Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Welcome back to Haul of Fame, your must-read beauty roundup for new products, new ideas and heavy metal lip gloss.
Included in today’s issue: About-Face, Amika, Batiste, Briogeo, California Naturals, Charlotte Tilbury, Cocokind, Deinde, Eadem, Elemis, E.l.f Cosmetics, Elm Biosciences, Essie, Estée Lauder, Fable & Main, Fenty Beauty, Flower Knows, Goody, Grown Alchemist, Is Clinical, Hourglass Cosmetics, Jones Road Beauty, K18, Kérastase, Lancôme, Laura Geller Beauty, Maison Louis Marie, Mutha, Naturium, Nest, Neutrogena, Nyx, Oak Essentials, Osier, Personal Day, Phlur, Polite Society, Ranavat, Rare Beauty, RMS Beauty, Saweetie, Valentino Beauty, Verb and rehab influencers.
But first…
Among the many products pitched to me for Valentine’s Day this month, I’ve seen a perfume called “Double Date” — it has date accords in the scent, get it? — and an incense holder shaped like lips. (It’s creepy!) There are “sexy time” lotions and “soft romantic” lip gloss sets. And there are viral columns like Vogue’s “Is Having a Boyfriend Embarrassing Now?” and viral threads like “I Choose the Bear” and statistics from the Pew Research Center that show, over and over, that dating and romance aren’t priorities for many women under 30… or those over 40.
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Like Gilmore Girls reruns and crazy Florida drivers, Valentine’s Day revenue was once a reliable mainstay for beauty brands. Although the National Retail Federation said we spent over $27 billion on Valentine’s Day gifts last year, makeup and fragrance brands are seeing less of that cash, according to data from the UK’s Direct Commerce Association (DCA). In a recent analysis, the British trade agency found a 21 percent drop in V-Day sales from cosmetics and perfumes last year, citing a spending shift to “staycations” in local hotels, foodie investments like “bucket list” meals at famous restaurants, and one simple fact: More adults are single in 2026, and while they’ll happily buy Valentine’s Day treats for themselves and their friends, many beauty brands haven’t pivoted their messaging away from traditional romance.
Does that mean brands should stop making Valentine’s Day offerings? No, but also — let’s be real — you won’t! In the words of Jimmy Fallon’s hapless Almost Famous manager, “there’s still money to be made,” even in the midst of TikTok’s famous chant, “the men aren’t lonely enough.” Women will still buy Valentine’s Day merch for themselves and their friends; they might even inspire current romantic partners or future possibilities to buy it for them. But it has to hit right.
Enter Colourpop, the Los Angeles makeup brand that debuted its Heart to Get Valentine’s Day Collection yesterday — and it’s already gone. Colourpop kept its V-Day offerings purely in the friend zone with cartoonish heart compacts, shimmery eyeshadow and names like “Keep Dreaming,” “Not Available,” “Not Your Baby” and “2 Good 4 U.” Can you use these pearlescent eye sticks and shiny pink glosses as ideal first-date makeup? I absolutely have.. (I have.) But by skewing the attitude away from traditional love while keeping the integrity of the actual makeup intact, ColourPop widens their audience base to include the “through with love” crowd along with those who believe that friends are the real soulmates.
This collection doesn’t make you feel bad if you’re “missing” a romantic interest. It just makes you feel bad if you missed the chance to buy it before Instagram swooped in for the kill. Other brands are experimenting with sass, too. Patrick Ta’s new Creme and Powder Blush Duo comes in a shade called “She Left Me on Red.” Nyx’s best-selling dark berry lip liner is named “Girl, Bye.” There is also Rabanne’s viral Divorce Party lipstick, which looks like Clinique’s Black Honey but hungover.
There’s a new thrum of content to serve this emerging “breakup girl” archetype, thanks to TikTok’s ubiquitous “Get Ready With Me” videos, which have lately morphed into breakup chats where ex-wives and girlfriends discuss the ideal makeup look for backing out of a relationship. Influencer Sophia Nepola made one on Sunday that already has over 150,000 viewers and thousands of likes. She tags Peter Thomas Roth and Saie Beauty as must-haves. (Others in the same genre have millions of views and even a custom sound clip used in over 170,000 videos.)
