Every year I love looking back at my favorite beauty purchases of the year and whittling down the best of the best for this post. One of my favorite perks of wit & whimsy is the amount of beauty products I can test through the year. I try a lot and many never make it to the blog or my Instagram because they’re just OK. You know if I am sharing something it is GOOD. It is why I talk about the same products over and over again, too.

I continue to prioritize a cleaner beauty routine so many of the products I tried this year once again fall into “clean beauty” but I also tried a lot of trending products to see if they were worth the hype to report back to you guys.

This year I was pleasantly surprised by many of the clean products I tried this year which made for a lot of fun discoveries last year. I particularly set out to fine the best clean alternatives to favorite traditional products I have used and loved for years. It meant a lot of testing but I made some major progress which was so exciting.

In 2021 I wrote a lot of in depth reviews on particular brands sharing the products I thought were the best from a variety of buzzy lines. I continue to share products throughout the year in videos, too and I hope you find them helpful as you discover and shop new products.

The Best Beauty Products I Tried in 2021

1. Farmacy Green Clean Cleansing Balm

This cleansing balm is so amazing! It truly feels heavenly going on and just melts into an oil taking all of your makeup off oh so easily. Totally hooked on this stuff and it’s officially being added to The Best Clean Face Cleansers.

2. Strivectin Intensive Eye Cream

This eye cream is so good for helping to firm up the fine lines around the eyes. After weeks of testing I kept reaching for it and added it to My Favorite Eye Creams.

3. Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream

Turns out this stuff really is great. My skin loves it. I started getting DMs with compliments weeks after I started using it! I bought the mini bottle first to make sure I liked it and it was worth the price.

4. Merit Beauty Flush Balm

A buttery soft flush that goes on like a sheer balm but is buildable. Read my whole Merit Beauty Review.

5. Nexxus Weightless Hold Hair Spray

Absolutely love this hair spray because it doesn’t feel like a hair spray but performs like one. Was so glad I was introduced to it via this collaboration.

6. Chanel Les Bieges Water Tint

My new go-to summer makeup. I’ll admit – I didn’t like this stuff at first – but then when I saw how it held up in humid summer months here in NYC and I was hooked. It evens out skin tone, adds a slight bit of sheer coverage and doesn’t have the melt factor that so many base products have in the summer.

7. Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss

Shade 722 is just so damn good. I absolutely love how this gloss makes my lips look. It sold out a lot for good reason.

8. Dior Cuticle Balm

File under Bougie Beauty Products that Actually Delivery. I always get super dry cuticles because I use hand cream so rarely. This balm is magic! It revives nails overnight and truly makes your fingers look like you’ve had a manicure. A little goes a long way so you’ll have this bougie balm for a long time.

9. Saie Beauty Sun Melt Duo

This bronzer and brush is so satisfying to use. It gives this really good resort-esque golden glow and really melts into the skin.

10. Westman Atelier Squeaky Clean Lip Balm

I am obsessed with this product. It was hands down my most used beauty product of the year. See me try on my four shades here.

11. Kerastase Densimorphose Hair Mousse

My hair stylist recommended I start using mousse as a styling product and I love how it makes my hair look. This one from Kerastase smells great and isn’t sticky. It adds great volume and movement while also giving a bit of hold to my curls, too.

12. Color Wow Hair Mask

Hair.So.Good. A little bit of this mask goes a long way and it revives hair in a major way. My hair feels so, so much softer and so much healthier after I use this on a weekly basis.

13. Mason Pearson Pocket Brush

I 100% get the hype now – this brush made me actually want to brush my hair (I used to never!) and it helped make my hair healthier this year. I got the pocket sized one since I don’t have tons of hair and because I couldn’t stomach the full size brush price ;).

14. Gisou Hair Oil

I love adding a bit of oil to my hair after styling. It cuts down on frizz and hydrates my ends. A little goes a long way so I recommend buying the mini bottle. Plus that makes it perfect for travel.

15. Grande Lash Heated Lash Curler

Never going back to a traditional lash curler again! I love how this lifts my lashes so quickly and impact-fully. It sold out time and time again last year after going viral on TikTok so if you see it in stock don’t miss your opportunity to grab it.

16. Vanity Planet Facial Steamer

My favorite Sunday ritual. I love using this steamer for 10 minutes before doing some face masks. It opens up your pores and helps products work better.

A few other favorites I loved this year:

Westman Atelier Beauty Butter Bronzer

Buttery, bronzed goddess status achieved. This is great all over or for contour and it happens to come in the most gorgeous compact.

Bille Razor

Bought this after hearing all over the internet about it and couldn’t believe how much better it was than the Gilette razor I’d been using for nearly two decades.

Revlon Oil-Absorbing Roller

In the summer I get so oily and I love tucking this little roller that has a volcanic ash ball atop it to sop up excess oil I suffer from in humidity and warmer months.

Mighty Patch Micropoint Blemish Patches

The Original Mighty Patches were one of my best discoveries in 2020 and I given I continued to suffer from maskne in 2021, I ordered the new Micropoint patches that help draw out deeper, more cystic-like pimples and absolutely loved them. I wear one to draw up the pimple and then use an OG Mighty Patch after to finish off the job.

Lord Jones CBD Bath Salts

This bath salts smell absolutely heavenly and are oh-so-relaxing. They’ve become a new bath time favorite for sure.

Beauty Pie Glow All Face Palette

A great palette to bring when traveling this palette gives major glow. I love the shades in it and that you can do blush, bronze and highlight all so easily. Read Everything to Know About Beauty Pie.

. . .

What was a favorite beauty product that YOU discovered last year? I’d love to hear in the Comments section below!

And if you’re not yet on my email newsletter list, be sure to sign up as I send a monthly email of the best beauty products I’ve tested lately!

You May Also Like:

• The Best Beauty Products I Tried in 2020.
• Makeup Organization Tips.
• Clean Beauty Favorites on Amazon.