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 cross our desks and we take it upon ourselves to review them all so you don’t have to. If we include it below, then you know it’s a good ‘un.
To mark the start of a new school year and the final days of the warmer weather, there’s beauty galore aplenty to counteract the end-of-summer blues.
There are new brands to fill your bathroom cabinets, ranging from Stella McCartney’s first foray into the skincare realm as well as US fine fragrance label PHLUR finally dropping on UK shores much to the delight of the extensive 200,000 named waistlist.
The Estee Lauder Companies has knocked it out the park once again, releasing a limited-edition lip duo where all the proceeds are donated to the company’s breast cancer campaign and Chanel and Nars are here to step up your long-lasting makeup game with a new mascara and lipstick formulation respectively.
For all this and more besides, see our edit of the hottest beauty drops you need on your radar.
YSL Beauty Libre Le Parfum intense
With Dua Lipa as the face, you will likely recognise the now iconic YSL Libre fragrance from the ads about town. The French fashion house has taken the unique floral aroma into a new, more intense direction. With a deeper and intriguing aroma, it pays homage to Mr. Saint Laurent’s favourite ‘fleur de feu’ - aka the saffron flower at its heart, harvested from the Ourika Gardens in Morocco.
On opening, you will notice spice elements with the top notes of bergamot, mandarin, ginger, and saffron accord. This develops to reveal orange blossom, diva lavender heart, and lavandin heart in the middle, which is anchored by an amber base of vanilla bourbon, honey accord, and vetiver that give it a warm, dynamic finish.
Buy now £62.00, YSL Beauty
PHLUR UK Launch
Whether you follow the latest Tiktok trends or not, you might have caught a glimpse of the PHLUR phenomenon. The fine fragrance label went viral on the platform and sold out in just five hours. Now the US label is heading for global domination and is launching here in the UK - and if the 200,000 named waitlist is anything to go by, you can expect the same level of hysteria.
The brand was founded by Chriselle Lim - an influencer turned entrepeneur - who references moments in her own life with each acclaimed launch. It already counts the likes of Miranda Kerr and Rachel Zoe among its celebrity fan base.
The latest release is a floral musk scent known as MISSING PERSON and was described by make-up artist Mikayla Nogueira to her 13.2 million followers as “smell[ing] like a person that you love and that you miss”. The collections are created with responsibly sourced ingredients and are mindfully formulated.
Buy now, Selfridges
STELLA by Stella McCartney Skincare
British fashion designer Stella McCartney has entered the beauty realm with the launch of her very own skincare collection. Two years in the making, the product line-up and formulation have been created as a “responsible alternative to luxury skincare” according to the brand. Paring back overcomplicated regimes, this collection has been created to encourage long-term results, rather than taking a quick fix approach. You can be sure that much like McCartney’s clothing ranges, all the beauty products are vegan and cruelty-free where the designer has opted for natural active ingredients, while also being refillable.
The STELLA Reset Cleanser (£50) is a two-in-one cleanser that removes dirt, makeup and impurities without altering skin’s natural pH. The STELLA Alter-Care Serum (£110) is a restorative product that works on tone and texture and encourages radiance, regeneration, and reduces the appearance of wrinkles and dark circles. Last but not least, the STELLA Restore Cream (£85) is a nourishing yet lightweight moisturiser that has fine line-busting and elastin boosting properties.
Buy now, Stella McCartney
CHANEL Noir Allure Mascara
Find your new signature mascara with a luxury edge thanks to this new launch from Chanel. The French house has unveiled Noir Allure that’s a departure from classic black.
In fact, the label has added a hint of red into the colour palette - something you will only notice in the application process and yet brings something dynamic and eye-catching to your lashes. The formula is housed in a monolithic tube complete with a redesigned opening and closing. If you’ve found that previous products tend to dry out over time, this packaging is sealed and airtight (you’ll hear the click as you fasten) to ensure that it stays fresh and like-new with every swipe.
The brush is slim with equally thin bristles to prevent an overload of product and treat each individual hair for equal amounts of volumising, lengthening, curling and definition. It is also smudge and transfer-proof and has been designed specifically for ease of application, gliding on without flaking throughout the day. This is achieved through the combination of waxes - beeswax, carnauba wax, and rice wax - and nourishing and hydrating provitamin B5.
Buy now £38.00, Chanel
Fresh Tea Elixir Skin Resilience Activating Serum
Tea is an ingredient that you’ll find across the fresh skincare collection and something that has become a signature of the label. The brand has invested in 15 years of research into the component in order to extract all the benefits that it has to offer and this has culminated in a new innovation - Tea Elixir Skin Resilience Activating Serum.
