From the blusher loved by Kim Kardashian’s makeup artist to the new Charlotte Tilbury Magic Body Cream set to be an even bigger hit than the face version, here are March's best new beauty buys
Welcome to of the hottest new beauty launches that have landed on our desks this month. We’re talking about the new Victoria Beckham eyeshadow sticks that make doing a smoky eye foolproof, plus a new fragrance from Kayla (the brand founded by the younger sister of makeup mogul, Huda) which is part pistachio ice cream, part sex-bomb. There’s also a genius hair multi-tasker from Rahua. Keep on scrolling to discover the beauty newness that you might just need in your life/ makeup bag/ bathroom cabinet too.
The Kardashian flush-blush: Makeup by Mario Soft Pop Blush Stick, £32
"Mario Dedivanovic is by all accounts a very nice man, so he deserves the army of crazed fans he’s collected after being launched into the stratosphere by the patronage of Kim K. The MUA's products are not all hype and no substance – quite the opposite. These stick blushes – who doesn't love a cream blusher – are nice and big (they’ll last forever), deeply pigmented (you’ll need very little), and smooth on without any oiliness or heaviness. When it comes to application, I’m a fingers girl but super Mario has converted me to blending with a brush, seeing as there is one at the other end of my stick, and it’s really good quality, with dense bristles and little knobbles to help you blend even better. It seems rude not to use it. It also has a lid so for once, my brush won’t get filthy." Ingeborg van Lotringen, Contributing Beauty Editor
The hot new skincare launch: Skin Rocks The Moisturiser, £58
"Caroline Hirons has nailed the perfect day and night moisturiser in this jar of whipped wonder. She calls it an ‘instant skin conditioner’ and that’s definitely the feeling you get when you apply it, it’s like the difference between your own bed and a posh hotel bed with one of those super bouncy toppers. My skin held its moisture well, even overnight and because it this is a cream without fancy actives, it won’t clash with your serums. It says it’s for oily skins due to its whipped texture but my dry skin lapped it up. It has just the right amount of fresh scent and there's a fragrance-free version too.” Victoria Woodhall, GTG Editorial Director
The clever SPF primer: Hello Sunday The Illuminating One Glow Primer, £22
“Wearing a daily SPF is the most effective way of futureproofing your skin and giving all the other products you’re spending your time and money on the best chance of working. This new SPF primer is from Hello Sunday, a UK-based SPF brand, that has made finding a great sun protector super easy (I’m a huge fan of their The One That’s A Serum SPF50, £16 and The One For Your Lips SPF40, £4). In true primer style, you apply it on top of your skincare and before your makeup. It has a gorgeous glowy-pink finish to it but also leaves skin feeling and looking slightly matte making it an ideal base for makeup to go on top of. Most importantly it contains a broad spectrum SPF50 giving you ultimate protection. What I love about this product is the ease of use. Simply swap out your regular primer for this one to get the same (if not better) result but with mega SPF protection at the same time. It’s a no-brainer, surely?” SJ Corfield-Smith, GTG Beauty Director
The hair repair oil: Amika Water Sign Hydrating Hair Oil, £31
"I’m very picky when it comes to hair oils, I don’t want anything too heavy or that makes my hair look or feel greasy. You don't need much of this - one to two drops was perfect for me and it felt like the oil immediately locked in moisture after I used it on towel-dried hair and styled with a blow dryer brush.The scent is amazing and I had loads of compliments from people the next day. I suffer from constant breakage on my bleached ends and have been using a bond repair treatment for about a year but haven't seen any real difference in my hair. This product has been clinically tested to reduce breakages by 51 per cent so I'm going to stick with it and see how my hair is in a few months time. It also protects against heat up to 230 degrees and tames flyaways and reduces frizz after styling." Christina Callaghan, GTG Commercial Director
The foundation-concealer hybrid Urban Decay Stay Naked Quicke Multi-Use Concealer, £28 (Shade 50WO)
“Urban Decay’s full-coverage new concealer-foundation hybrid does the most brilliant job of erasing all visible traces my pigmentation, dark circles and blemish marks. The ‘Quickie’ title is well deserved because the soft brush makes it super speedy to buff in seamlessly - either where you need it or all over - without using your fingers - great for on the go. While it boasts 24-hour wear, I haven’t pulled any all-nighters to test the claims, but it lasted a full day on my oily skin. It’s non-comedogenic, matte-ish and comes in a diverse shade range of 26 colours. My dry-skinned colleague Victoria was surprisingly taken with this too.” Jemma Thompson, GTG Design and Social Media Manager
