The Best New Beauty Buys For May
The Best New Beauty Buys For May

The Best New Beauty Buys For May

From new-season scents to the affordable skincare range everyone’s talking about, this month the latest beauty launches are as good as ever. Here are some of the standouts…
By Rebecca Hull

All products on this page have been selected by our editorial team, however we may make commission on some products.

The Budget Skincare Brand To Know..

Sali Hughes X Revolution Skincare, From £10

Sali Hughes is one of the UK’s most successful beauty journalists, authors and broadcasters. Now she’s leveraging her expertise to collaborate with affordable skincare brand Revolution. The carefully curated edit of six skincare basics – all housed in recyclable packaging – are designed to streamline your routine and deliver results. Nothing costs more than £15 and each product – be it the cleanser, moisturiser or exfoliant – uses some of the most buzz-worthy ingredients to help keep your complexion in check. Better still, they’re designed to work in tandem with your current routine, so you don’t have to invest in the entire range for it to work. Our favourite? The Butterclean Cleansing Balm. Its velvety texture melts away all traces of dirt, while plant oils lock in hydration.

Available at RevolutionBeauty.com

Three Fragrances We Rate…

De Los Santos EDP, £127 | Byredo

The best words to describe Byredo’s latest scent are fresh, medicinal and outdoorsy. By that we mean green and invigorating – while musk and amber add a touch of warmth. Unlike any other Byredo launch, we love the unisex appeal. Plus, it really goes the distance – you can still pick it up on clothes and skin the next day. Ideal for the season ahead.

Available at CultBeauty.co.uk

London Moss Cologne, £108 | Jo Malone

Speaking of green fragrances, Jo Malone’s new Moss scent is fresh and earthy. The note profile includes juniper, geranium – and, of course, moss – which combine to create a muted floral fragrance with a woody twist. Again, it’s unisex but we promise you’ll want to keep this one for yourself. The 30ml size is ideal for travel and throwing in your bag.

Available at JoMalone.co.uk

 

Si Passione Eclat, £79.50 | Giorgio Armani

For those who prefer a richer, more intense floral fragrance, Giorgio Armani’s latest Si iteration – Passione Eclat – is for you. Created with a feminine feel in mind, it’s full of blackcurrant, bergamot, white musk and centifolia rose. The result? A soft, powdery scent that never overpowers, yet still makes an impact. Despite its lightness, there is a gentle warmth to it, making it a great option for evening wear as well as in the day. 

Available at ArmarniBeauty.co.uk

The Latest Make-Up Innovations…

Voyeur Waterproof Gel Eyeliner, £27 | Hourglass

Hourglass’s new Gel Eyeliners aren’t to be missed. The velvety formula glides on and can be easily blended out with a brush or your finger. The vividness of the colour is impressive – rich and glossy, it lives up to the price tag. Play around with the pressure to create a thicker wing, or tiny, micro lines to subtly enhance the eyes. As they set and dry down quickly, you’ll find they won’t smudge or bleed – ideal if you find most liners crease into fine lines.

Available at Hourglass.com

Bonne Brow Defining Pencil, £31.89 | Westman Atelier

One of the most user-friendly brow pencils we’ve tried, this has a creamy, malleable texture that makes easy work of shaping and defining brows. Use a very light pressure – applying it in deft, upward motions – to create believable, hair-like strokes before using the other end to unscrew the clean spoolie brush and run it through brows to distribute the colour. Great for those who want a more natural shape, but with better density and bulk.

Available at Westman-Atelier.com

Diorskin Forever Luminiser, £40 | Dior

For a mega-watt glow, we’re loving Dior’s new Luminiser Powder. Finely milled pigments deposit just the right amount of shimmer, while the soft powder skims skin for buildable luminosity. It comes in several shades – from a rosy pink to bronzed options to give skin a more sculpted finish. We love a little dusted onto eyelidsm too – endlessly versatile, it’s a great addition to your make-up bag. 

Available at Dior.com

Les Filles En Rouje, £25 | Rouje

With a rounded bullet, these lip crayons are so easy to apply. Scribble them on or use the rollerball tip to sculpt lips as you go. The pigment is rich, while the matte formula goes the distance without drying your lips out. There are eight wearable, suits-all shades, but we love ‘Classic Red’ for that Parisian look. 

Available at Rouje.com

Skincare That Promises Results…

Royal Tulip Cleansing Jelly, £39 | Bloomeffects

This clever formula combines the benefits of a gel, balm, milk and cream in one, with a does-it-all texture that removes make-up without ever stripping the skin of its natural oils. Warm it up in your hands to see the oil transform into a milk that latches onto dirt and melt it away. Botanicals and something called a ‘Dutch tulip complex’ soften skin as you go, keeping your complexion hydrated so that when you’re finished, you’re left with a plumper, soft and supple surface.

