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, makeup, 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.
Spring Forth
Sunlit Clementine & Vetiver Eau de Parfum
Molton Brown
Why it works
It’s the sparkly citrus and smoky suede undertones for me. Plus, this Eau de Parfum lasts a really long time on your skin.
I fell for this fragrance from the moment Molten Brown’s Senior Perfumer Julie Massé handed me a wet blotter. It combines the fizz of clementine with creamy fig leaves and a deep, dark Bourbon vetiver. Julie told me how her search for the perfect vetiver oil took her to Madagascar, where she sourced something “woody, a bit green and a tiny bit smoky.”
Glow Giver
The Gentle Acid
Skin Rocks
Why it works
By gently buffing away old cells, the rest of my skincare routine just ‘clicks’. This exfoliator makes all my other products work harder.
My skin has lost its lustre of late. It looks dull and make-up is just sitting on its dry, uneven surface. Time to shake things up, but not too much because my skin is stupidly sensitive. I’m using The Gentle Acid, as recommended by Skin Rocks founder and longtime advocate for exfoliating toners, Caroline Hirons. Without rousing a hint of irritation, my skin is smoother, noticeably brighter and feels firmer - and I’m only a week in.
Sunkissed Secret
Matte Velour Pressed Powder in Dark
Code8
Why it works
This creamy powder is remarkably blendable. You can really sheer it out for a natural, flattering finish.
Following a make-up consultation at Code8’s Burlington Arcade boutique, I’ve been persuaded to swap bronzer for a face powder in a shade that’s darker than my skin tone. Sasha Ghodstinat, Global Head of Artistry, applied a pressed powder along the tops of my cheekbones, around my hairline and under my jaw - and I love the results. No glitter or orangey undertones. And it’s a mattifying, long-lasting finish. This hack will come into its own in hot weather.
Oil's Well
Life & Soul Omega-3 Fish Oil Daily Capsules
Bare Biology
Why it works
Easy to absorb and digest, these are small capsules of unadulterated, sustainably sourced Norwegian fish oil.
During a recent consultation, Victoria Health co-founder and In-House Pharmacist Shabir Daya MRPharmS pointed out something pretty important missing from my daily supplements intake. As well as my multi-vitamin, vitamin D oral spray, probiotic tablets and collagen powder, Shabir suggested I start taking Omega-3 supplements “because two portions of oily fish per week are not enough to run your whole body”.
High Brow
Eyebrow Pen in Clove
BBB London
Why it works
The smudge-proof pigment is buildable and the ultra fine, three-pronged pen tip mimics real brow hairs.
By applying light, feathery strokes, I add structure and definition to my brows slowly, but surely. This pen is so subtle, I have to keep standing back and comparing my brows to appreciate the difference. As well as filling in sparse patches, the bristles are stiff enough to brush up my natural hairs. I can also press the nib down lengthways to carve out some straight lines.