The indulgent body treat: Charlotte Tilbury Magic Body Cream, £49
"Charlotte Tilbury’s Magic Face Cream is a sensation and now the franchise is expanding with a body version. Infused with hyaluronic acid and shea butter this body cream drenches skin in hydration but also keeps it feeling hydrated throughout the whole day - there's no tightness when this bad boy is on your skin, You might think then it would take time to sink in but somehow it absorbs super quickly, so as soon as you're done applying, you can get dressed. It is on the pricey side, but it has more benefits than just hydratin. It contains vitamin C which evens out skin tone, there's also caffeine which can help with the appearance of cellulite and stretch marks and an ingredient unique to the brand called Algativ Uplift which has been clinically proven to tighten and lift skin - just what's needed when we'll (finally) be flashing a bit more skin. " Amy Rostas, GTG Beauty and Social Media Assistant
A new take on Oud: Jo Loves Ebony & Cassis Fragrance, £115
"I was fortunate to escape to Dubai in January, a marvellous city, wondrously warm and sublimely fragrant. Wherever I went the traditional Oud perfumes permeated across the market stalls, designer malls and tourist hot spots. I became obsessed with these sweet, hypnotic and heady wafts. If you are a fellow fan, then you need to know about the new Jo Loves Ebony & Cassis fragrance which transports you to the heart of the Middle East. She’s combined the warmth of rich nutmeg, myrrh and dates with sweet cassis and blackberries and created a modern union of East meets West. It’s quite different from her traditional fragrance line but has the same depth and complexity. There’s also patchouli and cedarwood for some fruity lightness. I have it on my desk now and have a glorious spritz in the morning which takes me right back to my holiday memories." Marie Louise Pumfrey, GTG contributor
The swipe-to-transform eye colour: Victoria Beckham Eyewear Longwear Crease-Proof Eyeshadow Stick, £30
"I’m not saying VB’s new eyeshadow sticks are very different from various other eyeshadow sticks I’ve tried (I might even say these are eerily similar to those by Bobbi Brown and Beauty Pie), but that doesn’t mean they’re not great. I mean, why faff with powders and brushes when you can just sweep a bullet over your lids (much like a lipstick, really), quickly blend the colour into the creases with your finger, and be left with all-day tinted lids that never show creases? Some sticks are rather creamy-oily and won’t last, but VB’s, like those others I mentioned earlier, are smooth as velvet and hardy as concrete. The shades are ‘inspired by Victoria’s wardrobe’ - er, okay- and feature a selection of flattering earthy tints and golds, alongside a cute baby pink – none of them very high-maintenance, unlike, I imagine, Victoria’s wardrobe."IvL
Your new spring scent: Diptyque L'Eau Papier Eau de Toilette, £125
“My GTG colleague Amy described this eau de toilette as a ‘grown-up version of Glossier You’ and it does indeed have that slight ‘fresh laundry’ feel but with an undertone of earthiness, thanks to notes of roasted sesame seeds and steamed rice which bizarrely are said to evoke the smell of ink on parchment. If you’re a book lover, as I am, you'll be magnetised by this ‘sexy librarian’ scent. Being an EDT it’s light and feels summery with floral notes of mimosa and white musk, although it reminds me of one of my other Diptyque favourite, the ‘green’ Eau de Lierre (ivy). Subtle and intriguing.” VW
The perfect curated kit: Bobbi Brown Pretty Powerful x Never Fully Dressed Collection, £55
“The Bobbi Brown ‘Pretty Powerful’ charity initiative is celebrating its tenth anniversary. This is a campaign that focuses on boosting women’s confidence. Bobbi Brown has teamed up with UK charity, Smart Works, an organisation that empowers unemployed women to enter the workforce by harnessing the power of clothing, coaching and confidence. This year's offering is a gorgeous reversible makeup bag (floral on one side, animal print on the other),containing four of their best-selling products: Pretty Powerful Pot Rouge for Lips and Cheeks, Smokey Eye Mascara, a mini-sized Vitamin Enriched Face Base and a mini Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick .”SJCS
A scent to make your heart flutter: Maison Margiela On A Date, £55
"Maison Margiela’s Replica creates some of the most atmospheric and nostalgic fragrances, from the smoky, sexy Jazz Club, £55 and the uplifting Beach Walk, £55. This warm scent takes me back to first date flutters, with its notes of ripe grapes and fresh roses. Picture a warm summer’s evening with a few glasses of chilled rosé and butterflies in your tummy. It’s joyful and fruity and smells like it’s always been part of your story." JT
