2024 brought us the release of new celebrity brands and products we all loved — only, which ones were just a fad and which were worth the hype? Here are the top four products we loved and four that didn’t make the cut.
Empties We Loved
As for products we loved, the Tower 28 SOS Rescue Spray is a definite yes. Although this spray will run you $28 for a standard size, coming from a gym girl, it’s worth it. The spray has Hypochlorous Acid, which is anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. Not to mention, Hypochlorous Acid is naturally created by the body’s immune system, meaning that its ingredients are all-natural. Using this spray after working out has reduced redness in my skin and significantly decreased sweat-induced breakouts, earning it a spot on my top four empties.
Moving on to a product from a celebrity brand– products that, yes, often get overhyped — the Rare Beauty Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Stick is not one of them. Lasting for months at a time, this bronzer is never patchy and creates such an effortless glow. With my dry skin, I have refrained from using bronzer in the past because of a lack of blendability in most products, this product turned me into an avid bronzer user. It’s also formulated to eliminate irritation on your skin, and is made without pore-clogging ingredients like white water lily and gardenia. The care and detail put into this long-lasting product makes it one I will undeniably be repurchasing.
As for hair products, The Amika Blockade Heat Defense Hair Serum is a holy grail. Packaged in the most aesthetic hot pink glass bottle with nothing short of a divine scent, this heat serum is more than just its appearance. With my curly-hair and the magnitude to which I straighten it, the Amika Heat Defense Hair Serum has dramatically decreased my split ends. It’s also made out of sea buckthorn, a source of omega 7 that promotes elasticity and hydration in the hair. This product also lasts months even with constant use, making it worth its $32 price tag.
Coming from yet another celebrity brand, the Lady Gaga Haus Labs Foundation is quality that you can feel upon application. This foundation is silky, never looks cakey, and smooths the skin beautifully. Its minimalist packaging is stunning and elevated. Other than its quality performance, the foundation is clean and infused with 20+ skincare ingredients, aiming to ensure that customers don’t break out upon use. Its carefully chosen ingredients and flawless finish make it worth every penny and I cannot wait to repurchase.
Moving on to the bottom products in our 2024 empties — those that didn’t live up to their expectations.
Empties We Didn’t Like
While we had a fair share of celebrity successes in this list, our first celebrity failure — while it may be a controversial take — the Rhode Peptide Lip Treatment. While many love it, its grainy texture after only a few uses has taken many consumers aback. Solutions have surfaced on TikTok to boil the lipgloss and it will become smooth again, but for an $18 lipgloss, quality should be assured. Not only that, but recent reviews have been claiming a foul odor coming from their lipgloss. Personally, the Rhode Peptide Lip Treatment is an empty product that I was glad to see go.
Yet another controversial product, The Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter. While many see it as a holy grail, from my experience, it’s no different, if not worse than the Elf Halo Glow. As a price comparison, with Charlotte Tilbury coming in at $49 and Elf Halo Glow coming in at $14, Charlotte Tilbury is a nonsense purchase. Not to mention, after having it for a week, my makeup bag turned into alphabet soup as the letters on the bottle rubbed off and onto everything else. So, the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter was yet another empty I won’t be repurchasing.
Moving onto a non-makeup product, Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve was a complete miss for me. With my extremely dry skin, when I buy a product marketed to people with dry skin for all-day care, I expect that the product will be thick and nourishing. Running me $33, this product did not live up to its name. The salve was nowhere near thick enough and the smell was enough to disturb users. Overall, this product was nowhere near worth the money and didn’t live up to its advertising.
Moving onto yet another controversial product, The Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi™ Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops. While these drops were all the hype on social media, when I tried them myself I was wildly disappointed. Using them on dry skin gave a patchy and almost dirty look; the shimmer that came with them did not mix well with my other products. Additionally, after having it for a while, it began releasing a foul odor. After trying competitors, the Saie Glowy Super Gel or Lumi Glotion works much better for a bronzed base.
Overall, my beauty routine was transformed for the best in 2024! Some products showed out for the best, and others for the worst, but I hope this list helps you pick your next products with confidence!