Beauties, it’s nearly 2019 and we’d like to take a moment to look back and reflect at what we’ve loved across the year. We’ve discussed so many fantastic new brands, both new in business and new to us, which are all bringing something quite special to the Industry. This list is, of course, subject to our tastes and is by no means conclusive, but it includes the products that really stood out to us this year and we think that you’ll love them all too.
So here’s our edit of products that we’ve loved in the year of 2018!
What’s been your standout products of the year?
Star Picks: Skincare
S5 Neutralise Cleanser
This cleanser has lightweight milky sort of consistency and look to it. When I apply it to my skin and start to massage my face with it, it almost feels as though it is not making contact with my skin and so when I first used it I doubted I was going to like it or that it would have any effect on my combination/oily skin: let me try to explain what I mean – with an oil cleanser or a cleansing Balm you feel that it’s connecting with your skin seeping into the pores and doing its job with this it feels as though it sliding off your face and is only when you get to the end of your massage process that you notice but it has actually sunken into the skin. When I then use my muslin cloth to finish the cleansing process I realised what an effective cleanser this really is it really cleans the skin beautifully, leaving flawlessly clean silky and glowing skin: I am loving this.
Find out more about this product and the brand in our S5 Skincare Brand Focus
Buy the cleanser for £24 from S5 Skincare
Orveda Cleansing Oil
This oil starts out as more of a gel… a thick rich lush gel that thins out into an oil as you massage it into your face. This is an enjoyable experience and in my opinion, not one to be hurried – this is your perfect time to practice mindful cleansing… enjoy the sensual experience… the feel of oil on the skin, the fragrance etc…
This oil leaves the skin clean, really clean but not stripped or uncomfortable.
Read our full review of this cleansing oil here
The Deep Cleansing Oil from Orveda is £89 from Harvey Nichols
Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Night Pads
The Nip + Fab exfoliating pads contain 3 acids: 5% Glycolic Acid to refine skin texture, Salicylic Acid which helps unclog congested skin and Lactic Acid, which gently weakens the bonds holding dead skin cells together. It’s got a great ingredients list and doesn’t smell potent or like alcohol either – just fresh and fruity. As this one uses 5% Glycolic, it is a stronger formulation so it is recommended to be used a few times in the week, and in the evening. Jessica has noticed a big difference in the texture of her skin since starting to use this!
Nip and Fab Glycolic Night Pads are £14.95 from Sally Beauty
Lux 79 Balm
Wow! This is a word that I use quite often and I’m using it here because this is definitely a wow body product for me! The one product that I’m always searching for is a really good “ticks all the boxes” body lotion… You know something that moisturises, nourishes and improves the quality of my skin without leaving my skin with a greasy or oily film and LUX 79 is it.
Thanks to a magic formulation include goodies like shea butter and lactic acid.
Eucerin spf 50 oil control gel cream
I fell in love with this in the summer! Oil-free, Matte finish, totally transparent so the brown skin that mama gave me looks flawless! Oh yeah and
Tula Kefir Moisture Repair Pressed Serum
This serum feels lovely on the skin. It’s solid but you can easily scoop up a small lump and it melts on contact with the skin. It melts into the skin beautifully and leaves you with a gorgeous glow. The texture of this is something very unique – it feels very light and velvety so once you apply it, it doesn’t feel like it’s too heavy on the skin, but it does intensely moisturise. It leaves you looking lovely and glowy and just so, so soft. It can even be used on its own without a moisturiser, and most of the time I feel like it is all I need.
The serum is £52 from Beauty Bay
Mustela Hydra Bebe Facial Cream
The Wow Beauty Hair and Makeup team used this product on the models at Mini Mode, a children’s fashion show in February and we fell in love with it then. It has become a staple in for the Wow Beauty team as a gentle, everyday face cream that’s soothing and makes a great base for makeup. Mustela’s products are designed to be used on babies and children so they’re certainly gentle enough for sensitive skin types!
Facial cream is £7.50 from Essentials London
Omorovicza Magic Moisture Mist
I can’t help but love the name of this product magic moisture mist. This is designed to be a liquid moisturiser I have to say, it really does work that way. Actually, it is quite addictive. But its also an antioxidant working to shield the skin from external aggressors.
This product is a blend of oil and water elements. So as you can imagine, it is hydrating, nourishing and feels really good on the skin. It also smells fantastic …perfect a little bit of mindful beauty. You just need to shake it up before spraying to mix together the oil and water.
This mist comes out as a very fine luxurious spray that your skin will just love.
Omorovicza’s Magic Moisture Mist is £65 from Look Fantastic
Alpha H Multivitamin Super Cream
Vitamin enhanced skincare isn’t new to Alpha H after all they got an impressive range of vitamin C rooms in their vitamin E profiling range – they call this a multivitamin in a jar – I love it!
This luscious cream is designed to optimise cellular function and to defend the skin against those nasty oxidants as well as boosting hydration – this is just the cream you need in your positive ageing toolkit especially as we start to make the journey from summer into fall.
Read our full review of this cream here
Super Cream is £45 from Cult Beauty
Emma Hardie Purifying Pink Clay Detox Mask
This offering from the ever-innovative Emma Hardie is designed to deep clean, exfoliate and clarify while at the same time adding moisture. It has a creamy consistency that is easy to apply and smells gorgeous too. One of the things that I like about this is that while it does dry … it doesn’t actually dry into a hard “my face is going to crack” mask…you just rinse it off using a face cloth or muslin and voila…deep cleansed, pore minimised moist feeling skin.
