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This New Retinol Serum Might Be A Game-Changer For Sensitive Skin

The latest launches in makeup, skin, and hair care.

by Amanda Ross and Catherine Santino

Updated: Feb. 20, 2024

Originally Published: Jan. 8, 2023

Summer Fridays model curly hair with bangs and glowy dewy skin with cream blush

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Though some may argue that it’s an arbitrary distinction (“it’s just another day!” — cue the eye roll), the promise a new year brings is prime motivation to push yourself forward, closer to your ultimate goals. There’s a lot to be said about New Year’s resolutions, but one of the easiest ways to embrace new-year-new-me mentality is through careful curation of your beauty routines. Think about it — skin care is how you start and end the day, combining health and wellness with rituals of self-love and commitment to consistency. And if the best new beauty products of January 2023 line your medicine cabinet, half the work is practically done for you.

To kick 2023 off right, your favorite beauty brands are starting strong with revitalizing serums, strengthening hair treatments, and glamorous new makeup products all ready to make short work of all those TikTok trends crowding your feed. More than a few beloved brands are extending their lines outside of their own comfort zones — MAC makes skin care now! — not unlike a resolution of their own. To jumpstart your 2023 routines, TZR’s compiled an (ever-growing) list of the month’s best beauty products. Regardless of if your goals are a more even complexion, stronger strands, or that perfect, cheek-chiseling contour stick, everything needed to put your best face forward is right here.

January 2023 Skin Care Launches

Best New Mask

Shani Darden Triple Acid Exfoliating Signature Peel

Triple Acid Exfoliating Signature Peel

Legendary skin expert Shani Darden has been using this peel on A-listers ahead of red carpet appearances for years, and now everyone can finally enjoy its seriously transformative effects. The two-step process utilizes three distinct acids to cleanse, exfoliate, brighten, and smooth without harness, irritation, or dryness. In fact, in a clinical study, 93 percent of participants reported an immediate, noticeable glow. | Pros: Instant results; safe for regular use | Notable Ingredients: Lactic acid; glycolic acid; mandelic acid; kaolin clay; bentonite clay |

Best New Serums

ELF Youth Boosting Advanced Night Retinoid Serum

Youth Boosting Advanced Night Retinoid Serum

Powerful, potent, but surprisingly gentle, e.l.f.’s new retinoid serum is the sort of product future-you will thank you for using a few years down the line. A complex blend of antioxidants, combined with a stable dose of retinol, work to smooth the appearance of fine lines and accelerate skin turnover for a brighter, more even complexion. Meanwhile, hydrating hyaluronic acid ensures no excess moisture is zapped, so you can sleep soundly knowing renewed skin is just a few dreams away. | Pros: Gentle enough for retinoid beginners | Notable Ingredients: 1% granactive retinoid; hyaluronic acid |

Bio-Performance Skin Filler Serums

Bio-Performance Skin Filler Serums

Powered by a proprietary technology that shrinks and expands the formula’s hyaluronic acid, this two-step serum treatment plumps skin for a smoother, firmer appearance. | Pros: Can be used morning and night | Notable Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid; red clover extract; chai hu extract; cinnamon extract

MAC serum

Hyper Real Serumizer Skin Balancing Hydration Serum

Already beloved for their legacy line of cosmetics, MAC makes its official foray into skin care with the launch of its Hyper Real collection. Harnessing makeup artists’ intrinsic understanding of what makes the perfect makeup canvas, this serum-moisturizer hybrid contains a blend of hydrating ingredients to nourish skin as well as AHAs and BHAs to retexturize.| Pros: Hydrating; retexturizing | Notable Ingredients: Japanese peony extract; niacinamide; hyaluronic acid; ceramides |

La Roche Posay niacinamide serum

10% Pure Niacinamide Serum

Help fade discoloration and rebalance the skin with this niacinamide serum from skin care experts La Roche-Posay, backed by rigerous clinical testing. It also contains hyaluronic acid to better retain skin’s moisture, even working to even out tone and hydration levels on hands.| Pros: Clarifies; balances | Notable Ingredients: Niacinamide; hyaluronic acid |

