Glossy Picks: 20 beauty and wellness buys to welcome spring

18 March 2024

We're talking jelly cheek tints that have gone viral on TikTok, female-focused mushroom supplements and the most beautiful eye mask you ever did see

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

Spring has officially sprung. And about time too! To celebrate we’ve been searching through all the newest products to find the things that will have all of us looking and feeling our best. And what a treat you have in store below. There are new makeup finds including a clever 2-in-1 blusher bronzer, saving you space, time and money in your makeup bag, as well as a brilliant eyeliner from a slightly surprising brand. A supplement specifically targeted for those who suffer from recurring thrush or UTIs, vitamin C serums galore, de-frizzing hair products, fake tanners and instant spring-glow creators. Enjoy!

Victoria Woodhall, GTG Editorial Director



Hifas Da Terra Optimum, from £65

“As far as I know this is the first functional mushroom blend aimed at women to help balance hormones, energy, immunity, sleep, stress and anxiety as well as supporting glowing skin. And it’s by the specialist mushroom brand I spend my own money on, Hifas Da Terra. I buy it for the purity efficacy, strength, sustainability and clinical evidence behind everything they do. Optimum combines cordyceps, lion’s mane and reishi mushrooms with high-nutrient algae (chlorella and spirulina) plus Affron (from saffron), which has been studied to help with anxiety and depression and probiotics. It comes in a beautiful refillable glass jar and I take it alongside my multivitamin, omega 3, collagen supplements and magnesium.”

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Kama Ayurveda Kumkumadi Eye Cream, £59

“Ayurvedic skincare is having a UK moment and this celeb favourite luxury brand, which has been big in India for decades, is leading the way with a vibrant shop in Notting Hill and London’s Harrods (worth a visit just for the ‘gram!) as well as facial treatment rooms and consultations with an Ayurvedic doctor. I’ve been using the Kumkumadi (saffron) range since the launch last year as it’s a powerful blend of age-softening natural actives. Until now there hasn’t been an eye cream, but I was first in line to grab one when it launched last week and have enjoyed using it with the Kansa Wand tool. £64  for a mini at-home sculpting facial."

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VJJ Perfect V, £26

“If you have persistent thrush, BV or UTIs and the antibiotics aren’t working, your story is similar to that of VJJ Health co-founder Annabel Power, whose parents Alison and Adam have set up a family business centred on vaginal microbiome health. As well as this oral probiotics capsule (you need very specific strains for V-care)  there’s a powder drink that also has D-Mannose, a natural sugar found in cranberries that prevents the bad bacteria from sticking to the walls of your urethra so you can pee it out. Plus there’s a vaginal pH swab test (high pH means higher likelihood of BV). I was really impressed by the quality of the research and the targeted strains of probiotics in this oral capsule that takes around three-to-five days to work and can be taken alongside medication. It’s popular in menopause too, as UTIs increase.”

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Drowsy Breakfast at Drowsy Silk Sleep Mask, £79

“How did sleep masks become so collectable? I refer to my own stash of at least five of these total blackout wraparound masks in high-grade (22 momme) washable silk. This latest limited edition is inspired by Audrey Hepburn's movie Breakfast at Tiffanys in which her character Holly Golightly wears a turquoise sleep mask with gold fringed lashes - and purple tasselled earplugs too (we’d like them next, please!). This homage mask is currently waitlisted after an unexpected sellout. However, if you are simply after a great night’s sleep under a crease-free ‘eye duvet’ head to the Drowsy website to start what will inevitably be your collection too.”

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SJ Corfield-Smith, GTG Beauty Director



Naturium Fermented Camellia Creamy Cleansing Oil, £22

“This is another smash hit of a product from Naturium. It is commendable how all their products feel so luxe, and contain excellent ingredients but come with an affordable price tag. This is a camellia-oil-based cleanser, but has a gel consistency that turns silky smooth as you massage in and then slightly lathers and emulsifies with the addition of water. It doesn’t strip the skin, removes all makeup and SPF and leaves skin feeling plump and juicy. Bravo.”

