Gamechanging beauty products: 17 skin, hair and wellness essentials the experts can't live without

The Guardian

03-05-2025

How often do you come across a beauty product that genuinely changes the game? Not just a nice-to-have, but something that actually works, solving a problem you'd given up on. The shampoo that really defrizzes. The foundation that lasts all day without creasing. The serum that calms, rather than irritates, sensitive skin.
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Most of us have drawers full of abandoned products: lipsticks that smudge, sunscreens that pill, serums that sting too much. So when something delivers, it's a big deal – often earning a permanent spot in your routine (and a place in your emergency backup stash).
We asked people who really know their stuff – makeup artists, celebrity hairdressers, beauty TikTokers and YouTubers, brand founders, magazine editors and spa buyers – to share the products they swear by: the ones they recommend again and again, the ones that worked where so many others failed.
Relevant Your Skin Seen Lights Out Resting mask
£32 for 86ml at Sephora£32 for 86ml at Feelunique
I've inherited Anglo-Yorkshire skin that's on the ruddy side of rosy, and I'd long resigned myself to that fact. (Your typical 10-minute cleansing and moisturising routine can only fix so much when it comes to evening out skin tone.) That is, until I discovered Relevant's Lights Out mask, which you apply at night and leave on while you sleep for an overnight glow-up. It quenches your skin and leaves everything a bit more even and radiant. Murray Clark, senior style editor, British GQ
Davines Love Smoothing Anti Frizz Duo
£47.50 for 2 x 250ml at Luxurious Look£47.95 for 2 x 250ml at Amazon
As someone with thick hair that can get frizzy, I've tried lots of hydrating, de-frizzing shampoos and conditioners. Some helped, but none worked like this shampoo and conditioner from Davines. I have used them for a few years now, and they have transformed the quality of my hair in a way I didn't think was possible. They make my hair manageable as they are super hydrating and de-frizz like magic, even in London weather, which is no small feat. They are made using quality ingredients, and you can really feel it in the texture. They are also cruelty-free, which is important to me. I will continue using them for ever.Dr Federica Amati, nutritional scientist and author of Every Body Should Know This
Bioderma Sensibio micellar water for sensitive skin
£10.40 for 250ml at Boots£13 for 250ml at Sephora
The ultimate multitasker for sensitive skin. I discovered it during the peak YouTube beauty blogger era in the 2010s, when everyone was French pharmacy obsessed, and it's been a gamechanger ever since. Many micellar waters have caused breakouts for me, but this has not. Its gentle micellar technology effortlessly removes makeup, dirt and sunscreen without stripping the skin. Nor will it make your eyes burn. With soothing ingredients like cucumber extract and a pH that respects the skin barrier, it leaves my face clean, calm and refreshed. It's so gentle and is even perfect for when my skin is sensitised from retinol overuse.Dr Ewoma Ukeleghe, cosmetic doctor and beauty contributor for Elle
Skin Rocks The Antioxidant
£70 for 30ml at Skin Rocks£70 for 30ml at Space NK
I'm big on vitamin C, in food and skincare. It's essential for collagen production, skin repair and overall health, but for years I couldn't find a topical version that worked for me. Most were too harsh for my sensitive skin, leaving it irritated or breaking out. Then I went on Caroline Hirons' podcast, and she gave me a bottle of Skin Rocks The Antioxidant serum. From the first use, I could tell it was different. No stinging, no redness – my skin just looked bright and even. Now I use it every morning after cleansing, followed by moisturiser and SPF. It has been the gentlest and most effective vitamin C serum I've tried, and I recommend it to anyone who's struggled to find one that works.Emily English, nutritionist and author of Live to Eat
Eléngé shea butter
£50 for 350ml at Eléngé
I'm someone who seeks out skincare products that are as natural as possible and feed my skin nutrients because it doesn't react well to lots of harsh chemicals. I heard about Eléngé's shea butter when a friend said it had helped to clear up her son's eczema. It's the best shea butter I've tried, and I have tried so many before, including lotions and creams. I've used it daily for about five years, all over my body, and my skin absolutely loves it. I rave about it all the time. It's moisturising and goes a long way.Portia Ferrari, model, beauty editor and yoga instructor
Differin 0.1% adapalene (prescription only)
£28 for 45g at Boots Online Doctor£29.95 for 45g at the Independent Pharmacy
I have what I call clog-prone skin. I've always had mild to moderate breakouts of flesh-coloured bumps, often triggered by using skincare and makeup products. In 2020, I used a moisturiser that gave me clogged pores. I started looking into retinoids, which I had previously disregarded because I was 24, and they have a strong association with older skin. They're actually primarily an acne treatment. I decided to try them.
