As a beauty team, it’s quite literally in our job description to trial an array of beauty buys available on the market to see if they are actually worth investing in.
We’re incredibly lucky to get our hands on a plethora of products, including some of the best new beauty launches and even those that have earned themselves cult status. Amongst the dozens that we test, some products leave such a good lasting impression on us that they earn a spot within our everyday routines.
The product empties our beauty team have loved this month
With the number of beauty products we collectively test each month, it’s quite the achievement if one manages to work its way into our daily regimes. In fact, finishing every last drop, pump or scoop of a formula is a true testament to how much we’ve enjoyed using the product. So, it’s only fair to share the gems we couldn’t get enough of this month – acting as your try before you buy service.
Murad
Heartleaf Soothing Face Cleanser
RRP: £29
“It’s pretty rare for me to reach this level of empty with skincare, as I always have so many on the go. This is an exception because it’s my ideal cleanser, or to be specific, it’s my ideal face cleanser to use in the morning, in the shower. The gentle formula is absolute perfection for this purpose, as it never stings my sensitive eyes should it dribble into one, and has a lightness of touch that makes sense in the AM as I will (hopefully) have already shifted my makeup well before bed. It has a creamy feel that doesn’t lather, just swishes around the skin, cleaning without stripping and adding softness with ceramides. Finally – shout-out to the packaging. A big, squeezy tube that’s very convenient while it’s full and fun to crush down like this once it’s empty. Top marks, will use again.”
~ Fiona McKim, Digital Beauty Editor at woman&home
Dr. Hauschka
Facial Toner
RRP: £27
“I literally go through bottle after bottle of this stuff. A light mist that is slightly more wet than the very fine ones, but not too wet that it soaks your face uncomfortably, this is the perfect quenching base to layer serums for an extra hit of hydration. It’s also great to apply throughout the day if your skin is feeling a little parched.”
~ Aleesha Badkar, Beauty eCommerce Editor at woman&home
BLINK BROW BAR
Brow Boost Serum
RRP: £49
To preface, I have been on a real journey with my brows. I have naturally thick, dark eyebrows, however they are fairly sparse in some areas – particularly at the front of one eyebrow, which struggles to grow hairs thanks to a childhood scar. Although I’ve tried brow serums before, not many have made a noticeable impact, that was until I tried the Blink Brow Bar Brow Boost. I brushed this serum through my eyebrows every night before I hit the hay and by the end of the bottle my eyebrows appeared fuller and denser in those previously sparse areas – not to mention a lot softer too. This is certainly one brow serum I would repurchase again.
Charlotte Tilbury
Hollywood Flawless Filter Primer & Highlighter Hybrid
RRP: £39
“The absolute state of this bottle speaks volumes as to how much I use and love Charlotte Tilbury’s Hollywood Flawless Filter. It is one of the only beauty products I consistently repurchase and truly miss when it runs out. The glow it gives the skin and how beautifully it sits underneath the best foundations and best cream blushes are just a few of the many reasons why it’s an essential in my makeup bag.”
~ Naomi Jamieson, Digital Beauty Writer at woman&home
Clarins
Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster for Face
RRP: £23
“Tanning drops are everywhere these days, but that wasn’t at all the case when Clarins first launched this (I can’t even tell you how many years ago, at least 10) Aside from giving respect to an OG, the reason I’m almost at base with this bottle is that it’s so conveniently tiny and portable, so it comes on every single trip I take. Also, the formula is supremely concentrated so you only need to add a teeny amount to your moisturiser for a lovely, healthy glow. I used to find the shaker-style bottle slightly annoying, as you have to give it some welly just to get one or two droplets out. However, after many streaky, orange disasters with other brands, I now see the logic in the rationing. This is how to self-tan in subtle, French-girl style.”
~ Fiona McKim, Digital Beauty Editor at woman&home
Ole Henriksen
Truth Orange Ferment Barrier Booster Essence
RRP: £37
“I love an essence for adding some extra hydration to skin before going in with my serums – and this ended up being a pretty good addition to my routine. Super refreshing it made my skin feel really quenched as soon as it went on and gave my skin an instant plump and refreshed look. With vitamin C and niacinamide, it offers a bit more in terms of overall skin health than other essences tend to, but I can’t say I noticed the effects of these much, as I already include those ingredients in my routine.”
