Glamour Editors Around the World on the Beauty Products They Can't Live Without

Glamour's editors-in-chief share the beauty items you’ll want for 2021, from simple facial treatments to serums that give serious results.

Glamour Editors Around the World on the Beauty Products They Can't Live Without

A year ago our world completely changed. As our health and wellness became a priority during the pandemic, our routines shifted, and the comforts that were once small luxuries took on an increasingly important role in our lives. 

It's something Glamour's editors-in-chief around the globe know well. Collectively, they've seen the ways in which their readers—who span four continents—have navigated the past 12 months, whether that be working from home while also managing childcare or finding an escape in a luxurious face cream or warm shower. With limits on in-person beauty services, social distancing, and mask-wearing requirements, we've had to try our hands at being our own hairstylists, manicurists, and facialists. But we've also had fun experimenting—buying new skin care tools we saw on TikTok or rediscovering a love of hairstyling—which is what annual Glamour Beauty Awards are all about.

So on that note, we asked Glamour editors-in-chief across the world to share what beauty looks like in their neck of the woods now, and what their personal winners are. Here's what's brought each of them comfort and joy over the past year. 

Samantha Barry, editor-in-chief of Glamour US

What are the biggest beauty trends in your country right now? 

There's a renewed focus on purpose over profits. Shoppers are now asking what beauty brands stand for, how inclusive their teams and product ranges are, and their stances concerning climate change, social justice, politics, and more. We've recently seen big beauty retailers like Sephora sign on for the 15 Percent Pledge spearheaded by Aurora James to devote more shelf space to Black-owned businesses. 

How did the pandemic change your beauty routine? 

Pre-pandemic, I spent more time, effort, and money on makeup than skin care. That all changed in 2020. There's no need for a signature red lip under a mask. Instead, I've become a skin care connoisseur with extensive night and morning routines and weekend facials with my favorite facial freeze tools. Yet, I still haven't managed to get my manicures right, despite panic buying a gel nail lamp in the early days of the pandemic.

What products are your personal award-winners? 

I use Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil at the end of my nighttime skin-care routine to seal all the goodness in and extra hydration. And since scalp care is as essential as skin care in my books, I use Act and Acre Scalp Detox. Your scalp ages seven times faster than your face. This Reader's Choice winner not only nourishes your scalp but is a great way to promote hair growth.

Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil

Act+Acre Scalp Detox

Nontando Mposo, editor-in-chief of Glamour South Africa 

What are the biggest beauty trends in your country right now? 

In South Africa, some of the current beauty trends include skin and eyes. Taking care of your skin comes first. Well moisturized and healthy glowing skin means you can go with little to no makeup. And for eyes, false lashes are big business now and a must-wear for makeup lovers—the more dramatic the lashes, the better. Magnetic lashes are also fast gaining popularity as they are easier to apply and last longer. 

How did the pandemic change your beauty routine? 

With mask-wearing becoming mandatory, I now wear less makeup, which means my skin can breathe more often. My routine hasn’t changed much otherwise. Sunscreen is still an essential step in my routine, even though I'm working from home. Working from home also means I have the time to make juices with ingredients, such as carrots, kale, etc., that help take care of my skin from the inside. I also have more time to use all sorts of face masks several times a week.

What products are your personal award-winners? 

Wet n Wild Prime Focus Primer Serum is my favorite. I have oily skin and this primer gives my face a refined and matte finish when I'm going makeup-free. LanoLab Multi-Use Natural Balm is another. It works like magic on my lips and as a hand lotion. It’s rich and smells amazing. 

Prime Focus Primer Serum

Lanolab Multi-use Natural Balm

Anke de Jong, editor-in-chief of Glamour Netherlands

What are the biggest beauty trends in your country right now? 

With Nikkie Tutorials as the biggest influencer from our country, she inspires our makeup looks in the Netherlands, especially eye makeup, since we're wearing a face mask all the time. Glow is the magic word for skin care, and everybody is working on their skin. People are doing more facials and treatments than ever. I also see that people have extended their evening and morning routine (think around seven steps), all for perfect, healthy, glowy skin. For nails, the French manicure made a comeback but with fleeky colors. 

How did the pandemic change your beauty routine? 

I wash my hair a little less (once a week), learned to curl my hair myself (thank God for the Dyson Airwrap). I wear less makeup and pay more attention to skin care with a lot of masks and peels at home. Oh, and I quit gel/nail polish completely on my fingers. I just have natural nails now.

What products are your personal award-winners? 

My favorite beauty product is the Gisou shampoo. I have a lot of hair, and it's pretty heavy, so I am always looking for products that make it stiffer and give it even more volume. Balmain's Dry Shampoo is also a winner. It makes it possible for me to wash it once a week. Charlotte Tilbury's Magic Day Cream is my favorite product for glowy skin. Chanel's Hydra Beauty Foundation gives a very light coverage that works perfectly for me, combined with Dior's Skin Correct Concealer. And I'm obsessed with my eyebrows—soap brows give me that feathery look that I wish I woke up with.

Gisou Honey Infused Hair Wash Shampoo

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream Moisturizer

Krisztina Maróy, editor-in-chief of Glamour Hungary

What are the biggest beauty trends in your country right now? 

Face oil is quite a trend. It came with the longing for more natural products, and somehow it started with CBD oil about two years ago. 

How did the pandemic change your beauty routine? 

My skin care became more sophisticated. I added more Omorovicza to my collection, the new Midnight Renewal Cream and Illumineye C Cream for around my eyes. I am very focused on my under-eye area because of all the screen time I have.

What products are your personal award-winners?

I insist on a rouge when I want to feel better. My favorite is the Bourjois Paris Velvet edition. I'm also fond of all the Lush products and their sustainable way of creating beauty.

Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick by Bourjois, Hot Pepper

Deborah Joseph, editor-in-chief of Glamour UK

What are the biggest beauty trends in your country right now?

The biggest beauty trends in the UK now include the bob hairdo in all its fabulous forms: the French bob, the modern Diana bob, we seem to be going crazy for this simple but super cool style. The '70s fringe has also made a big comeback. I'm going straight to my hairdresser George Northwood to get one once our salons open. Green, pistachio, kiwi, and lime-colored nails are going to be huge for summer—though I'll personally be sticking to my summer favorites, lilac and pinky pastel shades.

How did the pandemic change your beauty routine?

The pandemic changed my beauty routine completely, taking it from salon-based to bathroom-based overnight. I started using Josh Wood Colour (5.5) to dye my hair and cover my graying roots. My hairdresser George kindly gave me a Zoom tutorial on cutting my hair as it was so dry, so I now know how to cut the length and the layers around my face. But I can't wait to go back for a professional cut. Skin-wise, I'm using more serums than ever before because I have time to focus on my skin. In the morning, I use The Ordinary's Hyaluronic Acid under my moisturizer. At night I use Dermalogica's Vitamin C serum also under moisturizer. A couple of times a week, I use a retinol serum, which helps brighten my skin.

What products are your personal award-winners? 

My personal winner for skin is Estée Lauder's Advanced Night Repair. It's a great all-round product that shows visible results. It's one of the best products I've ever used on my skin and the one I go back to time after time. I use it under my moisturizer at night and put it everywhere, including my eyelids.

Guerlain's Terracotta Bronzer is never far from my side for a quick pick-me-up for Zoom calls. I've worn it every day since I was 17 years old and can't find a bronzer to beat it for my Middle Eastern skin tone. The product that I couldn't live without, though, would be my concealer—preferably of the cream variety. My favorites are Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage, Il Makiage Mystique Correcting Cream Concealer, and MAC Studio Finish Concealer.

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex

Guerlain Terracotta Sunkissed Natural Finish Bronzing Powder

Katarzyna Dąbrowska, editor-in-chief of Glamour Poland

What are the biggest beauty trends in your country right now? 

Self-care, from body care to care of the mind and soul. We want to feel good, healthy, and strong. We are looking for beauty products that help us feel relaxed, healthy, and show our natural beauty. The strongest trend is wellbeing.

How did the pandemic change your beauty routine?

First of all, I don't do makeup every day. My skin has become smoother, relaxed, and brighter thanks to that. I finally have time to take care of my hair too. I can put a mask on it and work. My hair looks better than ever before.

What products are your personal award-winners? 

Purite Manus Hand Sanitizer with natural essential oils. It leaves my hands clean and disinfected but doesn’t dry out my skin. Another favorite is Veoli Botanica's Firming Body Oil Serum with active rosemary extract. It restores the elasticity, smoothness, and softness of my skin, and it provides deep relaxation during a body massage. Lastly, I love the Crystallove Rose quartz face mask. It helps me to relax. It's like a spa for my eyes and part of my evening routine every night.

Veoli Botanica Aroma Body Therapy Firming Body Oil

CRYSTALLOVE Rose quartz face mask

Ani Mladenova, editor-in-chief of Glamour Bulgaria

What are the biggest beauty trends in your country right now? 

As everywhere, the pandemic transformed beauty habits here in Bulgaria. We were used to bold lipsticks and a heavy contour game, and now I see more people spending significant time on wellness and skin care. Nourishing masks are currently big, along with hair care. It’s good to see people embracing their effortlessly chic looks.

How did the pandemic change your personal routine? 

I stopped wearing foundation underneath my mask and switched to cream highlighter rather than blush. When I want to have some fun with makeup, I play with my eyes.

What products are your personal award-winners? 

Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water and La Mer The Concentrate saved my skin from mascne. They both have a calming effect and strengthen your natural response to daily irritants. Kevyn Aucoin Unforgettable Fuchsia was my go-to lipstick in the first color-starved days after each lockdown.

Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water

KEVYN AUCOIN Unforgettable Lipstick - Enigma

Giovana Romani, editor-in-chief of Glamour Brazil 

What are the biggest beauty trends in your country right now? 

Natural beauty! The beauty of being yourself is finally trending in Brazil. Driven by the need to stay at home, we've embrace our hair and skin as they are. From straight to natural, the hair transition was a big theme among both anonymous and famous women, causing terms such as low poo, no poo, big cut, and braids to be more discussed and searched. Another trend we’ve been witnessing, and that has everything to do with this moment, is skinimalism: more and more, we search through skin care and makeup for ways to enhance the luminosity and natural texture of our skin, instead of covering it up—a silver lining in an era of so many face filters on social media.

How did the pandemic change your beauty routine? 

First and foremost, I finally got a routine! Establishing a sequence of good habits helped keep my mind and body healthy during confinement, in which all days seem the same. I introduced to my day-to-day some ayurvedic practices, such as cleaning my tongue first thing in the morning and exfoliating my body with a natural brush once a week. Essential oil blends have also played an important role: now, I use them to focus or sleep better.

What products are your personal award-winners?

I love the texture of the Cleanser Balm by Brazilian hype brand Sallve. For me, it's a huge plus to be able to optimize processes and remove my makeup in the shower. I also love the Foreo UFO Smart Mask Treatment. The sonic gadget massages, moisturizes, and relaxes your skin, and works with various purpose masks. It's my moment of luxury on the weekends. 

Sallve Make-up Blam

Foreo UFO 2 Smart Mask Treatment

Ruhama Wolle is an associate editor at Glamour. Follow her on Instagram @ru_wolle.

This story originally appeared on: Glamour - Author:Ruhama Wolle