From NYX’s lip liner stains to The Ordinary’s ‘Botox in a bottle’ serum, here’s what our beauty lead makes of January’s viral products
January is always the month when beauty goes into overdrive. Between the endless scroll of TikTok recommendations and the promise of a ‘fresh start’, it feels like there’s a new must-try product going viral every five minutes. So instead of you all adding them to your basket and hoping for the best, I decided to put them to the test properly, trying a different hyped-up beauty buy every day for a week to see which ones actually deserve the attention.
From lip liner stains and cult tints to plumping serums being dubbed ‘Botox in a bottle’, these are the products that dominated my feed this month, and what I really thought after using them…
The Ordinary Volufiline 92% + Pal-Isoleucine 1% Plumping Serum 15ml
Shop it for £19.50 on Cult Beauty
This £15 ‘filler in a bottle’ serum is going viral for its effect on under-eye hollows
Why is it going viral? While ingredients such as hyaluronic acid offer a temporary plumping effect by hydrating the top layer of the skin, Volufiline instead works deeper to boost and regenerate structural molecules like collagen, elastin and glycosaminoglycans, which support fat pads beneath the skin – something that decreases as we age.
Zoe’s verdict: “I’ve seen people dabbing this under their eyes, on their cheeks and across their lips, and they all have one thing in common– their results, in all areas, look impressive. I’ve only been using this for one week, so I can’t say it’s an anti-ageing wonder, but so far, it’s good. My skin definitely feels more bouncy, and areas under my eyes look less dry.”
Benefit Benetint Dark Cherry
Shop it for £22.50 on Cult Beauty
Why is it going viral? It’s unanimously thought that Benefit’s Benetint is one of the best on the market. Plus, it was around long before tints even came into trend. This Dark Cherry shade has sparked TikTok talk from a fair few users who say the original shade looks ‘a little too pink’. It’s the first time this original formula has had a shade expansion in 25 years, so it’s big beauty news.
Zoe’s verdict: “Every time I wear a Benetint out and about, without fail, one of my friends asks me what my lip combo is. When I tell them it’s courtesy of Benefit, they give me a knowing nod like we’re all part of an elite club of beauty lovers who have heard about this holy grail buy. The formula is the same, though the scent is a little bit more floral, for this Black Cherry shade, but its tint definitely shows as a darker, plum-like tone on my lips. I really love it, and I think it’ll look gorgeous on dark skin tones.”
NYX Professional Makeup Lip Lingerie Lip Liner Stain
Shop them for £12.99 from Boots
Why is it going viral? Lip tints are everywhere right now, and NYX is making the trend feel refreshingly accessible with its £10.99 launch. The 12 new shades join the already popular Lip Lingerie line, best known for its matte liquid lipsticks that were famously compared to Kylie’s lip kits.
Zoe’s verdict: “I won’t use anything other than a lip tint now, just because I love that they don’t smudge, fade or transfer. But, some of the tints in my collection have quite thick, felt tip-like applicators – not great for precision lining. I immediately knew I’d love NYX’s Lip Lingerie liners because of the tiny ball-point tip, which makes drawing a neat line easy. Once on, it lasts for ages on my lips, even through a coffee or two. The shade Cuff Me looks great paired with the Benetint in Black Cherry.”
The Inkey List Glycolic Acid Body Stick
Shop it for £12 from Space NK
Why is it going viral? With a 7% glycolic acid and 0.5% salicylic acid formula, this easy-to-use stick is being hailed as a godsend for acne, keratosis pilaris, and ingrown hair sufferers. It looks a little like a twist-up deodorant, so it’s easy to swipe on arms, the chest and the back. Some of the organic reviews show really great results, but just be wary that there seem to be a fair few ‘commission paid’ style videos for the buy, too.
Zoe’s verdict: “I wanted to try this to see if it was going viral because of how good it is, or because its acne-clearing promises just had a load of people buying it out of desperation. I’m pleased to report I really like it. I’ve started using it on my back to unclog pores, and it’s working well. I also really love how mess-free it is, compared to other glycolic liquids that are hard to apply to tricky areas.”
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Vanish
Shop it for £28 from Cult Beauty
Why is it going viral? This concealer and colour corrector hybrid (available in four shades) launched in 2019 to a near-instant cult following. However, it’s re-found a bit of viral fame on TikTok this January. There are hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of videos of users claiming it’s their trick for looking like they’ve had eight hours of sleep.
Zoe’s verdict: “I actually had this in my make-up bag before it started to go viral, so I can fully attest to its under-eye awakening abilities. When I first saw the pot, I thought it looked a bit small, but it’s lasted me ages. I dab a bit under my eyes throughout the day when my concealer starts to wear off, and it really just refreshes my whole look. I’ve seen some really impressive results on dark circles as well.”
