In our monthly Let’s Make-Up round-up, we bring you a selection of the tried-and-tested, freshest, and buzziest beauty launches that are worth adding to your basket.
All types of lotions and potions across makeup, skincare, haircare and more land on our desks and we take it upon ourselves to review them all so you don’t have to. If we include it below, you know it’s a good ‘un.
Halloween is over and it’s officially acceptable to start talking about Christmas. Sure, it may only be November but fail to prepare, prepare to fail. The beauty gift set offerings have hit the virtual shelves and while you may be thinking ahead to the present exchange, it’s also the time to stock up on your favourite label for a much more purse-friendly price. See Tatcha, Sunday Riley and Living Proof for inspiration.
Notable releases this month also include the long-awaited Lip Color from Makeup By Mario, a potent hit for hyperpigmentation from Paula’s Choice and an anniversary bumper pack for everyone’s favourite Jones Road Beauty.
For all this and plenty more besides, see our edit of the hottest beauty drops you need on your radar.
Jones Road The Bobbi 3.0 Anniversary Kit
Three years ago, Bobbi Brown unveiled Jones Road Beauty and the brand has gone from strength to strength ever since. During this time, the range has expanded into skin and makeup hybrids to create the makeup artist and entrepreneur’s signature natural aesthetic with subtle tints and skin-loving ingredients.
To celebrate the milestone, the 3.0 Kit is here. The selection includes beloved no-fuss, no-skill required formulas - the Blush in Pop, Pencil in Black, Cool Gloss in Original and Just a Sec eyeshadow in Cool Taupe. To round off the bumper pack is the beloved Miracle Balm in a new Pinky Bronze hue. The products are housed in a reusable bag.
Buy now £80.00, Jones Road Beauty
Vida Glow Collagen Liquid Advanced
Over at ES Best, we have been fans of Vida Glow’s Natural Marine Collagen since we first got our hands on the product a while back. The ingestible supplement had a real noticeable difference not just on our skin but our hair growth too – so you can imagine we were desperate to get our hands on its new breakthrough – the Collagen Liquid Advance.
The brand has doubled the dosage of its original formula for a potent hit of antioxidants like vitamin C that encourage the production of elasticity-boosting collagen. The concentrated concoction was designed to improve hydration, smooth fine lines and have plumping benefits. It comes in a liquid form with a berry flavour and a honey-like texture to make daily consumption that extra bit easier. Plus, they’re ready to go for travel – slipping into your hand luggage with ease.
Buy now £40.00, Vida Glow
NATURIUM KP Body Scrub & Mask
Making high-powered formulations affordable, NATURIUM is a bestseller for a reason. The brand produces active ingredient-boosted formulas without the typical high price points to match. With this launch, it is tackling the issue of Keratosis Pilaris, a very common skin concern that results in rough, bumpy skin.
To combat this, it combines three supercharged ingredients – glycolic acid, salicylic acid and polyhydroxy acid. These chemical exfoliants work to slough dead skin cells and unclog pores and are included alongside pumice and jojoba esters that act as physical buffing elements so you’re covered from every angle.
Buy now £20.00, Space NK
Makeup By Mario Moisture Glow Plumping Lip Color
This is no ordinary lipstick. This is the Makeup By Mario lip colour that has finally landed on UK soil. The liquid texture imparts a pigmented punch, whilst providing a plumping effect.
It’s a modern take on lip gloss with a high shine finish created with water so as to avoid that sticky, tacky feeling that was par for the course with the 90s iterations of the product type. One swipe is all it takes to maximise the light-reflecting oil goodness.
Buy now £24.00, Sephora
Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum
Discoloration and hyperpigmentation can be a real confidence knock. The same is true for dull and lacklustre skin that feels so hard to combat, especially in the winter. So, call in the big guns. And by that we mean the 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum from Paula's Choice.
The science-backed label has created this highly stable potent vitamin-rich product to boost radiance yet remain lightweight on the complexion. Vitamin C has been included as a blend of oil and water to optimise its effectiveness, whilst Glutathione and GAP technology combat the likelihood of irritation. It comes in a lotion texture.
Buy now £60.00, Paula's Choice
Glossier Limited Edition Cookie Butter + Hot Cocoa Balm Dotcom Original
You may have noticed on the Glossier Instagram page that the posts are littered with comments from fans of the original Balm Dotcom formula begging the brand for its return.
Well, the label has listened and for a limited time, you can add limited edition holiday flavours; Cookie Butter and Hot Cocoa with the previous formulations – before it became vegan. The former has a caramel tint and a cinnamon-spiced speculoos aroma, whilst the latter is a chocolatey-vanilla treat with a subtle chestnut brown hue.
Bundle these together with the Glossier’s Holiday Tumbler (£29) for a gift that can’t fail.
Buy now £14.00, Glossier
Drybar Half Shot Blow-Dryer Brush
Drybar was founded in the US to bring speedy blow dries to those with a fast-paced lifestyle, and through its product range, it is continuing on in its mission. This is especially true for its latest launch, the Drybar Half Shot Blow-Dryer Brush. This tool was created to provide a professional blow dry experience at home – no real skill necessary.
