The Best New Skin Care, Makeup, and Hair Care Launching in February 2021

It's only the second month of the year and The Inkey List is presenting us with yet another innovative ingredient. Fulvic acid, which is the main component of the The Inkey List Fulvic Acid Brightening Cleanser (£11), is a well-known, multi-tasking ingredient in Chinese medicine that the brand thought would work well in an easy-to-use, every day face wash.

"If add glycolic acid plus vitamin C plus azelaic acid it would be fulvic acid," co-founder Marc Curry told POPSUGAR over Zoom. That being said, it's not a harsh cleanser that will strip the living daylights out of your skin. "If you were to put it under a category, fulvic acid is a humic acid, which isn't helpful because isn't hydrating or exfoliating, it's just an acid that has brightening, and anti-inflammatory properties." Curry added.

A nice gel texture that's not too think and not too thin, the cleanser also contains kakadu plum, licorice root, aloe vera, and Nordic peat. All of the ingredients combined with the fulvic acid create a face wash that's powerful enough to remove waterproof makeup, gentle enough to leave skin feeling soft and soothed, and gently brightens your complexion as you use it.

Known for creating gentle-yet-effective formulas that won't irritate sensitive skin, First Aid Beauty has channeled its efforts into create a formula to help fade the appearance of dark spots, sun spots, hyperpigmentation, post-acne marks, you name it. The First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Niacinamide Dark Spot Serum (£38) features niacinamide (hence the name), a gold-standard skin-care ingredient lauded for its ability to improve skin tone and texture. And in lieu of ascorbic acid, which can often cause irritation in sensitive types, the brand has added licorice root (to soothe and brighten), golden kiwifruit (a fruit that contains a ton of vitamin C), and something called undecylenoyl phenylalanine, which helps reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation.

In 2021, Tilbury looks to follow up her epic 2020 Magic Serum launch with the Charlotte Tilbury Super Radiance Resurfacing Facial (£52), an at-home treatment that promises to leave skin smooth and glowing. "I looked at the radiance market and I felt that I needed to create a renewing, hydrating, resurfacing, glow facial that sloughs off all the dead skin cells and give you that polish, gleaming, glowing, radiant skin," Tilbury told POPSUGAR over Zoom.

Tilbury dubs the formula a "miracle facial in a tube", thanks to the fact it not only exfoliates the surface of the skin and clears out clogged pores, but also hydrates and plumps. To do that, the formula is jampacked with active ingredients. To exfoliate the skin, the brand included glycolic acid (AHA), salicylic acid (BHA), bio agave acids (a source of PHA), and a proprietary ingredient called Exfolactive, which is a natural extract derived from the flowers of the prickly pear cactus and full of oligosaccharides. (For a refresher on all the different types of acids, click here.) To keep the skin happy and hydrated as the acids work on the skin, the formula also includes hyaluronic acid, polyglutamic acid, glycerin, avocado oil, aloe vera, and allantoin (an emollient that protects the skin from moisture loss).

They newest additions to the Olay Regenerist line, the Glow Collection, come in pretty pink and iridescent packaging. But these products are more than just nice to look at. The Olay Glow Regenerist Serum (£15), in particular, is a superconcentrated formula that contains niacinamide, peptides, and hyaluronic acid that, together, will do wonders on evening out skin tone and texture and reducing pigmentation. If you don't like fragranced skin-care products, than you'll likely want to sit this one out; but if you do, the scent — which smells fresh and clean, like a fancy hand soap — is quite lovely.

With a powerful dose of 0.3 percent retinol in the formula, the Clinique Smart Night Clinical MD Multi-Dimensional Repair Treatment Retinol (£56) helps reduce the early signs of ageing like wrinkles and fine lines, and smooth out uneven texture overnight. To make the active ingredients more tolerable, the formula also contains hyaluronic acid, mango seed butter, and squalene for hydration. And as it says right on the packaging, this cream should only be used at night — and followed up by SPF in the morning.

Rihanna is here to save the day, or at least our tired looking under eyes, with the new Fenty Skin Flash Nap Instant Revival Eye Gel-Cream + Eye Massage Tool (£36). Launching at Harvey Nichols on 12 Feb., the formula is one part eye cream and one part concealer primer that helps brighten and de-puff with the help of hyaluronic acid, green tea, horse chestnut (a plant extract that helps reduce puffiness), and Persian silk tree. Purchase the eye cream on its own, or along with the cooling Massage Tool, if you're really looking for some serious eye brightening.

Huda Kattan launched Wishful Skin exactly a yer ago, and to celebrate, she's gifting us with the Wishful Yo Glow Enzyme Scrub Jumbo (£56), which is an extra-large version of her very first product — and current bestseller.

