Sometimes it feels as if you need a degree in science to keep up with the latest beauty concoctions and inventions—especially when it comes to this year’s Beauty Innovator award winners. The most cutting-edge launches of the year use ingredients and technology derived from jellyfish, oyster mushrooms, fermented flowers, and even the pig genome. Meanwhile, skin care devices are becoming more and more high-tech, and in-office treatments are breaking ground in eliminating dark spots and sun damage.
You may be getting celebrity skin care brand fatigue, but world-renowned scientists are launching their own products that utilize years of research on stem cells and molecular chemistry. When it comes to fragrance, cosmetic chemists are tapping into the science of how scent affects our mood and consulting AI to create the perfect combination of notes. But breakthroughs aren’t being made in just formulations—brands are creating new ways to make packaging more environmentally conscious than ever.
It’s all very exciting, but we have to admit: Doing the research and testing whether these innovations actually deliver can be overwhelming. To break down which 2024 launches are most worthy of your attention (and money), we enlisted an array of beauty experts, from dermatologists to lab researchers, and had them weigh in on the latest and greatest beauty innovations across seven categories. We also tested all of these breakthroughs ourselves, with help from our colleagues, friends, and family. The result? The 27 beauty innovations we’re most excited about right now.
