Going Cruelty-Free
CoverGirl made major waves by becoming the biggest brand to go completely cruelty-free this year. Parent company Coty also announced that we'll see another of its brands go cruelty-free by 2020, so you can expect this positive trend to continue. In the meantime, check out our list of our favorite cruelty-free beauty brands.
Image via @covergirl
CBD Everything
Following marijuana's legalization in a handful of states, all things CBD have been on the rise as well. Though not hallucinogenic (that's THC), CBD oil still has a ton of benefits for skin and hair, thanks to antioxidants and its emollience. Milk Makeup has made great use of the stuff in its products, including the kick-ass Kush High Volume Mascara, $24, (it swaps the typical mascara ingredient, beeswax, for CBD oil, thus making it vegan) as well as Kush Lip Balm, $16, (it conditions and hydrates lips like you wouldn't believe). We also consider ourselves fans of the recently launched Herbivore Emerald Deep Moisture Glow, $48, which is as nourishing as it is picturesque.
Image via @herbivorebotanicals
The Death of the Naked Palette
Urban Decay held a funeral for its seminal Naked Palette this year and in a way that was symbolic of the end of the neutral eyeshadow's long reign. In 2018, some of the buzziest eyeshadow palettes were quite colorful, from the Fenty Beauty Moroccan Spice Eyeshadow Palette, $59, to the Anastasia Beverly Hills Norvina Eyeshadow Palette, $42, to Urban Decay's own Born to Run Eyeshadow Palette, $49.
Image via @urbandecaycosmetics
Adaptogens on the Rise
Along with the gradual movement towards clean beauty and natural ingredients, adaptogenic ingredients have become increasingly popular. Defined loosely as natural, stress-reducing plant extracts, adaptogens are being used with more and more frequency in different skin care products, such as Youth to the People Adaptogen Deep Moisture Cream, $58, and Moon Juice Beauty Shroom Plumping Jelly Serum, $58.
Image via @youthtothepeople
Hawaii Bans Reef-Killing Sunscreens
This spring, Hawaii passed a bill to ban all sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate due to their reef-harming effects. Good mineral sunscreens have been on the market for a while, but thanks to increased awareness around the dangers of certain chemical formulations, lots of brands are coming out with new mineral formulas lately, including Supergoop! 100% Mineral Smooth & Poreless Matte Screen SPF 40, $38, and Biossance Squalane + Mineral SPF 45, $39.
Image via @supergoop
