As POPSUGAR editors, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you’ll like too. POPSUGAR has affiliate and advertising partnerships so we get revenue from sharing this content and from your purchase.
For beauty editors, the end of the month means reflecting on launches we loved, products we finished, and trends we spotted. And for me, February was all about fashion month and award seasons, with trends rolling down the international runaways and the red carpet. We’ve seen the emergence of goth-glam, the evolution of the dark bimbo, and a panoply of buns, be it wet-flip or ballerina. As we tip into March, we’re officially saying goodbye to summer and preparing for a change of season — and I discovered plenty of products in February that will be seeing me through this seasonal vibe shift.
Revlon Colorstay, Suede Ink Lipstick
Get ready for a commitment with Revlon Colorstay Suede Ink Lipstick ($25). This formula applies smoothly, delivers instant opacity, and grips to your lips for dear life. My favourite shade is the aspirationally titled “In the Money”, a vermillion with a smokey undertone that adds on-trend glam goth to any look. I recommend applying with a lipliner and a mirror, as once this long-wearing formula is on, it’s on. However, the longevity and intensity of the Colourstay Suede Ink formula are well worth the five seconds of extra effort, and with 15 shades on offer, there’s something for everyone. Colour me obsessed.
Hourglass, Unlocked Satin Cream Lipstick
At the other end of the spectrum, the Hourglass, Unlocked Satin Cream Lipstick ($63) is easy to apply, with medium pigment and a soft, flattering shine. The red-rust shade “Sahara” is perfect for the autumn and winter months. With mango seed butter, avocado, and argan oil, this is a conditioning lip product with an on-point shade range and a golden snap case that makes you feel as bougie as you deserve to feel.
Summer Fridays, Light Aura Vitamin C+ Peptide Eye Cream
My quest for a dark circle-eradicating eye cream is eternal and usually ends in a pile of concealer. Summer Fridays, Light Aura, Vitamin C+ Peptide Eye Cream ($70) brought everything I could have wanted and more. With collagen-stimulating peptides, depuffing caffeine, and hydrating vitamin E and allantoin, Light Aura hits every mark as an eye cream. An added bonus? The cream’s apricot hue gives instant colour-correcting benefits. Daily application has left my under eyes hydrated, my make-up-free days brighter, and my concealer application a little lighter.
Charlotte Tilbury, Matte Beauty Blush Wand
I know myself, and I knew I would love the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Beauty Blush Wand ($60). I was not wrong. Matte, long-wearing, and easy to apply, “Pillow Talk Pink Pop” is the perfect shade to make my complexion look like I’m thriving (even if I’m… surviving). I bounce the sponge along my cheeks and nose bridge, tap the excess on my eyes, and bounce out the door feeling fresh AF.
The Porefessional, Get Unblocked, Pore-Cleansing Makeup Removing Cleansing Oil
A surprise love for me? The new Benefit Porefessional skincare collection. My skin type leans more dry and dehydrated, so pore-care and oily skin-targeting ranges don’t always pique my interest. However, Benefit is the cosmetics line of my girlhood! The release of their first skincare range grabbed my attention and I’ve found myself, and my pores, impressed.
One standout is The Porefessional, Get Unblocked Pore Clearing Makeup Removing Cleansing Oil ($62), which works quickly to remove makeup, sunscreen, waterproof mascara, and long wear products like the aforementioned Revlon lipstick in a flash. Lightweight oils including jojoba, avocado, and plum mean the product washes completely clean. I always second cleanse, but with Get Unblocked I don’t feel like I need to.
The Porefessional, Tight ‘N Toned, AHA+PHA Toning Foam
Benefit Cosmetic’s new collection is so good I’m including it twice! The Porefessional, Tight ’N Toned Pore-Refining AHA+PHA Toning Foam ($59) is the first toner I’ve seen that comes out of the pump like a shaving cream. We love an innovation. This may sound alarming but it actually cuts down on the need for cotton pads, and is less fuss than water-consistency toners. I have sensitive skin, so I’m often wary of exfoliants. PHA exfoliants are incredibly gentle, and in this formula, the glycolic acid is balanced with hydrating glycerin. I’ve been using this exfoliant two to three times a week to keep my complexion fresh and I’m loving it.
Clarins, Extra-Firming Phyto Serum
Everyone and their mother loves Clarins for the iconic Double Serum ($112), launched in 1996, a product I’ve been reaching for years when I need a hydration injection. ‘Bouncy’ was not how I would describe my skin in February, so my imagination was captured when I heard the brand had re-launched its Extra-Firming range with “bouncy” and lifted complexions in mind. The newly formulated Extra-Firming Phyto Serum ($143) has a gel consistency that sinks in instantly. The hero ingredient here is sustainably harvested Australian Kangaroo Paw extract. Turns out this is an underutilised skincare ingredient! I’ve been reaching for this serum when my skin is feeling particularly lacklustre and deflated, and it’s provided me with the promised bounce, toning and tightening I need pre-event. Love.
Silvi, Anti-Acne Bath Towel
I worked out more than I would have liked in February (who is she?), and the Silvi, Anti-Acne Bath Towel ($90) was a good friend to me during high-humidity sweat sessions. With the same anti-bacterial silver ions you find in the Silvi pillowcases, these towels are super soft and you only need to wash them every 10-14 days. As a naturally lazy person already forcing herself to work out, that is a win in my books.
