One of the major things we are experiencing right now is the transition from being isolated to being out and about all the time. What happens during that drastic change is that you lose structure and the routine of your day! To make ourselves feel good and to regain the sense of self-care (and of course after seeing our favourite influencer following skincare routines religiously) we push ourselves to follow a skincare regimen. Which is amazing, but you may ponder on the fact that why is everybody obsessed with skincare suddenly? Why is skincare once considered an unglamorous duty for women trying not to, suddenly cool?

Maybe it’s the prevalence of self-care or the need to self-soothe. As Jia Tolentino wrote after she purchased an exfoliating cleanser “I was unsure if I was buying skincare or a psychological safety blanket, or how much of a difference the two there really is”. Some say that they like the ritual element and some look forward to just setting aside that time because of the sole satisfaction they achieve after. All in all, there’s no harm in following a skincare regimen only if you’re using the right products and investing in brands that makes a difference, for real!

Brands that should get a place of their own in your vanity are listed below, so if you’re interested in making your skin better, scroll down to have a look!

La Roche-Posay

When we think of the French skincare brands, La Roche-Posay is one of the few brands that springs to mind. With a focus on catering solutions for sensitive skin, the formulas are both gentle and compelling. With a massive range of products to choose from, this brand is reaching new highs perpetually and providing the best experience to its consumers. Gaining a cult following in the beauty community with rave reviews, it’s unsurprising that La-Roche Posay has become everyone’s favourite French skincare brand. Plus, you don’t have to go to a French pharmacy to add these items to your skincare regimen. La Roche-Posay thermal spring water, EFFACLAR DUO+, EFFACLAR Purifying Cleansing Gel are some of the products that you should buy.

Bobbi Brown

If you’re in your early 20s, then you’d remember how mums were obsessed with Bobbi Brown’s Vitamin Enriched Moisturiser! Every college going girl has stolen this moisturizer from their mother’s vanity, that’s for sure! This face moisturizer is jampacked with ingredients that create a creamy, rich texture. It starts with butylene glycol, which adds a smooth layer to your skin for a more enhanced appearance. Squalene seeps into pores and rejuvenates skin at a core level. Finally, beta-carotene is an antioxidant that supports skin health. You’ll also find shea butter and vitamins B, C, and E, which combine to hydrate and nourish all day underneath makeup, an effect that gets better with time.

The Inkey List

The beauty landscape is awash with brilliant and budget-friendly skincare lines, yet one we return to time and time again is The Inkey List. When this line first launched back in 2018, everyone was instantly intrigued. Their MO is simple: effective, no-messing skincare products that sort your skin out without splurging. This brand is often compared with the best Ordinary products for its affordable cost and formulas focused on single ingredients. While both brands deliver impressive quality products, the Inkey List’s retinol serum has no match to date. So, if you want to limit your option from its wide array of products, you should get your hands on their retinol anti-ageing serum.

The Ordinary

Very few brands have revolutionized the way The Ordinary has. Before the Canadian brand blessed us with the best products, accessibility to cheap, high-quality options, it was mostly restricted to makeup. Even with so much innovation among drugstore skincare brands, few cheap finds really rival what luxury serums and moisturizers have to offer. That’s why the buzz for The Ordinary products and the infamous The ordinary AHA BHA peeling solution refuses to die down. This incredible brand takes a clinical, science-based approach to skincare and specializes in single-ingredient-driven products that deliver targeted results.

Drunk Elephant

Whether in your vanity or on your Insta feed, you can’t help but be drawn to the brightly-coloured bottles. And the idea of a results-driven line without fragrance, essential oils, silicones or alcohol is highly compelling. Who wouldn’t want to incorporate a few Drunk Elephant products in their skincare routine? Drunk Elephant’s Protini Polypeptide cream is definitely a star of the show, and a must-have in your skincare routine! The moisturizer is packed with peptides, you must know that polypeptides are essentially the building blocks of proteins and, when applied topically, signal the skin to produce collagen, which basically is the need of our skin.

CeraVe

After 15 years of its launch, CeraVe is as popular as ever! In fact, 2020 was massively impactful, as according to the brand Global General Manager, Penelope Giraud, the brand was recognized as one of the rapidly growing for the year. We are almost towards the end of 2021, and this brand is still shining the brightest. The brand manager explains how CeraVe found itself at the centre of a dizzying number of videos and how Gen Z trusts the peers they see on social media who have become ingredient experts. Focusing on formula first, CeraVe products contain the same blend of three ceramides, which restore and repair the skin barrier. Their formula-first ethos has allowed the brand to develop a simple point of view and minimalist regimen that makes skincare accessible and affordable to a wide audience.

SkinCeuticals

SkinCeuticals Vitamin C isn’t just a serum it is “the Vitamin C Serum”. Since it launched in 2005, dermatologists and beauty editors alike have sworn that its formula is the stuff skin dreams are made of TL;DR: the hype is real. What are the key ingredients of this magic potion, you ask? Well, the three major ingredients in this serum are 15% L-ascorbic acid, a highly potent form of pure vitamin C that neutralizes free radicals and replenish the skin’s lipids and 0.5% ferulic acid, a plant-based antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals and enhances the antioxidant benefits and stability of Vitamin C and E. It cannot be stressed enough that how much skincare enthusiasts love this product, you should really give it a go if you haven’t already!

Fresh

Fresh is another skincare brand that has been stealing the spotlight nowadays! If you’re someone who loves to explore through Sephora shelves, chances are you’ve come across Fresh products before. There are many Fresh products that have a bit of a cult following, including Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment and Kombucha Facial Treatment Essence. The brand aims to combine potent natural ingredients, modern science and ancient rituals when creating all of its beauty products.

Olay

Every skincare geek is aware of the magical oils of Olay and Olay moisturizers! Their Regenerist Luminous Facial Oil is a new daily treatment oil that contains nine natural oils to nourish, hydrate and soften skin. With facial oils on the trending horizon, the Olay oils are no less than a magic potion for your skin. This line of Regenerist oils and serums has skyrocketed in popularity since the products’ launch in 2003, its is safe to say that the hype was worth it. This range of oils and serums has done wonders for the people who were looking for best anti-aging products.

Murad

Murad has always been stealing the thunder of every skincare brand out there when it comes to social media hype! And rightly so, this brand has actually earned the recognition through its mind-blowingly amazing products. Murad’s philosophy is to take a holistic view of beauty, combining skincare and wellness. This incredible brand motivates and encourages its users to eat right and live healthy to achieve the best results from Murad products. Albeit its is a high-end brand but once you invest in it, you’ll truly understand what the hype is all about!

Fenty

You can count on every Rihanna fan for literally anything she graces with her golden touch, from music to makeup to fashion! So, when her fans heard that she’s coming up with her very own Fenty skincare line, half of the globe went nuts and hyped up to try it. Fenty skincare range complements Fenty Beauty, and for the track record, everyone felt that her skincare range would be another area where Rihanna wouldn’t miss. And they weren’t wrong! Fenty Skin truly was a hit and checked all the boxes of a great skincare brand by all means. One of the best things this range possesses is that each of each of the brand’s skincare essentials is created with dual purpose