AR Beauty Beat, December 2021: Best Beauty & Grooming Releases

Dermatological-grade skincare brand SkinMTX has arrived on Australian shores. Utilising Swiss expertise, SkinMTX utilises innovative active ingredients to deliver clinically-proven results, with standout products including the SkinMTX TeloZyme Youth Activator which utilises telomeres to promote younger-looking skin.

Cosmeceutical skincare range Skinstitut Expert has released a new AHA-based toner that works to slough off dead skin, promote even skin texture, and boost radiance. 5% glycolic acid combines with clarifying witch hazel and soothing aloe vera and green tea to create an exfoliating toner suitable for daily use.

French skincare brand Bioderma has introduced a new addition to its Sébium range. Formulated for oily, acne-prone, and combination skin, the Bioderma Sébium Gel Moussant Actif is an exfoliating gel cleanser made with salicylic and glycolic acids. Designed to unclog pores while respecting the skin barrier, the Sébium Gel Moussant Actif can be used twice daily until acne flareups subside and once or twice weekly thereafter.

Vitamin and supplement brand Swisse has introduced a new sub-brand, Swisse Earth. The new range takes on a more premium feel, comprising four vegan powder blends, formulated to locally and sustainably sourced ingredients and incorporating native Australian superfoods like kakadu plum, lemon myrtle, and finger lime. The range comprises Collagen Boost, Elevate, Immune Defense, and Beauty Cleanse blends.

Rihanna’s ever-popular highlighter now comes in liquid form. The Fenty Beauty Liquid Killawatt Highlighter provides a buildable, high-shine glow that ranges from subtle to show-stopping. the non-greasy formula effortlessly glides onto skin without disrupting other makeup and comes in five shades for all skin tones including pearly opal, pink, peachy, and gold hues.

Launch date: 16th December

One of the most exciting (and hotely-demanded) launches of the year, The Ordinary has finally brought reintroduced a salicylic acid product two years after taking its previous one off the market to reformulate. Unlike its predecessor, The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Anhydrous Solution offers salicylic acid (SA) in a solubilised (not suspended) squalane formula, which works to mitigate any irritation or skin sensitivity associated with SA use. The water-free formula is designed to exfoliate and clarify the skin while reducing the appearance of pores and textural irregularities.

Known for their cult-favourite argan oil treatment, Moroccanoil has released their first-ever fragrance. Moroccanoil Brumes du Maroc hair and body mist features the signature scent that runs through the Moroccanoil line; a blend of spicy amber and sweet floral notes that transports you to the Mediterranean. The mist incorporates argan oil and vitamin E to hydrate and moisturise the hair while its ultrafine spray and lightweight nature ensure it doesn’t weigh your locks down.

Chic Australian sun care brand Ultra Violette has launched its first skin tint. The Ultra Violette Dream Screen is a tinted skin serum with SPF50, designed to provide lightweight to medium coverage and additional sun protection. (atop a dedicated SPF). Dream Screen boasts a thin fluid serum-like consistency akin to the brand’s Queen Screen, providing a natural radiance and making it perfect for drier skin types. Dream Screen comes in 11 flexible shades that adapt to fit most skin tones.

Australian ingestible beauty brand Vida Glow has delved into the realm of topical skincare, releasing an ‘Age Defiance’ range. The premium line comprises a trio of products – a serum, moisturiser, and eye cream – powered by Lumiséa, a trademarked active combining two bio marine actives (sea urchin collagen peptides and ExoPolySaccharides from plankton). The Age Defiance line is designed to be used in tandem with Vida Glow’s ingestible offering to target all layers of the skin with the intent of improving skin firmness and elasticity.

Newly-launched modern fragrance house ROEMY provides a luxury take on sustainable, vegan-friendly, non-toxic fragrances. With a tightly curated range of five scents, standout fragrances are Forest, a crisp aromatic woody scent designed to evoke the Blue Mountains sun after rainfall; and Resort, an elevated sensually sweet scent with notes of creamy coconut and fresh green fig. The discovery set provides the opportunity to try the quintet before committing.

Anti-acne bedding brand Silve has introduced two new captivating colourways to their mulberry silk pillowcase lineup; light blue and tie-die. Treated with natural silver, each pillowcase is designed to eliminate 99.7% of acne-causing bacteria while supporting hair health by reducing friction (and in turn frizziness, split ends, and tangles).

Newly launched Australian skincare brand Vela Days centres around hemp, with each product made with CannaComplex technology at its core. The launch range includes a luxurious Lipid Complex Cleansing Balm made with a slew of plant-based oils including blue tansy, hemp seed, plum kernel, and jojoba seed, as well as cacao butter, and vitamin E; Multi-Active Facial Serum containing encapsulated retinol, niacinamide, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid; and Fortifying Oil Serum, with an array plant-oils, coenzyme Q10, and L22, a compound that mimics the lipid profile of healthy 22-year-old skin. The hero CannaComplex running through the range is loaded with omegas 3 and 6 to promote more supple skin while the anti-inflammatory properties of hemp seed oil soothe the skin and promote moisture retention.