September may have been fashion’s month, but this month is markedly beauty’s—especially with the onslaught of releases that flooded the aisles. Halloween also approaches, and we bet you’re going to want to recreate these celebrity-approved makeup looks. Need someone to drown out all that noise for you? Read on to see what made it onto our radar, and our recommendations from all the beauty launches of October 2023.
Oribe Fortifying Treatment Serum
Here’s a little twist in your haircare system. Instead of repairing damage, try instead to shield your hair and prevent it from happening in the first place. That’s just what the formulators at Oribe have achieved. Created for every hair type (yes, even if you’ve gone to the salon for colouring sprees), the elixir fortifies each strand through the powers of chia seed, bio-fermented bamboo leaf, and phytoceramides.
The lightweight texture is not only a welcome shot of nourishment for delicate strands but also for us Malaysians battling the constant humidity. This way, you won’t need to worry about dealing with a potentially oily scalp by midday. Best of all? The Oribe Fortifying Treatment Serum offers up to 230 degrees Celcius of heat protection. We bet that’s music to your hair—especially if you’re one to heat style your locks every day.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Mini Palettes
We sure love a good edit. This time around, crowd-favourite palettes from Anastasia Beverly Hills, Modern Renaissance and Sultry are sizing down for the better. Sure, having more colours to play with is helpful, but if you’re already at the point in your makeup game where achieving a seamless blend is no longer a big worry, then the mini versions are the way to go. Going from 14 shades to nine is no small feat, but they sure picked the right colours to minimise the palettes.
Prada Beauty Prada Monochrome Hyper Matte Lipstick
For Prada Beauty, their first launch sets the benchmark for future releases, and we say they have aced some of the toughest formulas out there: matte lipsticks. A good matte is hard to find, and one that’s refillable is doubly more so. Although they released two editions of matte lipsticks, the Hyper Matte inches ahead due to the incredible texture and lasting power. Not only does it deliver impactful colour (we put shade R28 Fuoco to the test), but the lipstick also wears gracefully throughout the day, needing practically zero touch-ups.
Even if you’re not into reds, the range boasts 12 other shades to choose from. Once you get to the finish line, you can shop the refillables, sparing you some extra coins for other purchases, and the environment from yet another disposable (yet not degradable) lipstick case.
Lumi Beauty Hyaluronic Boost Super Serum
This month, local brand Lumi Beauty celebrates its third anniversary and announces two new drops to the serum lineup. Our pick this month is the Hyaluronic Boost Super Serum. Formulated with a hyaluronic acid complex, moisturising panthenol, and anti-ageing Fucogel, the ultra-lightweight serum is perfect for all skin types. Upon application, the skin is instantly saturated with a deep hydration that eliminates signs of dryness. Thanks to the delicate, watery texture, you can easily layer other serums on top of this, too.
Aesop Purifying Facial Cream Cleanser
The term ‘purifying’ almost always equates to terms like ‘astringent’, and brings to mind that taut sensation that one experiences after a particularly stripping wash. However, the Aesop Purifying Facial Cream Cleanser is the total opposite. The cleanser is rich in rosehip and evening primrose oils, so with each wash, the face is nourished with skin-regenerative and soothing ingredients. But the ingredient that makes it a powerhouse face wash is kaolin, a gentle clay that works hard to suck up excess sebum without disrupting the skin barrier. On top of that, the cream cleanser is imbued with pleasing scents of lavender and rosemary leaf oils
Sephora Collection Best Skin Ever Matte Powder Foundation
Never underestimate the Sephora Collection range. This time, the in-house brand at Sephora launches a matte powder foundation that offers customisable coverage. The silky and airy powder lends itself to be ultra-comfortable, even at full coverage. With 24 inclusive shades to choose from, the Best Skin Ever Matte Powder Foundation is a vegan formula that promises to not only give you a fresh matte finish but to also keep the shine under control throughout the day.
Le Labo Lavande 31
Lavender has never smelled this good. If you’re picturing that it would smell like your run-of-the-mill lavender essential oil, then you need to head down to the Le Labo store, because this is a modernised and luxuriant take on the flower, and needs to be experienced in person. Upon application, you’ll find that Le Labo Lavande 31 begins with the bright zingy notes of neroli and bergamot. But soon after that, the lavender heart comes out to play, and throughout the day, the base notes (musk, tonka, and amber) soften the lavender’s edge, resulting in a truly versatile fragrance that you can wear anywhere, day or night.
KVD Beauty Tattoo Pencil Gel Liner
Sure, the liquid version of the Tattoo Liner is the perfect eyeliner, but it’s time to bring back the era of pencil liners. At KVD Beauty, the Tattoo Pencil Gel Liner comes in a bigger offering, including the iconic Trooper Black. You have the typical blues, browns, and maroons, but there are also bright pops such as Uranium Orange and Radium Green, that will instantly transform any look into a more elaborate one. The hallmark of KVD Beauty’s eyeliners is their longevity, so you can count on these liners to last not only the day but also against elements like rain and humidity.
Two Lips Blackout Activated Charcoal Vulva Mask
The skin on your face isn’t the only area that needs some good lovin’. We’ve progressed to a point where the scalp and body are also getting the same amount of attention as the face, but this time, we turn your attention to the nether regions. Two Lips recently launched its improved Blackout Mask. This new formulation sees an upgrade in the formula, where they include binchotan charcoal, vitamin C, panthenol, and niacinamide. The combination of these powerful ingredients helps soothe, detox, moisturise, as well as brighten the vulva. The next time you plan out your self-care session, don’t forget to add this to the list for a comprehensive day of pampering.
Elizabeth Arden White Tea Skin Solutions Replenishing Micro-Gel Cream
With a century’s worth of skincare wisdom, the house of Elizabeth Arden introduces the latest range: The White Tea Skin Solutions line. This marks the brand’s first-ever clean, vegan, and natural anti-ageing skincare offering, that centres around white tea, an ingredient that boasts incredible soothing properties. Marrying those philosophies with cutting-edge bioengineering, the range is formulated with EGCG, one of nature’s powerful antioxidants.
Our pick from the quintet release is the Replenishing Micro-Gel Cream. It houses over 6,000 potent micro-droplets that promise to deliver a rush of hydration to the skin. Enriched with Angelica Root Extract, the luxe cream also brightens and perfects the complexion, leaving you with a healthy radiance.