That means even if your brand already has a love-and-kisses thing going for its official Valentine’s Day merch next month, it’s not too late to build some social media content that goes in completely the other direction. You won’t be sacrificing your existing product, but you will be widening its audience… and having a little more fun in the comments section, too.
What else is new…
Skincare
Jan. 9
Who: Fenty Beauty
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What: Dew N Plump Hydrating Nectar Mist
Notes: The spray hit Sephora.com and FentySkin.com as a sneak preview before “officially” launching in April.
Jan. 11
Who: Is Clinical
What: Daily Dynamic Hydrator Ccream
Why: Hudson Williams wore this firming and brightening moisturiser on the Golden Globes red carpet, so let’s see if Heated Rivalry skincare goes the distance…
Jan. 12
Who: Estée Lauder
What: Futurist Hydraplump Lip Balm and Daywear Glow Boost Gel Cleanser
Why: Both promise a rush of moisture, but only the lip balm comes in eight pH-adapting colours, making it quite fun to apply. (Also fun: The description of the face wash’s “hyaluronic microspheres.” So Star Trek!)
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Who: Jones Road Beauty
What: The Body Collection
Why: Bobbi Brown’s indie label makes its body care debut with lotion, oil, scrub and shower gel, priced between $36 and $52.
Jan. 13
Who: Eadem
What: The Mark Dark Spot Concentrate
Why: Now that it’s got a chokehold on lip gloss, the New York-based brand is rolling out a dark spot-serum with tranexamic and kojic acids, and claims it can reduce hyperpigmentation in two weeks.
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Who: Laura Geller Beauty
What: Line Smother Target Fine Line Filler
Why: As seen on Bravo-lebrity Dolores Catania, this “velvety corrector” uses a silicone-based formula to mask fine lines and shine.
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Who: Elm Biosciences
What: A30 Elemental Night Cream
Why: Martha Stewart’s skincare brand now includes an overnight moisturiser with a “high performance” retinoid that aims to firm and smooth without irritating skin. Helena Christensen is the campaign face.
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Who: Cocokind
What: Milky-Soft Face and Body Cleanser
Why: A double-duty bottle that retails for $18, is approved by the National Eczema Association and also works as a makeup remover during double-cleanses. (Which are scams, unless you did a smoky eye with glitter.)
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Who: Osier
What: Comeback Cleanser and Balance Toner
Why: Did you know there are “rehab influencers”? One of them, Cheree Ashley, has a plant-based skincare line called Osier created to help build and maintain the skin’s resilience after trauma or exhaustion.
Jan. 14
Who: Elemis
What: Pro-Collagen Hydrating Cleansing Mousse
Why: It’s frothy! It’s got prebiotics! It’s “infused with earth marine water,” which is to the ocean what champagne is to sparkling wine — harvested near France’s Noirmoutier island and imbued with more minerals than typical brack. But also… yes… basically it’s got ocean water in the tube.
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Who: Oak Essentials
What: Dew Body Butter
Why: Jenni Kayne’s first anti-aging body product, this one is $68 with algae in the formula.
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Who: Grown Alchemist
What: Qantas Airlines Partnership
Why: After replacing Kiehl’s at Equinox last year, the Melbourne-based brand is taking over business class cabins with a 3-product pouch including lip balm, hand cream and moisturiser.
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Who: Mutha
What: Detox Greens Body Butter and Detox Greens Nudist Exfoliating Body Bar
Why: After tomato soap and salad candles, it’s not a shock that kale has migrated from an Erewhon smoothie into a scented shower duo.
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Who: Deinde
What: Radiance-Restoring Overnight Mask and Overnight-Sculpting Face Tape
Why: It’s a beauty-sleep duo! The creamy mask has 10 percent gluconolactone, a commonly used polyhydroxy acid (PHA) for overnight restoration and recovery, while the face tape is made from medical grade kinesiology strips (like the kind football players wear during practice) to “help support skin’s natural structure and soften the look of fine lines.” (Or to make you look like a TikTok beauty conspiracy theorist.)