The budget buy: Elf Good Vibes Only Soft Velvet Primer, £10
"I love anything to do with the ’70s so fell hard for the packaging of this new limited edition Good Vibes Only collection (there's also an eyeshadow palette, makeup brushes and a lip balm). This primer gave me the most gorgeous velvety skin, which is very impressive as I'mcurrently on a course of Roaccutane so my skin is super dry. it also not only made my makeup stay put, as all good primers should, but it didn't flake away during the day (again, quite the miracle with my skin right now), I think this is down to the texture being more like a serum-meets-oil than a dry primer consistency, but once you blend it out it does transform into a more traditional silicone feel. It leaves skin looking semi-matte and also reduces the appearance of pores. It has a slight amber scent that sadly doesn't last very long. " CC
The silky heat protector: Rahua Heat Protectant Shield, £38
"I have been searching long and hard for a decent heat protector as I know I need to use one every time I style my hair (which is all the time). My issue has always been that I already apply a serum to defrizz as well as oil to add moisture and neither of them contain heat protection, and I simply don't have the time or brain capacity for a third product. Step in this new heat shield from haircare brand Rahua. It can be used on damp or dry hair. You simply lightly mist it all over and it is instantly protected from heat (up to 210 degrees). It also works as an oil treatment, helping to seal in any split ends, leaving your hair looking healthy and full of shine and silky smooth. So much so that I've now ditched all my other products in favour of this alone. " AR
The 360* brow plumper: Embryolisse Brow Volumizing Mascara, £25.99
"Brow mascaras are by far the quickest and easiest brow perfectors – just rake and go, job done. They do stand or fall by their brush, which is often much too big and fat, but that’s not an issue here. The wand is as slim as it is short and tiny, allowing for precision work (even raking requires some care to make sure brows look shapely) and preventing too much product clumping onto the brush and dumping into your brows. The formula has little fibres for an immediate plumping boost, but what I especially like is the added glycerin, peptides and panthenol (soothing and hydrating) to help condition and strengthen brows." IvL
The sweet yet sophisticated scent: Kayali Yum Pistachio Gelato 33 EDP, £83
"Huda Beauty’s younger sister, Mona Kattan launched fragrance brand Kayali back in 2018 and she has produced some of the most aromatic, flavourful fragrances on the market. Her newest delicacy is no different, this is a fragrance of dreams, especially if you love gourmand (fragrances that use edible flavour profiles) perfumes. The notes that stood out for me are hazelnut, whipped cream, marshmallow and of course, pistachio gelato. You won't smell like a snack though - it's well balanced, light and creamy without being sickly sweet. And once the fragrance has dried you are left with sandalwood, cedar and tonka bean which creates a lingering sexy vibe.." AR
The eco wonders: We Are Concentrate Shampoo Concentrate, £14 and Conditioner Concentrate, £14
"Oh, these are very clever products, very clever indeed. Meet the most chic waterless shampoo and conditioner that I’ve ever seen. These tubes contain shampoo and conditioner concentrates and you start off by squeezing a marble-sized blob into your hand, add a little bit of warm water, rub your hands together and they transform into the lathering products we all expect to use to clean and nourish our hair. Thanks to them being waterless they are ideal for travel or for keeping in your gym bag as they won’t spill out everywhere, but they still feel super luxe and nice to use. Both have a gorgeous coconut scent and don’t contain silicones or sulphates and leave hair feeling nourished and clean. Every member of my family loves using them and I feel you get far more doses than a regular shampoo and conditioner."SJCS
The pore perfector: Glow Recipe Strawberry BHA Pore-Smooth Blur Drops, £29
"If you’ve got oily skin, an oily t-zone or just want to add a filtered effect to your skin then this is the perfect primer for you, from Korean skincare brand Glow Recipe. It instantly reduces the size of pores and creates a wash of tint over the skin for a 'blurring' effect - so much so that this might be the only thing you need to put on your skin. But if you do apply makeup on top, it goes on more smoothly and lasts longer. The BHAs work over time to reduce the appearance of pores. Makeup artist Adeola Gboyega demo'ed the product to me and it looked so divine on her I just had to try it out. I usually have to reapply my makeup or at add some powder halfway through the day but with this, I didn’t need to do either.."AR