The 40 Best Beauty Products of All Time, According to ELLE Editors

Elle

5 days ago

As beauty editors, we're often asked one question: What are your all-time favorite beauty products? For us, it's like choosing between children. We test dozens of products a week—and hundreds, if not thousands, of products each year. Still, even though we are constantly trying the latest and greatest and switching up our routines, there are some beauty buys we'll never stop going back to.
In honor of ELLE's 40th anniversary, we've curated a list of the most iconic beauty products. Some have stood the test of time. Some are newer formulas we feel sure will go the distance. Either way, these are our ride-or-dies. Our holy grails. Our forever favorites. Keep reading for ELLE's top 40 award winners.
The Viral Lip Balm
This lip balm may have made Hailey Bieber a billionaire. The product's high-shine finish and collaborations with brands like Krispy Kreme have given fans a 'gotta collect them all' mentality. Now, Rhode balm and claw clips go together like peanut butter and jelly (or matcha and the West Village). It comes in a multitude of delicious flavors, from Espresso to the newest addition: Lemontini. Plus, what other lip balm has a phone case to match?
The Status Moisturizer
Is there a more storied skin care product than Crème de La Mer? The cream is powered by the brand's signature 'miracle broth' (a concoction containing fermented kelp, originally created by an aerospace physicist to treat burns). During peak kelp harvesting season, a couple thousand pounds of the plant are shipped every day on ice to the Estée Lauder offices. Chris Hemsworth has used La Mer as body lotion to treat a sunburn. Beyoncé slathers it on her face. And John Waters loves the giant 16.5-oz jars.
The Beloved Toner
This elusive French exfoliating toner has quietly held a place in the medicine cabinets of discerning types like Sofia Coppola for years. With a strong (some might say obnoxious) scent, its appearance in a routine seems to indicate that you are a beauty insider who is serious about skin care. When the brand recently announced that it was discontinuing P50 1970, one of the original formulas, fans joked that they would wear black for the occasion, and stocked up fast.
The Ultimate Glowy Skin Serum
While infusing your makeup products with skin care ingredients is now standard practice, Glow Recipe was one of the first brands to combine highlighter with a serum for an unreal finish. The drops have taken TikTok by storm, with videos reaching 6 million views showing the visible before-and-after results of the illuminating formula. Containing watermelon and hyaluronic acid, the drops are now available in a bronze-tinted shade for an even more sun-kissed effect.
The Must-Have Travel Mask
In 2018, Marianna Hewitt and Lauren Ireland launched their brand with just one product: the Jet Lag Mask. Within a week of launch, it rose to become the second best-selling face mask at Sephora. With its unique non-rinse formula, the mask makes skin look supple and glowy, like you just slept for 12 hours and drank eight glasses of water. The brand has since released an entire Jet Lag collection, which includes a mist, serum, eye serum, and under-eye patches.
The Original Anti-Aging Serum
Nowadays, hyaluronic acid is a familiar moisturizing ingredient, but in the 1980s, Estée Lauder was one of the first brands to use it in their formulas, including this one. Designed to make skin look firmer, rested, and radiant, the "little brown bottle" has amassed fans including Elizabeth Hurley, a longtime face of the brand who has used it every day for 20 years.
The Endless-Summer Body Butter
This silky moisturizer is cheekily named after the bum, but its fans—including Hilary Duff and Selena Gomez—delight in applying it all over. Its yummy signature scent, with notes of pistachio, almond, and vanilla, effectively kicked off the gourmand fragrance trend. The moisturizer is coveted among young shoppers: The brand dethroned Rare Beauty in 2024 as Sephora's highest-selling beauty brand.
The Glowiest Moisturizer
This lavender-colored moisturizer was called 'yummy' by Selena Gomez, and Meghan Markle even used it on her wedding day. It was originally inspired by makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic, who loved another Tatcha product called Luminous Dewy Skin Mist, and would often spray it on his client, Kim Kardashian. The brand wanted to create a longer-lasting, more enhancing version of that mist, and created this super-emollient moisturizer to be the perfect base for makeup.
The Rejuvenating Mask
The night before an awards ceremony that will be televised around the world, celebrities like Salma Hayek, Emma Stone, and Jennifer Lawrence will use this mask. It's powered by botanicals. including a special black rose sourced from the Anjou region of France. The flower's deep purple pigment comes from tannins which, when extracted, contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. The result? A product beloved for the way it plumps skin and delivers a youthful glow.
