The Best Beauty Launches of 2020

By Patricia Shannon
December 18, 2020
Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
Credit: Sephora

Let’s talk about light-as-air foundation, flutter-inducing mascara, and a fountain-of-youth serum that stands up to lines and wrinkles. Let’s talk about more inclusive shade ranges, finding joy in hand soap, and taking care of ourselves like never before. Throughout this year we uncovered a happy lineup of fresh little beauties that kept us seeing the bright side. They might have been a far cry from life-changing, but they were just what we needed. These are the best beauty launches of 2020.

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SOL by Jergens Sunless Tanning Water Mousse

Credit: Target

SHOP IT: $19.99; target.com

A naturally derived, water-based tanning mousse that works with your individual skin tone to bring out the most natural-looking tan skips the fume-like, fake-tan smell in favor of a burst of tropical passion fruit. It’s available in two shades: Medium and Deep. 

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RMS Beauty Back2Brow Powder

Credit: Credo Beauty

SHOP IT: $22; credobeauty.com

Use a spoolie wand to gently blend this fine powder into brows. It will define shape and give natural-looking finish with an ingredient list featuring organic cocoa seed butter and ethically sourced mica.

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Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Push Up Lashes

Credit: Charlotte Tilbury

SHOP IT: $29; charlottetilbury.com

The brand’s beloved Pillow Talk line got a lash-boosting upgrade this year with a mascara that’ll give you your most defined lashes yet. The micro-bristled brush separates each and every lash for all the flutter and fanning.  

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OPI Infinite Shine Nail Polish in My Chihuahua Doesn’t Bite Anymore

Credit: Amazon

SHOP IT: $13; amazon.com

The minute we laid eyes on OPI’s Mexico City Collection, we deemed this vibrant orange the star. When you’re looking to warm up this spring, make sure this little number is on your manicure-must list.

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Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Credit: Target

SHOP IT: $17.99; target.com

The latest from Neutrogena’s fan-favorite hydro boost line is a serum bolstered with the brand’s proprietary Hydration Complex, which features both high and low weight hyaluronic acid designed to pull moisture to the top layer of skin for a plumped-up, youthful look. 

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Monique Lhuillier Eau de Parfum

Credit: Nordstrom

SHOP IT: $85; nordstrom.com

It’s a clean, fresh floral with notes of citrusy bergamot that give it year-round appeal.

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Milani Screen Queen Foundation

Credit: Ulta

SHOP IT: $6.99; ulta.com

With 45 vegan shades designed to protect against screen damage (see hyper-pigmentation, dullness, and more), the first-of-its-kind foundation doesn’t stop there. It also delivers buildable coverage that blurs imperfections, brightens for a wide-awake look, and manages to finally capture that lit-from-within-effect we’re always after.

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Maybelline New York Lasting Fix Banana Powder

Credit: Amazon

SHOP IT: $9.92; amazon.com

Brighten up with this illuminating, mattifying loose powder that sets makeup for all-day wear.

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L’Oreal Paris True Match Eye Cream in a Concealer with Hyaluronic Acid

Credit: Target

SHOP IT: $11.99; target.com

The secret to concealer that camouflages fine lines as well as it hides dark circles is skin-plumping hyaluronic acid. The unique concealer formula works instantly to achieve a flawless complexion, but also goes overtime to smooth and refresh under eyes in just one week.

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Essie Expressie in Party Mix & Match

Credit: Target

SHOP IT: $8.99; target.com

Essie’s fastest-drying nail polish is good to go in just about a minute—without need of a base or top coat. Choose from 40 shades.

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Credo exa High Fidelity Semi-Satin Foundation

Credit: Credo

SHOP IT: $38; credobeauty.com

Clean beauty retailer Credo’s first foray into cosmetics saw the launch of a lightweight vegan foundation 43-shades strong. Buildable coverage allows for a customizable finish that works double time to protect the skin’s outer layer from environmental aggressors.

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Fenty Full Frontal Volume Lift & Curl Mascara

Credit: Sephora

SHOP IT: $24; sephora.com

It’s all in the brush—and this might be one of the most innovative ones you’ve seen yet. One side is completely flat while the other has all the fluff we’re accustom to. The thick side lifts and coats lashes in the water-resistant formula, while the flat side curls and separates.

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Hair Biology Deep Hydration Mask

Credit: Target

SHOP IT: $9.99; target.com

And you thought you could only get this level of color care with one of those pricey salon-exclusive treatments. Hair Biology is designed to bring back the shine, manageability, volume, and vibrancy of mature hair—and it accomplishes just that with a price tag under $10.

