From a non-sticky lip gloss to sculptural skincare, we share our honest thoughts about every new product to land on our desks.
You’d be forgiven for thinking that every new release product comes housed in packaging adorned with candy canes or gingerbread men at this time of year.
Instead, most
This month, we landed on a suite of products threatening to throw time-honoured favourites off their perch, while others (sadly) left us wanting.
Read on for the Viva team’s picks of new beauty products worth trying this month.
Skincare
Honestly, the packaging of TWYG’s products put me off trying them earlier. It looked so beautifully sculptural that I assumed this was a case of style over substance. Big mistake, huge. Turns out my skin adores this overnight mask. I’ve been using it after exfoliating in the evenings and come morning my complexion has appeared noticeably brighter – clear and calm. Like the rest of the TWYG line, Totarol is the hero ingredient. The potent antioxidant extracted from the tōtara tree is lauded for the way it neutralises free radicals linked to skin ageing. Also in the mix is skin-loving niacinamide, hydrating squalene and vitamin C-rich kakadu plum oil.
Though heavy in efficacy it’s relatively lightweight in feel, something that appeals as someone with combination skin. I found it spread and absorbed easily – the brand suggests layering thickly and blotting off excess after 20 minutes but I didn’t need to. It has a softly sweet lemon-balmy scent with the faintest floral note that may not appeal to those sensitive to fragrance, but I found the aroma gently nostalgic. Another bonus, the brand says all their packaging is 100% recyclable and will soon be available in refillable form too. — Tyson Beckett, lifestyle premium multimedia journalist
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
I liked the consistency of this moisturiser, and for combination skin like mine, I want something a little less greasy. This is thick but not too tacky. The SPF is not subtle though and it does take some time for me to really work the product into my skin. It says it leaves a luminous cast instead of a white one, but it takes some time to make it feel seamless on your face. Afterworking the product into my skin, it feels like I’m wearing more of a sunblock than a moisturiser. This is good for ageing skin as it feels like there’s ample support for thin skin. It has a subtle smell of the included coconut oil and candelilla wax, but it’s not overpowering. It comes in a 60ml pot, is easy to use and would look good in your bathroom cabinet. Antipodes has a range of lovely-looking products that hero its commitment to sustainable skincare from New Zealand. — Dan Ahwa, creative and fashion director, Viva
I loved how hydrating and protective this felt on my dry, sensitive skin. I used this every other day, as I found that repeated use caused a few blemishes as it’s quite intense. This goes on thick and clear. There’s no film, residue or cast, so while it feels like there’s a protective layer, it’s not discernable to the naked eye. With three ceramides, hyaluronic acid and petrolatum, it’s hydrating on the skin while also giving a barrier that locks in moisture and feels like it’s protecting against the environment sucking it out again. No fragrance, which is what I like. Easy to squeeze and clearly labelled, this is clear and simple like all of CeraVe’s range. — Emma Gleason, lifestyle audience deputy editor
I really wanted to love this product, which is billed as the world’s first clinical-strength retinal for under eyes. It claims to reduce puffiness and crow’s feet, and brighten dark under-eye circles – all things I desperately need. It felt nourishing and hydrating on application and I woke up feeling fresher after the first couple of uses. But after the third time, I woke up with puffy eyes and patches of irritation. This is a common reaction for my extra sensitive eyes, but I had to discontinue use for fear of the irritation getting much worse. I perhaps should have started with Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye 3, which has 0.03% retinal, and built up to 6 (0.06%). If you’re a regular retinal/vitamin A user, this could be a great product for you, but I’ll be finding a new home for my barely used tube. — Stephanie Holmes, premium lifestyle and travel editor
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.As a recent convert to balm cleansers and a fan of Kora’s other products (I use their hydrating oil) I very much enjoyed this one. Gentle but effective, this melts into the skin quickly and emulsifies any makeup and dirt away, while also feeling hydrating and nourishing. Any fragrance was barely discernible – which, if you know me, means it ticks my boxes. The tub is huge, so it feels very generous. There’s a little spatula if that’s your thing, but I (rightly or wrongly) like using my fingers. The design is simple and elegant, so no need to hide this one away in the cupboard. — EG
Makeup
I’m a big fan of Aleph’s lip and cheek tints and their black gel liner and reach for them on a weekly basis. I expect this tint will be another addition to my summer makeup bag. The formula is light, as is the coverage – this is my personal preference for everyday foundations. The liquid texture blends evenly across the skin and creates a pleasant sheen. Once it has set (I leave it to dry for a minute before adding other products on top), I don’t notice much shifting throughout the day. It is in a limited range of shades, so I have to mix one of my other foundations in to lighten the tint (which is the lightest of the three released). I hope an extended shade range is in the works. I’m impressed with the addition of SPF – the formula isn’t overly shiny and it’s nice to know it will supply extra protection on top of my usual layer of sunscreen. — Madeleine Crutchley, lifestyle premium multimedia journalist
