Beauty Must Haves of 2022

What a busy beauty year 2022 has been! As far as trends and must-have products go, it seems that our skin barriers have taken a bit of a battering...so 2022 skincare has been all about protecting and repairing that barrier. And as for make-up, graphic eyeliner looks have been all the rage and new 'barely-there bases' and skin tints have launched on a weekly basis! Oh, and the beauty buzzwords for the year included niacinamide, brow lamination and slugging!!

So what does 2023 have in store? Well, at Verymakeupmad, we're less about current trends and more about finding and using products that we love and that make us feel and look youthful, glowy and flawless. So here are the products that we discovered in 2022 that made an impression, have been a joy to use, and that we'll be happily taking with us into the New Year...and beyond! These are the products that we now simply can't be without:

MAKEUP:

BASES

M fell hard for Rose Inc Luminous Tinted Serum in 2022. We usually steer clear of celebrity beauty brands (Rose Inc is the brainchild of model, Rosie Huntington Whiteley) but this range has some seriously impressive products. The tinted serum is a skincare/makeup hybrid that makes skin look radiant and dewy and helps to hydrate and plump it up too. It's less about coverage and more about luminosity and M loves how it feels on her skin. She doesn't wear foundation or heavy bases, so this is perfect for her...light, sheer and glowy, and brimming with hydrating skincare ingredients. And it's the closest product she's found to replicate her beloved (& discontinued !) original Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser, which had a hint of flattering shimmer.

V, on the other hand, loves a good foundation - but the lighter, the better these days. She's really enjoyed using Armani Neo Nude Natural Glow Foundation recently, which she purchased after finishing her Chanel No1 Revitalising Foundation (another brilliant and much-loved 2022 launch). Neo Nude is very light and applies and blends like a dream, gliding over skin and giving a lovely, buildable coverage. It almost melts into the skin, and like the Rose Inc, contains skincare ingredients to ensure your skin is being treated to the very best makeup, that not only makes skin look gorgeous, but hydrates and protects too.

A final complexion product - that's been a huge hit with our clients this year! - is ByTerry Brightening CC Serum. We love the shade Sunny Flash, which brings an immediate warmth to the skin and instantly makes you look healthy, glowy and radiant. You can wear this illuminating primer alone over the entire face to blur imperfections and even out skin tone, or you can add to your moisturiser or regular foundation for the ultimate 'lit-from-within' glow. And as with all ByTerry products, it has the gorgeously subtle scent of rose.

CHEEKS

2022 has been all about cream and liquid blushers for us. Yes, powder blushes still have their place, but when it comes to the most natural pop of colour on the cheeks, you can't go wrong with a cream or liquid formula - they just 'wake up' your face and make you look fresher, more youthful and brighter. We've tried a lot of them...from HighEnd to drugstore, and our current favourite is purse-friendly Revolution Makeup Superdewy Liquid Blush. It's sheer and buildable and you really can't overdo it with this product. If you feel you've been a little heavy handed, just use your fingers or a brush to blend into the cheeks a little more. Everyone that tries it has loved it, and at a recent beauty party, all 10 of the guests snapped it up. Our favourite shades are Flushing For You & Fake The Flush.

EYES

3ina makeup landed in our laps (and in the UK) in 2022, and we're so glad it did!! This bold, bright, inclusive brand celebrates colour and positivity and beauty for all, and we've been loving it! M, in particular, has discovered the joys of a coloured eyeliner, and has been using the brilliant and foolproof 24HR Pen Eyeliner (in a gorgeously vibrant, purple shade), with wild abandon! Just a slick of this above her top lashes, coupled with a great mascara and a touch of cream blush on her cheeks, and she instantly feels bolder and more youthful. It's definitely proven to us that colourful makeup is appropriate for all ages and that 3ina has that feel good factor...you can't help but be seduced by the bright, but wearable products in the range.

SKINCARE:

CLEANSER

It's fair to say that over the last couple of years, Cerave cleansers have been the ones we've shouted the loudest about, and recommended to followers and clients on a daily basis. And with good reason - the cleansers in this dermatologist developed, drugstore brand are great! But we recently discovered Lumene Nordic Hydra Oat Milk Oil Cleanser...and we're hooked! It's a beautifully light, milky emulsion that melts into the skin and reduces all traces of makeup - even stubborn eye and lip make up. It’s fragrance-free and perfect for sensitive skins, and definitely gives Cerave Cream Cleanser a run for its money. It feels a little more 'grown-up' (our teens all use Cerave) and we love how nourishing it is, and the fact that it's protecting our skin's delicate barrier. And like Cerave, it won't break the bank. We strongly suggest you check it out... if you haven't already!

SERUM

If you've been following us for a while, you'll know that one of our all-time, favourite luxury skincare brands is Omorovicza. The range boasts transformative products that harness the powers of mineral-rich, Hungarian healing waters, and all contain the patented Healing Concentrate to work on skin vitality and rejuvenation. We can say with certainty that we'll be taking more than one Omorovicza product into 2023 with us, but the one we've been most excited about this year, has been the Even Tone serum. Not only does it smells divine and have the most beautifully silky texture, but it works its magic on dark spots and uneven skin tone and texture, and leaves skin looking clear and radiant and feeling smooth and baby soft.

MOISTURISER

We love a multi-tasking product at Verymakeupmad and we're big fans of the capsule skincare line, Lixirskin. This brand - of just 14 products - is all about universal, multi-tasking skincare and it prides itself on using clever, effective ingredients. It also believes you should switch around these ingredients, so that your skin doesn't get too used to any one product. Universal Emulsion is a great multi-tasker and a really light, but ultra-hydrating moisturiser that's suitable for the entire face (eye contour and lips too) and the neck and decolletage. It can be used day and night and leaves skin soft, supple and dewy. We love that it can be mixed with retinol, and other active ingredients, without any adverse reactions.

ALL-ROUNDER

Everyone should have a multi-purpose balm at their disposal - especially at this time of year - and we've got a soft spot (literally!!) for Lanolips 101 Ointment. This little tube of magic works on dry, chapped skin and lips, rough knees and elbows, cuticles...and more! It's not greasy or sticky - just hydrating, nourishing and healing and gentle enough for babies' skin, and to use on nipples whilst breastfeeding. We always have one to hand and our kids love it too!

As always, please remember to take advantage of our discount codes when shopping online, and get in touch if you're looking for bespoke product suggestions!

Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2023, full of love, light...and a whole lot of beauty!!

Love V & M xx