Eight of the best new beauty releases in December
From Charlotte Tilbury to Cerave, here are the new products that have caught beauty editor Sally Foran's eye
Peptides are all the rage at the moment, but many formulations are expensive, so I was thrilled to see one of my favourite budget brands launch one. Peptides signal the skin to produce collagen and elastin and are a fantastic alternative to retinoids, offering similar results without irritation, making them perfect if you’re pregnant or if retinol doesn’t agree with your skin. They also play well with other ingredients, making layering simple. Cerave’s Skin Renewing Peptide Cream blends biomimetic peptides, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides to hydrate, support collagen, and repair the barrier.
- €30, Boots
Another side effect menopause has kindly gifted me is fine, flat hair, so this new launch really excited me. The festive season calls for big plans and even bigger hair, and Irish brand Voduz’s Body Buster delivers. Ultra-light but seriously volumising, it gives effortless lift and long-lasting body without heaviness or crunch. Powered by the Voduz Volume Boost Complex, it boosts fullness, shape, and movement, while a clean-rinsing Styling Fixative Polymer keeps hold flexible and soft. Volume increases by 39% with every use, and the coconut and fig scent is gorgeous. It’s ideal for blow-dries, sleeker looks, or reviving day-old hair.
- €20.95, Meaghers Pharmacy
This gorgeous serum gives skin a three-dimensional glow with a formula combining thiamidol, niacinamide, and aloe vera. It helps reduce hyperpigmentation, evens tone, and brightens the complexion in just three days. Thiamidol targets dark spots, niacinamide refines pores and controls excess oil, and aloe vera delivers instant and lasting hydration. It contains everything you could need in a serum, and because it hydrates and offers antioxidant protection, it’s a fantastic “one and done” option and a great alternative for those who can’t tolerate vitamin C. Used morning and evening, it leaves skin fresh, smooth, and radiant.
- €19.99, Dunnes Stores
As a big fan of collagen — I’ve taken it since turning 40 — this new launch really excites me. It contains type 1 collagen, which is easily absorbed and essential for the structure of skin, bones, and cartilage. With 8,500 mg of premium marine collagen, it compensates for the natural decline that begins in our mid-twenties and accelerates with menopause due to falling oestrogen levels. By 50, we’ve lost around 40%! The sachets have a delicious orange and pineapple flavour and mix easily with water. Alongside collagen, it also contains zinc, B3, B5, hyaluronic acid, biotin, vitamins C and E, copper, and selenium.
- €59.95, McCauley Pharmacy
To say I was excited about this serum when the embargoed press release landed would be an understatement. It’s gone viral for its groundbreaking claims and is designed to visibly restore facial volume, something I’m increasingly aware of as I approach 50. As someone who doesn’t want injectables, this is the perfect alternative. It targets areas most impacted by natural fat depletion, like the under-eyes, lips, cheeks, and temples. Unlike traditional Volufiline formulas that require mixing, this water-free version delivers the ingredient directly to the skin. It’s The Ordinary’s first product specifically addressing volume loss.
- €23.60, deciem.com
I’ve always been passionate about microbiome skincare, so this innovative launch brings real excitement. SIV works with your unique microbiome to restore balance, calm, and resilience from within. Using spore-based technology and quorum-sensing intelligence, it reads your skin’s microbial environment and responds accordingly. It strengthens the barrier, reduces inflammation, and deeply hydrates even in harsh weather. Ideal for sensitivity, inflammation, or perioral dermatitis, it targets “leaky skin,” which occurs when the microbiome becomes imbalanced. Bacillus spores reduce overgrown bacteria while supporting beneficial strains, bringing skin back to homeostasis and leaving it smoother, more nourished, and more even.
- €90, Monica Tolan
It’s the season for dry lips, so this launch is perfectly timed. Our lips are one of the thinnest and most vulnerable areas of skin, flipping from damp to dry in minutes and losing moisture faster than anywhere else. As a fan of the original Flawless Lip, I’m delighted to see two new tinted shades, especially since lip colour fades with age. The updated version features a precision cushion applicator for a smoother, more hygienic glide. With lanolin to seal in moisture and ceramides to strengthen the barrier, it contains everything lips need without fragrance or filler ingredients.
- €19, drsambunting.com
I was so impressed with the reformulated Airbrush Flawless Foundation that I hoped a concealer would follow, and thankfully, one has. Charlotte Tilbury’s new Airbrush Flawless Blur Concealer is a full-coverage, lightweight formula that delivers a 24-hour creaseless, smoothing effect. Inspired by the Airbrush franchise, it includes PhytoYouth Essence, hyaluronic acid, and squalane to hydrate and reduce the look of lines, wrinkles, and pigmentation. Powder Blur AirTech creates a soft-focus, pore-blurring finish that’s water-, sweat-, and humidity-proof, ideal for hot flashes. Available in 34 shades, it targets dark circles, blemishes, texture, and redness for a flawless, lifted finish.
- €38, Arnotts
- Prices correct at time of print but subject to change
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