In recent years, the beauty industry has grown exponentially, with new launches, lines, and collaborations coming at us in rapid succession. Every casual scroll through your Instagram feed presents you with new beauty products, and don’t even get us started on all those targeted ads you never asked to see. So if you’re someone who loves beauty, how do you keep track of all of the latest and greatest? And more specifically, how do you know which items you can buy in the UK (without paying exorbitant shipping fees, tha is)? Well, that’s where we come in. Every month, we round up the most exciting launches coming to the UK, from classic brands to indie newcomers and all the creams, sprays, and conditioners in between.
November 2020 is not like every other month, however. We are into our eighth month of the coronavirus pandemic, and the nation has gone back into lockdown, with all spas, salons, and nonessential shops closed for the month. Couple that with the fact that many people are out of work or back on furlough, and rushing out to purchase beauty products – even online – probably isn’t at the top of a majority of people’s lists right now.
But for some people, beauty (and, by extension, beauty products) may act as a distraction or a way to maintain some semblance of normalcy right now (a phenomenon known as the “lipstick effect”). And many brands – in addition to donating products to NHS workers and using their production lines to make hand sanitiser – are continuing to roll out new products for anyone who is interested or has the ability to buy. Keep reading to check out the newness – even if it’s just to do some virtual window shopping from your living room.
Pai System D Cooling Eye Serum
Incredibly soothing and supremely gentle, the Pai System D Cooling Eye Serum (£39) is a lightweight gel that contains hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and an ingredient called schisandra, which helps protect the skin from itchiness and irritation. High demand means this little tube is already sold out on its website, but the brand promises a restock very soon.
Lumene Hydra Moisturising Prebiotic Oil-Cocktail
The new Lumene Hydra Moisturising Prebiotic Oil-Cocktail (£25) is a biphase skin treatment, which means it contains an oil-based component and a water-based component. To use it, you need to shake the bottle to mix it up before applying it to your face.
The oil phase contains Nordic bilberry seed oil, which is full of hydrating vitamin E, while the water phase is made up of a mix of organic Nordic birch sap, pure Arctic spring water, and a new ingredient called Nordic oat xylitol, which acts as both a humectant (an ingredient that helps your skin retain moisture) and a source of prebiotics.
Sarah Chapman Skinesis Meso-Melt Infusion System
If you’re familiar with microneedling, then you’re probably also familiar with the microneedling devices that you can use at home – which offer similar line-smoothing, skin-tightening results but using larger, duller needles than the ones used by professionals. Well, we thought we’d seen it all until Sarah Chapman launched her innovative microneedling system that actually features roll-to-activate dissolving needles. Yes, you read that correctly.
Here’s how the Sarah Chapman Skinesis Meso-Melt Infusion System (£138, which includes three single-use microneedling tips and three ampoules of the Pep Stem Cell Serum) works. Rather than using stainless-steel needles, the Meso-Melt Infusion Roller needles are made up of the brand’s Platinum Matrix-EM serum, which contains both peptides and hyaluronic acid. To start, you simply roll the tool over your face and décolletage for 10 minutes, the same as you would with any roller. Once you’ve finished rolling, then you massage the Pep Stem Cell Serum, which included in the set, over the skin. Wait 10 seconds, then roll the device over your face again — and this is when the magic happens. Thanks to the Pep Stem Cell Serum, the needles on the roller begin to dissolve, and the ingredients in the needles get released into the skin. Prepare to be amazed both at how it works – and how your skin looks afterwards.
Perricone MD Hypoallergenic CBD Nourishing & Calming Moisturizer
Perricone MD’s new Hypoallergenic CBD Sensitive Skin Therapy range is perfect for people with sensitive slom, with a stamp of approval from the National Psoriasis Foundation in the US (so yes, you can use it if you have a skin condition like psoriasis or eczema, although as with any product, we recommend always doing a patch test).
The product we most have our eyes on for the winter months is the Perricone MD Hypoallergenic CBD Nourishing & Calming Moisturizer (£59), which in addition to being formulated with 450 mg of pure cannabidiol (CBD), contains licorice-root extract and buriti oil, ingredients both known for their ability to calm and soothe dry, irritated skin.
Heraux Molecular Anti-Inflammaging Serum
Before you go and roll your eyes, inflammaging is not a new word made up by marketing execs. It’s actually a medical term that refers to chronic low-grade inflammation that develops with advanced age and contributes to the development of age-related diseases. The Heraux Molecular Anti-Inflammaging Serum (£200) was actually a byproduct of research being done by stem-cell scientists around inflammaging and arthritis.
Whilst developing a lipid-based molecule that targeted inflammation in the joints (which leads to arthritis), the scientists realised the same molecule could have the same anti-inflammatory affects on the skin, resulting in younger-looking, more resilient skin. The molecule, called HX1, works by targeting the one protein on the surface of your stem cells that regulates the ageing process (think of it like the master regulator on your stem cells that maintain the balance between healthy and unhealthy cell activity in your body). HX1 binds to that protein and shifts the balance from degeneration to regeneration, promoting healthy cell activity and slowing down the inflammaging process going on in your cells.
