Haircare, body cream and nail polish are all well and good, but this week we're only concentrating on products you apply to your face
For this edition of Glossy Picks we're all about the face, trialling everything from eye shadows and concealers to foundation and masks. Here are the ones that get our seal of approval.
Sisley Black Rose Eye Contour Fluid, £108 for 14ml
Loved by: Ophelia Froud, associate editor
"This is the eye cream of all eye creams. Why? Let’s talk about the packaging first. It’s slim, it’s sleek, it’s pink and it has a cooling ceramic applicator that makes it a dream to apply to the delicate under-eye area. Next, the contents. The Sisley Black Rose Cream Mask has long been my go-to rescue mask- I put it on after a flight or if my skin is feeling tired and needs a pick me up. It’s that soothing tried and tested winner that always works wonders and makes your skin look rested and glowing the next day. Transfer those same active ingredients into an everyday formula for the eyes and it has to be a winner. Black rose aqueous extract and hydrating padina pavonica are combined with an evanescent pink emulsion and the scent of May rosewater. With just one use it left my tired office eyes immediately fresher and brighter as well as getting rid of the dark circles from a late night. I’ve just found my new beauty product best friend."
Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer, £32 for 6ml
Loved by: Victoria Woodhall, editorial director
"There was a lot of noise when this launched a few weeks ago with Rosie Huntington Whiteley as the ‘face’ but it took me a good while to work out what to do with it – now I have, I love it. My skin is dry and applying it in the middle of the day (when I excitedly tore open the bag!) made the area under my eyes look dry and emphasised my wrinkles. However, when I put it on straight over my eye cream and face oil, it all made sense. It melts seamlessly into the skin and even replaced my foundation as I used it for touch-ups around my nose and chin. The dark circle coverage was brilliant and it really lasts without you even noticing it’s there. So, if you have oily skin, you’ll love it. If you have dry skin, do as I did and you’ll see that magic."
L'Oreal Paris Brilliant Signature Lip Ink in 309 Impertinent, £10.99
Loved by: Jemma Thompson
"After storm Dennis and the gruelling grim weather playing havoc on my dry lips, I’ve been avoiding lip products for a while. Of course, with exception of my trusted lip oil which never leaves my side. This was until the L’Oreal Signature Lip Ink came into my life and joy was restored, if you like unapologetically bold colours, high shine and pigment, this is for you. It’s super glossy and formulated with oils that leave my lips nourished with a smooth finish that doesn’t leave you with that unbearable tacky feeling. Available in 12 colours from dusty nudes to deep plums these lip vinyls are my new go-to."
Shiseido Vital Perfection Perfection Uplifting Cream Enriched, £100 for 50ml
Loved by: Hattie Sloggett, GTG contributor
"I love nothing more than a thick, creamy moisturiser that does what it says on the tin and the wonderful people at Shiseido, and this cream is an absolute dream. I’m not always convinced by claims of ‘firming’ and ‘uplifting’, but by Jove, they have convinced me with this one. My skin after only a week is noticeably firmer and has an incredible glow to it. It really feels revitalised and I have even noticed my forehead wrinkles (the bane of my existence) appear to have lessened. This luxurious must-have goes on like warm butter and leaves my skin feeling moisturised all day. For me, a woman prone to incredibly dry skin and therefore early signs of ageing, this product is the cream of the crop."
ByMe Total Colour Pearl Eyepaint in Jingyan Pearl Ice, £15
Loved by: Melanie Macleod, digital writer
"I don't normally bat a (bare) eyelid when eyeshadows come into the office. Just not interested. But this shimmery little pot caught my magpie eye. It has a moonbeam effect creating a super sparkly look that's not too childish. The formula is creamy and smooth, leaving a lightweight comfortable glitter on the lids. Wear it alone for a low maintenance look, or on top of another eyeshadow as a topcoat."
