AR Beauty Beat, January & February 2024: Best Beauty & Grooming Releases

Glycolic and citric acids work to slough off dead skin cells and reveal the softer, smoother skin beneath. Prickly pear extract and polyglutamic acid help the skin retain water and moisture while super lotus aids in reducing the appearance of fine lines and texture.

A subversively sensual take on the classic gourmand, Tom Ford Vanilla Sex pairs the namesake ingredient with amber and sandalwood to create a warm, sexy scent.

Designed to promote a good night’s sleep, the luxuriously textured kit: Good Night Balm cocoons the skin in a soothing herbal scent with notes of rosemary, myrrh, spearmint, lavender, sandalwood, and vetiver. Enriched with tea tree oil, kangaroo paw flower extract, and Japanese grape extract, it works to support skin regeneration overnight and promote smoother, firmer skin.

Comprising a serum, eye cream, day cream, and night cream, Caudalie Resveratrol-Lift sees the popular range add plant-based collagen into the mix, which has been exclusively patented by the brand in collaboration with Harvard. Unlike animal-based collagen, the patented plant-based version is biologically identical to that of our cells, allowing the dermis to absorb it fully. The plant-based collagen joins antioxidant-rich resveratrol and hyaluronic acid in each formula.

Comprising the gently exfoliating Grime Fighter Body Wash and the nourishing Midas Touch Body Lotion, this duo is designed to promote silky smooth, hydrated skin. The former contains lactic acid to slough off dead skin cells while the latter uses niacinamide to soften and even out skin tone. Vitamin-rich apricot seed oil is common to both products, working to soften and moisturise the skin.

Cocktailing your makeup and sunscreen is verboten. However, the suncare legends at Ultra Violette have created a reality where it’s possible. The Ultra Violette Queen Screen Super Glop Drops SPF50 combine broad spectrum sun protection with a healthy dose of radiance. It’s available in two shades—Bronzing and Illuminating—and can be mixed into your sunscreen or worn over or under makeup.

Niacinamide, squalane, and hyaluronic acid join forces in these pigmented liquid blushes to create a formula that hydrates and moisturises the skin while providing a flush of colour. It’s available in six classic and shimmery shades.

Founded by an ophthalmologist, beauty brand Okkiyo creates products suitable for sensitive eyes. The Okkiyo Prioritieyes Mascara is designed with eye health in mind, with its zero-irritation formula well-suited to those with eye sensitivities or prone to dryness. The formula is made with nourishing ingredients including manuka honey, glycerin, and plant-based waxes.

Available in a quartet of versatile shades, the Summer Fridays Dream Lip Oil is made with nine moisturising plant oils, delivering a high-shine subtle wash of colour that can be worn on its own or over lipstick.

A fruity and floral cocktail of lychee, blackcurrant, sweet violet, and rose is underscored by sugary amber and vanillas as well as skin-like musk, making for a joyous summer fragrance.

A matte lipstick with a weightless finish, the Australis Lip Blur is a provides a buildable pigmented flush of colour. Enriched with hyaluronic acid and jojoba oil, it boasts a comfortable finish that doesn’t flake off. Available in ten shades comprising orange, berry, brown, and red tones.

The Ole Henriksen Double Rewind 0.3% Retinol marks the Scandinavian brand’s first foray into retinol. Combining 0.3% encapsulated retinol with soothing and hydrating aloe juice, rowanberry, and birch sap, it works to deliver the wrinkle-smoothing benefits of retinol sans irritation.

Red hibiscus meets jasmine and vanilla in this sensual floral scent.

Here are AR, we’re big fans of the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Barrier Cream, so when the brand announced the release of a richer, balm formula we immediately perked up. The Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Barrier Balm is enriched with colloidal oatmeal, beta-glucan, and ceramides and is designed to target irritation, dry skin, and redness.

A combination of hibiscus and safflower extracts, rice protein, and provitamin B5 work to volumise lashes and promote lash growth. Tested by an ophthalmologist, the Benefit Whoop Lash Serum is designed to work without irritating sensitive eyes and can be used alone or under mascara.

Ideal for those with dry or combination skin, the Fenty Beauty We’re Even Hydrating Longwear Concealer delivers medium coverage without looking cakey or settling into wrinkles or fine lines. Sodium hyaluronate and prickly pear extract support the skin’s hydration and moisture retention abilities while Persian silk tree extract aims to fight signs of fatigue around the delicate under-eye area. Available in 50 shades.

Designed to impart a high-shine finish without the stickiness, the Gucci Beauty Gloss à Lèvres Lip Gloss range comprises six shades (including a clear variant) and is enriched with nourishing plant extracts and hyaluronic acid. A unique polymer blend works to blur lip lines and folds for an even, crystal-like finish.

The iconic Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum gets a new outfit for the Year of the Dragon, with an illustrated cap depicting the auspicious creature. Inside, the beloved formula remains unchanged from the previous year, with the brand’s proprietary ginseng-enriched master complex designed to improve the skin barrier and defend against signs of ageing.

A high-shine, non-sticky lipgloss with broad spectrum sun protection, the Airyday Lip Me Dreamscreen SPF50+ is enriched with hyaluronic acid and shea butter to care for lips as it protects. It’s available in vanilla or watermelon and can be used on its own or atop lipstick.

Founded by scientists and microbiome specialists, skincare brand Biomiq approaches skin (and overall) health through a microbiotic lens. The Biomiq Acne Skincare Wipes aim to clear acne-causing bacteria without damaging the skin microbiome, using lactobacillus ferment filtrate to restore the microbiome to its equilibrium. Phytosphingosine, ceramides, and cholesterol work to strengthen the skin barrier. The Biomiq Acne Skincare Wipes are designed to be used after cleansing on clean, dry skin, prior to applying any other skincare products.

French beauty brand Bioderma has released a serum with multi-weight hyaluronic acid, carnosine, and niacinamide designed to hydrate, strengthen, and plump the skin.

In spite of Go-To founder Zoë Foster Blake’s frequent pontificating about the relative redundancy of eye creams, the brand has released—you guessed it—an eye cream. The Go-To De-Crease Eye Cream is made with encapsulated retinal (a non-irritating retinoid), as well as peptides, honey locust extract, niacinamide, and mushroom extract. Its designed to smoothen wrinkles and fine lines, while firming the under-eye area.