The best high and low beauty products that got us through 2024
Words by Lara Daly
Meet the MVPs.
A lot has happened in beauty this year (Glossier! Merit! Butt serums?!) and it’s no secret, the biggest perk of working in media is getting to try the latest beauty products, tools and treatments, often before everyone else does. There’s always a steady stream of new mascaras, shampoos and moisturisers to try and we don’t take it for granted – we’re dedicated guinea pigs.
All this testing means it’s kind of our job to be disloyal to brands. But that doesn’t mean we haven’t each got our ride-or-die favourites. In fact, when I asked the FJ team to pick their top beauty products for the whole year, I got everyone’s answers back almost immediately. Considering the amount of products we’ve tried this year, earning a spot on this list is saying a lot.
We like nosy people. Don’t be shy, head to our Beauty section for more.
A good beauty recommendation is a genuine one, but I’d argue the best recommendations are also affordable. On this list you’ll find both our budget (under $30) and bougie (over $30) MVPs – a mix of high and low, just like our wardrobes. From cream blushes and trusted face serums, to non-aerosol dry shampoos and the perfect wedding lip colour that cost $6, these are the products that kept us glowing through 2024.
Molly Griffin, Fashion Journal’s Advertising and Partnerships Manager
High
Like so many others, I discovered the Laura Mercier Real Flawless Weightless Perfecting Foundation through TikTok this year and it has me in a chokehold. It’s so light and it gives my skin the most glowy look and smooth texture. At $86 a bottle it’s not cheap but I have it in multiple shades depending on how (fake) tanned I am at the time. Also, a little goes a long way so you don’t need to re-purchase it very often.
View this post on Instagram
My other favourite spenny product is the Bumble and Bumble Pret-a-Powder Post Workout Dry Shampoo Mist. I love a sweaty workout and this product is the best to use afterwards, you spray it through your roots and let it sit for a bit before blow drying your hair upside down. It makes it look so fresh and new without a full wash. The full sized bottle is around $60 but it lasts a long time.
Low
View this post on Instagram
Influenced by Alex Cooper from Call her Daddy who said she wore it as her wedding lip colour, I picked up the Burts Bees Lip Balm in Pomegranate and it’s simply the best. It’s so buttery and moisturising, and gives a subtle pink tint that’s perfect for days when you don’t want to wear makeup but need a little colour. My second bargain find is the Mecca Max Off Duty Serum Concealer, only $26 but the formula feels very expensive, it’s extremely easy to blend and doesn’t leave a cakey finish.
Lara Daly, Fashion Journal’s Features Editor
High
View this post on Instagram
Like everyone in the Fashion Journal office, I was very excited to get my hands on some Merit products, now the brand is available in Australia. After hearing so much hype, I can say I’m really impressed with the Flush Balm Cream Blush in the shade ‘Cheeky’. It’s the perfect cool-tone pink with a gorgeous buttery texture, shaped like a little globe. It’s probably my favourite blush and blush packaging ever – I swipe it on my cheeks and lips, tap it in with my fingers and I’m out the door.
The other exxy product on my top shelf this year is the Crown Affair Leave-in Conditioner. It smells heavenly and it’s lightweight, ideal for my frizz-prone waves.
View this post on Instagram
Low
I rediscovered my love for Mario Badescu this year, specifically the $15 AHA Botanical Body Soap, which smells like what I imagine a day spa in the ’80s did. Other wallet-friendly favourites include the Mecca Whip Lash Tubing Mascara (I’ve been through four tubes this year) and the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Serum, it’s fragrance-free and my skin (and wallet, it’s $19) loves it.
Giulia Brugliera, Fashion Journal’s Managing Editor
High
View this post on Instagram
My skin recently transformed after integrating two new products into my regular routine. While I can’t say for sure which product is responsible for my newly plump and hydrated skin, I suspect it’s Shiseido’s Ultimune Power Infusing serum (the other is Peter Thomas Roth’s Even Smoother Glycolic Retinol Serum, also highly rated).