Launching on 8 Feb., the Becca Cosmetics Light Shifter Dewing Tint is somewhere between a blurring primer and a tinted moisturiser. Incredibly sheer, the gel-like balm comes in 8 shades that are not meant to provide a ton of coverage. What the formula does do is hydrate and protect your skin throughout the day courtesy of hyaluronic acid and an assortment of antioxidants, provide the tiniest bit of pigment to even out any mild pigmentation, and deflect light so that after you apply it, your skin looks like you're standing behind the Paris Instagram filter.

Benefit Cosmetics, the brand behind a multitude of mascaras you already know and love, is responsible for the latest (and exciting!) development in the product category. The new Benefit They're Real! Magnet Mascara (£20, originally £22) features an innovative formula that boasts extreme lengthening abilities thanks to a magnetically charged core in the brush and a magnetic mineral-enriched formula (hence the name). Basically, the magnetic brush attracts and pulls the magnetic formula up the length of your eyelashes and then extends it past your natural lash to make them longer. The core in the brush is also good for picking up the perfect amount of product, which keeps your lashes from getting clumpy and weighed down with excess formula, while the zig-zagged bristles evenly distribute the jet-black pigment onto your lashes. Want to know more? Read our full review of the new mascara here.

The Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Liner in Ash (£20) made its debut on the runway for Beckham's autumn/winter 2021 show, and is a semi-matte, graphite grey version of the designer's best-selling pencil liner. And who wouldn't love this formula? It's creamy, easy to blend and smudge, and doesn't move about throughout the day.

Huda Kattan may have gorgeous eyebrows, but it's only in 2021 — years after she launched her best-selling makeup brand — that she's given us a product that can help us achieve our own brow goals. The Huda Beauty #BomBrows Microshade Brow Pencil (£15) is Kattan's first ever brow product and, to no surprise, she's found a way to make a brow pencil feel new and unique. Available in eight shades (Warm Blonde, Neutral Blonde, Caramel Blonde, Light Brown, Medium Brown, Rich Brown, Black Brown, Soft Black), #BomBrows features the finest tip possible for a brow pencil at 0.9mm, which means you get incredible precision, whilst the formula itself promises to be smudge-proof, waterproof, and fade-proof for 24 hours.

"When the team & I started this journey, it was so important to me that our first ever brow product would let you create any brow shape or style you wanted," Kattan shared on Instagram after debuting the new product. "So the team & I made the THINNEST tip possible for a brow pencil (0.9mm) - literally as thin as a pin - that gives the most realistic, hair-like strokes for you to fill, style and OWN YOUR #BOMBBROWS."

Whether you prefer organic cosmetics or are interested in making the transition to a more natural makeup bag, Kjaer Weis is a good brand to start with. This month, they've launched two new eye shadow quads that feature shades that can be used day or night, and all year round. Housed in a refillable, plastic-free compact, the Kjaer Weis The Quadrant Eye Shadow Palette (£36) comes in Wanderer, which features four easy-to-wear earthy tones and Spellbound (shown here), with four classic neutral hues — all of which feature a silky texture and certified-organic formula.

Nars' latest launch is a celebration of founder François Nars's mother Claudette. Decorated with vivid black-and-prints, the 13-piece collection is also nod to Nars's love of Yves Saint Laurent and Rive Gauche Paris of the '70s. "I love everything about this collection. Every piece, the dots, the hearts — they represent so many things I owned and loved. Everything is so refined," Claudette said of the range. Whilst we're in love with Nars Cosmetics St Germain Des Prés Eyeshadow Palette (£36) and cheek duo, our favourite piece is the one named after his mum — the Nars Audacious Lipstick in Claudette, a rust red hue that's as bold and sophisticated ad Claudette herself.

When Dame Pat McGrath presents us with a new highlighter, we take her up on the offer. The Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish: Ultra Glow Highlighter (£45), part of brand's Divine Rose Collection, is a supremely silky gel powder laced with crystalline pigments that impart an intense gleam to cheekbones, Cupid's bow, or wherever you choose to wear it.

Available at Boots from 19 Feb., the KVD Vegan Beauty XO Lip Gloss, is the brand's first ever lip gloss (yes, really!). The formula, which smells like crème brulée, is vegan (obviously), comes in seven shades, and features a high-shine finish and medium coverage capacity. We love how the formula feels creamy on lips — nearly balm-like — versus sticky and tacky, and the fact the shades feel more subversive than sweet, like Magnolia (a chestnut brown) and Azalea (a deep cranberry).

