We’ve all been there: You restock on one of your favorite, holy-grail products, only to discover that something about it is just off. Maybe it’s not applying in the same way, the scent is different than what you’re used to, or (worst case scenario) it’s causing your skin to react in ways it never has before. Then you notice the “new and improved” verbiage somewhere on the label—it’s been reformulated.
Brands update and reformulate beauty products all the time, and while there are countless reasons why a brand might decide to head back to the drawing board with an item, one pretty major reason is you and me—the customers. Thanks to social media, brands are listening to what shoppers have to say—and taking lots of notes—to improve on the beauty products we know and love and, ultimately, give people a better beauty experience.
So while yes, there are plenty of horror stories about product updates gone wrong, there are times when reformulated products hit even better than the originals. Take the eight reformulated beauty products below, for example—they’ve all gotten recent updates that have left us smitten, be it new ingredients, elevated packaging, or more user-friendly designs. Not all reformulated beauty products leave you longing for the past, and these eight prove just that.
Our favorite, new-and-improved beauty products
Glossier, Balm Dotcom — $14.00
Balm Dotcom has been a fan-favorite ever since it launched in 2014. It recently got a glossy makeover this year that’s proving to be just as good as the original, only with better-for-you ingredients. The new formular swaps petrolatum with castor jelly—a vegetable based emollient that’s just as moisturizing on dry lips—so you get the same buttery, nourishment without the greasy feel. The brand also gave Balm Dotcom a fancy new applicator tip (so you needn’t worry about applying balm directly with your fingers), and a larger, ergonomic cap that makes swiping it on while on-the-go easy. What’s more, the Wild Fig flavor—beloved for its sweet, jammy scent and sheer coral tint—is now part of the permanent lineup.
L’Oreal Paris, True Match Super-Blendable Foundation — $10.00
L’Oreal True Match Foundation has been a drugstore staple for nearly 30 years. And now, it’s available in a new, vegan formula that’s even better than the time-tested original. In addition to a new, user-friendly pump, the medium-coverage foundation now contains up to six different pigments (and comes in 47 shades), giving you a more precise color match, and even more natural-looking results. The lightweight formula feels virtually weightless on skin, offering just the right of hydration and locking in moisture for flawless and comfortable wear.
Peace Out, Retinol Eye Stick — $28.00
Peace Out’s best-selling under eye balm is consistently selling out on Sephora, and even more so now that it’s gotten some updates. Formulated with encapsulated retinol, peptides, and potent antioxidants, the do-it-all balm does the same thing as the original formula (diminishes the look of fine lines and wrinkles and combats dark circles and milia, firms skin around the eyes) in a more user-friendly format. The Retinol Eye Stick now has an angled tip and offers a smoother glide to make application easy, and the tube is made of post-consumer recyclable material—and who doesn’t love an eco-friendly upgrade?
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Dove, 24-Hour Renewing MicroMoisture Body Wash — $8.00
Dove just scrubbed its popular Deep Moisture Body Wash and reformulated it with the brand’s proprietary 24-Hour Renewing MicroMoisture technology for deeper nourishment and long-lasting hydration. It’s pretty scientific—According to Unilever, the new formula is made using nanotechnology to nourish the skin with millions of tiny droplets that penetrate deep into pores and cracks for better moisture. The bottle also got a more shower-friendly update and can be stored flipped over when the body wash is running low.
Dr. Jart, Ceramidin Skin Barrier Moisturizing Cream — $45.00
Dr. Jart revamped its best-selling Ceramidin Moisturizing Cream (and the entire Ceramidin collection) to include five ceramides, aka, the brand’s 5-Cera Complex, and panthenol for added skin barrier support. Now the cushiony, ceramide-infused cream packs even more moisture (100 hours worth, to be exact), instantly plumping skin, boosting elasticity, strengthening its moisture barrier, and preventing water loss. Suffice to say, it’s an upgrade that anyone with dry skin will appreciate.
Reviewers say the new supercharged formula is a winner for combating winter skin. “After just one use my skin felt transformed!” writes one Sephora shopper in a 5-star review. “It has a very lovely thick, balm-like consistency and makes my skin feel so nice and soft to the touch. This is great for both AM and PM use and it looks fantastic underneath my makeup.”
Sisley Paris, Ecological Compound Advanced Formula — $180.00
French skin-care brand Sisley Paris reformulated one of its earliest and most beloved serums to include two new additions for enhanced environmental protection: burdock and meadowsweet extracts. The improved skin-balancing serum still contains its original complex of microbiome-friendly extracts (centella asiatica, aka, :cica” or tiger grass), ginseng, hops, horsetail, and rosemary) to hydrate, restore, and strengthen the skin’s defenses against environmental aggressors like pollution, smoke, and free radicals. But now it does it more effectively, making it even more worth the steep investment.
Ilia, True Skin Serum Foundation — $54.00
We’re longtime fans of Ilia’s True Skin Serum Foundation, and we love the newly reformulated version even more. The updated formula is just as blurring and breathable as the original, and delivers the same naturally dewy, medium coverage we fell in love with, only now it comes with added skin-care benefits, thanks to the addition of niacinamide and allantoin. Dermatologists love niacinamide for its anti-inflammatory properties that work wonders on acne, and for its brightening benefits that help diminish the look of dark spots. While allantoin, which is a humectant, boosts the foundation’s moisturizing benefits and strengthens your skin barrier. In other words, this is makeup that actually helps your skin the more you wear it.
Dior, Rouge Dior Forever Transfer-Proof Lipstick — $45.00
Dior’s upgraded lipsticks happen to be the brand’s first-ever, transfer-proof lipsticks, reformulated to give you a whopping 16 hours of gorgeous, un-smudgeable pigment. And while “comfortable” and “transfer proof” are seldom uttered in the same sentence, the Rouge Dior Forever Lipsticks manage to feel incredibly soft and weightless on the lips thanks to the jojoba oil-enriched formula. Available in 16 bold matte shades, there’s a color for everyone in this kiss-proof lineup.
Our editors independently select these products. Making a purchase through our links may earn Well+Good a commission.