The Game-Changing SPF
In 2016, Black Girl Sunscreen founder Shontay Lundy created a product that eliminates ingredients like oxybenzone, parabens, and silicones to create a glow-giving sunscreen without any lingering white residue. She used a couple thousand dollars of her own savings to get the brand off the ground, and now it is the first Black-owned sunscreen at big retailers like Target. Celebrities like Kelly Rowland and Marsai Martin swear by Black Girl Sunscreen, and are known to incorporate it into their daily routine.
The Essential Face Mist
First released in 2022, Tower 28's face spray went viral after Bieber posted an Instagram Story about how the mist helped calm her skin following irritation from stress and travel. That sparked a spike in searches for 'What is hypochlorous acid?' Now, this mist is a mainstay in gym bags and on desks for good reason—it's antibacterial, helps reduce redness, and instantly soothes skin. One SOS spray is now sold every 11 seconds.
The Lip Mask That Made Lip Masks a Thing
This Korean beauty product launched stateside in 2017, and quickly became ubiquitous. Countless Reddit threads testify that the Laneige mask is the one product to use for impossibly soft lips, packed as it is with antioxidants, coconut oil, shea butter, murumuru seed butter, and a dose of vitamin C. The product's unique, whipped jelly texture stays on through the night, plus it comes in collectible flavors like Matcha, Bubble Tea, and Gummy Bear.
The Best Night Cream
If there's one thing every dermatologist agrees on, it's this: sunscreen by day, retinol by night. The latter is a science-backed staple for glowier, younger-looking skin. This version from Olay is a favorite of Jennifer Hudson (who partnered with the brand). It's moisturizing without being greasy, and effective without any of the flakiness and redness that sometimes come with retinol products.
The Invisible Sunscreen
Before Supergoop, sunscreen was anything but cool—think greasy textures, chalky residue, and formulas that pilled on contact. But Unseen Sunscreen is so iconic that Sabrina Carpenter used it in her 'Espresso' video. The genius of this formula is that it's part sunscreen, part primer. It goes on completely clear, doesn't contain any pore-clogging oils, and works as a sticky base for makeup.
The Thirst-Quenching Moisturizer
If you've always wanted to replicate the feeling of splashing water like you're in a face wash commercial, Neutrogena Hydro Boost is as close as you can get. It's packed with hyaluronic acid and is both a drugstore treasure and a go-to for celeb makeup artists like Lilly Keys, since it feels like it sinks into skin instantly. Tate McRae, the brand's newest ambassador, recently said the same thing to ELLE: '[It] feels like a breath of fresh air on my skin.'
The Everyday Eye Patch
What's your favorite accessory to wear on a night out? Bangles, dramatic earrings, or an under-eye mask that de-puffs and hydrates your skin? Topicals has evolved the eye patch from skin care to fashion statement, as seen on Julez Smith in a limited-edition colorway and Angel Reese in the classic pink and red pattern. The cooling hydrogel brightens dark circles in 15 minutes flat.
The Ideal Under-Eye Concealer
This concealer, first developed in the '80s, is a longtime favorite of makeup artists and celebs like Martha Stewart and Jennifer Aniston. Lucia Pieroni, the brand's creative director, used to give away up to 100 sticks a year to her famous clients—and many became hooked from their first try. The formula is creamy and blendable, yet pigmented enough to disguise under-eye circles and blemishes.
The Universal Cleanser
Cetaphil is, more than anything else, gentle. When your skin flares up for any number of reasons, your dermatologist is likely to tell you to take things easy and use this cleanser. Originally developed in the 1940s by a Texan pharmacist as a way to treat sensitive skin, the brand's name is a portmanteau of phil—the prefix meaning 'love'—and cetearyl alcohol, which soothes and softens skin. But as a soap-free, hypoallergenic, and fragrance-free cleanser, this product truly suits all skin types.
The All-in-One Beauty Fixer
Vaseline moisturizes chapped lips, rehydrates dry skin, and heals minor cuts, of course—but it also works as a subtle highlighter or as a primer under perfume to extend the longevity of a scent. Aniston uses the jelly to help nourish her eyelashes, and Law Roach uses it on the soles of clients' feet to easily slip on shoes. Ranked the most trusted brand among Gen Z adults, according to 2023 data from Statista, Vaseline now comes in four varieties: Original, Aloe, Cocoa, and Rose.