I started with a strong over-the-counter retinoid, 0.1% retinaldehyde. Retinaldehyde requires fewer 'steps' to convert into retinoic acid when it's on the skin. This makes it work faster, but means it can be more irritating. After using 0.1% retinaldehyde for two years, I decided to try tretinoin 0.015%, which is a prescription-only retinoid. While I liked it, I found it irritated my skin, so I moved to adapalene (commonly known as Differin), which is still prescription-strength but is known to be less irritating.
If I have a breakout now, I don't have to endure it for long because the retinoid speeds up the skin cell cycle, so anything that happens to your skin is over much faster. It's like having your foot on the gas for skin cell turnover: scarring goes away faster, spots go away faster, spots don't happen as much in the first place. As a result, you get fresher skin. Since using adapalene, my skin has just got better and better.Natalie O'Neill, beauty content creator
Garnier Body Repair 24H Restoring lotion
£2.99 for 400ml at Superdrug£2.99 for 400ml at Amazon
This incredible body lotion is my most used skincare product of all time. I've lost count of how many bottles I've got through. It has been around for 25 years, and my mum and nana used it almost as evangelically as I do. I cover myself in the stuff every morning, and it nourishes, smooths and conditions my skin without any stickiness. I've tried hundreds of body products on the market, from budget to luxurious, and this is the one I always return to. It's light and absorbs quickly, so you don't get a greasy residue that stops you getting dressed, and it isn't overly scented. For about a fiver, you can't go wrong.Caroline Hirons, aesthetician, writer and founder of Skin Rocks
Water Meadow Breathing Balm
£25 for 100ml at Liberty£55 for 100ml at Bertioli
When I visited Thyme, a hotel and spa in the Cotswolds, I discovered its Bertioli products, including the Water Meadow Breathing Balm. In all honesty, I slightly rolled my eyes: I grew up in India, where pranayama (the breath work that is a crucial part of yoga practice) is fundamental and powerful; I couldn't imagine needing an accessory of any kind to support it. That is, until I popped open the lid and took a deep breath – the fragrance of mint and thyme soothes and calms me, virtually transporting me to an English garden. It's an immediate connection to nature via scent. And it's addictive. Nothing can compare with yoga for grounding the mind, body and soul, but this little jar of breathing balm is a great hack for when you're just too tired or jet-lagged, or need a pick-me-up on a long flight or car journey.Divia Thani, global editorial director, Condé Nast Traveler
Calm Patches
£15 for 10 at Ross J Barr£15 for 10 at Victoria Health
A life-affirming addition to my daily wellness toolkit. As an acupuncturist who has distilled his 20-plus years of practising traditional Chinese medicine into his formidable lineup of wellness health patches, Ross J Barr has set the, well, bar for wearable wellness, and I have lost count of the number people in need of a bit of Zen that I have recommended them to. I wear them on flights for reassurance; when watching TV to maximise chill; or even if I need to sit down to write a feature and focus – they get me in the zone. Supplement patches have only been around for about five years, and even now they are a huge trend, with brands launching all the time, these will for ever be my go-to. Jess Diner, global beauty and wellness director, Vogue
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Alpha H Liquid Gold exfoliating treatment
£11.99 for 30ml at Look Fantastic£15 for 30ml at Space NK
This was the first discovery I made as a beauty blogger that made me properly sit up and pay attention. I'd had access to all sorts of skincare as a fashion model, but this liquid exfoliant, containing 5% glycolic acid, was in a new league. It's supercharged skincare that gives me an instant glow, an overnight facial – all of the cliches, but completely justified in this case. I still use this 15 years on (you can now get it with added vitamin C, which brightens skin and protects it from pollutants), and have lost track of the times I've recommended it to friends and family. I only wish I'd discovered it at the height of my modelling career – it would have worked wonders on my tired, oft‑hungover face! Ruth Crilly, beauty content creator and former model
Got2b Glued 4 Brows & Edges 2 in 1 Gel
£5.50 for 16ml at Superdrug£5.15 for 16ml at Amazon
