The New Beauty Products To Shop This Month, According To Our Beauty Editor

Get in baby, we’re going back in the beauty time machine. 

Nope, not 80’s style blush (though we have found a creamy, mono-pigment blush). We’re talking about re-runs and revamps of trusty beauty favourites—from shades, to formula, to packaging. 

Here's all the beauty news you need to know this winter. 

You Go, Ghoul

LUSH Halloween Collection | Price varies

Sure, it’s scary to think that October is just around the corner. But the launch of LUSH’s Halloween line should surely come as a comfort—if not a sparkly consolation.

This year’s collection embraces all the nooks and crannies of the spooky season. Our usual suspects are back: black cats, pumpkins and ghosties in all their bubbly forms. 

Stealing our hearts (and shower hours) are their extra playful takes on the season. Gummy-soap witches hands (complete with a pink manicure,) a mysteriously metallic moon soap and a medieval plague doctor bathbomb that’s been pulled right out of an art history book. 

Like all apparitions, they’re here for a good time, not a long time.

Brushing Up

Mecca Max Brushes | price varies 

Are these the most pocket-friendly make-up brushes? We think so. 

MECCA MAX has tweaked their entire set of house-brand brushes, and they’ve clearly made for our most in-betweeny makeup needs.

Case in point, the Angled Brush. It’s midsize, densely packed gets your contour riiiiiight into—well, under—your cheekbones. You could put it to work on under eye concealer and to swipe on a first eyeshadow base too. 

Alongside this, a pin-thin eyeliner brush and flat foundation brush that’s (finally) straight out of the early 2010’s join the collection. 

They’ve been designed (basically under a microscope) based on the recommendations of their makeup artists

Locking Eyes

BeauEver’s Luminova Time-Lock Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream | $189

‘Beauty’ and ‘ritual’ are so often said in the same breath, but BeauEver’s Luminova Time-Lock Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream is truly like offering a gift to the gods.

Except you’re the god and your bathroom is the shrine. 

First you swipe on the repair and renew gel, then you swipe the creamy hydrating and lifting formula. It’s a two-formula situation, complete with a special silver spatula  — and truly a devotional moment to oneself.

The level of pomp, science and detail is a refreshing take from a New Zealand beauty brand and we’re keeping a close eye on BeauEver’s next chapter (which, we hear, involves olympian Zoe Sadowski)

Head To Toe Glow

GLOWBOdy’s Signature Massage | Price varies

Ponsonby’s haven of wellness, GLOWBody, has expanded their offering; now offering a suite of massages thanks to therapist Ciara joining the coop.

It’s hard to pinpoint her exact technique, but we think magic does play a part. She’ll stretch out your shoulder blade while somehow releasing pressure in your hip. She’ll noodle your tiniest muscles and unlock a block you didn’t know you had. She’ll deliver a stretch-meets-long-stroke that makes your leg feel like it's floating in mid-air. If you weren’t so relaxed, you’d be doing mental maths the entire time, hoping to make rhyme and reason. 

Simply put, Ciara’s Signature Massage is one of those rare ones that has you tranced but lucid, relaxing but therapeutic, and an inch taller for days to come (seriously, we did rake in a compliment for this).

Repair Mode

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Ultimate Repair Moisturiser | $75

We don’t say it lightly when we say Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream Ultimate Repair Moisturiser—like its namesake balm—might be a travel (and life) holy grail. It’s light, it’s versatile, it’s suitable for all skin types and the gel-slash-cream texture sees it absorbed into your skin in a snap.

Once there, the creams’ Auto-Rehydrating Complex works so that it can sense natural ebbs and flows in your skins’ hydration, and adjust how much moisture it responds with. 

You’ll be stoked to know a 50ml bottle makes it a good contender for your carry-on and handbags.

Girl With The Pearly Whites

Colgate Optic White Vitamin C | $14.99

Skin, body and now teeth: it turns out there’s nothing that Vitamin C can’t make better and brighter. 

