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December 2022 was filled with several exciting launches in the beauty industry, and honestly, it seemed to have the most new launches out of any month this year. The final weeks of 2022 came with the arrival of a new nail polish collection from Megan Fox, an invisible pimple patch, a shiny highlighter from Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty and much, much more. For a glimpse into how 2022 ended for the beauty industry, take a look at 16 of the most exciting products that made their debut in the final month of 2022.
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1. This dandruff-fighting shampoo: Ouai Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
When dandruff arises, it tends to stick around like a fly that never wants to go away. The Ouai Anti-Dandruff Shampoo intends to be the solution to stopping those pesky flakes and endless itching sessions. Claiming to work with all hair types and textures, the shampoo contains exfoliating salicylic acid to prevent flakes from forming. For best use, allow it to sit on the scalp for five minutes twice a week.
$36 at Sephora
2. These jewel-toned nail polishes: Megan Fox x UN/DN LAQR Nail Collection
Actress Megan Fox teamed up with her fiancé Machine Gun Kelly’s nail polish brand, UN/DN LAQR, to create a collection of nail colors mimicking her “favorite crystals and gemstones,” the brand states. Fox’s nail color line features four shades: “Twin Flame” (a deep ruby red), “Past Life” (a bright royal blue), “Brutal Honesty” (an emerald green that’s a nod to her engagement ring stone) and “Deep Breath” (a moonstone glitter).
You can get all four hues in the $90 Play With Fire Kit, which also comes with the Nothing Matt(er)s Top Coat, “Third Eye” (a purple-toned nail color) and two nail art brushes. Shades “Past Life,” “Brutal Honesty” and “Deep Breath” are also available in the $56 The Big Bang Set.
Startingat$56 at UN/DN LAQR
3. This skin-brightening moisturizer: Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Moisturizer
The winter season is prime time for developing dull, dehydrated skin, but the Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Moisturizer aims to make skin appear brighter when the days aren’t looking so bright. Made with normal and dry skin types in mind, the cream-based moisturizer uses fermented lemon peel and advanced vitamin C to brighten the complexion. Meanwhile, squalane helps to keep skin hydrated. You can use the moisturizer in the morning and at night daily.
$56 at Sephora
4. This dark circle-banishing eye cream: Kopari Niacinamide & Caffeine Eye Bright Cream
Kopari’s new Niacinamide & Caffeine Eye Bright Cream not only claims to minimize the look of dark circles but also supply the under-eyes with moisture. Both niacinamide and caffeine aim to reduce dark circles, but the former also adds moisture and the latter de-puffs the skin. Using your ring finger, pat a pea-sized amount onto the under-eyes after washing your face.
$36 at Kopari
5. This invisible pimple patch: Peace Out Skincare Acne Day Dot
A pimple patch that promises to quell the most annoying of breakouts is great, but one that also claims to be invisible on its own and under a layer of makeup is even better. Peace Out Skincare asserts it’s made a pimple patch that meets both of these claims with the launch of the Acne Day Dot.
Like its top-rated predecessor, the Acne Healing Dot, the Day Dot calls on salicylic acid to clear the pores, aloe vera to soothe redness and retinol to smooth skin. After cleansing, put the dot on the blemish and leave it on for six hours.
Starting at $19 at Peace Out Skincare
6. This acne scar-fading face mask: Drunk Elephant Bouncy Brightfacial Brightening Mask
Let’s be real: Getting rid of acne scars is a more arduous process than doing away with the actual blemishes. The Bouncy Brightfacial Brightening Mask from Drunk Elephant pledges to assist in the acne scar-fading process while bolstering skin’s radiance and alleviating redness. Azelaic acid acts as the brightening agent and salicylic acid cleans pores and targets uneven skin texture. Apply two to three pumps of the mask as the last step in your nighttime skincare routine.
$68 at Sephora
7. This brow-enhancing wax: Benefit Cosmetics Fluff Up Brow Wax
Picture this: a brow wax that doesn’t flake or crumble as soon as you put it on. The Fluff Up Brow Wax from Benefit Cosmetics claims to be just that while promising to keep brow hairs in place “for up to 12 hours.” Its roster of ingredients include jojoba seed oil and shea butter to condition and soften hairs, respectively. To give your brows some fluff, use the wax’s accompanying spoolie to brush the brow hairs upwards, then comb back the hairs in the opposing direction of hair growth for volume. The wax is available in both mini- and full-size tubes.
Starting at $15 at Sephora
8. This shimmering highlighter: Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter
Rare Beauty, Selena Gomez’s makeup line, continues to make shockwaves across the internet, and this time, her fans are enamored with the Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter. The powder-based highlighter claims to produce “an instant glass-like sheen for an easy, natural-looking glow that lasts.”
It’s available in four shades: “Enlighten” (cool champagne), “Exhilarate” (champagne gold), “Flaunt” (true gold) and “Mesmerize” (rose bronze). Using a fluffy brush, dust the highlighter below the brow bone, the high points of your cheeks, the inner corners of your eyes and the tip of your nose for a glow that comes Selena-approved.
