A bouncer for your breakouts, and other beauty buys that made it into 2025
Including the body lotion that moonlights as an off-label face cream
Um, hi! A quick aside from me to say happy new year, thank you for subscribing (SO many more of you landed here over the break) and I can’t wait to show you what’s in store for 2025. KL x
I don’t know about you, but I find end-of-year/start-of-year lists really exhausting. Mainly because I eagerly lap up every recommendation that lands in my periphery, which leads to overwhelm and way too many saved links. So I decided to set myself (and a few tapped-in friends) the decidedly tougher task of trying to choose a single favourite beauty product discovery from 2024 to recommend for 2025.
Let’s start with mine – a serum that really took me by surprise.
Breakouts will always be an occupational hazard for me (a small price to pay for my self-appointed role as your resident skinformant), but my hormonal acne is another thing altogether. While it’s calmed down drastically from where it was (definitely a letter for later), I’m always looking for products to help manage it better day-to-day. Enter Emma Lewisham’s Supernatural Blemish Face Serum.
It’s a dual-pump anti-blemish system with a patented live probiotic. I was sceptical, as the gelatinous texture of the live probiotic portion felt like the opposite kind of consistency that I’d willingly want on my face; a semi-gritty gel that was to be mixed with an ‘activating cream’ from its opposing pod.
I warmed both between my palms and applied the goopy amalgamation to my entire face, focusing in on my jawline, which is usually the chosen breeding ground for my blemishes. After a few weeks of consistency, I suddenly realised that my skin was completely clear. I consulted my Flo app and ascertained that this would usually be prime time for my acne to really start um, popping off (I’m sorry).
Two pimples did arise a day or so later, but they were tiny whiteheads that withdrew their advances within 24 hours – a huge improvement.
It works because the live probiotic strain acts as a kind of security guard for the skin, supporting the microbiome and displacing any bacteria that’s looking to cause trouble. I couldn’t believe how well it worked, and the incredible difference the formula had made to my skin in mere weeks. I will say though, a lot of the reviews on this serum note that the packaging is tricky, and I do tend to agree.
As supply dwindled, both pumps struggled to coax the dregs from their receptacles, so I had to hollow them out myself with each use. Emma Lewisham recently addressed this with a re-release, but I think there’s still room to improve. The brand is very focused on sustainability, so I imagine they’re working on a way to keep the probiotic separate from the cream without compromising Emma Lewisham’s commitment to refillable products.
Regardless, I’ve now repurchased and will continue to do so in 2025.
The Vanity Asks: What was your best beauty discovery of 2024?
“I can tell you immediately – the Makeup By Mario Softsculpt Bronzing Serum! There is nothing like it; it adds a sheer warmth to the skin without being too much, you can mix it into your foundations, wear it on its own or use it all over the face and it’s always perfect. I haven’t used anything else since I got it and my makeup just doesn’t look right if I haven’t used it. Mario has outdone himself with this one!” – Elizabeth Conte, beauty creator
“If you’d told me I’d be putting body lotion on my face I probably wouldn’t have believed you. But my derm at Qr8 Mediskin (online skin health, it’s the bomb!) suggested I try the La Roche Posay Lipikar Lait Body Milk on my face and it’s a gamechanger. It’s packed full of lipids so it’s super hydrating but it’s also really lightweight. I’ve always struggled with acne and now in pregnancy I’ve got acne but can’t use retinol, so I need a hydrating moisturiser that doesn’t clog my pores. I feel a bit like a man using a 2-in-1 shampoo situation, but I can now literally travel with just a few products and use this on both my face and body. I’ve recommended it to so many people! And the best part is the price, it’s ridiculously cheap and you get a tonne. Thank me later!” – Francesca Wallace, digital director at Vogue, Vogue Living and GQ Australia
“I’m obsessed with everything Fluff is doing — their lip oils are a busy, on-the-go gal’s DREAM! Multifunctional (I carry the shade ‘Elly Cat Brown’ everywhere for eyes, lips, cheeks). They do limited product drops and the chrome packaging is chic!” – Michelle Banares, You’re Too Cool
“Mine is the Make Up For Ever HD Skin All-In-One Face Palette!! I fell in love with the pigment, formula and the lasting finish on the skin – emphasis on the skin looking incredible – and it’s the PERFECT travel companion! Having only coming across it last year, I have already hit pan on a few shades!” – Alex Davidson, lifestyle creator
Okay, now what was your best beauty discovery of 2024? End gatekeeping by sharing with the group in the comments.
🫶🏼 I started using Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peels as an exfoliant once a week (not daily) and love love