Our editors are ever-diligent in their search for skincare, makeup, and hair care that will revolutionize their routines—and yours. After testing thousands of new products and tools, we're pleased to announce that this year's offerings have exceeded expectations. From a splurge-worthy hairbrush that creates legit goddess waves to a cheap-but-chic face serum that will leave you glowing all year long, there's something for every desire, budget, and taste in our picks. Here, the beauty game-changers that will make you text your friends: "You guys have got to try this."
Kudos to this drugstore line for making clean, cruelty-free, plant-based hair products that lather nicely and smell great (care of a calming blend of menthol and white musk)—at prices accessible for all.
Herbal Essences Aloe + Eucalyptus Shampoo and Conditioner (not shown), $6 each
For cool brunettes, brassiness can appear just weeks after a dye job, making strands look dull. Matrix’s green-tinted formula neutralizes these red undertones to keep color fresh.
Matrix Total Results Dark Envy Shampoo (not shown) and Conditioner, $14 each
If heat, mistreatment, and chemical processes have left your hair looking lackluster, the argan oil and amino acids in this spray will nourish it and add back a healthy sheen.
Moroccanoil All in One Leave-In Conditioner, $28
Made especially for curl types ranging from 3B to 4C, this lightweight cream uses a blend of botanical oils and honey to hug hair with hydration.
Pattern Leave-In Conditioner, $25
Apply a couple droppers’ worth to your scalp each night. Hyaluronic acid and panthenol help treat dryness, while calming purslane keeps inflammation and itchiness in check.
Dr. Barbara Sturm Scalp Serum, $120
For curly hair that needs some extra TLC, this argan-oil infused mask works overtime to return moisture and health to each strand.
Pantene Gold Series Repairing Mask Hair Mask, $10
Texturizing products can leave an incriminating white cast on darker strands, but this workable volume spray adds lift and grit without the evidence.
R+Co Zig Zag Root Teasing + Texture Spray, $32
This serum is the hair equivalent of no-makeup makeup. Try it as a heat protector on all textures before styling or run through damp strands to improve the texture of air-dried waves. It leaves hair softer and smoother, without adding weight.
Christophe Robin Regenerating Hair Serum, $51
If dry shampoo and leave-in products have your scalp feeling itchy and flaky, a pump or two of this massaged into the roots will alleviate discomfort and reduce oiliness.
The Inkey List Salicylic Acid Exfoliating Scalp Treatment, $12
Stale breath? Pop a Tic Tac. Same idea here: A few spritzes of this minty, absorbent spray will renew a greasy scalp and refresh limp strands so you can push wash day (again).
Klorane Detox Dry Shampoo with Aquatic Mint, $20
A few drops of this oil instantly calms and rehydrates dry, course tresses. The relaxing scent puts minds at ease, too.
Tea Tree Lavender Mint Nourishing Oil, $20
This long-lasting at-home cream color is made without ammonia or parabens and infused with hemp seed oil to keep strands supple and vibrant. Botanicals like cranberry and sesame oil in its conditioning gloss maintain hair health between touch-ups.
Revlon Total Color Hair Color Hair Dye, $8
Full of vitamin C, papaya, and lemon, this daily serum offers instant skin hydration and helps even out skin tone in the long term.
Shea Moisture Papaya & Vitamin C Brighter Days Ahead Serum, $11
This fast-absorbing mineral-based serum sunblock is loaded with soothing prickly pear and invisible zinc oxide to ensure all skin tones are covered.
EleVen by Venus Williams Unrivaled Sun Serum SPF 35, $50
Complexion makeup works best on a smooth canvas, and this golden illuminating formula creates that. It has anti-aging benefits too: Papaya enzymes and black-tea ferment help fight wrinkles and diminish pores.
Victoria Beckham by Augustinus Bader Golden Cell Rejuvenating Priming Moisturizer, $145
With restorative ingredients like French roses and tri-ceramides, this concentrated serum wards off environmental damage and repairs even the most disrupted skin barrier.
Lancôme Absolue Overnight Repairing Bi-Ampoule Concentrated Anti-Aging Serum, $150
Consider this micellar water 2.0. Sure, it cleanses as promised, but it’s also packed with ceramides, vitamin E, and plant oils, leaving skin refreshed and nourished.
