Whenever people ask me why, on embarking in a career in journalism, I choose to home in on beauty, I give the same answer: beauty products make me feel something, direct my mood, help me to engineer the sort of day or night I’d like to have. A perfect red lip equals power. A big, complex scent with perfect sillage equals sexy. Foundation that covers my spots adequately equals freedom.
And then there are the characters beauty evokes. When my hair is hanging down my back in rivers, I am immediately a 19th century heroine. If I’ve gone for it on the make-up front, I am Alexis Carrington Colby (and despite being largely teetotal and a non-smoker, my hands long for a champagne glass and cigarette holder). Add a smoky eye and I instantly, deludedly, feel very Brigitte Bardot.
Whether they cast their spell for a day or hang around for longer, I find joy and fantasy and play in beauty products, and consider those artists who’ve devoted their lives to working in the field to be decorating the world for the better, adding their stardust to the every day.
Fortunately, each year the clever purveyors of products find ever more things to tempt me, and so my enthusiasm has yet to run out and I continue to try new launches with feverish excitement.
This year, the below first excited me, then entered my arsenal, and then, most importantly of all, remained in it. These are my 10 favourite products of 2024.
Lisa Eldridge Enhancing Skin Tint
Make-up artist Lisa Eldridge has a knack for knowing what people want – and she hit the nail on the head with this skin tint. It smooths, hydrates, and covers just enough to make you feel like your skin is more even, but not quite so much that it feels mask-like. I consider it the perfect day-to-day base.
Buy now £37.00, Lisa Eldridge
Chantecaille Just Skin Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15
While on the subject of base products, this reformulated classic is just the thing you want if you loathe wearing skin make-up but want just the tiniest touch of coverage, the littlest whisper of a blur. Every time I wear it someone tells me my skin looks fantastic, so I’ve surmised that while it isn’t a big coverage product, it certainly does give skin a leg up that sits between skincare and make-up.
Buy now £60.00, Cult Beauty
Commune Seymour Bath Salts
A friend told me that these were superlative and I sighed an exhausted sigh and thought ‘how great can bath salts really be?’ Turns out, rather great; blending pink Himalayan salt, Hawaiian black lava sea salt, and Grey Celtic sea salt from the coast of Brittany, these make the entire bathroom – and the rooms beyond – smell like an expensive spa, and after a soak in them, I notice my skin is softer and muscles relaxed.
Buy now £75.00, Commune
Dyson Chitosan Post-Style Serum
Dyson’s first foray into hair products was, in my view, a resounding success, but by far the most outstanding product is the post-style serum, which doesn’t make hair greasy or weigh it down while smoothing. I am also a fan of the packaging which, unsurprisingly given that Dyson brains worked on it, is cleverly-designed and dispenses just the right amount of product.
Buy now £50.00, Space NK
Parfums de Marly Palantine Eau de Parfum
As the packaging suggests, there is a distinctly violet note running through this, and it’s a violet of the Parma variety. Don’t fret – this is a complex blend, so you won’t smell like a sweet shop. In the mix too: fruity pear and mandarin, along with a musk to hug this unique scent to your skin.
Buy now £245.00, Parfums de Marly
Oura Ring 4 Health & Fitness Tracker Smart Ring
Of all the wearable tech I’ve tried this year, the Oura ring is the one I’ve found most useful and have continued to wear. It helps me track my immune function, my resilience to stress, and, helpfully, tells me when I have to prioritise bedtime. I think of it as a benevolent nanny, reminding me of my body’s needs when I forget them.
Buy now £499.00, John Lewis
Healthy Metal Magnesium Glycinate
Designed to be mixed with water and sipped before bed, the zingy drink delivers 250mg of Magnesium Glycinate which has myriad functions from relaxing muscles to reducing the effects of stress in the body to upping sleep quality. I have a sachet before bed and have found that my sleep absolutely suffers on the rare occasion I forget.
Buy now £49.00, Healthy Metal
Trish McEvoy Gorgeous Cream Bronzer
You’ll find many cream bronzers on the market – but very few deliver results this impressive. Not only does it look like an authentic tan every time, but it blends into skin for a soft focus finish, and nourishes and hydrates while at it.
Buy now £38.00, Harvey Nichols
Iraye Reusable Eye Patches
Iraye has been clinically proven to help the lymphatic system along, meaning less puffiness. Their eye serum does the job really well, but add these reusable patches to the equation and bags really do diminish quite quickly, even, I’ve found, after a big night out.
Buy now £27.00, Iraye
Cerave Advanced Repair Ointment
This was instantly a hit among beauty insiders for its ability to add hydration and cosset skin without overwhelming it. I use this regularly around my nose when I’ve had a cold or near my eyes when it’s been streaming and my acne-prone skin hasn’t complained by sprouting a spot even once. It would also be fantastic on dry elbows/knees/soles of feet.
Buy now £11.00, Cult Beauty