~ Aleesha Badkar, Beauty eCommerce Editor at woman&home
La Roche-Posay
Effaclar Duo+M Moisturiser
RRP: £20.90
I’m always sceptical of trialling a new moisturiser in fear of it causing havoc on my sensitive, blemish-prone skin, however I fell in love with this La Roche-Posay formula after just a few applications. I noticed my frequent hormonal breakouts reduced massive while using this cream, while also excelling at its main job of hydrating the skin – without needing a lot to do so. It does have the tendency to occasionally pill when wearing underneath makeup, however I chose to apply the lightweight cream in the evening before I went to bed to avoid this. That said, this is one formula I’d race to add to my basket again.
Tatcha
Indigo Cleansing Balm
RRP: £40
“I cannot begin to describe the agony of having to return to cotton pads and classic makeup removers after finishing this Tatcha’s Indigo cleansing balm. As you can tell, I clung on for as long as possible, using the chic gold coin applicator to dig out every last drop of its balmy goodness. As someone with dry skin, I found it so gentle and hydrating, and not at all stripping. It also removes stubborn mascara fast and I just loved the whole ritual and self care-y aspect of massaging it into my face every evening – to melt away my makeup and the day. It’s safe to say, it will be sorely missed until I can restock…”
~ Naomi Jamieson, Digital Beauty Writer at woman&home
NIP + FAB
Vitamin C Fix Concentrate Extreme 15%
RRP: £24.95
“A good Vitamin C serum is a non-negotiable part of my daytime skincare routine – and this one’s so good I’m now at ‘swirling the pipette around the bottom of the bottle to suck up every drop’ stage. As well as containing a really effective concentration of Vit C (don’t bother with anything less than 10%), it also includes skin-conditioning niacinamide for a double whammy of benefits. I’m a bad one for jumping ship halfway through a product, but the thing that’s made me stick with this is the texture, which is unusually pleasant, like a silky HA serum rather than an antioxidant product. Top marks, would use again.”
~ Fiona McKim, Digital Beauty Editor at woman&home
Farmacy
Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturiser
RRP: £44
“I scraped every little bit of product out of this (slightly annoyingly hexagonal) jar. A luxuriously creamy moisturiser that actually soaks into rather than just sitting on the top, this is somehow thick but lightweight meaning it smoothes over skin easily and feels comfortable to wear while delivering some very-much-needed hydration and nourishment.”
~ Aleesha Badkar, Beauty eCommerce Editor at woman&home
Tropic Skincare
Morning Mist Soothing Toning Essence
RRP: £20
I’ve tried an array of face mists in the past, but I’ve never found one this fine before. Forget a face mist that shocks you with each spritz, this slow-releasing applicator delicately distributes its nourishing formula onto your complexion – without completely drenching your skin. As someone with sensitive skin, I can appreciate its kind-to-skin, nutrient-packed formula, featuring the likes of avocado milk, aloe vera juice and hyaluronic acid. I also love how it can be used in a multitude of ways within your routine, for example as a soothing toner, to give your makeup a dewy finish or as a refreshing pick me up throughout the day.
Meet the beauty team
Fiona McKim
With 15+ years of industry intel, woman&home‘s Beauty Channel Editor, Fiona has tried more beauty products than she’s had hot dinners. Having tested a plethora of beauty products over the years, Fiona knows a good product when she spots one. She is also a judge of the annual woman&home beauty, hair and skincare awards.
Aleesha Badkar
Aleesha is Beauty eComm Editor at woman&home, where she gets to share her expertise into all the best techniques, sharpest tools and newest products—with a particular savvy in skincare and fragrance. Not only does she test some of the newest beauty launches every month, Aleesha also judges in the annual woman&home beauty, skincare and hair awards.
Naomi Jamieson
Naomi is woman&home‘s Digital Beauty Writer. Clued up on all things fragrance, nails, hair (and more), Naomi covers the latest beauty trends, giving her honest review of products and sharing her personal shopping recommendations. She also judges in the annual woman&home beauty, skincare and haircare awards.
Sennen Prickett
In her role as Digital Beauty Writer, Sennen tests an array of new beauty launches each month, reviewing the latest trending beauty buys and is a whizz at scouting out the very best beauty deals on the market. She is also a judge for the annual woman&home beauty, hair and skincare awards.
