From a sell-out summer lip gloss to a bar that made us come round to soap, here's what we've introduced to our beauty routines this week
The weather might not have realised it's July yet, but we're still celebrating the new month with a collection of the latest beauty launches. It's plastic-free beauty month in July, so keep your eyes peeled for our 'plastic-free' badge, which recognises brands that help us to use a little less plastic in our routines.
Foamie Rose Oil Face Bar with Niacinamide, £6
Loved by: Victoria Woodhall, editorial director
"If you want to try plastic-free cleansing, a bar of soap may be what you’d reach for but for the face, what you need is a cleansing bar like this funky spoon-shaped one from Foamie aimed at all skin types. Why? Because your traditional bar of soap is alkaline and your skin is mildly acidic at pH 5.5. Cleansing bars take account of pH and this one is ‘pH optimised for gentle cleansing’ (although it doesn’t give an exact figure). It didn’t dry out my face and it worked well as a foamy first cleanse. It has added niacinamide and is pleasantly rose scented, (which sensitive skins may choose to avoid).
"I’m with beauty expert Caroline Hirons, who advises not to spend money on your first cleanse and to use something basic and wash-off before going in for a second deeper nourishing clean with your ‘best’ cleanser - in my case, that’s The Organic Pharmacy Carrot Butter Cleanser. This way, I’m saving on my expensive cleanser and on plastic packaging too. The Foamie Face bar comes in many options, charcoal , blemish control and soothing aloe vera and they do soap-on-rope body and shampoo bars too!"
Tower 28 Shine On Lip Jelly, £14
Loved by: Melanie Macleod
"LA brand Tower 28 launched on Cult Beauty last month and promptly sold out, such is the hype surrounding the brand that's loved by the likes of Khloe Kardashian and Kate Bosworth as well as makeup artist Katie-Jane Hughes. Tower 28 launched in 2019 is named after the lifeguard tower that's at the intersection of Santa Monica and Venice beaches. So far, so Californian. This translucent lip jelly glides on and isn't sticky at all, it gives the slightest wash of colour and is made with a blend of five nourishing oils to keep lips moisturised – see below for a swatch. To wear it feels similar to Glossier's Ultralip , also £14, in that it's weightless and addictive. I've got it in sheer purple shade Fear Less, which is currently sold out on Cult Beauty, but clear shade Chill is still available and I highly advise snapping it up before it's sold out too."
Faace Dull Faace Cleanser, £24.50
Loved by: Marie-Louise Pumfrey, GTG contributor
“I have a confession. I hate washing my face at night. Mainly because I’m lazy, but also because every cleanser I’ve tried seems to strip away the oil from my skin, making it hard to quench. Fortunately, I came upon the new Dull Faace Creamy Cleanser which feels so nourishing. It’s packed full of kaolin clay to remove the dirt as well as antioxidants green tea, turmeric, vitamin C and E. There’s hyaluronic acid and vegetable glycerin to keep the moisture in too and avocado and safflower seed oils, leaving it soft and nourished. It smells citrusy and floral with a mix of vetiver and neroli. It’s truly a joyful product. love it and now I’m beginning to enjoy cleansing my face at night!"
Sbtrct Makeup Melt, £22
Loved by: Melanie Macleod, digital writer
"If you like cleansing balm texture makeup removers, you'll love the way this Makeup Melt feels on your skin. You warm the bright blue bar in your hands and then massage the product that's on your hands onto your face, then wipe off with a damp cloth, taking your makeup with it. After using this my skin felt as clean as with any of my other cleansers, though the brand recommends following with a second cleanse. It has geranium, rose and chamomile in the mix for a subtle floral scent and it a great option if you're trying to go plastic-free in your beauty routine. It comes with a porcelain dish to keep it in too so it doesn't get contaminated by other soaps on your basin."
Nuddy Hot Girl Summer Shower Bar, £4.95
Loved by: Jemma Thompson, social media and design manager
"Soap bars have come a long way since the powdery scented ones I used to use at my gran's house. These days, they're gentler, moisturising and give a lather good enough to rival your favourite body wash. This one from British bath and body care brand Nuddy is next level; they’re on a mission to make soap bars cool again and this doesn’t disappoint.
