Nine beauty products from 2019 that are actually worth the hype
With thousands of new products landing on beauty counters every year promising incredible results, how do you decide what's worth investing in and what's not?
It's one thing grabbing a make-up bargain to play around with, but shelling out your hard-earned cash on an expensive serum? You need to know it's going to do what it says on the bottle.
This is where social media comes in really handy. When Instagram is flooded with posts praising the pigmented power of a lipstick or the glow-giving properties of an exfoliator, you know it's worth the price tag.
This year, we've had a deluge of skincare and make-up launches going viral for all the right reasons, meaning they've got the beauty buff seal of approval and you can shop with confidence.
So, in case you missed them, here are nine new beauty products that garnered rave reviews in 2019...
1. Glossier Futuredew Oil Serum Hybrid, £23
Intended to replicate that plump, dewy look you get when you've just finished your skincare routine, Futuredew combines the long-term benefits of a serum (namely an improvement in texture) with the instant radiance of an oil.
Glossier fans (of which there are many) agree that it delivers on both fronts, and it's about half the price of many premium serums.
2. E.L.F. Cosmetics Poreless Putty Primer, £8
E.L.F. Cosmetics struggled to keep this primer in stock, that's how popular it was when it launched in the summer.
Selling out 10 times and spawning a 140,000-strong wait list, the putty-inspired formula goes on like a balm and doesn't have the slippy consistency that some silicone-based primers do, meaning it helps your foundation stay put, while also blurring pores.
3. Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser SPF 30, £35, John Lewis
OK, this isn't a brand new product per se, but the classic Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser was reformulated this year and it's now even better than before, so it definitely deserves a place on our best of 2019 list.
Offering lightweight coverage that's perfect for everyday wear, the improved formula ups the SPF (from 20 to 30) and comes with added antioxidants and nourishing oils. It's also available in five new shades, bringing the total to 20.
4. Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Liquid Foundation, £51, Cult Beauty
Following the success of its stick foundation, Hourglass introduced a liquid version this year, and fans were impressed.
Yes, this is on the pricey side, but you really only need the tiniest amount of the highly-pigmented formula, so one bottle will last a long time.
After moisturising well, dot it over your face then blend with a foundation brush for feather-light but flawless, glowy coverage.
5. Urban Decay Naked Cherry Palette, £42
They did it again. After a series of fan-favourite eyshadow palettes, Urban Decay added Naked Cherry to the family and it became an instant classic.
Featuring a range of peach, pink and berry tones in a mix of matte and shimmer shadows, the looks you can create with this palette are particularly well suited to those with blue or green eyes.
6. Maybelline Tattoo Liner Liquid Ink Long Lasting Eyeliner Black, £9.99, Boots
A durable, jet black, no-smudge liquid eyeliner is the holy grail for any fan of a cat-eye flick.
Finding one that does all that for less than a tenner? Maybelline's Tattoo Liner is a make-up miracle, enabling the sharpest of wings that dries quickly and stays put.
7. Morphe X James Charles The James Charles Artistry Palette, £39, Boots
YouTube sensation James Charles wanted to create a one-stop eyeshadow shop when he collaborated with Morphe on this humongous palette.
Featuring 32 regular pans and seven super-sized shades in every colour of the rainbow, it's got subtle shimmers for creating smoky eyes and bright mattes for technicoloured looks.
His 15.9 million Instagram followers are in love and have been showing off the festive season looks they've been creating.
8. Fenty Beauty Sun Stalk'r Instant Warmth Bronzer in Bajan Gyal, £23, Boots
Trust Rihanna to blow the competition out of the water with the first bronzer from Fenty Beauty.
Rather than the standard two or three options, Sun Stalk'r comes in eight shades, from biscuit-y Inda Sun to chocolate-y Mocha Mami, so everyone can find the sun-kissed glow that's right for their skin tone.
9. Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream, £62, Cult Beauty
When cult brand Drunk Elephant announced it was launching a retinol cream, fans got very excited indeed. And they weren't disappointed when they finally got to try A-Passioni, the 1% retinol formula getting lots of five-star reviews online.
Combining the vitamin A derivative with nourishing fruit oils, the intensive treatment is intended for cocktailing with other DE favourites, like C Firma day cream in the morning, or Virgin Marula oil at night.
