# The best of beauty, researched > Desk-researched best-of buying guides with clear awards, trade-offs and sources. Not lab or hands-on tested; inclusion is never sold. - Canonical: https://thecastindex.com/beauty/best - Author: Kaiser Khan (Founder & Editor) - Updated: 2026-09-25 ## [Best Korean sunscreens (UK)](https://thecastindex.com/beauty/best/best-korean-sunscreens-uk) Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Niacinamide is the best all-rounder: a dewy SPF50+ PA++++ cream with modern UK/EU filters for about £15. Choose SKIN1004’s Water-Fit Sun Serum for a serum texture, Round Lab Birch Juice for more moisture, or COSRX Ultra-Light for a sheer fluid. None claims water resistance. - **Best overall:** Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Niacinamide SPF50+ - **Best serum texture:** SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum - **Best for dry skin:** Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturizing Sun Cream SPF50+ PA++++ - **Best for oily skin:** COSRX Ultra-Light Invisible Sunscreen SPF50 PA++++ Markdown: https://thecastindex.com/beauty/best/best-korean-sunscreens-uk.md ## [Best foundations for oily skin](https://thecastindex.com/beauty/best/best-foundations-for-oily-skin) Estée Lauder Double Wear is the best overall for oily skin: oil-free, non-comedogenic, 60 shades and a natural matte finish, at £39.50. Choose Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless for full soft-matte coverage, Fenty Fluid Flex for a flexible natural matte, Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless on a budget, or TIRTIR’s cushion for touch-ups. - **Best overall:** Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Foundation SPF 10 - **Best full coverage:** Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation - **Best natural matte:** Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Fluid Flex Natural Matte Foundation - **Best budget:** Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation - **Best cushion:** TIRTIR Mask Fit Red Cushion Markdown: https://thecastindex.com/beauty/best/best-foundations-for-oily-skin.md ## [Best retinol & retinal serums](https://thecastindex.com/beauty/best/best-retinol-serums) Medik8 Crystal Retinal is the best overall: retinal in six strengths from 0.01% to 0.24%, so you can start low and move up, from £45. La Roche-Posay’s 0.3% Retinol + B3 suits a cautious first retinol; Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 10 is the fragrance-free budget retinal; The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% is for experienced users. - **Best overall:** Medik8 Crystal Retinal - **Best first retinol:** La Roche-Posay 0.3% Retinol + Vitamin B3 Serum - **Best budget retinal:** Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 10 - **Best for experienced users:** The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion Markdown: https://thecastindex.com/beauty/best/best-retinol-serums.md ## [Best vitamin C serums](https://thecastindex.com/beauty/best/best-vitamin-c-serums) SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic is the benchmark: 15% L-ascorbic acid with vitamin E and ferulic acid for morning use, at £169. The Ordinary’s 23% suspension offers L-ascorbic acid for £7.70, with a tingling warning and evening directions. Medik8 C-Tetra and Beauty of Joseon Light On use more stable derivatives, at £45 and £14.50. - **Best overall:** SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic - **Best budget:** The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% - **Best oil-based serum:** Medik8 C-Tetra - **Best K-beauty pick:** Beauty of Joseon Light On Serum: Centella + Vita C Markdown: https://thecastindex.com/beauty/best/best-vitamin-c-serums.md ## [Best lip oils, balms & glosses](https://thecastindex.com/beauty/best/best-lip-oils-and-balms) Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil is the best lip oil for shine and shade choice, at £34. For everyday care, Rhode Peptide Lip Treatment gives glossy conditioning, fragrance-free in its unscented version, at £20; Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask is the overnight pick; Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm is the vegan daily balm; Vaseline is the simplest occlusive. - **Best lip oil:** Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil - **Best lip treatment:** Rhode Peptide Lip Treatment - **Best overnight mask:** Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask - **Best everyday balm:** Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm - **Best gloss:** Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer - **Best honey lip oil:** Gisou Honey Infused Lip Oil - **Best simple occlusive:** Vaseline Lip Therapy Original Markdown: https://thecastindex.com/beauty/best/best-lip-oils-and-balms.md ## [Best liquid & cream blushes](https://thecastindex.com/beauty/best/best-liquid-and-cream-blushes) Rare Beauty Soft Pinch is the best liquid blush: 16 shades in dewy and matte finishes, at about £24. Glossier Cloud Paint is the best gel-cream, Merit Flush Balm the best fragrance-free balm, Rhode Pocket Blush the portable stick for cheeks and lips, and e.l.f. Camo Liquid Blush the dewy alternative in 12 shades. - **Best overall:** Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush - **Best gel-cream:** Glossier Cloud Paint - **Best cream balm:** Merit Flush Balm - **Best cream stick:** Rhode Pocket Blush - **Best dewy alternative:** e.l.f. Cosmetics Camo Liquid Blush Markdown: https://thecastindex.com/beauty/best/best-liquid-and-cream-blushes.md ## [Best setting sprays & powders](https://thecastindex.com/beauty/best/best-setting-sprays-and-powders) Urban Decay All Nighter is the best long-wear setting spray: waterproof, with an up-to-24-hour brand claim, from £16.50. Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless is the natural-finish spray, Laura Mercier Translucent the reference loose powder, Huda Easy Bake the baking powder with 12 shades, and Danessa Myricks’ balm-to-powder the option that blurs without flattening. - **Best long-wear spray:** Urban Decay All Nighter Waterproof Makeup Setting Spray - **Best natural-finish spray:** Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray - **Best loose powder:** Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder - **Best for baking:** Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Baking & Setting Powder - **Best balm-to-powder:** Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder Markdown: https://thecastindex.com/beauty/best/best-setting-sprays-and-powders.md ## [Best mascaras](https://thecastindex.com/beauty/best/best-mascaras) YSL Lash Clash is the best volumising mascara, with black, brown, blue and green shades, at £33. Charlotte Tilbury Exagger-Eyes is the luxury volume-and-curl pick, Too Faced Better Than Sex the hourglass-brush option, Maybelline Sky High the lengthening pick with nine shades, and L’Oréal Telescopic Lift the budget lengthener at £12.99. - **Best for volume:** Yves Saint Laurent Beauty Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara - **Best volume and curl:** Charlotte Tilbury Exagger-Eyes Volume Mascara - **Best hourglass brush:** Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara - **Best for length:** Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara - **Best budget:** L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Lift Mascara Markdown: https://thecastindex.com/beauty/best/best-mascaras.md ## [Best affordable beauty under £20](https://thecastindex.com/beauty/best/best-affordable-beauty-under-20) For a complete routine under £20 a product: Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun (£15) for sunscreen, The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension (£7.70), The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% toner (from £8), Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 10 retinal (£17.95), Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless (from £8.99), L’Oréal Telescopic Lift mascara (£12.99) and Elvive Bond Repair (£16.99). - **Best sunscreen:** Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Niacinamide SPF50+ - **Best vitamin C:** The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% - **Best exfoliant:** The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner - **Best retinoid:** Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 10 - **Best foundation:** Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation - **Best mascara:** L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Lift Mascara - **Best hair treatment:** L’Oréal Paris Elvive Bond Repair Pre-Shampoo Treatment Markdown: https://thecastindex.com/beauty/best/best-affordable-beauty-under-20.md ## [Best bond-repair & anti-frizz treatments](https://thecastindex.com/beauty/best/best-hair-bond-repair-and-anti-frizz-treatments) Olaplex No.3PLUS is the best pre-wash bond treatment: a three-minute step before shampoo, £32. K18’s leave-in mask is the leave-in repair pick; Redken’s Acidic Bonding Concentrate Leave-In adds heat protection; Color Wow Dream Coat is the anti-frizz spray for blow-dried hair; L’Oréal Elvive Bond Repair is the budget pre-shampoo. - **Best pre-wash treatment:** Olaplex No.3PLUS Complete Repair Treatment - **Best leave-in repair:** K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask - **Best leave-in with heat protection:** Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Leave-In Treatment - **Best anti-frizz:** Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray - **Best budget:** L’Oréal Paris Elvive Bond Repair Pre-Shampoo Treatment Markdown: https://thecastindex.com/beauty/best/best-hair-bond-repair-and-anti-frizz-treatments.md ## [Best K-beauty for oily skin](https://thecastindex.com/beauty/best/best-k-beauty-skincare-for-oily-skin) Build a light routine: COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser, Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner, COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence, Beauty of Joseon Light On Serum for vitamin C, and COSRX Ultra-Light Invisible Sunscreen. Each is sold by UK retailers; start with the cleanser and sunscreen, and add the rest one at a time. - **Best cleanser:** COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser - **Best toner:** Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner - **Best hydrating essence:** COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence - **Best serum:** Beauty of Joseon Light On Serum: Centella + Vita C - **Best sunscreen:** COSRX Ultra-Light Invisible Sunscreen SPF50 PA++++ Markdown: https://thecastindex.com/beauty/best/best-k-beauty-skincare-for-oily-skin.md ## Head-to-head comparisons - [Crystal Retinal vs The Ordinary Retinal 0.2%](https://thecastindex.com/beauty/vs/medik8-crystal-retinal-vs-the-ordinary-retinal) - [C E Ferulic vs C-Tetra](https://thecastindex.com/beauty/vs/skinceuticals-c-e-ferulic-vs-medik8-c-tetra) - [Relief Sun vs Birch Juice Sun Cream](https://thecastindex.com/beauty/vs/beauty-of-joseon-relief-sun-vs-round-lab-birch-juice) - [Dior Lip Glow Oil vs Rhode Lip Treatment](https://thecastindex.com/beauty/vs/dior-lip-glow-oil-vs-rhode-peptide-lip-treatment) - [Airbrush Flawless vs Double Wear](https://thecastindex.com/beauty/vs/charlotte-tilbury-airbrush-flawless-vs-estee-lauder-double-wear)