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Milk Makeup Cooling Water Jelly Tint in Spritz, £22

“These lip and cheek stains have proved so popular via US influencers on TikTok that there is already a waiting list on Space NK which is where you can get your hands on them in the UK from today as well as Cult Beauty. Why so popular? Well, it slightly helps that they look a bit like jelly, there have been lots of videos of people pretending to eat them (sigh), but they’re really nice tints that feel slightly cooling on the skin and come in four spring and summer appropriate shades. A word of warning, they really do tint so once you apply be quick to blend as these have serious staying power.”

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Relevant Sunburst C+ Superfruit Serum, £74

“All Relevant products are formulated with all skin types and tones in mind, this is particularly important for products containing active ingredients that can make some skin tones more prone to pigmentation and can exacerbate sensitivity in others. This vitamin C serum contains a good 15 per cent tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate - a stable and well-tolerated form of vitamin C - alongside natural oils like jojoba, buriti and baobab to reduce any redness. It does have a slightly oily consistency so oilier skins may need to allow a few extra minutes for it to sink in before applying anything else.”

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Ouai Anti-Frizz Crème, £26

“You would be justified in buying this for the floral musky scent alone (side note: the Ouai scents are so good they do sell them as separate EDPs. The perfume in this is called North Bondi). But if you have frizzy, fluffy or flyaway-prone hair then you must get it for its smoothing and sleeking properties too. It contains plant-based polymers to seal the hair and jackfruit and beetroot to add hydration. It can be used on wet or dry and either used with heat or to help air-dry hair naturally.”

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Marie Louise Pumfrey, GTG Contributor



Murad Cellular Hydration Repair Mask, £55

“If you suffer from red, rough and bumpy skin let me point you in the direction of this new hydrating overnight mask from Murad. My husband - whose skin is prone to redness and sensitivity - and I have been sharing it and we can’t believe how soft our faces feel in the morning.  It’s formulated with a skin barrier cocktail of fatty acids and antioxidants such as bilberry seed oil and Canadian willowherb that not only help get moisture in but keep it there for long-term skin barrier strengthening and to encourage skin to behave better. They recommend using it three times a week, but I’m tempted every night.”

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Instant Sunshine Bronzing drops Iconic London, £22

“Say goodbye to sickly looking winter skin with these brilliant instant bronzing drops. They are a quicker and easier alternative to traditional fake tan as there is none of the hassle of development time or it going patchy, you just add a few drops to your foundation or moisturiser for an instant sunkissed glow and then wash it away when your day and glow is done. You don’t need much, as the colour is super concentrated and its cleverly formulated to adapt to your skin tone.”

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Blush & Bronze Hydro-Blur, Stila cheek duo, £27

"Contouring videos always seem to be popping up on my social media feed. I find watching makeup artists and influencers drawing on your cheek bones, shaping noses, ‘snatching’ jawlines quite fascinating and they make it look so easy.  So I’ve been having a go with this new handbag-friendly dual-ended stick. On one end there’s a blush, and the other a bronzer, both gel-based, non-oily and easy to blend with a brush. I’m loving my new look of carved out cheek-bones with a peachy blush, which, now that I know what I’m doing, takes me seconds to create."

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Jo Loves With Love from Positano Fragrance, £135

“A little spray of this and you’ll be transported to sea, sun and blue skies, which after this long winter is just what we need. Created by the perfume queen herself, Jo Malone it was inspired by a recent family holiday, travelling along the Amalfi coast, exploring the wondrous Italian squares of the region and spending days basking in the sunshine. This is a great day-time fragrance. It’s bright, breezy and fresh with orange oil, bergamot and warming star anise. I have it sitting on my desk for an instant pick-me-up to sunnier climes.”

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Ingeborg van Lotringen, GTG Contributing Beauty Editor



Yensa Super Silk Serum Cream Blush, £26

"‘Serum cream’ sounds delicious and I guess you could call this solid, deeply pigmented gel that. If you hate the feeling of extra oil on your cheeks as a result of your cream blush, this totally weightless tint (think liquid stain, but solid) is for you. It glides on and blends well, and comes in eight lovely shades. It’s packed with eight powerful antioxidants as well, for fighting back any free radicals from UV or pollution that attack your cheeks."

