WHILE you’ve been enjoying your summer holidays, the beauty industry has been hard at work!
Not only do I have some brilliant new products to put on your radar, but there are three new brands you’re going to want to get to know – between them, that’s a huge 50 new products.
First up is Aussie import Ciroa, the fastest growing bodycare brand Down Under, selling one product every 12 seconds, and founded by mother-daughter duo Alex and Sophie Liddy.
In all honesty, I didn’t think I was going to love the brand nearly as much as I do.
I’m famously bad at looking after the skin below my chin, and I practically wrote off the scents as too sweet before a single sniff, but meeting Sophie convinced me to give it a go.
I’m impressed with this new bodycare brand[/caption]
Ciroa Pistachio Gelato Shower Gel, £7.95
That, and because every product from the brand costs less than £15.
The first time I used Ciroa Pistachio Gelato Shower Gel, £7.95, I knew I’d judged too soon.
Yes, it’s only shower gel, but the rich foam lathered in seconds and left my skin feeling hydrated, thanks to moisturising glycerin, plus the creamy, nutty scent lingered on my skin all day.
Ciroa You’re Cherry Delightful Body Scrub, £8.95
The scrubs are also some of the most effective I’ve ever used – having swapped scrubs for exfoliating mitts years ago, I’ve done a 180 thanks to Ciroa You’re Cherry Delightful Body Scrub, £8.95, which erased some very dodgy fake tan lines almost instantly.
If you’re a fan of fun products that work hard, you will love it just as much as I did.
The second brand that’s won me over this month is South Asian make-up brand Kulfi.
This buildable formula is impressive[/caption]
Kulfi Zari Eyes Eyeshadow, £30
Known for its bold shade range and innovative formulas, as soon as I set my eyes on Kulfi Zari Eyes Eyeshadow, £30, I knew I was going to be a fan.
I love the ease of a cream eyeshadow, but these formulas can be prone to moving around the lid and creasing with wear, which makes this cream-to-powder formula the best of both worlds, as I can apply it with just my fingers – yet once it sets, it doesn’t budge.
Plus, it contains camomile, vitamin E and aloe vera to soothe and calm the skin around the eyes, as well as delivering show-stopping metallic pigment.
My favourite shade is Bronze Brocade, but there’s something for everyone, with muted gold, bright turquoise and soft lilac to name a few – it’s truly jewellery for the eyes.
This concealer has a creamy formula[/caption]
Kulfi Main Match Concealer, £26
While the eyeshadow was lust at first sight, Kulfi Main Match Concealer, £26, won me over by stealth.
From the outside, it doesn’t look like anything new (can you sense a theme of me underestimating products this month?), but it promises everything I need in a concealer.
Buildable coverage? Tick. Hydrating? Tick. Self-setting? Tick. Crease-proof? Tick – and it truly lives up to the claims.
It’s super-creamy, so it doesn’t feel dry under-eyes or look cakey, and because it’s buildable, it layers really well over blemishes.
Finally, Korean skincare brand Belif quietly launched in the UK a couple of months ago, but it’s now finally available at Boots, which always makes life easier!
If you’re not familiar with K-beauty, just know it’s one of the most innovative skincare markets in the world, prioritising new formats, lightweight formulations that layer well, and effective ingredients, all without breaking the bank.
Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb, £32
I was introduced to Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb, £32, while in the US last year by another beauty journalist, who labelled it the best moisturiser she’s ever tried.
Given my all-time favourite costs £100 more, I didn’t take much convincing to give it a go.
The back of the pack reads like a list of all of my favourite skincare ingredients: glycerin, hyaluronic acid, squalane, panthenol, and my personal skincare hero, niacinamide.
Despite the list of heavy-hitting ingredients, the formula is incredibly lightweight and not at all sticky on my skin.
It’s completely oil-free, which is music to my spot-prone skin’s ears, and the jelly-like formula feels instantly cooling when you apply it, which helps calm redness, too, and it’s been a godsend this summer with so many heatwaves.
This formula features a blend of ceramides, peptides, and glycerin[/caption]
Belif Super Knights Berry Tinted Lipcerin, £17
If you’re not in the market for a new moisturiser, but want to dip your toe into the brand, Belif Super Knights Berry Tinted Lipcerin, £17, is the place to start.
The clever packaging delivers the perfect dose each time, so you won’t accidentally squeeze too much out, the formula is just as sophisticated as the brand’s moisturisers, with a blend of ceramides, peptides, glycerin and waxes to hydrate and repair chapped lips, and the sheer pink colour is universally flattering.
With a summer this busy, the new beauty season is going to blow your mind!