Tonnes of New Products Landed on My Desk This Month, But These 10 Were the Best

I've fallen in love with every single thing Merit launches, so when I heard the brand was launching lip liners I was hugely excited for their take on it. Unlike traditional lip liners, Merit Signature Lip Liners deliver a sheer, blurred finish thanks to the pen style tip. The result? A lip look that feels more low-maintenance and chicer than the ultra-defined and harsh. Think softly diffused, lip contouring in a fuss-free retractable pencil. If you do want more precision, however, there is built-in sharpener to sharpen the tip. My favourite shade is Bespoke, a cool-toned pinky brown, which also comes in the bestselling Flush Balms.

I've been testing Kérastase's new Gloss Absolu range ahead of launch, and I'm so happy to finally get to talk about it. I've tried many hair gloss treatments but so many fall short at adding shine to my dull lengths—not this one though. The range includes a shampoo, a conditioner, a treatment spray and a hair oil which have all given my hair such an incredible gloss that even others have noticed. But if I could only recommend one product, I'd suggest trying this conditioner. It glazes and conditions hair at the same time, and has made my frizzy, dull hair look smooth, feel silky and posses a mirror-like shine.

Victoria Beckham never misses with her eye makeup (the Satin Kajal Eyeliners are a firm favourite for a reason), and her newly imagined eyeshadow palettes are the easiest eyeshadows I've ever used. They come in four curated edits, each housing four shades, but my favourite is Victoria (pictured above), which features three matte neutrals and a subtly sparkly deep brown. These buttery-soft eyeshadows help you emulate VB's smokey eye that she has made her signature with effortless ease. The formulas are so silky and blendable that they are impossible to mess up. I've been using the beige hue all over for a subtle smokey eye and using the far right shade to define my lash line, and honestly? My eye makeup has never looked better. Can we take a moment for the beautiful packaging too? Now I'm tempted by the other shades, which include a smokey black, olive green and deep navy edit.

Any beauty editor will tell you that you need to wear a facial SPF year-round, but it's this time of the year that new SPF launches come into their own. And if you're in the market for a new one, one of the very best I've tried is La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVAir SPF50+. I got a sneak preview of this SPF, and I've genuinely been wearing it every day since trying it. I've long been a fan of the brand's hero Anthelios SPF, but I find the new UVAir SPF to be much lighter on my combination skin. It has a lighter-than-air, gel-cream texture that immediately sinks in without a greasy residue. It leaves my skin feeling velvety matte yet hydrated and smooth to the touch. Unlike a lot of SPFs, it doesn't sting my eyes or irritate my sensitive skin, plus it makes a great makeup primer, especially if you get oily around your T-zone like me. Experts say the best SPF is the one you want to wear every day, and I genuinely want to wear this.

You can count on Hermès for the chicest of beauty launches, and the Rouge Hermès Silky Lipsticks are just as luxe as you can imagine. Sitting somewhere between a lipstick and a lip balm, these silky formulas deliver a light wash of colour to the lips while the cushiony formula nourishes lips. They come in a curated edit of pinks, neutrals and reds, and the colour-block packaging with brushed metal and a gilded Hermès medallion cap is just to die for. I wear the shade Rouge Amazone, a tomato red that can be patted in for a sheer watercolour-esque tint, or layered up for a silky lustre that feels so luxurious on the lips.

I've been eagerly awaiting the launch of Westman Atelier's bronzing drops, and they've exceeded my expectations. These drops are incredibly versatile—you can apply them directly to your skin or layer them over makeup for a subtle, sun-kissed warmth wherever you choose. I prefer the latter, using a fluffy brush, and I'm always impressed by how effortlessly the formula blends into the skin. There's no sparkle or glitter, just a soft, dewy glow paired with a sheer wash of colour that makes them perfect for even those who are nervous about bronzers. I think these are one of the best Westman Atelier products out there.

Key notes: Bluebell, strawberry, violet leaf, amber accord, driftwood

Molton Brown's Bluebell Wild Strawberry fragrance is the epitome of a spring perfume. One spritz transports me into a woodland of dewy bluebells with the scent of lush greenery entwining overhead after a spring downpour. It's given a subtle strawberry twist that is mouthwateringly juicy, before drying down into a dreamy violet leaf, warm amber and woody driftwood base. Molton Brown's senior perfumer, Véronique Nyberg, was inspired by her memories of growing up around Alpine bluebells, and it really captures the hope and optimism that comes with the arrival of spring, blue skies and longer days. If you're after a fresh, fruity floral to take you into spring and beyond, I highly encourage you to try it.