Jan. 16
Who: Naturium
What: Glow Getter Multi-Oil Body Scrub
Why: It’s got 20 percent glycerine and 60 percent sugar crystals for a smooth exfoliation with no gritty stuff left in the shower.
Makeup
Jan. 8
Who: Essie
What: Break Fix Liquid Nail Patch
Why: This paint-on gel claims to “instantly repair nail breaks, snags and tears.” If it actually works, the $12 bottle will be a must-have for those trying to free themselves of gel manicures while clinging to their natural length. (Guilty!)
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Who: Neutrogena
What: Healthy Glow Blush Sticks
Why: Everything is blush (still). Neutrogena’s new cheeky balms come in five buildable shades, though they could use a sixth between “dusty mauve” and “super rich plum” for those with medium-deep skin tones.
Jan. 11
Who: Charlotte Tilbury
What: Airbrush Flawless Blur Concealer
Why: Emily Blunt, Amal Clooney, Zoey Deutsch, Kate Hudson and Teyana Tayor soft-launched this longwear formula at the Golden Globes; the $36 concealer is available for non-celebs starting on Jan. 22.
Jan. 12
Who: Polite Society
What: Love It Lip Balm
Why: It’s a shimmery, sheer pink formula with “Italian wine grape” extract. But it still counts for Dry January.
Jan. 13
Who: RMS Beauty
Whar: RefFresh Eye Brightener Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Why: An eye cream… that’s also a concealer… that’s also an SPF? Fantastic. This one comes in four shades and retails for $49.
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Who: Lancôme
What: Lash Idôle Curl Goddess Mascara
Why: Olivia Rodrigo fronts the new tube, which claims to use “professional hair technology” to boost lash volume by 800 percent. It’s $30 and comes with one of those half-moon shaped brushes that gets into the lash line fast, which is a major plus.
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Who: About-Face
What: Supporting Act Setting Spray
Why: Halsey can now explain how their makeup lasts through two hour concerts: About-Face setting spray, a $19 mist with niacinamide, chestnut seed extracts, and a formulation that acts as both a makeup primer and a glass-skin transformer when used over face setting powder.
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Who: Nyx
What: The OG Brew Suede Matte Lip Liner
Why: A revival of an earlier shade from Nyx, this deep brown colour was made in collaboration with influencer Paloma Sanchez. Also this week, musician Saweetie — who has a giggle-inducing turn in the upcoming fashion satire Idiotka, out in March — was announced as the face of Nyx’s Jelly Job gloss.
Jan. 14
Who: Personal Day
What: Emotional Support Tinted Lip Balm
Why: Actress Lili Reinhardt debuts her first colour cosmetic as part of her acne-focused skincare line, Personal Day. This one comes in two shades — Jam Jar and Strawberry Milk — and were created to address “Accutane lips,” the super-dry and cracked pout you can get from the zit medication. The brand also just named Amanda Domaleczny of LiveTinted and Tula as its new CEO.
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Who: E.l.f. Cosmetics
What: Lip Embalms
Why: Two years after their first collab, E.l.f. Cosmetics and Liquid Death canned water are back with six flavours of gloss, including Killer Cola and Doctor Death. To launch the partnership, E.l.f. sent actress Nina Dobrev on a paparazzi walk with black metal rocker Glothar, who was the face of the first campaign. Naturally, she wore the gloss.
Jan. 15
Who: Rare Beauty
What: For the Soft Pinch Matte Bouncy Blush
Notes: It’s a cream-to-powder blush in three shades — tea rose, dusty violet and deep berry — that give a blurry, matte finish for $27.
Jan. 16
Who: Hourglass Cosmetics
What: Illusion Luminous Glow Foundation
Why: The Unilever-acquired brand from Venice Beach is going deep on foundation, with 32 shades and SPF 30.
Jan. 17
Who: Flower Knows
What: Bunny Garden Collection
Why: You go, Rococo! (Sorry.) The Versailles-inspired makeup line releases a gilded collection of fragrance, eye shadow, lip balm, foundation, blush, eyeliner, and gold-painted bunny hair clips. It’s too much. It’s not enough. Repeat.
