Citizen Femme’s contributing beauty editor, Becki Murray, rounds up the best January beauty launches, each recommended to help you start your 2023 routine in the right way.
This month, skin-reviving skincare is capturing our hearts (and faces) after the busyness of the holiday season: from Augustinus Bader’s limited edition serum to StriVectin’s clinically-proven eye cream, these are the best January beauty launches that the team are using – and loving – right now.
Tom Ford Cherry Smoke is the kind of scent that will have people stopping you in the office to ask what you're wearing. It's intriguing and alluring on every spritz, with notes of dark cherry, osmanthus absolute and smoked woods combining for a warm and spicy fruity scent.
All the award-winning qualities of Augustinus Bader's nourishing serum are now contained within a limited-edition red glass base, in celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year. If you can get your hands on the certain-to-sell-out bottle, your skin will glow from both happiness and the formula's blend of radiance-boosting vitamin C, moisture-boosting polysaccharides and hydrating squalane.
I'm seriously impressed by the sculpting prowess of this powder highlighter from the queen of glow, Charlotte Tilbury. Available in seven shades, to ensure it can flatter all skin tones, it combines light-reflecting pigments with skin-smoothing emollients for a soft-focus satin finish. That means it not only boosts radiance with a natural finish, but also subtly lifts your cheekbones.
In an albeit small and brand-backed clinical trial, all 31 individuals who tested Strivectin's latest eye cream reported a smoother and brighter eye area in eight weeks. That's an impressive result thanks to the formula's gentler approach of using retinol teamed with tropical fruit extract, Rambutan, to firm and smooth skin. The cooling applicator helps depuff the eye area too.
Facial oils are definitely having their beauty moment in early 2023, as brands get even better at creating formulas that lock-in moisture, without being overly irritating to sensitive skins. Tata Harper's blend is a particular highlight for stressed-looking complexions. It has a mid-weight dry texture that you can feel moisturising your skin immediately, due to a nourishing combination of chia, oat seed and blackberry seed oils.
I can't be without a candle at this time of year and a limited edition, supersized version gets my heart beating even faster. Diptyque's 600g Tubereuse Candle is my top pick for cosy nights in, with a scent inspired by tubereuse blooms blowing in the wind. The jumbo-sized candle launches as part of a new collection and animated short film, in celebration of one of Diptyque's most celebrated fragrances, Do Son.
From the brand that gave us the long-trusted and award-winning moisturiser for all skin types – Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream – comes this more intensive version for dry to very dry skin. Perfect for winter-chapped faces and hands, the formula contains colloidal oatmeal and beta-glucan to soothe and moisturise even sensitive skins, thus helping stop irritation in its tracks.
Having a deeply moisturising product on hand at this time of year can really help combat the effects of cold windy weather. This new oil is great for anyone struggling with travel-related dryness too. The product contains a base of antioxidant-rich Nordic cloudberry, lingonberry and elderberry to quickly lock-in moisture, as well as peptides to help plump, smooth and boost your skin.
Amika's classic dry shampoo is now available in a jumbo size, so you can treat greasy roots and add texture to your hairstyles with even more ease. There's a reason the formula is trusted by so many beauty editors – it's non-greying and contains gentle AHAs and scalp nourishing ingredients, including rambutan seed extract and mandelic acid, to keep your hair feeling clean for longer.
After a busy festive period of family and friend gatherings, this cream really caught my attention for its trusty combination of brightening ingredients to help revitalise tired-looking eyes. The formula has a really interesting four-pronged approach: 4% vitamin C adds radiance, caffeine helps depuff, niacinamide evens tone and a combination of gentle eye-safe exfoliator (PHAs, glycolic acid and papaya enzyme extract) tackle dullness.
Another trend set to be big in 2023 is the launch of skincare ranges straight from expert skin clinics, as skincare professionals aim for greater control over the products they recommend to their clients. My interest was definitely piqued by this cleanser from London-based skin clinic, Skinwork. Its deep cleansing action is paired with soothing and hydrating ingredients, including zinc, glycerin and aloe vera, so you can ensure your skin stays at its best inbetween facial treatments.
Instead of aggressively tackling your breakouts – by squeezing or drying them out – I'd recommend making it your New Year goal to follow Gallinée's approach instead. The brand's products, including this new perfume-free jelly serum, focus on calming blemish-prone complexions by supporting the skin's natural "good" bacteria with pre-and-postbiotics that soothe and rebalance your complexion.
This radiance-boosting concealer has gone viral on social media for its lightweight, dewy finish, which leaves your skin looking blemish-free and evenly toned as well as naturally fresh and glowing. The sponge-applicator allows for a smooth, direct application, with the tint easily blending in, in one of eight shades.
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