beauty

The hosts of the You Beauty Podcast on the absolute BEST products of 2021.

Us You Beauty gals try a LOTTA products. Like, a silly amount of stuff. And for good reason! We try, test, and share with you what's *actually* going to be worth your money.

Because if you're a lass with a face, you'll understand just how confusing the beauty world can be - and it's always good to have a helping hand.

Watch: The horoscopes and self-care. Post continues below. 


Video via Mamamia

That's why, on our last episode of You Beauty for the 2021 (!!!), Leigh, Kelly, Shazzy and myself all piled into the studio to share our top products of the year.

It was hard! Terrifying! Like choosing a favourite kid! But that's exactly what we did.  

So, because we know you love a good listicle (you do!), we've rounded up some of the top products mentioned in this episode.

Listen: More of a podcast kinda gal? That's cool, that's cool. Bless your ears with the full episode here. (Post continues below).

Okay, ready? Let's go!

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Kelly's top beauty products of 2021.

Naked Sundays SPF 50+ Hydrating Glow Mist, $39.95.

Image: Naked Sundays

"I am the Hydrating Glow Mist QUEEN and I will talk about this to absolutely anyone that will listen. It has won a bunch of awards and at the very start of the year I said to Leigh, 'I just want a brand to come out with a face mist that has SPF 50 in it.'"

"It's perfect for top-ups during the day - if you mist enough of it, it will give you ample sunscreen protection (just depending on diligent you are). This is one of the OG's on the Australian market - at $39.95, it gives you a beautiful glow as well."

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Tarte Shape Tape Ultra Creamy Concealer, $42.

Image: Sephora

"This came out earlier in the year and I always thought that I was a die-hard OG Tarte Shape Tape fan - but I haven't actually touched one of them since the creamy version came out. 

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"The creamy version is basically for everyone that has drier, more dehydrated skin. It covers up absolutely everything, which is why I like it - I don't like having to build things up with a concealer. I just want to pop it on with a sheer foundation and go about my merry old day.

"It comes in so many different shades - it's $42, it lasts, and you can grab it at Sephora. I just love it."

Leigh's top beauty products of 2021.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Sheer Long-Wear Makeup SPF20, $60.

Image: Adore Beauty

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"This I didn't think I'd love as much. The original Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation is the world's number one selling foundation - it's a classic. But it's quite full coverage and quite matte. So when they said they were coming up with a sheer version, I thought it would be quite similar but a bit less coverage.

"It's really quite different in that it's VERY dewy, very glowy, lightweight to medium buildable. It gives you glow all day but doesn't transfer. I have my kid all day - he's a two-year-old - and he's all up in my face. So, if a foundation is going to transfer, he's a good tester.

"This is now my every single day daytime foundation. It's not enough coverage for me for night - if I'm going somewhere spesh and taking spesh photos - but for every single day, I now wear this foundation. It's replaced IT Cosmetics.

"It's $60 - so it's not cheap - however, it's in the realm of your Armani friends and they're around $100. People will say your skin looks amazing because you can see my skin through it. It's not like 'your makeup looks amazing' - which is a huge difference, but very subtle. So, I love it - it's fantastic."

Emma Lewisham (all products).

Image: Emma Lewisham

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"My second pick is not so much a product, but a movement. Emma Lewisham. New Zealand-based skincare. It launched last year, but what this brand is doing in the sustainability space is trailblazing in beauty. 

"They leave no footprint - they're not even just carbon-neutral, they're carbon positive. All products are refillable - so you never have to buy the packaging again, just the product. They're doing amazing things and leading the way, sharing it with other beauty brands, saying 'This is what we're doing, you should do it too - because if you don't, there's no planet.'

"Also, just on a superficial level, the products are bloody beautiful. They're so nice to use - the serum is lovely and really good for pigmentation, I just got into the oil which is absolutely stunning. So even if you don't care about the environment, the products are great. If you do care about the environment, they are leading the way. 

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"2022 is all about sustainability in beauty - and what they're doing is as a brand is so impressive."

Shazzy's top beauty products of 2021.

Dermalogica BioLumin-C Gel Moisturiser, $102.

Image: Adore Beauty

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"My vitamin C journey peaked this year when we had our Ask an Expert episode - it was one of those episodes where there was just a flood of messages in the Youbie group. Dr Ginni Mansberg was not afraid to say what a vitamin C product should do, what your skin should look like - and that there was no in-between. It just made all of us go, 'What have I been using? It's wrong. I need to find something else!'

"For me, this is the one that worked. It ticks all the boxes she was talking about. Do you know how some brands just work well with your skin? Dermalogica is one I often come back to because my skin just seems to love them. This one has got squalene, hyaluronic acid and it's got a really stable vitamin C formula.

"You get this instant glow when you put it on, which is very satisfying, which makes you committed to keep going and using it regularly and obviously consistency is key. And in the long-term, I felt I also saw improvements.

"It is not the cheapest, but it combines my vitamin C and moisturiser in one step. I would do it in the morning - and makeup and sunscreen work great over it too."

Garnier Micellar Reusable Eco Pads, $16.95.

Image: Garnier

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"I think this is one of those underrated gems and as much as I'd like to think I'm this fabulous, sparkly person, 99 per cent of the time I am functional, practical - and just want to use things that actually work. And that's why this is amazing. 

"I hate taking makeup off and worse - I hate when I've gone to the trouble of taking makeup off and there's still makeup on my skin.

"For anyone that hasn't come across these yet, they're round, soft, cotton pads. There's a lot of these kinds of things out there right now - they're reusable, you wash them immediately in soapy water after you use them, then you can chuck them in the wash once a week, and they do come out quite fresh.

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"But the thing for me is that they have to work. A lot of them can feel really quite stripping on your skin. I think that micellar water really is the key to get your makeup off, but you have to come with a vessel. So, I feel like this has solved that problem. Plus, they're cheap as chips."

Erin's top beauty products of 2021.

Medik8 Oxy R Peptide Serum, $124.

Image: Adore Beauty

It's me! It's my picks! And my first one is this guy: Medik8's Oxy R Peptide Serum.

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I started using this brightening serum over lockdown and I swear it has just made my face look one hundred times more alive. I love that it's non-greasy, fast-absorbing and you don't get that gross, sticky build-up.

It's really good for hyperpigmentation, which I know is just lurking beneath the surface of my skin (fun! Exciting!), as well as smoothing out post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (acne scars) and uneven texture.

The packaging is also really cool. It comes in two 10ml bottles with a click-lid activation to keep the formula stable and nice and fresh. 

It's really spendy, I know - but it is bloody good!

Fenty Beauty Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint Foundation, $46.

Image: Sephora

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My second fave is Fenty Beauty's recent foundation launch - Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint Foundation. Have you tried it yet? Cause YOU SHOULD.

As someone with dry skin, there's nothing worse than when I look in the mirror and find my foundation has gone all patchy and gross halfway through the day. It sucks. 

This formula, however, is super hydrating and lightweight and it gives you the most beautiful, natural finish, it doesn't clingy onto any flaky areas. 

It's light to medium coverage and delightfully non-cakey. However, one of the main things I love about this foundation is that you can still see my freckles and everything underneath, so my skin still looks like skin.

What's your favourite product of the year? Share with us in the comment section below.

Feature image: Naked Sundays, Adore Beauty, Garnier, Mamamia.

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