Our editors and journalists share their honest thoughts on every new beauty product to land on our desks in the last month.
As far as new seasons go, spring never fails to pile on the fresh energy and excitement for the warmer days to come.
This sentiment was reflected
In August, we uncovered a handful of products we’d be willing to sub into our own beauty rotations, and others that are more likely to collect dust on the shelf (sorry).
Read on for the Viva team’s picks of new beauty products worth trying this month.
Skincare
I’ve never used a cleansing balm before, usually preferring oil cleansers, but this was something of a revelation, melting into an oil on application, and then emulsifying with water to cleanse further. A great, easy-to-use product. It was both hydrating and nourishing, cleaning off the day but without any sense of stripping or astringence — which is what I like about this kind of cleanser, more suitable to my dry and sensitive skin. It had no discernable fragrance, which is my preference when it comes to skincare. The packaging was a bit youthful for my taste, but it’s the product inside that counts, right? — Emma Gleason, deputy editor lifestyle audience
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Advertise with NZME.As a long-time fan of Lancôme’s original Advanced Génifique, I was surprised to learn it had undergone a renovation of sorts. As one of the first pre- and probiotic serums, Génifique has been reformulated to include a 98% concentration of pure beta glucans, an ingredient touted to be even more effective than hyaluronic acid (never thought I’d see the day). The supercharged ingredient (known on the INCI list as Beta-Glucan-CM) helps boost skin recovery, supports a healthy skin barrier and boosts the skin’s natural defences against environmental and UV damage. Of course, pre- and probiotic fractions still feature in the formula (if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, and all that) alongside liquorice extract to soothe redness. Beyond this, the packaging has been reimagined to include a 50ml refillable format, which is priced at a fraction of the full-sized product itself. The skincare newbie slotted seamlessly into my twice-daily skincare regime (after a splash of water in the morning as well as after my double cleanse at night). I noted the viscosity had changed, it’s lighter than the original, which has a slightly more watery texture, it spreads further and absorbs faster. It left an ever-so-silky feel to my skin, and created a hydrated canvas on which to apply additional skincare or makeup to follow. A+ — Ashleigh Cometti, beauty editor
If you’re wondering what La Roche Posay Mela B3 Clarifying Micro Peeling Gel is or does, you’re not alone. I barely recognised any of the words in its name, and the instructions are minimal: apply to wet skin, massage gently and rinse off. It’s a cleanser designed to gently exfoliate the skin and reduce the appearance of pigmentation. It contains niacinamide and La Roche Posay’s patented Melasyl to purify skin and “improve skin texture” by promoting the skin’s natural renewal process. To use, I cleansed my face to remove any makeup with a balm cleanser, then did a second cleanse with Mela B3, leaving it on for 1-2 minutes before rinsing off and completing my usual nighttime skin routine. In terms of consistency, it’s a thick gel with a light fragrance that creates a fine foam when massaged onto a wet face and rinses off easily with water. My skin felt quite tight and a little bit hot an hour after applying moisturiser, which was concerning for someone whose skin barrier can barely handle a vitamin C. Although it says it’s suitable for all skin types and can be used twice a day, I’d approach it with caution if you have sensitive skin. — Johanna Thornton, deputy editor lifestyle premium
The scent of this mask is subtle, which I appreciate with skincare — anything too overly fragrant is quickly thrust out of my collection. In my testing, I found the texture pleasant and the process of washing it off easy (it’s a relief not to scrub at a face mask that refuses to budge after application). I didn’t notice any immediate effects, positive or negative, on my skin but I’m intrigued enough to continue my trial. It’s great to see that the product is vegan and that the bottle is recyclable. I appreciate their transparency in noting the packaging of this is produced offshore, but I’d love to see a change for a brand that says it is “New Zealand made”. — Madeleine Crutchley, multimedia journalist lifestyle premium