Gucci, Vernis à Ongles Nail Polish
As a writer, I spend a lot of time looking at my hands and nails, so nail polish is vital to my workplace happiness. I’ve been waiting aeons (a while) to try the Gucci Beauty, Vernis à Ongles Nail Polish ($57) and finally had my opportunity when I was sent three brand new shades to trial. These polishes live up to the hype. They are one stroke wonders and provide full coverage with a single sweep, and a glossy finish with two. A wide brush hugs the nail, covering all your bases.
If you’re looking to treat yourself, my top picks are Vantine Fuschia, a cheery hot pink, Lucy Baby Blue, a soothing periwinkle, and Cecilia Ivory a mellow, buttercup yellow that will add an unexpected twist to any french manicure. I’ll be adding Melinda Green to my rotation next.
Ole Henriksen Strength HydraBarrier Nourishing Face Oil
I’ve been giving my skin a berry-boost with Ole Henriksen, Hydra Barrier Nourishing Face Oil ($85). This oil gets its mulled wine-shade from the combination of antioxidant rich cloudberry, lingonberry, and elderberry oils in the formula. With three peptides clinically proven to provide skin refining benefits, it sinks in like a serum while protecting my complexion with soothing ceramides. I’ll be reaching for it all winter.
Iles Formula Haircare
Trying a new shampoo and conditioner is a risk, particularly if you have hair extensions. lles Formula is newly launched through Rogue Beauty and the shampoo, conditioner, and serum in the Signature Set ($207) left my naturally course hair — and even courser extensions — feeling like spun silk. I’m attributing that to the active vegetal root juices, pantothenic acid, and strengthening vitamin B5 in the shampoo and conditioner. Then add actual silk extract in the weightless, profoundly hydrating, and heat-protecting Finishing Serum. The collection leaves your hair feeling deeply cleansed, hydrated, and with a slight fresh linen scent.
Westman Atelier, Vital Skin Care Complexion Drops
I’m no arctic explorer but I do feel protected from the elements when I’m wearing Westman Atelier, Vital Skin Care Complexion Drops ($113). The concept for this product was skincare first, coverage second, and the inclusion of Tsubaki oil and a host of antioxidants give the formula protective benefits and a plump, cushioning consistency. More importantly, a single drop of this tinted serum makes my skin look plump, juicy, and like I’m wearing nothing at all.
Drunk Elephant, Protini Polypeptide Cream
The cult favourite Drunk Elephant, Protini Polypeptide Cream ($113) arrived on Australian shores with more hype than Harry Styles. Most ceramide-based moisturisers style themselves as barrier creams and have a heavy, emollient finish. What makes this moisturiser a cult product is its combination of peptides, ceramides, and barrier-supportive ingredients in a lightweight, gel-creme formula. Fast-absorbing and fragrance-free, it’s friendly for oily, dry, and dehydrated skin types. It layers well under makeup and sunscreen so you can use it day and night, and it’s a soothing slay for even the most sensitive skin types. You can read my full review here. Or jump on the buzz immediately here.
Sulwhasoo, White Ginseng Radiance Refining Mask
Sulwhasoo, White Ginseng Radiance Refining Mask ($93) Image Credit: Sulwahsoo
The new Sulwhasoo, White Ginseng Radiance Refining Mask ($93) is designed to be used in the shower. Ginseng root powder provides a gentle physical exfoliation, while honey provides ating and antibacterial benefit — and the mask’s liquid gold appearance. Pop it on, work it in, then leave it on while you wash your hair, shave your legs, and zone out. You’ll skip through the day’s activities feeling refreshed, hydrated, glowing, and ready for whatever the day and night may bring.
Augustinus Bader, The Cream
You can now try Augustinus Bader, The Cream ($271) for yourself, as the “Succession”-famous Swiss skincare range launched at MECCA today. Soft, sumptuous, and silky, I fell in love with The Cream the first time I spread a pearl-sized amount of it across my mug in 2022. It’s plush and comforting, making you look like you get 12 hours sleep a night and live a stress-free existence. If you’re feeling the urge to splurge, read my comprehensive review here or head straight to your nearest MECCA and try it yourself.
D.S. & DURGA, Plumes EDP
Perfumiers David Seth and Kavi Durga, the founders and noses behind cult Brooklyn-based brand D.S. & Durga, create scents inspired by places. In February, they released Plumes, Eau de Parfum ($219), an Australian exclusive inspired by the tropics. If that brings to mind Escada’s Island Kiss, stop right there. Plumes is like no tropical fragrance you’ve ever experienced. Inspired by the waters of the tropics, Plumes is a translucent scent in which sweet, creamy notes of coconut, musk, and frangipani mingle with green laurel leaf and vetiver. It’s an energetic fragrance that will bring brightness to your daily grind and complement any outdoor adventure.
SŚAINT, No Vacancy Parfum
A new release from an Australian fragrance house, SŚAINT, No Vacancy Parfum ($139) subverts our expectations. With vanilla pods, amber, patchouli, labdanum, and a spicy, heady cannabis oil, this fragrance is soothing, sensual, and intriguing. Think of No Vacancy as an all-occasions cashmere sweater fragrance — it will take you from a hike to a bar to a Netflix and Chill sesh with ease.
