What a glorious summer we've had, from amazing weather to the lioness' victory in the football and these new beauty buys are the perfect products to round off a brilliant few months and start to get us ready for the new season. From the S'Able Labs toner that will revive your skin and has been created by Idris Elba don't cha know, to the new Coco & Eve hair repair mask that will undo the damage summer may have caused. Then there's a new vitamin C serum from Dr Dennis Gross that will keep your skin glowing once the sun has disappeared and the Henry's Townhouse Jane Austen-inspired candle which is screaming to be lit and enjoyed on a cosy autumnal night. So whilst we're not quite ready to say 'sayonara' to sunny days these wonders are getting us excited for what comes next.
“If the skin around your eyes is always dry (you’ll know if you have that tight feeling, your skin seems more lined or your concealer goes cakey) this new eye cream is for you. Ceramides, a type of lipid, are like the cement that keeps your skin cells together and with age, they start to drop (like everything!). The clever people at Drunk Elephant have formulated this scent-free cream to be the eye moisturiser you need, without grease or shine. It stops my eye area from becoming dry as the day progresses and my makeup looks better over it. The brand's existing eye creams are treatment serums that address problems such as dark circles, but if like me, your main issue is dryness and wrinkles, this is a winning buy."Victoria Woodhall, GTG Editorial Director
"I hate to be a cliché and use the word ‘gamechanger,’ but I feel I must when it comes to haircare brand K18, which launched its at-home Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask, £25, in the UK earlier this year, and was immediately dubbed ‘the new Olaplex.’ K18 has just followed up with a duo of shampoos which contain a “microdose” of its patented peptide formula and quite frankly, I’m ready to ditch every other shampoo I own (I own many). First up, K18’s Detox Shampoo, which harnesses the power of activated charcoal to purge your scalp of toxins, metals and product build-up, then sweeps in with salicylic acid to unclog hair follicles. On first use, my blonde hair came out three shades lighter, as if it had been freshly toned and looked visibly thicker (a miracle for me!). In between deep cleanses, I’m using the brand’s pH maintenance shampoo, a non-stripping formula which doesn’t disrupt the scalp microbiome and is suitable for everyday use. I think I’ve found the perfect cleansing combination for my hair." Rosie Fitzmaurice, GTG Contributor
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“I can easily use four different products on my excessively fair brows every day to try and give them shape and definition. This new pencil combines two of those stages in one and anything that saves me time, effort and money is a winner in my book. It combines a regular brow pencil with brow fibres (that you normally find in tubes and apply with a spoolie brush). The pencil element of the pencil helps you create shape and its slightly fibrous texture bulk brows up to make them look fuller. And thanks to its unique powdery consistency it's very easy to use. Benefit is the high-street brand for brows and they are great for catering for everyone so this comes in 12 shades which means there's one for the lightest blondes, redheads all the way through to those with dark brows. My only negative is you can’t wind it up when it gets blunt which means I’ll have to find my sharpener and I have no idea where it is!" Sarah-Jane Corfield-Smith, GTG Beauty Director
“I’ll be honest, I thought this was a bit of a celebrity vanity project (it’s by Idris Elba and his missus), but the three products in the S’Able skincare range (there’s a cleanser, toner and moisturiser) are really well thought-out and interesting. Clearly gender-neutral (or unisex in old money), this is a simple routine that’ll suit anyone, and will make a visible difference without aggressing your skin. My favourite is this toner which doubles as a weightless, liquid serum. It has no exfoliating acids but vitamin C and ferulic acid (which is a powerful antioxidant) instead; the two are a lauded and proven radiance-boosting team. There’s lots of other antioxidant and soothing plant extracts in there as well to protect your skin, and you can simply mist it on after cleansing. One caveat: it doesn’t tell you to avoid your eyes but I would; these actives may be a little too much for your eye area.” Ingeborg Van Lotringen, GTG Beauty Editor
"A few weeks ago, my thick, textured and slightly coarse hair was feeling super dry and lacklustre — a combination of the sun, chlorine and too much heat styling can certainly do that. In an attempt to save my soon-to-be straw-like stands, I reached for this new hair repair mask from Balinese beauty brand Coco & Eve. It’s designed to improve hair shine and strength and reduce damage thanks to a blend of active ingredients. In the mix, there are ceramides which help to smooth the hair fibre, hyaluronic acid to tighten hair cuticles and leave locks with less frizz and better shine, plus vegan keratin which gives hair more elasticity and strength. I’ve been applying the mask weekly after shampooing. You can leave it on for five minutes, but I like to apply it for a couple of hours as a deep conditioning treatment before rinsing out. I’ve been using this over the past month or so and can already notice an improvement, my hair feels way more hydrated and softer with a glossy shine." Jemma Thompson, GTG Design and Social Media Manager
