From the new face mist from cult SPF brand, Ultra Violette to the latest product innovation from Face Gym. There are some brilliant new beauty buys launching this month and we’ve tried them out
If you’re in the market for some new beauty buys, then have we got a bumper edit for you. First up are candles from super Instagrammable coffee table book brand, Assouline that not only look amazing but smell unreal. Then there’s the must-buy red lipstick from cool makeup brand, Merit that was a limited edition but proved so popular it has come back for another short run. Not to mention the Rèvive serum that calmed our writer’s skin when she reacted to an overzealous retinol product as well as the mineral SPF moisturiser which surprised one of our beauty editors -and it’s not often a product surprises her! Read on to find out more.
The thirsty skin’s new best friend: Tula 24-7 Ultra Hydration Triple-Hydra Complex Day & Night Serum, £41
“This is the perfect age-proofing hydration serum and may just be the only moisturiser you need this summer if you like something really light or have oily skin. It combines hyaluronic acid with squalane micro ‘pearls’ that burst satisfyingly when you apply. For a HA serum to truly work its moisture-trapping magic, you need an oil to lock it in - and squalane is the lightest there is. I use it on my dry skin to help plump out lines as dehydration is one of the primary exacerbators of wrinkles. There’s also polyglutamic acid, a humectant (something that draws in moisture) too. Dewy skin sorted.” Victoria Woodhall, GTG Editorial Director
The new iconic candle: Assouline Marrakech Flair Candle, £75
“If you are a fan of the iconic Assouline destination coffee table books then meet their new corresponding candles. There will be six to choose from, but only a few have launched right now including this one inspired by Marrakech. The power and throw of the scent is like no other candle I’ve experienced. I could smell the gorgeous heady notes of cypress, bergamot and neroli before I unboxed it. They will undoubtedly become one of the most Instagrammed items of the year, just as the books are.”SJ Corfield-Smith, GTG Beauty Director
The SPF must: Ultraviolette Preen Screen SPF50 Reapplication Mist Skinscreen, £32
"This SPF 50 mist from cool Aussie suncream brand, Ultra Violette is my new go-to for topping up SPF on the go and has already made it into our round-up of best spf mists. I use the Ultraviolette Supreme Screen Hydrating, £34, as my primary SPF and now will top up throughout the day with the mist. It doesn't irritate my eyes, effortlessly sits on top of makeup without causing it to smudge or run and gives a gorgeous glow without any greasiness. Its handy size makes it ideal for popping in your bag so you have no excuses for not frequently reapplying." Amy Rostas, GTG Beauty and Social Media Assistant
The summer red: Merit Signature Lip in shade Aperitif, £28
"This classic red hue started life as a limited edition shade but proved so popular that the brand has brought it back, but only for a short period of time. If you want it, get it pronto! The reason it's so popular? It hasa unique sheer formula that allows the natural undertones of your lips to shine through. This not only means it will give you your most flattering shade of red but that it will look slightly different for everyone who tries it. Genius." Jemma Thompson, GTG Design and Social Media Manager
The fine-hair reviver: Kérastase Nutritive Masquintense, £37.26
" I rarely get more from a hair mask than I get from a regular conditioner. But this is an exception: it intensely softens, smooths and glossifies my very fine hair, but without weighing it down in the slightest. It aims to restore the hair fibre with proteins, vitamins, humectants and lipids (and niacinamide, but I haven’t a clue what that does for hair) and does so admirably. This is an updated, more ecologically packaged version of the original Nutritive masque, and there is a version for thick or coarse hair as well, called ‘Masquintense Riche’. On websites, including the Kerastase one, the masks have all kinds of convoluted extended names that don’t match the words on the pot (a massive bugbear of mine) so just focus on ‘Masquintense’ versus ‘Masquintense Riche’ to make sure you’ve got the new products and the right one for your hair type. You won’t regret it." Ingeborg van Lotringen, Contributing Beauty Editor
The Skin Calmer: Révive Sensitif Calming Serum, £200
"Last week I made the error of overusing a new retinol skincare product and my forehead reacted with bright red, itchy patches. I’m prone to sensitivity and should have known better than to slather it on. Fortunately, I had this at the ready, which has been specifically formulated with a soothing concoction of skin-calming ingredients and antioxidants to help repair the skin barrier. I’ve been using it day and night, and it really helped to reduce the red flakiness and rough, raised skin on my forehead. It contains Revive’s signature Bio Renewal Peptide, which is an active ingredient to help the skin cells heal and restore essential moisture. It is pricey and definitely an investment beauty buy, so I’m using it sparingly for emergency skin-flairs ups." Marie Louise Pumfrey, GTG contributor
Skincare for your mind: Aromatherapy Associates Hydra Plump Gel Cream, £60
“If you’re a fan of Aromatherapy Associates, you’ll be pleased to know that they now do face care. They’ve chosen a ‘psychodermatology’ slant – tapping in to the mind-skin connection with plant actives such as calming blue tansy oil and anti-anxiety pink rock rose, which they say ‘has been shown to bio-mimic the effects of meditation by blocking stress receptors and stalling proinflammatory cytokine production.’ Of the 11 products in the range, I love the cleansing balm and this gel cream, which isn’t overly scented so less chance of irritation and is the perfect combination of quenching, moisturising and self-care” VW
