The Zoe Report

Your beauty routine would get boring without some variety. The caveat: There are more new products launching than ever, all promising to make your skin look plump and dewy, your hair soft and bouncy, and your complexion smooth and poreless. Essentially, it’s hard to cut through all of the noise to determine which K-beauty essence, hair-thickening scalp serum, or skin-blurring foundation actually deserves a spot in your medicine cabinet. And more importantly, which launches you’ll keep in regular rotation in your routine, whether you’re going for a trending “Brontë blush” makeup look or mini twists.

For The Zoe Report’s third-annual Beauty Groundbreakers Awards, we’re spotlighting the beauty products and treatments that don’t just live up to their lofty promises but set a new standard for their respective categories. What makes a contender groundbreaking? An innovative formula, sustainable and/or creative packaging, or cutting-edge technology are all great places to start. Bonus points if a product checks off multiple boxes.

This year, we parsed through 1,671 submissions, enlisting our team of editors, staffers, and expert guest judges to swatch, slather, and blend 225 semifinalist products. After several weeks of testing and examining our results, we determined the 84 standouts.

Here, you’ll discover the most groundbreaking skin care, fragrance, body care, hair care, tools, makeup, and nail products of 2026. Your routine is about to get a major upgrade.