Being back at work is much less of a drag when there are beauty and wellness launches and new discoveries to look forward to
We're back with a bang, full of resolutions and promises to ourselves ahead of 2020. Our promise to you? To keep on shouting about the new launches that land on our desks each week.
Here's what's put the spring back in our steps and a glow back onto our faces during the bleakest time of the year.
Jo Malone London Limited Edition English Pear & Freesia Candle, £50
Loved by: Melanie Macleod, digital writer
"Let’s get one thing clear. I absolutely do not need any more candles. I was given at least five for Christmas and still haven’t burned all of my autumn candles. But did that stop me from wanting the limited edition Lunar New Year version of Jo Malone’s Pear and Freesia candle? Definitely not. The iconic silver lid has been replaced by an opulent gold one, while the cream label has been given a glam red makeover and it’s just the touch my living room needs now all the fairy lights are down. As for the scent, it’s exactly what my home has been crying out for after six weeks of cinnamon and clove fragranced candles. It’s fresh thanks to the pears and mellow due to the amber and patchouli and is a little hint of spring during these dark days."
Bouclème Scalp Exfoliating Shampoo, £22
Loved by: Jemma Thompson, digital designer
"One of my New Year’s resolutions is to stop putting off tasks that I can do today. This means binning the cans of dry shampoo I have stacked up and actually washing my hair. As someone who dreads hair wash day because of time it takes to dry my thick afro hair, I was surprisingly excited to use this Bouclème Scalp Exfoliating Shampoo. I’ve heard good things, it’s a brand dedicated to defining curls, ticks all the Curly Girl method boxes and did I mention the cute sustainable packaging?
MORE GLOSS: Real women who've found their curl type reveal what works
"I wasn’t disappointed; this could be because the uplifting spearmint and sweet orange scent lightened my mood or because the product truly works wonders. Unlike other clarifying shampoos that often leave my hair feeling stripped, this removed all product build-up thanks to the gently exfoliating castor oil beads, that stimulate hair growth and left mine feeling soft, lightweight and energised. It’s perfect for any hair type that needs a cleanse and revival. My hair-wash cycle has definitely been stretched out a few more days after using this and I couldn’t be any more grateful. To be honest I’m already looking forward to the next time I can lather my locks in this."
Gucci Beauty Rouge à Lèvres Mat Lipstick in Joanna Burgundy 510, £34
Loved by: Hattie Sloggett, beauty and wellness awards manager
"So, here’s the thing. I’ve never really been a lipstick girl, and almost definitely never been a matte lipstick one at that. I’ve always been more of a lightweight balm or gloss kind of gal. That is until I met Gucci’s new matte lipstick in Joanna Burgundy. Encased in gold and with an extremely tactile weight about it, this little tube of lippy sprung up on my desk a few days ago and I haven’t looked back since. Gone are my fears of dry, crusty matte lips. This bad boy delivers moisture and coverage. There is no, dragging on the lip edges (you know, when it looks like the edge of a ripped piece of paper) and it’s soft crayon-like texture allows you to line with it too, so you can create the perfect shape for your face. With my red hair and green eyes, the plummy shade does wonders for my complexion, and it allows me to build it up if I am going from the office to the restaurant, who doesn’t love two looks in one? If you happen to be like me, and desire shimmer in everything you do, just pop a bit of gloss on top. If you prefer another shade there are more than 20 to choose from in the 'mat' range. "
Diptyque Eau Capitale Eau de Parfum, £120
Loved by: Victoria Woodhall, editorial director
"Heads-up for Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day or any day really, this beautifully bottled EDP from Diptyque celebrating the brand’s home city, will have you smelling like Paris in the springtime with top notes of roses and undertones of intrigue. It’s hard to buy perfume on spec for someone but this is such a democratic fragrance that layers well over spicy scents too, that it’s hard to go wrong. It’s a bit like buying Chanel No.5 for someone – only much more interesting. Although the packaging speaks roses, it’s not a floral, it’s a chypre, a fragrance ‘accord’ that’s a mix of woody cypress, bergamot and citrus (Clinique’s Aromatics Elixir and Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle are both in the chypre family). The deeper woody notes give this hidden depths which gradually reveal themselves as you wear it. I couldn’t stop smelling myself."
Dermalogica BioLumin-C Eye Serum, £63 - launching 9 January
Loved by: Melanie Macleod, digital writer
"At the start of this week I was doing a juice cleanse. Very out of character for me, but it’s a new year, so why not? Anyway, it’s safe to say that after guzzling liquids for two days solid, I wasn’t thrilled to see a juice carton on my desk this morning. But all that changed when I opened it to find not another green juice, but Dermalogica’s Biolin-C Eye Serum. I applied it under the eyes and along my orbital bone and while I didn’t see immediate brightening results, it did feel fresh, nourishing and like applying silk onto my skin. Key ingredients include vitamin C, tremella mushroom and micro-algae to lock in moisture and poria mushroom to boost the natural luminosity of the skin. It promises increased firmness after eight weeks of use, so I’ll definitely be sticking with using this - the same can’t be said for my juice cleanse."
Launches on 9 January - pre-order now
Hada Labo Tokyo Anti-Aging Super Hydrator Lotion, £16.95
Loved by: Jemma Thompson, digital designer
"Loved by blogger Caroline Hirons and MUA Lisa Potter-Dixon among many others, this is one of the bestselling beauty products in Japan. Maybe because it contains not just one but FOUR types of hyaluronic acid, alongside collagen and retinol. This lightweight serum-like lotion is perfect for my oily skin. This non-greasy formula makes a great base for my makeup; I use it both morning and night after cleansing and before pairing with a heavier moisturiser. What I love most about this is you can apply this over makeup too - so whenever I need a hydration hit, I can layer this over - fixing spray, who?"
Zeg Beauty Hyaluronic Zeg Cream, £57
Loved by: Hattie Sloggett, beauty and wellness awards manager
"I am obsessed with face creams that tell me they will hydrate my dry skin, however it’s tricky to narrow down a good one. It needs to ‘feel’ like it is doing something, must be creamy and joyous to put on, cannot have a weird smell or taste (yes, often I lick my lips after moisturising, it’s a thing, OK) and I must be able to reapply it whenever I want without it getting all crumbly with excesses and pilling . Well, the fabulous people at Zeg Beauty have created a cream that ticks all those boxes, and leaves my skin feeling amazing. I’ll be honest, I didn’t have high hopes as lots of creams promise the same things, but this little jar of excellence is incredible. Full of nutrients and with none of the bad stuff, this is going to be a firm favourite of mine for quite some time."
Neutrogena Clear and Soothe Jelly Micellar Makeup Remover, £5.99
Loved by: Victoria Woodhall, editorial director
"Three things that Neutrogena does really well – provides everyday products for breakout-prone skin (it has oodles of ranges with ‘Clear’ in the title), brilliant hydration (Norwegian Formula and Hydro Boost, where would we be without you?) and, or the most part, at pocket money prices. Its newest range is Clear and Soothe (everything £5.99) aimed at oily spot-prone skin with the addition of anti-inflammatory turmeric extract (the fifth ingredient in the list, so not just a nod). Don’t be fooled by the colour of the bottle: the oil-free cleansing jelly is clear - we all know how badly turmeric stains. I don’t have dry or oily skin, but found this a very gentle but powerful wash – and I also loved the light oil-free moisturiser . I know my teenage daughter will be purloining these to calm her GCSE breakouts – and I’ll recommend she does."