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How is it the end of April already? This year is whizzing by, and brands are launching products faster than we can clear space on our bathroom shelves. This month has been packed with newness, and as your friendly neighbourhood beauty addict, I have been only too happy to trial on your behalf.
What I’ve noticed most this month is a real shift towards products that work hard and elevate routines. Think clever SPF upgrades and skin-preserving skincare to summer-ready fragrance mists and luxury bodycare – and I’m not talking about the kind you save ‘for best’, I mean the type you’ll find yourself reaching for at every opportunity.
From No7’s new preventative skincare range and a holiday-ready body oil from Phlur, to must-have haircare from REHAB and bodycare essentials from Elemis – here are my honest thoughts on the latest beauty drops.
Trinny London Miracle Blur Diffuser – £28
Trinny London’s original Miracle Blur built a loyal following for its ability to smooth skin texture and soften the appearance of pores and fine lines, so I was curious to see how the new Miracle Blur Diffuser compared. Tipped as a lighter, even more effortless solution for smoother skin, rather than acting like a heavy, silicone-rich pore filler, it works by softly scattering light to blur texture, minimise the appearance of fine lines and smooth over uneven areas
The silky balm-gel comes in a lipbalm-style tube that makes application a breeze. It blends seamlessly into the skin for a diffused effect, and the addition of hyaluronic acid keeps skin feeling comfortable and hydrated. It sits well under makeup and definitely gives skin a softer look, particularly around areas like the nose and lips. The translucent finish also means it works across all skin tones without going chalky.
That said, I do think the results are fairly subtle, and at £28 it feels a little pricey for what it does. If you already own a primer you love, I’m not sure this is a must-have upgrade.
Sol de Janeiro Limited-Edition Summer Mists – £25 each
Sol de Janeiro knows exactly how to make people want summer immediately, and these new limited-edition mists are no exception. There are three new scents – Cheeky Biquini, Limonada Gelada and Refresco Paraíso – and each one feels like a holiday in fragrance form.
Personally, Limonada Gelada is the standout for me, with a mix of Brazilian lemonade, bergamot, pineapple and coconut milk that feels fresh, creamy and addictive. It’s similar to Sabrina Carpenter’s Sweet Tooth Lemon Meringue launch from last month, so a great one to layer with.
Cheeky Biquini leans sweeter and fruitier with peach, apricot and vanilla, while Refresco Paraíso feels greener and fresher with rainforest orchid, sea breeze and banana leaf notes. A little like how some people prefer city breaks and others favour beach getaways, Sol de Janeiro has crafted three distinctly different perfume mists that ensure there will be something for everyone.
REHAB. Shampoo Milk & Conditioner Milk duo – £36
There’s been a big shift towards ‘quiet luxury’ hair recently – less heavy styling, more healthy, glossy, expensive-looking hair – and the freshest launch from REHAB fits that perfectly. Following several sell-out launches, from their new skincare to their matcha range, REHAB’s new Shampoo Milk and Conditioner Milk felt like an obvious next step for the brand.
Designed to hydrate and soften without weighing hair down, it’s exactly what fine or easily-greasy hair needs. The Shampoo Milk uses a gentle milky lather to remove build-up, pollution and product residue without stripping moisture, while the Conditioner Milk is particularly good for people battling frizz, tangles and dullness. It uses argan oil and shea butter but delivers a lightweight finish rather than that coated feeling some richer conditioners leave behind.
It features REHAB’s iconic signature fragrance and comes in beautiful milk bottle style vessels that look so chic in the shower or on the bath board. It’s safe to say that REHAB has well and truly done it again.
Color Wow Get In Shape Hairspray – £22.50
As a former dancer for 15 years, I’ve tried my fair share of hairsprays in my time, and as I’ve got older, I’ve been ditching the crunchy, seriously firm hold spritzes for softer, more flexible finishes. Color Wow’s new Get In Shape has quickly become my go-to since its late March launch, slotting effortlessly into a routine that regularly stars the likes of Money Mist and Dream Coat.
This is a non-aerosol, flexible hairspray designed to create ‘shape memory,’ meaning your style holds but still moves naturally. You can brush through it, restyle it and reshape it without that stiff, lacquered finish. It’s quite a ‘wet’ formula but doesn’t leave hair feeling drenched, and it doesn’t feel sticky like most non-aerosol sprays, either.
I also like that it’s heat-tool friendly and infused with hydrating ingredients to boost shine and help protect colour vibrancy. For anyone who wants curls, beach waves and updos to stay put without sacrificing softness, Color Wow has delivered yet another reliable product with Get In Shape.
Dr.Jart+ Every Sun Day Ultra-Sheer Priming Sunscreen Stick SPF50 – £24
Dr.Jart’s bestselling sunscreen stick has been upgraded from SPF30 to SPF50, which makes it instantly more appealing – especially for daily wear and holidays. The original Every Sun Day Ultra-Sheer Priming Sunscreen Stick sold out when it first hit shelves, and with new, higher protection, it’s only set to be even more popular.
The biggest selling point here is how invisible it is. No white cast, no greasy finish, no stickiness – just a matte, soft-focus finish that works beautifully under or over makeup. It also helps blur pores and texture while hydrating with hyaluronic acid, so it doubles as a primer as well as sun protection.
