New month, new season, new launches! We’ve singled out 8 of September’s most interesting sounding arrivals and here’s the lowdown on each one:
1) Elemental Herbology’s Moisture Replenish Water Soothe Facial Oil. With 14 plant and essential oils (including Chamomile, Rosehip and Rose Damask), rose fans will be rejoicing as this spa treatment oil launched online on 1st September. The two main aims here are to (a) soothe redness and (b) deeply hydrate and with rosehip in the mix this is an oil that should work some magic too, to repair damage and help fade scars.
Elemental Herbology’s best-kept spa product, Water Soothe Facial Oil is now available online
Full details/buy now HERE
Next up: indie perfumier Gallivant’s scented “homage to LA”…
2) British perfumier Gallivant’s newest scent LOS ANGELES (beam us over for a sunny winter!!) unites eucalyptus, clary sage (one of my favourite essential oils), mandarin and pineapple in its new bottled “olfactory ode to LA” (my words).
Described as a “hot and sensual woody floral cooled by a marine breeze”, Gallivant has even picked up on LA’s Mexican flavour, with the inclusion of narcissus and tuberose.
About Gallivant
Indie London-based perfume maker Nick Steward has two decades of hands-on experience in perfume making in London and Paris. From creating for big global brands, his most recent role was as product and creative director of the cult house L’Artisan Parfumeur. Bored by the posturing of many brands, he devised GALLIVANT to get back to basics. His collection of unisex, gender-neutral eau de parfum brings a thoughtful, honest and unfussy approach to perfumery.
If you love the sound of this brand but you’re not sure whether your new love will be London, Tel Aviv, Los Angeles or one of the other destinations, get the Discovery Set (four 2ml samples for £18).
There are 7 fragrances in all, all available in travel-friendly 30ml travel sizes.
Discover Gallivant’s ethical and sustainable “urban nomad” artisan blends, including 7 mini try-me vials at:
3) Indie brand NAYA follows its original cacay facial oil launch with “Renew” – again, cacay-based with a satisfying dose of both Vitamin A and E. By its very name it has the potential to be a PR’s nightmare (don’t leave out the “y”) but seriously this is an excellent nicely absorbed, highly nourishing and light, dry oil so if you’re not into the richer, “thicker” facial oils, cacay oil will tick that box!
Amazonian cacay nuts score high for zero waste and sustainability, because all of the nut can be used (eg made into flour and nut milk). It also delivers behind the scenes benefits like providing shade for coffee plants. If you haven’t tried cacay oil yet, this would be worth a look. Cacay oil is still on the up, it’s nowhere near as well known as say argan or prickly pear but it’s starting to make a name for itself in the ever-expanding world of natural single oil facial oils.
4) Le Couvent des Minimes “Born to be wild” scents. I think there are 4 or maybe it’s 5 new scents in this range – from memory? – and if you’re not familiar with this French brand, it has a pretty interesting backstory. (Side note: L’Occitane and Le Couvent des Minimes originated from the same place and the ingredients were sourced from very the same garden before L’Occitane was sold, and then Le Couvent rebranded).
Founded in 1613, Le Couvent des Minimes is a real place (a monastery) where the monks and Louis XIV’s botanist studies and wrote botanical treaties. But after the French Revolution the convent lay empty until 1862 when it took on a new role – this time, as a hospice.
Later, a group of Franciscan missionaries came to live there and develop the terraced gardens, cultivating fruit, herbs and vines to help nurse the residents back to health.
Not quite ready to bid summer farewell? Lysandra’s main notes are jasmine & mandarin (89% natural ingredients)
In 1999 the missionaries left, leaving Le Couvent des Minimes empty, but by 2008 it was lovingly transformed into a spa and its doors reopened – this time to seekers of peace, health and tranquility.
I spent a wonderful hour or so trying all (yes all!) of Le Couvent de Minimes’ scents which respect the natural fragrances of nature while weaving into more sultry, or sunnier “parfums”. The bottles are beautiful and would look gorgeous on a bathroom shelf after the last drop of scent…
(I’ll update this with a UK link if I can, meanwhile here’s the French site www.lecouventdesminimes.com )
5) It’s always exciting when there’s a new NEOM ORGANICS launch and this month their brand new skincare range is out. One of the products is GREAT DAY GLOW FACE OIL.