Drunk Elephant E-Rase Milki Micellar Water, $28
Our skin repairs itself best while we sleep, and this formula hustles the process along by imbuing the complexion with a plumping, hydrating blend of hyaluronic acid, mango butter, and squalene.
True Botanicals Moisture Lock Overnight Mask, $75
This updated classic holds scores of hardworking ingredients, like yeast extract and a peptide, that help restore baby-like bounce and smoothness to your skin while you snooze.
Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex, $105
For chronic dark-circle sufferers, this serum is pumped with vitamin C to brighten your skin gently but effectively—minus the greasy, heavy aftereffects typical of many eye creams.
Kiehl's Dark Circle Reducing Vitamin C Eye Serum, $50
The original Olay Regenerist was one of the first anti-aging lines in drugstores to offer line-smoothing peptide technology. This version ups the concentration of said peptides and pairs them with vitamins B3 and B5 to improve moisture levels and texture. Translation: better skin.
Olay Regenerist Wrinkle Serum MAX, $44
This mineral sunscreen blends seamlessly and creates a great canvas for makeup. No white casts, no dry feeling, and no UV damage.
Dr. Jart+ Every Sun Day Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+, $39
Fresh’s lip hydrators have long been staples in editors’ purses; their newest flavor ups the ante with a zingy citrus bite and jammy tint.
Fresh Sugar Blood Orange Hydrating Lip Balm, $18
Post-acne dark spots can be stubborn, but they’re not unbeatable. This retinol formula fades the off-color evidence of blemishes without zapping your skin’s moisture.
Neutrogena Stubborn Marks PM Treatment, $18
Got unwieldy eyebrows with a life of their own? This brow gel—with its powerful hold and innovative brush design—will whip them into shape.
Revitalash Hi-Def Brow Gel, $32
The classic brand’s healthy new offering is as spotless as it gets: It’s 16-free, which means the formula doesn’t include 16 potentially toxic ingredients popular in the nail-care world.
Sally Hansen Good. Kind. Pure. Nail Polish, $7
Packed with silky meadowfoam oil, this weightless, buildable bronzing powder adds a beach-day radiance to any skin tone—always creamy, never crusty.
Kosas The Sun Show Moisturizing Baked Bronzer, $34
Lip gloss hits differently when you know it’s Rihanna’s go-to. This rich brown gloss offers enough moisture to keep dryness at bay and adds sparkle to take you from desk to date.
Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer, $19
This sleek packaging does more than just look pretty; the golden gripper helps control a shaky hand. Glide the tiny tip across your lid and extend it slightly for a sharp, waterproof cat eye that won’t fade.
L'Oréal Paris Matte Signature Liquid Dip Eyeliner, $9
If you don’t play around when it comes to pigments, we’re betting you’ll fall for these glorious eye shadows with rich cream-to-powder textures. Smudge away.
Pat McGrath Blitz Astral Eyeshadow Quad in Nocturnal Nirvana, $65
This pencil pays homage to stunningly styled baby hair, a textured-hair staple. Sweep the microfine tip across sparse sections to achieve the fullness and definition you desire.
UOMA Beauty BROW-FRO Baby Hair, $22
Available in a spectrum of sunny shades, this water-infused blush warms up skin beautifully when worn on the apples of your cheeks, eyelids, or temples.
Maybelline Cheek Heat Gel-Cream Blush, $6
The hydrating texture of this versatile, medium-coverage fluid makes skin look like...skin, only better. Its soft-focus finish acts like a real-life Zoom filter.
CHANEL Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation, $60
This mascara stands out as one of the shiniest and blackest formulas out there. Plus, it delivers on its curling and lengthening promise, and the wavy bristle brush has a knack for keeping lashes clump-free and defined.
Marc Jacobs Beauty At Lash’d Lengthening and Curling Mascara, $27
This lightweight conditioner will be revolutionary for mascara devotees or faux-lash users. It contains botanicals and oils that strengthen lashes and improve flexibility to reduce breakage.
Grande Cosmetics GrandeREPAIR Leave-In Lash Conditioner, $25
For anyone seeking an immediate mood-booster, this aquatic polish is the perfect shade to transition from summer to fall. You can't feel blue when you have this nail color on.
