The Best Beauty Products of 2026 So Far, According to Vogue’s Beauty Team

The truth is the best beauty products change habitually—and frequently. What we loved last year is replaced by some new arrival, that classic you forgot about, or that thing that’s majorly popular on the other side of the world. The speed at which we are discovering beauty is swift—and don’t we know it! Vogue’s beauty team, between here and London, tests a lot of products each week. Not to mention, what’s considered “the best” is entirely subjective. Amongst our teams, we all have different skin types, complexion concerns, and texture preferences. Needless to say, all of our daily beauty routines look different from one another.

It’s hard to believe that 2026 is already more than halfway through. And with that in mind, we’re reflecting on the beauty products that got us through the year so far. For starters, both senior beauty and wellness editor Margaux Anbouba and senior beauty shopping writer Ellie Davis have been quite taken by the new Shark FacialPro since their first trial. Both liken it to a Hydrafacial, apt to suck all the gunk out of your pores. Beauty editor at large Arden Fanning Andrews, on the other hand, is still very much in love with Omi’s hair growth gummies, and considers them a mainstay in her wellness regimen. Beauty shopping writer aConçetta Ciarlo has found similar blemish-fighting solace in esthetician Sofie Pavitt’s regimen—namely, the expert’s mandelic acid serum.

Below, all these and more beauty finds (both new or old!) that have been truly game-changing for our Vogue beauty editors. From high-tech gadgets to newfound signatures, read on to discover our picks.

Hyperpigmentation is my constant companion. Blemish? Dark mark. Bug bite? Dark mark. Blind pimple that never breaks through the skin but causes undue chaos below? You already know. This serum has flattened and faded two particularly difficult dark spots in a matter of weeks, repairing the damaged skin and nixing any dryness or flakiness. —Morgan Fargo, beauty and wellness editor

I just used a whole bottle of Bioeffect EGF Essence, part of their growth-factor line that Vogue editors love, and plan to use another! I splash it directly on my skin in the morning to refresh as a first step, and it’s just the right amount of slip to start the day (and works under makeup without pilling!). —Arden Fanning Andrews, beauty editor at large

Ugh, this stuff is just so good. Whenever I’m so lucky to receive a bottle, I hide it away from friends, family, and beauty-closet perusers. I’m normally generous, but this is just for me! I hoard it because it improves my skin’s radiance and texture overnight without any dryness or redness. I’ve found that the combination of retinol and AHA does my skin well. It’s becoming a top contender for desert island must-haves. —K.M.

I recently got a laser for the first time, and this was the moisturizer that brought me back from the brink of scabby. Packed with red camellia extract, camellia japonica flower water, and shea butter, it’s so light and refreshing it feels like almost nothing on the skin but magically and powerfully hydrates and soothes—really, the best of both worlds. —Margaux Anbouba, senior beauty and wellness editor

Based on every description and review of this sunscreen, I knew it owuld be the one for me. I traveled all the way to Seoul, and beelined for its shelves at Olive Young—eagerly testing it as soon as I got back to my hotel. Fortunately, it lived up to my expectations. Nourishing, lightweight, and white cast free, it has all the makings of an excellent sunscreen. —K.M.

I’m always in the midst of keeping my acne at bay. I’m still deadly serious about removing any comedogenic ingredients from my skin-care routine. The product spearheading my clearer skin has been this mandelic acid serum—it’s gentle enough to use daily and totally free of potential pore-clogging ingredients. Plus, unlike other formulations, it’s not blended with any other acids or unnecessary ingredients. My skin has never been more consistently pimple-free (barring a few hormonal min-breakouts). —Concetta Ciarlo, beauty shopping writer

Kiana introduced me to Merit’s bi-phase cleanser—and, of course, I trust all her recommendations. Since we spend most of our weekdays together, we’ve really come to know each other’s preferences. I was pleasantly surprised to learn the formula was totally non-comedogenic. Plus, the idea that it could easily remove makeup without the need for double cleansing intrigued me. After giving the bottle a good shake, the foaming formula lives up to its promise. There have even been nights when I’ve run out of micellar water and cleanse just fine without it—and guess what? No breakouts. Clearly, it gives a thorough cleanse. I’ve now used it as my night-time cleanser for about four months, and I have no plans to switch. —C.C.

After suffering a bout of acne at the end of last year, I was determined to streamline my skin-care routine and prioritize products with basic formulas that wouldn’t aggravate my skin barrier. 2025 was the year that I fell in love with Tower 28’s SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray. With only three ingredients—water, sodium chloride, and hypochlorous acid—the on-the-go spritzer soothes skin and fights bacteria. A godsend in a major city, I have noticed a decrease in angry closed comedones and general irritation since introducing it into my routine. Ranyechi: 1. Pathogens: 0. —Ranyechi Udemezue, associate beauty and wellness writer

A K-beauty favorite, the milky toner is taking Western routines by storm—mine included. Truthfully, I do not go a day without slathering on one, sandwiched between active ingredients like vitamin C or retinoids to nourish, moisturize, hydrate, and soothe. Ilia’s face milk is in constant rotation. Lightweight and suited for sensitive skin, it’s packed with all the good skin-barrier strengtheners: ceramides, beta-glucan, magnesium, zinc, and copper. —K.M.

It might seem like a faux pas to choose a transparent lip balm in the face of all of the incredible, colorful, eye-catching makeup that comes across the Vogue beauty desks, but this lip balm isn’t like one you know. The cool-tipped, smooth, buttery balm has kept my lips happy, cushioned, and plump since it launched in July. A blend of peptides and phyto-collagen (that’s plant-derived collagen, to the layperson), it feels like a barrier treatment squidged into a lip-gloss packet. I’ve used it down to the last drop, and the one I wrestle out after that, and—well, you get it. —M.F.

Every time I spritz Yon-Ka Phytoaromatic Treatment Mist onto my face while I’m at my desk, someone mentions how they love the scent and want one too! It’s really fun to share and feels like a little spa breeze when I’m on deadline! —A.F.A.

I’ve been using the Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite LED face mask for several years now and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. While there are several red light therapy masks on the market, I rely on this one for its featured blue light treatment which works wonders against acne-causing bacteria. A breakout hates to see this thing coming; and when I’m consistent, they literally don’t stand a chance. —K.M.

I want to be into beauty tools, but I just can’t seem to work them into my routine. But the results from using the Shark FacialPro Glow just once have me obsessed. It’s an at-home version of the Hydrafacial device (easily one of the best facials you can get before any big event!) that sucks out each and every clogged pore on my face like a tiny vacuum, including the actually impossible-to-remove, unsightly bumps on my chin. I couldn’t believe how soft my skin felt for days after and how glowing it was too. —M.A.

For me, it’s not just about the results of the Shark FacialPro, although I love how clean and soft my skin feels after using the Hydrafacial–esque tool; I actually love the process too. It’s so satisfying to use the suction gadget and even more so to see the contents of the waste tank. —Ellie Davis, senior beauty shopping writer

British Vogue’s senior beauty shopping writer Ellie Davis tests the Shark FacialPro Glow.

When I first tried out Higherdose’s red-light hat back in the fall, I couldn’t imagine actually needing to use it. At the time, I hadn’t fully noticed my hair shed yet, it seemed only slightly more than normal. That is, until two months ago when I decided to make it a regular in my nightly wind-down routine. I still need more time to test it to truly see its full results, but I do think I’m starting to see a reduction in hair shedding frequency. Plus, it’s totally easy to use, and isn’t quite as clunky and astronaut-helmet as similar options on the market. —C.C.