
After months of hibernation and winter’s tendency to gatekeep the sunshine, we’re ready to get outside, bask in the warm weather and show off our glowing spring complexions --- with a little help from our favourite beauty products, of course. From new skincare heroes to a floral and woody Elie Saab fragrance, May’s launch lineup is sure to fast track you to summer. Read on to see what beauty launches are in store for the month of May.

Indigenous-owned makeup brand Cheekbone Beauty has just launched a translucent setting powder. The weightless and smooth pressed powder, dubbed Mattifying Moondust, a is vegan and talc-free formula that cuts any unwanted shine. And to give you even more reason to shop, the brand is a steady contributor to the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society (FNCFCS) and has donated up to six figures towards a variety of North American non-profit organizations that care for the earth and education for Indigenous youth.

Dealing with blemishes as the weather warms up and mask mandates loosen isn’t exactly our idea of fun. But Reversa’s newest Acnex product duo (sold separately) is powered with chlorophyll and plant extracts to help ease the struggle. The Targeted Blemish Care is equipped with exfoliating salicylic acid to unclog pores and heal spots, redness and scars, while the Balancing Fluid is engineered to replenish the skin’s hydration barrier.

Looking to add more pizazz to your spring and summer beauty looks? Simihaze’s full lineup of products are now available to Canadians. We’re particularly drawn to the Eyeplay Dance Pack --- a fleet of stickers for your eyes that make Euphoria-inspired makeup looks that much more achievable.

If you’re a fan of Tower 28’s Daily Rescue Facial Spray, then you’ll likely want to make acquaintances with the brand’s newly launched SOS Intensive Rescue Serum. The lightweight, pH-balancing water-based formula treats chronically sensitive skin (think acne, rosacea and eczema) thanks to the anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties of Hypochlorous acid. With just two to three pumps, the concentrated formula promotes softer, clearer skin sans the use of fragrances, alcohol and animal byproducts.

Spring is all about glow ups and The Body Shop’s coveted foundation has just been given a revamp. Reformulated as vegan certified and packed with natural origin ingredients, the barely-there veil still gives that glow finish and a fresh-faced feeling. What’s more, the Fresh Nude Foundation comes in 40 shades with three different undertones, enclosed in an entirely recyclable glass bottle.

Legendary makeup artist Pat McGrath reveals the agent behind the backstage supermodel glow she’s become known for over the years. Divine Skin: Rose 001 The Essence, a liquid emulsion that enhances the effects of your skincare routine, is the first skin-focused launch from McGrath’s eponymous brand. Packed with powerhouse ingredients like rose water, ceramides, vitamin E, squalane and botanical oils, the bi-phase, milky liquid not only drenches the skin in moisture but simultaneously clams, softens and revitalizes the complexion, too. Plus, it’s non-comedogenic and suitable for all skin types.

Don’t overlook your strands when preparing for your beauty sleep. Instead, coat them in Amika’s Dream Routine Overnight Hydration Treatment — a no-rinse hair mask that deeply moisturizes your locks while you snooze, so you can open your eyes to strands with three times the hydration. Jacked with hair-loving ingredients like hyaluronic acid, coconut water, blue algae, polyglutamic acid and sea buckthorn, this product is the ultimate beauty hack.

The latest addition to Fresh Beauty’s iconic rose collection comes in the form of a quenching facial spray. Welcome the Rose Instant Hydration Mist, which is formulated to immediately reduce the appearance of pores all while using damask rose extract and rosewater to deeply replenish the skin. Plump and supple, plain and simple. Whether you’re looking for a primer, a finishing setting spray or a mid-day pick-me-up, it’s going to leave you dewey and fresh-faced — a look we’ll be co-signing throughout springtime and beyond.

Christian Dior Makeup’s creative director, Peter Philips, has dreamt up colourful lids for the season ahead. The Diorshow On Stage Liner, famously used on models at Dior runway shows, is now available in 14 new vivid colours with shiny, matte and pearl finishes. This high-performance liner boasts an impeccable 24-hour wear that is applied with an ultra-flexible felt tip.

Sweet and soothing notes of neroli steal the spotlight in Nuxe’s reinvented Huile Prodigieuse. The iconic multi-purpose oil has been a vanity mainstay for over three decades and is now certified organic with a soul-soothing scent. This dry oil nourishes dull skin and hair, evens out the colour of stretch marks and offers anti-oxidant and anti-pollution action, all without the tacky touch left behind by traditional oils.

Lebanese couturier Elie Saab has once again tapped the talented perfumer Francis Kurkdjian to conceptualize a bright and modern fragrance for springtime. The floral and woody chypre opens with subtle and surprising nuances of mandarin and yellow ylang-ylang. It then morphs into white jasmine, tuberose and orange blossom, subtly illuminated with musk, amber wood and patchouli. This olfactive ode to light and warmth is the epitome of elegance.
Sarah Mariotti is a Toronto-based writer curious about fashion, spatial design, and ordinary human stories. When she’s not glued to her Kindle or writing about the next best earrings to hit the market, she’s putting on a pair of tortoise shades and ALD x New Balance sneaks and going for a nature walk — because a mentor and editor once told her that good ideas are always on the other side of a walk.
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