If you prefer more of a glow to your SPF, then allow me to put you on to Kate Somerville's Illuminating SPF50+ Drops. These silky drops bestow an illuminating sheen that make your skin look radiant and healthy. It's a mineral SPF, and while such products often get a bad rap for being chalky, this one is virtually invisible, with a subtle pink tint that melts into an undetectable finish. The formula is really hydrating, so great if you have dry or dehydrated skin, or just love a radiant finish to your skin. What I really love about this product is that it makes my skin look luminous without makeup, but the silky formula also acts as a great hydrating primer for makeup to make it glide on.

I used to think that under-eye masks were a waste of money, but since trying these new ones from Summer Fridays I stand corrected. Riffing off the brand's iconic Jet Lag Mask, these masks help to hydrate the under-eye area, and I've seen such a difference since using them. They plump out the fine lines around my eyes and make my concealer glide on top like butter. It even helps prevent my makeup creasing as much throughout the day. They contain glycerine and hyaluronic acid to drench parched skin with moisture, while caffeine and peptides help eliminate puffiness and plump fine lines. I've been using them once a week, and I definitely feel I look more refreshed and awake from using them. I'll be buying more when I run out.

I don't always get on with bronzing drops. My sensitive skin doesn't usually agree with many facial self tans but Caudalie is the exception to the rule. Free from fragrance and alcohol, they are as gentle as can be while delivering an adjustable glow depending on how many drops you go for. Add two drops into your usual moisturiser for a weekend-away glow, or add up to six drops to make your skin look like you've spent a week on the French Riviera. They also contain organic grape water, which is packed with antioxidants to make your skin glow while delivering a natural-looking sun-kissed colour.

Can you remember the last time that you actually enjoyed cleansing your skin? I couldn't, until I tried this. And it reminded me just how well a good cleanser can transform a mundane task into a real luxury. Sunday Riley's glossy, cushiony gel-balm cleanser gradually melts into a silky oil, and is the perfect consistency for some facial massage or gua sha. It makes light work of removing makeup, but I also adore using it as a morning cleanser as it's also jaw-droppingly hydrating. It contains a special kind of hyaluronic acid that remains on your skin after you've washed the cleanser away, and I can actually see its hydrating effect in action after using it. My skin has never looked so glassy and hydrated after cleansing before. If you're after a new cleanser that does the job while making your skin feel next-level smooth and as silky as a dolphin, this is well worth the investment.

I've been seeing TirTir all over my TikTok For You Page, so when I found out that the viral Korean makeup brand had landed on UK shores I immediately had to try it. And thankfully, I wasn't disappointed. Korea is renowned for its elite cushion foundation formulations, which deliver lightweight yet buildable coverage that you apply with a little puff. Honestly, my colleagues were asking what skincare I was using to make my skin "so glassy", but all credit is due to this little compact. A little goes a long way (so use a light touch as you tap into the foundation for the first time). It allows you the option for a sheer veil of pigment, or you can layer up for a more full-coverage finish that never looks or feels heavy. I have combination skin, and because I favour a radiant finish, I love the healthy glow it brings to my skin without ever feeling greasy. In fact, it was specially designed to not smudge underneath a mask, so it's also very transfer-resistant compared to other foundations I've tried. The compact is perfect for throwing in your bag for touch-ups and contains a mirror and a separate compartment for the puff, too.

Fragrance family: Woody-floral

Key notes: Almond, bergamot, mandarin, orange blossom, white flowers, powdery accord, akigalawood, sandalwood, ambroxan, vanilla

I have been totally head-over-heels besotted with the original Valaya fragrance since it launched. So hearing that Parfums de Marly was coming out with a new Exclusif of the devastatingly beautiful original was the best news I've had in my inbox this month (maybe even this year). The original Valaya is the prettiest, airy and clean-smelling floral fragrance I've ever smelled (which, no exaggeration, gets me compliments every single time I wear it) with notes of creamy white florals, a touch of white peach and smooth musk. It's like being bundled in the fluffiest white dressing gown and sinking into a cloud of white petals in a luxurious hotel suite as a sunny springtime breeze wafts in through an open window. The new exclusif version takes everything I love about the original, and takes on a more woody and gourmand twist that is almost good enough to eat. The addition of nutty, creamy almond and hypnotic sandalwood and akigalawood make it dangerously delicious. Both scents have tremendous staying power (even eight hours after first applying, I still get comments on my scent) but if you want something more intense while retaining the covetable DNA of the original Valaya, you have to try it.