95% pure Vitamin C calls the new Colgate Optic White Vitamin C home, and it promises to remove 7 years worth of stains in 7 days (it’s a whitening toothpaste, if you couldn't tell). 

Fear not, this formula is non-acidic, meant for daily use, and the Vit C is stabilised (that’s for you, skincare buffs).

It’s minty, for sure. But in true Vit C style, there’s a hint of Yuzu flavouring. Vitamin C supplements and now toothpaste in one fell Chemist Warehouse swoop? We’ll take it.

Weekend Affair 

Mecca Cosmetica | Weekend Skin Hydra Tint $66 

It’s the skin tint of the season. Maybe even, the whole year. 

A big, bold claim, we know—especially in a year when great skin tints are just falling from the sky—but Mecca Cosmetica’s WEEKEND SKIN Hydra Tint ticks all of our skin base boxes.   

Most obviously, the shades: there’s 20, inclusive and flexible shades that span practically all undertones. Better yet, the tint is bodied enough to apply it with a brush like you would your foundation (a better way to spread the SPF across your face, we find) but light enough to settle in without much buffing. 

And then there’s the ingredients list. Pigment aside, the tint is packed with Vitamin C, plumping Peptides, pearl extract for a touch of dew, and finished with SPF50. 

It’s basically a stand-in for foundation (plus some) and designed to be applied in under 30 seconds. And isn’t that the ease we need from our weekends?

Elixir Of Youth

Viva La Juicy Elixir 

Everyone’s talking about reconnecting with their childhood interests, but Juicy Couture’s latest fragrance is more like a delicious gossip with your teenage self. 

They’ve taken the 2000’s classic—Viva La Juicy— and given her an intensified spin with “Elixir.” It’s warmer, and lacquered with raspberry coulis, tonka and red fruits—without smelling like the ingredients list of an RTD. It dries crunchy, sweet but not sickly. 

Jasmine lovers will love the fact there’s two doses of our favourite floral (Sambac Absolute and Grandiflorum, of course).

Simply put, Viva La Juicy Elixir smells like the adulthood we were promised: cackling over cocktails and city lights, wearing your sleek going out top. Thank you Juicy Couture.

Triple Threat

About Face | Power of Three | Three treatments for $687

There are many facials that are all about, er, face value. They don't go truly skin deep. Not at About Face, and certainly not with their Power of Three facial, which brings together three hero treatments—a customised skin peel, LED light therapy, and sonophoresis—into one cohesive whole designed to target specific skin concerns outlined in a personalised pre-appointment consultation. This results-driven treatment still finds time to be surprisingly relaxing, with massages and deep cleansing. You'll leave with an unbeatable glow. While one treatment is certainly strong, they reap the greatest rewards when repeated regularly and, this Spring, About Face are offering three treatments for just $687—that's $150 less than you'd usually pay. How about a Spring clean for your face? 

Blue Bottles

Eternal Blue haircare | Price Varies

Feeling blue has taken on an entirely new meaning: it’s now that clean scalp, flouncy hair feeling you have straight after a *perfect* hairwash. 

It’s all thanks to the new Mongolian-Kiwi haircare brand, Eternal Blue. They’ve harnessed the power of Mongolian nettle collecting, and funnelled it into chic and heavy-lifting haircare. 

Nettle is known for its medicinal and culinary properties—namely plant compounds that help with things like stopping hair thinning—so it was a no-brainer for founder Saraa Orgilmaa to build her brand around. Sidenote, have you seen her luscious locks?

The line is petite but everything you need—a shampoo, conditioner and scalp serum. The latter even works for both damp and dry hair. 

Alongside promoting thickening, the nettle is a good source of Vitamin A, C and K and minerals like silica (again, thank you nettle) while aloe, squalene and green tea join the ingredients lists. Oh, and did we mention it’s vegan too?

Hot Honey

Clinique Black Honey Limited Edition Collection: price varies

It’s like sisterhood of the travelling pants, except it’s one juicy shade. Clinique has officially reignited Black Honey, a shade created in 1971 that suits eeeeeeveryone. 

