The Best New UK Beauty Products of August 2019
The 23 Best New Beauty Products Launching in the UK in August 2019
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In recent years, the beauty industry has grown exponentially, with new launches, lines, and collaborations coming at us in rapid succession. Every casual scroll through your Instagram feed presents you with new beauty products being revealed (especially if you follow someone with the last name of Kardashian or Jenner), and let's not even get started with Facebook ads. So how do you keep track of all of the beauty newness going on? And more specifically, how do you know which items you can buy here in the UK (without paying exorbitant shipping fees, that is)? Well, that's where we come in.
We combed though the digital shelves of Space NK, Cult Beauty, Superdrug, Boots, and beyond to find the best new beauty launches of the month, rounding them up in one place to make it easy for you. Maybe you're in the market for something specific — like a new curl cream or the perfect daily moisturiser for the Summer — or maybe you just want to peruse the new innovations in skin care and makeup. Either way, here's an easy way to determine what's worth the splurge this month. Spoiler alert: when it comes to beauty products launching in August, there's lots of excitement; new fragrances from Chanel and Gucci, the first liquid foundations from Anastasia Beverly Hills and Revolution, and inexpensive hot tools from VO5 are just a few beauty goodies you'll discover if you keep reading.
Glossier Berry Balm Dotcom
Glossier added a new flavour to their lineup of do-anything lip and skin salves. Glossier Berry Balm Dotcom (£10) smells like fresh berries and has a sheer, reddish-purple tint that, when smoothed over lips, enhances them in the subtlest, prettiest of ways.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Luminous Foundation
In what might be the most exciting beauty news of the month, Anastasia Beverly Hills is launching its first-ever liquid foundation. Available in 50 shades (yes, 50, with tones in the fair, light, medium, tan, and deep categories), the Anastasia Beverly Hills Luminous Foundation is a long-lasting, oil- and-fragrance-free formula with a dewy finish that you can build from medium to full coverage. And the social-media-savvy beauty brand truly thought of everything: while wearing this formula, you won't get a hint of flashback when snapping selfies.
Launches Aug. 15 exclusively at Selfridges (£43)
Benefit Cosmetics Cookie Highlighter
Benefit Cosmetics' highlighter-in-a-box is one of our favourite powder luminisers and this month, they launched the shimmery formula in two new shades: Cookie, a soft champagne with golden shimmer that was featured in the brand's Cheerleader Bronze Squad Palette and Tickle, a peachy gold with pink undertones. We tried them on two of our editors and the glow they both create is mesmerising.
Benefit Cosmetics Cookie and Tickle Highlighter launches Aug. 9 exclusively on lookfantastic.co.uk, and Aug. 23 nationwide for £26 each.
Gucci Mémoire d'une Odeur eau de parfum
According to the brand, not only is Gucci Mémoire d'une Odeur eau de parfum (£92) the first example of a "mineral aromatic" scent, it's also the first instance of Roman chamomile being used in fragrance. Perfumer Alberto Morilla (who's created most of Gucci's most recent eau de parfums), combined the unique note with Indian coral jasmine and a base of musk, sandalwood and vanilla, creating a new olfactive category for anyone who wants to try it.
Burberry Beauty Kisses Lip Lacquer
It's hard to believe, but Burberry Beauty Kisses Lip Lacquer (£30) is the British brand's first liquid lipstick to date. Available in 12 shades (shown in Military Red here) that are all incredibly wearable, the gel-like formula is not only moisturising (thanks to hyaluronic acid), but it also stays flexible and shiny — almost like a lip gloss/liquid lipstick hybrid.
Yves Saint Laurent Beauté All Hours Setting Powder
I'm a huge fan of the YSL Beauté All Hours line, especially the liquid concealer, which is probably the best under-eye concealer I've ever used when it comes to disguising the signs of a late night editing or catching up with friends. You can imagine, then, that I was chuffed to find that this month, the brand's extended the line with the YSL Beauté All Hours Setting Powder (£39), which comes in 14 shades including the translucent one shown here. The mattifying powder is so finely-milled it also blots away shine without blotting away your skin's natural glow (it also feels like literal silk when you run your finger over it).
Dermalogica Phyto-Nature Forming Serum
The gorgeous blue bottle hints at the ingredients inside the new Dermalogica Phyto-Nature Forming Serum (£130): Sapphire. OK, so there aren't crushed up gemstones inside this bi-phase serum (ouch), but there are sapphire molecules that are bound to peptides that mimic the ones naturally found in our skin, which together promise to jump start your cells to better protects themselves from complexion-damaging free radicals like pollution and stress. Additionally, the formula — which the brand touts as firming and lifting — includes camu camu extract, which is very high in vitamin C, as well as caffeic acid extracted from green coffee beans.
