2025 may be drawing to a close; however, here at Marie Claire HQ, we’re not turning our attention to the new year just yet. Instead, before we look forward to 2026’s upcoming trends, we thought, why not take a look back and reflect upon everything good and great about 2025 — in the beauty stakes, that is.
Because it’s been a seriously great year to be a beauty lover. From tools that allowed us to indulge in salon-worthy experiences at home, to skincare that pushed the boundaries of efficacy and innovation, we’ve been well and truly spoiled with a stream of exciting new launches in 2025. And, it’s not just science-backed beauty that we can’t get enough of. On the make-up front, we were treated to a whole host of products and trends that proved creativity is well and truly back, while fragrance obsessives had even more opportunity to indulge in unique and exciting scents with niche fragrance brands and perfumers pushing the boundaries on notes we know and love.
Yet, while the launches came in thick and fast, not all of them cut through the noise. For every beauty product that went viral, there were those that didn’t pass our exacting standards. So, just which products proved to be the best beauty launches of 2025? Well, to find out, I spoke to some of the biggest beauty retailers to get their insider knowledge on which products we all couldn’t get enough of in 2025. Plus, they also shared their top predictions on how these launches will continue to influence our shopping habits in 2026 and beyond.
The best beauty launches of 2025
1. Beauty of Joseon Sun: Rice + Probiotics SPF50+
Firstly, we’ve got a new launch, which hit the bestselling list at both Boots and LookFantastic, as well as racking up countless glowing reviews on TikTok and Instagram. Beauty of Joseon’s Sun: Rice + Probiotics SPF50+ is a lightweight SPF, which leaves the skin feeling plump and hydrated, as well as providing SPF50 protection against both UVA and UVB rays.
In their 2025 trend report, Boots revealed, “K-beauty continued to take the industry by storm this year. In 2025, Boots sold one K-beauty product every 15 seconds with Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics 50ml emerging as the best-seller.” While at Look Fantastic, K-beauty proved the fastest-growing trend, with searches up +167.7% in 2025.
2. Shark Beauty CryoGlow Under-Eye Cooling & LED Anti-Ageing & Blemish Repair Mask
While K-beauty proved to be LookFantastic’s most popular overarching beauty trend, the retailer revealed it was LED masks that were their “fastest growing trending product” with searches up +96.7% in comparison to 2024.
When I asked them which LED mask in particular we all couldn’t stop adding to our basket, they revealed it was Shark Beauty’s newly launched CryoGlow mask, which offers both LED light therapy and a cooling under-eye treatment, confirming that at-home beauty treatments are still a popular choice. This was echoed at Cult Beauty too, where Dr Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro, also topped the bestselling list, despite launching back in 2020.
3. Medik8 Liquid Peptides Advanced MP
At Cult Beauty, while many skincare products proved bestsellers this year, when it came to new launches, one came out on top. Launched at the beginning of 2025, Medik8’s Liquid Peptides Advanced MP has proved to be a product with staying power. A hardworking serum packed with proteins and peptides, it works to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, boosting skin elasticity so it looks fuller and firmer over time.
4. The INKEY List Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Body Stick
On the bodycare front, shoppers have turned their attention to products that incorporate skincare-focused ingredients to supercharge their routine. “Exfoliants took centre stage in 2025 with Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs), like glycolic acid, driving a surge in demand across Boots,” their trend report revealed, “Searches for glycolic acid on boots.com rose by 64% over the past year, and The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner became the second bestselling premium beauty product. What is most notable is that this exfoliant trend is no longer limited to facial skincare. These ingredients are now reflected in bodycare products too.”
Case in point, The Inkey List’s Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Body Stick, which proved the second-best-selling product among Look Fantastic’s new launches. Easy to apply wherever needed, the handy stick works to gently exfoliate away dead skin cells to leave skin softer and smoother. Since launch, TikTok users have dubbed it a great alternative to deodorant as well as a great hack for minimising keratosis pilaris.
5. Sunday Riley Aquamarine Melt Cleansing Gel Balm
I’m sure it comes as no surprise to learn that in 2025, social media was the driving force behind many of our favourite (and bestselling) beauty launches. Yet, one that didn’t quite make it into Cult Beauty's Top 10, yet still caused a storm on their social media, was Sunday Riley’s Aquamarine Melt Cleansing Gel Balm. While it may not have translated quite so fervently into sales, this luxurious gel cleanser still racked up hundreds of 5-star reviews due to its ability to melt away makeup and leave skin feeling plump and hydrated.
6. K18 AirWash Dry Shampoo
Next up, let’s talk hair, and a product which launched so close to the end of 2024, I’m counting it on this list. K18’s AirWash Dry Shampoo is a revolutionary formula which not only works to soak up excess oil using clever microbeads but also helps to soothe and protect the scalp thanks to invisible hydrolysed forms of hydrating hyaluronic acid.
Cult Beauty revealed that this was their second-best-selling hair product of 2025 (coming in second to the brand’s cult Leave-in Molecular Repair Mask), so it’s clear that whatever K18 launch, we're eager to get our hands on it.
7. YSL Loveshine Plumping Lip Oil
For make-up lovers, there was only one brand to shop for in 2025 — YSL. Whether it was their newly launched All Hours Luminous Matte Foundation, their cult classic Touche Éclat Blur Primer, or their pretty Make Me Blush Powders, Look Fantastic shoppers wanted them all.
While there were so many bestselling products from the brand, it’s their newly launched Loveshine Plumping Lip Oil that we’re most excited about. “The fastest growing subcategory for us in 2025 is lips,” LookFantastic told me, “This is driven by nostalgic trends such as the 90s glossy lip, along with ‘skinification’ of makeup, where products such as balms and oils provide skincare and hydration benefits.” YSL’s formula is infused with hyaluronic acid to deliver exactly that, while also providing a light wash of colour.
8. Huda Beauty Lip Contour Stain
And, YSL’s lip oil wasn’t the only lip product we were all swiping in 2025. Launched in July, Huda’s Lip Contour Stains quickly went viral on TikTok, hailed for their ability to stay put no matter how much you ate, drank or yapped throughout the day. As a result, Cult Beauty saw sales rocket for the long-lasting lip liner with some shades still out of stock on their website (although don’t worry, they restock them regularly).
9. KAYALI Yum Boujee Marshmallow | 81
Finally, while 2025 saw many new fragrance trends take hold, including smoky incense fragrances, cosy papyrus scents and even lickable perfumes, it was gourmand perfumes that we couldn’t get enough of. Rather than traditional caramel and vanilla offerings, though, this year, our tastes were much more unique. “Fragrance has become a powerful tool for mood enhancement and an expression of identity,” Boots noted in their report, “with demand increasing for unique and distinctive scents.”
As a result, it was Kayali’s marshmallow fragrance that proved one of 2025’s most popular new fragrance launches at Cult Beauty. With notes of pink lady apple, marshmallow and coconut flakes, it’s sweet, soft and inviting—a gourmand but not as you know it.
