25 To Try: The Skincare Brands Actually Worth a Spot in Your Cabinet

People generally fall into two camps when it comes to skincare routines: overflowing bathroom cabinets and a vocabulary to match, or frozen by choice and overwhelmed with what step comes next.

In an ever-growing market, it can be easy to get caught up in flashy packaging and promises of clear, glowing skin. But the key to shopping skincare smartly is knowing exactly what you need. Some people thrive on 14-step K-Beauty routines – skincare as a ritual and act of self-care. Others simply want the bare necessities to go about their day. Chatting to a professional is a good starting point for understanding your skin type and how to tackle various concerns. And since skin continues to evolve and change with age, environmental factors and other lifestyle choices, it’s natural that your routine will need to keep up too.

We’ve broken down our favourite brands to shop, including the products they’re most-loved for.

Broadsheet’s top picks

• Best for sensitive skin: La Roche-Posay, Cerave
• Best for active ingredients: Skinceuticals, Paula’s Choice
• Best for natural ingredients: Ere Perez, Conserving Beauty

Rationale

Rationale is an Australian skincare favourite. The brand has developed a committed following for its simple routines that are designed to target a number of concerns. Sitting on the investment end of the price spectrum, each formula is loaded with skin-boosting ingredients – whether you choose to overhaul your entire bathroom cabinet or pick and choose your favourite serums and creams.

Our pick

This cult-favourite cleanser sold out fast the first time round, and now it’s back in a bigger bottle. Formulated to support the skin barrier while evening out tone and locking in moisture, it’s rich enough to double as a hydrating mask when your skin needs extra care.

Twyg

Born in New Zealand, this biotech-forward newcomer is all about one powerhouse ingredient: Bioactive Totarol, a sustainably sourced antioxidant derived from the native totara tree. The brand sits at the intersection of forest botanicals and clinical science, and its growing range is squarely focused on measurable skin health rather than skincare theatre. Plus, the packaging is ultra chic, too.

Our pick

Consider this serum a multi-tasker in the truest sense. There’s Kakadu plum for brightening, which has extremely high levels of vitamin C, but is gentle on the skin. The formula includes bakuchiol, often touted as the plant-based retinoid, and for hydration Twyg uses saccharide isomerate, a plant-derived humectant, meaning it draws in and retains water in the skin.

Ere Perez

Ere Perez uses Australian botanical ingredients in its collection of simple beauty products. The Sydney brand’s skincare covers all aspects of routines for a variety of skin types. There’s a strong focus on sustainability that drives the brand, including offering cruelty-free and vegan formulas.

Our pick

Described as a multipurpose moisturiser, this day cream is suitable for dry and sensitive skin. It works well as a base before make-up, offering a plump smooth finish for layering on top of.

Augustinus Bader

Augustinus Bader’s signature blue bottles are modern skincare icons. Founded by professor and medical doctor Augustinus Bader, the German brand is known for its formulas that contain a patented complex called TFC8. Products are packaged in airless bottles that increase lifespan without added preservatives. A less-is-more approach defines the brand – while the range has grown, the original hero, The Rich Cream, is technically the only product you need to invest in.

Our pick

Originally conceived as a treatment for burn victims, the star ingredient in this cream is a patented complex of natural amino acids, high-grade vitamins and synthesised molecules naturally found in the skin, known as TFC8. The price tag is steep, but the rationale is that you really only need this one product (plus SPF) to restore and support the skin barrier function.

Go-To Skincare

Zoë Foster Blake’s peachy skincare label turned 10 last year. The range, which is now made up of 24 products , works to tackle a whole host of skin concerns. The iconic Face Hero remains a go-to (wink) in beauty buff stashes. And in recent years, Foster Blake has added Bro-To and Gro-To, for men and babies respectively.

Our pick

Not all sheet masks are created equal. This serum-drenched product is the perfect pre-event skin pick-me-up. It promises glowing, hydrated skin thanks to ingredients like Kakadu plum, finger lime and Tasmanian pepper leaf, as well as niacinamide and hyadisine.

Antipodes 

Founded by Elizabeth Barbalich in 2004, this Wellington-based skincare label combines native New Zealand botanicals like Vinanza grape, manuka honey and avocado oil with innovative bioactive ingredients. Its signature Purity Glass Skin facial polish is a creamy exfoliating cleanser that smoothes skin without stripping. Its two-step glass skin ritual combines the Purity cleanser with the Baptise Hyaluronic H2O Ultra-Hydrating Water gel, a lightweight and dewy moisturiser said to plump and hydrate with manuka honey.

