And so beauty pickers, we’re half way through the hot summer months… and what bumper beauty picks has it brought our way? Read on to find out July’s top 10.
Straight in at Number One are the lip-smacking sweet treat lip balms that seem to only ever become more delectable. Just as the rise of gourmand fragrances is being put down to the use of GLP-1 drugs – if you’re not eating lemony cupcakes you can at least smell like one with Akro’s Bake for instance – so we reckon tantalisingly tasty lip balms are replacing actually eating tantalising treats. The latest to grace our puckers is Glossier with their Hummingbird Bakery collab resulting in a Banana Pudding balm.com and a pop up at Westfield White City and Rhode’s summertime hit Peptide Lip Tint in Lemontini which has a shimmery gold finish and a citrusy lemon cocktail smell and is one of the most lusted after beauty launches on the market (as well as the accompany merch which is so fought after it could entice duals). Shop Glossier here and Rhode here.
A very close call but just in at the Number Two spot is Cyprus Shell a new fragrance which forms part of the Murano Collection from The Merchant of Venice fragrance house. We first smelled this at the start of the year at which time it was due to be released in the autumn which disappointed absolutely everyone in the room became they’d all become instantly obsessed with it. But, jubilation, it’s available early and we can’t stop spritzing. It’s a hard fragrance to describe, perhaps because it seems to hold all the exotic fragrance history of the island, which is the first known place to produce fragrance on an industrial scale – over 4,000 years ago. Note-wise it’s a blend of a salty wood accord, pear, rose, incense, patchouli and oakmoss musk. And perhaps that gives you an idea of the sultry, sunny, seductiveness that it embodies. But mood-wise it makes you feel happy and confident and together but not in a sunshine and daffodils kind of way but rather in a deeper way that’s more knowing, centred, with a bold sense of self. So just do us favour and go and smell it for yourself. It’ll birth your own Venus of fragrance love story. Shop here.
Fara Homidi enters the charts for the first time at Number Three with her most excellent Essential Bronzer Compact. A New York-based Afghanistan-born makeup artist, Homidi is known for her minimalist approach, and she delivers that to all of us in her makeup range. The packaging is totally lustworthy – you see it and you want to own it – and the bronzer comes housed in a refillable compact that looks almost like a macaroon and feels as smooth as a pebble in the hand. The vegan bronzer itself has an almost creamy meets velvety pressed mousse texture and delivers a soft-matte finish that looks seamless on skin. Available in four shades, shop the compact here.
For those that love their luxury skincare the latest Augustinus Bader launch arrives at Number Four. This new Bader chapter comes powered by an advanced version of their signature TFCX complex and also boasts a reduced amount of water in the formula to make it even more concentrated and effective. So, it can crack on with getting to work on everything from firmness, to evening out skin tone, hydration and fine lines. Remember, Professor Bader is a man of science and focussed on regenerative medicine so think of this elixir as skin longevity support. Shop here.
Orange you glad to meet Number Five: another new fragrance but this time a citrus fest, Clementine Dream, from the clean US fragrance brand The 7 Virtues. This citrus though has serious staying power – no cologne vibes here – and has some added oomph to it thanks to cedarwood, musk and amber as well as some extra fruity cassis, grapefruit and lime all keeping cheery alongside neroli, jasmine, rose and the signature The 7 Virtues vanilla accord. It’s a sexy squeeze of a juice that feels somehow both familiar and unexpected. Shop here.
All the fruitiness continues at Number Six with a seasonal orange shade from La Bonne Brosse hairbrushes. Not just any orange, this is officially ‘Seventies Orange’ inspired by the French Riviera (it’s a very Courrèges kind of a hue), that deep and sophisticated. It comes in the usual five versions so you can find the right brush for your hair type which is important as these are designed to last a lifetime. Get yours here.
Staying on theme but switching the citrus centre, in at Number Seven is the arrival of body care from Bronnley that’s all centred around lemons. Recently in the Top 10 we highlighted their classic soaps all still made in the same way they have been for decades in vintage moulds. Now, the brand has extended the lemon connection with a liquid hand wash in an elegant glass bottle, a body serum with niacinamide, a hand balm and body exfoliator all with a sweet (but not sickly) lemon aroma. The brand has done a brilliant job at not just delivering good formulations but also taking a traditional brand and keeping all the stylish nostalgia it embodies but making it feel modern, fresh, and deserving of a place in even the most fashionable of bathrooms. Shop the range here.
The trend for beauty brands collaborating with jewellery brands sees the award-winning biotech brand Reome in at Number Eight as they team up with jewellery label Dévé. The result is some limited-edition silver plate hoop earrings that are totally lust worthy and offered only as a GWP for customers who spend over £175 on the Reome website, while stocks last. Says the brand: “Earrings, the piece of jewellery sitting closest to the face, form the perfect accompaniment to cared-for, hyper-nourished, radiant skin. This limited-edition collaboration then, is a celebration of the intersection between jewellery and skincare; brought together by two brands deeply committed to the art of craftsmanship; Reome, in its pursuit to create the most advanced, yet artfully sensorial skincare possible, and Dévé, in its designs that combine modern, minimalist style cues with Mediterranean heritage and inspirations.” Well, we couldn’t have said it better ourselves and, frankly, we’re sold, especially since we are particularly big fans of the Three Suns cleansing balm and the Active Recovery Broth. If only all GWPs were made this way. Shop here.
If you’re in the market for a mineral SPF – and especially if you’re pregnant and looking for one that truly has you covered with no irritation – then you need to know about Skn to Skn, a skincare range which enters this month’s chart at Number Nine and was created out of pregnancy need but is equally excellent and effective for everyone. All of the products are excellent but given the time of year we’re focussing on the Glow and Go Daily Moisturiser with Mineral SPF 30 which comes with a tint in two shade options (Light and Deep – the Deep gives the effect of sun drops). It contains an impressive 20 per cent of Nano Zinc Oxide for incredible sun protection plus jojoba oil and hyaluronic acid to hydrate, niacinamide to even skin tone and vitamin E to protect from free radicals and support skin health. This has become a go for all types of skincare lovers and the tint is even good enough to feel you can go makeup free and still look polished. Shop here.
And signing off the beauty charts this month at Number 10 is the gentleman and the hairdresser George Northwood who has just opened his third salon, this time in West London’s Holland Park (he already has one in the West End and Shoreditch). One of the kindest men in the beauty biz he is also the creator of the ‘Undone’ look – think effortless, natural-looking dos that always flatter the wearer – and has a roster of A-list clients who trust him for their perfect barnets including Alexa Chung, Rachel Weisz, Lily Rose Depp, Lily Collins, Felicity Jones and Dakota Johnson. The salon has sleek white walls and wooden floors, is flooded with natural light and has a dedicated downstairs hair wash area. The interior décor features some curated 20th century furniture, art work, and one-off pieces, so the vibe feels more home from stylish home. His own haircare range is of course, on sale here and, as a proud dog owner, he has a dog shampoo too.
Top image: photography courtesy of Fara Homidi.
