April sees many iconic products across various houses being upgraded – take for instance the long-running Dior Addict lipstick, which turns 21 this year, or Sulwhasoo’s popular First Care Activating Serum, which turns 26. Read on to find out how each has been fine-tuned, expanded upon or revamped.
Dior’s famous Addict lipstick turns 21 this year, and this Y2K baby has since carved out a name for itself with its trademark glossy finish and just as importantly, it was the first Dior lipstick designed as a fashion accessory. While the black lacquered case is now synonymous with Addict, the maison has just launched three new limited-edition “couture cases” ($45 each) – the Brick Cannage case which sports Dior’s signature emblematic canework motif in deep red fabric; the petal pink Rose Montaigne case; and the sleek White Canvas case, which features the Dior Oblique pattern.
Alongside these new cases, there are 10 new shades ($62 each) joining the Dior Addict family – a soft palette of nudes, rosewoods and reds. They are all crafted with 90 per cent natural-origin ingredients, a promised six-hour wear and a hydrating formula comprising of plum oil and jasmine wax for skin nourishment and added shine.
The Dior Addict lipsticks are available now at all Dior Beauty boutiques, counters, Dior Beauty Online Boutique, Sephora and www.sephora.sg, while the limited edition couture cases are exclusively available at Dior Beauty boutiques, counters and the Dior Beauty Online Boutique
The First Care Activating Serum is typically most people’s initial brush with premium Korean skincare label Sulwhasoo and for good reason; the product has been with the brand since it was first established in 1997. It’s designed to be the very first step you use after cleansing to alleviate the stress on your skin and prep it for everything else that comes after and now, Sulwhasoo has just launched the sixth generation of the product, now known as First Care Activating Serum VI ($125 for 60ml and $170 for 90ml).
The main highlight of the latest generation is Lyphanax essence, which is ginseng that has undergone a whopping 500 hours of natural ripening – the addition of this ingredient helps to further revitalise and strengthen the skin. According to the brand, the newly upgraded serum strengthens the skin’s barrier within just three days of usage and addresses key indicators of skin ageing after four weeks of continuous use. Look out too for the revamped bottle design – it’s now more portable, thanks to the incorporation of a lighter glass and is designed to pay homage to traditional Korean porcelain jars.
Available now at all Sulwhasoo counters
The French maison introduced their exclusive TXC molecule (the signature active ingredient in their Le Blanc range) back in 2011 and it’s known for fully addressing all the key factors of hyperpigmentation and acting on keratinocytes and melanocytes in order to regulate melanin production.
The latest product in the Le Blanc skincare range is the Le Blanc Intensive Multi-Spot Treatment ($223), which features an extra concentrated amount of the TXC molecule and the product is designed to target and correct various types of – even deep-seated – dark spots, particularly those located around the eyes. The treatment, which comes in a non-greasy gel-balm texture, is fragrance-free and therefore particularly well-suited for use on the delicate eye area, where hyperpigmentation and dark circles are common.
In the accompanying Le Blanc makeup range, the maison has also infused two products, the Brightening Concealing Stick ($60) and Brightening Compact Foundation ($103), with extract of gardenia, one of Gabrielle Chanel’s favourite flowers, known for its moisturising and smoothing properties.
Available now at Chanel Fragrance & Beauty boutiques, counters and e-shop
The seventh concoction in Hermes’ Parfums-Jardins collection is Un Jardin a Cythere, which was inspired by Christine Nagel (the maison’s in-house perfumer)’s very first trip to the Greek island of Kythira. The island is said to be an idyllic paradise, though its landscape is naturally dry and windy, replete with olive trees and high grasses, according to Nagel. Being the poetic perfumer that she is, Nagel sought to encapsulate all of the Greek island’s tactile textures in Un Jardin a Cythere, which is an uplifting woody citrus perfume containing notes of olive trees, pistachios and yes, grass. Sounds like quite the perfect number to pack for a summer vacation, if you ask us.
Accompanying the bottle is a special box illustrated by Greek artist Elias Kafouros, whose detailed compositions have inspired the designs of many Hermes scarves. Depicting the grass browned by the sun and caressed by the wind, the pink of the fresh pistachios and the green of the olive trees against the blue backdrop of the sea, the artist brings together all the key components of Un Jardin a Cythere ($110 for 30ml EDT; $160 for 50ml EDT; $228 for 100ml EDT; $326 for 200ml EDT refill).
