Each month, Fashionista editors try a *lot* of beauty products. And while not every formula we test is a winner, we’re constantly unearthing new favorites. Here, we’ve rounded up our latest hair, skin, fragrance, wellness and makeup discoveries — whether fresh-to-market drops or merely recent additions to our personal routines.Before our social media feeds are inundated with “in” and “out” posts for 2026, team Fashionista is reflecting on all the standout beauty products that helped us cross 2025’s finish line.Related: Fashionista Editors’ 33 Favorite Beauty Products of 2025Since December’s freezing temperatures disrupted our skin barriers, we reached for a glycerin-based cleanser to leave skin feeling clean and moisturized, an eczema-fighting body wash with calming sodium hypochlorite, a retinol-infused hand cream, a mandelic acid-powered deodorant to gently exfoliate the underarms and a mask-to-foam cleanser powered by artemisia to soothe the skin. On the makeup front, our editors loved a smudge-resistant lip liner, a chocolate-scented tinted lip balm, a lightweight skin tint delivering a glowing finish and a sensitive skin-friendly setting spray with a 16-hour wear time.Below, we’ve rounded up all of our must-have beauty finds from December.
Cyklar Mandelic Acid Deodorant in Sacred Santal, $20, available here: “I’ve tried basically every aluminum-free deodorant there is, and this is a true standout — from an effectiveness perspective, but also from a user experience, scent and aesthetic one. The lightweight gel roll-on formula relies on a blend of mandelic, azelaic and shikimic acids to reduce odor-causing bacteria while also exfoliating, reducing underarm discoloration and ingrown hairs. The ‘Sacred Santal’ scent is equal parts sweet and earthy, making for a lovely sensorial experience. Plus, because the rollerball is oversized, it allows me to give myself a little underarm lymphatic massage as I apply it.” —Steph Saltzman, Beauty & Style Director
Hourglass Veil Hydrating Skin Tint Foundation, $49, available here: “I recently swapped out my foundation for this lightweight, moisturizing skin tint and it’s completely changed my makeup routine. It gives such a beautiful, glow-y finish without feeling greasy. Plus, it’s buildable to the point that I’ve even stopped wearing concealer with it to give my skin an even more natural look.” —Brooke Frischer, Associate Editor and Social Media Manager
M.ph by Mary Phillips The Overliner Lip Liner Pencil, $25, available here: “I’ve been really impressed with how easy it is to apply this liner. Precise and smudge-proof, this lip liner offers a gentle wash of color that leaves my lips subtly defined. It’s perfect for the no-makeup-makeup look, which is what I’m going for when I’m running out the door in a rush. (In other words, every day.)” —Janelle Sessoms, Staff Writer
Tower 28 SOS Rescue + Relief Body Wash, $22, available here: “My eczema-prone skin flared up from December’s frigid air, and in a cruel twist of irony, hot showers also angered it. Since I refuse to give up scalding showers, Tower 28’s foray into the body-care category came to my sensitive skin’s rescue: Its dermatologist-approved body wash gently soothes the skin with the help of sodium hypochlorite, a calming ingredient that reduces redness while killing bacteria. The pH-balanced formula also boasts apple fruit extract to help retain moisture and cactus flower extract to improve skin texture, which leaves my skin feeling smooth and hydrated all day.” —Catie Pusateri, Staff Writer
Aunu Manuka Cleanser, $58, available here: “This time of year, my combination skin gets especially unpredictable, going from super dry and sensitive to red and broken out (or some unfortunate combination of all of those at once). This cleanser has been a skin-saver: With a 54% natural glycerin base, it moisturizes and plumps skin as it gently cleanses; the thick, honey-like texture feels cushiony as you massage it into skin (and I always need a bit of extra facial massaging during the puffy days of winter). It emulsifies and rinses away easily, while ‘preserving microbiome-protecting good bacteria,’ with antimicrobial manuka honey, per the brand. It’s also spiked with natural enzymes for a bit of ultra-gentle exfoliation, so it keeps my skin (and me) calm, clear and happy.” —Steph
