Spring is underway and with the start of every major season comes the beauty giant’s press day where it hosts a major showcase (now known as House of Sephora) for the media to highlight its latest crop of makeup and skincare products, and notably, there appears to be a greater focus than ever on products that went viral on TikTok, as you’ll see below. Here, our picks for the upcoming Spring 2023 season at Sephora.
The Mother of makeup is finally making her way into skincare and her first foray is a bi-phase essence designed to give a glow to the skin. The highlight here is a rose-centric complex that helps to calm and rebalance, while HydraSphere 18 (a combination of plant oils such as sweet almond and macadamia) nourishes and restores moisture levels to soften, smooth and plump the look and feel of skin.
Launches April 20
This primer is the latest entrant to the fruity brand’s popular Strawberry range – it’s a silicone-free primer that doubles up with skincare benefits; strawberry enzymes has been combined together with encapsulated BHA (salicylic acid) to help reduce pore size. From the sound of things, it’s likely targeted at oily-skin types, as salicylic acid is a top-tier ingredient that excels at exfoliating congested skin. Together with mattifying tapioca powder, this primer is said to prolong makeup wear and reduce excess shine for up to eight hours.
All things with a soft matte finish appear to be on the way back – probably due to the new “cloud skin” TikTok trend (just picture dewy and matte skin having a baby together). Makeup maven Charlotte Tilbury’s new blush wand adds a flush of soft-focus colour to your cheeks – three shades are available, though the fourth, Tilbury’s signature Pillow Talk, is available only on her website.
One more for team matte: Selena Gomez’s makeup label Rare Beauty has just released a Souffle Matte Lip Cream, which is said to offer rich colour and a velvet finish without its traditional drawback – dry lips – thanks to a botanical blend of lotus, gardenia, and white water lily extracts.
Hand cream but make it super cute. Korean label Amuse’s product focuses on ceramides – a key ingredient in fortifying the skin barrier – that’s produced from fermenting Jeju beans. Additional ingredients like shea butter, basil extract and panthenol keep your hands nourished without any irritation.
Launches June 1
TikTok’s viral foundation of the moment is finally here. Tarte’s Maracuja (a type of passion fruit) line has been around longer than the social media channel and it’s always been a hit for the brand, so it only makes sense that they expanded with a foundation. The product offers the range’s signature moisturising benefits (derived from a blend of over 10 botanical extracts), medium coverage, 16-hour wear that’s supposedly waterproof and naturally, a dewy finish. If you’re into that glazed donut look, this might be the one for you.
We’re big fans of Vitamin C for its ability to give a glow to the skin and its strong antioxidant properties. But Dr Dennis Gross is taking it to the next level with its new Vitamin C Lactic range. There is a serum but also a new moisturiser that packs in three different forms of Vitamin C, including the gold standard L-Ascorbic acid, but also tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (a more stable, oil-soluble form) and 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid (reputedly the most stabilised form).
People tend to overlook the importance of a good cleanser – they are the first step in removing makeup, sunscreen and any pollution encountered during the day. Cleansers also disrupt the skin’s pH level (albeit temporarily), which is crucial in maintaining the skin’s ecosystem, so it’s important to use a gentle, pH-balanced cleanser. Dr Jart’s version uses ultra-gentle amino-based surfactants (cleansing agents) and a high amount of soothing humectants (water-binding agents) like glycerin and panthenol to deeply clean the skin without leaving it depleted.
The makeup label’s best-selling gel-based eyeliner has just been upgraded with a super-fine micro tip for more precise lining of the eye and is said to be smudge-proof, matte, and long-wearing.
Launches April 20
The American sunscreen specialist has dozens of products with sun protection but if you’re a dry-skin type, their signature dewy-finish Glowscreen might be an option to consider. It comes packed with powerful antioxidants and humectants like niacinamide, panthenol and peptides to nourish the skin and it also doubles up as a primer. The brand is now expanding the Glowscreen family with two tinted hues, Dawn and Sunrise, to boost its coverage game.
Launches May 21