"My social media is currently full of content about how looking after your scalp can promote hair growth, which is what I'm desperate for (proving that those algorithms are working a treat by serving up exactly what I want to see) so when this landed on my desk I grabbed it instantly. This is a limited edition version with added fresh citrus ingredients to transport you to sitting on a beach in the South of France with an Aperol Spritz in hand however, the rest of the ingredients are the same as the original, including sea salt crystals to help remove product build-up. As an avid dry shampoo user, I know my scalp needs a good exfoliation and this felt particularly satisfying to use on hair wash day. Unlike some scalp scrubs, the crystals completely dissolve and wash away so there's no need to worry about picking salt out of your hair for days after. It also contains sweet almond oil, which helps lightly cleanse and nourish the scalp leaving your hair feeling light and refreshed. I use about a tablespoon each time I use it and as this tub is huge (250ml) it's going to last me ages so the price seems worth it." Amy Rostas, GTG Beauty and Social Media Assistant
"If I could have one desert island makeup brand it would be Hourglass. They really have nailed textures, pigments and dewy finishes and nowhere more so than in their latest foundation, which has ageless actress Julianne Moore and her daughter as the faces of the campaign. It sits in the Ambient Lighting Collection of lit-from-within finishing powders, blushers and bronzers and is the brand's second liquid foundation. The first, Veil, is full-coverage but if like me you prefer a lighter, but still effective and lasting finish that looks like natural skin, one of these 32 shades is for you. Like everything from Hourglass, you’ll use it to the very last drop.” VW
"This is hands down one of the best vitamin C serums I’ve tried. I’ll admit, it’s pricey but the formula really stands out against other products. The 15 per cent L-ascorbic acid (the purest form of vitamin C) and AHA lactic acid work together with licorice root to target sun-damaged skin primarily (so it’s a great post-summer investment), while reducing pigmentation, brightening and also strengthening the skin barrier. The serum actually feels more like a lightweight oil on application and leaves my skin looking instantly more glowy. For the uninitiated, Dr Dennis Gross is a board-certified derm based in New York, who formulates his targeted skincare range drawing on his 25 years of practice, so you can rest assured he’s done his homework when it comes to launching a new product." RF
“Nestled in the heart of London is the townhouse that belonged to Jane Austen’s brother, Henry. It is now a boutique hotel and its signature, and Regency-inspired, candles are available to buy. As someone who is a huge Austen fan (FYI I named my youngest daughter after one of her most famous characters) this candle is the perfect gift and I plan on buying them for my like-minded Austen fanatic friends so if you know someone of the same ilk I'd highly recommend. There are six different scents, all inspired by the smells of 18th century England such as the carriage snug and the pantry of Monsieur Halavant - the Austen’s French family chef. This one imagines all the smells you would have found in a Regency hothouse such as figs, bergamot and black tea and it’s divine. I use candles in summer but this will be the perfect accompaniment to a cosy autumn night.” SJCS
“Unscented ‘suntan lotions’ are thin on the ground, which is annoying when fragrance irritates your skin at the best of times – it’s even worse when skin’s already under stress from UV. So this is a great new launch for me – the protection is major (there’s also a maximum four pluses for UVA protection), using a mix of the most advanced sun filters, and the texture is lovely and light. I’m not a fan of mineral filters as they don’t layer well (skin gets whiter and starts to pill the more you reapply, in my experience), so I’m glad this is chemical-filter only (nothing wrong with a good chemical). There’s antioxidants as well for an extra layer of protection; all just in time for my September summer holiday!” IvL
“Some might find the idea of a ‘Stinky Pimple Cream’ offputting. Not me, I’m even more intrigued. I had the perfect hormonal volcanic chin spot to test this out on. It’s part of Dr Sturm's new Microbiotic range for teens - a plus for me as it’s formulated for delicate skin with eruption issues - like mine, in my fifties. I assumed the ‘stink would be from sulphur, a highly effective topical for spots with an eggy whiff. But no. It’s from odour-intensive shale oil which apparently is anti-microbial and sebum-regulating. It comes out of the aluminium tube as a light paste, the smell is only fleeting and has plenty of calming and microbiome balancing properties that take the redness down fast. It doesn’t leave you with those dry flakes that you then pick all over again. My spot definitely cleared up quickly. It's a big tube that will likely last me and my teens til we’re out of our respective hormonal spotty phases.” VW
"I’m always looking for a mascara that won’t overwhelm my lashes - many of the cult volumising products have such big wands that I actually find them quite tricky to manoeuvre and get the most out of. But this silicon wand gives you serious wiggle power when it comes to coating each lash right from the very root, separating out each with a clump-free weightless lift. The formula, made with 80 per cent natural ingredients, including oat-derived fibres and açaí oil, has some serious staying power and is suitable for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers like me. I am currently loving the brown hue over classic black as it feels a little softer against my fairer complexion and brings out my blue eyes." RF
“Expensive shower gels, in my humble opinion, are a complete waste of time and money. You are quite literally pouring them down the drain so why would you spend more than a tenner on one? And in this day and age when affordable products are staggeringly impressive I truly believe you don’t have to compromise on something that feels like a treat without breaking the budget. This shower gel is in fact a foam and the consistency is really rich and creamy (it doubles up as a great shaving foam too) and the smell is so luxe is unreal. It’s a bit ambery and mysterious with just the right amount of zing too. It’s not drying, in fact my skin feels really hydrated after stepping out of the shower. Sanctuary Spa always get their body products just right and this is another testament to that" SJCS
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