Our pick

This creamy cleanser takes a gentler approach to exfoliation. Biodegradable jojoba and rosehip beads work with lime caviar AHAs to gradually smooth and resurface skin. Plant-derived hyaluronic acid helps draw in moisture, while New Zealand manuka honey, kowhai bark extract and botanical oils leave skin feeling soft and balanced. 

Medik8

British brand Medik8 was one of the first to introduce vitamin A to mainstream beauty consumers. Its signature silver-tone packaging houses powerful retinal formulas in a variety of strengths that are designed to cater to different skin types and users. Medik8’s hydrating serums and moisturisers complement the efficacious retinal products.

Our pick

This product is a mid-level formula for people who are already used to retinal. The brand also offers lower and higher strengths depending on where you are in your vitamin A journey.

Paula’s Choice

Active ingredients are at the heart of the Paula’s Choice range. With a focus on research, the brand promises to deliver skincare that helps to correct skin concerns and promote a balanced complexion. Education is important – the brand knows that misinformation and confusing lingo can overwhelm customers – and Paula’s Choice helps to unpack different ingredients, skin types and needs for tackling specific issues.

Our pick

Paula’s Choice’s dark grey liquid exfoliator bottle, which houses a two per cent BHA formula, often tops the list of beauty favourites for breakout-prone skin. But this milder AHA solution is just as coveted by people with more sensitive skin types.

Tronque

New Zealand founder Tanné Snowden started Tronque after discovering her go-to products were loaded with hormone-disrupting ingredients – a particular risk while she was recovering from endometriosis surgery. The result is a “neck-down” skincare range that treats the body with the same rigour usually reserved for the face. Tronque is known for clean, biomimetic formulas built on native New Zealand ingredients like red seaweed and manuka, all designed with total ingredient transparency.

Our pick

The neck is the first thing to show signs of aging, yet most of us stop our routines at the jawline. Tronque’s elixir is the fix: a green microalgae extract gets to work renewing and firming the decolletage, while Pentavitin adds a plump finish, and vitamin C brightens and fends off the impact of blue light.

Papermoon

Melbourne label Papermoon takes a gentle, pared-back approach to skincare. The brand locally crafts small-batch natural deodorants , oils and butters with a focus on clean ingredients and grounding scents. Every formula is made without aluminium, baking soda or synthetic fragrance – instead using botanicals and essential oils like wild jasmine and native Australian wattle.

Our pick

A gentle switch for sensitive skin, this creamy balm-like formula combines coconut and rosehip oils to deodorise and hydrate without irritation. It melts effortlessly into skin and comes unscented – though aloe and agave, coconut and vanilla, and wattle-scented options are also available.

Bioderma

Bioderma is synonymous with French girl beauty – and visits to French pharmacies. The brand is loved for its gentle approach to skincare. It offers a number of ranges to target varying skin types: sensitive, normal to dry, combination and acne-prone, dehydrated and weakened. From micellar water and oil cleansers to intensive serums, chances are one or more of these coloured cap products fits in your routine.

Our pick

Micellar water is a great first step for removing SPF, make-up and daily dirt and this pink-capped bottle offers a three-in-one formula: make-up remover, toner and cleanser. It’s fragrance-free and ideal for sensitive skin, too.

Glossier

Glossier (pronounced “gloss-ee-aye”) has finally graced Aussie shores: shipping directly from its website and landing on the shelves at Mecca. The US brand might be best-known for its easy-wearing makeup and signature perfume but its skincare offering is also loved. From an ultra-gentle cleanser to soothing balms and active serums, the goal is plump, dewy skin.

Our pick

This gel-cream cleanser boasts a pH-balanced formula that promises to nourish skin while washing away daily dirt and grime. Massage around your face to remove make-up before adding water to wash everything off.

Conserving Beauty

Conserving Beauty is often called Australia’s first waterless beauty brand. Its Instamelt Day Dissolver Wipes are a favourite of those in the know – the brand also offers dissolving sheet masks and pimple patches in its effort to leave less of a footprint on your skincare routine. And then there’s the weightless oil and gel moisturiser: two formulas made for sensitive skin, especially anyone who suffers from acne, dermatitis and eczema.

Our pick

An innovative alternative to classic pimple patches. Using the exact same, best-selling formula as its previous Dissolving Zit Strips, these dots are formulated with salicylic acid, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide. They can be cut to fit any area of the face (or body) and activate with a splash of water.