"Suitable for all skin types this vegan-friendly bar never leaves my skin feeling tight, dry or *too* squeaky-clean. It’s extremely nourishing because it contains raw African shea butter, which not only cleans but also moisturises. Plus, it smells great, which is what you want in the summer). It’s sweet and zesty with notes of apple, peach and orange (it reminds me of those Refresher sweets you used to get as a kid). Even better, it’s a brilliant plastic-free alternative; typically, soap bars require less energy during production, use less packaging and are an adorable alternative.
"This bar from Nuddy is ‘triple milled’ meaning it lasts longer than other bars and gives you a seriously sudsy lather. If that’s not enough to convince you to switch to bars, nuddy is donating 10 per cent of profits to social enterprise Girls Out Loud, a charity enterprise that aims to raise confidence and aspirations in young women."
Therapie Energy Drops, £30
Loved by: Melanie Macleod, digital writer
"I've been a fan of Therapie since I first used the brand's Himalayan Detox Salts during a particularly anxious period in 2015. They genuinely soothe me to sleep when I'm not feeling great and these Energy Drops are just as potent, but in a different way. Rather than calm, they're designed to deliver a boost of energy when you're feeling depleted; just warm a few drops in your hands and inhale for a burst of motivation and mood-boosting. They use ylang-ylang, otto rose and geranium to release tension, counter frustration and restore passion and they're my new deskside essential, making me feel effervescent on afternoons when feeling anything but."
Eve Lom Daily Protection SPF50, £70
Loved by: Catherine Fulwood, commercial projects manager
"Who isn’t a fan of luxe brand Eve Lom? I first tried the brand's cult mask when I was given a sample in a goodie bag about 15 years ago and I’d never tried anything quite like it. This SPF (50 no less, the essential factor in my mind) is a great light base for makeup, without feeling greasy or clogging up your pores. It’s not cheap but it’s worth every penny in my mind, as a little goes a long way.'
Shedid & Parish Curl Styler, £29
Loved by: Jemma Thompson, social media and design manager
“Shedid & Parish, a new vegan haircare brand, was created with all curls in mind, from waves to coils and I'm very impressed with the collection, especially the Curl Styler. It's exactly what my parched, dry 3C-like curls needs for my usual braid-out routine and it's super nourishing thanks to the 100 per cent natural ingredients such as shea butter, avocado, jojoba and coconut oil that all soak into locks for long-lasting hydration. I apply to damp hair (a little goes a long way) plait my hair and pop on my Aquis hair turban and unravel the next day. The best part is that my curls are defined, bouncy and full of shine and it protects your hair from heat damage, pollution, and UV rays. I also like that it is naturally scent-free; not loaded with fancy fruity scents that take your attention away from the efficacy of the product. It simply does what it says on the tin (well, aluminium packaging – it's also plastic-free!) and does it exceptionally well.”
Versed Sunday Morning Antioxidant Oil Serum, £18
Loved by: Melanie Macleod, digital writer
"This bi-phase formula gives the moisture of oil but with a serum texture, making it ideal if you find oils a bit on the heavy side. You shake to mix the oil phase and the water phase then pat it onto your skin post-cleanse, before moisturiser. Use morning and night if you wish, though I've just been going for AM application. It sinks in quickly and leaves a dewy gloss in its wake which I don't want to waste on going to bed. Versed say it's designed to make you look like you've had the morning off every day and given I haven't taken any annual leave in months, yet somehow look fairly radiant, I'd say it works! It has sea buckthorn extract to brighten and camellia oil to prevent moisture loss, coming together for a powerful antioxidant formula."
Bjork & Berries Mareld Eau de Parfum, £85,
Loved by: Catherine Fulwood, commercial projects manager
Mareld means Sea-fire in old Scandinavian language and is inspired by the Nordic seas. The brand's new Eau De Parfum evokes the scent of a midnight swim, the skin is left salty and the spirit free. All Bjork & Berries products are made in Sweden using a minimal amount of ingredients, a must for me when it comes to fragrance. With a slow beauty ethos, the perfumes are made from just organic fermented alcohol, produced out of vegetable food waste and perfume oils. I love the minimalist packaging with the signature red cap.
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