Harnessing the power of the tea plant, the formula has been designed to impart resiliance and fortify the skin’s natural defences against external aggressors that lead to ageing. The specialised plant at its heart was found in a remote part of Mauritius that thrived despite the challenging conditions like volcanic soil, low altitude and tropical climate. The concentrated adaptive phytocompounds that it produces power this product to give your complexion the same level of protection.
Buy now £97.00, Fresh
Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Concealer
To the delight of makeup lovers everywhere, Charlotte Tilbury has followed up on the success of her newly released but already cult Beautiful Skin foundation, unveiling concealer in the same collection.
A makeup-skincare hybrid, the formula is infused with kind-to-skin ingredients like the hydration hero that is hyaluronic acid, pore-minimising niacinamide and glow-getting vitamin C as well as vegan collagen. There are 30 shades and the product offers a medium but buildable coverage for long-lasting wear - up to 16 hours according to the label. Skin appears more radiant and lifted, while the appearance of dark circles are reduced.
Buy now £25.00, Charlotte Tilbury
Alya Skin Pink Marine Collagen Sleep Mask
Direct from Down Under, this is one of the bestselling products in the Alya Skin offering. The Aussie label sells one of the Pink Marine Collagen Sleep Masks every 22 seconds around the world and already has a waiting list of 10,000 people for its launch.
The radiance-giving, plumping product is an overnight treatment that provides immense hydration to parched complexions. As the name suggests, it is formulated with marine collagen to leave skin looking healthy and youthful - a feat enhanced by antioxidant-rich strawberry gum to shield against environmental aggressors and red algae for its soothing capabilities. There’s also marine-derived hyaluronic acid to hydrate and fill out fine lines.
Buy now £29.95, Superdrug
Retinol Fast Release Wrinkle-Reducing Night Serum
You don’t need to be hugely well-versed in the intricacies of skincare ingredients to be familiar with retinol. The vitamin A derivative has become a household name for its anti-ageing effects but due to its irritating properties, it tends to be infused into products in low quantities and with use every so often, which leaves you with slow-acting results. No longer.
Kiehl’s has changed the retinol game with this formula that is designed to penetrate 15 layers deep from the surface of the skin to speed up cell turnover and leave you with a refreshed, revived complexion. It contains 0.3 per cent pure retinol in the ingredient line-up with a ‘fast-release delivery system’ in order to give you visible results after just five days of use - even on the more stubborn, deep-set wrinkles.
Buy now £68.00, Kiehl’s
Moroccanoil Body Range
Moroccanoil has established itself in the haircare sphere with protective formulas designed to transform dull, dry and lifeless locks - and now the brand is taking its same oil-infused approach to the world of bodycare. This is not a first for the label but it has had a total overhaul of its line-up, while also incorporating new products into the fold. Argan oil takes centre stage in each and every one and is set against the likes of plant-derived squalane and hyaluronic acid - two ingredients known and loved for their impressive hydrating powers. The same scent is offered throughout - the brand’s signature Fragrance Originale with notes of spicy amber and sweet florals - to provide a pampering experience as you lather on the skin-loving goodness.
Among the line up, the Moroccanoil Body Lotion (£25) and Moroccanoil Hand Wash (£18) deserve your attention. The former is a lightweight yet ultra-nourishing cream that can be applied all year round. This will treat skin to soothing and glow-giving results made possible by the combination of argan oil, evening primrose oil and soothing aloe leaf extract. The hand wash will turn the regular task into a luxury experience, providing an effective cleanse while also treating your digits to argan oil and hyaluronic acid.
Buy now £25.00, lookfantastic
Clé de Peau Beauté Brightening Serum Supreme
This game-changing serum from Clé de Peau Beauté was created after 15 years of research and expertise. The result is the revelation of an exclusive active ingredient included for its brightening effects. Known as the Sea Ferment Brightener, it provides a daily dose of illumination for the complexion, while counteracting signs of ageing and boosting resilience for the visage. It works through a two-part approach where botanicals are combined with Japanese innovation to bolster skin and combat concerns like fine lines, wrinkles and the lack of firmness. The daily use product is non-comedogenic and concentrated so you know that you are getting a heavy hitter that will enhance the complexion rather than causing breakouts.
Buy now £275.00, Cult Beauty
NARS Powermatte Lipstick
The hunt for the perfect red may have met its match with NARS and the label’s Powermatte Lipstick that comes in 15 shades. Ranging from deep plum (Night Moves), to peachy coral (Free Bird), the line-up also features our personal favourite, a vivid siren red known as (Dragon Girl). The intense colour pigment is imparted onto your pout in one fell swoop and then stays firmly in place for up to 10 hours without budging. The formula dries to a matte finish and remains transfer-resistant throughout the day. This is long-lasting makeup at its best.
Buy now £26.00, lookfantastic
