Alterna, CAVIAR Infinite Color Hold Vibrancy Serum, $34
Ever since I started coloring my hair almost exactly a year ago, I’ve realized a few things about the process: it’s time-consuming and it’s expensive. That’s why I’ll do almost anything to hold on to my quick-to-fade red color as long as I can. My latest fix is this serum from Alterna. It uses a proprietary “dual capture complex” to replenish moisture and reduce oxidative color damage with UV filters from raspberry leaf and sunflower seed oils, which keeps color brighter, longer.
Sisley, Phyto Blush Twist , $68
Sisley’s creamy blush sticks are the brand’s latest zebra-print color launch and they are lovely. My favorite is #1, a pale pink that would make any skin tone pop. Enriched with camellia and shea oils, it’s got a hydrating component too. As an added bonus, this blush is easy enough to apply without consulting a mirror.
Mahalo, The Unveil Cleanser Melt Concentrate, $70
Mahalo, if you’re not familiar, is the kind of brand that makes you want to hop on a plane to Hawaii, start your own skin care brand and never look back. Such is the rich, sensorial experience of the colorful Kauai-crafted products in their wooden containers. Unveil is a balm cleanser filled with pollution-fighting antioxidants (i.e. matcha!), sebum-fighting willow and softening papaya.
MAKE, Succulent Skin Gel, $25
This moisturizing gel is an affordable must-have for everyone: skincare beginners have nothing to fear, while experts will find this one of those products that’s just plain prudent to keep on hand. That’s because it’s packed with a veritable laundry list of soothing, skin-saving ingredients: aloe vera, comfrey and calendula, to name a few. From post-sunburn to post-snowstorm, you need this.
La Roche-Posay, La Roche Posay, Toleriane Double Repair Moisturizer, $19.99
Another affordable skincare launch, La Roche-Posay’s newest moisturizer costs less than certain cocktails, feels great and harnesses some of the latest dermatological research, which suggests that prebiotics—i.e. good bacteria—benefit your skin—specifically it’s newly discovered outermost layer, the microbiome. The cleanser in this collection is just as good. I’ve been using the milky one for dry skin, which smells and feels fantastic and is, at $14.99 and 13.5 oz., an amazing deal. The brand also offers an option for oilier skin types, as well.
The Nue Co. Energy Food, $75
The exploding category of ingestible beauty shows no signs of slowing down, but my favorite new launch comes in the form of these chic black canisters from The Nue Co. In an era where essentially everyone feels like they have an energy deficiency, we can all use a dose of the brand’s energy food, which is fortified with maca, beetroot, goji berry and brown rice protein. Add some to a smoothie, or if you’re in a hurry, almond milk, and voila—a protein boost!
Wonder Valley, Face Oil, $65
Every few weeks, I wander through CAP Beauty’s digital shelves, excited to see what natural beauty products the store has deemed new and worthy. As of right now, this beautifully packaged face oil is it.
Wonder Valley’s other offering is olive oil—the kind you use in your kitchen. The ingredient makes an appearance in the face oil too, only it’s infused with soothing calendula. Cold-pressed organic rosehip, jojoba, and sweet almond oils factor in as well, all packed into the sleek black bottle.
Patchology, Flash Patch Restoring Night Eye Gels, $60
What I like about these little under-eye gel masks provide the fun, lightheartedness of masking with the punch of legit ingredients, including peptides and retinol.
Specifically formulated for use between the hours of 10 pm and 12 am (when the skin is most primed for repair), these powerful ingredients get to work on lines and signs of aging all in a 5-minute treatment you can do in bed.
AmorePacific,Time Response Vintage Wash Off Mask, $170
Green tea, thanks to being incredibly antioxidant-rich, is great for the skin. Even better? Fermented green tea, which this new mask from K-beauty powerhouse AmorePacific is full of. Gallic Acid brightens and a proprietary Time Response complex works to energize and revitalize skin, helping it retain a youthful appearance.
Benefit, Hoola Lite, $29
Benefit’s bestselling bronzer has been updated for pale skin tones. It’s still matte, like its predecessor, but it’s now formulated to provide a truly subtle bronze for lighter complexions.
Talika,Lipocils Platinum, $120
If you’re serious (and committed) to longer lashes, you need this French duo which works with the ‘chronobiology’ of eyelash growth using a separate day serum and night serum to achieve maximum lash growth. The day serum conveniently multitasks as a mascara primer, while the nighttime formula contains powerful biomimetic peptides, nearly identical to the ones naturally occurring in the body.
