The Best New Beauty Buys For September
MAKE UP
Soft Glow Foundation, £46 | Hourglass
If you’re after a new foundation, you’ll be hard pressed to beat this one from Hourglass. At £46, it’s not cheap, but you get what you pay for – and a little goes a long way. Available in 32 shades, there’s something for every tone and skin texture, while the glow-y dry down is impressive and long lasting. Add that to the fact it also protects your skin against ageing blue light – the type emitted from digital devices – and you have a base that ticks all the boxes.
Available at SpaceNK.com
Laguna Bronzing Cream, £31 | NARS
NARS’s iconic laguna bronzer is now available in a cream formula and we couldn’t be happier about it. Offering a lighter finish that isn’t thick or cakey, it’s a breeze to apply and provides a natural-looking warmth that’s easy to layer up. Just a small amount will wake up skin and give a bit of extra depth and definition to the areas that need it. We love how heavily pigmented it is – you only need a small amount, so it’ll last you ages.
Available at Boots.com
Stay All Day Illuminating Skin Veil, £36 | Stila
For a base that does a bit of everything, try this illuminator from Stila. Perfect if you don’t like a matte finish, it gives skin a dewy quality and catches the light in all the right places. Plus, it’s versatile. Mix it with concealer for lightweight, glow-y coverage, or wear it on its own on those days when you just want a hint of something. It quickly blurs out uneven tone and you can easily build it up for a more flawless finish. Though it’s not called a ‘primer’ specifically, it also helps other products last longer on the skin by creating a smooth canvas for everything else to adhere to. A great one-stop shop.
Available at Stila.co.uk
Bisou Blush, Coming Soon | Violette_FR
We’re yet to try a Violette_FR launch we dislike. Its new Bisou Blush sticks are a beauty bag staple – and not just because they look good. The creamy, smooth texture skims over skin for subtle, yet well-sculpted definition. Easy to blend, you can keep them sheer or layer them up for more impact. We love that each one has variegated levels of colour for a 3D finish. It even comes with a brush the other side to help you blend on-the-go.
Available at VioletteFr.com
DAILY TOOLS
Weighted Tension Release Tool Ball, £25 | FaceGym
Nicole Kidman swears by this £25 tool for firming and toning her skin. While it’s not brand new, it’s recently become available again after constantly selling out. Easy to use, simply roll it around your skin, targeting different pressure points to release tension, boost lymphatic drainage and encourage better blood circulation for visibly brighter-looking skin. The results – think a fresher and tauter complexion – are only temporary, but they’re visible nonetheless. A great quick fix before events and nights out.
Available at FaceGym.com
Senia Hot & Cold Smart Facial Steamer, £70 | Vanity Planet
Facial steaming comes with numerous benefits. The heat helps to loosen the dirt and sebum in your pores and it simultaneously boosts moisture levels. If you’re keen to get involved, try Vanity Planet’s hard-working tool. At £70, it’s more affordable than others on the market – and highly effective. With both hot and cold settings, it stimulates the skin and helps boost cell turnover to detoxify, balance and prime your complexion for whatever comes next. A great addition to any skincare routine – especially if you enjoy an at-home DIY facial.
Available at NET-A-PORTER.com
Wet Dry Even Skin Brush, £55 | Trish McEvoy
This brush can be used on both wet and dry skin, and with different make-up textures – be it creams, liquids or powders. Built to last, the stiff yet flexible bristles hold just enough product for a seamless blend every time – we also love the smaller end, which gets into all those hard-to-reach areas for flawless application. It works well with eye make-up, too.
Available at LibertyLondon.com
Supreme Dual Dual-Ended Brow Brush, £6 | Morphe
Everyone needs a sturdy brow brush in their make-up bag and this one from Morphe is brilliant. Stiff bristles groom even the most wayward of brows, while the handy comb can be used to smooth out product for a more natural finish. You’ll be surprised how much you end up using this – especially when it comes to applying gels, waxes and other brow formulas that turn clumpy over time.