Summer Fridays retinol serum

Midnight Ritual Retinol Renewing Serum

Consider building your 2023 skin care ritual around Summer Friday’s transformative new serum. By combining retinol and retinyl linoleate — two distinct and complementary retinoids — with calming classics like niacinamide and tiger grass, even sensitive skin can enjoy its smoothing, brightening effects. | Pros: Tested for reactive skin; soothing ingredients minimize irritation (though you should always patch-test) | Notable ingredients: Retinol; hyaluronic acid; tiger grass; oatmeal |

Joanna Vargas serum

Twilight Night Serum

Though it can certainly be used during the day, this amino acid-packed serum works double time overnight to help moisturize and repair the skin. The addition of niacinamide aids in evening the skin tone and reducing the appearance of fine lines — all while you sleep. | Pros: Works overnight to restore skin | Notable ingredients: Red algea; niacinamide |

Peach & Lily retinol serum

Retinal For All Renewing Serum

Formulated with 0.1% retinal, the most powerful non-prescription retinoid available, Peach & Lily’s new retinol serum promises smoother, brighter skin with 0% irritation.| Pros: Suitable for all skin types, even sensitive skin | Notable ingredients: Heartleaf extract; retinaldehyde; ectoin |

Hydrinity serum

Renewing HA Serum

This renewing serum contains supercharged hyaluronic acid to plump skin and reduces the appearance of fine lines. Meanwhile, plant extracts and peptides help renew and replenish.| Pros: Boosts skin’s radiance and elasticity | Notable ingredients: Hyaluronic acid; Kakadu plum; ginger root extract; algae extract; hexapeptide leaf extract; bisabolol; |

Best New Moisturizers

Josie Maran

Argan Pro-Retinol Megamoisture Face Cream

By softening line-smoothing retinol with a fluffy moisturizer rich in their signature Argan oil, Josie Maran might have just found a workaround to that whole “actives irritation” thing. The creamy texture melts into skin while the plant-based retinol gets to work on dullness, fine lines, and discoloration. | Pros: Balanced ingredient list; refined retinol type | Notable Ingredients: Aloe leaf juice; shea butter; watermelon seed oil |

Joanna Vargas night cream

Twilight Night Cream

Restore your skin’s moisture overnight with this rich hydrating cream. The formula’s non-comedogenic seed oil complex delivers nourishment without causing breakouts, while hyaluronic acid plumps and firms.| Pros: Vitamins and antioxidants helps protect the skin barrier | Notable Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid; seed oil complex |

Caudalie moisturizer

Premier Cru The Rich Cream

This rich face cream deeply nourishes to fight signs of aging while replenishing and protecting the skin’s barrier.| Pros: Protects the skin barrier; non-comedogenic | Cons: May not work for oily skin | Notable Ingredients: Biotech hyaluronic acid; glycerin |

Best New Cleansers

Glow Recipe cleanser

Avocado Ceramide Moisture Barrier Cleanser

If last year belonged to the skin microbiome, 2023 absolutely belongs to the skin moisture barrier. Glow Recipe’s hydrating new cleanser puts maintaining your skin’s delicate moisture balance ahead of all else. Fortifying the all-important barrier with ceramides and prebiotics, it simultaneously eliminates pore-clogging bacteria, daily grime, and lingering makeup with cleansing avocado oil. | Pros: Manages skin microflora with prebiotics; hydrates while cleansing; sensitive skin-friendly | Notable Ingredients: Prebiotics and postbiotics; ceramides; colloidal oatmeal; avocado oil |

Vinter's Daughter cleanser

Vinter's Daughter

Active Renewal Cleanser

This gently foaming cleanser is formulated to brighten, balance, and energize the skin while thoroughly removing makeup, sunscreen, and buildup. | Pros: Brightening; balancing; suitable for all skin types | Notable Ingredients: Aloe leaf; dandelion; mango butter; sunflower seed |

Best New Body Oil

sol de janeiro Bum Bum Body Firmeza Oil

Bum Bum Body Firmeza Oil

Bring a taste of summer to the long (...long...long) winter months still ahead with Sol de Janeiro’s new Bum Bum Body Firmeza Oil, which just so happens to feature the brand’s truly addictive signature scent. But it does more than just smell like the perfect balance of sultry-sweet — the oil’s proprietary caffeine complex, along with the included micro algae and Brazilian olive oil, hydrates skin while depuffing and soothing for a firmer, smoother look. | Pros: Clinically-backed stats; immediate and compounded results; Cheriosa 62 scent | Cons: Scent might not be for everyone | Notable Ingredients: Guaraná Caffeine+ Complex; micro algae extract; Brazilian olive oil |