Le Metier De Beaute, Limited Edition Metals Palette, $95
Copper, brown and gold are pretty classic eyeshadow shades, so while this palette is definitely on the luxe end of the spectrum, it’s also a smart space saver, devoid of filler colors that you will never use. Plus, it’s sleek and ready for summer weekends to come.
Bobbi Brown, Art Stick Liquid Lip, $28
Bobbi Brown’s take on the ubiquitous liquid lip is more hydrating and creamy than others, which means it’s more comfortable to wear. While I’ve often found myself wiping off liquid lipsticks in the past, replacing their matte colors with a good old Fresh Sugar lip balm, this one doesn’t give you that dry, pulling feeling and it actually stays put. Uber Red is a classic choice.
Philosophy, Renewed Hope in a Jar Skin Tint, $39
Blurring the lines between skincare and makeup is a beauty trend that’s here to stay. IMHO, this iteration is the most exciting thing to happen to foundation in a long time. The soufflé texture blends right in, melting down to a watery texture and hydrating the skin. It’s an easy go-to for an evened-out, polished complexion on rushed mornings, or days that don’t call for heavy coverage. Though there is limited shade availability, there's no necessity for a precise match, due to the nature of the product. Another upside? SPF 20.
R + Co., SAIL Soft Wave Spray, $29
R + Co. has a knack for naming products. Of course, a good name doesn’t guarantee a good product, but R + Co’s products are always good, which leaves room to appreciate the names. Take SAIL, their brand new Soft Wave Spray, which provides a light, natural volume, as if you’ve spent a day sailing, with the wind creating natural texture. Now, thanks to this pretty little bottle, nature can be faked.
Stila, Color Balm Lipstick, $22
These new lipsticks are pigmented, but not bold—in a good way. They’re perfect for that summery wash of color and they’re more hydrating than your typical lipstick. Doubling down on the balm element, they’re blended with cooling peppermint oil for extra refreshment.
Shiva Rose, Honey + Nectar Mask, $85
This seriously-goopy mask is perfect for a lazy Sunday at-home spa day. This mask is an overachiever: it detoxifies with mineral rich white clay, restores with calendula blossom oil and rosehip seed oil, brightens with Vitamin C, and hydrates with apricot seed oil. The inclusion of ylang ylang and vanilla create a truly sensorial experience.
Skinceuticals, H.A. Intensifier, $98
This serum from Skinceuticals boosts the ability to intensify skin’s hyaluronic acid levels—one of the key factors in maintaining a hydrated, and plumped complexion. The brand is a trustworthy cosmeceutical favorite and this serum is likely to achieve cult status/real estate in many a #shelfie, thanks to the fact that it’s pretty much a must for all skin types.
La Prairie, White Caviar Illuminating Pearl Infusion, $520
This serum costs a casual half a grand, but if you’re looking to brighten, it gets right down to business. The serum tackles illumination with a multi-pronged approach; it works to eliminate redness, combat the effects of pollution and fade dark spots. Rare golden caviar lifts and firms.
Susanne Kaufmann, Line F Moisturizer ($82) & Face Oil ($68)
Susanne Kaufmann has perhaps achieved the impossible with her new skincare duo, which contains a face oil (with a notably chic red dropper) and a moisturizer. As if by magic, the team tackles both an oily T-Zone and dry cheeks, with an herbal compound derived from calendula blossoms, chamomile flowers and witch hazel. The duo is coming to Cos Bar soon so you can pick them up on your next trip to Brookfield Place.
RMS Signature Set, $44
There aren’t many palettes in the natural beauty space—a gap that cult-favorite RMS is now filling with two do-it-all options—the mod collection and the pop collection. Rather than an aggregate collection of eye shadows however, RMS created a nifty little pocket-sized look in a palette. The pop collection contains the brand’s signature—Living Luminizer, plus its Buriti bronzer, two shades of Lip2Cheek and lip balm. It doesn’t have a mirror, but that's a minor inconvenience for a chic and natural set like this.
Ciate, Dewy Stix Luminous Highlighting Balm, $26
A dozen or so new highlighters launch per month—many of them claiming to be natural, subtle, glitter-free etc. Ciate’s new balm really is. It has fast become my everyday choice. This is not the highlighter to pick if you want to instagram your glimmering cheekbones, but it is a great option if you just want to look awake and do your makeup in under three minutes.
From $14.99 to half a grand, there have been hundreds of new launches and innovations both high and low in the beauty space since we last checked in. As we finally approach warmer weather, here are 22 of our favorites, including a truly subtle highlighter to skincare that treats both the dry and oily parts of combination skin, bronzer for pale people to a serum duo that really works for lash growth.
Click through to see which beauty products are on our list this spring.