Available at Uk.Morphe.com
SKINCARE
10% Waterless Vitamin C Serum, £48 | Farmacy
Containing a whopping 10% vitamin C, this silky serum brightens the skin and minimises the appearance of pigmentation. It’s a great addition to any daytime routine or anyone looking for a bit more antioxidant protection. Never too thick or sticky, it instantly moisturises skin and plays well with a number of other textures. Once you’ve applied it, you’ll see skin has a dewy sheen and feels softer to the touch. Because it’s a pump, you won’t end up using too much in one go, either.
Available at SapceNK.com
Resurfacing Retinol Serum With Ceramides & Niacinamide, £14 | CeraVe
New to retinol? CeraVe’s latest launch is a great place to start. A gentle, entry-level serum, it cushions the effects of retinol with added niacinamide – an ingredient known for minimising redness and uneven tone. While retinol gets to work boosting your cell turnover and in turn, reducing breakouts and minimising the appearance of post-acne scarring, a host of ceramides keep skin plump and hydrated. Unlike some retinol treatments it never feels drying or harsh.
Available at Boots.com
HAIR
Multi-Use Conditioner, £19 | Melanin Haircare
This does-it-all conditioner works on all hair types to tackle several issues at once. You can use it as a leave-in conditioner, a pre-shampoo treatment or a styling cream. Ingredients like provitamin B5, jojoba and argan oil lock in serious moisture to keep brittle strands and stubborn knots at bay. Unlike others on the market, it’s not too heavy – in fact, it absorbs fast and never leaves hair feeling greasy. If you’re using it as a treatment and rinsing it out, you’ll see hair has better shine, bounce and smoothness immediately.
Available at SpaceNK.com
Hair Gloss, £32 | Shyne
Hair glosses are all the rage and few do them better than Shyne. Available for all hair tones, they beat brassiness, freshen up highlights and give hair unbeatable shine and bounce. Each of these also contains hydrolysed keratin and provitamin B5 – both of which are known to strengthen damaged bonds and reseal them for healthier hair going forward. Plus, the results last for at least six washes.
Available at Niche-Beauty.com
Volumising Luxe Rollers, £97.79 | T3
These rollers come with rave reviews. Not only are they easy to use, they also heat up fast and work on all hair types. Offering extra volume and a nice bouncy curl, you only need to leave them on for a minimum of ten minutes to see results. Even better, you can release them seamlessly with zero snagging or tangling as you go. Heat them up for 2-3 minutes, roll them in and secure with the clips provided. The only thing to keep an eye on is the indicator to show they’re ready to use – this isn’t always easy to read, so watch it closely.
Available at Amazon.co.uk
BODYCARE
Eau des Vignes Shower Gel, £9 | Caudalie
If you’re bored of your current body wash, we recommend Caudalie’s range of feel-good shower gels. Formulated with 100% plant-based ingredients, each one is gentle, delivering a thorough cleanse that doesn’t disrupt the pH balance of the skin. It’s hard to pick a favourite – all the scents are beautiful – but Eau des Vignes is the one that stands out. White musk, bergamot and iris give skin a clean, fresh feel that’s comforting and uplifting all at once.
Available at Uk.Caudalie.com
FRAGRANCE & CANDLES
Ficus Carica Candles, £52 | C. O. Bigelow
We’re huge fans of American pharmacy brand C. O. Bigelow. Following the success of its apothecary-style skincare, it’s expanded with a range of candles. Not only is the packaging aesthetically pleasing, the scents are rich enough to fill a room for hours. There are four available, but we love Ficus Carica – a warm, figgy fragrance with a green, cosy quality to it. Even better, they’re made using soy wax, which burns cleaner than paraffin.
Available at LibertyLondon.com
Ameline EDP, $96 | Phlur
This fragrance brand was recommended to us by beauty expert and influencer Marianne Hewitt. Now that it’s finally dropped in the UK, fragrance fans should try it out. Not overly sickly or too sweet, the rose notes are beautifully balanced by bergamot and sandalwood for a musky, peppery feel that’s so unique. It’s feminine and sophisticated – perfect for a night out with the girls.
Available at Phlur.com
DISCLAIMER: We endeavour to always credit the correct original source of every image we use. If you think a credit may be incorrect, please contact us at info@sheerluxe.com.