Treat yourself to the best in new beauty with a seriously Posh mascara, an eye-brightening cream and a fragrance fit for royalty
It's finally February and with a new month comes a whole new crop of beauty launches; from serums to seriously boost your glow to blusher that gives you an in-love flush, here's your lowdown on the latest new arrivals.
Elf Putty Blush, £6
Loved by: Victoria Woodhall, GTG editorial director
"When you’ve got a great formula - make more! Elf’s cult Poreless Putty Primer not only comes in a Putty Primer Trio of different finishes for just £7.65, there’s also a Putty Eye Primer in six shades for £5 and now a five-shade cream to powder (or putty-to-powder) blusher for not much more than your meal deal. With deep purples, lighter browns and pinks there is a shade to suit most tones and undertones. It’s a dream to blend. I go for a light sheer finish for day with an extra sweep or two to pop when I’m on screen."
Nuxe Super Serum, £60 for 30ml
Loved by: Melanie Macleod, digital writer
"This gold serum has one of the most unique textures I've ever tried; it has little very soft oil bubbles suspended in a serum formula, which burst on contact with the skin making it feel drenched and bouncy. Ingredients include hyaluronic acid for hydration and niacinamide which work to restore a more youthful appearance. My skin has been awfully drab of late and this is just the glow-giver I've been needing."
Bloom and Blossom Lovely Jubbly Bust Firming Gel, £30
Loved by: Catherine Fulwood, GTG commercial partnerships manager
"The very British name of this new bust firming product is enough for me to love it before I’ve even slathered it on. This 100 per cent vegan gel with its promise of defying gravity (hello Wicked reference) and trio of ingredients that stimulate collagen production, firm and strengthen the skin feels lovely and cooling on application. Apply before all your zoom dates for Bridgerton worthy decolletage..."
Victoria Beckham Future Lash Mascara, £26
Loved by: Ophelia Froud, associate editor
"I’ll tell you what I want, what I really really want – a smudge-proof mascara that rinses off easily at night without the need to buy more products to take it off. Is it too much to ask for a mascara that comes off with just warm water? Victoria Beckham thinks not and her new Future Lash Mascara ticks all the boxes for me. It comes in a clean formula that is vegan, hypoallergenic, gluten-free and soy-free. It will make even the most sensitive eyes happy thanks to the dermatologist and opthalmologist tested formula. The beautiful packaging is well – Posh. It feels heavy, looks stylish and the slim mascara brush means the jet black formula is easy to apply. It lifted my lashes straight away with no tricky time-consuming clumps to sort out. Unlike my current mascara, I also noticed that there was no sticky mess around the tube after a few weeks of use. I put Future Lash to the true lockdown test- a three-hour walk through rain, mist and sweat on my daily coastal lockdown hike. Not a single smudge to be seen when I returned. I think I just found my Viva Forever mascara."
Hollywood Smoother, £49.95
Loved by: Hattie Sloggett, GTG contributor
"From Cleopatra to Marilyn Monroe to today's megastars Kim Kardashian and Huda Kattan, one thing that these powerful women have in common is their choice of facial exfoliation and, no, it's not a gritty scrub. It is in fact, hair removal, or dermaplaning as it's known by beauticians. The brand behind the famous Hollywood browzer has created a product that I am obsessed with. Using fine strokes across my vellus hair ( peach fuzz ) I am left with not only a smooth and glowing complexion but with a cleaner more absorbent skin. My skincare routine penetrates deeper, I have less build up in my pores, and honestly, my face is as soft as a baby's bottom."
MORE GLOSS: Peach fuzz: a guide to downy facial hair and how to get rid of it
Revive Perfectif Night Even Skin Tone Cream, £215
Loved by: Marie-Louise Pumfrey, GTG contributor
"With professional facials firmly off the agenda for the foreseeable, I've turned over a new skincare routine resolution. After watching the Get the Gloss Smart Aging Masterclass with Dr Johanna Ward last week I realised I needed to up my evening routine and washing my face properly. I find water very drying and use micellar water which I now realise is not doing a proper cleaning job. So, I have been looking for a powerful night cream to counteract the effects washing with water has on my face. Fortunately, the new Revive Perfectif Night Even Skin Tone Cream entered my beauty armour, which is a marvellous one-hit-wonder. It is deeply hydrating and brightening thanks to shea butter, ceramides , the peptide oligoptide and antioxidant vitamin C. Plus, there is 0.02 per cent retinol to help reduce fine lines and fade dark spots which is in a micro-encapsulated form, meaning it is time-released so gentler on the skin. My skin is devouring this specialist night cream, leaving it dewy, plumb and thoroughly satiated."
