This list is the best skincare that made 2025 such a special and enjoyable skin year for me personally.
For context, my skin is acne-prone, very sensitive, fussy, and I’m selective about what I choose to use. However, I’m lucky enough to do this for my job, so I’ve trialled a lot of new products this year.
You’ll notice some of the products here already have dedicated reviews, so you can dive deeper if you want. In other cases, other writers at White Rabbit Social have covered the wider range.
Boring Without You Make Me Wet™ Hydrating Milk Serum, $44.00
Starting off strong with the Boring Without You Make Me Wet Serum. This is a glycerin-heavy, intentionally softening hydrating milk serum. It has 10% glycerin, alongside multi-molecular weight humectants.
This is the type of product you get your best friend on, that you give to your mum – and frankly, my mum came up to me and asked, “Have you heard about that blue serum?” The fact that it works for my 58-year-old mum’s drier, ageing skin as well as my acne-prone, sensitive skin brought me a lot of joy.
It’s a generous size for a hydrating serum and, like all Boring Without You products, it’s formulated with ingredients at proven percentages.
Aquaporin is new-ish in the spotlight and feels innovative in this serum. I do wonder if we’re going to see it everywhere this year. It helps the skin lock in moisture, which is why you feel that subtle smoothing effect.
This didn’t cause any breakouts for me. It does contain a very gentle PHA – not enough to tackle super clog-prone skin, and it’s not meant to. Instead, it gently helps remove dead surface skin cells that can block hydration from sinking in properly.
This is a crowd-pleaser. It absorbs quickly, doesn’t feel sticky or tacky, and layers beautifully under makeup. I’ve even seen pro makeup artists mix it with skin tints. It’s the kind of product I can confidently say most people will enjoy.
Quick Notes:
- Glycerin-rich formula (10%) for deep hydration
- Lightweight, milky texture with no congestion for me
- Works beautifully across skin types and ages
- Hydration without stickiness or tack
- Generous bottle size – easy to use daily
Read: TikTok Viral Brand for Combination Skin – Boring Without You Has Two New Products
SAMI No-Rinse Hydrating Cream Cleanser, $48.00
A product that solves a problem. The No-Rinse Hydrating Cream Cleanser has been lovely to use in a few specific situations – especially tired mornings when I go straight to my desk and neglect skincare until early afternoon.
I apply it to an organic cotton or bamboo round, remove sweat, debris, and general gunk, and my skin is left moisturised enough to leave it as-is. I don’t need to follow up with serums or creams unless I want to.
It’s also incredibly calming. For people who find morning cleansing irritating or intimidating, this ticks all the boxes. I’ve also used it as a midday refresh during long filming days – restorative without stripping everything back.
The addition of hyaluronic acid and centella is beautiful, and it’s a juicy, glycerin-rich formula. While I love the entire range, the No-Rinse Hydrating Cream Cleanser has been my most-used and most-enjoyed product.
Quick Notes:
- Calming and non-irritating on sensitive skin
- Hyaluronic acid + centella for hydration and comfort
- No-rinse formula – use anywhere, anytime
- Removes sweat, film, and debris without stripping
- Suitable for all skin types, including very sensitive
- Ideal for tired mornings or midday resets
Read: New In Skincare – My Honest Acne-Prone, Sensitive Skin Review of SAMI’s Range
A313 Vitamin A Retinol Cream, $38.99
I’ve been on a long journey with vitamin A. In 2025, my skin hit a wall with sensitivity. I wasn’t battling as many active breakouts, but I was dealing with flare-ups around my eyes and patches of reactive skin.
Introducing vitamin A back into my routine was important, and A313 became my gentle pick of choice. I loved that I could use it consistently alongside other actives.
The texture is similar to a very emollient Vaseline, which can sound intimidating. For me, it worked as a final sealing step – almost like slugging – but without the issues slugging can cause for some skin types.
It warms on contact, helps product penetration, seals in every step, and leaves me waking up with a hydrated glow. It’s a fantastic beginner vitamin A, but also ideal if your skin is just fussy with everything. It’s affordable, lasts forever, and I’m still on my first tube after many months of use.
Read: My Honest A313 French Skincare Review – What It Did to My Adult Acne-Prone Skin After 4 Weeks
Quick Notes:
- Extremely gentle vitamin A – ideal for beginners
- Softening, emollient texture that locks in moisture
- Works as a final sealing step in routine
- Supports skin renewal without irritation
- Great for reactive or “everything feels too much” skin
- Very long-lasting and affordable
Thirsty Turtl Pacific Dusk Overnight Barrier Cream, $65.00
This is an upsettingly underrated product – the kind you look forward to using every single time and start rationing toward the end.