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Bioeffect Facial Cleanser, £55

"Texture-wise, this is very easy to confuse with a silky serum so don’t make the mistake of leaving it on! A runny, opaque gel texture that turns into a milk, it’s unscented, beautifully gentle, and leaves skin with no hint of dryness. It’s good at taking off the day’s grime but don’t expect it to do much for any long-last eye makeup or mascara; you’ll need another cleanser for that. There are unfortunately no epidermal growth factors (the brand’s USP) in here either, but then you wouldn’t want to wash those down the drain, of course...."

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Revitalash Defining Liner Eyeliner, £25

"My never-ending search for eye pencils that genuinely don’t smudge and melt continues apace, and this is an unexpected find. I did not know Revitalash did eye pencils – it’s certainly not entirely on-brand as this pencil doesn’t have any lash growth-boosting properties. But it just happens to be a great pencil, with a gel formula that slides on smoothly and the kind of staying power that is often claimed but rarely delivered on: it stays properly put (even though you can artfully smudge it in the first minute). This goes straight to the top of my list."

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Lumene CC Colour Correcting Cream SPF20, £15.92

"This is not at all the type of base I would wear as it has definite oil-absorbing properties which makes it feel instantly too dry on my skin. But I imagine that if my skin was oilier, I would love the instant perfecting effect without it looking cakey or thick, and I definitely appreciate the subtle glow this gives while at the same time mattifying skin. There are plenty of hydrating (not oily) ingredients here plus an always-handy broad-spectrum SPF20, and there’s ten self-adjusting shades to choose from. Also works as an undereye concealer."

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Isla Huffadine, GTG Content Coordinator



Kosas Revealer Concealer, £26

"Kosas has recently introduced new shades to their award-winning concealer line, now having an impressive selection of 38 options. Infused with hyaluronic acid, caffeine and pink algae, this concealer not only hydrates the skin but also brightens. I find it particularly useful for lifting under-eye circles and providing extra coverage where needed. Its creamy formula blends effortlessly, ensuring no creasing or a cakey appearance. The medium coverage means you can easily build up the product for your desired look - I go for a light wash of colour during the day and apply more when I’m glamming up for a night out!"

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Garnier Vitamin C Daily UV Fluid Glow SPF50+, £12.99

"Viral Tiktok products are my guilty pleasure, especially when they live up to the hype. And this is very much that, I think because it really is a one-and-done type of product. Firstly it is your daily vitamin C serum, which we all know over time will help skin appear brigther and more even. Next, it gives the skin a gorgeous instant glow creating a perfect base for under makeup or on its own if you're having a good skin day. Finally, it has a brilliant broad-spectrum SPF to protect the skin. It feels lightweight and hydrarting, with zero greasiness or stickiness. A daily must-have."

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Skinny Tan Body Glow, £6.49

"During these gloomy months I have been turning to my trusty fake tanning products for a subtle glow. Skinny Tan’s Body Glow offers a convenient and cost-effective alternative to jetting off on a winter escape. Applying the lotion is simple, use it like you would a regular full-body moisturiser, ensuring to wash your hands afterward (no one wants orange palms). The tan gradually develops after a few hours, so I typically apply it before bed and wake up looking sun-kissed. Its colour-free formula minimises tan marks on clothing or sheets and it has a delightful coconut and vanilla fragrance - a win for the self-tanners out there!"

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Mii Cosmetics HydraBoost Lip Lover Lipstick, £17.40

"I love adding a pop of colour to my lips, but usually prioritise hydration. Mii Cosmetics has brilliantly combined both in this lipstick. The hydrating ingredients - hyaluronic acid and Ayurvedic herb swertia chirata extract - are combined in a strip that runs down the core with the pigment wrapped around it. The lipstick glides on smoothly, instantly moisturising the lips while delivering a lovely burst of colour. With nine shades to choose from, this is one of those products you can put on wherever you're going, whatever you're doing."

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25 autumn nail designs you’re going to want to wear this season


Editors Picks:
Things we're loving

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Push Up Lashes Mascara, £25
Topshop knitted high neck jumper, £38
OPI Repair Mode™ Bond Building Nail Serum, was £29.90 now £23.92
M&S linen blend belted cropped jumpsuit, £55
Food For Life: The New Science of Eating Well by Tim Spector, £17.27
Urban Outfitters Mary Jane ballet pumps

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