After 12 years in this job, I would be lying if I said my adoration for the beauty industry is constant. Some days, the thought of having to test out one more face serum or foundation fills me with dread. As someone who likes consistency in their beauty routine, swapping out my products every other day to put the newest beauty launches to the test isn’t always something I’m overjoyed about.
But this year, I must admit there is a change in the air. I’ve been more excited than ever about some of the new products landing on my desk, and I have been lapping them up. But, forever a completist, before I allowed myself to get stuck into the newness, I had some lingering favourites from 2025 to use up in January. So, here it goes: despite the hundreds of beauty products I’m itching to slather onto my face, body and hair, these are the six that are so good, I couldn’t not finish them.
1. Merit Brow 1980 Volumizing Pomade
I don’t care what anybody else tells you, this is the best brow gel on the market. I have tested and trialled every major brow gel out there, and nothing comes close to the results of this one from Merit. Of course, your favourite formula will be dependent on the results you’re after, but if you want effortlessly brushed, full-looking brows that still have a natural-looking finish, this is the one you want. I think this is my sixth or seventh tube, and you better believe I’m replacing it with a new tube immediately.
2. Jo Malone London Orange Blossom Diffuser
Jo Malone London
Orange Blossom Diffuser
The room diffuser I actually finished in January (a rarity by the way) was Jo Malone London’s Orange Bitters—a festive limited-edition scent that gets released by the brand every Christmas. And, truthfully, if you could still buy it in January, I would say it’s worth every penny and deserves to be smelled year-round. (It’s a just-showered, fresh sort of spiced orange, rather than creamy and sweet.) Consider this your reminder to get it on your winter wish list later in the year. In the meantime, though, it’s Orange Blossom you want to have on your radar. Creamy, floral, beautifully fresh and Royal-approved (yes, the Princess of Wales had it as her wedding-day scent), it’s springtime joy.
3. Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Bronzer
Charlotte Tilbury
Airbrush Bronzer
The state of my Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Bronzer proves just how much I adore this product. If you want a matte, baked sort of bronzer that melts seamlessly into the skin, this is the bronzer you need. I love it so much that I haven’t been able to bring myself to finish it. Luckily, last month, I got a restock, so now I don’t have to be without it. Needless to say, it has graced my face ever since I received the new compact. I want to look like I have been lost in the desert and am positively sun-soaked, and this bronzer does just that.
4. Three Warriors Hydrabronze Tan Drops
Three Warriors
Hydrabronze Tan Drops – Medium to Dark
I wouldn’t consider myself a fake-tan aficionado by any stretch of the imagination, but over the past couple of months, I have found myself applying facial tanning drops every single day, without fail. Why? Because I discovered these drops, and they’re so good that I don’t want to imagine my complexion without them. They deliver a convincing sort of glow that isn’t orange or muddy in anyway. They’re so convincing, in fact, that countless colleagues are convinced I’ve been sneaking off for some winter sun at the weekends.
5. Acqua di Parma Panettone Candle
Acqua di Parma
Panettone Scented Candle
Another off-season addition that I still think is well worth a purchase is this Panettone candle from Acqua di Parma. Also, a limited-edition festive offering that comes around every year, Panettone smells like a sweetly fresh blanket of comfort. It’s not sugary or specific to the festive period, in my opinion—instead delivering a creamy take on Acqua di Parma’s iconic expensive-smelling freshness. So much so, in fact, that I continued burning my candle all the way through to the end of January. It provided the ultimate wintery setting in my living room. So, if, like me, you’re not quite ready to let go of winter yet, believe me when I say home scenting doesn’t get much better than this.
6. Lelive Jelly Splash Cleanser
Lelive
Jelly Splash Brighten + Renew Cleanser
Finally, we come onto my only skincare empty from last month. This cleanser not only looks beautifully chic on the shelf and smells divine, but it delivered exceptional results. Formulated with salicylic acid and niacinamide, it’s a gentle, jelly cleanser that is perfect for breakout-prone skin. It fits against oil buildup and congestion without causing even a hint of dryness. I’m head over heels for it, and so is my skin.