Pacific Dusk is an overnight barrier cream with a very intentional barrier-restoring formula. It feels like an Australian take on the thicker, cocooning French barrier creams.
The texture is fluffy and comforting, with a locking-in feel thanks to jojoba and shea butter – and despite that richness, I experienced no breakouts. It’s glycerin-rich, which you’ll notice is a recurring theme in my picks.
The scent is subtle and oceanic, the blue tint is fun, and there’s real joy in using it. With 2% colloidal oatmeal, grape skin extract, and seaweed, it’s deeply soothing and protective. The brand is woman-owned and partly First Nations founded, working closely with First Nations farmers.
This deserves far more hype than it gets.
Read: My Honest Thoughts on Thirsty Turtl’s Full Range
Quick Notes:
- Dreamy, fluffy texture that cocoons the skin
- Beautiful nighttime step you look forward to using
- Hydrates deeply while supporting the skin barrier
- Glycerin-rich without feeling heavy or clogging
- Comforting, soothing, and non-irritating
- Ideal for compromised or sensitised skin
BioBod Replenishing Hydra-Soothe Serum, $65.00
BioBod was new to me this year, and what started as a cautious trial of the Hydra-Soothe Serum quickly turned into regular use of the entire range – which says a lot.
The texture is exactly what I want from a hydrating serum: juicy but weightless, with great absorption and no tightness, peeling, or film. It’s calming on application and continues to calm my skin well into the next day.
It’s glycerin-heavy, packed with pre- and post-biotics, centella, aloe, and allantoin. I’m historically sceptical of hyaluronic-acid-only serums – I want body, comfort, and real calming – and this delivers.
It comes in a generous 50 ml glass bottle, so you can use it generously without hesitation. If I’d tried it earlier, their Barrier Restore Oil would likely have made this list too.
Read: How I Repaired My Skin Barrier With 4 Soothing Products
Quick Notes:
- Super hydrating yet weightless on skin
- Glycerin-forward with calming barrier support
- Generous 50 ml bottle for liberal use
- Absorbs well with no tightness or residue
- Helps skin feel calmer over time, not just instantly
- Easy to use without rationing
Go-To Clarifying Face Hero, $56.00
I went into this trial sceptical, especially as an acne-prone, sensitive-skin person. I partnered with the brand and did a proper behind-the-scenes trial, fully prepared for it not to work.
Instead, I absolutely fell in love with it.
This isn’t an exfoliating oil, so there’s no irritation risk. It focuses on restoring fatty acids, including vitamin F, alongside centella and a beautifully balanced oil blend. Even the inclusion of tea tree worried me initially – but it turned out to be gentle and calming.
The texture is dry but not tight, nourishing without feeling greasy. It smells incredible – herbaceous, lemon-leaf-adjacent, but not sharp or citrusy. With 1% bakuchiol for gentle clarification over time, this became a true staple. I’ve finished an entire bottle, and everyone I’ve encouraged to try it has loved it just as much.
Read: I Tried Go-To’s Clarifying Face Hero for 4 Weeks – Here’s My Review on True Acne-Prone Skin
Quick Notes:
- Non-exfoliating oil – no irritation risk
- Restorative fatty acids with gentle clarifying support
- Nourishing without feeling greasy or heavy
- Dry-oil texture that still feels comforting
- Works well for acne-prone yet sensitive skin
- One of those surprisingly perfect formulas
Conserving Beauty Day Dissolver Wipes, $35.10
I knew these had to make the list when I started savouring my stash. On nights where I didn’t want to be at the sink or dealing with a water-heavy cleanse, these were perfect.
They dissolve, which is fun, but more importantly, they’re saturated with cleansing oil, making them deeply nourishing. Unlike many wipes, they don’t feel dry or stripping.
They remove everything, emulsify beautifully, and leave skin comfortable – even around flaky patches or healing blemishes. For the price, they’re a steal, especially for travel or bedside cleansing.
Quick Notes:
- Oil-saturated wipes that cleanse without stripping
- Comfortable on dry, flaky, or healing skin
- Dissolve-on-use format with a nourishing feel
- Removes makeup thoroughly and emulsifies well
- Great for travel, bedside cleansing, or low-energy nights
- Surprisingly restorative for a first cleanse
Naked Sundays CabanaClear™ SPF50 Water Gel Serum, $62.00
I’m limited in what I can say due to TGA regulations, but there’s still plenty worth knowing.