Hair Care
Jan. 9
Who: Briogeo
What: Scalp Revival Dandruff Relief Duo
Why: “Scalp care” continues to rule new releases (see also: “regrowth” and “thickening”) with this $42 set that includes charcoal and salicylic acid in the mix.
Jan. 13
Who: Amika
What: Soulstruck Nourishing Dry Hair Mask
Why: A leave-in mask with persimmon extract, vegan silk protein and sea buckthorn oil that sprays on like a dry shampoo, but protects like a deep conditioner. It’s neat!
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Who: Kérastase
What: Demi Moore campaign
Why: The Oscar-nominated actress is the new face — and hair — of the L’Oréal prestige haircare brand, rolling out black-and-white imagery with hair by Dimitris Giannetos.
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Who: K18
What: Brand ambassador Tom Smith
Why: This is the Aevum Salon founder Tom Smith and not the Editors lead singer Tom Smith, for anybody else who needs the distinction.
Jan. 14
Who: Goody
What: Lee Jeans Partnership
Why: Includes 20 hair products including floral-print brushes, peek-a-bow barrettes and denim scrunchies for maximum “American girl” vibes.
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Who: Batiste
What: Light Fragrance Free Dry Shampoo
Why: A chance for dry shampoo fans to get their fix without any perfume — a smart move in the era of “everything is a fragrance mist,” even when you don’t want it to be. The $12.50 price is wise, too.
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Who: Fable & Mane
What: Maitreyi Ramakrishnan campaign
Why: Never Have I Ever… starred in a hair ad? 24-year-old Maitreyi Ramakrishnan just cleared that hurdle. The actress now reps Fable & Mane’s Holiroots Hair Oil campaign, which was shot entirely in India, where Ramakrishnan is pictured foraging for the ayurvedic ingredients used in Fable & Mane’s $38 formula.
Jan. 15
Who: Verb
What: Curl Oil
Why: The latest entry into Verb’s curl care line, this $22 spray-on was formulated for kinky, coily and wavy textures.
Jan. 16
Who: California Naturals
What: Sensitive Scalp Shampoo and Conditioner
Why: It’s a big month for the brand by herbalist Shelby Wild, who also debuted a curl-focused hair collection, along with coconut body scrub and body lotion, all priced under $30. Actor Owen Wilson remains the brand’s “chief shampoo officer” but other investors — like L Catterton and Sandbridge Capital — don’t get the same titles. (They’re probably happy about that.)
Fragrance
Jan. 13
Who: Phlur
What: Vanilla Skin Body Oil
Why: The cult fragrance returns as a $45 formula with rosehip, squalane and vitamin C, along with a nude-wrapped product shot that hints at the scent’s viral origin story — a stripper recommended it on TikTok, revealing it led to more tips than any other perfume.
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Who: Nest New York
What: Watermelon Peony
Why: With watermelon, pear and lemon, this scent leans into the smoothie-as-gourmand trend, and uses baobab oil to anchor the fragrance to skin for a longer-lasting effect.
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Who: Ranavat
What: Ethereal Frequency Perfume and Infinite Resonance Perfume
Why: Following the footsteps of Vyrao, this brand by former engineer Michelle Ranavat leans into functional and ayurvedic fragrance principles for its new set of three luxury scents, which retail for $185 each.
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Who: Valentino Beauty
What: Born in Roma digital art campaign
Why: The designer fragrance line enlisted seven digital artists to illustrate the pyramid-studded glass bottle, including Infiniteyay, Daily Splice, Xeocho, Chrissie Abbott, Andrew Knives, Maria Ines Guil and Simon Bailly. The move comes about a month after Alessandro Michele recruited digital artists like Total Emotional Awareness and Animus Pax to reimagine Valentino’s accessories in the metaverse.
Jan. 15
Who: Maison Louis Marie
What: No. 15 Vanille Infinie
Why: It’s the brand’s first vanilla gourmand scent, which also has notes of citron and sugared amber, along with something called “cloud musk” that sounds… imaginary?
And finally…
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