I've recently been contemplating undereye filler, but this product has offiically made me postpone my consultation. Anyone who knows me knows that the Kosas Revealer Concealer is my ride-or-die (Hailey Bieber is a fan, too), and the brand has now launched five colour-correcting shades, designed to brighten dark under-eye circles. It works so well that I actually find I can get away with forgoing concealer altogether underneath my eyes now. Just a couple of dots underneath my eyes is enough to brighten and blur in one go. I use the shade Illusion, a peachy pink, which counteracts the blue tones in the hollows of my eyes and makes me look and feel so much fresher. However, on days I want more coverage, it pairs really well with concealer on top, and I usually find I don't need to use as much to make me look bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

Having recently turned 30, I'm now paying more attention to my under eyes and dark circles, which are now particularly stubborn, no matter how well I sleep. Alongside my trusty Kosas colour corrector above, I've been using this powerhouse serum from UKLash (yes, they do skincare now!) that has every ingredient I want in an eye serum. Brightening vitamin C and liquorice extract work in tandem with hydrating hyaluronic acid, green tea and soothing cica, which have left my under eyes looking better each day. I really love the serum formula, which sinks straight in (no waiting around for a cream to sink in here) and leaves my skin with an instantly hydrated radiance. The cooling serum texture is also helpful in cooling and de-puffing, making it great for the mornings in particular. Crucially, it's also fragrance-free which I personally favour as my eyes are very sensitive. Not bad at all for £20—this rivals more expensive eye creams that I've tried.

Now we're looking towards the longer days and warmer weather (fingers crossed) I'm back on the market for a lightweight skin tint (instead of foundation) that makes me look like I've just spent two weeks on a wellness retreat, rather than having just emerged from the depths of winter. Milk Makeup has met the brief with this knockout skin tint. It actually went TikTok-viral before it even launched, which prompted Milk Makeup to launch it sooner—much to my delight. If you like a dewy, your-skin-but-better finish, you'll love it too. It has a creamy-gel consistency that melts effortlessly into the skin, bestowing a healthy, dewy sheen that makes light dance on your complexion. It delivers a sheer coverage but can be built up in areas where you need it. It still lets your skin shine through, but blurs redness and leaves my skin looking hydrated and plump, thanks to the addition of a triple-powered hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and squalane. It feels weightless on the skin without turning greasy, and unlike other skin tints, I find this doesn't settle into fine lines quite so much. Bravo, Milk Makeup.

Fragrance family: Fruity/chypre

Key notes: Peach, bergamot, white flowers, musk, amber, vanilla, vetiver

I reviewed the new Narciso Rodriguez For Her Eau De Parfum Intense this month and it's easily become one of my favourite new perfumes of the year. But I'm tipping it to be the next French fragrance icon, following the Musc Noir version that went TikTok-viral last year. On the initial spritz, it's like the first bite into a ripe, juicy peach before it envelops you in silky-white petals and skin-like musk (the signature of the original Narciso Rodriguez For Her). In the base that develops hours later, creamy vanilla entwines with earthy, green vetiver that makes it feel so sophisticated and addictive. It's very French-girl coded and guaranteed to make you feel alluring and chic.

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Clearly, this past month has been a great one for cleanser launches, as Beauty Pie's Happy Face No-Stress Jelly Cleanser has also become a permanent staple on my bathroom shelf. It has a jelly-gel texture that feels cushiony on the skin. I'd say it won't remove heavier makeup, but it's ideal to take off light makeup or as a morning cleanse. It feels hydrating, thanks to hydrating olive lipids and pentavin, which leaves long-lasting hydration on the skin long after you've rinsed it away. I have quite sensitive skin at the moment, and I love how gentle it is in both formula and texture, which doesn't aggravate my rosacea. And at just £12, it's amazing value for a 400ml bottle, which is sure to last you for several months.

