The 10 Best Beauty Products I Discovered in 2022

11/10 worth my money (and yours!)

Over the past year, I’ve written about a lot of beauty products and tried approximately five times as many as I recommended—at least. And while yes, I can get excited about something new and shiny and buzzy for a few weeks or even a couple of months, there aren’t that many products that I find myself buying again and again. 

If something becomes a repeat purchase? That’s how I know it’s actually special, because why would I buy another tube of mascara when I have 12 sitting in a bag in my bathroom just waiting to be tried for work? 

So today’s end-of-year roundup is dedicated to those standout products that I happily refill at Sephora. Of all my tried-and-tested favorites, these 10 are at the top of the list. I think they’re worth my money, and hopefully yours, too.

Joggy Super Chargies ($58)

Okay this isn’t technically a beauty product, but it’s actually miraculous. I’ve talked about my love of Ty Haney’s new brand Joggy (she founded Outdoor Voices, if the name sounds familiar), but she just introduced a new product, and it’s possibly the best one yet. Her Super Chargies are CBD gummies that work like the brand’s Runner’s High tincture, but even better, in my opinion. These are energizing gummies that help you focus, and I’ve been taking them before my morning workout to great effect. I’ve never taken Adderall, but I feel like this is the CBD version, and I cannot stress enough how much I love them. Zip without jitters? Yes please. 

Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara ($20)

As your resident mascara aficionado, I just want to say, yes, I still love my original go-to product, Dior’s DiorShow Iconic Overcurl. That said, this new option from Rare Beauty is $10 less per tube, and the formula has a similarly excellent lifting, lengthening, curling, and volumizing formula. I still prefer Dior’s brush, but this is a truly noteworthy option, and one of my favorite new finds in the last five years.

Hourglass Voyeur Waterproof Gel Eyeliner ($28)

I have been dedicated to Charlotte Tilbury’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Kohl Eyeliner Pencil for ages, but this year my head was turned by Hourglass’s new gel eyeliner. And I’m not the only one! It was just named “Best Eyeliner” in Allure’s Best of Beauty 2022 Awards, The formula of this Hourglass pencil is divine; it glides on so smoothly, blends like a dream, and has incredible staying power. I personally wear the shade Solstice on a near daily basis, it’s a really flattering bronze metallic, but all the colors are excellent. 

Rose Inc Cream Blush Refillable Cheek & Lip Color ($30)

I think that Rosie Huntington-Whiteley’s brand Rose Inc is one of the most underrated beauty brands out there, and while I am a big fan of a number of the line’s products, for me the cream color for lip and cheek is absolutely the must-buy item. I wear the shade Azalea, which is a really easy berry color, all the time, and can personally attest to how blendable and creamy the formula is. Unlike most lip/cheek products, this one doesn’t have the typical sticky/tacky texture, and feels extremely luxurious and elevated. Plus, it’s refillable, which is just wonderful all around.

Westman Atelier Bonne Brow Defining Brow Pencil ($38)

The genius brow guru Kristie Streicher told me about this amazing brow pencil, and I’m eternally grateful to her for not gatekeeping. Many big name brow products have formulas that run on the reddish side or have reddish undertones, which is not so cute. Westman Atelier’s shades are incredibly realistic, and I cannot speak highly enough about it. I use Stone, and I love it so much, it made me give up all my other (often pricier) options. Also the design is genius; one side is pencil and the other is spooly brush, which is so helpful.

U Beauty The Plasma Lip Compound ($68) 

I don’t want to recommend this, because I am aware that the price point is high. But it has to be on this list because it’s so damn good. As someone who always has dry lips and hadn’t  found the perfect-perfect solution, this has transformed my life. Not only does it make your lips look super pillowy, but it has also visibly plumped the little fine vertical lines that happen above the mouth. 

Tower 28 Beauty MakeWaves Lengthening + Volumizing Mascara ($20)

Okay so I wrote about this mascara earlier this year, and it is truly incredible. So incredible that it just made Allure’s Best of Beauty 2022 winners list and is now sold out at Tower 28, Sephora, Credo, and basically everywhere. That said! Keep tabs on it, as it will restock soon and it’s worth the wait. Like all of Tower 28’s products, it’s designed for sensitive skin and follows the National Eczema Association’s ingredient outlines. The formula is excellent, but the brush is really the thing I love the most. It’s just engineered in an amazing way that gives you so much control and allows you to really get every little lash. Buy it when it’s back; you won’t regret it. 

Shani Darden Skin Care Lactic Acid AHA Exfoliating Serum ($88) 

If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you know that I’m deeply fanatical about everything Shani Darden makes. While her Retinol Reform is still my number one product, her new exfoliating serum is an actual dream, especially if you don’t have a chance to see her in person. My skin looks SO HAPPY whenever I use it, and it’s extremely gentle too. If you are looking to improve your overall skin tone, fine lines, or blemish-prone skin, this is it for you. Just be sure to use it at night and have your Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen to protect your skin during the day.

Pillowtalk Derm Major Fade Hyper Serum ($68)

Don’t yell at me, but this product is also currently sold out, but worth tracking down, for sure. I’m deeply focused on even skin tone these days, and fading the little sun discoloration I have on my left cheek (my driving side, yes, that’s a thing). Dr. Shereene Idriss’s new serum has hugely improved my skin, and I’m totally devoted to it. The packaging is brilliant (it comes with two cartridges of product, to ensure you’re always getting a fresh dose of those active ingredients), the formula is effective without being irritating, and it plays well with other products. In the morning, I use the serum and moisturizer before my sunscreen, and at night I use the serum after my retinol, and finish with a moisturizer. For me, a single cartridge used twice a day lasts for about five weeks, though I know it’s different for everyone. 

 Dr. Lara Devgan Scientific Beauty Platinum Lip Plump SPF 30 ($50)

From the minute I tried Dr. Devgan’s lip plump, I knew it was something special. But then the beauty editors at Who What Wear did a huge Deep Reviews story on the category, initially starting with over 40 options, before landing on a final top 10 to test. The result? Of all the plumpers on the market, Dr. Devgan’s is the best. Unlike so many, this one doesn’t actually sting or burn your lips, the shine is excellent, and the volumizing effect is noteworthy and truly lasts. A splurge, for sure, but one you won’t regret. 

Thank you, as always, for joining me here. Until next time, I’m available at @hillarykerr. Hope to see you there, or here, soon.