4C Only Too Easy Collection
Finding the right products to help your curls look juicy and full is a challenge, especially when many textured hair products are marketed for 2b waves all the way to 4c kinks and coils. The latter group needs a bigger boost of moisture to help keep their texture nourished and help with styling, which means the formulas that work for one end of the curl spectrum aren’t always suited for the other. That’s where new brand 4C Only comes in, with a four-piece collection of products that are made for 4c hair exclusively (hence the name). From the moisturizing shampoo that’s packed with aloe and argan oil, to the styling cream which uses carnauba wax for flexible and crunch-free hold, we recommend scooping up all four products (which also includes a deep conditioner and a leave-in conditioner) to upgrade your wash-day routine. Bonus—the brand is also Black owned and female founded.
La Prairie Platinum Rare Haute-rejuvenation Cream
Keeping the negative effects of stress at bay for your skin requires powerful ingredients, which is why the new formulas in La Prairie’s Platinum Rare Haute-Rejuvenation line are at the top of our must-have list. The platinum multi-peptide and cellular complex (which is exclusive to the brand) help to strengthen your skin barrier, renew epidermal cells, and defend your skin against environmental stressors. All the research is backed by clinical studies as well, so although the price tag is steep, you know you’re getting some of the most potent and effective products on the market. Consider this cream a substantial investment in your skin’s health.
Covergirl Lash Blast Clean Volume Mascara
We all know the power of a drugstore mascara, but now Covergirl has debuted its first clean, Leaping Bunny–approved formula for full, fluttery lashes. The new launch is free from parabens, sulfates, talc, and mineral oil and includes nourishing argan and marula oils to help keep your eyelashes in tip-top shape. And the packaging? It’s FSC certified and made from 80 percent recycled paper from well-managed forests. Just imagine all the lifting and volumizing benefits from your favorite mascara, but with clean ingredients and responsible packaging—aka exactly what we want out of our makeup products.
Georgia Louise C+ Pure Ampoule with Ionic Wand
Vitamin C is the gold standard for banishing unwanted pigmentation and helping your skin look its most luminous and glowy. Celebrity aesthetician Georgia Louise is taking it to the next level with her latest launch, which includes a specially formulated powder form of vitamin C (which is the most stable). You release the powder into the serum formulate base, which contains powerful actives and antioxidants including hydroxydecyl ubiquinone to protect from free-radical damage, glutathione, an amino acid mix to brighten and fade dark spots, tranexamic acid, a lysine derivative to prevent moisture loss, and vitamin E. Pair that with the specially made ionic wand—which uses negatively charged ions (aka galvanic current) to push the serum deeper into the dermis—and you have a recipe for otherworldly glowy and nourished skin.
Dove Nourishing Hand Sanitizer
Who would have thought we’d be so jazzed over a new hand sanitizer? Such is the reality of 2020. Dove’s new formula utilizes a patented technology to deliver nourishment and moisture to your dry, cracked hands for eight hours while also killing 99.99 percent of germs. Soybean oil, stearic acid, and echium seed oil are the hero ingredients here to help minimize moisture loss and drench your skin in fatty acids and phospholipids. Trust us—this might be the beauty purchase you appreciate the most this season.
Skinbetter Science AlphaRet Clearing Serum
Dermatologist-beloved Skinbetter Science debuted their newest serum for acne-prone skin this month. The technology uses the brand’s patented retinoid in combination with acne-fighting heavyweight salicylic acid to clear pores and improve skin texture. Worried about your skin feeling too dry? There’s also soothing and hydrating ingredients like honey and ginger-root extract to keep your complexion nourished and flake free. Add it to your nighttime routine for increased skin clarity in just a few weeks, and be sure to use an SPF during the day.
IT Cosmetics Pillow Lips Solid Serum Lip Gloss
Keeping your lips adequately moisturized is a constant battle in the colder months, but we also don’t want to sacrifice a gorgeous color payoff. Enter IT Cosmetics’ new solid serum lip gloss, which contains collagen, hyaluronic acid, and a tri-oil complex to help your pout stay hydrated, pillowy, and flushed with color. Each of the eight shades provides a shiny pop of rose, pink, burgundy, and more, with four hours of hydration and zero feathering. We’re partial to the red plum Like a Dream shade, but we’ll happily stock up on every single variety while they’re still available.
Josh Rosebrook Active Infusion Oil
Fans of Rosebrook’s Active Infusion Serum, prepare yourselves, because the beloved clean formulator has a new iteration of that biomimetic active and plant compounds blend, with the addition of a retinoid and vitamin C. Both of the new ingredients help to fight pigmentation issues, brighten, minimize fine lines, improve elasticity, and restore overall radiance to the skin. A nourishing oil is exactly what our parched skin needs as we dive headfirst into winter.
