#TikTokMadeMeBuyIt: Rating viral must-have 2024 TikTok beauty products

It almost seemed as if this matte powder sprung up out of nowhere, and took over social media overnight. My daily scroll would surface at least three people talking about how much they loved the product and coupled with the endless stream of ads, naturally I bought one to try.

The product is marketed as a powderless powder that helps to manage the appearance of oily skin and blurs your pores. At first touch, it's a little siliconey, and the product feels a little light to be considered premium. All my inhibitions dissolved along with my oily skin and pores once I started using it.

The first time I tested it, I was with a friend having brunch. The hot weather left me with a high shine on my forehead. I thought this was the perfect moment to try the powder, and as I dabbed it on, my friend let out an audible "woah".

Suddenly, all my shiny spots disappeared. My pores looked blurred out, and my skin had a matte finish without looking ashy. The next day, I bought one more to leave in the office.

Our rating: 8/10. Docked one point because after multiple uses, your skin tends to feel a little powdery, and one more point because the packaging honestly feels a little cheap. That being said, it's still a great product.

So unlike what most TikTokers say, this isn't exactly a toothpaste. Rather, it's a tooth serum. On the box, instructions state that it should only be applied after you've brushed your teeth.

The science behind this is in colour theory. Purple is the opposite of yellow, so when applied on yellow teeth, it's purported to neutralise the yellow appearance and turn it white. It sounded too good to be true, but like the easily deceived shopper that I am, if Kim Kardashian swears by it, I'll gladly give it a try.

Suffice to say, I was disappointed. It didn't do wonders. Sure it made my dents look a teeny tiny bit whiter, but it doesn't last more than an hour. I bought this in Melbourne for just under A$20 (S$17) so it didn't hurt too bad, but it's definitely a one-and-done type of product. Almost nine months after purchasing, and I can count the number of times I used this with one hand because it's pretty useless and it's too much work.

Our rating: 5/10. Buy it if you really want to, but I'll stick to regular brushing, thanks.

Around the end of 2022, TikTok was taken over by a gaggle of beauty girlies all swooning over this sunscreen from Korean label Beauty of Joseon. So naturally, I swiped a tube when I found it at the airport whilst travelling to Malaysia.

Given the heatwave that I was experiencing at the time on my business trip, I figured it was the best time to try the sunscreen. First impressions on application were that it felt relatively light, and I didn't need to dispense too much for a good amount of coverage. I also have some skin sensitivities and not only did it not trigger redness, it helped to soothe any lingering skin rashes too. The only caveat was how oily it became as the day wore on. I have naturally oily skin, so this did not help one bit.

Our rating: 7/10. Skip it if you're like me and have oily skin, but otherwise, it's a pretty decent buy.

I'll admit that I'm usually self-conscious when it comes to my eye bags, and anything lesser than eight hours of solid sleep will guarantee that I wake up with dark baggies. So with that said, I love anything that has to do with eyecare, which led me to buying this viral eye cream from Ariana Grande's beauty brand.

In short: it's a marvel. I swipe this one and immediately my skin looks like I've applied an IRL filter that blurs my lines. I've also started using it on my nasolabial folds (aka the lines next to my mouth). It hydrates and plumps skin, thereby reducing the appearance of lines and works great as an eye primer too.

Our rating: 9/10. No complaints here, except for how hard it is to procure one whilst based in Singapore.

A friend turned me on to Dior's Lip Glow Oil one day because I was complaining how I couldn't find a lip oil that could last. I've never looked back.

Sure, the price tag could make you think twice, but once you get over that hurdle, the product itself is pretty good. It's the go-to for TikTokers looking to finesse their 'no makeup' look, and comes in a series of neutral colours. My first thought as I swiped it on was how sticky it felt – that'll come in handy later on – but also how shiny my lips looked. I loved how easily it glided on, but it didn't feel too runny where it would bleed all over.

It also turns out that the stickiness was a boon, because it lasted for more than a few sips of coffee without completly disappearing.

Our rating: 7.5/10. Price is definitely steeper than most, but it's a solid lip oil worth your dollars.

I don't really apply a full beat on most days, and when I do, I tend to go extra easy on highlighters because of said oily skin and all that nautral shine I'll be getting two hours out the door.

So when I saw people raving about Selena Gomez's highlighter, I was skeptical to say the least. Nevertheless, I gave this highlighter a try when my sister-in-law bought me one (she was trying to reach a minium spend to get some freebies).

For context, highlighters and contours scare me because I've seen my fair share of worst case scenarios in the MRT who forget to blend, leaving their highlighter patch looking more like a shiny rectangle than a natural glow. Imagine my surprise to find out that this product goes on really well. It catches the light well, and whilst it's a little on the heavier side of highlighters, it blends out really smoothly too.

Our rating: 8/10. Price is a little steep for the amount of product, but then again, which celebrity beauty product isn't? This sells out fast and regularly, so grab it if you can.