The brow builder: Ilia In Frame Brow Gel, £24
“I am on a constant search for a brow gel that keeps the limited amount of hairs I have brushed up to create the effect that they are fuller than what they really are and this may have nabbed the top spot so far. I think the small brush helps and the formula is quite creamy rather than too gluey like so many others.” SJCS
The summer scent: Parfums de Marly Valaya EDP, £230
"Valaya is perfect for those who adore clean, fresh citrus scents. The unexpected combination of orange blossom and white peach results in a fruity sweetness, perfectly balanced by a clean musk which reminds me of freshly washed sheets. It has an incredibly long-wearing time and has stuck to my whole wardrobe, infusing my clothes with its delicious scent and garnering lots of compliments from friends, family, and even strangers. Definitely, an investment perfume that I’d recommend saving up for." AR
The hydration hero: Estee Lauder Nutritious Melting Soft Cream / Mask, £33.55
"This versatile 2-in-1 moisturiser and mask deeply hydrates your skin and is great if, like me, you have oily or combination skin. It effectively tackles enlarged pores, redness, excess oil, dullness, and unevenness (the only thing it can't do is get on your skin by itself!). The formula contains 93 per cent naturally derived ingredients, including sweet kelp, red algae ferment, and coconut water, which provide intense hydration and nourishment. I prefer using it as a weekly mask by applying a thin layer and leaving it on for five minutes before wiping away the excess. it helps keep my oil levels balanced and blemishes at bay, leaving my skin feeling refreshed." JT
The DIY collagen booster: Face Gym Active Blast Vegan Collagen Skin Booster, £55
“I already love Face Gym’s hydrating and balancing Hydro-Bound niacinamide and hyaluronic acid serum and now they’ve turbo-charged it in this Active Blast kit. It pairs the 15ml serum (normally £35) with freeze-dried for freshness vegan collagen peptide balls. Together they make a potent glow booster, with the peptides acting as collagen-stimulating ‘messenger’ molecules. Place the ball in the palm of your hand and add a couple of drops of serum to dissolve it and apply every day. The seven-day kit comes with seven balls (an extra £20) making each ball £2.85 once you’ve taken off the cost of the serum. The 28-day kit costs £185, making each ball £5.30 once you’ve taken off the serum. So for beauty maths, the seven-day is my choice." VW
The exceptional balm: Laneige Lip Glowy Balm in Grapefruit, £16
“As someone who always has dry and chapped lips whatever the weather, I am never without at least three different lip balms on me at all times (that is not an exaggeration). Rarely are they scented as I find that tends to make my lips more cracked and the scents always feel and smell overly sugary and super young, but this grapefruit one (there are other flavours) from Korean brand, Laneige has made it through to the handbag edit. It’s balmy and buttery rather than greasy (it contains shea and murumuru butter) and just the right level of gloss that you can tell you’ve put something on your lips - it’s a winner.” SJCS
The blow-away-the-cobwebs cleanser: Ishga Exfoliating Face Wash, £24
"Scented products are an issue for me as I’m allergic to most fragrances, but this organic, seaweed-packed cleanser smells so uplifting (and is wash-off so my skin can handle it) that I have to use it. It’s a lotion-textured blend of aloe, glycerin and cacao butter with mild cleansers, nourishing algae, fine exfoliating powders plus peeling salicylic acid, and earthy, fresh, soothing essential oils. Perfect to perk up your skin and your mind with before you set off for a hard day’s work, or settle down for a well-deserved night’s sleep." IvL
The natural flush: Saie Glow Sculpt Multi Use Cream Highlighting Blush, £26
"This creamy balm blush effortlessly blends into the skin, making it ideal for blusher beginners and experts alike. It provides a stunning glow without being too glittery, thanks to its finely milled formula. It comes in five versatile shades, including a lovely light pink for fair skin tones, a peachy glow for warmer skins, and a deep bronze glow shade. It can be worn alone or layered on top of other blush products, to instantly revive your skin and create a fresh summer look. " AR
The nighttime skin reset: Murad Retinal ReSculpt Overnight Treatment, £105
“This is a product that you should graduate onto if you’ve been using a lower percentage of retinol and have found your results have plateaued. It contains an encapsulated retinal which makes it more effective and easier on sensitive skin. I think I’ve got quite tough skin that rarely reacts to ingredients, so I can’t speak to its ability for that but after just a few uses my skin felt velvety smooth the morning after the night I had slathered it on my face and neck.” SJCS
The all-mineral sun protection: Synergie Skin Uber Zinc SPF15 PA+++, £81
"This product surprises me. It’s 21% zinc oxide (the maximum allowed amount of this broad-spectrum mineral UV screen and skin soother is 25%) but it throws no white cast at all, which I would have thought to be impossible, given the white and neon zinc oxide pastes I grew up with in the 80’s. It has a gentle tint (which looks transparent on skin) and a phalanx of anti-oxidants for added DNA protection against the sun. Light-feeling and non-greasy, it’s only SPF15 (I assume you need additional alternative sun filters to up the SPF), but there is no risk of irritation for those who are sensitive to sunscreens and it’s easy and pleasant to wear, so a great option as a daily SPF in Winter. It’s also great for dark skin tones that can get away with a lower SPF but still need solid UVA protection." IvL