I’m a beauty editor and these are all the products I finished this year
As a beauty editor, it’s safe to say that I am inundated with beauty products. Every day, my desk is littered with boxes of skincare, makeup, haircare and wellness from brands that are long-established and recognisable, as well as newcomers trying to be the next big thing.
Like a dutiful (and beautiful) guinea pig, I smear, smudge, swipe and slather myself in these offerings to see what works (and what doesn’t) to help you loyal readers make heads and tails of it all.
As the end of the year fast approaches, I can’t even begin to count how many products I’ve tested out, but what sticks out from the lengthy list are all the products I finished. More often than not, after a few weeks of trialling, I’ve seen enough to know whether or not these new discoveries can be elevated to bathroom cabinet status – and usually, they don’t make the cut.
But, this year, there were plenty that did. Products that I desperately squeezed the life out of, before cutting open and scooping out the last remnants. Curious? Keep reading to find out all of the beauty products – across skincare, haircare, makeup, wellness and more – that this beauty editor actually finished, down to the last drop.
Skincare obsessives like me all agree the Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream is worthy of holy grail status. I’m obsessed with the immediate, long-lasting glow that this moisturiser gives, not to mention the plumping and skin-loving fermented rice, green tea and algae. While it can be a heavier texture for some, for dry skin girlies like me, it’s perfect all-year round.
It’s a little embarrassing how much I’ve been talking about this product this year. I know you’re not meant to have favourite children, but this is definitely up there with my top beauty product launches for 2025. There’s a good reason for it, the super soft formula feels so enriching and nourishing – not to mention, it tastes like French vanilla – and the signature blue packaging and ceramic tip are the kind of attention to detail I love. I’ve finished two tubes already and have a third on my Christmas list.
If I tried one mascara, I’ve tried 100, but there’s something about Refy Lash Sculpt feels truly revolutionary and that’s the reason that it’s my go-to mascara. Any good mascara can lift and define your lashes – that’s the bare minimum – but the curved applicator takes things to a new level. While admittedly it takes some getting used to, once you’ve got your technique down, you’ll have clump-free, sculpted lashes without a smudge in sight.
Being a restless sleeper can be soul-destroying. No matter how early you go to sleep, you still find yourself waking up throughout the night and being bleary eyed and sluggish the next morning. I’ve waxed lyrical about the life-altering impact of shilajit on my sleep pattern, but right behind it is Diome Rested. Now two bottles down, I’ve found that three of these capsules before bed are the sweet spot to get a night of uninterrupted sleep, before waking up fresh as a daisy in the morning.
This is one of my surprise fave launches from 2025. At the top of the year, Anastasia Beverly Hills’ Norvina talked me through some of the brands’ upcoming launches, including its very first skincare product: Hydra Prime SPF50. Years in the making, the glow that this SPF gives you is unbelievable. I’ve tested many SPFs that leave me looking like a chalky ghost and this isn’t one of them. My skin looked incredible all summer long thanks to this product and it’s the perfect base for makeup.
After makeup artist Hung Vanngo revealed this was his go-to primer for Selena Gomez, I was immediately curious about K-Beauty brand Dr Althea. A cult fave that arrived in the UK earlier this year, the entire range is great, but 345 Relief Cream beats them all. Packed with skin-loving ceramides, blemish-banishing niacinamide and nourishing hyaluronic acid, it’s a no-brainer for those with sensitive skin. The mangled remains of the recyclable aluminium tube says it all.
I’m far too impatient for baths, but as a shower lover, sometimes I feel like I’m missing out on the luxuriation that bathing offers. Elevating the shower experience, Rituals Yozakura Cherish The Night Rich Foaming Shower Gel turns your bathroom into a heavenly smelling spa while lathering your body in a thick sensual foam. After using up two cans in an instant, I went out and bought it myself. There’s a reason it was one of our Editor’s Choice winners for the Power List 2025.
Finishing a fragrance is difficult, but I’ve been working on this one for a while. My go-to scent of the summer – if we have one – this skin scent makes you smell like you’ve spent the day frolicking under the sun at the beach, even if you haven’t. While it was almost unseated by the newly launched Maison Margiela Replica Never Ending Summer, after years of loyally spritzing this scent, I’ll be sure to pick up another bottle before next year.
Since I only ever have a shaved head, hair products are vaguely unfamiliar territory for me. However, a good shampoo is non-negotiable. Davines Momo Shampoo nourishes and moisturises with Cartucciaru melon extract, leaving my hair and scalp soft, clean and shiny. I just finished it.
I’m a bit of a pimple patch sceptic and while I hate to say it, I don’t think that they all work. Whenever I do get a breakout though, The Breakout Hack is always close at hand. It feels a bit like magic how these simple-looking patches reduce blemishes to almost nothing overnight and I love the various sizes to cover spots both large and small.
I go wild for a candle, there’s something so homely about lighting a candle and letting the scent fill the room. Loewe Cucumber Candle is an scent that I didn’t expect to love as much as I do. With fresh notes of cucumber and mint, it’s divine during the summer – and weirdly feels like it cools the room – but smells just as good in the colder months. Burnt down to the last drop of wax, I’ve already got my eye on the four wick large size.
We told you about ectoin all the way back in 2023 and it has only become bigger since then. For those like me focusing on barrier care and skin-loving ingredients that soothe and protect from the damage of day-to-day life, it’s a great choice. Facetheory’s Ectoin BarrierBuild Milk is jam-packed full of the ingredient and its lightweight, but deeply moisturising formula is a go-to in my nighttime routine – especially when my skin is irritated or congested. A litre-sized bottle of this wouldn’t be enough.
Only a few months ago, I shared my thoughts on Vaseline Gluta-Hya Serum Burst Lotion – it’s safe to say that I love it. After attending the launch for the trio of new lotions, it became a staple in my routine when showing off skin was still weather-appropriate. Lightweight but deeply moisturising, it immediately banishes any ashiness and leaves your skin feeling soft and supple all day long. I’ve gone through multiple bottles of the Dewy Radiance, Flawless Tone, and Overnight Radiance variations and I’m not ashamed of it.
