Consider 2021 an extension of 2020's Great Skincare Boom. We spent too long - once again - staring at pixelated versions of ourselves on camera, picking apart each skin woe and searching long and hard to rectify it. Make-up took a backseat once more. We looked for results-driven formulas and solution-led branding.
Beauty e-tailer LookFantastic's Skinfluencer Report illustrates just that. To wrap up the year, they've taken a deep dive into all the ingredients, products and brands that you've been searching for this year.
The beauty industry listened to the skincare boom, and delivered. This year saw the arrival of Augustinus Bader's new serum, and Drunk Elephant's hotly anticipated T.L.C. Babyfacial. LookFantastic's findings revealed that despite the tsunami of new serums and creams, there were some products that have stood the test of time. In the sea of new brands and frilly serums, there was one brand that dominated your searches this year: The Ordinary.
Since its arrival to UK shores in 2016, love for the no-nonsense, results-first skincare brand has only grown. Not only is the low cost part of the appeal, but consumers like to feel in control of their skincare - and The Ordinary gives them a chance to do just that. Back before the brand launched, only a trained ear would be able to decode The Ordinary's serum names ('Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%' - huh?). Now? Niacinamide is firmly in the lexicon of most beauty consumers. Part of the appeal lies in the mixing, matching and busting the beauty jargon, as one viral tweet explains:
Love for the brand continues. That said, amongst the list of the most searched for skincare products of 2021, there are also cult favourites from the likes of Clinique and La Roche-Posay. Here, the 10 most searched for skincare products of 2021. What are the chances that The Ordinary will appear next year, too?
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1 of 10The Ordinary AHA 30% & BHA 2% Peeling Solution, £6.30
TikTok sent this product into the stratosphere this year. Taking the top spot is this blood red mask that works particularly well for blemish-prone, textured or dull skin. It's the powerful combination of AHAs (glycolic and lactic acids) with BHAs that eat away at dead skin cells, revealing brighter, smoother skin. Sign us up.
2 of 10Weleda Skin Food, £8.25
Like your moisturisers rich? Weleda's Skin Food is one of the richest that come. It features a fortifying blend of ingredients like lanolin, beeswax and glycerin to really cushion dry, scaly, irritated skin. It's a godsend for winter days, when frosty air and central heating wreaks havoc.
3 of 10Clinique Moisture Surge, £38
On the other end of the texture spectrum is Clinique's Moisture Surge. It's one of the most lightweight gel moisturisers you'll encounter, absorbing instantly, yet still managing to flood the skin with hydration. Those with oily skin - or those who just prefer a lighter texture - will adore this.
4 of 10Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex Serum, £60
One of the brand's most iconic products (alongside Double Wear foundation). If you're in the market for a serum that both hydrates and strengthens the skin overnight, look no further. With consistent use, skin feels - and looks - healthier.
5 of 10The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%, £5.50
Taking spot number 5, azelaic acid is firmly embedded in the beauty lexicon. This acid is brilliant at multi-tasking, making light work of brightening tone and evening skin texture. Here it's suspended in a gel-cream that feels hydrating, so you may feel you can skip moisturiser after (although don't forget SPF).
6 of 10Pixi Glow Tonic, £18
Skincare guru Caroline Hirons was partly responsible for shooting this glycolic acid toner into fame. Think of the glycolic acid as a little PacMan, nibbling away at dead skin cells to reveal brighter, smoother, more radiant skin.
7 of 10CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, £9.50
Fuss and frill-free, this CeraVe cleanser took spot 7. It does its job, and does it well: it cleanses thoroughly, removing dirt, make-up and oils, and doesn't leave feeling tight and uncomfortable.
8 of 10The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Masque, £9.90
The third The Ordinary product to appear on the list, consider this mask a flash treatment for blemished, textured or oily skin. It has everything inside you might need to diminish oil or blemishes: kaolin clay, salicylic acid and charcoal.
9 of 10La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo (+) Moisturiser, £17
Three cheers for La Roche-Posay's Effaclar range. This moisturiser is a gem for blemish-prone and sensitive skin: it'll simultaneously hydrate, whilst working to target blemishes and reduce oil production.
10 of 10Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm, £44
Everything about this oily balm is a treat to the senses. Not only does it look like a giant pot of lemon curd and smells like a fancy spa, it melts make-up away like a dream and is a genuine joy to use.
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