AR Beauty Beat, March & April 2023: Best Beauty & Grooming Releases

French skincare brand Bioderma has launched the Sensibio Defensive Serum. With a fragrance-free formula, it’s designed to soothe inflammation and skin sensitivities while hydrating and strengthening the skin. Carnosine and vitamin E provide protective action while peptides strengthen the skin barrier and hyaluronic acid gently plumps visible fine lines.

The Body Shop has revamped its makeup range, introducing a series of inclusive products designed with self-expression in mind. Base products comprise both powder and liquid foundation in 40 shades, concealer in 20 shades, and skin tint in 12 shades, with other highlights including crayons and cream colours, lipsticks, a hemp-in-serum primer, brow pomade, and a setting spray.

Adrian Norris, the co-founder of Aje and Aje Athletica, has launched Ikkari, a contemporary holistic apothecary viewing the mind, body, and spirit as one. Launching with over 70 products spanning ingestible supplements, topical skincare, and aromatherapy solutions, the Ikkari range utilises high-performance ingredients with minimal interference. Highlights include the Deep Sleep Tonic, Cream Cleanser, Clearing Face Oil, and Ikarian Body Wash. The Ikkari range is available online and in all Aje Athletica stores across Australia.

Face Gym, UK-based purveyor of skincare and facial fitness workouts, has launched into Mecca stores across Australia. In addition to in-store treatments, the Face Gym range features at-home skincare and skin tools, including the Liftwear Brightening Vitamin C Gel Cream, Face Coach Lifting Squalene Face Oil, Youth Reformer Firming Vitamin C Oil Serum, and Weighted Face Ball.

A peptide-based moisturiser with a cult following, the Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream has launched into Mecca stores. Peptides combine with amino acids, soybean folic acid ferment, and pygmy waterlily to create a rich moisturiser that works to improve skin tone, texture, and firmness.

Turn the other cheek. The fan-favourite Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk shades are adapted as blush, with these liquid formulas promising flattering, buildable colour. The Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wand is available in three shades — Pink Pop, Peach Pop, and Dream Pop — to suit light, medium, and dark skin tones. 

Made with sunflower and jojoba oils, the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil slide onto the lips like a gloss and settle down into a comfortable moisturising oil. Each of the eight shades corresponds to a Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, making it easy to match your lips to your cheeks.

Luxury German skincare brand Augustinus Bader has landed in Mecca stores across Australia. The eponymous brand was founded by Professor Bader in 2018 and has since amassased a loyal following thanks to its patented technology that promotes skin cell renewal — as well as several celebrity endorsements from the likes of Victoria Beckham, Margot Robbie, Dakota Johnson, and Hailey Bieber. Hero products in the range are The Rich Cream and The Serum.

Australian skincare brand Frank Body has released its new Everyday range, offering face-grade formulas at affordable price points. Comprising four key lines — Clearing, Hydrating, Brightening, and Nourishing — each Everyday product range includes a body wash, face wash, and body lotion targeted towards specific skincare needs. Each line comes with its own carefully selected fragrance; a standout is the Clearing range which utilises niacinamide and salicylic acid in its formulas, accompanied by a woody, citrusy fragrance that claims to smell like a “sexy lumberjack.” Each product in the range is priced from $14-16AUD and is available at both the Frank Body webstore and online and in-store at Priceline.

Combining nine nourishing and conditioning oils with shea butter, the Fenty Melt Awf Jelly Oil Makeup-Melting Cleanser works to effortlessly break down bold beauty looks without stripping or drying the skin. The ideal first cleanse step, the formula is housed in a pump bottle to eliminate the mess associated with cleansing balm jars.

Designed for a sensory moment of self-care, Australian botanical-forward beauty brand Jurlique has introduced its limited edition aloe vera line. Comprising a face mist and hand cream, they work to hydrate and soothe the skin, leaving behind delicate notes of green tea.

Carolina Herrera’s signature scent gets a makeover in Carolina Herrera Good Girl Blush. Utilising the same ingredients in different extractions, Good Girl Blush features notes of sensual vanilla, peony, and ylang ylang, conveying femininity and desire. The vegan-friendly fragrance’s signature blue stiletto bottle is tinted pale pink for the occasion, serving as a piece of art in itself.

