For most people, November signifies the long-awaited beginning of the holiday season, but for those of us whose careers are based in fashion and beauty, this month happens to be one of our busiest. When we’re not tackling our overflowing email inboxes or deep in a writing hole, we’re taking note of the standout products that have defined our year. This time around, I’ve scoured the far corners of social media and took hints from Gen Z to pinpoint the beauty products that no doubt will by flying off the shelves as soon as this year’s biggest holiday sales begin.
It’s almost time for Nordstrom’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday savings event, and I’m beyond excited to get my hands on some high-performing (and, dare I say, aesthetic) products by innovative skincare brands like Sunday Riley and The Ordinary and ultra-luxe makeup brands such as Westman Atelier and Hourglass. I’ve fully convinced myself that I want the 20 products below, and I’m more than willing to try to beat my fellow Gen Z members to the punch. May the shopping odds be ever in your favor!
“When I’m shopping for a concealer, I’m always looking for something lightweight, buildable, and hydrating! There is nothing that I hate more than a concealer that becomes cake-y and flakey by the end of the day,” shares freelance makeup artist and Kite Beauty representative, Morgan Leigh. “My favorite go to is Kite Beauty because their ingredients are beyond hydrating and buildable which is key! The packaging is also made for the on-the-go girls so it’s always easy to touch up or build coverage for a day to night look!” When applying concealer, Leigh likes to begin with an very moisturized canvas to ensure easy application of the concealer product.
For skin prep, Leigh’s go-to product is Merit’s Instant Glow Serum which uses skin-loving ingredients like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid to quickly hydrate and visibly plump the skin; lending to a visibly brighter and smoother palette to start with. She then follows the serum with a moisturizer for easy concealer application that also remains glowy. After your skin is moisturized, Leigh recommends using a damp beauty blender for flawless application and the ability to build up your concealer’s coverage.
If you haven’t found your holy-grail concealer just yet and are still looking for a versatile lightweight formula, don’t worry! I’ve scoured the internet for some of the best ones out there. Below, you’ll fine a variety of concealers offering endless shade ranges, formulations depending on specific skin types, and different types of coverage.
Before there was TikTok, there was YouTube. The old me would sit down with a snack and watch storytimes, challenges, moving out videos, makeup tutorials, cooking shows, you name it. I ended my nights with budding influencers Emma Chamberlain, Tana Mongeau, James Charles, and David Dobrik.
To me, YouTube videos always felt a bit more intimate. Instead of a few minutes, an average YouTube storytime could go as long as an hour. And, although TikTok has ruined the attention spans of many, it was almost always captivating.
One of the best – and longest running – series on YouTube is Vogue’s Beauty Secrets. With over 275 episodes, you get the chance to sit down and watch a celebrity get ready in their bathroom. There’s something so wholesome about some of the biggest names in Hollywood telling you what makes them feel beautiful.
Better yet, you get to see what products your fave celeb is using. Some of them are clearly plugging their own brands or partnerships, but lately, it’s become the standard to recommend somewhat affordable products so everyone watching can buy, too.
Vogue’s got supermodels like Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber, rising stars like Euphoria’s Storm Reid and White Lotus’ Haley Lu Richardson, and even icons like Zoë Kravitz and Alicia Keys. While everyone has jotted down HB’s Kosas recs from her segment, I’ve gone and done research for the rest.
This year, if you’re struggling to find a gift for someone who loves all things beauty but has everything already, see what products their fave celebs are using. Confidence comes from within, but using the same cleanser as Ciara can’t hurt it either.
I’ve sat down and watched almost every Vogue Beauty Secrets from the past year and rounded up the best products you won’t want to miss out on. Let’s dig in.
Nobody has skin quite like R&B royalty, Ciara – she even got her husband, Denver Broncos QB Russell Wilson, into skincare. Luckily for the general public, she takes us through her glowy routine.
If you want to get rid of dark spots, even out your skin tone, and brighten your complexion, try her go-to OAM Vitamin C Cleanser. OAM, founded by Ciara, is affordable with quality ingredients so you aren’t getting scammed by celeb skincare.
Maude Apatow
One of our favorite nepo babies and Euphoria breakout star, Maude Apatow has one of the trendiest skincare and makeup routines I’ve seen. Filled with NARS, Charlotte Tilbury, Armani, and Laura Mercier, her routine is accessible and damn good.
Seemingly ageless and always gorgeous, Kate Hudson’s Beauty Secrets video is seriously relaxing. She’s so casual about getting ready that it feels like you’re in the room with her. Her key to beautiful skin? Sleep, water, and supplements.
Her InBloom Beauty Aura supplements contain Marine Collagen for the ultimate hair, skin, and nail vitamin. Beauty really starts from within.
Natalia Bryant
Model and daughter of the late NBA star, Kobe Bryant, Natalia shares her skincare routine for those with sensitive skin. She uses a lash serum which is such an underrated product in the beauty community, but one of the few products that deliver genuine results in no time.
Kate Moss is the OG It-Girl. She has a surprisingly minimalistic routine, but the perfect gift here is the Droplette Microinfusion Device. This cool skincare gadget dissolves capsuled skincare ingredients that transform into a mist on your face and set them deep in your skin.
Another favorite is the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette, which you’ve probably heard of from TikTok. This adorable palette has everything a makeup lover can ask for: contour, blush, and highlight in gorgeous, glowing shades.
Billie Eilish
I couldn’t write about Vogue Beauty Secrets without including my queen, Billie Eilish. Billie’s on-tour skincare routine is mostly Biba de Sousa, an LA-based skincare brand that bridges luxury and clinical skincare.