The Classic Beauty Bar
A few scents that are immediately recognizable: popcorn, coffee, and Dove's iconic Beauty Bar. Designed to be timeless, the scent is slightly powdery, a little floral, and now associated with the smell of clean skin. The bar dates back to 1952, when Dove acquired a French patent for a soap that also worked as a moisturizer—a revolutionary concept at the time. Amber Rose once told ELLE that she's never used a different soap, and Cardi B keeps it stockpiled.
The At-Home Salon Treatment
If you have bleached or otherwise chemically processed hair, then your hairstylist has probably mentioned Hair Perfector No.3. Bond-building hair products are trending, but the category started in 2014 with the introduction of Olaplex, one of the first drops to help repair broken bonds in the hair caused by over-processing. 'I dream of having long, luscious locks, so I started using Olaplex, and my hair isn't breaking off as much anymore,' Sydney Sweeney said once in an interview.
The Insider-Approved Hair Mask
With over 15 editorial awards under its belt, Briogeo's Don't Despair, Repair! Mask is basically beauty royalty. It's an insider favorite—beauty editors like to keep it stocked in their own bathrooms, and runway models like Georgia Moot credit it with keeping hair healthy even under intense conditions, like back-to-back fashion weeks. The secret? A blend of plant protein, algae extract, rose hip oil, and sweet almond oil works in harmony to repair, block frizz, and protect.
The Hair Elixir
Argan oil is well known these days as 'liquid gold' for your hair—but the trend was kicked off with the launch of Moroccanoil's Treatment Hair Oil, which took the world by storm in 2008. The formula isn't fancy—it's made with 100-percent pure argan oil that is naturally rich in antioxidants and vitamin E. And it's now available in three formulas: original, light, and purple for toning brassy strands. Celebrities like Brie Larson and Margot Robbie have used the treatment ahead of red carpet appearances.
The Curl Enhancer
Often seen on Reddit's curly hair forums, this product has more than 12,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. Shea Moisture's soufflé texture uses fair trade shea butter and glycerin to deeply hydrate curls and coils, plus neem oil to fight frizz without crunch. The sugary coconut scent lingers on ringlets, leaving a piña-colada-smelling cloud with every movement.
The Glamorous Hairspray
It's hard to meet a top hair stylist who doesn't have Oribe Dry Texturing Spray in their kit. Part dry shampoo, part texturizer, this do-it-all product simply makes hair look better. Used by J.Lo and Chrissy Teigen, the spray adds volume to flat roots and texture to dull hair, giving a glamorous 'tousled, just-woke-up' look. Developed by famed hairstylist Oribe Canales, it was also one of the first hair products to work with a fragrance company (Givaudan) on its scent, kicking off a surge of perfumery in hair care brands.
The Universally Loved Hairspray
Backstage at fashion week, the air smells like the metallic scent of dozens of hot blow dryers in unison—and this one hairspray. For the uninitiated, Tresemmé was created in the 1940s by Edna L. Emme, a hairstylist and trailblazing female entrepreneur. Today the formula remains strong, but not sticky, and buildable, making it a favorite of Justine Marjan and Lacy Redway, who have partnered with the brand.
The Classic Mascara
This mascara, first launched in 2004, has remained a forever favorite for its one-of-a-kind formula that simultaneously lengthens, separates, and volumizes, in addition to its curved brush which delivers instant lift. Kourtney Kardashian called it her 'go-to' mascara, and says she has been using it since she was in college. Anya Taylor-Joy uses it to darken her blonde lashes, and it is even a rumored favorite of Kate Middleton.
The Original Tinted Lip Balm
Clinique founder Carol Phillips, a former Vogue beauty editor, created this shade in 1971, balancing glossiness and sheerness to give an 'almost lipstick-like' texture and look. The natural flush that Black Honey gave lips made it an instant hit—and it recently started trending again after TikTok detectives proclaimed it to be the lipstick worn by Liv Tyler's Arwen character in The Lord of the Rings .
The Classic Bronzer
The next best thing to a real sun-kissed glow is Chanel Les Beiges Bronzing Cream. A favorite of makeup artists such as Carolina Dalí-Trites and Katie Jane Hughes, it imparts a natural-looking touch of color, with just a hint of barely-there shimmer, so you always look like you're being hit by the sun at just the right angle. The gel-cream formula glides on like silk (Kendall Jenner even uses it on her eyelids).
