From a famous, affordable eye serum, to a lash and brow booster with exosomes, a nostalgic woody body mist, and a whipped cheek and lip colour. August’s has delighted us with some hardworking and affordable beauty buys to suit every taste. Editor Trudi Brewer edits the best. Read on to learn more.
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For years, the skincare industry has been awaiting breakthroughs in peptide technology, and it appears No7 is kicking goals with Future Renew. The potent ingredients in this little tube are worth noting. First, a super peptide blend, the brand calls Pepticology technology, works to 'bio-hack' the natural repair process to renew over 50 key proteins in the skin. Add hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, vitamin C and rice proteins—and this becomes quite a concoction. It’s a pleasure to pat on each day, not too weighty, so it sinks in fast and doesn’t contribute to any milia formation (which is always a good thing). Addresses dark circles, and those fine lines that are more noticeable when you wake - but what’s more, the brand promises you will see results in eight weeks. No7 is available exclusively at Life Pharmacy.
First up, this lash and brow booster has been expertly packaged. A dual-action enhancer with a liner brush on one end and a mascara wand on the other to capture every hair, even the almost invisible. Powered by a hair-enriching Exo-Grow peptide complex. Now, if you haven’t heard about exosomes, they’re gaining popularity in the beauty world and for good reason. This brand offers proven results from a potent immune-tolerant Exosome technology that are tiny messengers that deliver peptides, proteins, and growth factors deep into the hair follicle, where remarkable regeneration happens. It’s also made without silicones, parabens, phthalates, harmful nasties or artificial fragrances. Of course, it’s cruelty-free and best used twice a day. Expect bushier brows and longer, stronger lashes - you will love the results.
The bonus with this multi-purpose beauty buy is that it doubles as blush and lip colour. It’s also brimming with hyaluronic acid in an oil-like whipped formula to hydrate skin and leave a soft-focus flush of dreamy colour on the cheeks or lips - you decide. Easy to blend with fingers or a brush, all eight shades smell like toasted marshmallows. Pictured here is a winter must, Hopeful Romantic.
This airy scent from an iconic beauty brand is reminiscent of fresh laundry or a spa day, with earthy and slightly woody aromas. It also leaves a subtle glow, ideal for dry skin in winter. We like the simplicity of a fresh body mist, straight from the shower, and the ingredients, the brand describes as Sandstone: Where mountains meet ocean, are gorgeous. Think sandalwood, clary sage, and fig leaf (much like Jo Malone’s Wood Sage & Sea Salt), but without the hefty price tag. We are hooked.
Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour products have been our mainstay for healing and protecting our skin. Now the new Hydraplay Daily Defence Nourishing Fluid SPF40 gives instant protection against the factors that age skin faster than time - UVA and UVB rays. Add pollution, and from blue light, we are hit with it every time we stare at our screens, and our skin is exposed without daily SPF. This newbie is a blend of active chemical screens (that absorb UV light) like Avobenzone, Homosalate, Octisalate and Octocrylene, as well as antioxidants like soybean and sugar beet extract. As well as Blue Oléoactif, a clever active ingredient extracted from rice varieties (black, red, and brown), created to protect skin from the harmful blue light. It’s lightweight, leaves no white cast like some SPF, and it’s fragrance-free. It’s the perfect protective primer under makeup.
It’s crushing to have acne-prone skin, and if you have tried plenty of patches and solutions and nothing will curb your breakouts, then this powder-to-cream is worth a shot. The formula is unique, according to the brand, it combines powder and liquid at high speed to create mini capsules of water encased in the powder. Once in contact with the skin, the powder transforms into a cream, making application easier and invisible. So, to the science behind the ingredients: Ten per cent sulfur, a mineral with keratolytic (that breaks down dead skin), it also has antibacterial benefits and reduces excess oil production. It works well for clearing mild acne, unclogging blocked pores, mopping up excess oil, and calming redness. Blended with glycolic acid, antioxidants, such as nourishing hyaluronic acid and niacinamide (vitamin B3), they gently target the spot without irritating the skin. It’s active but mild enough for sensitive skin, and the brand guarantees visible results in under 1 hour. If it’s as popular as The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Masque - also brilliant for acne-prone skin- it’s going to be a smash hit.
And they smell amazing!