A creamy matte liquid formula, the Fenty Icon Velvet Liquid Lipstick promises a smooth finish without drying out the lips. Available in five flattering shades including two reds, a chocolate brown nude, and two pink nudes.

Espousing that skincare shouldn’t be relegated to above the neck, Dr Naomi has added another product into her eponymous brightening skincare line. Dr Naomi Skin Hit The Dec is designed for use on the face and decolletage. Made with the brand’s signature brightening cocktail, it also features kangaroo paw extract, peptides, and hyaluronic acid to even out redness and skin tone while improving skin texture and laxity. 

French skincare brand Avène has launched a nourishing new range aimed at targeting the first signs of ageing while addressing skin hydration, texture, and elasticity. Comprising a serum, day cream, and night cream, the range features niacinamide and hyaluronic acid to support the skin barrier, even out skin texture, and restore hydration. Naturally, each of the products also features the brand’s signature Avène Thermal Spring Water, included for its soothing properties.

Lanolips’ signature formula gets a glamorous makeover with Glossybalms. Sitting at the intersection of lipgloss and lipbalm, the formulas are enriched with lanolin to eliminate dryness and lock moisture into the lips while providing a wash of colour and shine. The Lanolips Glossybalms are available in Candy, a fruity pink hue and Berry, a purple-tinted shade.

Jojoba — a liquid wax ester that mimics the skin’s natural sebum — is the hero ingredient in this hydrating face mask. Designed with dry and dehydrated skin in mind, The Jojoba Company Pure Jojoba Gel Mask works to moisturise and repair dry and sensitive skin, and is suitable for use on acne-prone skin types.

The latest addition to Mecca Cosmetica’s suite of high-performance serums, the Restoring Retinol Serum works to support skin cell turnover and renew skin with continued use. Working to improve the appearance of fine lines and breakouts while evening out skin texture, the Mecca Cosmetica Restoring Retinol Serum is formulated with 0.25% retinol as well as amino acids and hyaluronic acid, to maximise results while minimising the irritation often associated with retinol use.

Newly relaunched Australian skincare label Kit has released its new Body Standard Kit. The Kit Body Standard Kit comprises three of the brand’s hero body products: the Wellness Wash, Body Nutrition Lotion, and Urban Hand Salve, and comes packaged in a reusable red terry-towel bag. Catering to both the skin and the senses, each Kit body product is thoughtfully fragranced with botanical extracts, resulting in a unique sensory experience with every use.

Californian skincare brand Youth To The People has added to its Energy range, with the new Peptides + C Energy Eye Concentrate. The vegan-friendly formula harnesses the benefits of peptides, vitamin C, and yerba mate to brighten and firm the eye area over time, while the addition of mica pigments works to instantly blur and illuminate the eye area upon application.

A barely-there skin tint, the new Rationale Beautiful Skin Superfluid SPF30 is intended to be worn over sunscreen as the last step of your skincare routine. Providing an impossibly sheer, dewy finish, it delivers a luminous glow while providing environmental and sun protection. Photo-protective zinc oxide meets a slew of nourishing, soothing, and brightening ingredients, with the addition of melanin acting as protection against high energy visible light. There are six shades available, based on the Fitzpatrick scale. 

Seeing life through rose-tinted glasses. Australian skincare brand Alpha-H puts a rosy spin on its cult-favourite Liquid Gold. The limited-edition Alpha-H Liquid Gold Rose utilises the same tried and true formula as the original, with 5% glycolic acid combined with silk proteins and red algae extract to gently resurface the skin while supporting skin barrier function to decrease the appearance of pigmentation, fine lines, wrinkles, and uneven skin texture. The addition of damask rose imbues the formula with a spa-like experience that’s a treat to both the skin and senses.

Heritage skincare brand Ella Baché harnesses the benefits of antioxidant-rich superfoods in the SpirulinesLift range. A complex of spirulina and maca meets hyaluronic acid and other formula-specific superfoods to address the signs of ageing, including fine lines and wrinkles. The Ella Baché SpirulinesLift line comprises a firming serum and brightening eye cream, which are designed to suffuse the complexion with a healthy glow.