Viviology

Founded by Australia’s “skin whisperer” James Vivian, Vivology is a cosmeceutical collection that spans cleansers, exfoliants, serums and moisturisers that target various skin types and concerns. Championing active ingredients, Vivian has been praised for products that offer “everything you need and nothing you don’t, in addition to being as confusion-free as possible”.

Our pick

This cleanser melts away makeup and grime to leave skin clean and ready for skincare. Use nightly to help skin feel smooth and dewy.

Inkey List

The Inkey List’s pared-back black and white packaging houses ingredient-led products that are designed to fill gaps in your skincare routine. You can shop the range by skin type and create a complete day-and-night regimen or sub in best-selling cleansers, serums and moisturisers as you need. The British brand tries to strip back beauty jargon but keeping product names and messaging simple – founder Colette Newberry has also shared her desire to keep prices accessible and focus on the formulas rather than packaging and marketing campaigns.

Our pick

No skincare routine is complete with a moisture-boosting serum – this supersized iteration of The Inkey Lists’s hyaluronic acid delivers 100ml of the lightweight but nourishing formula. Pro tip: apply hyaluronic acid to a slightly damp face to supercharge its ability to keep the skin hydrated.

Cerave

Ceramides are the star ingredient of Cerave’s range. A natural lipid that occurs within the skin, ceramides have become a favourite in formulas that claim to protect the skin’s barrier, helping to maintain and balance the skin. The brand relies on deeply hydrating ingredients across its range – it also offers blemish control and treatments for acne-prone skin types in its suite of cleansers, serums and creams.

Our pick

A gentle cleanser that doesn’t leave skin feeling stripped – this hydrating formula has a creamy finish. It’s free from artificial fragrance, making it a good choice for sensitive skin types. You can use this cleanser morning and night, depending on your skin’s needs.

Clarins

French brand Clarins is celebrating 70 years of skincare and make-up innovation. A constant in many beauty-lovers’ routines, the brand caters to a range of skin types and concerns. It’s known for its plant-based and botanical-inspired formulas that stimulate the skin’s natural functions to help repair and protect your complexion.

Our pick

Turmeric extract and sea buckthorn are the heroes of this much-loved serum. It has a lightweight formula that layers well with moisturisers and make-up. You can also mix it with other serums from the range to create bespoke rituals that claim to brighten and protect your skin.

Skinceuticals

Results are the starting point for the product offering by Skinceuticals. The American brand’s high potency formulas were born from years of skin cancer research that led to breakthroughs in understanding antioxidant serums and their impact on skin. Serums are the pinnacle of the range – from the best-selling brown-bottled C E Ferulic Vitamin C to ultra-hydrating formulas and oil-free products.

Our pick

Vitamin C is the hero ingredient of this best-selling serum. It is a potent antioxidant option for anyone who is used to active ingredients and wants to help protect their skin from environmental damage, including free radical damage from UV rays, infrared radiation (IRA) and ozone pollution (O3).

Emma Lewisham

New Zealand-based skincare brand Emma Lewisham and its eye-catching purple products (which have appeared in nearly every beauty editor’s Instagram story and even had a cameo in the most recent season of Heartbreak High) hit the market in 2016. It has quickly risen to cult status thanks to its efficacious formulas that draw on natural ingredients and pioneering refillable packaging. Serums are a key selling point for the brand – the original Skin Reset Serum is packed with antioxidants, the innovative Supernatural Blemish Face Serum contains a live skin probiotic and the “no botox” Supernatural Vitale Face Elixir contains a specialised peptide complex.

Our pick

This serum – which targets breakouts and blemishes – comes in a dual pump dispenser that you need to assemble before getting started. The probiotic pod arrives in a foil pouch to help to keep the live formulation stable until use. Micrococcus luteus BLIS Q24 is the technical name for the patented live probiotic strain, which targets acne concerns, including the ability to clarify and elevate the skin’s microbiome health.

La Roche-Posay

Now based in New York, La Roche-Posay was founded in France in 1975 (its products are still manufactured in the namesake town). With formulas designed to address specific skin concerns, including sensitive skin, dryness, acne and rosacea, it has become a mainstay in many people’s bathroom cabinets. From the often sold-out Cicaplast Baume B5+ Balm to potent serums and a lightweight SPF50+ fluid, the range covers all aspects of face and body skincare routines.

Our pick

This potent retinol formula has a lightweight serum texture that layers well with moisturisers and face oils to help protect the skin barrier. It also contains niacinamide, which claims to soothe skin and improve its ability to retain moisture.

