To refine a phrase from the late, great Benjamin Franklin, there are but three things in this life that are certain: death, taxes, and, like clockwork every year, New Year's resolutions [1]. If yours has anything to do with skin care — be it to adopt a new routine, save money [2], or (for god's sake) stop falling asleep before washing your face at night — you'll be happy to know there are a bevy of new skincare products [3] launching in 2020 that will make self-improvement that much easier.
Starting now, you'll be able to scoop up affordable micellar wipes to stash in your bedside table, a solid serum fit for royalty, a face cream [4] that smells like, feels like, and will more than likely make you crave banana pudding, and so much more. The amount of options are overwhelming, so to help you narrow down your wish list — and because you only have one face [5] to work with — we tried dozens of skincare formulas [6] to find the ones worth trying this year.
Check out our favourite new launches in the slides ahead. That way you can spend your hard-earned Benjamins on other musts (like those taxes, for example . . .).
Glow Recipe Banana Soufflé Moisture Cream
The slightly sweet (but not overtly manufactured) whiff of banana you'll get from the Glow Recipe Banana Soufflé Moisture Cream [7] ($39) is enough to drive Curious George wild, but we think it's the formula's rich, buttery texture and soothing cica and magnesium ingredients that'll keep you coming back for more this Winter.
Drunk Elephant F-Balm Electrolyte Waterfacial
If you've ever imagined what a cloud might feel like on your skin — pillowy soft, lush with moisture, oh so comforting — then you'll appreciate how the Drunk Elephant F-Balm Electrolyte Waterfacial [8] ($52) delivers exactly that. Meant to be used at night, the mixture of hydrating niacinamide plus vitamin F (an essential fatty acid that can help plump and hydrate) means your face will be in heaven when you wake up.
Pond’s Vitamin Micellar Wipes Hydrate
It's not just a cute, carton-shaped launch from Pond's (although, we admit, that gives it a nice appeal); the brand's Vitamin Micellar Wipes Hydrate ($6, launching mid-January) also contains aloe and vitamin B3 to gently whisk away any trace of makeup.
Philosophy Nature in a Jar In-Shower Oil
You can't swing a purse at a beauty store without knocking over 10 hemp-derived skincare products, but the Philosophy Nature in a Jar In-Shower Oil [9] ($32) feels different from the rest. It doesn't just smell like walking through the flower section at a farmer's market, but it's also housed in 50 percent post-consumer recycled material (minus the cap) so you can feel better about finishing the bottle fast. Which you will in lieu of your body lotion; just apply it onto damp skin after you rinse but before you step out of the shower to feel hydrated — but never sticky — all day.
Tatcha The Serum Stick
Straight from Meghan Markle [10]'s favourite brand comes Tatcha The Serum Stick [11] ($48) — a solid, deeply hydrating balm loaded with squalane and hyaluronic acid that'll give dry patches the royal treatment.
Moon Juice Cosmic Cream Collagen Protecting Moisturiser
Moon Juice, the brand behind the Gwyneth Paltrow-approved (and supposed libido-boosting) Sex Dust, just launched its Moon Juice Cosmic Cream Collagen Protecting Moisturiser [12] ($58), which may not actually get you laid — but it'll make your skin glow all the same.
La Roche Posay Vitamin C 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum
If you've ever wanted to gift your skin a hit of sunshine, the La Roche Posay Vitamin C 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum [13] ($40) gets the job done. The formula contains a high dose of brightening vitamin C, plus exfoliating salicylic acid and hydrating hyaluronic acid for a more even-toned visage.
Farmacy Cheer Up Brightening Vitamin C Eye Cream With Acerola Cherry
The cherry on top to the cutely packaged Farmacy Cheer Up Brightening Vitamin C Eye Cream With Acerola Cherry [14] ($45) is that it lives up to its name — the formula works fast to fade dark circles.
Boscia Cactus Water Peel-off Mask
No matter what its shamrock green packageing has you believe, the Boscia Cactus Water Peel-off Mask [15] ($34) is practically undetectable when you apply it. Just smear on the gel — which is lightweight in feel but heavy in skin-nurturing botanicals and brightening vitamin C — go about your day for 30 minutes, then peel it off.
