This is where you come to find out whether a beauty product lives up to its promises - and price tag. Beauty Director Charlotte Jolly gives her honest take on the latest drops, limited edition launches and cult buys, covering skincare, make-up, hair, fragrance and wellness.
How we choose the products
This is my edit of new and noteworthy products. As Hello! Fashion’s Beauty Director, I am sent samples to try and I have the opportunity to question the founders and formulators behind most brands. These are the products I would spend my own hard-earned pennies on.
Why you should trust me
When I’m not directing shoots, interviewing experts or camping out backstage at fashion week, I’m mostly swatching, spritzing and sharing out products - trying to figure out what really works. I love print magazines and have been writing for weekly and monthly publications for over 15 years, but I’m starting to see how gratifying it can be to do away with lead times and report on new brands and emerging trends for online, too. Right now, my to-do list looks like this: weigh up the case for human-derived exosomes in skincare, research fragrances that smell like rice steam and stalk the Cécred PR to try and secure an interview with Beyoncé.
Pep Talk
Rénergie H.P.N. 300-Peptide Cream
Lancôme
Why it works
The peptide hype is real, a recent clinical study suggests that peptide creams can promote higher levels of collagen.
Not a week goes by without a new peptide-powered skincare product landing on my desk. Peptides occur naturally in the body and are best described as ‘building blocks’ for proteins such as collagen and elastin. In a cream or serum, they’re supposed to act like messenger molecules, signaling for more building blocks. But not all peptides are created equally. Most products contain synthetic versions and only up to a dozen different types. I’ve landed on Lancôme’s new Rénergie H.P.N. 300-Peptide Cream - catchy name, I know. It uses plant-derived peptides and 300 different types - so some of those have got to stick, right?
Oil's Well
Skin Food Ultra-Light Dry Oil
Weleda
Why it works
It’s nourishing but non-greasy. An oil-in-water formula that sinks in in seconds - softening skin and giving it an instant glow.
I first discovered Weleda’s Skin Food cream backstage at Fashion Week. Make-up artists love layering it under foundation or using it to create highlights. Most celebrities I interview swear by it, too. The newest member of the Skin Food family is this Ultra-Light Dry Oil - I actually spotted it being road-tested at the Eudon Choi show, to give the models’ shoulders and shins extra gleam. It’s so sheer you can layer it up, which is great because that signature Skin Food scent - a citrus, rosemary, lavender blend - keeps me coming back for more.
Great Lengths
Blow Dry Wash
Kevin Murphy
Why it works
Because Tiktok says #ricewater is the secret to stronger, healthier hair. Just joking, that’s not a good enough reason. Using rice water rich in proteins and amino acids to wash hair is an ancient ritual that has been used in China, Japan, Korea and India for centuries.
Here’s a strengthening, sulphate-free shampoo I can whip up into an airy lather. It shifts product build-up (even overnight masks) and doesn’t knock back my colour. It contains rice proteins to boost shine and elasticity. And, as basic as it sounds, the normcore bottle does it for me.
Magic Bullet
Nars Afterglow Lip Balm in Orgasm
NARS
Why it works
It’s that magic combination of pigments - peach, pink and gold.
It’s a best-selling, suits-all blusher, but did you know Nars’ iconic Orgasm shade also comes as a lip balm? Now I don’t normally go for buttery balms, but this is silky and sheer. Usually, if I’m make-up free, adding lip colour draws attention to my dark circles and seems to sharpen patches of pigmentation, but Orgasm lifts and brightens. It also seems to set off any make-up look. I’m not subbing this out for anything at the moment.
Saving Face
Active Recovery Broth
Reome
Why it works
Powered by lab grown biotech actives, these ingredients are more potent than their synthetic and natural counterparts.
There’s a lot of buzz about new brand Reome. Founded by Joanna Ellner, an acupuncturist and former beauty journalist, Reome encourages a more ritualistic approach to skincare. The Active Recovery Broth sits somewhere between a serum and an essence, and it’s been formulated to calm redness and inflammation, feed your skin’s microbiome and strengthen its barrier function. As someone who tries lots of products, it’s a tonic for stressed-out skin.
HELLO!'s selection is editorial and independently chosen – we only feature items our editors love and approve of. HELLO! may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. To find out more visit our FAQ page.