This New Zealand company says it’s “founded on the conviction that simple is best”, which would explain the unassuming packaging - plain white tubes with straightforward blue typography. I love the brand’s gel cleanser, which lathered well and easily removed my makeup, leaving my skin clean and fresh, without any tightness. Ingredients include green coffee bean seed extract, kawakawa leaf extract, sunflower oil, sweet orange oil, lemongrass oil, aloe vera leaf extract and caffeine, giving the gel a fresh, zingy fragrance (although it does claim to be fragrance-free). Would definitely use again. - Stephanie Holmes, Premium Lifestyle and Travel Editor
Fourteen words immediately came to mind when I received this new Avene product to trial: “Why be someone else’s type on paper, when you can be your own type on paper?” The incessant Avene ads during the recent season of Love Island on TVNZ may have been annoying, but they were certainly effective - the slogans are etched in my memory, likely for eternity. As a product, this has a gelatinous texture, which is easy to apply, as well as a subtle scent. Its product info says it’s the perfect base for makeup, but for me, that wasn’t true - it provided too much of a barrier over my skin, meaning my foundation sat on top and was impossible to blend, leaving a patchy look. It works much better as a night cream for me. Without putting all my eggs in one basket, I’ll keep using this to see if the claims of having firmer skin within 15 days will come true. - SH
Makeup
I was a little dubious when I clocked the shade of this Nars Explicit lipstick — a brown or “cool taupe” called “Exposed”. “Would I look like J-Lo with this on?” I asked beauty editor Ash. “No,” she assured me, “chocolate lips are hot right now”. Infused with rosehip seed oil, hyaluronic acid and Nars’ Luxe Comfort Complex, this satin lipstick is so lovely to wear; it feels like a hydrating, glossy balm and the colour is creamy and dimensional - and has a slight pink tone to it, so it’s not a true chocolate brown. I’d wear this with jeans and a white shirt for a subtle daytime makeup look. Extra points for the pretty case, which is embossed, refillable and has a magnetic lid closure. — JT
Liquid eyeshadows have been the biggest game-changer in my beauty routine this year. Lacking both finesse with a brush and patience to attempt a full look each morning, I’d usually just rock bare lids and a lick of mascara but Mecca Max’s extremely user-friendly Zoom Flex Fluid Liquid Shadow, $25, broke me out of my comfort zone and I now frequently wear a buffed-out wash of their pastel products over my orbital area as part of my day-to-day.
Now that I’m comfortable applying something to my lids, I’m pushing my boundaries further with elevated formulations — Violette_FR Yeux Paint Twinkling products are a similar but next-level product. Designed to be applied on bare lids; “no primer or precision necessary”, these shimmering liquids can be applied direct from the handy doe foot applicator, and either built up or blended out. I test-drove Bleu de Minuit, a foiled midnight blue shade, the brand demonstrate it applied as a strikingly high-impact shadow and liner, but as an entry level I dabbed the teensiest dot in line with my pupil then haphazardly blended blended blended until it sheered out to the subtly romantic duskiness of a midnight sky. — Tyson Beckett, multimedia journalist lifestyle premium
I struggle to find a powder that suits my dry skin. It’s tricky to balance setting my liquid products while avoiding parched patches — to navigate this I tend to apply powder products with a smaller brush. I faced those familiar issues with this powder. I also found the packaging for this product a bit too fussy and clumsily split a fair bit of it upon application (I generally prefer more secure containers for loose powders). It’s probably not an extra I would pick up for my personal beauty routine. — MC
Like the Yeux Paint, this liquid eye product is housed in a short toteable tube (this one is rectangular) that is visually akin to a lipgloss and comes with a tapered doe foot applicator you can use to apply the matte formula as a striking winged line or a smudged base. As someone with hazel-brown eyes, I’m used to being told purple shadows will make my eyes “pop” and I think to achieve the most dynamic contrast and fully appreciate the creamy high-pigmented colour, this shade is best built up rather than diffused. Against my bleached blonde hair the sheer lavender read a bit Debbie Harry (not a complaint!) so when I wear it again I’ll commit to the full-throttle application. Half Magic is the brand from Donni Davy, the makeup artist behind Euphoria, so it tracks that my thinking veered towards this product’s suitability for youthful music festival makeup, especially as it claims to provide 24 hours of smudge and transfer-proof wear. — TB