Flickerwick Sandalwood Tobacco Oud Candle, Candour Beauty, £30
Loved by: Catherine Fulwood, GTG commercial partnerships manager
"Forever in search of a new candle to amp up my home office set up, the Sandalwood Tobacco and Oud scent by Flickerwick ever so aptly called ‘Winning Team’ is currently my go-to. With true wellbeing benefits to all their candles being that helping you sleep better, stress less, boost your energy or lift your mood you are safe in the knowledge they can only be doing good. The thick wooden wick is also a fabulous touch, promoting a nice even burn and lasting scent."
REN Radiance Brightening Dark Circle Eye Cream, £42
Loved by: Victoria Woodhall, GTG editorial director
"Last year REN brought us the Overnight Glow Dark Spot Sleeping Cream , £49, to rave reviews (mine included) for its ability to tackle pigmentation . Now comes the eye cream version, which in consumer tests made dark circles look less visible after seven days in 87 per cent of cases. We know that skin takes four to six weeks to renew so the speedy magic here is in the hydration from the ingredient glycogen, which can make skin look plumper. Over time, the antioxidants in this fragrance-free non-irritating cream will ward off and repair free radical damage from pollution, stress, and sun which can make puffy eyes and dark circles worse. What I especially liked is that it’s neither watery not greasy, a good base for concealer and pioneering with packaging. The plastic pot is made for 87 per cent infinity recycling which means it can be endlessly recycled without losing quality (normally plastic has a three to four times recycle life)."
Fig Femme Refresh Daily Wash, £8
Loved by: Melanie Macleod, digital writer
"I know, I know, the vagina is self-cleaning and doesn't need a special wash just for down there, but I like one anyway, especially this one, which is not only ph balanced, plant-based and fragrance-free, but also has one of those trendy line drawings on it. Big fan all round. This is made with botanical extracts designed to calm inflammation and minimise discomfort caused by razor burn, waxing and tight clothes and though my waxer is a distant memory right now, I'll be keeping this in my routine ready for when I can see her again."
Parfums de Marly Layton fragrance, £200
Loved by: Hattie Sloggett, GTG contributor
"As a self-confessed fragrance addict I'm always up for trying anything, whether it's home-brewed on the kitchen table using garden flowers, designed using panda tears in outer space or, like this showstopper, created exclusively for the French monarchy. Parfums de Marly's Layton embodies everything that you would imagine in a French court, from the rough silks on Marie-Antoinette's frock to the candle-lit chandeliers. A body of deep amber and pink pepper, with top notes of luxurious bergamot, this decadent elixir evokes a real feeling of grandeur. All I need now is Mr Darcy to give me a call and to get that leading role in Bridgerton."
Organic Apoteke Active Face Cleanse Gel, £35.95
Loved by: Victoria Woodhall, GTG editorial director
"There aren’t that many organic cleansers that come in gel form . This one is designed for oily skin with astringent witch hazel as a first ingredient, but funnily enough worked very well on my dry skin thanks to moisturising glycerin and nourishing oils. It also has the most beautiful fresh smell. It made light work of my makeup when I massaged it into dry skin, when the gel becomes milky. It’s a pleasingly big and an expensive-looking bottle too."
MORE GLOSS: The best cleansers for oily skin
Q+A Chamomile Night Cream, £12
Loved by: Melanie Macleod, digital writer
"I loved this as soon as I saw the purple pot and the inside is just as pleasing. It has an ultra-light lotion texture that absorbs quickly and leaves a very soft, subtle comforting scent behind. Chamomile soothes the skin, while bisabolol evens skin tone and jojoba helps to improve elasticity. When I want my evening routine to be fuss-free so I can flop into bed, this is what I reach for."
Liza Lash Beauty Sphere, £39
Loved by: Hattie Sloggett, GTG contributor
"Bear with me with this one, as I am aware that it sounds a little gimmicky, but that being said I am absolutely in love with Liza Lash's new sphere. This funny ball of delicious smelling goo, is the love child of a facewash, a sponge and an old school water balloon. Customised to your astrological orientation and full of tamarindus indica seed gum and negatively-charged microscopic particles of platinum powder, this just-add-water sphere is awesome for removing makeup, oil and dirt, leaving you feeling fully refreshed but not dried out like normal soap and water. This little globule of goodness lasts for up to three months without drying out and can be used on the face and body. Whatever your thoughts on astrological divination, there is no denying that the ease of use and genuine cleansing aspects of the sphere makes it a winning everyday must-have."
MORE GLOSS: How long does it take to know if your skincare is actually working?