Available at Fenwick.co.uk

Pure Niacinamide 10 Serum, £28.50 | La Roche-Posay

Niacinamide is one of Google’s most searched ingredients of 2022 so far. La Roche-Posay’s new serum – which harnesses the power of this buzz-worthy ingredient – is designed to even out skin tone and brighten it simultaneously. Plus, it’s lightweight and thin in consistency, so it never feels too sticky or occlusive. In our experience it works fast – you’ll begin to see smoother, healthier-looking skin with a week or so. 

Available at LaRoche-Posay.com

All Over Oil, £38 | Mount Sapo

This silky oil works on the face, body and hair. Brimming with organic oils – like argan, jojoba, rosehip – it instantly hydrates, adding a glossy sheen to limbs. Use it as a shower wash or bath soak, or even massage it into dry split ends for glossier hair. Just bear in mind a little goes a long way, so use it sparingly. 

Available at MountSapo.com

Prevage Anti-Ageing Eye Serum 2.0, £92 | Elizabeth Arden

Prevage is one of those anti-ageing ranges that just works. Now, its popular line has gained a powerhouse Eye Serum. It’s backed by impressive trial results: up to 92% of testers found their dark circles looked brighter with regular use. That’s thanks to ingredients like vitamin E, jasmine extract and nonapeptides which strengthen, boost luminosity and protect for a firmer-looking appearance. While nothing gets rid of dark circles and fine lines around the eyes completely, this certainly improves skin’s tone and gives this delicate area a new lease of life. Even better, it has a cooling applicator to help reduce puffiness. 

Available at ElizabethArden.co.uk

Tools That Will Better Your Routine…

LiftOff Microcurrent Toning Device, £76 | Magnitone London

Facial toning devices are known for their high price tags, but this one from Magnitone is more reasonable than most. Using microcurrents, it releases little pulses of electricity that penetrate the upper layer of your skin, targeting and stimulating the muscles underneath. With regular use, you’ll see skin has a tauter appearance – not to mention a rosier glow. Use it over the face, jawline, upper lip, cheeks and even around the brow. Never painful, it couldn’t be easier to use.  

Available at Magnitone.co.uk

Daily Glow Facial Dry Brush, $52 | Province Apothecary

Facial dry brushing has become a bit of trend – the key to getting it right is finding the right brush. We love this one from Province Apothecary. Designed specifically for the face, the bristles are gentle, offering just the right amount of stimulation without ever scratching or tearing the skin. Start by using it across your décolletage, then outwards to the shoulders, before focusing on the neck and up over your ears. Take a light approach as you reach the lips, eyes and nose, finishing up and outwards by your cheeks. For best results, splash your face with ice-cold water afterwards. Though suitable for most, those with rosacea or sensitivities should be careful.

Available at ProvinceApothecary.com

Organic Cotton Beauty Washcloth, £12 | Tekla

These fun, organic cotton cloths have become a favourite among industry insiders. Softer, stronger and smoother than traditional towels, they’re created to be kind to both your skin and hair. That’s all thanks to a material called Oeko-Tex, which is free from certain chemicals that can be harsh and abrasive. Ideal if you suffer with frizzy hair or sensitive-prone skin, they’re incredibly gentle and absorb water quickly to speed up dry time. Plus, they come in fun prints – a great gift for loved ones.

Available at TeklaFabrics.com

Candle Brand In The Spotlight...

Candles | Carrière Frères

Candle brand Carrière Frères is known for its heady scents and now it’s teamed up with France’s National Museum of Natural History on three different home fragrances: absinthe, acacia and waterlily. The first is green and fresh, while acacia is more floral with a powdery, smoky undertone. Finally, waterlily is the fruitiest – ideal for those who like their scents more on the citrus side. 

Available at CarriereFreres.co.uk

The One-Stop Shop Hair Buy...

My Nanna’s Mousse, £19 | Larry King

Mousses have come a long way in the last few years, thanks to lighter formulas that don’t weigh hair down. Our favourite find is this one from Larry King. Designed to give serious volume, but without any greasy feel, squirt just a small amount out onto your palms, then scrunch it into wet hair – this is key so it can latch onto strands and absorb. Immediately blast the hair with a dryer and when you’re finished, you’ll find it has unrivalled bounce and a more groomed look. A game-changer for those who like to style their hair daily.

Available at LarryKing.com

A Self-Tan With A Twist…

Tanning Mist, £15 | Vita Liberata

Tan brand Vita Liberata has launched a new mist. A must-try for tan novices, the spray lets you build up the colour or dial it down depending on your preference for a tailor-made glow. Start with just a gentle misting, then layer it up over a few days to increase the intensity. The tan builds quickly, so you can see where top-ups are needed relatively easily. It’s also seriously hydrating – some mists can leave skin feeling tight and dry, but this uses aloe vera and hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture and keep skin smooth. A summer essential. 

Available at VitaLiberata.co.uk

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