongst many, many brilliant new beauty innovations that also could have made the list. And - let's be honest - they are also the ones that made enough of an impact at some stage in the year that I am able to call them to the front of my foggy end of December brain.
Formalities over, you are now ready to discover my pick of the best makeup in 2020. These are the products I think you need to know...
Read more Beauty Editor's top three
- The best skincare of 2020
- The best bath and body of 2020
L'Oreal Paris Skin Paradise Tinted Water Cream, £10.99
When a pandemic nulls and voids your usual makeup routine you'd best believe the products that step in to the void are going be easygoing with a capital E.
This is foundation at it's most user friendly, a bit of light cover, a bit of hydration, a bit of glow and a bit of SPF. It's happy to be applied with hands, blends without effort and thanks to moisturising ingredients doesn't sink into lines or pores. Such flattering, faff-free, comfortable bases are almost impossible to find at this price.
View L'Oreal Paris Skin Paradise Tinted Water Cream, £10.99, Boots.com
Bareminerals Strength & Length Serum-Infused Brow Gel, £18
With professional tinting and threading off the cards and the overplucked brows of my teens stubbornly persisting into my mid 30s, eyebrow boosters were one of the only make-up products I consistently used this year.
That means I tried just about everything on offer and none impressed me as much as this. A light gel that you sweep through your brows to add instant density and definition, gloss over patchy bits and keep straggly hairs in line. It has a slippy texture that never crisps up and flakes or goes gunky and the selection of cool-toned shades are unusually natural looking. Even better it contains a peptide that boosts natural brow growth, so over time you'll need it less and less.
View Bareminerals Strength & Length Serum-Infused Brow Gel, £18, bareminerals.co.uk
Clinique Moisture Surge Pop Triple Lip Balm, £17.50
No surprises that my third and final pick also comes under the sheer, easy and natural make-up category. If I'm honest this spot could have just gone to all tinted lip balm, which has been my constant companion this year. It's been on my desk (aka dining table) to scrawl on before work meetings, on my coffee table for pre-Zoom perk up and in my coat pockets as one of the only lip textures that doesn't make a disgusting mess of my face covering.
This lip balm by Clinique is particularly great though, very moisturising, comfortable and non sticky. The six shades are pretty and fresh, enhancing your natural lip without being so opaque you need to worry about smudging. It packs in plenty of skincare ingredients and has a soft focus sheeny finish that makes lips look a bit fuller.
View Clinique Moisture Surge Pop Triple Lip Balm, £17.50, Lookfantastic.com
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