Glossy Picks: 24 new wellness and beauty buys that are getting us ready for spring

19 February 2024

Brighter days are coming and these new wonders will have your skin, hair, body and mood feeling and looking the same

Any products in this article have been selected editorially however if you buy something we mention, we may earn commission

The evenings are getting lighter, the mornings are feeling less dreary. In fact, everything is feeling less dreary. That can only mean one thing, spring is on its way. Hoorah. We are the first to say that there’s never a need to completely overhaul everything in your life (unless you really want to, of course). However. with the arrival of a new season, sometimes it does make sense to have a slight reset or tweak to whatever has become your norm in the darker and colder months. That’s why this week we’ve been rummaging through all the wellness and beauty newness to find the buys that help with exactly that. From skincare that will bring a sense of renewal, brightness (in every sense of the word) and clarity, to a mood-boosting positivity book from the actual Kate Moss. There are also clever skin gadgets that get skin looking perkier and plumper as well as a candle that is spring in melted wax form. We know you’re going to enjoy these happiness-inducing goodies as much as we do. Enjoy!

SJ Corfield-Smith, GTG Beauty Director



Liz Earle Superskin Advanced Nourishing Cleansing Balm, £39

"It’s quite a brave move for a brand that already has an iconic cleanser to introduce a new one, but this new cleansing balm from Liz Earle is truly excellent. It’s quite different to the cult Cleanse & Polish. That is creamy and lathers, this is unctuously buttery and melts into a silky oil that creates a lovely slip, ideal if you like to give your face a bit of a massage at the end of the day. It has the same neroli-based scent as the other Superskin products - if you're familiar with those - but most importantly it leaves skin feeling like velvet as well as plumped up and in a better state than before. It makes light work of removing makeup and debris. I predict this will become as famous as ‘the other one’."

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Rimmel London Wonder’Bond Bonding Serum Mascara, £11.99

“Mascara is one of the best ways to save money in your makeup bag - budget mascaras really do match up to more expensive options. And this new one is a great example of that. It has a conical shaped brush with spiky bristles to catch every lash and it creates a really impressive fanned out falsie look with just one coat. The formula is nice and creamy, and not drying in the slightest, it contains biotin which helps strengthen and lengthen lashes over time so the more you use it, the better your natural lashes should become.”

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Cosmoss Love Letters, £22

"This flipbook of positive affirmations and uplifting mantras from the likes of Socrates, Shakespeare and Buddha is a great gift for a friend who needs a boost. Or for yourself. Flip it open when you want to read some beautiful words. I’m not normally the type to go for this sort of thing - believing it to be a touch too woo woo - however, it is a nicely curated book put together by Kate Moss and her Cosmoss team and filled with the sort of messages we all need to remind ourselves of more frequently."

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Feather & Down Perfect Partners Sleep Set, £10

“A brilliant, and bargain, duo that makes a great gift for others, or yourself! It contains a gorgeous pillow spray, but I particularly like the rollerball that is scented with relaxing lavender and calming chamomile and designed to be slathered onto pulse points. It’s meant to be used at night before (hopefully) a good night’s sleep but I have taken to using it mid-afternoon on days where the mental load feels a bit too much and it does make me feel instantly that little bit better. It’s also a great size for popping into handbags or travelling with.”

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Kerry Potter, GTG Contributing Editor



Jo Loves Spring Candle, £90

"If you’re looking for candle cleverness, Jo Malone is always your woman. This limited edition delight is three spring scents in one - Tahitian gardenia, orange blossom and tuberose blossom are layered in the jar. As someone who gets easily bored, I love this vibe shift as it burns down. It doesn’t come cheap but it does come with a pretty daisy design jar and a hefty 40 hour burn time, and would make a gorgeous gift to self."

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Briogeo Destined For Density shampoo and conditioner, £30 each

"Yes, these are rather expensive but they’ve been key tools in my hair recovery mission following Covid-related hair loss and thinning. I got excellent results after just one wash – my hair looked and felt far thicker, and as a result demanded less blow-drying time. Both contain caffeine to stimulate the scalp and biotin to strengthen the hair follicle. Worth the outlay."

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Forage Botanicals Cool + Calm Face Mist, £24.99

"I’ve never met a face mist I didn’t like and this one is no exception. Created by British herbalist Natasha Richardson, who first used her expertise to help with her own painful periods, Forage Botanicals specialises in products to aid women in managing menstrual and menopause symptoms. This spray is designed to calm hot flushes, although I just deploy it as a pick-me-up during a long workday staring at a screen. It fits easily into my handbag, the mist is pleasingly fine and the soothing rose water pimped with hormone-balancing clary sage and geranium essential oils smells dreamy."

