Icons Only: The Beauty Products Worth Knowing

In beauty, newness is constant. Icon status is harder to earn.

Between skincare, makeup, hair care and fragrance, there is always something fresh landing on shelves, promising to be the next routine-changing find. But with so much to choose from, knowing what is actually worth your attention can feel like a full-time job.

That’s where we come in, and we take our jobs of sifting through the new and notable products very seriously. From formulas the beauty insiders return to again and again, to new favourites earning a place in the everyday routine, this line-up brings together beauty standouts worth having on your radar.

Whether you are restocking a trusted staple, refining your routine or looking for something new to add to your shelf, consider this your shortcut to what’s worth knowing.

Leading the local launch is Liftactiv Collagen Specialist 16 Eye Care, a fragrance-free eye cream designed for the delicate eye contour. Powered by Vichy’s Co-Bond Technology, with rhamnose, peptides and maitake, the formula is made to target visible signs around the eye area, including the appearance of fine lines, dark circles, eye bags, and uneven texture. It’s a targeted step for anyone looking to take their skincare routine to the next level – without having to get your passport renewed.

Start with the CeraVe Foaming Cleanser, a gel-to-foam cleanser for normal to oily skin, formulated with three essential ceramides, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide to help cleanse while strengthening the skin barrier in just one wash^[1]. For dry, rough or sensitive-feeling skin, La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5+ is a nourishing multi-purpose balm (and hyped in the beauty community for a reason) enriched with panthenol and madecassoside to help skin feel hydrated and rebalanced.

For the uninitiated, tubing mascaras work a little differently to traditional formulas. Rather than simply coating the lashes, they wrap each lash in flexible tubes to help create defined length while resisting smudging, flaking and transfer.

Sky Tubes also brings a lash-caring element to the formula, with shea butter and castor oil to help leave lashes feeling conditioned while you wear it. Then, when it’s time to take it all off, the tubes slide away with warm water – no heavy-duty remover required.

The payoff is simple: lifted, defined lashes that are made to go the distance, without the lunchtime smudge check or end-of-day panda eyes.

Pair your lashes with L’Oréal Paris True Match Hyaluron Tinted Balm, a lightweight base with hyaluronic acid and an 80% skincare formula. It melts into skin for buildable, radiant-looking coverage, with a compact mirror and teardrop applicator for easy touch-ups.

For lips, pamper your pout with the NYX Smushy SOS Lip Mask. It brings glossy colour and care together, with hyaluronic acid and up to 12 hours of delectable hydration [2]. And when it’s time to take it all off, Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water makes your end-of-day cleanse feel easy, no matter how hectic it’s been. Designed to cleanse, remove makeup and soothe skin in one step, the no-rinse formula helps lift away the day without rubbing – ideal for a quick, gentle reset before bed.

Coordinating hair-wash days can sometimes feel like an extreme sport. One minute you’re wondering whether you can stretch your style for one more day, the next you’re mentally mapping out your week, your workouts, your social plans and exactly when you’ll have time for the full wash-dry-style routine.

The result is hair that looks fresher, fuller and more lifted, without residue or weigh-down. Think of it as the low-maintenance volume step: spray at the roots, massage with your fingers and style as usual for hair that looks instantly lifted, refreshed and ready to swish.

If your hair is your growing glory, you’ve got to treat it with the respect it deserves. For colour-treated, lightened or balayaged hair, the Expert Metal Detox range is the targeted routine you need to know. The range is powered by Glicoamine and designed to help neutralise metal particles, such as copper, that can build up in the hair fibre through water exposure.

Used as a three-step routine, the Metal Detox Shampoo, Mask and Oil help cleanse, nourish, smooth and protect the hair while supporting shine, softness and colour vibrancy. It brings a professional approach to at-home colour care – so you can have that straight from the salon confidence boost and oomph without booking an appointment. 

It is sweet without feeling too delicate, warm without feeling too heavy and made for anyone who likes their fragrance to leave an impression. Think of it as the final step before heading out – the scent equivalent of adding the statement jacket, the special jewellery or the red iconic lipstick.

Trends will always come and go, but the best beauty products have a way of sticking around. Whether you’re reaching for trusted favourites from L’Oréal Paris, La Roche-Posay and Garnier, or discovering future icons from NYX, Valentino and Maybelline, these are the products worth making room for. Discover in-store or online at Chemist Warehouse.

^1. Cosmeto-clinical study, 51 subjects

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^{Article content disclaimer: Sponsored content in partnership with L'Oréal Groupe.}