The Ordinary

The Ordinary’s no-nonsense approach to skincare has won many fans. The Canadian brand’s signature white packaging and store fit outs give off a clinical vibe – this is echoed by a focus on specific ingredients that can be used to build out well-rounded skincare routines. From hydrating cleansers to hero serums and powerful chemical exfoliants, educating yourself (via the brands tools) about what your skin needs is key to making the most of these products.

Our pick

A serum that “does a little bit of everything” is how this formula is sold by the brand. It harnesses peptide technologies alongside amino acids and multiple hyaluronic acid complexes, which claim to improve skin elasticity and enhance firmness.

Summer Fridays

Summer Fridays’ iconic lip butter balm took over this winter. But the LA-born brand has a loyal following for its growing skincare offering – particularly the Jet Lag range, which now includes the iconic mask, as well as a recently launched serum, eye product and facial mist. Hydration is at the heart of the collection, but the brand works with key actives to supercharge formulas for your routine, too.

Our pick

Glycerin and hyaluronic acid are the key players in this mask (which can also be used as a moisturiser). The hype around this product is valid – a little goes a long way and skin is left feeling soft and plump, whether you’re at 10,000 metres or not.

Sun & Daughter

Tori Gill launched Sun & Daughter in late 2024, after struggling to find a mineral sunscreen that wasn’t chalky and didn’t flare up her eldest’s eczema. (Mineral sunscreens are typically thicker in texture than chemical sunscreens, but are less likely to irritate sensitive skin.) What followed was a two-year product development process, trying to find a formula that felt good on the skin and gave kids the sun protection they needed. There’s the flagship SPF50+ mineral sunscreen, plus two playfully coloured versions in pink and yellow that bring added fun to sun protection.  

Our pick

This SPF is formulated with naturally derived ingredients and uses non-nano zinc to protect against both UVA and UVB rays. It’s water-resistant for up to two hours and fragrance-free, with shea butter and coconut oils for a nourishing, moisturiser-like texture.

Alpha H

This Gold Coast-born brand is a favourite for its suite of products that draw on the power of glycolic acid (a chemical exfoliator that’s derived from sugar cane) – you’ve likely heard of its hero formula, Liquid Gold. With a focus on active ingredients that claim to target concerns like dullness, pigmentation and uneven skin tone and texture, the brand also offers a range of hydrating serums, skin-protecting moisturisers and targeted eye and lip treatments.

Our pick

A one-step exfoliator, it’s best to start slow and steady with this product – the brand recommends working up to using it three times per week on alternate evenings. Apply it to clean skin, sweeping the product across your face with a cotton pad or patting it in with your palms. Follow up with a face oil if your skin needs a little bit of extra nourishment.

Laneige

Founded in South Korea, Laneige is named for the French phrase “the snow”. With an emphasis on skin hydration, the brand’s core offering is based on what it calls “Advanced Water Science technology”. Hyaluronic acid features across gel and cream moisturisers, as well as toners, serums and the cult overnight lip mask. A number of products are refillable, as part of the brand’s efforts in sustainability.

Our pick

This K-beauty favourite has earned its stellar reputation for a reason. The gentle exfoliating formula melts onto lips and provides a nourishing, high-shine finish. Coconut oil, shea butter and vitamin C smooth away unwanted dryness. Use in the day for lasting hydration or pop a generous layer on overnight as a more intense treatment.

What to look for in a new skincare brand

Ingredients

The first step in amping up your skincare literacy is to understand what different ingredients are and how they impact the skin. Some brands thrive on offering formulas that spotlight individual ingredients that can be mixed and matched to create a cohesive routine. Others have spent years perfecting products with the perfect balance, streamlining your collection to just a few bottles. Prices often reflect the ingredient makeup – not just in strength and quality but in overall

Efficacy

It’s important to remember that what works for one person might not necessarily work for you. And while peer or customer reviews about products can be helpful, it’s best to look for dermatologist-recommended and science-backed claims, especially when it comes to active ingredients. Consulting a professional is a good step in setting up your skincare regimen to be the most efficacious for your skin.

Ethics

When it comes to skincare, some brands are leading the way in terms of sustainability, as well as cruelty-free and vegan formulations. Doing your research and picking a brand that aligns with your ethical preferences is another part of choosing the right skincare brands and products for you.

What are the most popular skincare brands of 2026 so far?

Beauty trends continue to saturate social media feeds – a focus on skin barrier protection and using tools to help boost the efficacy of routines are two notable skincare trends. Brands pay attention to what consumers want and react with their marketing, as well as new product formulations. Some of the most-popular skincare brands in Australia for 2025 are Go-To Skincare, Rationale, Summer Fridays and La Roche-Posay.

Additional reporting by Simone Richardson and Gitika Garg.