Milk Makeup Vegan Milk Moisturiser
Like the splash of oat milk you might add to your coffee if you have a lactose intolerance, the Milk Makeup Vegan Milk Moisturiser [16] ($38) is a creamy alternative — one made from argan, oat, and fig milk — to animal-derived moisturisers that you'll immediately be hooked on.
Peter Thomas Roth Vital-E Microbiome Age Defence Cream
It's up for debate whether the Peter Thomas Roth Vital-E Microbiome Age Defence Cream [17]($75) truly classifies as a bonafide "cream" (we think the texture leans more toward a solid), but there is one indubitable truth nobody can deny: the formula will hydrate your skin, and it will hydrate your skin well. It's loaded with free radical-fighting antioxidants and a blend of prebiotic and probiotics that make it the perfect solution to a dry, dull, or dehydrated complexion.
Sweet Chef Kale Vitamin B Fresh Pressed Face Mask Sheet
It's hard to choose just one Sweet Chef sheet mask from its Instagram-friendly lineup, but we'd be hard pressed to say there's a more hydrating iteration than its vitamin B-infused Kale Vitamin B Fresh Pressed Face Mask Sheet [18] ($4) — pun intended. Even cheekier, the mask reads "Don't Kale My Vibe," juuust in case you wanted to send a message to your friends on social media while wearing it.
FAB Pharma Oat & Hemp Multi-Fix Salve
The oatmeal and hemp seed oil-spiked FAB Pharma Oat & Hemp Multi-Fix Salve [19] ($34) brings new meaning to do-it-all-and-then-some; the balm alleviates everything from dry patches to cracked heels to rough elbows, and beyond.
Kiehl's Rosa Arctica Lightweight Cream
People with combination or acne-prone skin, this Kiehl's Rosa Arctica Lightweight Cream [20] ($60) is for you: it's packed with moisturising vitamin E and glycerin, but doesn't feel in the least bit heavy.
CeraVe Retinol Face Serum For Post-Acne Marks
As far as ingredients go, retinol is a bit of a show off — effectively boosting cell turnover for brighter, clearer skin [21]. It can also be pretty pricey, which makes its debut in the CeraVe Retinol Face Serum For Post-Acne Marks [22] ($20) especially enticing.
Dr. Dennis Gross B3 Adaptive SuperFoods Stress Rescue Super Serum
If your face feels like it might fall off every time you step outside, chapped or red for hours at a time — and, if you've seen the temperature index across the world lately, it probably has at some point — then the soothing Dr. Dennis Gross B3 Adaptive SuperFoods Stress Rescue Super Serum [23] ($74) is just what the meteorologist ordered.
Supergoop! Bright-Eyed Mineral Eye Cream SPF 40
We've long loved Supergoop!'s ability to make sunscreen feel just a smidge sexier, but its lightweight, slightly tinted Bright-Eyed Mineral Eye Cream SPF 40 [24] ($34) is straight-up irresistible.
Dr. Brandt Skincare Dark Spots No More Triple Acid Spot Minimizing Concentrate
Post-acne scars are no match for the Dr. Brandt Skincare Dark Spots No More Triple Acid Spot Minimizing Concentrate [25] ($68), which contains a potent dose of clinical-grade acids to brighten up marks in no time.
Hear Me Raw The Detoxifier With Charcoal
What's cool about the Hear Me Raw The Detoxifier With Charcoal [26] ($42) is that you're not meant to rinse it off. Just let the mask dry and rub it off with your fingers, then watch as the jojoba beads naturally slough away the rest (while simulataneously exfoliating your skin).
Dermalogica BioLumin-C Vitamin C Eye Serum
Chia seed oil and mushroom extracts make the Dermalogica BioLumin-C Vitamin C Eye Serum [27] ($70) sound like the perfect smoothie recipe to have after a workout, but the ingredients actually work to brighten and depuff the undereye area — a tough feat all the same.
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Oxybenzone-Free Sunscreen Mist SPF 55
Think of the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Oxybenzone-Free Sunscreen Mist SPF 55 [28] ($17) like the best-ever last step to your beauty routine: the formula sets makeup like a dream but also leaves a veil of protection that keeps you in the clear all day long.