2020 Beauty Favorites (and a Rapidfire Last-Minute Gift Guide Therein)

2020 has been a year of lots of beauty explorations, leading both to discovering new favorites and also rekindling love for old ones. When thinking about my most loved products from this year, however, I was struck by not only how there was one standout from every beauty category (makeup, skincare, haircare, bath and body, and fragrance), but also just how each item would make a great gift idea for any beauty loving person to ask for or to buy for a loved one. Some these products mentioned here may find their way into more dedicated product reviews in times to come on La Petite Rose, but today, here is an overview of my most cherished products from all of 2020.

Best of Haircare: Tangle Teaser The Original ($12 USD Target, Ulta, TangleTeaser.com): This product is a prime example of a late-blooming love. I have had my Tangle Teaser for going on about two years now and, until now, mostly had relegated its use for travel, and by far it's compact, egg-shaped or computer mouse-shaped design makes it great to toss in any bag and use on the go. However, nowadays it has become my every day brush too, I have very fine hair that is quite dry and breakage-prone if not handled with care, and the fact that it is some what wavy coupled with its thinness makes my hair very prone to tangling. But the Tangle Teaser makes it so easy to glide through any knots without pulling or tugging while helping keep the shape of the waves in my hair if I want to emphasize them. It is also great at lifting hair up at the roots too for extra volume, which anyone will appreciate. When hair is straight, the Tangle Teaser glides effortlessly through, leaving no trace of frizz anywhere, This would be a great gift for essentially everyone. My four-year-old niece loves how it glides through her hair and makes brushing easy and tear-free while her nine-year-old big brother uses it to comb down his behead on the daily. Since it launched, Tangle Teaser has come out with many variations of the Teaser, including ones more specifically geared to hair types such as the extremely fine as well as thick and curly, and every iteration comes in a choice of colors and patterns, so you will be able to find one that perfectly suits anyone on your list,

Best of Skincare: Biotherm Aquasource Aura Concentrate ($51 USD Biotherm-Usa.com) A new discovery in 2020, Biotherm Aquasource Aura Concentrate has been by far the most transformative skincare product for me for 2020 and maybe one of the most transformative I've ever tried. It is a brightening hyaluronic acid-based serum enriched with sea plankton and other sea-sourced ingredients, Vitamin C, and macademia nut oil, among many other powerful skin hydrators to instantly plump up, smooth, and boost radiance. As someone who has struggled with dry skin literally since birth, I cannot tell you how satisfying it is for my skin to drink this up each morning and evening. I find that I never start feeling dry midday like I used to, and I need to layer less of my thicker, more occlusive moisture on over top of this and in the warmer months, I can sometimes skip occlusive moisturizers altogether with this on, especially during the daytime. My skin also appears less red and much more even-toned both upon application and also with the results gradually improving even more so over time.

Though skincare can sometimes be a tricky thing to give as a gift, I truly feel that anyone of any age or skin type can benefit from this product, but especially for any one that has drier skin whether chronically or just for the winter season, and it will slot into any routine and pair beautifully with any other products they might use.

Best of Makeup: Glossier Cloud Paint ($18 USD Glossier.com) Glossier has won my heart yet again and this time with a kind of product that I have traditionally not always loved--- cream blush. A lot of times, cream blushes can either be to slippy and messy and smear eveywhere and don't say on, or else they dry down to quickly and stain the cheeks after next to no blending time. Not so with these. This are a creamy, non sticky comfortably formula that both applies to and wears on the cheeks with a truly comfortable, cloud-like feel that makes it worthy of its name. And the flush can be both sheered out or made more punchy and bold with simple gradual layering of the product with no extra tackiness the more you out on. Whichever look you choose, after about a minute, the color becomes budgeproof but also emulsifies easily with nearly any face wash or makeup removing product. Best pf all, I love the curated variety that the six shades have to offer from browns to pinks to vibrant oranges to flushes of berry, I would love to try any shade, but my go-to workhorse these days is Dusk, a beautiful beige blush that is neither too cool not too warm on my pale, cool-toned skin but would also work on a variety of skin shades and undertones. These blushes would be wonderful ways to add a fun and versatile color splash into anyone's makeup routine.

Best of Bath and Body: Bath and Body Works Aromatherapy Collection Foam Baths $13.50 USD Bathandbodyworks.com) Bath and Body Works has been a a decades-long haunt for fun bath products for a lot of us, but for me their Aromatherapy Collection-- especially the Foam Baths-- are a relatively recent discovery that is is for sure going to become a perennial favorite. In contrast to the shower gels in their regular line, I find that the scents in the Aromatherapy Collection are much more straightforward and earthy and grounding, make them super relaxing at nighttime or a refreshing way to start the day, and while they do give off some bubbles and a nice clean feeling left on the skin, the lather is not so much that my skin feels stripped.

Scent-wise, you will find options in the floral and fruit realms, some are greener and fresh, and some are more warm and sensual, making this collection truly have something for everyone. Personal favorites of mine out now are Cedarwood Vanilla an airy yet smoky scent that is both sweet and earthy and Eucalyptus Tea a returning classic that is a blend of fresh eucalyptus and floral white tea that always helps me feel calm and refreshed in the morning but also relaxed and soothed for bedtime. Continuing with their Eucalyptus scents, which I am a huge fan of, I also have to mention the classic Eucalyptus Spearmint for an invigorating yet calming morning shower that wakes you up in a gentle way for these crisp winter days.

Best of Fragrance Burberry the Beat Eau de Parfum ($78, 30 ml (1.0 oz) $98 USD, 75 ml (2.53 oz) Us.Burberry.com) We round out this list with a genuine lifelong love of mine that I am lucky to have back in my life. Burberry the Beat is a perfume marketed for women that is a zesty spunky blend of sparkling bergamot, a warm twist of mandarin orange, and smoky, crisp iris and peppercorns all resting on a bed of spicy cedarwood. Because it is a perfect melange of woody, fruity, spicy, and floral, this is a great universally appealing perfume that I find has a place for any season or occasion. It is ooth vibrant and fun yet has a great air of sophistication to it. I have worn this in both my teens and twenties, and as I will be approaching thirty soon, I know it will continue to be a prized possession. So whether you are looking for someone in your life's first-ever fancy perfume or know or are a seasoned fragrance connaisseur , I totally recommend giving a bottle of the Beat a try.

These are the highlights of all my favorite beauty discoveries (and rediscoveries from 2020), and I hope whether you are starting your gift buying or wrapping things up, or maybe picking up a thing or two for yourself, that these suggestions will be helpful. Can't wait to see what beautiful things (both product and beyond) 2021 will bring to us all! Happy Holidays!