$25 at Sephora
9. This brow gel that helps brows grow: Grande Cosmetics GrandeBrow 2-in-1 Tinted Brow Gel + Brow Enhancing Serum
If you like to touch up your brows with a helping of tinted brow gel, then you may want to consider trying the Grande Cosmetics GrandeBrow 2-in-1 Tinted Brow Gel + Brow Enhancing Serum. In addition to providing the brows with a hint of color and volume, the tinted brow gel claims to make brows look thicker and darker “in as little as six to eight weeks,” thanks to the brand’s proprietary brow-enhancing serum, castor oil and beet root extract.
This brow gel comes in four shades: “Light” (soft brown), “Auburn” (medium chocolate-brown), “Medium” (medium brown) and “Dark” (dark brown). Apply the gel in upward brushstrokes for an au naturel effect.
$38 at Sephora
10. This multipurpose oil: The Outset Ultralight Moisture-Boosting Oil
The Outset, a skincare brand founded by actress Scarlett Johansson, has whipped up a new lightweight oil that’s meant to be used on the skin, hair and nails. Dubbed as the Ultralight Moisture-Boosting Oil, this oil purports to deliver hydration that dries down in a matter of seconds. It relies on its proprietary “hyaluroset complex” to provide hydration and avocado oil and squalane to retain moisture.
For optimal results, place two to three drops on dry skin or combine it with your moisturizer. If you’d rather use it on your nails, apply one or two drops on each cuticle to keep them strong and hydrated. As for the hair, rub a few drops onto the ends for a subtle sheen.
$44 at The Outset
11. This hair-drying towel: Prose Haircare Towel Wrap
Instead of waiting for your hair to dry on its own or standing in front of a blowdryer for several minutes, why not cut down on drying time with the help of a hair towel? The Prose Haircare Towel Wrap aspires to do just that, in addition to minimizing frizz and “preserving hair’s natural texture,” per the brand. Flipping your hair forward, place the microfiber towel on your head with the elastic band on the nape of the neck, then twist the towel around your strands to sop up excess moisture. Let the towel sit on your head and secure its tail into the elastic band.
$34 at Prose
12. This pimple patch for chin zits: Hero Cosmetics Mighty Chin Patch
Pimples that take residence on the chin are arguably some of the hardest blemishes to get rid of, and the Hero Cosmetics Mighty Chin Patch wants to expedite the process. The patch affirms to move with you as you go about your daily activities without unsticking or causing an annoyance. Furthermore, the patch takes on the job of flattening blemishes and latching onto what the brand calls “pimple gunk” using hydrocolloid material. Secure it onto your chin after you’ve completed your skincare routine, and let it stay on the face for six to eight hours.
$18 at Hero Cosmetics
13. This dazzling makeup line: M.A.C. Cosmetics x Whitney Houston Collection
In honor of the new movie, “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” M.A.C. Cosmetics has partnered with the Whitney Houston Estate to create the M.A.C. Cosmetics x Whitney Houston Collection. The limited edition makeup line is inspired by the legendary singer’s style and welcomes a roster of seven makeup goodies for the eyes, lips and face.
On the eye makeup side, the collection offers the lash-enhancing 80 Romantic Lash False Eyelashes and Whitney’s Nippy Eye-Conic Eyeshadow Palette. For the pout, the lineup includes a lip glass and a lipstick. As for the face, you can snag both a powder blush and highlighter. The collection comes with a golden-toned bag designed to store all your makeup, too.
Starting at $20 at M.A.C. Cosmetics
14. This self-tanning spray: Coco & Eve Sunny Honey Antioxidant Face Tanning Micromist
Sun exposure tends to be sparse in the winter season, so why not fake that you’ve spent some time under the sun? The Coco & Eve Sunny Honey Antioxidant Face Tanning Micromist claims to lend the complexion a “natural tan” that provides “a long-lasting glow” using dihydroxyacetone (DHA), the only FDA-approved ingredient for tanning. You can find the mist in three shades to cater to light, medium and deep skin tones. Spray the mist onto the skin once you’ve finished your skincare routine.
$30 at Coco&Eve
15. This hairstyle-preserving product: JVN Hair Embody Volumizing Foam
It’s always a shame when hair falls flat before the day ends, but the JVN Hair Embody Volumizing Foam avows to keep volume and bounce intact for all hair types and textures. The styling foam looks to marshmallow root extract to hydrate strands and biotin, which contains vitamin B7 to help thicken hair. Starting at the roots, put two to three pumps of the foam on damp hair, then work it down to the ends. Once it’s applied, proceed styling your hair.
$29 at Sephora
16. This body-firming oil: Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Body Firmeza Oil
Beloved beauty brand Sol de Janeiro continues to elevate self-care routines everywhere with the launch of the Bum Bum Body Firmeza Oil. The oil proposes “to visibly tighten skin and reduce the feeling of puffiness when used as part of a self-massage ritual,” according to the brand.
Its ingredient roster consists of Brazilian olive oil to give the skin a glow, micro algae extract to minimize puffiness and the Guaraná Caffeine+ Complex, a proprietary mix of oils to tighten the skin. You can slather the oil on your body alongside the also-new $20 massage tool that claims “to optimize the body’s natural detox process.”
$52at Sol de Janeiro
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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.