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Merit Signature Lip Matte in Classic, £28 (Launches 22 February, waitlist here)

"Matte is having a moment again and I’m happy to report the new gen of matte lipsticks are far less drying and flake-inducing than the ones we all scribbled on a decade or so ago. Cult Californian brand Merit have knocked it out the park (again) with these. They’re insanely nourishing for a matte formulation – you feel like you’re wearing a lip balm, until you catch a glimpse of the super-chic, highly pigmented colour in the mirror. Of the eight shades, I plumped for classic (no prizes for guessing it’s a neutral)– it’s perfect for every day and makes my teeth look whiter."

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Marie Louise Pumfrey, GTG Contributor



Tropic Youth Potion, £68

"A few years ago I had a nasty reaction to retinal. Since then I’ve always erred on the side of caution.  But as it is the skincare ingredient for smoothing and regenerating skin I’m always on the lookout for a gentle option to try.  This new one by Tropic is formulated with an advanced marine retinal to create a super vitamin A which works ten times faster. I’ve been using a couple of drops at night and its silky texture is wondrous. And there’s been no irritation either, just lovely, bouncy radiant skin."

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Paul Mitchell Clean Beauty Shine Enhancing Treatment Gloss, £27.90

"If you are obsessed with getting super glossy locks then you will love this new hair treatment. I have straight, fine hair which, with the right conditioning product, can swish and shine. So I was keen to get my hands on this one. Use in the standard way; after shampooing, comb through and leave on for ten minutes or so and rinse off. It contains pomegranate extra and borage oil, which strengthen and support the scalp and it really does deliver next-level shine factor. Plus, Paul Mitchell are committed to clean beauty practices, using organic botanicals and innovative bio-plastic packaging."

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Gatineau  Exfoliating PHA and BHA Glow Tonique, £39.96

"Now and then I can’t be bothered with a lengthy double cleanse routine at night and just want a quick fix before I flop into bed. So after a swipe with some cleansing milk, I reach for this tonic. It brightens, tones and smooths in one go thanks to a mix of PHAs and BHAs. There’s also hyaluronic acid to hydrate and jojoba to improve the skin barrier.  It’s a bit of a one-hit-wonder and very gentle on the skin, with the easiest of push down pump applicator."

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Jo Loves Pomelo Home Fragrance, £90

"A great smelling home brings me so much joy. One of the easiest ways to do it is having diffusers scattered around. My all-time favourites are by Jo Loves. They come in chic white porcelain globes with elegant chunky black reed diffusers. They are an initial investment, but each one lasts for at least three months, and the refills are almost half the price. I have more affordable ones too, but they don’t throw scent as far or as well. The Pomelo fragrance is arguably the most iconic of all the Jo Loves scents - it’s a zingy grapefruit perfume that conjures up sandy, hot days on the beach. The perfect antidote to dreary February."

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Ingeborg van Lotringen, GTG Contributing Beauty Editor



Royal Fern Purifying Mask, £70

"Who knew treating oily or spot-prone (or just stressed) skin could be so delicious? This gel mask has an airy, mousse-like texture upon application that’s instantly cooling and hydrating. It is packed with serious levels of balancers like niacinamide, purifying willow bark, and brighteners such as tranexamic acid and sea buckthorn oil. That’s on top of the brand’s proprietary fern complex, which distills highly anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties from a plant that’s survived since the dinosaur days. The mask dries to a skin-tautening film but once you remove it after 20 minutes, skin is calmer and plumper and your breakout will be headed for extinction."

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MD London Vent Brush, £13 

"Celeb hairstylist Michael Douglas is busily launching cool styling products that make your life easier and that you can share with a vain male partner (they all come in cool muted blues and army greens). I particularly like this simple vent brush, which detangles without tearing at my hair and won’t buckle under the heat of my blow-drier. Plus, it’s practically weightless which satisfies my obsession with packing light whenever I travel."

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Celf Regeneration Station, £39.99

"Celf is a clever idea that saves on money, waste and adding to your charger jungle. It is a little ‘dermal head’ that clicks onto Oral B 10 toothbrushes (so if you have one of those, you’re sorted for three months before you have to replace the dermal head) and uses its micro-vibration energy to perk up your skin. Use the slip-providing hyaluronic acid serum that’s included to prep skin, then pass the buzzing tip over your face in a circular motion for a minute or two. The micro-vibrations will mildly stimulate blood flow and collagen production, but the most visible effect will probably be from the tiny prongs on the treatment head, which will have a micro-dermabrasion exfoliating effect. Don’t over-use, especially if your skin is delicate."