Best New Body Lotions

Fenty Skin body cream

Butta Drop Vanilla Dream Shimmering Whipped Oil Body Cream

Fenty’s original whipped body butter has amassed a cult following — and for good reason. It contains rich butters and conditioning oils that envelop the skin in hydration. For a limited time, you can get the best-selling formula with an all-new vanilla scent and rose gold pearl that leaves a subtle shimmer. | Pros: Hydrates and illuminates skin | Cons: Scent might not be for everyone | Notable Ingredients: Shea butter; mango butter; glycerin |

Fur body butter

All Body Butter

This rich, thick balm contains eight moisturizing ingredients for intense nourishment — but it won’t break you out.| Pros: Gynecologically tested; non-comedogenic | Notable Ingredients: Kokum, mango, and shea butter; hyaluronic acid; sunflower seed and carnauba wax |

L'Occitane body balm

Immortelle Shea Body Balm

With rich shea butter and firming pea peptides, this body cream targets dark spots and reduces crepey skin for a firmer, nourished appearance.| Pros: Reduces the appearance of dark spots; firms skin; non-sticky | Notable Ingredients: 100% organic immortelle essential oil; organic shea butter |

Nécessaire body cream

Dry winter skin? This ultra-rich cream contains five essential ceramides and a lineup of other nourishing ingredients to heal dryness, repair the skin barrier, and help reverse signs of aging. | Pros: Fragrance-free, non-comedogenic | Notable Ingredients: Ceramides, niacinamide, glycerin, linolenic acid, colloidal oatmeal |

Best New Deodorant

Glossier deodorant

Glossier’s first deodorant is here. Available in refillable packaging, the aluminum-free formula contains a coconut oil base to condition and other non-irritating ingredients to keep the skin’s pH levels balanced. Plus, you can select from four scents: Unscented, Glossier You (the very same as the brand’s fragrance), Sandstone, and Orange Blossom Neroli.| Pros: Refillable packaging; aluminum-free | Notable Ingredients: Coconut oil; superfruit elderberry extract; magnesium hydroxide; potato starch |

Best New Face Oils

Omorovicza queen oil skin barrier

Queen Oil Skin Barrier Renewal

If it’s healthy, hydrated skin you’re after, it pays to focus on the moisture barrier. Omorovicza luxe new oil makes fortifying and strengthening that barrier a focus, and helps renew it even if it’s been compromised by harsh actives and brutal winter weather. Rebuilding the skin’s lipid levels for plumpness while stimulating all-important ceramides, the combine ingredients indeed treat your skin like royalty. | Pros: Non-irritating; lightweight; fast-acting | Notable Ingredients: Omegas; vitamins C, E, and K |

Olehenriksen face oil

Hydrabarrier Nourishing Face Oil

Even if you don’t deal with breakouts, the word oil tends to be a divisive one in the skin care world — but it could actually be the key to restoring your moisture barrier, plumping fine lines, and even banishing stubborn texture. OLEHENRIKSEN’s latest does just that by treating skin to a slew of peptides and Scandinavian berry oils that sink immediately into skin — no transfer to your pillows. | Pros: Clinical-testing backed; instantly absorbing | Notable Ingredients: Ceramides; squalane; berry seed oils |

Best New Eye Cream

Herbivore eye cream

SUPER NOVA 5% Vitamin C + Caffeine Brightening Eye Cream

It’s easy to overlook eye cream in your skin care routine, but if you’re looking to reduce puffiness or dark circles, you could benefit from this new formula from Herbivore. Powered by a highly efficacious form of vitamin C and caffeine, it works instantly and over time to brighten the under eyes. Plus, it’s specifically formulated to wear under concealer, so no creasing or pilling here. | Pros: No fragrance or synthetic ingredients; depuffs | Notable Ingredients: 5% THD vitamin C; caffeine; turmeric |