It’s ideal for on the go, with no risk of leaking in handbags, with the format being perfect for touch ups and reapplication. Honestly, if more SPF products felt like this, people would wear sunscreen far more consistently.
Naturium Multi-Calm Cream Cleanser & Calmer Ceramide Body Wash – £22 and £19
Naturium is renowned for its clinically effective, biocompatible skincare, and this month, has introduced two new products designed to gently cleanse and soothe dry, sensitive skin without irritation.
Around 71% of adults report some level of sensitive skin, so there is a real demand for gentle, barrier-supporting formulas – which is exactly what Naturim has delivered with their new Multi-Calm Cream Cleanser (£22) and Calmer Ceramide Body Wash (£19), which star ingredients like colloidal oatmeal, ceramides, glycerin, squalane and cocoa butter.
The cream-to-milk cleanser is such a gorgeous gentle cleanser – rich enough to feel comforting, but still effective at removing impurities without that stripped, tight feeling afterwards. It’s better as a morning cleanse, or a second evening cleanse, transforming into a dreamy soft milky emulsion on contact with water.
I also love seeing more bodycare getting proper skincare-level ingredients. The body wash includes ceramides, cholesterol and phytosphingosine, alongside colloidal oatmeal, allantoin and cocoa butter, the formula helps reinforce the skin barrier whilst calming irritation. The wash also features microalgae biotechnology with a built-in polysaccharide delivery system, designed to help calm dry, itchy skin.
For anyone whose skin barrier is feeling a little stressed from over-exfoliation, too many actives or environmental aggressors, this feels like a really gentle but effective solution for both the face and body.
No7 Prime Forever Range
I can’t tell you how difficult it’s been keeping schtum about this one. I’ve been testing lab samples of the No7 Prime Forever range since January after signing an NDA – and I think this is one of No7’s strongest launches to date.
Prime Forever is their first-ever skin preservation range, focused on preventing visible ageing before it happens rather than trying to reverse it later. There’s been a real trend for futureproofing skin in recent months (like with Paula’s Choice’s serum that hit shelves in January), with a study on over 22,000 people revealing that our 30s are the key decade to do just that.
In addition to a SPF50 five-star UVA-rated primer to protect and preserve skin’s visible prime, the rest of the range contains a new proprietary Antioxidant Peptide blend. This features No7’s strongest ever, patent-pending, broad spectrum antioxidant blend, to combat damaging free radicals and reduce oxidative stress. The blend also features No7’s proprietary world-first super peptide blend to target invisible damage beneath the surface of the skin.
It’s really difficult to pick out a favourite, but the No7 Prime Forever Weightless Moisturiser is one I’ve been reaching for more and more as the weather warms up. It’s got a dreamy gel-like texture that feels cooling after a long day, and is said to provide 100 hours of moisturisation to visibly improve the quality and texture of the skin.
The serum is also impressive, as is the transformative gel to oil cleanser which is ideal for removing makeup, pollution and the brand’s No7 Prime Forever SPF50 Five Star UVA rated Primer at the end of the day. They’re all products that work in synergy to create a simple but effective skincare routine.
ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Body Cleansing Balm and Marine Body Cream – £45 and £70
Have you ever used the Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm and loved it so much you wanted to slather it all over your body? Well, now you can! Bringing 20 years of Pro-Collagen expertise, Elemis has extended the franchise with a Pro-Collagen Body Cleansing Balm and Pro-Collagen Marine Body Cream – both of which are as indulgent as you would expect.
I think the Pro-Collagen Body Cleansing Balm is perhaps my favourite launch of the whole month – though at £45 a bottle, it is definitely on the more premium end of the scale and shouldn’t be left in the bathroom for boyfriends to use liberally for their daily wash.
The decadent body cleanser boasts the beloved Elemis essential oils scent and a creamy lather that’s clinically proven to deliver 24-hour hydration. Enriched with a trio of British botanical oils – starflower, camelina and echium – the indulgent 3-in-1 texture transforms from balm to milk to foam and really does make your shower a spa-like experience.
Similarly, the new Pro-Collagen Marine Body Cream (£70) takes the iconic Marine Cream concept and applies it to the body, focusing on firmness, elasticity and long-lasting hydration. Again, it’s definitely a luxury price point, but if you already love the facial version, this feels like a very natural extension.
This is very much ‘bathroom luxury’ beauty, but sometimes that’s exactly what you want. If you love a product that makes your routine feel elevated, this is one of the best launches this month.
PHLUR Beach Skin Shimmering Body Oil – £45
You probably all already know by now that PHLUR is among my all-time favourite fragrance brands, so any new launch immediately gets my giddy – but this is another level. Their new Beach Skin Shimmering Body Oil takes their much-loved fragrance and turns it into a glowing, skin-enhancing body product with shimmer, hydration and scent all in one.
It blends coconut, soft florals and warm creamy notes with ceramide-rich oils, squalane and vitamin C, so not only does it look gorgeous and smell incredible, but it nourishes the skin, too.
I love body oils like this for holidays, weddings and summer events because they make skin look instantly healthier and more radiant without the effort and commitment of fake tanning. Applied on damp skin, layered with fragrance, it delivers a luminous finish that says ‘I’ve just come back from somewhere sunny’. Stunning.
