From the face oil and day cream that will give skin a hydration boost to the latest hair colour protector and cool genderless scent, here’s everything that’s caught our discerning eyes this week at team GTG
’Tis the season of spiced pumpkin lattes and autumn nail designs. It’s also time for slight tweaks to your usual routines; that might be swapping in a richer body butter in place of your lighter hydrating skincare. If that’s you, then scroll down to find out about the new one from Weleda that you’re going to love.
We've also hand-picked some new seasonal scents, a colour-protecting shampoo and autumn skincare must-haves. And while we know we should be cleaning our makeup brushes far more frequently than the change of the seasons, if you haven’t seen to yours in a while we’ve found a super efficient product created by a professional makeup brush cleaning brand, that will get them sorted in less than a minute.
You’re welcome!
Victoria Woodhall, GTG Editorial Director
The sophisticated strawberry scent: Malin and Goetz Strawberry EDP, £79 for
“Forget any idea that Malin and Goetz's new Strawberry EDP smells like a tween lip gloss, this is sophisticated white Japanese strawberry that’s fresh, citrussy, bergamotty, with a pink pepper and sexy musk undertone. It's the latest cool genderless fragrance from the New York skincare and fragrance house, where you can always expect the unexpected. Some of its scents, such as the Cannabis candle, are Marmite, but this one is a reliable ‘blind buy’ that will surprise and delight most people. There’s a handbag-sized Strawberry Perfume Oil, £29 roller, and a Strawberry scented candle, £50 too.”
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The 1 sold every 3 minutes serum: Invity Youth Activating Instant Filler, £70
“If you’re interested in longevity then Singaporean biotechnologist-founded brand Invity should be on your radar. I already take their Ultimate Polyophenols supplement for a dose of antioxidants and for eye health, and have now graduated to their skincare, which majors on time-delaying ingredient du jour NAD. This serum comes in a neat syringe and delivers hyaluronic acid and wrinkle-freezing ingredients. It really did soften my lines immediately, albeit temporarily, however, its peptides do the same over time too. One is sold every three minutes. The SuperNAD Youth Activating Sheet Mask, £59 for five, is another plumping favourite."
Doctor-approved skin care: Skinbetter Science Mystro Active Balance Serum, £230
“Skin doctor Dr Sophie Shotter first put me onto this brand as she only ever recommends products that have science and data behind them – and she really rates Skinbetter Science. Everything is backed by their own trials and that’s part of the reason why it’s pricey. But it works. This latest launch is aimed at improving skin quality – the appearance of redness, rough skin texture, dullness, pore size and pigmentation. The trials were done on people with mild to severe sun-damaged skin (like me) and showed a 39 per cent improvement in skin quality in three months. That’s good enough for me - and my sensitive skin is enjoying the velvety serum twice a day."
By teens for teens: Indu Universal Cream Cleanser and Clarifying Gel Cleanser, £15 each, refills £12
"Indu is a teen-led beauty range created with a panel of 150 users involved in every stage from choosing the type of product, to the smell, the packaging and the the feel. Everything is under £20. There’s plenty to come from this disrupter brand, including makeup, to add to the moisturisers and refillable cleansers they’ve launched. There’s a psychologist on board to vet all the messaging and their use of social media is measured and empowering, so parents can be confident in it too. My 16-year-old son likes the gel cleanser with a lovely light watermelon smell; I like the cleansing pads soaked in cleansing milk - great for on the go.”
Ingeborg van Lotringen, Contributing Editor
The cutting-edge rich moisturiser: Dr Sam’s Flawless Moisturiser Intense, £32
“It appears every new skincare product is about fixing your skin barrier these days, and that’s not a bad thing. Dr Sam formulated her richest moisturiser yet (and it is very rich) with brand-new hero ingredient sunflower shoot extract (SSE). She was impressed by its clinically evidenced ability to rev up skin cell energy – something many products attempt to do as it’s the ultimate way to help skin function optimally, repair damage and fight ageing without causing any irritation. It’s joined by reliable barrier boosting and calming ingredients for skin that will be resilient and in rude health."
The lip oil with added benefits: Delilah Lip Saviour Colour Enhancing Lip Oil, £29
“I don’t like lip oils (too thin, too inconsequential) and I don’t like those pH self-adjusting lip glosses as in the past they always turned a weird pink on me. But surprisingly, I like this. The consistency is lightweight, obviously, but hangs in there more than most lip oils, and it really just bumps up your natural lip colour so you look instantly less washed-out. Nice glossy sheen, too. It’s slightly scented which I find annoying but it doesn’t irritate my lips, and its applicator is made of zamac, the of-the-moment metal alloy that feels lovely and cooling."
