The best-selling beauty products on Cult Beauty have just been revealed - and you won't be surprised to learn that make-up has taken a back seat this year.
Home to hundreds of globally lusted-after and science-driven beauty brands, Cult Beauty is the church where online beauty shoppers worship. In fact, (lean closer) Cult Beauty may trump Sephora for cool brands, cherry picked when they're on the cusp of getting, well, 'cult'.
In a year where social distancing has meant that we have become our own facialists, skincare has not only stolen the show but done so with aplomb.
In fact, said facialists would be impressed with how savvy Cult Beauty shoppers are as this year's winners feature some of the best ingredients for both soothing sensitised skin and kickstarting its cell renewal. Either way, 'glow' is the buzzword here.
The notable exception was Huda Beauty's #FauxFilter Foundation - but what else would you expect from the most popular beauty brand in the world right now? (That's according to the Cosmetify Index, not just super fans, FYI).
With everything from high-tech gadgets to skin saviours and make-up artist approved staples, these are Cult Beauty's greatest hits of 2020...
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant, £28
Paula's Choice is the skincare brand that everyone has probably tried at some point. What devotees and first-time toe-dippers all seem to agree on, however, is that sweeping this lightweight toner across your face helps to unclog pores (thank you salicylic acid) and even out skin tone for a lit-from-within glow.
Olaplex No 3 Hair Perfector, £26
Olapex No3 is the at-home version of the in-salon hair treatment designed to prevent and repair damage that comes with dyeing hair. Part mask/part treatment, it sits on your hair and works hard to rebuild injured disulphide bonds, all of which means less breakage and frayed ends.
Huda Beauty #FauxFilter Foundation, £33
A foundation that's so good it replaces your Instagram filters is a pretty big boast. But this makeup vlogger knows a thing about looking flawless on social and that's where this full coverage, still-looks-like-skin kind of base steps in. Clearly a winner on all those Zoom calls.
Natasha Denona Glam Palette, £60
The eyes definitely have it at the moment and this palette of softly baked nudes - from wet-look molten chocolate to rich buttery taupes and understated metallics - allows you to go as wild as you like with a winter-ready smoky.
Glow Recipe Watermelon Ultra Fine Mist, £17.50
Screen faces need a 3pm jolt of energy and hydration. You get a burst of both with this 84% watermelon face mist that's bolstered by hydrating hyaluronic acid and pore-smoothing AHAs.
Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder, £32
Probably the most famous translucent powder of all time. The secret to its success is that it's virtually undetectable on the skin and yet it still packs a punch when locking in make-up.
Cult Beauty Advent Calendar
The countdown to Christmas never looked so good. It was billed as THE advent calendar to get most excited about, especially as Charlotte Tilbury lipstick, Huda Beauty eyeshadow and Augustinus Bader skincare all made appearances behind the doors. Unsurprisingly, it sold out faster than the blink of an eye.
Olaplex No4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo, £26
As well as containing a slosh of the famous Olaplex bond-repairing formula, its coconut-oil surfactants means this shampoo lathers up a treat without stripping hair of colour.
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, £5
All the proof you need that when skin throws a tantrum, you don't need to throw vast sums of money at it. Designed to blanket sensitive skin while tackling face mask-induced spots, this The Ordinary serum is a powerful anti-inflammatory. Plus it helps to reduce water loss from your skin to boot.
The Ordinary Buffet, £12.70
A one-stop shop for all your anti-ageing needs. Peptides, probiotics and no fewer than 11 skin-friendly amino acids target multiple signs of ageing with just one slosh.
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