The Under-The-Radar Beauty Finds Experts Really Rate

Rebecca Hull

Group Beauty Director

Skin: I doubt it'll stay undiscovered for long but I'm loving Medicube's LED Booster Pro. It's one of the few beauty devices I've noticed has made a genuine difference to my skin. Combining LED therapy and gentle electrical stimulation, it tones the skin and improves definition. My complexion looks fresher, my face feels more lifted and there's even a little more definition around my jawline. Time will tell if the results last but so far, I'm impressed.

Make-up: Like everyone else, I’m loving Rhode's Highlight Milk in 02. You only need a few drops and it gives your skin a non-committal hit of colour with the kind of dewy, glossy finish I can't get enough of. Perhaps the better-known pick, but one I've rediscovered this summer, is Glossier's Balm Dotcom, and its latest I Love NY formulation is as good as ever. With a soft, rosy tint and a dewy dry-down, it gives cheeks, lips, and even eyelids a healthy sheen and flush I can't get enough of.

Body: I'm loving the self-tan brand SOLSKIN. Most tanning products leave my skin feeling dry and sensitised but this does the opposite. It's easy to apply, develops into a soft, buildable glow and never looks overdone.

Fragrance: Although BIBBI is stocked at Liberty, it still feels like one of beauty's best-kept fragrance secrets. The collection is relatively niche and every scent feels incredibly considered. I'm currently alternating between Boy of June and Radio Child, although the latter will always be my favourite. Musky with a subtle spicy warmth, it's unlike anything else on the market. They're certainly an investment but the scents wear beautifully and each bottle lasts for months.

Expert: The brilliant Anu Khapung was recommended by a good friend and she's completely transformed my once wayward brows. She does the best natural, long-lasting lash lifts – a treatment that normally takes around 50 minutes but Anu somehow completes in just 20. Known for her face-framing techniques and flawless threading, I always leave feeling more polished. She also counts Margot Robbie and Emma Corrin among her clients, so I'm in good company.

Hair: A key contact in my little black book is my hair stylist and colourist, Claire Finn. Based in West Sussex, she's self-employed and often travels for weddings and events. No one has ever understood my fine hair quite like Claire – she knows exactly how to cut and colour it to create the illusion of fullness.

Jenn George

Beauty Director & Acting Senior Wellness Editor

Skin: Firstly I’ll address the price of this. Yes, Sisley’s Exfoliating Enzyme Mask is expensive but given how little you need to use at any one time to see results, the cost per use is actually pretty affordable. Harnessing fruit enzymes that polish and soften the skin in just one minute, it leaves my complexion looking instantly more radiant without any irritation. It’s brilliant before a night out.

Make-up: Everyone’s heard of Estée Lauder’s Double Wear foundation but did you know there’s a whole Double Wear collection focused on long-wear make-up – from concealer to lip liner. The mascara is a stand-out for me: glossy, lightweight, dramatic and, crucially, smudge-free.

Body: It isn’t sexy but trust me when I say a good foot cream can be game-changing, especially in the summer. The Beauty Pie one is brilliant and decently priced. Applied generously at night (pop some socks on over the top if you want) it hydrates dry nail beds and moisturises dry skin but, most impressively, softens cracked and hardened heels in just a few days.

Treatment: As a hairy girl, the best investment I’ve ever made is laser hair removal – specifically on the bikini line. It took around eight sessions to complete (and I still top up once a year or so) but it has made such a huge difference to my confidence. Aisha at the Soho brand of Strip made what should be a really awkward experience so comfortable and – hand on heart – I felt zero pain.

Expert: I’m sadly at the stage where I’m having to dye my hair every six weeks to cover greys, which is a shock for someone who just had a bit of balayage once a year. It’s taken a little trial and error to find someone who can truly match my natural colour and add some dimension. Luckily, Cetera at John Freida in Mayfair really gets brunettes.

Hair: I’m so loyal to the BaByliss Big Hair hot brush that other tools rarely make it into my rotation but after giving this a try, it’s now earned its place. Sucking sections of your hair into a rotating barrel to form waves or curls, it takes a bit of trial and error to get it right but, once you do, it’s a quick way to create bouncy, shiny volume.

Exfoliating Enzyme Mask, £104 | Sisley
Double Wear Stay-In-Place LongWear Matte Foundation SPF 10, £39.50 | Estée Lauder
Double WearZero-Smudge Lengthening Mascara, £29.50 | Estée Lauder
Footopia Super Softening Foot & Heel Cream, £15 | Beauty Pie
Big Hair 50mm, £40 (was £50) | BaByliss

Orin Carlin

Beauty Writer

Skin: There are so many brilliant, hidden skincare gems but one I’ve been particularly loving is Rationale’s tinted sun serum. It’s a mineral formula but easily one of the most cosmetically elegant, unchalky formulas I’ve tried. It applies like silk and helps your skin appear more even while also giving it a subtle glow.

Make-up: A brown kajal liner does all the heavy lifting when it comes to defining my eyes but I’m always on the hunt for one that glides and blends well at first but then stays locked in place. At just £6, Kay Beauty’s version is such a steal and ticks all the right boxes. Plus, I love that there’s no need to scrabble around for a sharpener.

