The Beauty Digest: Head Spas, Coco Mademoiselle Reimagined, and What the TPO Ban Really Means
A Beauty Director’s weekly edit of the launches worth knowing, treatments worth trying and industry talking points you’ll want an opinion on.
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.
Three New Launches on My Radar
I've always been a blush lover. I seldom leave the house without it and firmly believe that a makeup look isn't finished without at least a subtle flush of colour across the cheeks. I'm also quite picky when it comes to formula. I love the finish of a cream or liquid blush, but crave the longevity and pigment payoff of a powder.
This new blush from Estée Lauder delivers the best of both. It calls itself a liquid blush, but I'd argue the texture is closer to a gel-cream: lightweight and easy to blend, but with seriously impressive pigment and staying power. The shade Across the Dancefloor looks dramatic in the packaging, but on my skin it gives a healthy flush that somehow makes my whole face look more lifted.
I'm usually drawn to cocooning amber fragrances, so when I heard that Coco Mademoiselle was being reinterpreted into a warmer, richer iteration, my interest was immediately piqued. Crush Absolu retains the rose, jasmine and patchouli that give the original its signature, but introduces juicy lychee and a deeper ambery warmth that makes it feel softer, sweeter and altogether more enveloping. It's an instant yes from me.
I love it when beauty launches genuinely feel innovative—and this Dry Shampoo Mist is one of them. Rather than an aerosol, powder or foam, it's an ultra-lightweight watery mist that's completely invisible on the hair. When I first sprayed it, I did panic slightly as it made my hair look wet. But within seconds, as if by magic, it had dried without a trace, leaving my hair looking freshly washed rather than treated with dry shampoo. It's thanks to a clever formula that absorbs excess oil without leaving behind the telltale powdery residue I associate with traditional dry shampoos. The result is clean-looking, weightless hair with none of the chalkiness or product build-up.
The Treatment Trial: Head Spas
Scalp care is really having its moment in the beauty spotlight, and it would be remiss of me not to trial one of the latest treatments sweeping the salon scene: the head spa. Originating in Japan, head spas combine deep-cleansing, stimulating and relaxing techniques designed to leave the scalp thoroughly cleansed and the mind suitably refreshed.
This particular treatment was at Cloud Twelve, a luxury wellness and lifestyle club in Notting Hill, and involved a 21-step ritual that began with a dermascope and follicular analysis (essentially, looking at my scalp under a microscope to pinpoint any potential issues). From there, the treatment covered everything from a detoxifying clay mask and growth-stimulating scalp massage to a neck and décolletage massage, waterfall hair rinse, LED scalp therapy and more.
While it wouldn't be my first choice of treatment (my back will always take precedence when it comes to spa massages), it was a heavenly experience that left my scalp feeling supremely clean, my hair noticeably bouncier and shinier, and my mind remarkably clear.
Beauty Buzz: No, Gel Nails Aren’t Being Banned
Everyone remain calm. Yes, the TPO ban has arrived in the UK—the ingredient was already banned in cosmetics across the EU—but that doesn't mean gel manicures are finished. Far from it. TPO is just one of many photoinitiators used to help certain gel polishes cure under UV or LED light, and brands have been busy reformulating without it.
So, what can you expect? In reality, probably very little difference at your next manicure. From 15th August, salons and retailers in Great Britain can no longer sell or supply cosmetic products containing TPO, so affected formulas should already have been replaced with TPO-free alternatives.
And will your manicure still be as good? In short, yes. Well, probably. TPO is only one of the ingredients that can be used to cure gel polish, and brands have reformulated with alternative photoinitiators designed to deliver the same glossy finish and long-lasting wear. Whether any of those alternatives will face similar scrutiny further down the line remains to be seen. But if the TPO ban has shown us anything, it's that the industry is more than capable of adapting.
