Let’s face it, August is an odd little month.
The tan has peaked, the humidity has frazzled our last nerves (and strands), and the novelty of summer Fridays is wearing suspiciously thin as our sleep schedules struggle to keep up.
But while the seasonal sparkle may be fading, beauty brands, as ever, are doing the most. This month’s launches arrive like a glossy cavalry: intelligent, luxurious, and frankly far too elegant for the melting makeup bag they’re about to be thrown into.
There’s something about August’s drops that feels different – less trend-chasing, more skin-caring. Think cooling textures, sensual fragrances, and balancing formulas that make sense whether you're clinging onto the tube handles or a jam-packed city commute or chasing a breeze by the sea. Brands seem to know we’re in a transitional headspace: not quite ready for autumn, but tired of pretending that it’s still June.
From an EMS-activated serum so hydrating it could qualify as a public service, to the latest in hypochlorous acid innovation – these are launches designed to work with you, not against. Some launches promise sustainably-sourced, vegan formulations, new makeup brands launching in the UK, and innovative formulas we’ve only just discovered.
August beauty, it turns out, is quite grown-up. Less chaos, more curation.
Below, we’ve painstakingly selected the launches worth knowing, and owning, before the leaves start turning. Because while the forecast might still be oscillating between 15 and 27 degrees with varying humidity, it’s time to start thinking about repairing that sun-soaked skin barrier.
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A fragrance that transports
When: Available now
Not had a moment to book a holiday? Escape to the sun-soaked hills of Andalusia with the help of Jo Malone’s latest cologne launch – Amber Labdanum Cologne Intense. Combining sensual notes of amber, vanilla and roasted oak with delightfully refreshing hints of citrus-scented sap and bitter orange, this opulent fragrance has been developed by Jo Malone London’s Global Head of Fragrance Céline Roux and perfumer Yann Vasnier.
Buy now £164.00, Harrods
The scent of Saville Row
When: Available now at Selfridges, available from August 15 at Penhaligon boutiques
Inspired by the heritage tailoring of Savile Row, Penhaligon’s latest eau de parfum, The Cut, is crafted by master perfumer Paul Guerlain. It opens with instantly refreshing top notes of mint and basil before swirling into a grounded, rich cypress and fir balsam middle and base.
Buy now £85.00, Selfridges
FACEGYM Powerlift
When: Available now
Long lauded as the ultimate facial in London, FACEGYM has released yet another product to help you achieve seamless sculpting from the comfort of your own home. FACEGYM’s Powerlift is an EMS Activator Gel designed to be used with the brand’s dedicated at-home EMS (electrical muscle stimulation) tool to transform your skin. While best used as part of a dedicated facial workout, it also works brilliantly as a standalone treatment serum thanks to the fact that it’s infused with hyaluronic acid, Tripeptide-5, and barrier-strengthening vegan collagen.
Buy now £40.00, Space NK
LOOKFANTASTIC’s Limited Edition Beauty Icons returns
When: Available now
Beauty haven LOOKFANTASTIC’s latest limited-edition Beauty Icons collection might just be its best yet.
Valued at over £245, it consists of five full-sized best sellers across hair, skin and body. Whether you’re in the market for a brand-new routine or are simply looking to supplement your bustling collection, investing in this beauty box is set to be your smartest move this summer. Our favourite inclusions are the Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum (worth £89) and the full-size Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream (worth £21).
Go on, treat yourself.
Buy now £65.00, LOOKFANTASTIC
A hypochlorous acid saviour: Kanzen Skincare’s HypoSoothe
When: Available now
Hypochlorous acid is the latest skincare saviour to take the beauty world by storm. You won’t find a beauty editor at the gym, at the airport or on the move throughout the city without a miniature, immediately cleansing spray bottle full of the stuff. Kanzen has taken the active ingredient, which is both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory, one step further by infusing it into a moisturiser.
Kanzen Skincare’s HypoSoothe Cream is designed for those dealing with breakouts, sensitivity and inflammation while targeting acne and redness. It’s fast-absorbing, non-creasy, cruelty-free, vegan-friendly and perfect for teens and adults alike.
Buy now £15.95, Kanzen Skincare
Eau De Parfum, but make it ice-cold
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When: August 1 (Harrods worldwide preview), September 1 (national launch)
Luxury fragrance house Kilian is beloved for cult-favourite fragrances like Love Don’t be Shy and the original Angels’ Share Eau de Parfum.
Its latest launch, Paris Angels’ Share On The Rocks, is set to join the ranks. The delectable gourmand is inspired by savouring cognac on ice and is infused with an array of globally sourced indulgent notes: openings of bitter orange, grapefruit oil, lemon oil, aldehydes, and bergamot from Italy, which drift seamlessly into an amber heart, supported by cinnamon bark oil from Laos and tonka bean from Venezuela.