Read our full review of the clay mask here
The Pink Clay Detox Mask is £40 from Emma Hardie
Star Picks: Wellbeing
Therapie Roques O’Neil Aura Spray
Michelle’s Aura Mist is always one that we as a team reach
Buy
Urban Apothecary London Velvet Peony Candle
You can’t help but find yourself drawn to the scent of this. It’s absolutely stunning – with sleek, elegant packaging to match.
The Candle is £30 from Feel Unique
Lumity Day and Night Nutritional Supplements
This two-step formula offers targeted nutritional supplementation for healthy-looking skin and renewed vitality. As you know, we’re always making sure to look at how to look after yourself from inside out and this ticks the boxes.
Renew Life Probiotics
If you’re serious about your gut health, then a good probiotic is the place to start and this offering from renew life is a winner!
Buy the probiotics for £38.20 from Biovea
Star Picks: Body
Olverum The Body Oil
This nourishing oil is perfect for drier skin types thanks to the inclusion of raspberry seed oil which is known for its moisturising qualities as well fatty acid rich
It’s been such a pleasure to use the nourishing rejuvenating body oil which is perfect for
Here’s our full review of this and the dry body oil from the range
The Body Oil is £40 from Feel Unique
Vanderohe Body Serum
This is no ordinary body oil – it is more of a body elixir, a blend of body oil and body serum. This sinks into the skin with such ease-one minute it’s there and then voilà- it’s disappeared and you’re left with silky soft, scented skin. Seriously this formulation leaves my skin feeling moist, nourished and just lush after application. Absolutely gorgeous.
Read our full review of the body serum
Vanderohe’s Body Serum is £108 from Vanderohe
The Kind Planet Company: Power Balm
The Kind Planet Company has created a multi-purpose ‘Power Balm’ that utilises the benefits of Palm Oil (along with other ingredients that we’ll get into) to create a deeply hydrating, smooth and brightly coloured balm, which I have been testing out and loving.
Here’s our full review of the balm
The balm is £19.50 from The Kind Planet Company
Aromatherapy Associates Destress Body Oil
Aromatherapy Associates products have been a part of my life for years and the De Stress range is one of my favourites! Whether it’s the fab body oil or the powerful bath oil, it delivers exactly what it promises …so relax, exhale and de stress.
The oil is £46 from Aromatherapy Associates
Star Picks: Makeup
Hourglass Caution Mascara
Wow! is my response to this new ‘Caution’ mascara from Hourglass… simply put it gives your lashes a mega boost of everything… no
Buy the Mascara for £25 from Cult Beauty
Stila Cosmetics Magnificent Metals Liquid Eyeshadow
These eyeshadows are just so incredible. Jessica first discovered these through one of their kits but we’re both obsessed now. What I really love about these shades is that they’re not just chunks of glitter in a tube. The formula has a coloured base to it that the glitter works beautifully with. The colour still relatively sheer in the shades I have, so you can apply a darker colour underneath them that will peek through, but they do have a base colour to them which intensifies the overall look. They do have ones with more of a coloured base to them as well and have insane lasting power!
FENTY BEAUTY Mattemoiselle Plush Matte Lipstick
Chic, sleek and sexy. There’s a beautiful selection of shades too.
Buy the lipsticks for £16 from Harvey Nichols
Colourpop ‘Yes Please Palette
Okay, so this is a US import but it’s been Jessica’s standout product of the year. If you like those gorgeous orange/yellow hues this is the one for you. Super easy to blend with fantastic pigment, these shades work together beautifully to create numerous beautiful looks. The brown is also perfect to deepen other looks. A standout palette.
Buy the palette for $16 from Colourpop
Ciate Glitter Flip Vault
These fascinated Jessica when they first came out – and this little set is a perfect way to try multiple colours! How they work is you apply the lipstick, let it dry and then press your lips together and it transforms into a GLITTER LIP! It’s a sophisticated glitter too – it’s not too much and doesn’t feel bitty on the lips. Gorgeous formula and colours.
Ciate’s Glitter Flip Vault is £29.50 from Ciate
Star Picks: Hair
Cantu Leave-in Conditioning Cream
When you scoop some out of the pot, it’s like a thick cream. However, it actually feels relatively light when you apply it to the hair so it can be used as a leave-in product, as opposed to a hair mask. It doesn’t weigh the hair down at all and I sometimes apply more than strictly necessary so it almost doubles as a mask, but even then it doesn’t make my hair look like it’s been overloaded with product. You can concentrate this on areas that look particularly dry and then brush it through – and this is a leave-on product so you don’t need to wash it off.
The result? Smoother, softer hair that feels and looks great! I love how the brand uses natural ingredients in their products.
Here’s our full review of the cream
Buy the leave-in conditioning cream for £6.99 from Boots
AQUIS Hair Towel
This towel is very effective at drying your hair quickly and effectively. If you find that your hair takes a long time to dry, or want to speed up the process so your hair is less open to damage, this could be a winner for you!
Here’s our full review of the towel
Buy the AQUIS hair towel for £30 from Aquishair.co.uk
The Body Shop Cleansing Hair Scrub
Since the first use of this product, Jessica’s scalp has felt immediately clearer and
Here’s our review of the scrub
The hair scrub for £15 from The Body Shop
(*PR gift/sample)
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