17 new beauty products our beauty editor loved this month
Our beauty routines are important to us, but it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of new beauty products out there. So, we thought we'd make it easier to navigate.
In our monthly series, Fiona, Glamour's associate beauty director, shines a spotlight on the products she's been trying and then reaching for on repeat – from freshly-launched makeup, mood-boosting fragrances and smoothing body care to trending hair care and high-tech skincare.
Keep scrolling for the new beauty products Fi's loved using so much this month, that they’re destined to reach cult status on her bathroom shelf…
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Every year, Jo Malone has an uncanny knack for creating the most perfect festive scents, and its Sandalwood & Spiced Apricot Cologne is no exception. The warm notes of sandalwood and vanilla are like a hug in a bottle on a cold day, while spicy cardamom and the soft fruitiness of apricot are guaranteed to make you the most interesting person in the room during party season.
K-beauty made its way onto my skincare shelf years ago, but now it’s also playing a starring role in my hair care routine. After shampooing and conditioning as usual, I spray 2-3 pumps of this Detangling Hair Mist over my towel-dried hair. Not only does my comb slice through knots like a knife through butter but I’ve noticed that the blend of natural active waters (rice water, organic grape, raspberry and bamboo water) have made my strands stronger and shinier, too. Oh and the bottle ticks two more boxes: it’s refillable (refills cost £38) and looks really cute in my bathroom.
I have one rule for my party makeup – if I’m wearing a glamorous matte lipstick, I’ll pare everything else back and go with a bare eye. On the flip side, if I’m working a strong eye look I’ll just add a swipe of lip oil. This one by Nars is destined for my clutch bag as it pampers the lips with nourishing oils while laying down the prettiest your-lip-but-better glow.
Eye creams often elicit an eye roll from me because they rarely deliver on their gargantuan anti-ageing promises – something the half empty jars that I’m now slathering on my body testify to. But Shiseido’s new eye cream is on a whole other level. First, there’s the buttery consistency, which immediately plumps up any crow’s feet. It’s also the most gentle retinol-powered eye cream I’ve ever tried. The science will tell you that the formula is powered by a ‘safflower technology’, which makes the formula 3 times more effective on eye wrinkles than retinol alone, but all you really need to know is that this product is worth the investment.
The Hourglass festive palettes are fast becoming collectables and this year, the limited edition packaging features artwork from tattoo artist Sasha Unisex. I'm gifting this to a couple of my girlfriends as it has everything you need – blush, bronzer and highlighter – for a foolproof, next-level glow.
You voted Victoria Beckham’s Satin Kajal Liner the ‘Best Eyeliner’ in our 2024 Beauty & Wellness Power List Awards and I couldn’t agree more. I’ve used it daily ever since it launched, switching between the Cocoa and Cinnamon shades. But right now I’m loving the soft shimmer of the new Cocoa Pavé pencil. Think the same cool rich brown tones of Cocoa, but with added iridescence courtesy of a subtle silver sparkle that practically winks at you in the glow of candlelight. It’s become a date night favourite.
It's like the hand cream gods answered my prayers (and perhaps thousands of other people’s, too, as it's virtually sold out everywhere)! I’ve written several times about my love of Prada’s Infusion D'Iris Eau de Parfum and this non-greasy hand cream nourishes your hands, nails and cuticles while releasing soft puffs of the same powdery skin scent throughout the day.
Winter is when skin tints come into their own, hydrating dry skin, reinvigorating a dull complexion and adding just enough coverage to still let freckles have their day. Armani has gone one further with light-adapting technology and a moisturising cocktail of hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and sea lily to ensure your skin is always luminous. I'm obsessed.
Glamour’s acting beauty editor Dominic and I have fallen hard for these chrome liquid liners. They’re a breeze to glide on and you can mix and match the shades. We’re fans of applying Coup de Foudre in the inner corner of the eye and Cuivre 29 for the wing, leaning into crisp feline edges for party season.
The original Shalimar was groundbreaking for its time because it was the first amber scent and for its innovative use of synthetic vanilla. It was big, bold, loud and overtly sexy, announcing itself when it entered a room like an ‘80s suit jacket with shoulder pads. The new EDT couldn’t be more different. It’s far more wearable for a start. It purrs rather than shouts, and is very of the moment with its vanilla base and a huddle of powdery iris, jasmine and rose.
I was lucky enough to be one of the first beauty editors in the world to be introduced to this device over a year ago and I’ve been impatiently waiting for it to launch in the UK! I’m a big believer that skincare alone can only do so much – how you apply it and, more specifically, how you deliver it into the skin can mean the difference between OK skin and amazing skin.
The Nano Resurfacer has 400+ teeny tips, which drive your chosen serum deeper into the skin and cause your skin to create more collagen in response to the needling. I have to admit, I'm personally not a fan of microneedling (too gnarly, too much angry redness) but I really got on board with this device. Even though the premise is the same, it’s much less invasive than those spiky rollers – in fact, I found it completely painless. So if you’re looking for a beauty gadget to put on your Christmas wish list, this could be the one.
At this time of year I constantly need my lip balm within arm’s reach. Rhode has very cleverly just reimagined its signature Lip Case with a new design that snaps on and off the back of your phone to house its Peptide Lip Treatments and Tints. Consider this the ultimate stocking filler for beauty fans.
I’ve recently become a fan of solid perfumes – they’re great for travelling but also for keeping in your handbag as there’s no danger of spillage. This season, Dior has launched J’adore l'Or, one of my favourite perfumes, in a chic solid perfume format. Not only can you anoint your pulse points with its heavenly floral scent when you’re on the go, but its shimmery bullet is infused with jasmine wax that literally melts into the skin on contact. It’s like the ultimate designer beauty accessory.
As the oldest candle maker in the world (Trudon supplied candles to Napoleon I, no less), there’s always something special about the brand’s festive offering. If you’re not wanting to flood your home with the traditional scent of pine needles, the Luna candle may be right up your street with its initial burst of fresh green notes and a woody floral heart of rose, peony, sandalwood and amber. It’s warm, feminine and cosy, plus the pretty votive can be cleaned after you’ve burnt it down to the bottom and repurposed as a makeup brush holder.
This moisturiser isn't new but I've just finished trialling it for three months and I'm really impressed with the texture. It's a great lightweight day cream that's packed with hydrating hyaluronic acid, ceramides to lock that moisture in and, reportedly, 16,000 collagen-boosting peptides in each jar. It's like a tall drink for dehydrated skin at this time of year.
I immediately fell in love with this eyeshadow quad at the Chanel Christmas press day a few months ago. I love that the powders are embossed with Chanel’s emblematic symbols: the lion, the camellia, the comet, wheat and pearls.
I also adore the cosmic hues, which I feel are a more wearable, elevated iteration of TikTok’s blue eyeshadow trend. Think a gorgeous smokey eye created by smudging together the silver-toned dark purple shimmer and matte blue-grey hue before adding a swipe of blue sheen to the inner corners of the eyes.
This is the time of year to embrace a good hair day for every date in your festive diary and to get playful with accessories. Most of my jewellery is by Lie Studio and I just love the brand’s chic, modern take on the humble hair barrette. With its oversized shape, I recommend sweeping your hair into a deep side part and wearing The Maude Barrette as a statement hair slide on just one side or using it to adorn a low ponytail. I promise, it will elevate any outfit.
