Looking to revamp your beauty stash this year? We've rounded up the industry's best know-it-alls to inspire your next purchase with their cult recommendations for 2018. Be it makeup, hair or skincare, our experts are at the top of their game, and these are the products they can't live without. We've got makeup artist to the stars Amanda Bowen (counting Emma Willis as her most loyal client), beauty bloggers Pixiwoo and our very own HELLO! beauty whizzes on our list of brains to pick - so fire up your shopping list!
Whether you're looking for the expert-approved skincare choice of a celebrity facialist, or the low-down on 2018's best-loved hair treatment from a top stylist, click through our gallery to find out about this year's most exciting products. Psst - there might be a sneak peek at one of Meghan Markle's favourite beauty brands, which is finally launching in the UK this year. Warning: you might need to clear your bathroom cabinet…
Marc Beauty Highliner Gel Pencils
"Marc Beauty is a brand that has really excited me since I discovered them in Sephora a few years back," says celebrity makeup artist Amanda Bowen. They have brought back some bold, vivid colours to my kit with their Highliner Gel Eye Pencils - I own pretty much every shade! Their Eye-Conic Eye Palettes are amazing, too."
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Real Techniques Prep and Prime Set
“For 2018, we’re really excited about Real Techniques bringing out beauty tools to help prep the skin before applying makeup, to ensure the best possible application and lasting power," say makeup artists and YouTubers Pixiwoo. "Our favourite set, the Prep & Prime set, includes four skin prep tools to help maximise your skincare products to help create smoother skin surface.
"The prep brush with its densely packed bristles gives you mess-free application of everything from moisturisers to masks. Use the facial brush dry to exfoliate dead skin cells and the lip exfoliating brush to smooth out lips. Finally, using the under eye reviver ball with your favourite eye cream helps to cool and de-puff the eye contour area."
Time Bomb ABC Vitamin Solution
Celebrity facialist Michaella, who often tends to the complexions backstage at Strictly Come Dancing, chooses a hero product from Lulu's cult beauty range. "Time Bomb ABC Vitamin Solution is my number one choice. It contains vitamin A to speed up cell turnover and reduce fine lines and wrinkles, Vitamin B3+B12, which act as energising cell boosters and Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant and complexion brightener to improve uneven skin tone. Perfect for a total skin reboot in 2018."
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Cover FX Glitter Drops
HELLO!'s beauty influencer, Alex Light is most excited about the latest launch from cult US beauty brand Cover FX, who have already wowed the beauty world with their high-coverage dropper foundation and ultra-pigmented highlighters. "I'd have to choose the new Cover FX Glitter Drops - they add a gorgeous, shimmery wash of colour to the eyelids and lips for a dewy, glowing finish," she says.
Kerastase Specifique Stimuliste Spray
"Never mind 2018… my favourite product of all time is the Kerastase Specifique Stimuliste Spray," says Gorka Arraras, master stylist at Charles Worthington Salons. "It's a daily treatment that ensures your hair looks thicker from the roots to the ends. Applied to dry or damp hair, the spray also works as a great heat protector before styling, to amplify the density of your hair. The product doesn't leave any residue and clients are left with thicker-feeling - and looking - hair."
Bio-Oil
Celebrity makeup artist Anita Keeling's A-list clients include Keira Knightley and Jenna Coleman: "I love Bio-Oil because it is not only versatile but also results-driven. Its soothing and healing properties can benefit anybody of any age, gender or stage of life. When I want to give someone that extra glow I add a drop to a golden, bronze pigment and buff into the skin for a sun-kissed shimmer."
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Nanogen Root Boost Hair Thickening Spray
“I’m loving this as it gives the most amazing body to fine, limp hair," says Matthew Curtis, catwalk and celebrity hairdresser. "Its blend of ingredients lifts and volumises the hair in a light-weight, non-greasy way that actually fattens the hair shaft for a visible improvement in hair thickness. It’s also excellent at detangling and protecting against breakage. It’s my must-have styling staple.”
Kate Somerville Wrinkle Warrior
HELLO!'s beauty director Charlotte Jolly says: “I’m so excited for Kate Somerville skincare to launch in the UK this year, finally! Kate’s an LA facialist with a strong celebrity following (Meghan Markle is a fan) and I make sure I visit a Sephora when I'm in the US to stock up on her products. Look out for the Wrinkle Warrior range when it launches next month.”
Phillip B Russian Amber Imperial Shampoo
"This is my favourite and most-indulgent beauty buy," says Lisa Goldfaden, natural skincare expert and co-founder of Goldfaden MD. "I will admit this is by far the most expensive splurge I've ever made on my hair but after I saw the results I was hooked! Silk, wheat and soy proteins help to hydrate and restructure even the most damaged and over-treated hair. The texture is honey-like and the fragrance is what really hooked me. I am a fan for life!"
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Matrix Style Link Mineral Grip Definer Texture Cream
Hairdresser-to-the-stars Jamie Stevens, who is the current hairdresser-in-residence for The X Factor, favours this suits-all texturising cream. "It's a brilliant multi-purpose product that can be used on wet, dry, long or short hair; it's great for giving that really nice undone feel if you want to wash and go, or you can blow dry it in and it holds a style without looking too salon-perfect. The ideal modern product and my current go-to."