This has gone viral for good reason. It’s lightweight, 100% invisible, water-based, and completely silicone-free – so you don’t get that slimy, never-drying feeling.
It’s non-comedogenic, fragrance-free, and contains hyaluronic acid, kakadu plum, and vitamin E. If you’re unsure, try the texture in-store at MECCA and see for yourself.
And although I can’t include my personal testimonial, I can include a few reviews that I’ve read, which might help you make your mind up about them.
- “It is the lightest SPF I’ve ever used” – Ricky. M.
- “I love this sunscreen. It’s just easy and isn’t sticky or smelly.” – Sharon J.
- “I feel like I’m using a serum rather than a thick sunscreen. Literally obsessed with how lightweight it is!” – Senay .Y
Read: “It Feels Like Water” – The Sunscreen SPF-Haters Love: CabanaClear Full Review
Quick Notes:
- Lightweight, water-based gel texture
- 100% invisible on skin with no white cast
- Silicone-free with no slippery residue
- Non-comedogenic and fragrance-free
- Feels more like a serum than a sunscreen
- Easy daily SPF for people who hate SPF
Embryolisse Lait-Crème Sensitive, $54.00
Last year’s Nice List featured the original Lait-Crème. This year, it’s the sensitive version – fragrance-free, non-comedogenic, and ideal for compromised skin.
While the formulas differ significantly, both deliver that signature cocooning, deeply hydrating effect. The sensitive version has been my go-to moisturiser morning and night throughout 2025, especially when travelling or when my skin feels reactive.
It wears beautifully under makeup and proves how different formulations can still achieve the same comforting end result.
Read: My Honest Acne-Prone Review of the Viral Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré
Quick Notes:
- Fragrance-free and non-comedogenic
- Comforting, cocooning hydration without heaviness
- Makeup-friendly finish for daily wear
- Ideal when skin feels reactive or compromised
- Simple, reliable moisturiser for all routines
Vani-T Lip Glaze Sheer Gloss, $20.76
This is a sleeper hit I haven’t seen many people talk about – but everyone I’ve put onto it agrees it’s excellent.
It’s non-sticky, lightly tinted, high-shine, and incredibly smoothing. The porcelain applicator is cooling and hygienic, the formula stays put, and the hydration lasts overnight. I’ve gone through two tubes this year alone.
With shea butter, aloe, silica, and vitamin E, it visibly smooths, plumps, and deeply moisturises. Under $30, this is a standout.
Quick Notes:
- Non-sticky, high-shine finish
- Plush texture that smooths lip lines
- Cooling porcelain applicator
- Long-lasting hydration that stays put
- Ideal for chronically dry or chapped lips
- Excellent value under $30
The Ordinary Niacinamide 5% Face and Body Emulsion, $22.20
I never expected to use a face-and-body product on my face so religiously, but here we are.
The 5% niacinamide concentration is effective without being irritating. It strengthens the skin barrier, helps fade dark marks, and improves texture. The emulsion texture is lightweight but comforting – it doesn’t evaporate into nothing.
The 100 ml bottle means generous application across face, neck, and décolletage. It hasn’t broken me out and has noticeably helped my pigmentation over time.
Read: Science-Backed, Budget Body Care by The Ordinary – Full Review
Quick Notes:
- 5% niacinamide – effective without irritation
- Supports barrier repair and uneven tone
- Lightweight yet comforting emulsion texture
- Suitable for face, neck, and décolletage
- Large 100 ml bottle for generous application
- Budget-friendly and genuinely effective
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+M Triple Moisturiser, $39.99
This is a quiet achiever that deserves its cult status. It fades existing dark marks, helps prevent new ones, and delivers salicylic acid in a way my sensitive skin can tolerate.
The ceramide complex and microbiome-supporting ingredients make it a reliable reset product when my skin feels lost. I repurchased it this year and loved every use.
The texture is smoothing and lightly silicone-y in a comforting way, and the recent reformulation is excellent.
Quick Notes:
- Helps fade the look of post-acne marks
- Prevents the appearance of future blemishes
- Ceramide complex supports barrier health
- Salicylic acid in a sensitive-skin-tolerated format
- Reliable reset product when skin feels lost
- A true quiet achiever
What I’m Carrying Into 2026
2025 was an incredible year for experiential skincare that still delivered real results. Barrier repair, gentle actives (yay), and smarter formulations, these are the products I’m carrying into 2026.
What made your Nice List this year? I’d love to know.
Minnie x
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