A common complaint with lip glosses is that they leave lips feeling tacky or sticky, of which Giorgio Armani’s latest iteration does neither. The recently released, oil-based formulation spreads easily over lips, drenching them in high-shine, lightweight colour. The slimline applicator is much smaller than some of the larger doe-foot wands out there, but still does a solid job of collecting and dispersing product to lips. As far as ingredients go, the addition of a 14% concentration of squalane helps to hydrate (a welcome treat if your lips are on the drier side). I love layering lip gloss over top of my lipstick, and Prisma Glass gives the illusion of a more pillowy pout when combined with solid colour underneath. — Ashleigh Cometti, Viva beauty editor
During my everyday routines, I tend to prefer balms and glosses to lipsticks – they are easier to reapply and tend to be a little gentler on the lips. This tinted lip butter serves those wants well. The tint is a subtle pink colour and the raspberry scent is nostalgic (sweet berry lip balms were a staple of my tween and teen years). I’m happy to see it’s labelled as vegan and cruelty-free too. This would work well for those who also prefer glossy textures and want something breezy for everyday wear – after my test drive, I throw it in my handbag for easy, on-the-go application. — MC
I turn towards cream blushes and bronzers in the warmer months because they tend to be more buildable than powder products. This one works okay, though I don’t know that it’s best suited to my skin type – it gathers and sticks to dry patches on my skin. There are other cream blushes that I’d use ahead of this one. — MC
Hair
Plagued since childhood with oily hair, I’m generally a wash-it-every-day kind of gal. I’ve tried dry shampoos in the past but am never quite convinced about the results, which often leave my hair feeling dusty, gritty and looking quite grey. My previous favourite is Lush’s No Drought, but this product from luxury US haircare brand Crown Affair is even better. Like No Drought (but with a heftier price tag), it’s made from all natural ingredients like persimmon powder and tapioca starch. It comes in a pot similar to a loose face powder you’d use to set your makeup, with a fluffy brush that makes it easy to target the roots and evenly distribute the powder. I was impressed with the results – my hair felt soft and looked shiny and voluminous, with no remaining traces of oil, and a fresh, citrus scent. The packaging was my only gripe. The brush is kept inside the container and once I’d removed the plastic seal over the holes that disperse the powder, there was no way to reseal it again. Things got a bit messy, especially when transporting the product in my gym bag to and from work. Looking at Crown Affair’s website, newer versions of the product come with a resealable sifter to rectify this issue. — SH
I love the consistency of this as it’s perfect for thick, curly hair. I like that it’s not too dense, there’s a nice softness that easily glides through my curls – wet or dry. It’s great for frizz and fly-aways as it has a demi-matte formula. It comes in a lavender-coloured 50ml pot, perfect for travelling and last-minute fixes. Minimalist design makes this an easy addition to any bathroom cabinet. — DA
I religiously apply leave-in conditioner no matter if I’m heat styling my hair or not, meaning I’m particularly fussy about how well it performs on air-dried hair, too. There’s been plenty of hype surrounding Dyson’s new hairstyling range, a selection of products to use both pre- and post-styling with four formula options geared towards specific hair types and conditioning preferences. I tested the straight-to-wavy option, which offers light conditioning on hair that’s either naturally straight, slightly wave or has more defined S-wave shapes (mine sits somewhere between the first two). Leave-in conditioners I’ve tried in the past have either weighed down my ends, or left behind a strange residue that causes my hair to look oily even if freshly washed. Thankfully that wasn’t the case this time. Dyson’s take uses a blend of grapeseed and argan oils to gently nourish and condition, without the extra weight, alongside hero ingredient chitosan – a derivative from oyster mushroom said to offer all-day, flexible hold (but without the crunch). The subtle bergamot scent was a nice touch, not at all overpowering when paired with my daily perfume, either. — AC
Body
Niacinamide offers broad benefits to the skin: strengthening the robustness of our skin’s lipid barrier, calming inflammation-related redness or blotchiness, regulating the production of sebaceous oil and lightening dark pigments. None of these ailments are ringfenced to the face so it makes sense to incorporate it into your body care – enter this milky and featherlight multi-functional emulsion from The Ordinary. This offers an approachable introduction to niacinamide, but given it comes in a 100ml bottle as a daily niacinamide use, I sense I’d get frustrated with how quickly I tore through a bottle of this. I’ll keep this on hand to spot-treat things like itchy bites on my legs or humidity-induced chest breakouts and for daily use on my face stick with the weightier 10% serum version that also incorporates zinc. — TB
More on beauty
From local launches to Viva team test drives.
New Zealand Brand Bowie Launches At-Home Micro-Needling Tool For Glowing Skin. The trio behind new local beauty brand, Bowie, share the inspiration for their micro-needling tool with Ashleigh Cometti.
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”.
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.
