I didn’t initially plan to talk about skincare favourites this year, as it seemed irrelevant. But then I realised that – unlike with makeup which I wore very little and didn’t really buy – skincare had in fact been an important part of 2020 for me and I believe for many others as well. And as I do actually have some new firm faves, let’s get to them.

First cleanse. Even a global pandemic didn’t stop my cleanser obsession, I kept trying new ones throughout the year. I have already talked about D’DIFFERENCE’s Gel-to-Oil Cleanser that I have been using up with alarming speed. It removes everything and thanks to its luscious texture and nourishing contents is especially good in winter. Another, somewhat surprising favourite is Glow Recipe’s Papaya Sorbet Enzyme Cleansing Balm. It’s lighter than most balms, but still very effective. I love how it feels and I absolutely adore the scent  – it smells like entirely natural papaya bubble gum (I in fact wish the scent was stronger, I love it so much). The colour is gorgeous as well. 

Second cleanse. If you have been tempted by the Augustinus Bader cleanser that I was rather unkind to in my recent cleanser post, let me offer an alternative: Summer Friday’s Super Amino Gel Cleanser. It has a similar gel texture, just much nicer, it lacks the horrible scent and leaves your skin untight. It’s also more stylish-looking and much more affordable than Bader (although not cheap). If you like Drunk Elephant products, I think Summer Fridays would suit you well, they have a similar vibe. The other lovely second cleanse wast Plenaire’s Rose Jelly cleanser. This one I have already talked about and while I haven’t repurchased it, I keep thinking about it regularly. 

Toner/acid. For years, I thought salicylic acid wasn’t for me – my skin is not oily and while I do have breakouts, they are not my main concern. Plus I didn’t really like any of the SA products I tried and didn’t find them particularly effective. Until I used Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant. As the name says, it’s a liquid and I prefer that to thicker salicylic products. It’s not drying, it in fact feels almost oily on my skin. And most importantly, it’s effective – if I use this regularly (not necessarily every day) together with niacinamide (of which more later), my skin is much more likely to stay clear. I have significantly reduced the other exfoliating acids in my routine, because it can be too much when also using retinol, but 2%BHA has come to stay.

Serum. I use a vitamin C serum almost every morning, but I don’t really have a stand-out new favourite in this category – I still love C-Firma the best, although the Summer Fridays option is nice, too. I do, however, have an overwhelming favourite in the hydrating-glowgiving category and that’s Tan-Luxe Super Glow Hyaluronic Self-Tan Serum. The name conveys exactly what it is: a hydrating serum that also includes a bit of self-tan. It’s very subtle, so you could use it daily. I tend not to, but every time I do I admit it was a good idea. 

Treatment. A bit similarly to salicylic acid, I was skeptical about niacinamide for a long time. Not that I doubted the ingredient didn’t have benefits: it is well known to strengthen the skin, reduce the appearance of pores and improve skin texture. It just didn’t seem to do much for me, personally. Again, until I tried Paula’s Choice. On the picture, I have the Clinical 20% Niacinamide Treatment, but in my experience, the 10% booster is equally good. When I use niacinamide regularly (together with salicylic acid), my skin tends to be in a good overall shape and hardly ever breaks out. I notice the difference mostly when I STOP using the product, as it works largely on a preventative basis. So these days, I try not to stop.

Moisturiser/SPF. My skincare nerdiness means that I usually love products by more niche brands, but this time, I have a real mainstream favourite, too. I am not a fan of most SPFs you can by in a department store or a pharmacy (even the famous French ones are, in my view, inferior to Asian sunscreens), so Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Daily Defense Moisturiser has been a wonderful surprise. It is a lightweight moisturiser that has an SPF of 35 – absolutely enough in my part of the world in autumn/winter. It feels and works as a lovely hydrating cream, which also means you don’t need to use moistureiser AND sunscreen. Very much recommended.

I also wanted to give a shout-out to Typology: a new French brand that does simple, natural skincare with few ingredients. If you like The Ordinary but find it a bit too basic, give Typology a look: the idea is similar, but as you’d expect from the French, the outcome is more stylish and somewhat more expensive as well. I’ve tried several products and liked them all, although I haven’t fallen madly in love.

And finally, as there is no makeup ‘best of’ this year, let me take the opportunity to mention Gucci mascara. It is beautiful both inside and out: the packaging is gorgeous and it gives you luscious but not over-the-top lashes.