Kate Demolder: Top new beauty launches for April, including a hard water hair treatment

Whether you’re fond of spa-like services from home, or light summer glows, there’s something for you in April's newest beauty releases

Thu, 11 Apr, 2024 - 14:52

Kate Demolder

Charlotte Tilbury’s Beautiful Skin Island Glow Easy Tanning Drops (€46, Brown Thomas)

Whether your bag is false freckles, a sunkissed glow or contouring, Charlotte Tilbury’s latest offering should impress.

Consider this her take on the Drunk Elephant drops, except these are not being hoarded by every 12-year-old in the land.

Simply add two drops into your moisturiser and you’ll look less grey than our six-month-winter made you. Easy, breezy, Tilbury.

NeoStrata’s Rebound Sculpting Cream 50g (€79.95, pharmacies nationwide)

Eight years in research, 2.5 times smaller than any cosmetic peptides and a blend of micro peptides, AHAs, and volumising ingredients, NeoStrata’s latest product is pretty groundbreaking regarding targeting ageing.

On the skin, it’s plush and ready to use for sensitive faces, while also scientifically proven to support the skin’s natural building blocks, including elastin, collagen, and hyaluronic acid. Full marks.

Act + Acre Cold Processed Microbiome Cooling Scalp Serum (€70, Brown Thomas)

An itchy scalp affects more people than you think. Thankfully, Helen Reavey — the trichologist behind sell-out line Act + Acre — is on the case.

The Cooling Scalp Serum is a lightweight daily leave-on serum that offers instant cooling relief to dry scalp itch while supporting the delicate scalp microbiome for long-term relief.

It contains ingredients such as Amino M³ Complex to reduce dry scalp itch and soothe reactive scalp, fireweed extract which clears flakes and excess harmful sebum, and peppermint oil to instantly cool and relieve. Apple 2-3 pipettes daily for instant relief.

Jo Browne facial at the Conrad Dublin (€100 supplement, or €180 with massage included)

Travelling to Dublin this summer? May I recommend staying at the beautiful Conrad, located across the road from the National Concert Hall.

The clever spa team there have just set up a new promotion with Jo Browne, the luxury Irish brand, to allow hotel guests to avail of a treatment right from their room.

While there recently, I was lucky enough to experience a Thai massage with the brand’s essential oils, which was genuinely the best I’ve ever had (ask for Iula, then thank me).

Plus, a free Irish Examiner tote bag

Try now

L’Oréal Professionnel Metal Detox Pre-Shampoo Treatment (€35, LookFantastic)

Hard water in your home? Then this one’s for you. Metal in water is a major cause of hair breakage. (The more porous hair is the more water it can absorb, which can lead to more breakage.)

The L’Oréal Professionnel Metal Detox range is responsible for saving hair all over the country, and their new pre-shampoo treatment is about to be met with similarly open arms.

I swear by the Metal Detox masque for saving my broken hair, and this product has earned itself a place in my shower too.

Skingredients Retinol 0.6% + B3 Serum (€49) and Retinol 1% + B3 Serum (€55, skingredients.com)

Irish skincare brand Skingredients has announced the launch of two retinol products; Retinol 0.6% + B3 Serum and Retinol 1% + B3 Serum.

Four years in the making, these two deliver pure retinol in potent formulas and scientifically advanced ingredients.

For those interested, it’s recommended that you start at a low dose and work your way up slowly. (And sandwich with moisturiser if your skin needs it.)

Bare By Vogue Golden Shimmer Dry Oil (RRP €29)

Summer may not be here, but summer scents and tans certainly are. And who else to look to but Vogue?

Her newest drop is a luxurious dry oil that’s infused with a subtle, golden shimmer.

It’s also lightly nourishing thanks to an enriching blend of Vitamin E and Sunflower oil.

YonKa CBD Serum (€110, Yonka.ie)

Behold, the first CBD product that hasn’t made me eye-roll with its marketing process.

This new iteration from spa-favourite YonKa is enriched with 300mg CBD, a blend of sacred lotus, adaptogenic reishi extract (mushroom), and organic plant oils.

It has anti-inflammatory, anti-ageing and anti-stress effects and is beautiful even on the most sensitive of skin.

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