The toner that’s not a toner: Dr Jart+ Ceramidin Skin Barrier Serum Toner, £35
“Not a clue what a ‘serum toner’ is supposed to be but some investigation established that this Dr Jart concoction is really a hybrid of a hydrating essence and a barrier-building serum (two products that are being discontinued from the brand’s Ceramidin franchise) – not at all a wipe-off toner. A viscous, milky liquid, you drop some in your hand and slip it on your face for instant and lasting quenching that is entirely weightless. It has lots of ceramides and even more humectants and it proves that you really don’t need heavy creams to moisturise and replenish skin."
SJ Corfield-Smith, GTG Beauty Director
The spot preventer: La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo + M, £20
“This is the range I recommend for teenage or older hormonal, blemish-prone skin or for clogged pores. And this new moisturiser that has been added to the franchise is going straight into my bathroom for dealing with my next batch of hormonal zits. It contains a unique ingredient you’ll only find in La Roche-Posay that targets the bacteria in the microbiome that causes too much oil production which leads to blocked pores and spots, meaning this can prevent and cure spots popping up. It also contains salicylic acid which sinks into pores and clean them out.”
The neck tightener: Evolve Organic Beauty Age Defying Lifting Serum, £54
“While I don’t believe you necessarily need a specific neck product, having one can mean that you actually dedicate time and attention to using product south of the chin. This clever serum is for the face and neck so hopefully just by reading the label you will use it from forehead all the way down to your boobs. It’s jam-packed with actives that boost collagen production in the skin - to make crepey necks look firmer and smoother - as well as marine algae to boost radiance all over and smooth wrinkles wherever you may have them.”
The speedy brush cleaner: Iso Clean Professional Brush Cleaner, £12
“Not only do makeup brushes become breeding grounds for germs but if you don’t clean them frequently, they’re overloaded with product and they’re not as effective to use. There are lots of ways to clean brushes but this natty product is super speedy and effective. You unscrew the perspex dome surrounding the bottle, pour some of the professional grade cleaning liquid into the diptray at the bottom, swirl your brush for 60 seconds, wipe it clean and leave it to dry. It is immensely satisfying (as well as slightly worrying) how much makeup and dirt comes away, proving why it’s so important to do it.”
The hair colour protector: Color Wow Color Security Shampoo, £21.50
“Every colourist I have ever interviewed has stressed the importance of using a decent shampoo on coloured hair (as well as a great heat protector). When you spend time and money getting your colour looking perfect, a 'bad' shampoo can mean you are literally washing it down the drain. Step in this one. It is sulphate free, important because sulphates strip colour and coat the hair effecting the way your colour looks. This also steers clear of silicones and ingredients that can clog the scalp and weight the hair down so for my fine blonde hair is a must. There is a co-ordinating conditioner but if your budget doesn’t stretch, buy the shampoo and use the best hair mask you can afford.”
Marie Louise
The autumnal body butter: Weleda Regenerating Body Butter £18.18
“I love a body butter, and this one does not disappoint. It leaves your skin buttery soft thanks to the organic shea butter, super satiated and it has a cosy orange and vanilla scent. I’ve been massaging it all over as part of my new autumn nighttime routine and my skin has a new bounce to it. It’s formulated with a cell-renewing antioxidant, derived by pomegranate extract, with some clinically proven results on its firming and regenerate skin benefits. There’s also centella asiatica extract to activate collagen production and increase skin elasticity."
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The dry skin hydrator: MZ Skin Reviving Antioxidant Facial Oil, £160
“Developed by Dr Maryam Zamani, a leading aesthetic doctor in London this is a high performance product. It’s rich in omegas, aminos and essential fatty acids. There’s patchouli and phytocannabinoid to sooth the skin, and the low molecular weight formula is the secret to its quick absorbing formula. I’ve been using it day and night under my creams and my very dry skin has been inhaling it! It’s deeply nourishing, not greasy at all, and sits super well under my day cream and foundation."
The late night eye reviver: Murad Targeted Eye Depuffer, £64
"Most of us at some time or other suffer from puffy eyes. Mine are always the worst after a night, but fortunately the skincare cavalry has arrived in the form of this new icy cool eye cream. It’s easy to apply with a little squirt through a chilling metal applicator which fits neatly under the eye and designed to sooth away the puffiness. It’s been formulated with a toning trio of ginseng, lily and caffeine along with their unique amino acid peptide to help reduce under-eye bags. The effects are instant and with party season just round the corner I'm keeping this at the ready to sort post-party eye bags."
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The modern day retinol: Kora Organics Plant Stem Cell Retinol Alternative Moisturiser, £46
“I’m a bit of a cynic when it comes to celebrity beauty brands, but not when it comes to sustainable, climate neutral brand Kora Organics, the creation of Australian model Miranda Kerr. New to her range is a stem-cell retinol alternative which I’ve been using at night over my serum. It’s an ultra-nourishing moisturiser with a 5% active retinol alternative blend of bakuchiol and alfalfa to smooth wrinkles and the firm skin. It’s gentle enough to use in the day-time too and there are natural peptides and ceramides to lock in the moisture. When its finished you can buy a refill to pop back into this dazzling purple-lidded pot of cream."
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