Between the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, two major awards shows, melodramatic pageant-girl feuds on The Bachelor, the battle of Fyre Festival documentaries, and 10 Year Challenges (are those over yet?), the first month of 2019 felt a whole lot longer than 31 days. While the news cycle was buzzing along, we kept ourselves centered in the best way we know how: by trying all the new product releases that rolled in for the new year.
After the holiday sales and seasonal releases comes all the 2019 newness, and we’ve had our eyes on upcoming products since last month — so we couldn’t wait to try out some of the innovations, cheap thrills, and winter saviors on our lists. Ahead, all the new products that our beauty editors loved in January.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
"For the past few years of my life, if I chose to take a shower at night, I knew there was a good chance I’d wake up with hair that had greasy patches in areas that had clearly just been laying flat against a pillow for eight hours. I honestly thought this was normal, but turns out I was just using conditioner that was far too heavy for my fine hair. After trying out a few different conditioners that promised to not weigh down my hair, I finally stumbled upon this foam one from Dove and have fallen in love."
"Now, I did have some reservations. Would it feel like rubbing shaving cream all over my head? Would it give me flashbacks to that terrible mousse we all used in middle school that’d leave our hair crunchy? Thankfully, neither of those things happened. After you squeeze out some of this conditioner, all you have to do is rub it between your hands for a second and it liquifies into what really feels like any other conditioner. I’ve used it consistently for the past few weeks now and haven’t woken up with greasy hair once." — Rachel Lubitz, Senior Beauty Writer
Dove Ultracare Conditioner Foam, $4.88, available at Walmart
"I heard about this dewy balm from Harper’s Bazaar beauty director Jessica Matlin, who co-hosts the Fat Mascara podcast. She described it as the highlighter for people who want a glow that shines the way real skin does after a really good facial — and I knew I had to have it. After I saw the shiny black stick with the Chanel label, I, too, was instantly obsessed. The translucent balm inside gives my cheekbones and the bridge of my nose a glow that looks like my skin is naturally glossy and perfect." — Megan Decker, Beauty Assistant
Chanel BAUME ESSENTIEL Multi-Use Glow Stick, $45, available at Chanel
"I was worried at first that Press Pause, a pale, cloudy robin’s-egg blue, would wash out my fair skin and feel much too bright and spring-y for this time of year. Once it was on my nails, I realized that my initial hesitations were totally misguided: The color proved to be a gorgeous blend of cool blue and soft slate gray, and I’ve never received more compliments on a manicure." — Decker
Essie Serene Slate Nail Polish Collection, $9, available at Ulta Beauty
"I love a sleeping mask because I feel like I’m giving my skin six or seven hours of uninterrupted healing from the beating it gets on my walk to and from work when it’s five-below. This one has a refreshing, cooling gel texture and a faint cucumber-y scent that I love, but it’s the way it makes my skin look in the morning — glowing and bouncy — that will keep me loyal through the cold front and beyond." — Decker
Kora Organics Noni Glow Sleeping Mask, $48, available at Kora Organics
"After turning 26 last month, I knew I had to get serious about my skin care — along with cutting down on carbs — if I wanted to live out my dreams of having J.Lo skin into my 40s. I’m still eating bagels and rice, but I can say that my nighttime routine got an upgrade with this serum, which combines exfoliating acids with a natural alternative to retinol. I’ve been using it every night after seeing a visible difference in my dark spots and breakouts in just one use." — Thatiana Diaz, Beauty Writer
Allies Of Skin Mandelic Pigmentation Corrector Night Serum, $88, available at Cult Beauty
"It’s very rare that I find a foundation that truly impresses me, but this one did exactly that. Not only did I have a hard time finding my color with its 60 shade options — in a good way — but the formula looked so smooth on that I sent a selfie to my mom, best friends, and cousin. The formula covered everything, even when my skin was on its worst behavior, like FaceTune in real life. Makeup artist Lee Jaramillo taught me that the trick to making sure it doesn’t feel or look cakey is applying with a foundation brush versus a sponge or hands." — Diaz
Morphe Fluidity, $18, available at Morphe Brushes
Morphe M439 – DELUXE BUFFER, $15, available at Morphe Brushes
"Kristin Ess is the queen of affordable, well-made hair products that do exactly what they say they will, smell great, and seem much more expensive than they actually are. This new launch from her scalp line, a daily mask that promises to soothe and rebalance your scalp while making hair strong and shiny, has blown my mind and saved my fine, frazzled strands. No greasy roots, no itchy scalp, no split ends — I just slather it on from root to tip after shampooing, brush through with my Wet Brush, and leave in for a few minutes before rinsing for soft, glossy, healthy-looking hair." — Rachel Krause, Senior Beauty Writer
Kristin Ess Weightless Hydration Daily Scalp + Hair Mask, $14, available at Target
"At risk of sounding insufferable, I will just say that there is nothing more personally on brand for me than a $58 sheer lip treatment that somehow, according to the brand, ‘invokes the rebellious spirit and decadent Rococo style that flourished in the court of Versailles.’ I have three in my bag right now." — Krause
Clé de Peau Beauté Refined Lip Luminizer, $58, available at Cle de Peau Beaute
"Usually I’m into ‘no-makeup’ makeup looks — a little lipstick, and I’m all set. But for New Year’s Eve, I wanted to go all out with contouring, baking, draping, and cut-creasing, so I picked up this full-coverage Huda Beauty concealer from the beauty closet."
"After watching YouTube videos to get my technique down, I attempted to highlight my cheeks and nose using a concealer shade a few notches lighter then my complexion. Let me tell you: This product is magical. The metal tip cools on contact and the pigment is powerful — my purplish-blue circles were completely gone. When I stumbled back into my apartment around 3 a.m., there was no creasing or smearing, even though I had to battle a little New Year’s rain." — Jessica Cruel, Deputy Beauty Director
Huda Beauty The Overachiever High Coverage Concealer, $30, available at Sephora
"There is nothing sexy about this product — not the giant tub it comes in, not the thick occlusive texture, not the smell, nothing. But there is also nothing that has softened my dry cracked elbows, scaly knees, and crispy cuticles faster. I even smoothed some on my eczema, and while it didn’t make it go away, it stopped the itching immediately (most creams make it burn worse). I keep a giant tub on my desk at work at all times." — Cat Quinn, Beauty Director
Aveeno Cracked Skin Relief Moisturizing CICA Balm with Oat, $9.65, available at Rite Aid
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Source: Refinery29