Gucci has twisted, challenged and subverted notions of beauty in recent years, opting out of the hyper-airbrushed archetype instead for something idiosyncratic, eccentric and well… undeniably Gucci. 2020 sees the brand launch into the mascara category with new vigour – a baby pink and gold tube sure to enamour both the beauty and fashion sets alike. Inky black pigment defines, while the rigid comb wand pulls each and every lash to sky-high proportions. To quote the brand precisely, “it builds and builds for eyes that are everything!” In 2020 the eyes have it. As long as they’re wearing Gucci, that is.

GUCCI MASCARA L’OBSCUR, SHOP NOW

Few mascaras can boast the accolades that Kevyn Aucoin’s iconic The Volume formula can. Despite appearances, the teeny tiny brush delivers a perfect coat of full, brow-skimming volume. And because of the groundbreaking tubing formula, flaking, smudging and smearing aren’t an issue (at all). To remove, it’s as simple as warm water and feather-light pressure. A makeup marvel, even 19 years into its tenure as one of the industry’s most celebrated products. At Kevyn Aucoin, makeup dreams really do come true.

KEVYN AUCOIN, THE VOLUME MASCARA, SHOP NOW

Since its launch in 2011, the world fell hard and fast for the smoky, esoteric qualities of Santal 33. What was originally a proposed antidote to glossy, mass-produced fragrance soon became the ubiquitous signature of cool boys and girls the world over, be it on the subway in New York, seaside in Sydney, or a karaoke bar in Tokyo. The perfect balance of masculine and feminine, it’s also been a catalyst for the rise in gender-neutral fragrance; the blurring of lines that dictate who wears what. And it would seem, the answer to that question over the past 10 years, is almost always Santal 33.

LE LABO, SANTAL 33 EAU DE PARFUM, SHOP NOW

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, unless that rose belonged to Mr. Ford. Part of the designer’s Private Blend collection, Rose Prick is a scent inspired by Ford’s private garden; a wild mix of rose de mai, Turkish rose and Bulgarian rose. It would be easy to lump it with other saccharine florals, but it wouldn’t be fair. It’s not a delicate rose or a romantic rose; it’s a tangled, dangerous mess of thorny bushes and ruby red blooms, hard to wrangle but extremely desirable. Punchy and demanding, it’s made for the exhibitionists among us.

TOM FORD, ROSE PRICK EAU DE PARFUM, SHOP NOW

Welcome to the future, where pizza comes by drone and face cream comes via DNA test. There’s no doubt we’re on the cusp of a personalisation obsession, but Australian skincare brand/luminosity dealer Rationale is miles ahead, launching its DNA Personal Prescription service early this year. The product itself comes after an in-clinic DNArray Medical Consultation (an in-depth complexion examination and mouth swab). Afterwards your labs will inform the creation of a unique cream or serum designed to target your genetic makeup. The result is high tech, high quality product perfection (and really, really great skin).

RATIONALE, DNA PERSONAL PRESCRIPTION RICH CRÈME, SHOP NOW

Professor Augustinus Bader gained the loyalty of skin enthusiasts everywhere when he launched his titular products, The Cream and The Rich Cream. Counting Victoria Beckham and Hailey Bieber among fans, they hit cult status in no time at all thanks to the inclusion of Bader’s own research-backed Trigger Factor Complex (TFC8®), proven to activate stem cells and speed up skin renewal. Professor Bader’s instructions are simple: use alone for 28 days and your life (and complexion) will change forever. Expensive. Addictive. Iconic.

AUGUSTINUS BADER, THE RICH CREAM, SHOP NOW

Red lipsticks are in no short supply, but few are cut from the same cloth as Mac Cosmetics Retro Matte in Ruby Woo. The iconic shade is creamy, rich and velvet-like, defined by its magic ability to suit any person, any time (and outlast any dance floor). Equally classic, modern and sexy, a swipe of this carnal red is more than just a makeup move – it’s a power move. Universally flattering with universal appeal. Ruby Woo: giving good lip for 10 years (and counting).

MAC COSMETICS, RETRO MATTE LIPSTICK IN RUBY WOO, SHOP NOW

Punchy pouts aren’t necessarily a thing of decades past, but there’s no denying our modern-day obsession with all things natural, but better. Dior knows what we want before we do; they did it once with the original Lip Glow Balm formula, and now again with the newly launched Lip Glow Oil. It marries the nostalgic obsession with lip gloss to a modern day colour palette of lived-in pink. Hydration, colour and a glassy shine, you can really have it all.

DIOR, LIP GLOW OIL IN 001 PINK, SHOP NOW

Arguably one of the biggest skincare revolutions we saw in recent times was the introduction of The Ordinary – a Deciem-owned brand that refuted the murky relationship between ingredients, brand name and price point. Suddenly, you could craft an efficacious routine out of $15 single-ingredient serums. It felt like cheating the system, and the beauty world was mad for it. While every product is a good one, one can’t deny the pull of the Granactive Retinod 2% Emulsion: a gentle form of retinol proven to fight the good fight against lines, blemishes and uneven texture for less than a book download on Kindle. What a time to be alive.

THE ORDINARY, GRANACTIVE RETINOD 2% EMULSION, SHOP NOW

A-Beauty, or Australian Beauty, is the industry’s answer to simple skincare. The concept rose to prominence in recent years, dropping a pin on a map otherwise dominated by the idiosyncrasies of K-Beauty. Designed to moisturise and soothe the skin, the Minenssey Hydrating SOS Mist is formulated with probiotic ACB Yoghurt Dermal Respiratory Factors to reinforce the skin’s barrier, protecting its integrity (important in Australia’s unforgiving climate). Calming Calendula works synergistically with White Tea, Portulaca Flower and Lemon Aspen to bolster antioxidant protection, while the jewel in Minenssey’s A-Beauty crown – Flannel Flower – provides quick, dewy hydration on the go.

MINENSSEY, HYDRATING SOS MIST, SHOP NOW