Kevyn Aucoin Foundation Balm
What is a foundation balm you might ask? Well, in the case of the Kevyn Aucoin Foundation Balm (£42), it's a rich, skin-loving balm that's packed with enough pigment to give you a full-level of coverage (think bye-bye redness and dark circles) when applied with a brush. Available in 20 shades that align with the brand's classic Etherealist Skin Illuminating Foundation (we'd love to see that number grow in the future), the balm is formulated with hyaluronic acid as well as avocado and olive oils, meaning it helps your skin stay soft and hydrated throughout the day. While people with oily-skin textures might want to steer clear of this base product, anyone with dry or mature skin should definitely add this to their beauty wishlist.
Too Faced Tutti Frutti Watermelon-Infused Replenishing Primer & Setting Spray
Too Faced adds to their Tutti Frutti line with a new shadow palette, three new lip gloss shades, a dressed up version of the Better Than Sex Mascara, and, the product we can't wait to try, the Too Faced Tutti Frutti Watermelon-Infused Replenishing Primer & Setting Spray (£27). It's the same great formula, just spiked with extra-hydrating watermelon extract.
Sleek Makeup Lifeproof Colour Correctors
Whether you're looking to reduce redness, brighten dark under-eye circles, or counteract sallowness, there's a Sleek Makeup Lifeproof Colour Corrector (£8) for you (shown here in mint green, a shade that looks like slime but actually helps neutralise any redness in your skin). Using a damp makeup sponge, dab a thin layer of the colour corrector to the desired area before you apply your base. You'll probably find that you don't need to use as much foundation/concealer as usual.
Avon 5-in-1 Lash Genius Mascara
Introducing the mascara of the future. OK, no, the new Avon 5-in-1 Lash Genius Mascara (£9) doesn't apply itself on its own or talk back to you, but it was created using artificial intelligence. Called the "Genius Algorithm," Avon created a proprietary AI tool that filtered and read through thousands of online consumer mascara reviews to figure out what people were requesting most out of a mascara formula. The verdict shouldn't come as a shock. Consumers wanted volume, length, lift, clump-free definition, and a dramatic black colour; but here's the takeaway: the wanted a mascara that offered every single one of these things. Between the gel formula, the wand that contains a mix of short and long bristles, and the carbon-black pigments, Avon hopes to give the people what they want in one gilded tube.
Nexxus Blonde Assure Purple Shampoo
A famous hair colourist once told me that hair colour was like dry cleaning. "You spend a lot of money on cashmere and send it to the dry cleaners to wash it; why would you spend a lot of money on your hair colour only to throw it in the washing machine?" Thing is, I get it, it's hard to dish out loads of money on shampoo and conditioner when there are so many non-spenny options out there. Nexxus is a great compromise. The brand's formulas are always incredibly high quality and leave your hair soft and your hair colour looking vibrant, but without breaking the bank. Case in point: the brand's new Nexxus Blonde Assure Purple Shampoo (£10) costs less than £15 and ensures your golden highlights will continue to look golden and bright weeks after your salon appointment.
Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick in Couchette
Last month, makeup artist Gucci Westman (who counts Jennifer Aniston and Kate Hudson as clients and has worked for nearly every major fashion and beauty magazine in the world) finally brought her product line to the UK, launching exclusively at Net-a-Porter. This month, she adds a new shade to her collection of cream-blush sticks, the Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks in Couchette (£46), a beige-y peach shade that, when spread over cheeks, lids, or lips, helps both brighten and warm your complexion in a matter of seconds.
Neutrogena Blackhead Eliminating Strip to Scrub
It's a pore strip! It's a scrub! It's ... both!? That's right, the new Neutrogena Blackhead Eliminating Strip to Scrub (£5) is a strip that transforms into a gentle face scrub to both clear out blocked pores and break down dead skin cells on the surface. Just place the strip on your nose as you would with any pore strip and let it sit for two minutes. Then instead of yanking it off (and taking half your skin with it), just add water and start massaging the strip to both move remove it and reveal its exfoliating properties.