One swipe of this Almost Lipstick shade, and the almost burgundy cream will enhance your natural lip colour like nothing else. For every next swipe, expect a deliciously vampy pout.  

Also part of the limited-edition revival is Clinique High Impact Mascara. It’s an intensely pigmented, berry-burgundy shade that looks like an inky brown when worn. Plus, it’s incredibly voluminous on the lashes.

All Hands On Dec

Neck and Decolletage Elixir $130

We’ll never stay quiet about our love for local below-the-jawline skincare brand Tronque. 

Their long-awaited Neck and Decolletage Elixir has hit shelves—and our beauty routines—and we’re obsessed. Not only with our much more plump and firmed decolletage (especially after side-sleeping) but also with the ingredients list: Vitamin C, Betanine, Pentatvitin, Exosomes and good ol’ Glycerin.

Not to mention, there’s a ented exosome-mimetic active, that comes from from green microalgae to help build skin resilience and structure over time. 

It’s an area with fewer oil glands, and much more likely to show ageing and sun-damage. So we’ll take all the help we can get, thank you Tronque.

Hello Hydration

Caci | Skinsmiths B12 Hydrating Facial | $140 

Newsflash: we’ve found a facial that doesn’t chew into your day—but leaves you feeling thoroughly pampered. It’s th: Caci’s Skinsmiths B12 Hydrating Facial: a 45-minute moment that feels like a decent escape from reality (thank you decolletage and neck massage) with the results that linger even longer. Oh, and no down-time. 

Seriously. Beyond the post-treatment glow, we saw firmer foreheads and eyes areas, and better, bouncier levels of hydration that stayed around for at least a week, post-treatment.

Another life hack: nab a tube of the B12 Hydra-Cream Mask on your way out, and keep that plump skin feeling going at home. You only need to let it sit for 20-30 minutes. 

All that, in the time it takes your co-workers to land on a meeting time? Now that’s working smarter.

Saving Base 

Vitamin Enriched Face Base+ 100ml $206

If you’ve ever had your make-up professionally done, chances are a pottle of Bobbi Brown’s Vitamin Enriched Face Base+ was involved (and it is to thank for a full beat that didn’t once budge).  

The iconic base is back with a new formulation, and powered with a new SuperVitamin Blend that infuses your skin 5 times more vitamins than it did before (thank you aptly-named SuperVitamin Blend). Think Vitamins C, E, B5 and Niacinamide. 

Good news, the base’s cushiony texture and citrus-cream scent stay the same—as does its uncanny ability to act as both a moisturiser and primer.

High Beams

MAC Lipglass Cushion High-Pigment Oil 

We never thought we’d see a lip oil that transferred this much pigment, but here we are. Glassy-eyed and in awe of a red lip that’s equal parts glossy and pigmented. 

We’re talking about none other than the fire-engine red shade that is Tantrum. One swipe of this, and you’ll be sashaying down the street like Dita Von Teese. (And probably back up again—it lasts that long). 

Squeaky Clean

MECCA MAX | Double Down Bi-Phase Makeup Remover $22

Nope, this isn’t a famously stacked burger. The Double Down Bi-Phase Makeup Remover is MECCA MAX’S answer to a powerhouse makeup remover. 

Waterproof mascara is no match for this dual-phase formula, which activates when you shake it (be thorough, okay?). Once on your skin and under your makeup, this formula leaves a lasting, skin-barrier supporting kiss: one of coconut water, glycerin and allantoin. 

At $22 a pop, you bet it’s got a permanent place on our shelf.

Coming Up Roses 

Elizebeth Arden Eternal Aura Eau de Parfum | $185

It's the return of the rose here in fragrance-land, and we love it. The classic note is finally getting its come-back—and Elizebeth Arden’s Eternal Aura Eau de Parfum is perfect proof. 