Available exclusively at ASOS this month is the Carrington x Lottie London Box (£21), which, as you can probably tell by the name, sees TikTok star Carrington Durham team up Lottie London for an epic 5-piece kit. The beauty box features some of Carrington's favourite products from the brand, including the Oil Slick Cherry Lip Gloss, Stamp Liner — Wing Edition, Lottie Palette in The Rusts, Tapered Blending Brush, and a Dew & Glow Setting Spray.

In typical Inkey List fashion, the brand has found an exciting ingredient to feature in its newest launch, the The Inkey List PCA Bond Repair Hair Treatment (£13). "We came across this ingredient about two years ago and found it really interesting," co-founder Colette Laxton told POPSUGAR. "PCA is used in Brazilian hair salons because the bond-rebuilding formulas we're familiar with here don't work as well on really thick, coily, kinky hair. PCA, on the other hand, truly works on all hair types."

"PCA is a really short, highly-penetrative molecule, and this is why it's different to other things like out there," says co-founder Mark Curry. "Because it's short and because of the way it interacts with the hair filament itself means that it doesn't just work on disulphide bonds (like most bond-building treatments), it works on the water bonds and ionic bonds as well, which is why it will have an instant effect in terms of smoothing frizz and flyaways." This is a good thing because when it comes to curly, coily hair, disulphide bonds are hard for products to reach. "If you imagine straight hair, product can get to every part of the strand," explained Curry. "But if you put a bend in the strand, you lose about 25% of that surface area." The fact PCA repairs all three types of bonds in the hair means that people with curly and coily hair will see better results versus a product that only treats disulphide bonds.

With all the science-y bits out of the way, here's the TL;DR: This leave-in treatment works really, really well. Just spray it on freshly-washed hair and you'll notice once your hair dries (whether by air or dryer), that it looks smoother and feels stronger — almost like how your hair feels after it's just been cut.

Not only are the comb and the hair pick in the Afroani Rose Hair Combs Set (£11) absolutely beautiful, and great for your hair (because of how gentle they are), but they're also good for the planet. The combs are comprised of cellulose acetate, which is a plant-based plastic that is made out of natural raw materials and biodegradable.

Herbal Essences new "Essences of Life" range promises great-looking hair, and some good news for the environment. The entire collection (which includes three different formulas: Repair & Renew, Hydrate & Smooth, and Nourish & Sooth) is vegan and cruelty-free and uses responsibly-harvested aloe extracts. Additionally, as part of the launch, Herbal Essences has partnered with Kew Garden's Millennium Seed Bank, to help save 20 endangered plant species in the UK in an effort to promote plant biodiversity.

Each treatment formula includes a hair mask, an oil mist, and a hydrating concentrate. We have our eyes set on the Herbal Essences Essences of Life Argan Oil Repair & Renew Intensive Mask (£10) to help bring some life back to our very dead, dry ends.

When it comes to relaxed, effortless hair, London-based hairstylist George Northwood knows a thing or two. His clients include the likes of Alexa Chung, Rosie Huntington-Whitely, and the Duchess of Sussex, all of whom have hair that always looks luxe, healthy, and perfectly imperfect. Seven years after opening up his own salon in Fitzrovia, Northwood is bringing his expertise to the masses courtesy of his own hair product range called Undone by George Northwood, which is available both at Boots and on Northwood's website.

The collection is comprised of three shampoo and conditioner duos (Undirty, Unparched, and Undamaged), a weekly detox shampoo (Unpolluted), and three styling products. We can't wait to try
the Undone by George Northwood Unpolluted Shampoo (£18) and the Undone by George Northwood Unpolluted Shampoo (£18), two star performers in the range.

Also launching at Boots in February is Aveeno's new hair-care range, which includes six different shampoos and conditioners all formulated around the brand's singiature soothing ingredient: colloidal oats. And while some formulas are better for drier hair and others curly or fine, what the shampoos and conditioners all have is common is that they're gentle and focused on treating and taking care of your scalp as well as your hair. They're also all safe for sensitive skin types. "The new formulas are sulphate free and pH balanced, respecting the scalp and hair's natural pH levels by gently cleansing hair without stripping it of its natural oils and helping to maintain a healthy moisture balance for the scalp," trichologist Stephanie Sey, who partnered with the brand for the launch, said about the range.

We're looking forward to trying the Aveeno Gentle Moisture+ Rose Water & Chamomile Blend Shampoo (£9) and Aveeno Gentle Moisture+ Rose Water & Chamomile Blend Conditioner (£9), but if you have thick and curly hair, the Frizz Calming+ Almond Oil Shampoo and Conditioner is worth checking out.

