TikTok has a unique ability to propel a product from relative obscurity to sell-out status in what feels like seconds, and beauty is no exception. Across the platform, there’s endless inspiration when it comes to restocking your bathroom cabinet, from pore-perfecting filters, to the perfect hue of cream blush, and just about everything in between
And while watching our favourite TikTok creators trial these products can certainly tempt us to hit ‘add to cart’, it can be hard to tell through the screen if what you’re seeing is really worth the hype. And that’s where we come in. Below, we’re rounding up our pick of the beauty products that went viral in 2024 that are actually worth your hard-earned money. You’re welcome.
Rhode Toasted Teddy Blush
Just about everything Hailey Bieber touches turns to gold, so it’s no surprise that her beauty line, Rhode, has a cult following. But there’s one product in particular that sent the internet into overdrive this year: the Toasted Teddy Blush. It’s the perfect bronze-y terracotta shade, that’s somewhere between the glow you get from a day in the sun, and the flush of a quick jog around the block. Plus, Hailey has the formula down pat, with the flush giving the ultimate dewy finish.
Drunk Elephant B-Goldi Bright Drops
First, there were the Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi Sunshine Drops. Then, there were the B-Goldi Bright Drops, the prettiest illuminating serum designed to give your skin a healthy glow on its own, or under makeup. The real innovation here is, besides giving your complexion a hit of luminosity, the drops are infused with skin-loving ingredients, like niacinamide and Diglucosyl Gallic Acid.
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Drops and Watermelon Toner
Glow Recipe has had the tweens of TikTok in a chokehold for several years now, but we think the youth could be onto something. In particular, the Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops and the Watermelon Glow PHA+BHA Pore-Tight Toner have featured in just about every Gen Z GRWM. The former is a highlighting serum that delivers the ultimate dewy glow (sans any glitter), while the latter highlights and refines pores, creating the perfect base for light makeup. Key steps in any ‘Clean Girl’ makeup routine for 2024.
The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner
Great skincare doesn’t have to break the bank. For proof, you need only look to The Ordinary’s Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner. Not only does the product deliver to gently exfoliate the skin on your face, but it’s also been loved on TikTok as a treatment for Keratosis Pilaris — those pesky bumps that sometimes form on the outer edge of the upper arm.
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter
It should come as no surprise that this one made our list. Somewhere between a primer and an actual foundation, this skin-perfector by the beauty queen herself is the ultimate makeup multi-tasker. Apply alone for a sheer finish, or under your favourite foundation for the ultimate glow enhancement.
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wand
Another innovation from Charlotte Tilbury, this blush wand delivers the perfect pop of colour via a pillowy cushion applicator. While there are a host of shades on the market, it was Pillow Talk that really captured the internet’s hearts (and ours) this year: a deep, universally-flattering rouge.
Fenty Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter in Wattabrat
This innovative product from Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty combines two of our favourite things: highlighter and blush. Creamy and buildable, it expertly lifts your cheekbone with a pop of the perfect baby pink hue, loaded with superfine shimmer.
Milk Makeup Cooling Water Jelly Tint
If you thought the only appeal of this internet-favourite blush was it’s tactile, jelly-like texture, think again. Not only is the formula fun, but it also serves a purpose: it glides effortlessly over the skin, and is infused with ingredients like aloe, collagen, and seawater, making for a cooling feeling on contact with the cheek. Each shade is sheer (some have likened it to watercolour paint) but buildable, so you can achieve a variety of looks with just the one product.
Clinique Almost Lipstick Black Honey
Don’t let the look of this almost-lipstick put you off. It might appear to be a rich, purply shade, but it applies in a sheer, glossy slip of lightweight colour. Even better, it’s got the lip-loving moisturising effects of a balm.
Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 68 Perfume Mist
There’s something undeniably intoxicating about Sol de Janeiro’s perfume mists, and Cheirosa 68 is certainly no exception. Inspired by a Brazilian garden by the sea, it’s a magnetic fusion of classic florals (in particular, Brazilian jasmine), plus ocean air, and sweet musk. The perfect summer fragrance, if you ask us.
Feature image via Instagram.
