A warm hello to all these new arrivals – welcome to our beauty routines!
The temperature has cooled a little (phew!) and we couldn't have survived the sweltering heat without this bevvy of new beauty and wellness buys, from cooling bedding to a skin-quenching mask to a nourishing body cream that our sun-parched limbs have been crying out for.
Makeup by Mario Master Crystal Reflector, £19
Loved by: Melanie Macleod, digital writer
"I have no shame in admitting that Kim Kardashian is one of my beauty heroes. No, I will never look like her, but she still looks sensational the majority of the time and that is often down to her makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic. His makeup collection launched this week on Cult Beauty and so far this prismatic product is my favourite. If you dab it onto your eyes (straight onto your lids or on top of another colour) it gives a wet look, or if you rub it in it gives a mirror ball showstopping glitter finish. It feels like silk when you apply it and is so light to wear. It's my new favourite eyeshadow and I can see myself hitting pan before the summer is out."
Keys Soulcare Rich Nourishing Body Cream, £35
Loved by: Victoria Woodhall, editorial director
"Emotional beauty is a category that’s almost made for Alicia Keys' Soulcare skincare-as-ritual range which launched last year with affordable beauty brand E.L.F. She started with facial products and ‘air care' (ie a scented candle - and a rather nice one, check out the Keys Soulcare Sage and Oat Milk Candle , £35). Just out is her body care with a Sacred Body Oil , £25 with vitamin C and marula oil, Renewing Hand and Body Wash £24, and the star of the show this Rich Nourishing Body cream. With shea and coconut, I use it post-shower on damp skin to lock in hydration and at the end of the day, it’s particularly good for my dry summer feet and legs. The scent of sage and oat milk is subtle but enough to really make you feel cocooned."
Shane Cooper Collagen Firming Cream, £143
Loved by: Ophelia Froud, GTG contributor
" Facialist Shane Cooper’s client list is as star-studded as they come. Sienna Miller, Jessie J, Rita Ora, Vicky McClure and Abbey Clancy are just some of the faces that he treats with his blend of microneedling, lasers and clever care packages. His waiting lists are lengthy and having met him I can see why. He’s warm, witty, friendly and gets great results with his face and body treatments. And he cares. He got into anti-ageing after his own mother struggled with the ageing process. Shane's Collagen Firming Cream is an investment but like his treatments, makes a real difference, plus a little goes a long way. It’s packed with vitamin C and mandelic acid. I noticed a difference in my skin after just one use. It was calmer, less red and more even-toned. I was hooked and have used it daily since. A week later and my skin looks more rested and renewed. If you buy just one investment face cream, make it Shane’s."
Escentual Sunscreen SPF50+, £6.95
Loved by: Melanie Macleod, digital writer
"This is more than just a handy-sized bottle of SPF that clips onto your bag; for every bottle of this that is purchased, Escentual will donate a bottle to a child who is eligible for free school meals in the UK. It's part of the site's campaign to end sun poverty, which called on the government to scrap VAT on children's sunscreen because it's a necessity not a choice (80 per cent of sun damage happens before the age of 18). The sun cream inside this bottle is silky, sinks in straight away and gives UVA and UVB protection. Caroline Hirons supported the cause on This Morning and we're fully backing it too."
Face Gym Electrical Muscle Stimulation Mask, £415
Loved by: Catherine Fulwood, commercial projects manager
"We all know a HIIT workout aids to tone and define your body and now FaceGym's newest release claims to have the same effect on your facial muscles and you won't even have to break a sweat, unless like me, you’re trying it out in 30-degree heat! Choose from one of the three ten minute programs that work to stimulate circulation, define the muscle along the jaw and sculpt the muscles in the cheeks. The six intensity levels allow you to customise your routine; I felt like five was my sweet spot. I’ve been grinding my teeth at night and using this before bed has allowed for a more restful night of slumber. You can also test it out in the Face Gym studio, if you fancy trying before you buy."
Ole Henriksen Dewtopia 20% Acid Night Treatment, £46
Loved by: Melanie Macleod, digital writer
"This thick, creamy acid treatment smells like freshly squeezed lemonade and feels luxe to use. The formula itself somehow has a bouncy texture (the brand calls it custard, which describes it well) and it's so pleasing to pump out of the tube. It uses ten per cent AHAs and ten per cent BHAs which come together to reveal a smoother, renewed, brighter complexion. To comfort the skin there's a combination of birch sap, cotton water, and aloe juice. It tingles ever so slightly but settles down quickly for a cushiony overnight treatment that's comfortable to sleep in."
Adaptology Red Avert Sensitive Skin Cleanser, £38
Loved by: Victoria Woodhall, editorial director
"I really fell in love with this clever organic brand for sensitive skin at a recent Get the Gloss Masterclass, with Adaptology founder Laura Rudhoe . She created the brand in lockdown when she wanted to find the best of the best organic ingredients her own breakout-prone skin.
"If you think sensitive skincare has to be monastic and joyless, Adaptology will make you think again. Laura is careful not to include any essential oils across all her products range as they can cause irritation. Vanilla, she says, is the only one that doesn’t sensitise reactive skin. However blue tansy, which makes this gorgeous gel cleanser blue, has the most soothing natural scent that it a joy to use. Rub a little into dry skin, massage in and as you wet it turns to milk and is incredibly easy to wash off – it’s suitable for both dry and oily skins (it won’t make your skin more oily!)
