The Beauty Digest: Jennifer Lawrence’s Unexpected Haircare Launch, Burberry’s Exquisite New Perfumes and Jo Loves Sparks Festive Joy
From a celebrity beauty launch raising eyebrows to an exceptional new fragrance collection and the first signs of Christmas, here’s what’s caught my attention this week.
The Beauty Digest is my Beauty Director’s edit of what’s actually worth your attention. Each week, I’ll be sharing the new launches I’m using and loving, the viral treatments I’m putting to the test (and what I really think of the results), plus my take on the industry conversations everyone’s talking about.
The New Launches on My Radar
I know it’s still October, but as far as I'm concerned, the festive season begins the moment I get my hands on Jo Loves Christmas Trees candle. Returning for 2026 in a new design inspired by traditional Christmas markets, it’s one of those rare festive fragrances that feels nostalgic while staying incredibly refined. Fresh pine needles and aromatic clove provide that unmistakable Christmas-tree freshness, while lavender, smoky incense and cedar lend a sophisticated, woody warmth. The result is wonderfully comforting and evocative—less festive potpourri, more freshly cut Christmas tree beside a roaring fire. For me, it’s become something of an annual ritual.
Practically every haircare brand has a bond-building treatment, so it takes something interesting to catch my attention. Rhute’s latest launch takes a more targeted approach, using AI-assisted molecular modelling to develop peptides designed to concentrate where hair is most damaged, reinforcing its internal keratin structure rather than simply coating the surface. The formula also targets the three principal bond types responsible for hair’s strength and resilience: disulphide, ionic and hydrogen, which is an ambitious proposition. Science aside, I particularly appreciate the ultra-fine, leave-in mist format, which you can spray through damp lengths without the faff of another rinse-out treatment.
ZIIP has already established itself as a leader in beauty tech, thanks to its innovative facial devices. Now, it’s applying that expertise to skincare, with a nine-product range developed around bioelectricity—the electrical activity involved in skin barrier function and cellular repair. I’ve been using the Refresh Serum, which combines tranexamic acid, encapsulated resveratrol and hyaluronic acid to bolster my skin barrier before winter sets in. The clinical data is impressive: an independent study found a 44.6% increase in hydration and 23.6% reduction in water loss after eight weeks. It’s an impressive product in its own right, and I've enjoyed using it alongside my trusty ZIIP Halo device. Whether the pairing delivers additional benefits remains to be seen, but it’s an exciting direction for the brand.
Spotlight On: Burberry Prorsum Fragrance Collection
I always approach fashion houses’ fragrance launches with bated breath. After all, there have been plenty of occasions when the juice simply hasn’t done the brand justice. But Burberry’s new eight-fragrance Prorsum collection genuinely blew me away. Drawing on the house’s rich British heritage, each scent reinterprets an iconic Burberry code, from its signature trench coat and cashmere scarves to the equestrian knight emblem. Running through every composition is a vivid ‘raker’ accord—an unexpected, bold twist designed to introduce energy and tension, much like the distinctive red line cutting through the iconic Burberry Check. The attention to detail is impressive, too: the Burberry Check is carved into the glass bottles, and each fragrance features a distinctive coloured cap.
It’s also one of the very few times I’ve genuinely loved every single fragrance in a collection. I’m particularly drawn to Cashmere Embrace, an enveloping scent inspired by the warmth of a Burberry scarf on a cold winter’s day, and Open Skies, which captures the wildness of the British coast through salty mineral notes, ivy and fir balsam. But really, I’d happily wear all eight. Now all I need is the trench coat.
Beauty Buzz: Jennifer Lawrence's Haircare Brand
Jennifer Lawrence launching a haircare brand wasn’t exactly on my 2026 bingo card. And judging by the online reaction, I’m not alone. With celebrity beauty fatigue reaching an all-time high, the arrival of Mes° feels both unexpected and, frankly, a little confusing. Lawrence has never been particularly synonymous with great hair, nor has beauty been central to her public persona. That said, her partnership with Arcaea, the biotechnology company founded by MIT-trained engineer Jasmina Aganovic, lends the venture considerably more credibility than your average celebrity-backed launch. The three debut products are intriguing, with formulations designed to make haircare more efficient without compromising on results. It’s the creative direction I'm struggling with. For a brand built around the idea of 'unbothered beauty', the accompanying imagery feels curiously contrived, particularly the almost vacant expressions in Lawrence’s eyes. Where’s the irreverence and personality we’ve come to associate with her? Maybe that’s the point—she’s ‘unbothered’ personified—but I’m still confused. Still, the science is interesting enough that I’m reserving judgement until I’ve tried the products.