Essie Let It Ripple Nail Polish in Get On Board, $9
This body butter melts and absorbs into skin instantly upon application and—with its high dose of healing rosehip oil and nourishing shea, coconut, and mango butters—leaves skin feeling supple and baby soft.
Mutha Body Butter, $95
It would be entirely fair to add this to your cart strictly for its scent—addictive and reminiscent of that imaginary year you spent in Tahiti—but its tropical ingredients are also nurturing. Banana peel extract and acai protect against free-radical damage and coconut extract imbues moisture.
Briogeo Be Gentle, Be Kind Banana + Coconut Nourishing Superfood Body Cream, $26
This body scrub is appealing to all the senses: It looks great in your shower, feels great on your skin (with just the right amount of fine-grain bamboo charcoal in a cooling gel that spreads smoothly), and smells divine (we're partial to Eucalyptus).
Nécessaire The Body Exfoliator, $30
This innovative spray functions as a suit of armor for your skin. Hyaluronic acid hydrates while antioxidant watermelon extract, licorice root, and blue microalgae shield your skin from the environmental aggressors that speed up the aging process.
iS Clinical Youth Body Serum, $120
For those wondering about aluminum-free deodorant, “But does it work?,” in this case, yes. An antimicrobial blend of dead sea salts and motion-activated fragrances eliminates and prevents odor, so you never have to sniff-check in public again.
Secret Aluminum Free Deodorant, $6
Consider this a new office mainstay. The oversized bottle of cheery, plant-based sanitizer keeps our bodies and spirits in good health.
Megababe Squeaky Clean Hand Sanitizer Pump, $18
And this powder to the bath for an extra bit of luxury. Mineral ingredients detox and pacify inflamed skin, while calming scents tend to the mind. Because everyone needs some extra T.L.C. these days.
African Botanics Le Vert Tranquil Green Clay Soak, $100
Restore hands suffering from intense washing and sanitizing to their natural hydration and softness with the help of vitamin E.
Jo Malone Vitamin E Nourishing Hand Treatment Cream, $62
With Dyson technology, heat straightening can now be guilt free: The Corrale’s styling plates create lasting styles while minimizing damage.
Dyson Corrale Hair Straightener, $499
This boar-bristle brush with the chic wooden handle can help achieve gorgeously coiffed hair—with a scalp massage thrown in.
Hair Rituel by Sisley Small Blow Dry Brush, $62
Say goodbye to scorched hair and hello to effortless waves: This smart curling iron remembers your preferences and picks a heat setting specific to your hair type and texture, like having a stylist in your home.
T3 Curl ID, $235
The streamlined design this smart toothbrushdata-vars-ga-gallery-id="6642e0b5-02b9-4e91-ad76-55a293abb9fb"> reaches every awkward corner of your mouth, and the tech offerings include brushing pressure trackers and helpful reminders. Bottom line: It’ll keep teeth and gums healthy at home if you can't make it to the dentist just yet.
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This adorable handheld device uses microcurrents to lift and tone the muscles in your face—kind of like crunches, but for your cheekbones.
FOREO Bear Facial Toning Device, $299
You’ve heard of celebrity face icingdata-vars-ga-gallery-id="6642e0b5-02b9-4e91-ad76-55a293abb9fb">—a trick to depuff tired features almost instantly. Consider these the just-as-effective-yet-much-more-pleasant tools to get you there. Simply store them in your fridge and apply as needed for quick relief from allergies or a late night.
data-vars-ga-gallery-id="6642e0b5-02b9-4e91-ad76-55a293abb9fb">Georgia Louise Cryo Freeze Tools, $125 data-vars-ga-gallery-id="6642e0b5-02b9-4e91-ad76-55a293abb9fb">
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Toss out environmentally unfriendly cotton pads and make way for these reusable and washable ones. Each wipe can be used 1,000 times.
Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Eco Pads, $9
This device removes the fine layer of hair that covers everyone's face so that makeup glides on beautifully and skin looks radiant and smooth.
Dermaflash Exfoliation & Peach Fuzz Removal Device, $139
Photography by Jeff Westbrook. Design by Hanna Varady and Susanna Hayward.
A version of this story appears in the Fall 2020 issue of Marie Claire.
