From skin care that makes you glow like you slept eight hours to makeup that practically applies itself, these are the beauty MVPs of 2024, handpicked by the people who live and breathe this stuff. This list is more than just a roundup—it’s a love letter to the products that truly delivered. Trust us: we don’t fall hard for just anything.
Angela’s Top Pick of 2024: Kosa’s DreamBeam SPF 40 PA++++
“Never did I think a sunscreen would be my top pick for the year, but it’s 2024 and a lot more crazy ish has happened. The Kosas DreamBeam SPF 40 is everything I want in sunscreen—glowy, lightweight, and never greasy. It melts into the skin like a hydrating serum but leaves behind the perfect dewy finish, no makeup needed at all. Plus, it’s packed with skin-loving ingredients like ceramides and peptides that keep my skin moisturized and bouncy all day. The mineral formula (with no white cast, by the way!) feels soothing, and the addition of niacinamide makes it a total win for calming redness. Honestly, it’s the one SPF I’m excited to reapply.” — Angela Trakoshis, shopping market editor
Jenny’s Top Pick of 2024: Sarah Creal Face Flex Concealer & Complexion Enhancer
“I am a woman of a certain age (that age is 47) and in the last couple of years I’ve noticed that every concealer I use under my eyes makes me look more tired than I feel (which is saying a lot). But the one in this new line from Sarah Creal (a master product developer who’s created many of your favorite makeup formulas in recent decades) is a triumph—it never settles in the lines around my eyes (or disappears by lunch) and leaves a glowy finish. I also use it as a spot-foundation, blending it with this brush.” — Jenny Bailly, executive beauty director
Nicola’s Top Pick of 2024: Lévans Cult Brow Mega Hold Brow Gel
“In 2024, I pared my daily makeup routine down to just two products: a lip stain and a clear brow gel. As for brow gel, the only ones I allowed on my face this year have been from Lévans, a new brand by one of my favorite New York City brow artists, Robin Evans. Her Cult Brow Mega Hold Brow Gel, which launched earlier this year, is my favorite among the crop; I wear it every single day because it’s one of the only formulas I’ve found that can hold brow hairs upward for hours on end without a cement-y feeling and flattened-down look. Plus, it’s alcohol-free, meaning it doesn’t dry out hairs and cause breakage.” — Nicola Dall’Asen, senior news editor
Ingrid’s Top Pick of 2024: Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Hydrating Foundation Stick
“If I were to travel with just one makeup product right now, it would be this one! It’s a foundation, concealer and foundation all-in-one and gives a nice glow with just a hint of color. The formula is creamy, which is necessary for a stick—it glides across my skin without any tugging.” — Ingrid Fowler, digital art director
Kassidy’s Top Pick of 2024: Oribe Mirror Rinse Glass Hair Treatment
“At the top of this year’s list of things I will not stop talking about is the Oribe Mirror Rinse Glass Hair Treatment (truly, I can’t stop yapping about it). If you’ve always wanted those long glossy waves that sit, well, as smooth as glass, this is the one product you need in your arsenal. Thank me later.” — Kassidy Silva, director of social media
Lexi’s Top Pick of 2024: St. Jane Star Flower Niacinamide Serum
“I adore this serum. It truly is an experience. The texture and the beads break down during application to create a calming, cooling effect. It’s refreshing and brightening, featuring a great scent and a lovely bottle. It leaves my skin feeling so soft and dreamy, and I can’t get enough!” — Lexi Herrick, senior director of audience
Jesa’s Top Pick of 2024: Dyson Chitosan Post Style Serum
“I’ve been trying to minimize the styling products I use in my hair because, well, the more I use, the more I have to wash it. This is probably the only thing I use on the daily. Four-ish pumps of the floral-scented serum lock in any style I create with my medium-coarse, long, naturally wavy hair. I use it to preserve a wavy blowout, keep my hair smooth after I’ve straightened it, and slick back flyaways when I pull my hair back.” — Jesa Marie Calaor, senior editor
Kara’s Top Pick of 2024: House of Bo Oro Verde Parfum
“It’s rare for me to be truly wowed by a fragrance (sure, plenty smell amazing…but also like one other) which is why this perfume immediately popped into my head when I was asked to pick a favorite 2024 launch. This bright, juicy scent—bergamot, watermelon, and cannabis are the primary notes— has gotten me more compliments than any other fragrance I’ve worn this year.”— Kara McGrath, content director
Sarah’s Top Pick of 2024: Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Probio-Cica Glow Sun Ampoule
“I cycle between so many sunscreens (usually chemical) that when I tried this Skin1004 ampoule, I was 100% expecting to add yet another to the roster—instead, I found myself eagerly slathering this one morning after morning…and even slowing down so I wouldn’t run out as quickly. It’s top-tier lightweight, spreads easily and melts/disappears into my skin immediately upon contact, and gives me a subtle glow that doesn’t emphasize my shine-prone areas.” — Sarah Han, commerce editor
Shanna’s Top Pick of 2024: Osea Undaria Algae Body Wash
“A citrus basket in your shower? Yes, please. Osea is a Malibu-based brand, and this grapefruit-, mandarin-, and lime-fragranced body wash transports me right to the dreamy Santa Monica farmer’s market every time. Thanks to having extra-dry skin, I usually opt for fragrance-free oil washes with absolutely zero sud factor (lest I want to peel and flake). But this is the rare body wash that gives me a truly special sensorial experience without stripping my skin in the process. The gel-like formula lathers just enough, giving me a smooth, gentle, and zesty-as-hell daily cleanse.” — Shanna Shipin, shopping director
Sarah’s Top Pick of 2024: Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Freeze Gel
“I love the look and feel of laminated brows, and this gel helps me achieve that feathery, brushed-up appearance—even if it’s been a few months since my last lamination appointment—with just a couple swipes. I start with the wand’s bristled side, combing hairs in the direction I want (usually straight up), and then quickly follow by brushing them with the flattened side, which creates the shiny, laminated effect and holds them in place. Once locked in, these babies stay stiff and in place (again, this is what I want) all day, even through workouts and sweaty commutes.” — Sarah Kinonen, associate beauty director
Lauren’s Top Pick of 2024: Good Weird Balmy Weather (Gauva)
“The guava shade of Good Weird’s Balmy Weather acts as a blush and highlighter combo. The formula is amazing for sensitive skin; I can wear it all day and it stays where it’s applied and never irritates my cheeks. And the color is subtle and so chic! It’s my not-so-secret daily makeup staple.” — Lauren Brown, senior visual editor