Available now at Hermes boutiques, counters and www.hermes.com
Oily-skin folks have something new to look forward to in Gucci Beauty’s latest launch: Eternite de Beaute ($105), a no-transfer foundation that reportedly lasts 24 hours, thanks to a nifty combination of high-skin affinity powders and coated pigments with a proprietary polymer technology.
The finish is described as luminous matte, with sebum-controlling properties (thanks to the inclusion of bamboo powder), while hyaluronic acid and black rose oil ensure that the foundation is not a drying formula despite its matte finish. A single pump of this pigment-concentrated foundation is said to allow for full coverage due to a formula that spreads easily on the skin. There are 25 shades in total, covering a range of four undertones cool (C), neutral (N), warm (W), and olive (O).
Available now at Gucci Beauty boutiques and counters, selected Sephora stores and www.sephora.sg
SK-II’s GenOptics Ultraura Essence has been the Japanese giant’s best-selling product in the brightening category for 26 years and it just got even better. The newly updated version ($244 for 30ml; $362 for 50ml; $489 for 75ml) features the brand’s signature yeast-derived Pitera essence, as well as a proprietary SDL-PRO complex (this reduces the appearance of dullness and sallowness) and Snow Lotus Complex, which helps to increase the skin’s clarity and brightness.
Available now at all SK-II boutiques and counters
Imagine if the hardcore matte obsession from the mid 2010s and the juicy, K-beauty-birthed “glass skin” trend of 2020 had a baby – the result is likely to be “cloud skin”, which is trending now on TikTok with almost 60 million views and which places emphasis on a lit-from-within, soft-focus finish. Brands are coming on board – take for example Tom Ford’s new Traceless Soft Matte Concealer ($102), a lightweight stick concealer said to offer medium-to-full coverage. The formula, available in 12 shades, features hyaluronic acid that offers instant and long-lasting hydration and spherical powders to softly blur out imperfections.
Available now at selected Sephora stores and www.sephora.sg, Tangs at Tang Plaza, www.tangs.com, and Takashimaya D.S.
Belgian wunderkind Glenn Martens has made Diesel a thing again since he joined in 2020 and everyone knows it. It only makes sense that his magic touch now extends to the olfactory; the denim specialist has just introduced D by Diesel, a gender-fluid fragrance and the first scent to be overseen by Martens. D by Diesel contains two sustainably sourced ingredients: Bourbon vanilla infusion from Madagascar, and Diva lavender flower from Provence.
The eau de toilette is said to start off fresh and cotton-like (thanks to the denim accord), before it morphs into a more warm and sensual number. As for the bottle itself, its made from 25 percent post-consumer recycled glass, and for the first time, all formats ($94 for 50ml; $125 for 100ml) the bottle are refillable.
Available now at Metro, BHG, Isetan and Takashimaya D.S.
If you’re someone who prefers a lightweight moisturiser, look out for La Mer’s newly revamped Moisturising Soft Cream ($174 for 15ml; $350 for 30ml; $625 for 60ml; $940 for 100ml), a much lighter version of the brand’s OG Creme de la Mer that first launched in 2012. More than a decade on, La Mer has just unveiled an upgraded version.
Each jar reportedly contains more of the brand’s proprietary “moisture spheres” (they contain La Mer’s famous “Miracle Broth”) than its predecessor, and the spheres are also now graduated in size to accelerate delivery into the deeper layers of the skin – think of it as filling the skin layer-by-layer like puzzle pieces to saturate its surface from every angle. According to the brand, its latest studies indicate that its signature Miracle Broth helps to activate the production of lipids (basically good fats) in the skin for a healthy and youthful look.
Available at all La Mer boutiques, counters, retailers and www.sephora.sg
Exfoliating acids were the major skincare trend a couple of years ago, and for good reason – they refine the skin to reveal a brighter, smoother complexion the very next day (albeit temporarily). Many brands thus increasingly launched exfoliants with really concentrated acids, and when used too often or inappropriately, they could definitely damage the skin barrier.
Those looking for something milder should check out Lancome’s new Clarifique Pro-Solution ($180 for 30ml; $245 for 50ml), which focuses on using 10 per cent PHA to gently exfoliate. PHA (short for polyhydroxy acid) is part of a newer generation of acids that are ultra mild – they also have moisturising properties, so it’s really a good multi-tasking ingredient. Other key ingredients include all-star niacinamide and beech bud extract (the signature ingredient of the Clarifique range that boosts the skin’s enzymatic properties).
Available from April 1 at all Lancome stores, counters, Lazada and www.sephora.sg
