Whether you're in need of a complete beauty bag overhaul or are just in the mood for shaking things up a little for the new season, we've searched high and low for the very best April buys. From game-changing cleansers and surprisingly lightweight sun care products to limited edition palettes guaranteed to blow your mind, we've tried them all and rounded them up just for you.
Here are the 10 stand-out products to invest in this month...
Image courtesy of YSL Beauty.
Is there anything more effective than a swipe of barely-there highlighter to pep up tired skin? We think not. Dabbed onto the cupid's bow, down the bridge of the nose and swept across cheekbones, Ciate's brand new balm imparts a subtle, luminous sheen and adds dimension in all the right places.
Ciate Dewy Stix Highlighting Balm, £22, available at ciatelondon.com
Lip biters, rejoice - this twist-up treatment pen is nothing short of revolutionary. The applicator itself has soft, silicone bristles to buff away flaky skin, while the cupuaçu butter and grapeseed oil in the formula work hard to soften, hydrate and protect. Massage it into your lips each night as part of your skincare routine or keep it in your bag for on-the-go smoothing.
Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment Perfecting Wand, £20, available at fresh.com/uk
This clever cleanser has a unique gummy texture that glides onto the skin before turning tacky, helping to lift away impurities and decongest pores. It's packed with antioxidant-rich Kakadu plum extract to keep free radicals at bay as well as macadamia oil to replenish lost moisture and leave your complexion looking suitably glowy. Rinse it off with warm water and you're good to go.
Oilixia Australian Kakadu Plum Gummy Facial Cleanser, £24, available at thisisbeautymart.com
With a full spectrum of neutral-meets-opulent shades, this wondrous limited edition NARS palette is seriously covetable. The ultra-pigmented shadows span shimmering copper to chocolate brown and will allow you to try out every imaginable incarnation of the warm-toned, slightly softer take on the smoky eye.
NARS NARSissist loaded eyeshadow palette, £55, available exclusively at House of Fraser now and at NARS counters nationwide from 1st May
Part balm, part lipstick, YSL’s new formula delivers a fantastic wash of high-shine colour that lasts and lasts. The lip-shaped pigment runs right the way down the bullet, surrounded by ultra-nourishing balm to banish dryness. The polished silver case looks great in your makeup bag and since the colour is buildable it can be applied on-the-go without the need for a mirror. Clever, eh?
YSL Beauté VOLUPTÉ TINT-IN-BALM, £27, available at yslbeauty.co.uk
Part of ghd's new Wanderlust collection, the limited edition V Amber Sunrise Styler comes presented in a chic heat-resistant bag. The smooth, contoured edges make them ideal for creating loose, tumbling waves and the advanced ceramic heat technology ensures high-shine finish every time.
ghd V Amber Sunrise Styler, £139, available at ghdhair.com
Take your haircare routine to the next level with Shu Uemura's new thermo-protective smoothing cream. Perfect for thick, unruly hair, the smart formula combines care and control to deliver a flawless finish every time. Gingko biloba extract hydrates the hair without leaving it feeling heavy, and micro-waxes prevent damage during heat styling. Smooth it through the lengths and ends before blow-drying, and voilà!
Shu Uemura Art of Hair Blow Dry Beautifier BB Cream, £23.10, available exclusively from Shu Uemura Art of Hair salons nationwide
Knots, be gone! This oh-so-flexible brush is what we've all been waiting for. Firm enough to quickly detangle hair, wet or dry, yet kind on your scalp, it's a dream for smoothing through unkempt ends in a rush. The floral design makes it wonderfully easy on the eye and it's inexpensive enough to have one on your dressing table, one in your bag and one in your desk drawer.
Wet Brush floral detangler, £12.99, available at boots.com
A classic cream cleanser with a twist, this game-changing product leaves skin feeling squeaky clean and refreshed. It's rich with purifying Hungarian moor mud and features zinc oxide to balance sebum production. Offering a thorough enough cleanse to rinse away deep-set dirt and grime without stripping away moisture, it's the perfect antidote to urban living.
Omorovicza Moor Cream Cleanser, £49, available at omorovicza.com
It's no secret that sun care products can often leave your face feeling sticky, congested and a little unhappy. Avene's lightweight, mattifying SPF 50 fluid may just be the answer. Having been designed for oily and combination skin, it provides a shield against both UVA and UVB rays and contains monolaurin to actively fight blemishes. A great one for everyday wear as well as warm weather trips.
Avene SPF 50 Cleanance, £16, available at boots.com