" Balm cleansers have been a game-changer for my dry skin and they set me up for a good skin day. This is the best I’ve tried for natural skincare and self-care. Adaptology also offers nutrition consultations too as a whole-body approach to good skin."
Murad Rapid Dark Spot Correcting Serum, £75
Loved by: Melanie Macleod, digital writer
"If hyperpigmentation is your skin bugbear, you won't want to miss Murad's latest launch. It combines glycolic and tranexamic acid to even skin tone, improve hyperpigmentation and brighten your complexion and claims to work in just 14 days. I've only been using for a few days so can't comment on that but Murad's clinical trials can, with 84 per cent of participants seeing a reduction in the look of dark spots in 14 days, while 91 per cent reported brighter skin and 94 per cent seeing smoother skin. The glycolic acid helps with cell turnover for brightening powers while tranexamic acid works on the dark spots. The serum itself is see-through and light and absorbs in a matter of seconds. It has a fairly sharp scent when you first apply it, but it disappears quickly and moments after applying you wouldn't know you'd used it. Follow with SPF to protect your skin from future pigmentation woes."
By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra-Balm, £29
Loved by: Ophelia Froud, GTG contributor
"Is it a lip balm? Is it lipstick? Is it skincare? Super clever industry legend, Terry de Gunzburg, creator of the iconic YSL Touché Eclat has created yet another cult beauty product. By Terry’s Hyaluronic Hydra-Balm is hydration, colour and shine in one chic, purple package. The magic ingredient is hydrating hyaluronic acid that holds up to 1,000 times its weight in water and gives lips a massive moisture injection. Water gloss adds to a healthy glowy finish. And can we talk about the colours? Only a French make-up magician like Terry could deliver a range of six cool and classy nudes which are hard to choose from. My favourite? Teatime is an everyday summer nude that can be worn on the lips and also used as a blusher on your cheeks. These are hands down my favourite beauty summer launch for their clever skincare meets makeup hybrid and super stylish colour range."
Lixirskin Universal Oil + GWP Universal Body Grains, £39
Loved by: Catherine Fulwood, commercial projects manager
"I first came across this lush oil last year when I was going through my winter bath phase. It feels so nourishing and rich for your tub time and you really don’t need more than a capful. This summer you can purchase it with the brand's Universal Body Grains. Mix the two together to give the skin a gentle yet revitalising scrub or simply soak with them both - mix and match at its best!"
Mela Eucalyptus Silk Sheet Set, £139.99
Loved by: Melanie Macleod, digital writer
"We all know the beauty benefits of sleeping on silk (less skin pulling and hair tangles) but I didn't know what a godsend silk sheets would be in a heatwave. Not only do I feel like a princess slipping into cool, silky sheets, I sleep like one too. These divine sheets have temperature regulating properties to keep you cool when it's hot, and according to Mela 60 per cent of us struggle to sleep due to overheating, so these are definitely a worthy investment. Plus they're made from responsibly sourced eucalyptus from Austria (they re-plant every tree they use)."
Dr Sam’s Flawless Revival Mask, £32
Loved by: Victoria Woodhall, editorial director
"When I posted how much I love this hydrating mask on Instagram, I was messaged by a top skin doctor Fiona McCarthy saying how brilliant she thought it was too. For my permanently thirsty mid-life skin, this is the best thing that dermatologist Dr Sam Bunting has come out with.
"She describes it as a big glass of water for overwhelmed skin. It’s a hydrating unfragranced cream that you leave on for ten minutes or more (in my case overnight, my skin laps up litres of the stuff). It’s a very simple formula (as you’d need when skin is stressed) but very clever: ten per cent niacinamide for skin barrier repair, for moisturising there’s shea butter and squalane oil which the skin readily recognises, and for hydration two key humectants; glycerin and hyaluronic acid. I use this if I’ve been on the retinol, haven’t slept or maybe over did it a bit the night before and I always end up looking a bit more plumped and healthy."
Loved by: Catherine Fulwood, commercial projects manager
"I’m very into the green of this new release from Zelens. The highly concentrated defence serum contains a blend of five (!) different types of tea; green tea, matcha green tea, white tea, red tea, and black tea, designed to tackle the effects of city living. This moisturising serum helps to protect from daily environmental pollution and stressors and combats visible signs of premature ageing. My skin definitely feels more protected."
Plus Waves Body Wash, £12 for 16 washes
Loved by: Melanie Macleod, digital writer
"In honour of plastic-free beauty month, I've become very attached to these dissolvable sachets of body wash. I took them on holiday (in this country) last week and marvelled at how great they'd be for side-stepping liquid allowances when plane travels are allowed again. Each sachet has a little sheet inside. On contact with water the sheet laters into a body wash with enough suds to clean your whole body. Drop the sachet itself onto the floor in your shower and it dissolves, so you're left with no trace of what you took in with you, other than the scent of coconut, sea salt and jasmine. If you're jetting off anywhere this summer, or just want your staycation bag to be lighter, I implore you to take these."