It’s one of those floral fragrances that balance fruit and lightness, without wafting away ten-minutes after you spritz it. We’ve often said that Elizebeth Arden fragrances’ lasting powers are some of the best in the business, and this is no exception (thank you ambrette heart and creamy tonka bean). 

But seriously, the notes read like the components of an It-girl’s wedding centrepiece: peppercorn, peony, magnolia, sandalwood and a dash of golden pear and dragonfruit.

Prickly Situation

Klorane Prickly Pear Shine and Hydration Range | Price Varies 

Klorane is one of those haircare lines that leaves your hair with a rich, layered and zesty scent far beyond your hairwash. 

So it’s no surprise that their latest range—one focused on Prickly Pears—is both style and substance. Bright pink liquid aside, we’re obsessed with its focus on providing 72 hours of hydration, a focus on sealing each hair strand with its own cuticle, and its vegan formula. It’s made with one of the most efficient, water-smart plants in the world, so naturally this shampoo controls water flow into your hairs, stopping any silly swelling/wayward strands. 

You won’t have any problems spotting this pink bottle on your next Chemist Warehouse run, we tell ya

A V Important Collagen

Estee Lauder Revitalizing Supreme Serum: $299

Quick science lesson: there’s types of collagens and, fun fact, Collagen V the one that’s responsible for skin firmness. 

And it’s this exact one that Estée Lauder’s new Revitalizing Supreme+ Sculpting Serum tries to support the production of. 

Hexapeptide-8 is one of the powerhouse ingredients here—included 10-fold in the formula. Also in the well-stacked ingredients list is Moringa Extract: a little something special that helps skin fight aggressors on the daily.

Brighten Up, Buttercup

Jeunora’s BrightenUp | $68 

Wake up and smell the vitamin C. Literally. Jeunora’s BrightenUp serum is a juicy, sun-soaked blend of our skin’s best morning friends: hyaluronic acid and Vitamin C. 

Specifically, AA2G and Superox-C: the ultra potent versions of Vitamin C that actually smooth out pesky pigmentation, fine lines and defend our skin against problems caused by pollution. 

Now, you might recognise this sweet skin helper from its old life as the boxy ‘Brightening Booster.’ A true comeback queen, she now comes in a svelte, travel-friendly tube that holds twice as much product (30ml) than before.  

Blush Baby 

Pixi’s On-The-Go Blush Tinted Moisture Stick $38

Look, we love a touch of sparkle, but sometimes we just want to go back to the classics: a creamy, single-pigment shade of blush that doesn’t leave a trail of glitter. 

One of the best blushes to grace our desk—and our cheeks—is Pixi’s On-The-Go Blush Tinted Moisture Stick. Our favourite is fleur, the perfect shade of bunny-nose pink. Unapologetically pink, this baby layers beautifully: one swipe will give you a subtle flush, while another. 

We’d also argue that it’s a stick blush to convert the nay-sayers: it glides on smoothly, leaves no harsh swipe lines, and only needs the lightest buffing by brush or fingertips

Scandi Skin Candy

The Skin Wardrobe’s Bespoke Facial | $165

Our secret source of Scandi skincare, The Skin Wardrobe, is swinging open their studio doors again. This time, to offer in-studio bespoke facials with Amelia Woods. 

It’s a 45-minute holistic facial where Amelia will pick and choose The Skin Wardrobe’s signature scandi products to syit your skin needs, before sending you on your merry way. 

Get in quick skin buffs and Scandi feigns, there is s a $135 special offer for intro treatments in August. 

Sculpted To Perfection

GHD Sculpt | $629

Image Credit: GHD | Supplied

To mark 25 whole years of creating covetable hair tools, GHD has gone and created a styler that puts an end to heat damage entirely. 

Bold claim, we know. But the proof is in the pudding: the GHD Sculpt uses AI to know and adapt to your hair temperature (instead of the styling plate’s temperature.) It runs 2,900 measurements per second and adjusts heat delivery while you style, so that there’s never any risk of overheating and frying your tresses. 