The Natural-Looking Foundation
When Euphoria first aired, viewers were mesmerized by the embellished eye makeup, high ponies, and Y2K-inspired looks. But there was also something more subtle—the characters' dewy, lit-from-within skin, which makeup artist Donni Davy achieved with this foundation. Chantecaille's unique formula was created in 1999 and relaunched last month to be silicone-and microplastic free. With a pudding-like texture, it melts perfectly into skin, hiding imperfections without looking like a mask.
The 'Custom' Lip Balm
When Dior Lip Glow was released in 2008, it made waves in the beauty world thanks to its innovative pH-sensitive technology, which reacts with the wearer's lips to create a flattering 'custom' shade. In 2025, Lip Glow got a facelift, and it now comes in 21 shades, including a sunny yellow that adds warmth to your natural lip color and a deep mahogany that flatters a wide range of skin tones.
The Perfect Red Lip
This shade is best-known for being Taylor Swift's red lip of choice (Pat McGrath was even featured in Swift's 'Bejeweled' music video), meaning it's often sold out. Despite its Swiftie connection, Elson 4 is actually named after supermodel Karen Elson. The blue-toned shade is known for purportedly making your teeth look whiter, and the matte finish delivers high impact. McGrath herself calls it the 'perfect red.'
The Game-Changing Brow Gel
Arguably no other beauty brand has created a world the way Glossier has (Timothée Chalamet has worn a Glossier hoodie! A whole generation still keeps their passports in pink bubble wrap bags!). One of the products that best represents the brand is Boy Brow, a tinted gel applied with a spoolie brush, like mascara, to enhance fluffiness. This product made everyone rethink their brows—they didn't have to be arched, plucked, or drawn on. Instead, they could be natural-looking and, yes, boyish.
The Ultimate Nude Lipstick
In the time that you've read this sentence, one of these lipsticks has most likely already been sold and applied onto the lips of someone who is marveling at how flattering it is. In her long career as a makeup artist, Charlotte Tilbury used to mix together multiple shades to arrive at the perfect pink and nude-y color that you see today in Pillow Talk. Its fans range from Amal Clooney (who even used it on her wedding day) to the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
The Lipliner That Started It All
If you say 'spice' around a beauty lover, they will know you are referencing not any sort of cabinet, but rather the legendary lip liner color worn by supermodels like Linda Evangelista. Before Kylie Jenner or Rhode, this flattering brown lip color became one of MAC's most famous shades, synonymous with '90s beauty. The brand recently created two new versions of the liner with opposite tones: Cool Spice and Warm Spice.
The Breakthrough Blush
The blush craze of the past few years? That all started with Rare. The brand's hyperpigmented liquid blush melts into skin with just one dot—something that TikTok users love demonstrating. The viral sensation is the highest-selling blush formula at Sephora, accounting for more than 25 percent of the retailer's total blush sales.
The Long-Lasting Brow Gel
TikTok creators like Steph Hui love this brow gel for practically laminating their hair into place: She said that the product worked so well that she manages to 'catfish' people into thinking that she has fluffy brows. The gel is syrupy but not sticky, and works to shellac unruly brows into place all day.
The Foundation Disruptor
In 2017, while fans were hoping to hear a new album from Rihanna, she instead launched a makeup line that catapulted her into a new role as a business mogul. Fenty Beauty's launch featured an unprecedented 40 foundation shades—now 50—creating a 'Fenty Effect' that made the entire industry more inclusive. The soft-matte formula delivers a 'your-skin-but-better' finish, with the line now including dewy options and tinted moisturizers.
The Go-To Drugstore Foundation
Some people might find it hard to believe that a $10 foundation can hold its own against prestige formulas, but the Maybelline Fit Me Matte and Poreless Foundation proves that luxury results don't require luxury prices. A drugstore favorite of makeup artists and beauty influencers like Jackie Aina and Mikayla Nogueira, the oil-free, medium-coverage formula comes in 40 shades and is beloved for its skin-like finish and long-lasting wear. But the true highlight of this formula is its ability to minimize the appearance of pores.
The Essential Lip Liner
Celebs like Suni Lee have declared their love for this lip liner, which has a deceptively creamy texture with holding power that lasts for hours, even in water. The flattering color matches many people's natural lips, working subtly to make them look poutier and bigger. The huge demand for Anywhere Caffeine and its sister shade, Wherever Walnut, prompts frequent sellouts.