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IT Cosmetics Brow Power Filler

Credit: Ulta

SHOP IT: $24; ulta.com

No more shopping for the perfect shade, this universal brow pencil is designed to work with your natural tone, increasing in pigment as you increase the pressure of your swipes.

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IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Foundation + Skincare

Credit: Sephora

SHOP IT: $39.50; sephora.com

If you haven’t already caught on, skin care that doubles as makeup is the trend du jour. And, if you ask us, it’s got staying power. A radiant finish foundation is armed with hyaluronic acid, vitamins E and B5, aloe vera extract, and exfoliating hepes acid to improve the look and feel of skin in two weeks.

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Lancome La Nuit Tresor Nude Eau de Toilette

Credit: Dillard's

SHOP IT: $65; dillards.com

There’s a new Trésor in town and she’s a beauty. You’ll find notes of rose, coconut, warm vanilla, and citrus in this lightened-up version.

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Lancome Lash Idole

Credit: Lancome

SHOP IT: $26; ulta.com

Fanned out lashes usually come with a price: that stiff, bristle-like feeling. No more with this formula that brings instant lift and eye-widening results, but with the softest touch.

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Lancome Renergie Lift Makeup

Credit: Lancome

SHOP IT: $50; nordstrom.com

Fresh packaging, formula upgrades, and a handful of new shades brought this classic into 2020 with shouts of glee. The lightweight foundation hydrates skin and blurs wrinkles while it wears for up to 12 hours.

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L’Oreal Paris Air Volume Mega Mascara

Credit: Target

SHOP IT: $10.99; target.com

Try this whipped formula on for size and you’ll never go back. It feels as light as air but will inflate lashes like nobody’s business—zero flaking.

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Drybar Liquid Glass Miracle Smoothing Sealant

Credit: Sephora

SHOP IT: $32; sephora.com

If sleek and smooth is your style, give this treatment a try. It brings a silk-like, weightless effect to strands when used with heat tools and will continue working through three washes.

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Diorshow Iconic Overcurl

Credit: Sephora

SHOP IT: $29.50; sephora.com

Mascara dreams are made of this: a curling-iron inspired curved brush and a lash-nourishing formula that strengthens while it defines, lengthens, and volumizes.

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Dior Forever Skin Correct

Credit: Sephora

SHOP IT: $36; sephora.com

Once a few samples of this concealer made their way to our editors’ vanities, it was all we could talk about at the coffee pot for a good week. No creasing, natural-looking coverage, and a long wear time? We were singing its praises well beyond SL headquarters.

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Colgate Optic White Overnight Whitening Pen

Credit: Colgate

SHOP IT: $19.98; walmart.com

No more messy trays or strips, this whitening pen is designed for targeted application, bringing a whiter smile as soon as one week of use. It packs 15 times more stain-lifting muscle than simply brushing.

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Vaseline Intensive Care Almond Smooth Body Lotion

Credit: Target

SHOP IT: $5.89; target.com

Fans of Vaseline Original Jelly will find a new mess-free alternative in this body and hand lotion that uses micordroplets of the OG formula for long-lasting hydration.

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Bio-Oil Dry Skin Gel

Credit: Bio-Oil®

SHOP IT: $9.74; amazon.com

The first new Bio-Oil launch in over 30 years is a little pot of deep and instant hydration. It protects the skin’s outermost barrier to lock in moisture and soothe irritation.

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Aveda Botanical Repair Strengthening Leave-In Treatment

Credit: Aveda

SHOP IT: $37; aveda.com

Fine-haired ladies, we’re giving this heat-protecting cream our stamp of approval. It coats strands without giving them a bit of heft. The result is stronger, more easily detangled hair and ends so smooth you’ll fool people into thinking you actually keep to a 6-week trim schedule.

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Baylis & Harding Hand Wash Soap Oud Cedar and Amber

Credit: Target

SHOP IT: $5.99; target.com

The brand has already made waves in the UK and, once it launched in the U.S. market this year, it didn’t take much time for it to catch on. The natural formula brings woody, citrusy notes with an herbal hint that lingers long after the soap is washed off.

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Neutrogena Rapid Tone Repair 20% Vitamin C Serum Capsules

Credit: Amazon

SHOP IT: $28.29; amazon.com

If you haven’t jumped on the vitamin-C bandwagon, get on board, immediately. These tidy little capsules pack a potent dose of the skin-brightening, dark-spot reducing ingredient that also works to protect skin against future aging. The one-dose design is used to preserve the efficacy of the formula, but they also make for easy transport when taking your beauty routine on the road.

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By Patricia Shannon