If you want an eyeshadow palette that gives off Charlotte York energy, step this way. Honestly, I hate most nude eyeshadow palettes that are marketed as neutral, as I find the brown tones always lean too orange on my skin tone. However, Charlotte Tilbury's latest edit of six eyeshadow palettes includes Super Neutral, which really does offer truly neutral, cool-toned browns. A Charlotte Tilbury MUA introduced me to them this month and showed me just how versatile these colours are. The silky matte tones are buttery-soft, and are perfect for adding subtle definition to your eyes. Kind of like you're not wearing eyeshadow, but you're blessed with smouldering eyes. Should you want to tap into more of a Samantha Jones energy, there's also three sheer "diamond dimension" shades that bestow a wet-look sparkle to your lids, which I'll be reaching for come festival season.

Okay, Gisou was not messing about when it created the new Honey Infused Gloss Ceramide Therapy hair mask. I usually don't have the patience to let a hair mask sit in my hair, but I'll make a special exception for this, as it's given my lengths an unrivalled shine and silkiness that I've not had in a long, long time (and I try a lot of hair products in my job). And in fact, you only have to leave it in for 5-7 minutes to reap the benefits. My long hair has some grown-out balayage, and coupled with a lot of hot brush testing as a beauty editor, it isn't in the best condition right now. But you wouldn't tell, thanks to this miracle hair mask. My hair feels bouncy, glossy and as though I've not subjected it to months of rigorous tool testing. I've taken to using it once a week as a nourishing mask, but it also works well as a quick conditioner if you're in a pinch. Thanks Gisou for having both my back and my hair.

Hair perfumes are having a huge moment with Zara launching hair perfumes, all the way through to niche luxury fragrance houses getting in on the action. Not only are hair perfumes a way to elevate your fragrance (hair tends to hold onto scent for longer than our skin), but they're also a more affordable way to access some of your most-loved luxury perfumes too. Matiere Premiere's hair perfumes not only look impossibly chic on your dressing table, but mist your hair in a delicate veil of fragrance that releases scent with every swish of your lengths—for days on end. Vanilla Powder is one of the fragrance house's best-selling scents with a cloud of powdery vanilla and coconut with a woody palo santo base. Another of my favourites is Parisian Musc (£60), a powdery musk that will leave your hair smelling expensive.

Hailey Bieber has had the whole of beauty TikTok on tenterhooks in the lead up to this much-anticipated launch, and it's finally here. I got to speak to Hailey first-hand ahead of the Peptide Lip Shape, dropping on 30th Jan, and I got the full lowdown on how to use them straight from her, as well as being one of the first to try them out myself. These lip shapers—that's right, not lip liners—feature a domed tip that bestows a creamy and blurred contoured effect to your lips. On the other end is a flexible shaper to blend and smudge your liner to achieve next-level lip contouring that looks amazing worn alone, or paired with your favourite balm or gloss. Hailey personally told me that she loves using the shade Twist (featured above) paired with the Rhode Pokcet Blush in Piggy, and I'm equally obsessed with this shade—it creates the perfect contour that easily makes my lips look twice as plumped. Coming in 11 contouring shades from muted pinks to deep brown tones, there's a shade for every skin tone and lip look you could want to achieve.

When Medik8 launches a new product, the beauty industry listens. Beauty editors love Medik8's results-driven products (the iconic Crystal Retinal is a WWW Next in Beauty Award winner) and the new Liquid Peptides Advanced MP is just as promising. It's clinically proven to reduce the look of expression lines in just 10 minutes and smoothes deep-set wrinkles in 8 weeks. The sorcery behind it lies in the 13 types of peptides (known for plumping and smoothing the skin) as well as the addition of growth factors, which help to accelerate collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid levels in the skin. Medik8 recommends it to work in tandem with injectable treatments, but it works equally well on its own to target those deep-set expression lines over time.

