Four-ish weeks into 2026, NewBeauty readers seem to have one beauty category top of mind: makeup. Last month, readers snapped up innovative new launches from fan favorites Jones Road Beauty, YSE Beauty and Prada, while also stocking up on cult-classic makeup from MERIT Beauty and CHANEL. Skin care followed closely behind, led by Martha Stewart–founded ELM Biosciences, which makes the list twice. Speaking of repeats, lip balms also appear more than once (not surprising given the daily below-freezing temperatures across much of the country).
Ahead, see the top 10 beauty products NewBeauty readers bought most in January.
Jones Road Beauty Working Name Gel Tint*
*(sold exclusively in The Dusty Rose Kit and The Sunkissed Kit; $80 each) What do you get when Jones Road Beauty blends the best elements of its Gel Bronzer ($36) and Shimmer Face Oil ($36)? Working Name Gel Tint is a lightweight hybrid-gel formula that tints the skin and leaves a soft, luminous finish. Why the moniker "Working Name?" Jones Road Beauty founder Bobbi Brown explains, “Well, sometimes the perfect name takes a little longer to nail. Instead of settling, we kept it honest. For now, it is called: ‘Working Name: Gel Tint.’ Because that is exactly what it is."
ELM Biosciences A3O™ Elemental Serum ($135)
Martha Stewart's skin-care line, ELM Biosciences, appears on the top 10 list not once, but twice. First up is the brand's hero serum, A3O™ Elemental, a product our editor calls "a first-of-its-kind antioxidant serum." Developed with dermatologist Dhaval Bhanusali, MD, it's powered by an A3O™ Complex comprising acetyl zingerone, bakuchiol and a ferulic acid ester to diminish visible signs of aging without irritating sensitive skin.
CHANEL OMBRE ESSENTIELLE Multi-Use Longwearing Eyeshadow in Beige Sable ($40)
Critic's Choice (and Golden Globe) winner Jessie Buckley turned to makeup artist Nina Park for her red carpet look, exclusively courtesy of CHANEL. Park complemented Buckley's side-slicked pixie and caramel lip with neutral eye makeup, including OMBRE ESSENTIELLE in Beige Sable to make the eyes really pop.
ELM Biosciences A3O™ Elemental Night Cream ($165)
When Martha Stewart tells us a night cream makes her skin "noticeably more firm" (with photo proof!), we're all ears, and so are our readers, who flocked to purchase ELM Bioscience's newest launch: A3O Elemental Night Cream.
YSE Beauty Wide Awake Brightening Eye Cream ($68)
This month, Molly Sims’ YSE Beauty expanded its best-selling Wide Awake Brightening Eye Cream into four sheer, color-correcting tints designed to work across a full range of skin tones.“This isn’t about full-on coverage,” Sims says. “It’s about sheer, buildable color correction. You can mix and match shades to find your perfect brightening effect.”
La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Lip Balm B5 ($10)
Is your lip balm actually making dry lips worse? We spoke with two dermatologists in January to get to the bottom of which lip balms really work for chapped, dry lips. Miami dermatologist Anna Chacon, MD recommends La Roche-Posay’s Cicaplast Lip Balm, a lightweight, fragrance-free balm made with panthenol and thermal spring water, to help soothe irritation and support the skin barrier.
Jones Road Beauty The Lippie Stick ($24)
Speaking of lip balms, for a tinted option, you won't go wrong with Jones Road's The Lippie Stick—crowned Best Lip Balm in NewBeauty's 2025 Beauty Awards. Every shade blends plant oils and cocoa butter to soothe lips and deliver a your-lips-but-better wash of color.
MERIT Beauty The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick ($38)
So many celebrities love MERIT Beauty's The Minimalist; Joni Mitchell, Nicole Richie, Lauren Graham and Dakota Johnson immediately come to mind. With a hybrid formula—not quite a foundation, but more than a concealer—it works for all looks, from everyday five-minute glam to standout red carpet moments.
Prada Beauty Conceal Blurring + Micro-Correcting Concealer ($48)
Our editor calls Prada Beauty's latest launch the "chicest concealer on the market right now." Designer status aside, it's formulated with 80-percent skin-care ingredients, including peptides, glycerin and squalane to hydrate, smooth and reduce the look of fine lines and dark circles.
Skinfix Target+ Brighten + Firm 15% Vitamin C Serum ($69)
In late December 2025, “cleanical” skin-care brand Skinfix launched its Brighten + Firm 15% Vitamin C Serum, the first clinical vitamin C formula to receive National Eczema Association approval. The formula features 15 percent THD vitamin C, five percent glycerin, an antioxidant blend of ferulic acid, vitamin E and turmeric, plus two peptides—tetrapeptide and PGA—known for brightening and firming, respectively.