Body: Full disclosure: I’m not a regular hand cream person. I can’t bear the stickiness – but this I can actually get on board with. It’s in a league of its own, conditioning cuticles and strengthening nails while absorbing seamlessly. I’m also very into the uplifting, slightly medicinal smell.

Treatment: Recently, I tried Raeso’s Circadian Alignment Facial at Liberty and I was blown away. My therapist Ksenija Selivanova is so skilled at lymphatic massage – I looked brighter and more lifted immediately afterwards and I then had multiple compliments on my skin the following day. Best believe I’ll be rebooking.

Expert: The person I trust with my lashes is Daxita Vaghela, an amazing artist based at Marylebone hair salon Atherton Cox. There’s a reason insiders love her – her attention to detail is second to none, but she also has such a warm, generous spirit. Time in Daxita’s company is always well spent. I tend to go for a classic Lash Lift and I always leave open-mouthed.

Hair: I live for a great hair mask and in my shower, the one to beat right now is by Davines – it makes my hair so much more soft and manageable.

#3 The Brilliance Tinted Serum SPF50+, £135 | Rationale
24H Kajal, £6 | Kay Beauty
Nail Cream, £14 | Ful.Vic.Health
Love Smooth Mask, £30 | Davines

Alex Steinherr

SheerLuxe Beauty Contributor

Skin: One of my best-kept skincare secrets is the Cetaphil Overnight Moisturiser. Despite the name, I use it just as often during the day because the texture is exceptional. It’s silky and cocooning without ever feeling heavy, leaves my skin incredibly soft and bouncy, and is under £20.

Body: Johnson’s Baby Oil is my forever bodycare secret. The trick is to apply it straight onto damp skin the moment you step out of the shower. It locks in moisture beautifully, leaving skin unbelievably soft without feeling overly greasy. Apply it to dry skin and you’ll miss the magic entirely.

Make-up: I stopped self-tanning my face because I found it made my pigmentation look more obvious. Instead, I mist By Terry Tea to Tan Bronzing Mist onto bare skin after SPF, then do the rest of my make-up as normal. It gives me the most believable warmth without masking my skin or affecting my skincare routine.

Treatment: One of my favourite beauty discoveries came via Alfie O’Neill, who introduced me to the hair-health-first approach at the Paul Edmonds salon. Every treatment is completely bespoke, focusing on exactly what your hair needs rather than following a one-size-fits-all formula. Their fully reclining backwash beds are also the most comfortable in London. It genuinely feels more like flying first class than going to the hairdresser.

Expert: Tarryn Warren is one of those facialists I almost don’t want to tell anyone about because she’s that good. What I love is that she combines incredibly intuitive hands with a real passion for the latest skin innovations. She never relies on just one approach, she thoughtfully combines advanced technology with expert hands-on techniques for skin that genuinely makes it look healthier, stronger and more radiant.

Hair: People often ask which products I use on my hair but my real secret is Hadley Yates’ extensions. He’s the king of natural-looking extensions and they’ve actually helped improve the condition of my own hair because we create brightness with extensions instead of repeatedly bleaching my natural hair.

Hydrating Night Cream, £16.50 | Cetaphil
Baby Oil, £4 | Johnson's
Tea To Tan Face & Body, £25 | By Terry LipidRestore Volumise & Restore SPF 40, £68 | SunsolveMD

Rhea Cartwright

SheerLuxe Beauty Contributor

Skin: Working on beauty counters for years means you discover those under-the-radar gems that are easy to miss. Chantecaille’s Rice & Geranium Foaming Cleanser has been a staple in my bathroom for over a decade. You need the tiniest amount, so one tube lasts me anywhere from six to nine months. It cleanses thoroughly, gently exfoliates and leaves my skin feeling fresh without stripping it.

Body: You might question why a beauty editor, with access to endless products, would make her own body butter – but honestly, I want something I know will work every single time. I whisk jojoba oil into melted shea butter to create a rich, nourishing balm that leaves my skin ridiculously soft. I used to haul tubs back from Paris but now that Aroma-Zone has opened in London, the whole process is much easier.

Make-up: Not all lash curlers are created equal and Shiseido’s are genuinely some of the best. It’s probably the quickest step in my entire routine but the difference is immediate. They lift and open up the eyes in seconds, even when I’m not wearing any make-up. One of those tiny tools that makes a much bigger impact than you’d expect.

Treatment: It’s no secret that I love a slightly woo-woo energy treatment but they aren’t always the most accessibly priced. Craniosacral therapy is an incredibly gentle, light-touch treatment designed to ease stress and tension, and some people also use it to support migraine relief. All I can say is that every time I’ve had it, I’ve felt as though my whole body has deeply rested. Tucked away in a mews in Primrose Hill, the College of Cranio-Sacral Therapy offers appointments with final-year students for around £30.

Expert: Jeta Brows is my go-to for all things brows and lashes. She’s a former professional make-up pro and also a fine artist, so her eye for shape, balance and detail is exceptional. Her studio is tucked away, which makes it feel like a proper IYKYK beauty secret. She also offers brow extensions for sparse brows – a friend of mine can attest to the fact that results were incredible.

Hair: Hair mousse may sound a little old-school but it can make such a difference – especially if your hair is curly, wavy or you’re trying to bring back your natural texture. I’ve used the Crème of Nature mousse for years because it gives definition without weighing my hair down or leaving it crunchy. It’s affordable, reliable and one of those products I always come back to.