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Face Massage with Beata Masterclass

"Stress really doesn’t look good, as we probably all know from catching our tight, drawn features in the mirror on a particularly relentless day. Beata Aleksandrowicz is a facialist who specialises in (quite literally) wiping the strain and anxiety off your face with a mixture of facial and body massage, lymph drainage, reiki and guided breathing techniques. But because her six-month waiting list makes it rather hard to see her, she’s created a series of one-hour, downloadable video masterclasses that take you through processes like facial lymphatic drainage, giving yourself a neck lift or tackling tired eyes. Complete with relaxation strategies, easy to follow and effective, you can also buy the entire set of eight sessions for £200, and use it to build some properly transformative me-time into your life."

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Isla Huffadine, GTG Content Coordinator



Malin and Goetz Eucalyptus Hand and Body Scrub, £32

"Malin and Goetz has introduced a new eucalyptus scented version of their best-selling hand and body scrub. Designed to be used two to three times a week in place of your regular body wash, this scrub delicately purifies the skin, removing dead cells, debris and general build-up. What sets it apart is its smoother - not gritty - consistency, making it far kinder to the skin. The refreshing eucalyptus aroma will fill your bathroom, leaving you feeling relaxed and soothed."

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Morphe Sun and Done Smooth Bronzer Stick, £12

"Having switched from powder bronzer to creamier textures as I think they look more natural, I've been trying quite a few out and this bronzing stick has proved to be excellent. It's super affordable but has a gorgeously creamy texture that doesn't crease or end up looking cakey. It comes in five shades and is really buildable so you can layer up to the intensity you like. Plus the handy stick format means you can scribble it over your face and buff it in quickly and easily."

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Drybar Final Call Frizz and Static Control Mist, £25

"Managing flyaways can be quite the challenge. So when I came across this new frizz and static control mist I knew I needed to try it immediately. So I got out a balloon. That's right. I rubbed the balloon on my head without using any mist, and as expected my hair became incredibly static and messy. I then applied the product over my hair and got the balloon back out. And the results were impressive; minimal flyaways and sleek looking hair! Check out our Instagram video to see the outcome for yourself."

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Ciate Everyday Vacay Lip Oil, £14

"When it comes to lip products I always avoid anything thick or sticky. Thankfully this coconut lip oil is neither. It feels really hydrating and silky smooth to apply, with a delightful coconut scent that isn’t too overpowering. The clear shade makes it perfect for everyday wear and it also adds a nice shine for those who don’t like a tint but still want a touch of glam."

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Becki Murray, GTG Contributing Editor



Gingerlily London Silk Pillowcase Beauty Box, £69

"If you tend to wake up in the morning with complete bedhead and a puffy, creased face to match, I really can’t recommend investing in a silk pillowcase enough. Hypoallergenic and super soft to boot, silk also helps your skin retain its natural moisture during the night so you wake up looking fresher. I made the switch in an attempt to limit hair damage - the silk also helps reduce friction when you toss and turn - and my hair has been thanking me ever since."

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Venus Facial Hair & Skin Care Exfoliating Dermaplaning Razor, £14.99

"This clever tool was recommended to me by leading dermatologist Dr Ewoma Ukeleghe. It’s her tried and tested solution for helping you get the super glossy ‘glazed doughnut’ skin you see on social media. Shaving your face may seem a little scary, but the shape of the blade actually makes it really straightforward to get a smooth exfoliation. Plus, it's super satisfying to see just how well your makeup glides on after you’ve tried it."

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Liha Beauty Idan Oil Multipurpose Oil, £42

"I can’t tell you enough how much I love the smell of this tuberose-scented oil - and I’m not even normally a body oil sort of person. It’s a beautifully simple product too. The cold-pressed coconut oil is instantly moisturising, but it sinks in really fast so your skin isn’t left oily or sticky. Then, there’s that scent. Warm and floral, it reminds me of escaping on summer holidays and its so long-lasting."

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Optibac Travel Abroad Probiotics Digestive Supplement, £13.94

"Passport, sunglasses…probiotics - if you are off to catch some winter sun soon, these nutritionist-backed supplements are well worth keeping in your carry-on. Backed with stomach-supporting prebiotics proven to reach your gut alive, while also not requiring refrigeration, I couldn’t be without them when travelling to destinations where trying some amazing food and drink can also run the risk of upsetting your tummy."

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Editors Picks:
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