2020, and the global pandemic that shaped it, affected every possible industry in different ways. For beauty, while skincare and wellness products saw a serious uptick, questions about when — if ever — we'd wear a full face of makeup again began to swirl almost immediately. Thanks to masks, wearing lipstick has been seemingly unnecessary; wearing makeup in general to go nowhere and do nothing has felt the same.
On the flip side, however, millions of people have used this time to simply recalibrate their relationship with beauty — whether that meant leaning into the space and its products as an escape and new artful hobby, or trying the latest launches to help streamline their own routine. Whatever it is, the industry delivered, welcoming hundreds upon hundreds of new products that added both fantasy and ease into routines anywhere.
From second-skin tinted moisturizers and dewy cream bronzer to Byredo's whimsical color cosmetics debut and the Glossier equivalent of of eyelash extensions, this year's biggest makeup launches defined the many moments, feelings, and phases that beauty lovers went through in 2020.
Ahead, check out the NYLON beauty team's favorite makeup releases.
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