The Beauty Digest: Lip Balms Are the New It-Bags, Diptyque Does Halloween & Bobbi Brown Does It Again
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.
The New Launches on My Radar
Whether you celebrate Halloween or not, this candle deserves pride of place in your home. It’s a beautifully unexpected take on pumpkin, swapping the standard spiced-latte sweetness for something far more refined. It's autumnal without being predictable, and very possibly the chicest possible nod to spooky season.
As someone with permanently dry lips, I've become a bit of a lip balm connoisseur. And while I've amassed an impressive collection of formulas promising the world, very few deliver anything beyond temporary relief. Dr.Reju-All's Advanced PDRN Rejuvenating Lip Serum is different. Alongside PDRN, the formula contains allantoin to soothe, vitamin E to condition and lactic acid to gently exfoliate flaky skin. The smoothing effect is immediate, and the hydration actually lasts.
An ambitious decision to fly to a four-day wedding with nothing but an under-seat ‘personal item’ left me facing a monumental beauty dilemma: which of my beloved fragrances would make the cut? Thankfully, salvation arrived in the form of Liberty's Orchard Refillable Travel Atomiser, which serendipitously landed on my desk this week and allows me to decant my favourite fragrance without sacrificing precious luggage space.
Spotlight On: Jones Road Conceal & Correct
When Bobbi Brown first launched her concealer-and-corrector duo under her namesake brand back in the 90s, it helped cement her status as a household name in the beauty industry. So when the legendary makeup artist announced a 2.0 version under her second brand, Jones Road, I was keen to compare notes. The new Wide Awake duo includes the Brightening Neutralizer, designed to counteract the blue, purple and brown tones associated with dark circles, and the Brightening Concealer to add coverage and luminosity.
So, the all-important question: how does the duo compare to the original? Well, I think it's better. The formulas feel more substantial and less creamy, delivering greater coverage without the heaviness or cakiness you might expect. In fact, somewhat counterintuitively, they actually feel lighter on the skin than the originals. The result is impressive coverage that still looks remarkably like skin. Which is exactly why everyone loves Bobbi.
Beauty Buzz: The Accessorisation of Beauty
Not so long ago, beauty products were confined to our makeup bags, only surfacing for a touch-up in the club toilets or a surreptitious reapplication in the back of a cab. Now, they're taking centre stage as accessories in their own right.
Rhode arguably pioneered the phenomenon with its viral Lip Case, which quickly became a status symbol. Since then, the brand has expanded into collectable charms and carabiners, but the SS27 shows took things to another level. Dior has taken the concept decidedly upmarket with its new Médaillon Lip Balm, housed in an ornate, vintage-inspired compact that can be attached directly to your phone. Even Givenchy is getting in on the action, with its on-the-go powder compact belt medallions and lipstick hair accessories.
Of course, there's an element of novelty, but I suspect something more enduring is at play. Beauty has become another way of signalling personal taste, with products increasingly designed to be seen as much as used. And, as someone who has spent an infuriating amount of time rummaging around the bottom of her handbag for a lip balm, I can certainly see the appeal.