I usually follow the ABC rule of skincare meaning I use a vitamin A (retinol), vitamin B (niacinamide) and vitamin C in my routine. Add in a cleanser, moisturiser and SPF, and it leaves little room for other products, so I’m usually hesitant to branch out. What swayed me to try this serum was that it promised to not only improve my skin, but to increase the efficacy of the other products in my routine. I’m not sure what magic it’s working but within days my skin was improved.
View this post on Instagram
The other product on my ‘high’ list, I’ve written about to death over the years and for good reason. An at-home device that zaps a small electrical current through your facial muscles, the NuFace Mini sounds scary but is painless and, at least in my experience, very effective. The technology was initially developed as part of treatment for people with facial paralysis due to Bell’s Palsy, and has since been picked up by beauty companies promising to contour and ‘lift’ your face.
While it won’t necessarily do anything to the surface level of your skin, it does give the appearance of a more defined and lifted face due to the change in muscle tone. I consider it a gym workout for my facial muscles, prioritising regular use to see results. It’s the one beauty product I wouldn’t go without and have repurchased despite its high price point.
Low
View this post on Instagram
I love a supermarket beauty buy that works hard and at $16, the All In One Treatment by People works harder than most. It’s a leave-in treatment that gives my hair the dose of nourishment it needs, but also doubles as an anti-frizz, detangling, shine-promoting product. Katherine Ruiz, the founder of People (and also a dear friend), names this as her favourite product across the entire People range and I get why. I notice a big difference when I skip it post-wash, and have been running it through my slick bun ahead of wash day to strengthen my hair with minimal effort.
The other on my low list is the NYX Dewy Finish Setting Spray. I first bought the brand’s setting sprays after admiring a friend’s skin who was wearing this almost a decade ago. I’m not sure if this is the exact same product from back then, but it’s close to. Every time I wear it I get compliments on my ‘glow’, whether or not I’m wearing highlighter. While I’ve sampled other setting sprays, I’ll forever come back to this. It’s light and needs very little product to work its magic, and right now it’s $9 at Priceline.
Georgina Woolcock, Fashion Journal’s Branded Content and Production Executive
High
View this post on Instagram
I live dangerously close to a Mecca store and have a tendency to pop in while running errands to purchase little treats for myself. Recently I stopped in, seemingly forgot where I was and walked out with multiple shades of the Hourglass Phantom Volumizing Glossy Balm. Some people may see it as a $60 lip balm (which does sound slightly outrageous), but it’s become one of my desert island beauty products. We also can’t talk about Australian beauty this year without mentioning Glossier’s arrival! The beauty brand can do no wrong in my eyes but right now I’m loving Glossier You Rêve Eau de Parfum.
View this post on Instagram
Low
I’m ashamed to say I don’t try too many budget-friendly products but there are two Chemist Warehouse staples I’ll never stop raving about. The Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser is the first skincare product I ever purchased as a literal child and it does wonders for me as a daily cleanser. The price tag is an added bonus (currently $19 for one litre of product?!). The second is Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara, exclusively in waterproof. Maybelline mascaras need no introduction, they’re a cult favourite for a reason!
Daisy Henry, Fashion Journal’s Assistant Editor
High
I’m a big Sunday Riley fan and have been an avid user of the CEO vitamin C oil for a while now. It’s not cheap but it’s absolutely worth it if you have acne-prone skin (like me). I’ve also developed a newfound love for the Mecca Cosmetica In A Good Light Illuminating Drops which has SPF, plus it makes my skin feel fresh and glowy. Also, since receiving the Sans[ceuticals] Superdose Sleep Infusion Masque as a gift, it’s very quickly become a favourite when my skin needs a pick-me-up.
View this post on Instagram
Low
I’ve been using the classic Lucas Pawpaw as a lip balm for at least ten years now – it’s so cheap ($8!) but it goes a long way in keeping my lips hydrated. I’ve got a dedicated tube stationed at my desk, one in my bag and another on my bedside table so I know I’ve always got one handy.
I’ve also started using the Wella Professionals Oil Reflections Luminous Reboost Mask (which you can grab for about $30 on sale) and I swear by a few drops of simple lavender oil on my pillow at night – a good sleep is the best beauty treatment you can get, after all!
For more on the best beauty launches of 2024, try this.
Liked this? You’ll love these...