Not only that, this nifty tool reduces frizz by up to 2.5 times, while adding a touch of gloss and shine

Hello, Honey 

Gisou Honey Milk Active Repair Leave-In Conditioner Mist | $63

Image Credit: MECCA | Supplied

Here’s a hair treat that *actually* leaves the lingering scent it promises. Gisou’s latest, a leave-in conditioner mist, hits you with a heavy dose of honey—and that’s after it’s settled in, post-blow dry. 

It sprays on like a dream. The mist is so fine, light and even, you’ll forget that you’re spraying a heavy-lifting, leave-in conditioner. Moreover, it’s been fortified to be a thorough detangler (we can attest to that) and give you up to 230 degrees of heat protection. Home run, Gisou. 

Prevage Revival

Elizabeth Arden’s PREVAGE® Multi-Restorative Creams | Prices Vary

Image Credit: Hope Patterson | Supplied

Two skincare classics have had a revamp. Elizabeth Arden’s PREVAGE® Multi-Restorative Creams have been tweaked to be even more potent in their mission to prevent over 99% of collagen damage (and sidestep the 8 visible signs of ageing that daily stressors cause us).  

It’s quite simple really. The Day cream now has SPF 30 PA++ while delivering cellular defence  (Those extra plus signs stand for their ability to block UVA rays). 

As for the Multi-Restorative Night Cream, she too helps tackle those 8 signs of ageing—just while you sleep. It’s a power player for rejuvenating quickly, and, in our opinion, smoothing the skin out overnight

You Go, Gourd

Jo Malone London’s Brit Veggies Collection | Prices Vary

Image Credit: Jo Malone | Supplied

Dreaming of another tomato girl summer? How’s a Carrot Blossom Autumn? Perhaps with a Scarlet Beetroot sundowner session? 

Jo Malone London’s latest, “The Veggies Collection” brings us root and gourd-inspired fragrances, alongside tomato-leaf-tinged home essentials. Like any good farmers market, get in quick for your pick of the crop—most of these are limited edition.

Blooming Gorgeous

Maison Margiela Up At Dawn Eau De Toilette | From $66.00 

Image Credit: MECCA | Supplied

No perfume goes from day to night as much as Replica’s latest does. At first whiff, you get a rose garden in full bloom. Pink, sprightly and fresh. 

Let it settle a minute (literally) and a freshly-snapped twig and frosty lawn scent takes over. Green, but not at all grassy. 

We don’t know how Replica’s new Up At Dawn fragrance sits on both ends of the fragrance spectrum, but we do know that we’ll be dowsing ourselves in it for the foreseeable future.

Haaland’s Little Helper 

Knekki Hair Ties | From $8

Image Credit: The Skin Wardrobe | Supplied

We didn’t think we’d be jumping for joy this high over hair ties, but this beauty launch was basically written in the stars. 

Haaland—the silky-footed and tressed footballer taking the internet by storm—has a favourite hair tie brand. As chance would have it, Auckland’s dedicated Scandi cosmetic store The Skin Wardrobe, brought it to Aotearoa. And get this: it launched the very week Haaland-mania hit a high. 

It’s not at all in vain: Knekki hair ties are oh-so-durable (I mean look at that braid) and woven with 60 whole threads to minimise hair snagging. Oh, they’re woven on vintage looms from the 1960’s. 

Take Me To Taormina 

Tom Ford’s Taormina Orange Private Blend | Prices Vary

Image Credit: Tom Ford | Supplied

For the White Lotus obsessive who’s pipped about being on this side of the equator right now: perhaps Tom Ford’s new Taormina Orange Private Blend can stamp out your no-holiday blues?

You bet it’s a juicy, strong and sun-soaked scent. Sure, she’s a splurge, but the cost per use is stronger than a bottle of limoncello—and it's, of course, easier on the pocket than a flight. One thing’s for sure: it’s best paired with Aperol Spritz and a nostalgic scroll in your Euro ‘24 phone roll. 

Sleek Without The Salon

Garnier Fructis Keratin Sleek Range | From $14.00

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