No other styling gel has better hold, and it can be used on your hair and your brows, keeping both tamed all day long – a godsend for when you're travelling and need to pack light. It's great for perfecting a slicked-back bun hairstyle, which I love. And when run through my brows, it leaves me feeling put together, even with no other makeup on. I've never found another product as good at doing both.Chanice Sienna, founder of Bambrows eyebrow salon
Palmer's Coconut Hydrate body oil
£5.92 for 150ml at Boots£7.35 for 150ml at Superdrug
Palmer's Cocoa Butter Softens intensive body lotion
£5.19 for 400ml at Boots£6.49 for 400ml at Superdrug
I struggled with stretch marks in my 20s, and tried a Q10 body cream to tackle them – it didn't work for me. During my three pregnancies, though, I found a concoction that did. I used Palmer's coconut oil and cocoa butter body lotion, mixing the products in one hand before applying to the skin on my abdomen twice daily. It took a bit of time, but it was so worth it. I carried particularly big with my third son, but to this day do not have any stretch marks on my stomach.Emma Coleman, aesthetician
LED Light Therapy Face Mask Series 1
£299.99 at CurrentBody£299.99 at Amazon
Bear with me. I appreciate that at almost £300, this infrared light-emitting face mask is expensive, but it is designed to reduce signs of ageing, saving you money on expensive facial interventions like Botox, laser or microneedling. I just wear it four times a week for 10 minutes, and it leaves me looking fresh every day in a way that even my multi-step anti-ageing skincare routine never has. My skin is plumper, fine lines are reduced, and my face looks more youthful.Nahid de Belgeonne, author of Soothe: The Book Your Nervous System Has Been Longing For
Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm
From £29 for 50g at Elemis£39.20 for 100g at Look Fantastic
It is such a luxurious, nourishing cleanser and brings out the glow in my skin. What's really innovative, though, is the range of aromatic fragrances it comes in: lavender, mint, green fig, black cherry, and rose, my all-time favourite. As you scoop the product up and bring it to your face, it feels like an at-home spa cleanse rather than a functional skincare routine step. It has changed and redefined what I expect from a cleanser.Laura Sheridan, Champneys group spa director
Acnecide Face Gel
£7.49 for 15g at Look Fantastic£9.99 for 15g at Boots
As a dermatologist, I often recommend the over-the-counter treatment Acnecide (benzoyl peroxide 5%) to patients with acne-prone skin. It's a gamechanger because, whereas other non-prescription treatments focus on exfoliation or oil control, this one treats the root cause of acne by killing the bacteria responsible (Cutibacterium acnes). It's relatively gentle. Many of my patients have struggled with spots for years, only to see dramatic improvements within weeks of using it. I have acne and keep a tube in my bathroom drawer to use between cleansing and moisturising when I have a breakout. A small amount on the affected areas, lightly rubbed in, is all you need. Dr Anjali Mahto, consultant dermatologist and founder of Self London
NAD+ Optima Max dietary supplement
£179.99 for 90 tablets at NAD Direct
NAD+ has been transformative, dramatically improving my focus, reducing fatigue, and enhancing overall wellbeing. It's not just about looking good; it's about cellular health and optimising performance. I discovered NAD+ during a demanding period in my career, and I haven't looked back. It's the ultimate inside-out approach to anti-ageing.Dr Rosh, aesthetician
Spacemasks
£18.50 for five at W-Wellness£18.50 for five at Victoria Health
My favourite wellness product is from a British brand called Spacemasks. They're self-heating scented eye masks, and I love to use them at the end of a busy day when I'm tired. They're totally different from anything else I've ever tried. Sometimes, I put them on in the bath and feel as if I'm having a relaxing spa experience. Because they're heated, there have been times I've even used them on the back of my neck as a heat compress. I find they're affordable, and each one of the four scents has different benefits. I've not found a better tool to help me let go of the stresses of my day. The warmth and heating effect is like a kiss on the eyes.Nadia Alibhai, osteopath
Hand model: Roxanna E at Hired Hands. Manicurist: Sarah Cherry using Nailberry. Ring, £205, Giovanni Raspini. Perfume bottle, by Kalki Mansel, from bohaglass.co.uk. Model: Emily I @ Nevs