THE W LIST

The Best Beauty Products of 2022


A model with a red lip and blue eyeshadow
Photographed by Jordan Hemingway, makeup by Daniel Sallstrom.
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The best beauty launch of 2022 would, undeniably, be some magical lipstick that could shut Elon Musk’s lips together permanently. But until that invention comes to be, we’ve been keeping track of the most superb launches from beauty and wellness brands this year. From hyaluronic acids that claim to perform magic on your face, to CBD-infused eye creams and sheet masks, we’re here to tell you which products released this year really work—and what was simply a well-marketed bust in 2022.

You might think there’s nothing spectacular about another classic red lipstick launch—but sincerely, we beg to differ. This new reformulation from Dior Beauty gives you 16 hours of bold, long-lasting wear while still providing lips with plant-based hydration from red peony extract. The red is not only elegant, but sexy and forever bold.

Give the Double R Renew & Repair Advanced Serum at least two weeks—two pumps in the morning and two at night—and your skin will visibly transform, becoming firmer and brighter with a noticeably dewy glow. This super serum utilizes 96 percent naturally derived ingredients in a sleek double-chamber glass bottle infused with bio-polyfermented honey medleys—plus, resurfacing AHAs and PHAs to lift skin and keep the dermal layers vibrant.

Use Sisley’s antiaging potion both day and night to protect your skin—with phenomenal results. The All Day All Year cream has recently been reformulated using an even more advanced brew of the French label’s world-renowned botanical ingredients. The new version of this cream features a much lighter consistency; it glides on softly but powerfully, incorporating myrtle extract to neutralize any heavy metals sitting on the skin. To further promote sustainable beauty, this product is packaged in a recyclable, airless, glass bottle. The inner pouch containing the formula retracts as the product is used and can be detached once you are finished with it.

This is the most advanced microbiome skincare in the world; nothing else comes close. Editrix is one of the most category-disrupting brands of 2022, and is the first to harvest beneficial bacteria from the human microbiota and utilize its skin-saving postbiotics for a skincare routine. The brand also uses a specialized mix of fermented yeast with Ayurvedic botanicals to round out its proprietary inventions. Editrix formulates everything at the pH of skin’s acid mantle, so the skin barrier and microbiome remain intact and resilient.

We have been addicted to this silky body serum since its summer launch. The thin consistency of this skin treatment delivers soft-to-the-touch skin, all while incorporating Tata’s clean and sustainable beauty philosophy. Utilizing her unrivaled plant actives and vitamins, this product is a high-grade clean and plant-based formulation that smooths out the whole body—even the roughest areas.

The charm of this blue liner is all in how you wear it, giving you some creative (and still chic) license. The creamy formulation glides on quite nicely; you can go classic Sixties glam by lining the whole lid, just apply to the wing tips, or simply the water lines of your eyes for a pop of color. Dempsey affectionately named this liner after prominent makeup artist Molly R. Stern, who has been “obsessed with Chimpy Blue before Chimpy Blue ever even existed,” she tells W. Dempsey further recommends that “you set it with a little translucent powder and layer it. It can wear all day!”

This timeless color slays. All. Year. Long. This sexy shade recalls timeless fashion moments of the 1970s, during the height of designer Yves Saint Laurent’s fame; one can’t help but think of Jerry Hall and Grace Jones sporting this particular hue while partying somewhere fabulous, trying to talk to each other over Roxy Music blaring in the background. Consider pairing your red lip with a bold mascara and a deep brown liner to make the lips the star of the look.

This magic tint boasts fantastic coverage that is surprisingly lightweight. Use it as an all-over substitute for foundation or as concealer for spot coverage. Chanel’s new product hydrates the face with gel micro-droplets that lend a beautiful radiance and for an impressive twelve hours.

We affectionally called this overnight skin sorcery, and we stand by that. Goop’s luminous multiacid skin serum incorporates a powerful trio of lactic and glycolic acids, along with desert milk extracts to gently correct dark spots and pesky uneven skin tones. Unlike other acid serums, this creation infuses Kalahari melon and jojoba oils as well as aloe to hydrate the skin and provide a soft-to-the-touch feel upon awakening in the AM. Piperonal glucose is added to the mixture to soothe skin and provide additional aid against pigmentation.

We consider this to be an unrivaled retinol formulation released this year, yielding exemplary results. This is one of the few encapsulated retinol formulations that does not strip the microbiome, which is essential for healthy and beautiful skin. In addition to retinol, two other components make this a stellar treatment: Bakuchiol and Retinyl Sunflowerseedate, which prevent any inflammation or irritation.

This is a safe, effective, and idiot-proof laser that permanently rids your body of unwanted hair. (Because no one enjoys a bikini wax or a laser hair removal treatment being administered by a stranger, right?) Not only is it reasonably priced—and, in the long-term, saves you more money—but you can use it at your convenience, in the privacy of your own home.

This product straight-up works like a dream when it comes to firming and moisturizing the skin around the neck and décolleté. The formulation has a beautiful blend of hydrating components: mango seed oil, marula oil, and protective purslane. To help tighten, two standout ingredients—mangosteen and shiitake mushroom extract—work hard to keep skin firm and minimize any appearance of lines.

We’ve replaced every highlighter stick we own for this one. Why? Not just because we can’t stand clutter on our makeup table; nothing else compares if you’re looking for a glow. This stick gives an unmistakable, glass-like sheen upon application, and it goes on bare skin just as beautifully as it does over foundation with the help of hollow micro-pearls that catch and reflect light from every angle. There’s also a skin nourishment factor, due to the infusion of strawberry seed oil and shea butter.

We fell hard for this heavenly scented Ayurvedic oil infused with healing antioxidants and soothing aloe, Red Spiderling, and senna. Spoil yourself using the highest-grade jasmine, which works beautifully not just as a mood lifter but also a relaxing elixir in the evenings to help wind you down after a long day.

Collagen powder supplements can be tricky when it comes to efficacy. But Agent Nateur’s Holi(mane) has given us the best results for skin, nails, and hair. This formulation isn’t blown up with starches, gums, and inflammatory oils like other brands’ collagen supplements.

An impressive pigmentation skincare system created by the New York-based derm Dr. Shereene Idriss. Three powerhouse formulas work to not only diminish pigmentation, but also minimize how it’s transported. The first product to use is the Flash Mask, 2-3 times a week. This exfoliating mask is comprised of glycolic and lactic acids, as well as panthenol to ease skin sensitivity. Next up is the Hyper Serum, which blends brightening licorice root, kojic acid, and 5 percent niacinamide to suppress future melanin production. Lastly is the vitamin C-rich brightening gel moisturizer, to seal in moisture morning and night.

Your hair is one of your best accessories. That’s one of the many reasons why Triviso’s Frizz Smacker is one of the best hair launches of the year. At $19 a tube, you can use it as much as you want to tame flyaways and keep a second one in the car or at your office desk. One stroke is powerful enough to keep hair neat—and there’s no heavy residue either.

Just like many of the major celebrity MUAs in the beauty world, we love, love, love this creamy and long-lasting new lipstick brand from the Philippines. This deep peach is sophisticated and universally flattering. It goes on light and powdery, but keeps the lips soft and hydrated.