Superzero Shampoo Bar for Dry, Color Treated, and Frizzy Hair
Shampoo bars are the future of green hair care, and this new brand is leading the way with its collection of targeted treatments (which include conditioners in addition to shampoos). This gentle sulfate-free formula is equivalent to roughly 17 ounces of traditional shampoo (which means more space in your shower for your favorite masks, conditioners, and other hair goodies) and is packed with cocoa butter to help nourish dry, damaged hair, while also being color safe thanks to its natural silicone alternatives and lack of artificial fragrance. Help save the planet from an influx of wasteful packaging *and* help your hair look and feel its best? It’s a win-win.
Loum Unwind Essential Oil
Fragrances in 2020 are more functional than ever, with aromacology stepping to the forefront of stress-relieving research. That’s why we love this new essential oil blend from Loum, which worked with neuropsychologist Dr. Sanam Hafeez to get the blend of geranium, ylang ylang, neroli, lavender, and broad-spectrum CBD just right. All four are known for their ability to lessen your anxiety levels, while the additional blue chamomile, frankincense, and sandalwood lend their natural sedative properties to help you drift off to a restful night’s sleep. We’d recommend adding this to your nighttime routine, with a thin layer added to your wrists and temples before lying down for the evening.
Deborah Lippmann Hydra-cushion Balmy Lip Gloss
Nail polish titan Deborah Lippmann releases her first foray into makeup this month, and let’s just say matching your lip color to your nails will never be the same. The Hydra-Cushion Lip Gloss comes in seven of Deborah Lippmann’s iconic nail polish shades and has buildable coverage that can be worn as a sheer wash of color across the lips or as an intense statement in an otherwise subdued makeup look. This formula contains hyaluronic acid and collagen, which will plump and moisturize while looking extra chic on your lips.
Honest Beauty Reusable Magic Silicone Sheet Mask
Upon its arrival to the Western world, the sheet mask has found its way into every skin-care lover’s medicine cabinet, vanity drawer, or fridge door. But we must admit that along with packaging, plastic protectors, and the cloth mask itself, sheet masks are extremely wasteful. Honest Beauty’s new sheet mask is made from silicone, rendering it reusable for what may seem like forever. Plus, silicone is naturally antibacterial, meaning you won’t ever have to worry about adding blemish-causing bacteria to your skin. And because silicone acts as a great barrier when on the skin, it will trap topicals between itself and the skin, making an evaporated sheet mask a worry of your past.
Vertly Floral Soak Bath Salts
Consider purchasing this bath salt if you long for the moment when you can finally re-enter your favorite Russian bathhouse once more. This bath salt contains Himalayan pink salt and magnesium, a powerful duo for releasing tension and aches from muscles, while calendula and colloidal oatmeal work to nourish and moisturize sensitive and dry skin. With ylang ylang, eucalyptus, and rose geranium providing soothing aromatherapy, you can rest assured that this full-spectrum CBD bath will transport both your mind and skin to a place that is stress- and worry-free.
Eskafil Youth Activating Cream
If you thought snail skin care was no longer en vogue, think again. This new moisturizer contains a potent amount of snail mucin, an ingredient that contains a peptide complex known to brighten dark spots, smooth texture and fine lines, and restore bounce in the skin. Ingredients like allantoin work hard to promote skin cell regeneration, while meadowfoam oil protects the skin’s lipid barrier without ever making it feel greasy. This cream is ideal for those with blemish-prone skin.
Krigler Abrakaadabra 221 Parfum
Fragrance is powerful because it can transport a person to another state of mind with just one spritz. Krigler’s new parfum is inspired by the incantation Abracadabra, because upon application, notes of bergamot and sandalwood deliver the mind to a meditative state, while floral French lily of the valley induces an airy feeling of bliss. Although this parfum can leave a person feeling like a cherub walking through a sunny field of daffodils, notes of white musk and Indian pepper work to invigorate the senses with the perfect amount of spice. Consider splurging on this one—you deserve it after this year.
Trinny London Eyetallics Metallic Eyeshade
’Tis the season of shimmer, baby. Yet glitter application can at times be synonymous with a tension headache. For those of you who enjoy a maximalist look with minimal effort, try Trinny London’s new eyeshadow on for size. This cream-to-powder eyeshadow locks glitter into place, meaning you won’t ever have to worry about fallout during application (or throughout your day). This formula effortlessly glides onto the lids with a swipe of the finger, and the color payoff is quite intense, meaning you’ll shine like the star that you are within seconds.
Pai System D Schisandra & Ceramide Cooling Eye Serum
The D stands for débrouillard (the French word for remaining resourceful during moments of intense pressure), which is the perfect word to describe this new eye serum by clean beauty brand Pai. It contains schisandra CO2 extract, which acts as an antioxidant to ward off free radicals from the sensitive eye area, and a ceramide complex that keeps the skin looking firm and line free, despite whichever environmental stressors are trying to wreck it throughout the day. This eye serum soaks into the skin almost immediately, making it the perfect base for under-eye concealers.