Plus, the fragrance is housed in a cut-crystal-inspired vessel – perfect for bar carts and vanities alike.
Buy now £310.00, Harrods
Cruelty-free makeup rooted in South Asian heritage: KULFI comes to the UK
When: August 8
A brand-new, vibrant, vegan and cruelty-free makeup brand rooted in South Asian heritage is set to hit shelves on August 8. KULFI was founded by Priyanka Ganjoo back in 2021 and quickly became cult over in the US thanks to its bold, kaleidoscopic approach to makeup that is rooted in colour theory.
“After five years in the corporate beauty world, one truth became impossible to ignore: South Asian people were still an afterthought. Shade ranges skipped us. Campaigns excluded us. And the big brands didn’t see a reason to change,” says Ganjoo, on why she created KULFI.
Expect best-sellers like the Main Match Concealer (£26), a buildable, crease-proof and hydrating concealer in 21 shades, Lassi Lips Staining Oil (£24), a flake-free, glossy and highly pigmented stain available in 9 shades, and Underlined Kajal Eyeliner (£20), a water-proof, smudge-proof and intense Kajal in six shades.
Join the waitlist at Space NK
Buy now, Space NK
Double cleansing, but make it one step
When: August 12
Beloved by the likes of makeup artist Emily Wood, actress Lauren Graham, and multi-hyphenate Suki Waterhouse, a bathroom cupboard filled to the brim with vegan makeup and skincare from MERIT is an excellent bathroom cupboard indeed. The latest addition to MERIT Beauty’s best-selling Great Skin collection is set to revolutionise your skincare routine. The Double Cleanse streamlines your two-step routine and delivers visible results. It’s formulated to gently remove makeup, sunscreen and external pollutants while providing essential daily PHA exfoliation.
If you’re already a fan of MERIT’s bi-phase serum, you’re in for a treat. Double Cleanse combines a bi-phase makeup remover with a foaming face wash to leave your skin feeling and looking radiant – never squeaky or stripped. Just remember to shake before use to enjoy its full benefits. The oat-derived surfactant is also brilliant for sensitive skin.
Join the waitlist for early access
Buy now £28.00, MERIT Beauty
New candle and diffuser scents from JO LOVES
When: August 7, August 21
Fragrance lovers and early Christmas Wishlist curators take note, for August is set to bring a series of new launches from JO LOVES.
The Maison D’Jazz Layered Candle (£55) is set to go live on August 7. Described by Jo herself as “the most luxurious we’ve ever created,” the notes haven’t yet been revealed, but it’s said to be evocative of both a golden summer afternoon and a comforting, intimate dinner shared with friends by the fire.
Launching August 21, the JO LOVES Amber, Lime & Bergamot A Luxury Diffuser (£100) was inspired by an opulent evening at the Hurlingham Club. Encased in a veritable objet d’art – a spherical tortoiseshell-effect sphere – it combines top notes of bergamot, mandarin and pink pepper with a middle of blackcurrant, white amber, cedarwood and lime before moving into a sultry, sumptuous base of suede, patchouli and vetiver.
Buy now, JO LOVES
BY TERRY’s Terrybly Mascara is launching in new, colourful shades
When: August 21
The early 2000s makeup essential is back and better than ever. Colourful mascara in shades ranging from blues and purples to glitter-infused delights and brat green are gracing beauty shelves once more, and we couldn’t be happier. It makes sense, then, that BY TERRY is re-launching its beloved Terrybly mascara in spanking new shades.
Enriched with hyaluronic acid, collagen and a lash-lengthening serum that nourishes lashes with every use, there are set to be two new shades that are perfect for the start of autumn: Missterry Wine and Mystery Purple. These join the existing range, which currently consists of Black Partis-Pris, Moka Brown, Neon Green, Terrybleu and Purple Success.
Shop the current selection at Space NK ahead of the launch later this August
Buy now £39.00, Space NK
Mineral or chemical sunscreen? Herbar says: Why not both?
When: August 18
Launching later this summer, Herbar’s Sun Shield SPF30 is an innovative chemical/mineral sunscreen hybrid designed to offer broad-spectrum UVA/UVB defence.
Herbar has created one of the most unique sunscreen formulas we’ve ever come across: it contains soothing actives like allantoin, panthenol, and centella asiatica (cica), ectoin to strengthen the skin barrier, antioxidants astaxanthin and Coenzyme Q10 to protect against additional environmental damage, and even probiotics to support the skin’s natural microbiome.
All that, and it’s silky, lightweight, sensitive skin-approved and delivers invisible coverage sans pesky white cast. Yes please.
Buy now, Herbar