This was a rollercoaster ride for me. Handling the cylindrical tube and pulling out that fuzzy-tipped wand with a thwack, I have flashbacks to 2002 and the lip gloss we slathered on. Fully expecting a tacky product, I dab on a little with trepidation and realise that this couldn’t be farther from it. I realise it is indeed as billed, a “baume” and not a gloss. That demure, milky pink colour — again, reminding me of some ill-advised “nude” lip glosses I wore as a teenager — is a false alarm too. Billed as regenerating, nourishing and smoothing, that’s exactly how it feels. A very chic, very cosseting lip treatment, the hydrated feeling lasts for ages without being sticky or greasy like some balms. You can also slather it on a bit before you go to bed for an intensive treatment, but this is so nice that I plan to ration it out for longevity. As is clear by the packaging (retro-romantic vibes) and name, this is rose-scented. I’m not usually big on fragranced stuff, but this is lovely — comforting, nostalgic and springy, but not overpowering. — EG
As with all MCo products, there’s a lot to love about the price point here. The double-ended pen has wax on one side to coat the brows and a tiny toothbrush-style brush on the other to position the hairs the way you want them. It’s a clear wax so I feel you’d need naturally strong brows to get the best of this product. Mine are sparse and mousey-coloured so this one didn’t do much for me. I tried using it over my regular dark-brown gel, but didn’t get great results - the wax clumped the gel together, and when I tried to even it out with the brush, it took off all the product. This is one beauty essential I’m happy to pay more for. - SH
Hair care
I have short, fine hair that repels volume and can get weighed down and overwhelmed by ultra-nourishing products. At the end of a haircut when the hairdresser asks if I want some waves in my tresses, I usually tell them to spare their arms — the style will have dropped by the time I get home. So, I had high hopes but tempered expectations for this styling cream that the brand described as “a lightweight and conditioning blow dry cream to maximise the volume of your next blow dry”. It’s not a miracle product, and I’ve only used it in conjunction with the brand’s Duet Blow Dry 2-In-1 Hair Dryer Brush, so I can’t vouch for its efficacy with other tools but I’ll take all the help I can get and after applying it sparingly and drying in upward strokes with the dryer brush, my bob did appear more polished and bouncy. The next day my tresses were closer towards needing a wash than if they were uncoated, but I’ll use this again before a date or event. — TB
Nails
I’ve booked in my monthly manicures for longer than I’d care to admit (though my bank account can’t lie), so in a bid to restore strength and shine to my natural nails, I’m attempting to go shellac-free this September. We’re not even a week in and I’m already struggling (dramatic but true) so to scratch my proverbial itch, I’m reaching for all manner of nail treatments to help restore my digits to their best. Manicare’s new Overnight Revival Treatment promises to hydrate and restore nails while you snooze, thanks to its signature ingredient: a plant-based keratin alternative, alongside vitamin B5 and five key minerals. When I first clocked the turquoise glitter bottle, I had flashbacks to my HBK-wearing, trucker cap-donning youth. Thankfully, it applies mostly clear (save for a subtle shimmer) and dries within 60 seconds, which meant I could apply it quickly before jumping into bed. It doesn’t feel tacky or sticky, either. The instructions say to wash it off in the morning, and in my bleary-eyed haze I didn’t look at my nails before jumping in the shower, so who knows how much of it ended up on my sheets. It may take repeat applications to get my nails healthy again, but its ease-of-use means I can habit stack this with my nightly cuticle oil ritual. — AC
More beauty
The Viva team take beauty for a test drive.
Head Spa, Review: This Tingly Massage Offers A Moment Of Grounding. At Morgan & Morgan, you’ll find a senior stylist offering a tingle-inducing head spa, advice for deep-cleaning hair care and an excellent blow wave. Viva takes the treatment for a test drive.
How To Build A Low-Waste Beauty Routine. Overwhelmed by plastic piles, Madeleine Crutchley trials a low-waste beauty routine for one week.
Fire & Ice Facial, Review: Would You Try Cold Shock Therapy On Your Face? It’s affectionately known as the “red carpet facial”.
Safe, Efficacious Skincare That Can Be Used If You’re Pregnant. Lucy Slight shares a line-up of pregnancy-safe New Zealand skincare to splurge or save on.
Is The Shark Beauty Hot Brush Worth The Hype? A Beauty Editor’s Review. Can it really transform tresses in the face of humidity? Viva beauty editor Ash Cometti found out.