Use on towel-dry hair and work from roots to end to dry and smooth locks. Nylon and tufted bristles offer detangling without pulling and with a flick of the wrist, you can create bouncy blowout styles. The ergonomic handle makes this easy, while ionic technology counteracts frizz and imparts shine.
Buy now £125.00, Cult Beauty
AVEENO Haircare Smoothing+ Rose Water & Chamomile Blend Shampoo and Conditioner
The gentle Aveeno range may already dominate your bodycare with its oatmeal-infused lotion and washes, but don’t sleep on the haircare collection that has been treated to a soothing enrichment of rose water and chamomile.
The ingredients are included in both shampoo and conditioner form, providing a smoothing, calming effect for your stressed-out tresses to leave them silky soft. There are no parabens or sulfates within the formula.
Buy now £6.56, Amazon
Sunday Riley Nice Work Kit
Sunday Riley has bundled together its bestsellers in this ultimate introduction to the botanical-based, supercharged collection. Within this offering is a quad of high-powered skincare to tackle common concerns.
The newly launched B3 Nice serum places niacinamide at its heart to combat what remains after a bout of acne – namely dark spots and redness, while the glycolic acid-enriched Good Genes is an effective exfoliator to bring the radiance. Also included is the Auto Correct Brightening And Depuffing Eye Contour Cream which will help you fake eight hours of interrupted slumber and the Luna Sleeping Night Oil that is plumping and reduces redness. Worth £134.67.
Buy now £69.00, Cult Beauty
Laura’s Constellation
In a beautifully adorned box embossed with a constellation design comes this gift set from Laura Mercier that contains the label’s heroes. They may already be fans of the brand – but if not, they certainly will be after receiving this as it opens to reveal the cult Translucent Loose Setting Powder and Pure Canvas Primer to give your makeup look real lasting power alongside the Caviar Stick in the bestselling Rosegold hue.
Buy now £44.00, Selfridges
Hourglass Cosmetics Ambient Lighting Palettes Unlocked
Hourglass is one of those brands that anyone would relish discovering under the tree and this is made all the truer with its festive palettes. The beloved compacts - that are used by pro makeup artists like Daniel Martin - are treated to a fierce makeover with animal designs.
For a limited time, the multitasking product has the illustration of a jellyfish, leopard or snake brought to life by London-based artist Katie Scott. The powders can be used as a finishing touch, bronzer, blush and highlighter, refining your makeup bag with one glow-giving, hard-working essential.
Buy now £86.00, Cult Beauty
Westman Atelier Les Étoiles Edition
Gucci Westman’s eponymous label is a luxurious, attractive collection of cosmetics all year round, but the makeup artist cranks this up a gear for the festive season. The trio of bestsellers are reimagined in suitably festive red packaging and come in universally flattering shades so you really can’t go wrong.
Achieve the effortless no-makeup makeup look with Baby Cheeks Powder Brush, the brand's first powder blush in the Petal Powder hue, plus the Lit Up Highlight Stick in Lit Biscuit and Squeaky Clean Liquid Lip Balm in Squeaky Nectar.
Buy now £148.00, Cult Beauty
Tatcha Dewy Skin Essentials
We’ve heard of glazed doughnut skin, the Strawberry Girl aesthetic and a whole host of other food-inspired trends that have recently gone viral on TikTok. But what these looks have in common is the desire for dewy skin – and you’re in safe hands with Tatcha. The brand is known for its soft-filter-like effect where a sensorial aspect is infused into hard-working skincare staples.
This trio comes from the Dewy range and includes the gently buffing Rice Wash, luminosity-boosting Dewy Serum and nourishing Dewy Skin Cream. Each provides a luxury experience with every use, harnessing the power of Japanese native ingredients like Okinawa algae as well as hydrating heroes hyaluronic acid and squalene.
Buy now £86.00, Space NK
Kate Somerville ExfoliKate: Let It Glow
If you’re yet to get your hands on the cult ExfoliKate, strap in. This Christmas, the hero SKU is set along a dead skin sloughing trio from the range, namely the Cleanser and Glow products.
In tandem, these products will encourage cell turnover to improve texture, using a combination of AHAs and BHAs alongside physical exfoliants; papaya, pumpkin and pineapple enzymes. Prepare for instantly radiant skin and a more even complexion.
Buy now £34.00, Kate Somerville
Living Proof Dry Shampoo Duo
When inspiration is lacking for Christmas gifting, you can’t go wrong with something they’ll use. Enter Living Proof and this duo of dry shampoos that will buy them time between hair wash days.
Worth £52, the set includes full-sized versions of the brand’s heroes; The Dry Shampoo, a lighter, beautifully scented formula and the Advanced Clean Dry Shampoo which brings a kind-to-scalp and shine enhancer into the haircare equation.
Buy now £35.00, Space NK