Eadem Le Chouchou Lip Softening Balm in Pain au Chocolat, $24, available here: “You’ll never catch me without a tube of Le Chouchou in my bag, and now my well-loved Bissap Glaze lip balm has a chocolate-scented sister. Eadem’s limited-edition shade, Pain au Chocolat, is a caramelized brown mixed with flecks of pink shimmer that leaves my lips looking deliciously glossy and feeling delicately soft. As a bonus, its scent — chocolate with a hint of coffee — also immediately transports me to a Parisian cafe.” —Catie
IGK Hair Color Depositing Hair Mask in Brown Bella, $32, available here: “I’ve been wanting to dye my already-brown hair darker for a while now, but this mask has been a great trial run to see just how dark I want to go. It’s brought out the richness in my tone and also covered some stubborn, discolored strands.” —Brooke
Saie CitySet Lightweight Setting Spray, $34, available here: “A good setting spray can truly make or break my makeup, and Saie’s CitySet beautifully delivers a natural-looking finish that locks my look in place for up to 16 hours. Its non-aerosol, ultra-fine mist feels like a refreshing boost of hydration thanks to its skin-friendly formula featuring mandarin orange extract, propanediol and glycogen. As a non-negotiable last step in my beauty routine, CitySet seamlessly melds my makeup together for all-day wear without making me feel like I just spritzed extra-hold hairspray to freeze my look.” —Catie
Hanyul Artemisia Soothing 2-in-1 Mask to Foam Cleanser, $22, available here: “Anytime I reach for this, it feels like my face went through a serious deep clean. Powered by hyaluronic acid (for hydration) and artemisia (for soothing), this cleanser effectively removes dirt and purifies my pores without stripping or irritating my skin. It’s working wonders during this winter season, when I need a heavier dose of hydration. There’s also something sensorially pleasing about the texture — a stretchy, thick cream that transforms into a soft, foam lather.” —Janelle
Merit Signature Lip Liner, $24, available here: “This lightweight lip liner genuinely glides on like butter. Coupé, a cool pink shade, provides a my-lips-but-better flush that leaves my cupid’s bow looking perfectly shaped. I love wearing it by itself for subtle definition, but it also shines as the star of any lip combo.” —Catie
Saltair Salt Water Vanilla Nourishing Body Oil, $23, available here: “I like body oils year-round, but they become a crucial tool in holding on to skin’s moisture in the dry winter months. This dreamily vanilla-scented one is my current favorite. A blend of antioxidant-rich oils moisturize and protect skin, sealing in hydration and any other products you’ve layered beneath it (I like to start with a ceramide body serum or retinol-spiked body lotion). It’s lightweight enough that it doesn’t turn you into a slippery little seal, but it does give you a glow-y effect. And while I never grew out of 15-year-old me’s adoration for vanilla gourmand scents, this one is elevated with notes of sea salt and sandalwood to keep it grounded, not cloying.” —Steph
Soft Services x DedCool Theraplush Xtra Milk Retinol Hand Repair Cream + Travel Size Perfume Spray Gift Set, $74, available here: “DedCool’s Xtra Milk remains one of my all-time favorite fragrances, and its scented hand-cream collaboration with body-care brand Soft Services is a godsend for my dry winter skin. Soft Services’ Theraplush spotlights retinol to support collagen production, colloidal oatmeal to soothe skin and panthenol for boosted hydration, leaving my hands feeling soft and rejuvenated. Talk about a match made in fragrance heaven.” —Catie
In case you missed last month’s picks, you can find them here:
Lenox & Sixteenth Soft Landing Smoothing Peptide Moisturizer, $149, available here: “This cushiony, rich-but-not-greasy cream was created by Miami medical aesthetician Amy Peterson, Lenox & Sixteenth’s founder, to help plump, strengthen, moisturize and calm skin. It’s spiked with dual-weight hyaluronic acid for hydration, bakuchiol and resveratrol for improved texture and radiance, and multiple peptides for firming and toning. Just a tiny dab goes a long way, and I’ve found that it’s the ideal product for keeping my combination skin calm and happy as the seasons change.” —Steph Saltzman, Beauty & Style Director
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