Revolution Conceal & Hydrate Foundation
When Revolution launched its Fast Base Foundation Stick, 11,000 sticks were sold online in just two hours. We're preparing for another frenzy with the launch of the Revolution Conceal & Hydrate Foundation (£9), a new liquid foundation that features a sheerer texture and more hydrating formula, as well as a pump dispenser for greater control over application. Infused with hyaluronic acid, the Conceal & Hydrate Foundation comes in 50 shades, including a pure white for lightening other shades and seven deep shades all with varying undertones (olive, orange/red, yellow, neutral, pink, and yellow). All of that is seriously impressive, but add the fact that it costs just £9 and well, mind blown.
Toni & Guy Damage Repair Mask
I moved to London from New York City at the end of April, and I still haven't found time to get a haircut. That means my bleached ends basically look and feel like straw at this point, and leave-in conditioner is my best friend. The new Toni & Guy Damage Repair Mask (£8) — a super-rich deep-conditioning treatment — has improved the situation. After shampooing, I slather it from midlengths to ends in the shower, and after five minutes, I rinse it out. My ends are knot-free and silky soft, and while I still need my leave-in conditioner, I certainly don't need to douse my hair with it anymore.
Chanel Gabrielle Chanel Essence Eau de Parfum
Chanel debuted its first Gabrielle Chanel fragrance in 2017 as an ode to its passionate, driven, and independent founder. Two years later, the brand has reinvented the scent with Gabrielle Chanel Essence, a warmer, creamier version of the eau de parfum that features an opulent blend of four white flowers: tuberose, jasmine, ylang ylang, and orange blossom. A splash of citrus and berry notes at the top, as well as a smooth blend of sandalwood, musk, and vanilla, make this floral scent as sensual as it is sparkly.
Launches Aug. 29 (£86 for 50ml)
VO5 Wave Barrel Wand
This month, VO5 drops an entire electrical styling tools collection, a 13-piece range that includes a blow-dryer, a travel-size flatiron and blow-dryer, a beard trimmer, and multiple curling irons. Our favourite of the bunch? The VO5 Wave Barrel Wand (£25), shown here, which can be used with the four interchangeable barrels — a clampless wand for beach waves, a barrel with a clamp for bouncy curls, one that's shaped like a cone for easy-looking curls, and the original wave barrel — each of which the brand sells separately.
Algenist AA Barrier Serum
Skin-care brand Algenist gets its name after its primary ingredient: alguronic acid. Made from sustainably-produced algae extract, the brand claims that alguronic acid brightens and firms the skin, while also minimising the appearance of wrinkles. The new Algenist AA Barrier Serum (£80), which launches August 13th at Space NK, contains the highest concentration of alugornic acid the brand has ever used in a product, as well as niacinimide, pholoretin (an antioxidant from green apple), and ergothioneine (an antioxidant from mushrooms), which, when combined, promise to smooth, calm, and hydrate the skin, as well as protect your delicate complexion from harmful, wrinkle-causing, glow-reducing free radicals.
Diego dalla Palma Sub-aqueo Very Waterproof Mascara
If you're not someone who likes wearing waterproof mascara then this product is not for you. But if you are someone who prefers an indelible mascara formula, the Diego dalla Palma Sub-aqueo Very Waterproof Mascara (£22.50) is very good at defining and lengthening your lashes without so much as a smudge or flake throughout the day.
IGK Mixed Feelings Blue Leave-In Brunette Toning Drops
IGK's Mixed Feelings Cooling Blonde Mixing Drops is a leave-in treatment for blonde hair that not only softens and hydrates, but also brightens, thanks to the violet pigments in the formula. This month, IGK gifts brunettes with a similar colour-enhancing treatment with the IGK Mixed Feelings Blue Leave-In Brunette Toning Drops (£22.50) The formula includes blueberry and artichoke extracts to hydrate and prevent colour-fading, while blue pigments help tone down brassiness and up the shine level for anyone with light-to-dark brown hair.
Benefit Cosmetics Bad Gal Bang 24 Hour Eye Pencil
Available in black, brown, navy, and violet, the Benefit Cosmetics Bad Gal Bang 24 Hour Eye Pencil (£18.50) couldn't have come at a better time. Perfect for taking on holiday, its built-in sharpener means you don't have to worry about it going dull, while the end of the retractable pencil features a rubber smudger tool that lets you blend the pigment over your lids for five-second smoky eyes.
Lipstick Queen Lip Surge Plumper in Smoke
The dark colour of the Lipstick Queen Lip Surge Plumper in Smoke (£20) may look daunting in the tube, but on lips, the sheer blackened-plum gloss actually amps up the natural tint of your own lips.