Best New Hand Cream

Elorea hand lotion

Joy Hand Lotion

A good hand cream in the winter is a valuable thing. Fight off dryness and improve skin texture with this lightweight yet luxurious lotion from Elorea, lightly scented with mandarin and grapefruit. | Pros: Absorbs quickly | Cons: Scent might not be for everyone | Notable Ingredients: Chamomille extract; ceramide; hyaluronic acid; Centella Asiatica leaf |

Best New Pimple Patches

Starface pimple patches

The market’s most playful pimple patches are now available in a micro-dart variety, meaning they feature tiny prongs that deliver healing ingredients directly to your breakouts. Hyaluronic acid and niacinamide help to calm and soothe, while salicylic acid helps unclog pores and purify. | Pros: Absorbs fluid; reduces redness | Notable Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid; niacinamide; salicylic acid |

January 2023 Makeup Launches

Best New Setting Spray

caliray surfproof setting spray

Surfproof Setting Spray

With warm weather looming just ahead, it’s time to start thinking about your stay-all-day makeup strategy. Caliray’s brand-new, surprisingly lightweight mist manages to lock it all into place without that tight, dry feeling that’s often a side effect of setting sprays. Instead, the fine-mist formula keeps your powders and creams in place while adding a refreshing burst of hydration with the help of prickly pear and glycerine. | Pros: All-day wear; dewy finish; refillable bottle | Cons: Very oily skin types might need something more matte | Notable Ingredients: Prickly pear; agave; glycerine |

Best New Primer

Stila primer

All About The Blur Blurring & Smoothing Primer

Like most things in life, the secret to flawless makeup application is all in the prep work. Thanks to a velvety, skin-blurring complex found alongside hydrating hyaluronic acid and vitamin E, concealers, skin tints, and foundations glide over filled-in pores with ease. | Pros: Blurring; hydrating | Cons: Breakout-prone skin types should patch test |

Best New Contour

Tarte contour

Shape Tape Contour

The newest counterpart to the brand’s ultra-viral Shape Tape, Tarte’s easy-to-use bronzing wand helps carve out cheekbones, jawlines, and nose tips for contouring beginners and experts alike. The tapered tip allows for very precise application with the creamy, blendable formula makes it all look so natural. | Pros: Twist-up design; easy-blend formula | Cons: Just five shades available now |

January 2023 Hair Launches

Best New Bond Treatment

Maya Chia bond repair treatment

The Mane Agent Advanced Molecular Bond Repair

This lightweight bonding treatment contains a combination of chia seed extract, polysaccharides, and amino acids to repair damaged hair. It’s also convenient to use as it doesn’t need to be rinsed out, plus adds heat protection to protect even further.| Pros: Lightweight; no-rinse; heat protection | Notable ingredients: Chia seed extract, polysaccharides, amino acids |

Best New Shampoo

Gisou shampoo

Honey-Infused Hair Wash

Yet another reason to save the bees — Gisou’s honey-powered shampoo manages to eliminate dullness-inducing buildup while delivering serious moisture. Along with bee garden oil and honey, the formula features Argan oil and even amino-acid rich proteins (whipped into a propriety blend, of course) for maximum hydration and bounce. | Pros: Naturally-derived; satisfying lather | Notable Ingredients: Argan oil; Mirsalehi honey; Mirsalehi bee garden oil complex |

Best New Hairspray

Matrix hairspray

Fixer Hairspray

This flexible-hold hairspray gives your hair all-day volume and shine while keeping styles in place. | Pros: No flaking or tacky feeling |

Best New Curling Iron

Beachwaver curling iron

Baked By Melissa x Beachwaver B1 Curling Iron

Bite-sized cupcake brand collaborated with Beachwaver to create this colorful 1” barrel curling iron that features an 8-foot swivel cord, ergonomic handle, and 3 heat settings. Plus, enjoy a free rainbow scrunchie with purchase.| Pros: Ergonomic handle; rotates |

January 2023 Nail Launches

Lights Lacquer nail trio

Relive the early 2000s with this Y2K-inspired nail collection from Lights Lacquer. The set, which also celebrates the brand’s third birthday, features three shades: Drama Queen (a holographic light fuchsia), Birthday Brat (a dusty light pink), and Mean Girl (a pink opalescent with a blue shift). These shades are limited-edition, so make sure to grab them while you can.| Pros: Vegan, cruelty-free |

This article was originally published on Jan. 8, 2023