Babyliss hair dryers are beloved by professional hairstylists both in the UK and US and for good reason. They're high quality, faff-free hair-dryers that leave hair looking smooth and shiny. Oh, and most of them don't cost over £100. If you have fine hair, Babyliss's newest launch is one to look into. The Babyliss Hydro-Fusion Hair Dryer (£60) was made to be used on fine hair — whether straight, wavy, or curly (it comes with diffuser). But it's not just the tool's two speeds, three temperature settings, and slim nozzle that make it good for those with finer hair. It's the fact the brand has figured out a way to keep hair moisturised whilst you're drying it.

How the heck does this hydrate you hair whilst blasting it with really hot air"? The brand engineered the dryer with something it calls "Advanced Plasma Technology", a system that combines positive and negative ions to keep hair moisturised while smoothing the hair to fight frizz. And if you're still skeptical, it might interest you to know that during the soft launch of the hair dryer back in January, it's already sold out twice and received multiple five-star reviews.

Until now, the plastic-free, sustainable Irish hair brand has offered the Volume Shampoo and the Repair 3-in-1 Conditioner — both gorgeous, natural, vegan formulas that we fell in love with. This month, they launched each product's perfect match: the We Are Paradoxx Repair Shampoo (£18), which helps strengthen and smooth the hair with combination of Carrageen moss, ginseng, babassu, and hazelnut and coconut oils; and the We Are Paradoxx Volume Conditioner (£20), a formula infused with Irish hops and white nettle to help leave hair looking and feeling full and bouncy as it hydrates.

Coco & Eve's Nourishing Hair Masque is hands down one of our favourite products. It leaves hair soft and silky and smells like a tropical holiday (remember those?). This month, the brand gives us another way to keep our hair looking and feeling great with the Coco & Eve Beauty Sleep Pillow Case(£20). Sleeping on the 100% vegan and cruelty-free silk pillow will will mean softer, smoother hair when you wake up, with less tangles and frizz — but without paying a fortune for real silk.

In February, Frank Body debuts its "Everyday Range", a five-piece collection of gentle, uncomplicated body products that will keep skin feeling happy. Another plus? Nothing is more than £12. The collection includes a body wash (both unscented and Milk & Honey Scented), a salicylic face wash, and the Frank Body A Clean Deodorant (£12), which is an aluminium-free, alcohol-free deodorant that comes in an unscented and cucumber & green tea-scented versions.

K-beauty brand Glow Recipe makes its first foray into the body category this month with the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Pink Dream Body Cream (£25). The juicy-smelling formula is packed with actives, including hyaluronic acid, hydrating watermelon extract, liquefied watermelon seed butter (which is a blend of mango butter plus watermelon seed oil), and AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) derived from the hibiscus flower, which provides the cream with an exfoliating effect that's gentle enough to be used every day to keep skin feeling soft and smooth.

Available at Urban Outfitters or from the brand's own website, the new Kiya Cosmetics Lavender Whip Shea Butter (£8) comes in five gorgeous scents — Original, Coconut, Citrus, Lavender and Peppermint — and is made with raw unrefined shea butter imported directly from Ghana (as well as olive oil, rosemary oil, and castor oil to name a few). For £8, you're getting an incredibly multipurpose product. Use it like a body cream to hydrate dry skin, and in your hair as a moisturising mask, a daily moisturiser in between wash days, and to style twist outs, braid outs, and rod sets.

Over the past year, we've just become accustomed to carrying around a bottle of hand sanitiser in our bags, as well as some hand cream to counteract the dry, tight feeling the antibacterial gels and sprays leave behind. With the new Dove Deep Moisture Hand Sanitiser (£3), you get both a hand sanitiser and hand cream in one. The formula is 99.9% effective against germs and viruses, but also contains moisturising ingredients found in Dove's Moisture Renew Blend to leave hands feeling soft and comfortable after you've applied it.

The Isle of Paradise Shape & Glow Big Blending Brush (£12) is inspired by brand founder Jules Van Hep's favourite tanning tool. Like a buffing brush for your foundation, the soft, short, tightly-packed vegan bristles help you effortlessly blend away self-tanner streaks or any spots where you've applied too much — made easy work thanks to handle that fits nicely in your palm. It's also great if you're someone who likes to contour with their fake tan formula.

Launching this month in the fake tan category is the James Read Glow20 Facial Tan Serum (£25), which delivers a golden glow in 20 minutes (hence the name) both thanks to the DHA (the sugar that reacts with proteins on your skin's surface to causes it to turn bronze) and ingredients like vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and aloe vera in the formula — the latter of which help keep your skin hydrated and bright. The best part, though? This serum is meant to fit in with the rest of your skin-care routine, not add an extra step, as you can apply between your cleanser and moisturiser.