Allies of Skin Peptides and Antioxidants Firming Daily Treatment, £105 for 50ml
Loved by: Ophelia Froud, associate editor
"I first discovered Allies of Skin at the brilliant Face Gym where as well as doing some of the best toning facial massages in town they have also curated a range of beauty heroes. I was quickly sold on the high performing ingredients of the products and so was keen to test this out. The treatment is jam-packed with seven skin brighteners and nine antioxidants which promise to restore damage and protect against pollution. It contains vitamin C and tripeptide-5 to minimise the look of age spots. The texture feels thick and heavy- almost like a mask that you think you would need to take off but it quickly absorbs and left my skin feeling well-fed and nourished. I’m so hooked it’s become a fixture in my morning routine for added radiance."
Urban Decay 3-Day Inked Brow, £22
Loved by: Victoria Woodhall, editorial director
"With its angled paintbrush, this brow gel allows you to create a great outline as well as fill in the spare hairs for a really natural-looking finish. It dries very quickly - but not so quickly that you can’t correct mistakes - and then stays put all day. It contains a semi-permanent tint that even after a shower was still in evidence (it claims to last for up to three days). If you have a steady hand you can paint on individual hairs, or as in my case just use your finger to soften any heavier strokes (careful not to pick up too much product on the brush). I prefer it to a crayon as the gel texture avoids that ‘stuck on’ look. It comes in seven shades, is vegan and in my view a little pot of genius that anyone can use."
GTG's Jemma also gave it a whirl, debuting the gel on TikTok:
@getthegloss I tattooed my brows for 60 hours using @urbandecaycosmetics Inked Brow. Did it work?! ##urbandecay ##fyp ##foryoupage ##foryou ##browchallenge
♬ Beyoncé Check On It JBroadway Remix - j.broadway
Givenchy Teint Couture City Balm, from £34.30
Loved by: Jemma Thompson, digital designer
"If I’m honest I’ve not been one for a skin tint, they never seem to disguise any of my blemishes, balance my uneven skin tone and I always end up wasting most of the product on my makeup brush. However, this tinted foundation has made me second guess my preconceptions and I’m all here for it now, I’m a fan! This lightweight tint from Givenchy seamlessly blends into the skin for a natural, radiant 'your skin but better' finish. It boasts up to 24 hours wear and let me tell you, it’s not far off. For a skin tint, I was so shocked to see it last from AM to PM without a budge and that includes me running through the rain. One of the great things about it is it’s not only SPF 25 but it also acts as a shield to protect skin from UV rays emitted from digital screens, which is essential when you spend as much time on a computer as me. It's only available in 14 shades which is a bit of a downer, but is separated into three undertones; cold, neutral and warm which adapt to suit a wider range of skin colours, which is a step forward."
Luneia Radiance Ritual Mask, £40 for 75ml
Loved by: Hattie Sloggett, GTG contributor
"I am on a constant mission to arm myself with products that brighten and resurface my skin whilst tackling my congested pores and thanks to Luneia I have now been able to add their Radiance Ritual Mask to my arsenal. This fragrance-free gel-like mask is filled to the brim with a potent blend of glycolic and salicylic acids; you slather it on and await the delightful tingle as the AHAs and BHAs get to work. After waiting 10-15 minutes (the perfect time to do the dishes), it's removed with warm water and the 100 per cent cotton muslin cloth provided, which is sustainably sourced from India. Your skin is left feeling smooth and hydrated due to being loaded with super hydrating sugarcane squalane and the best thing? - No redness thanks to the calming prickly pear seed oil."
Origins Pretty in Bloom SPF20 Foundation, £23.80
Loved by: Melanie Macleod, digital writer
"This foundation smells like skincare, delicately scented with flowers - probably because it's made with a blend of 12 flowers. It goes on silkily, delivering lightweight coverage that made my skin feel as soft as petal rather than weighed down which I often feel on the odd occasion I wear foundation. It blended seamlessly with my skin, even when I applied with just my fingers. I'm pretty haphazard with application, just dabbing it here and there (sorry MUAs) and this is subtle enough that my random coverage isn't detectable."