So does the serum actually work? After three weeks of using it, I’d have to say . . . yeah! My skin looks smoother and more radiant, and the rosacea on my cheeks has faded significantly. And because it’s made to absorb fairly instantaneously (HX-1 is a teeny tiny molecule, which means it can get to the dermal layer quite easily), you can layer your favourite day or night cream over it with no problem.
Fenty Beauty Instant Reset Overnight Recovery Gel-Cream
The newest addition to Rihanna’s Fenty Skin range is the Fenty Beauty Instant Reset Overnight Recovery Gel-Cream (£36). The gel-cream feels ultra light, whilst still being incredibly moisturising, thanks to dermatologist-approved ingredients like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, as well as kalahari-melon oil and baobab extract. And sure, the formula is certainly the star in this case, but the fact the jar is refillable and all the different bits are recyclable really makes this night cream a must try.
Augustinus Bader The Lip Balm
Throughout 2020, Augustinus Bader has been slowly working its way toward becoming a comprehensive, all-encompassing skin-care range. The brand launched back in 2018 with just two moisturisers (The Cream and The Rich Cream), but this year we’ve seen the additions of a face oil, body lotion, cleansing balm, and exfoliating toner, to name a few. This month, the brand adds Augustinus Bader The Lip Balm (£30), which uses the same proprietary ingredient as the rest of the products (TFC8, an amino acid that helps cells amp up their repair and renewal processes), as well as shea butter, candelilla wax (a vegan alternative to beeswax), and vitamin E, as well as a variety of oils.
Vieve The Essentials Palette
This month, makeup artist Jamie Genevieve debuts her first makeup collection that’s full of gorgeous neutral colours that are both easy to use and easy to wear. And while the lipsticks, lip liners, and highlighters are definitely worth your attention, it’s the Vieve The Essentials Palette (£42) that’s truly got us excited. The 12-pan palette contains pretty much every neutral eyeshadow shade you’d ever need, in both matte and shimmery finishes, to create a wide variety of looks for both day and night.
Huda Beauty Gold Obsessions Eyeshadow Palette
Just in time for the festive season, Huda Kattan gifts us with a palette that she’s created exclusively for Cult Beauty. “Cult Beauty has fiercely championed Huda Beauty for five years, so I wanted to say thank you to my fans by letting them know that they are gold and invaluable to me. Gold Obsessions is for you,” the beauty entrepreneur said in a statement.
From butterscotch to peach quartz, the Huda Beauty Gold Obsessions Eyeshadow Palette (£27) features nine shades in a wide variety of textures, including matte, shimmer, and high-shine metallic, as well as a brand-new texture best described as a “gold flake metallic shimmer” that features dazzling gold flakes blended into light pink shimmer base to give your lids an exponential amount of shine.
Byredo Eyeshadow 5 Colour Compact in Sciomancer
Just a month after introducing its cosmetic collection, Byredo adds three powder eye shadow palettes designed by makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench. Designed as an homage to American electronic musician Yves Tumor, the palette we can’t wait to try is the Byredo Eyeshadow 5 Colour Compact in Sciomancer (£56), which features an electric blue, a vivid metallic violet, a sumptuous forest green, an iridescent orange, and a biodegradable black-and-silver glitter topcoat.
Westman Atelier Eye Pods Eyeshadow
Makeup artist Gucci Westman has introduced powder eyeshadow into her range in the form of Westman Atelier Eye Pods Eyeshadow (£80 for set of 3). Available in two sets — Les Jours and Les Nuits (shown here) — each set contains three shadow shades in the chicest, most adorable little pots.
“I created each Eye Pod palette with one classic ‘core’ shade that’s a seamless base or smudgy liner; one “accent” shade for an amplified pop of colour; and one “highlight” shade to brighten lids and tear ducts,” Westman says of the launch via press release. “I love the idea of a perfectly edited palette that clicks together and apart: Throw one in your bag and take it with you, or layer all three shades for more intensity.”
Nars Soft Matte Complete Foundation
Inspired by the brand’s bestselling Soft Matte Concealer, this month Nars Cosmetics introduces the Nars Soft Matte Complete Foundation (£28), which is a long-lasting, full-coverage, velvety-matte formula that is especially ideal for those with oily skin.
Clé de Peau Beauté Radiant Fluid Foundation Matte
The Clé de Peau Beauté Radiant Fluid Foundation Matte (£110) isn’t a new launch per se, but this month more people can try the long-lasting matte formula as they expanded the range to 31 shades.
BareMinerals Strength and Length Serum-Infused Brow Gel
Adding to its Strength and Length collection, Bare Minerals introduces the BareMinerals Strength and Length Serum-Infused Brow Gel (£18), which contains the same red-clover flower as the mascara, as well as a potent peptide complex that helps keep brow hairs soft, hydrated, and stronger — all of which means your brows generally look healthier and fuller over time.