Renowned makeup artist Lisa Eldridge pioneered her pinpoint concealing technique, which bids away with packing concealer on all over the skin in a mask-like fashion in favour of lightly targeting blemishes with a fine-tipped brush and high-coverage concealer. The technique allows your skin to shine through while only applying concealer in the exact areas it's needed. This clever launch brings the method into one easy-to-use micro-concealing pencil, which makes it so easy to spot conceal blemishes, broken capillaries or lighten facial shadows seamlessly and undectactably. It's like having a makeup artist on standby. The nib is so fine (1.5mm, to be exact) and has a soft-matte finish that blurs blemishes for a natural-looking result that's easily blended with a few taps of your fingertips or a small brush. Plus, on the other end is a sharpener to ensure you can conceal with makeup artist worthy precision.

The entireBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK team is obsessed with Dior's Dior Addict Lip Glows (glance in any of our bags, and you're bound to find one) so luckily for us, Dior has introduced a new formula and pink case, as well as a new selection of shades with warm undertones, giving us even more hues to choose from. Dior, you spoil us. "The product itself reacts to the pH level of your lips to create a custom shade that enhances your natural lip colour," junior beauty editor, Grace Lindsay tells me. "My personal favourite is 077 Candy, a pretty, everyday pink that adds a gorgeous sheen to the lips. It has a very subtle pop of colour and is perfect for brightening up your makeup look this spring."

Trust me, Diptyque lovers, you're going to want to get your hands on this limited-edition candle. It draws inspiration from the French traditional king cake (enjoyed during January every year) which is filled with almond cream and sweet frangipane. And it smells just as delicious as it sounds. It combines smooth, nutty almond with powdery iris, smooth and creamy sandalwood and mouthwateringly sweet tonka bean. Best lit and enjoyed with a sweet treat on the side.

Beauty director, Shannon Lawlor has been burning it all month long. "Whenever I'm sat on the tube home and feel the day's stresses weighing heavy in my chest, I remind myself that I get to light this sweet, comforting candle the minute I walk through the front door and, suddenly, I feel much lighter. I don't typically lean towards sugared scents, but given that this is Diptyque, it possesses ribbons of freshness that delivers a luxurious touch. It just smells like home," she says.

Following the launch of Celine's first Le Rouge Celine Satin Lipstick in the shade Rouge Triomphe in September, there are now a further 14 new shades to try, ranging from endlessly wearable nudes to statement berry and red. Housed in faceted gold case, Celine lipsticks are a work of art. Inside, you can trust that the formula is just as luxurious, offering a hydrating satin finish that glides onto the lips like butter. Plus, it's refillable, so you can keep enjoying this objet d'art for years to come. My favourite pick is La Peau Nue, a pretty neutral pink that you can wear anywhere and everywhere.

I've long loved E.l.f. Halo Glow Liquid Filter, so when I found out that a powder in the same range was in the works, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Unlike other matte powders, this one has a subtle radiance that captures and reflects the light, leaving you with a radiant finish. There's zero glitter or sparkle here, just soft-focused, light-reflecting particles that make your skin look like its bathed in the most flattering light. If, like me, you don't get on with a lot of powders for fear of looking cakey and flat, this is a brilliant choice for controlling shine without compromising on glow. Plus, it comes with a handy powder puff and mirror on the underside of the compact, making it great for touch-ups on the go.

When I wore this mascara for the first time, my friends thought I'd just had a fresh set of lash extensions. I was happy to tell them that it was actually a £14 mascara. L'Oréal Paris has created some incredible ones, but nothing compares to the new Lash Paradise Big Deal Mascara, in my opinion. It weightlessly lengthens, separates and volumises lashes while providing long-lasting lift and curl on my stubbornly straight eyelashes. It features a flexible wand that captures even the smallest of lashes to stretch them to their full potential, leaving you with a fanned-out flutter that rivals lash extensions. I'm tipping this to be the next big viral mascara.

Speaking of compliments, Hourglass's Illusion Luminous Glow Foundation is another product that has gotten me many both IRL and on Zoom calls. Our deputy editor, Maxine Eggenberger said that my skin was so glowy that I looked like I'd just come back from holiday—a big compliment given how lacklustre my skin was at the beginning of January. If you like the Hourglass Veil Hydrating Skin Tint but want something with a little more coverage, I recommend giving this a try. It has a thicker, more cushiony consistency that makes my skin look equal parts glowy and bouncy. It has dewy finish and can be worn sheer or built into more medium coverage when needed.