As you’d expect, and true to NEOM (like Decleor) it’s an aromatherapeutic oil with wake-up whiffs of mandarin and peppermint. I personally *love* skincare with an aromatherapy element to it…for me it’s part of my morning or evening wake-up or “wind-down” but I know a fair few of you prefer your skincare unscented.
NEOM this time have gone for one of Morocco’s best skincare exports – prickly pear. The seeds inside this orange fruit with a stubby/prickly green skin are pretty tiny! I ate one in Essaouira (not that enthralling to me) but the colour of the oil is just divine and more importantly it is way up there with the absolute best of nature’s beautiful garden of plant and fruit oils.
I’ve said this before, but if I think if I really had to whittle single facial oils down to just THREE they’d likely be:
– argan (despite the argan fatigue that set in a couple of years ago – it’s such a brilliant all-rounder)
– prickly pear (also called barbary fig)
– and that healer of healers (great for mature skin also) which also helps fade scars – rosehip.
(Quite difficult to only choose just three, though!)
NEOM have cleverly blended in grapeseed, soybean and evening primrose oil so the result is a fast-absorbing more lightweight oil.
This is one to note – not just if you’re a NEOM fan, but if autumn inspires you to stock up on a few new treats…
6) DERMALOGICA Phyto-Nature Firming Serum
If you compiled a shortlist of “the most consistent beauty brands”, Dermalogica would be worthy of inclusion.
I remember first discovering Dermalogica’s now legendary rice bran-based creamy “add water and activate” Microfoliant which literally lasts for an eternity and does an admirable job of calming, smoothing, cleansing and brightening – all of the above!
I haven’t tried this new Phyto-Nature Firming Serum yet (it’s part of their AGE Smart range) but it’s designed to instantly improve skin’s appearance AND make it look more luminous, while 4 weeks or so later, wrinkles should be somewhat diminished.
Plant-based skincare addicts will love the main ingredients here: Amazonian Camu Camu and Moroccan Rockrose (I drink rockrose tea, and I’m mad about this plant, it smells like a sweet, but deep, heady mix of earthy rose and incense!)
Also noteworthy is the Madagasgar Green Coffee Bean and Sapphire-bound biomimetic peptides (need to research this one a bit further). The fact that it “instantly – within a minute” improves the look of skin (part of a new generation of serums) puts it into the higher bracket – like the other products that claim to do this.
This one’s a splurge at £130 so I’m keen to hear if you/anyone’s tried it.
More info/BUY HERE
7) Next up: ELEMIS & BREAST CANCER CARE
One of the beauty brands most associated with Breast Cancer Care, Elemis has just announced its supersized Pro-Collagen Marine Cream 100ml (£110)and the brand will (once again) be donating £25k to Breast Cancer Care.
“We are so proud to partner with Breast Cancer Care again this year. This organisation’s work is close to our hearts. It is with great pleasure that we continue to support their mission” – Noella Gabriel, ELEMIS Co-Founder.
Pro-Collagen Marine Cream is the brand’s best-selling moisturiser and Elemis will be giving £25,000 to Breast Cancer Care regardless of the product sales.
More info/BUY HERE (oh, and Elemis’s new Advent Calendar has arrived!)
£25,000 goes to Breast Cancer Care
8) Something new from MyRoo: Super Boost 100% Blackberry Brightening Oil
Indie artisan brand MyRoo (a Beauty Shortlist Awards winner) has just launched what might be this season’s “most autumnal single oil” – blackberry!
If I can’t find fresh organic blueberries and I need “fresh” berries versus frozen, blackberries are a great alternative. They’re one of the top 10 antioxidant superstars and blackberry seed oil has made a name for itself for effectively dissipating blotches and encouraging a more even complexion.
Some of the highlights of MyRoo’s Super Boost 100% Blackberry single oil include:
Standout levels of Vitamin C, + Omega 3, 6
Tackles blotchy, uneven skin
Deeply nourishes to leave skin glowing
Non irritating and gentle
Fragrance Free
Suits all skin types
(Yes to all of the above!)
One of the things I like about English brand MyRoo is, it’s an affordable small batch nature-powered brand.
Which means can treat your skin to a whole lot of blackberry love without the heart-sinking price tag.
Discover MyRoo’s new Super Boost 100% Blackberry Brightening Oil HERE £15 (13ml)