With the first month of the year drawing to a close, it's only right that we finally bid farewell to January (honestly, we can't even remember our last pay day) with an assortment of new and exciting beauty launches.
Whether your start to 2026 has consisted of making new year resolutions or hibernating from the cold, one thing's for certain and that is we're all deserving of some TLC – whether that be treating your strands with one of the best hair masks or nourishing your skin with a best-smelling body lotion. Fortunately, January has brought a plethora of all-new beauty formulas with it, including those just mentioned (plus much more).
As a team, we're lucky to get our hands on the said newest buys on the block, in order to put them to the test and see whether they're actually worth your investment. So, if one of the best cleansing balms, a hydrating lip mask or a driftwood body care collection pique your attention, then keep reading.
The best new beauty buys that landed on our desk in January
If you're anything like us, January's pay day might have put you in the mood to replenish your beauty collection. Fortunately, you've come to the right place as we've tested a plethora of new buys that have hit the market this month. Introducing, the new beauty launches that are worth being on your radar this month – we're talking one of the best Jo Malone perfume with warming amber notes, nourishing body care, longevity skincare buys and a glass skin K-beauty serum...
Our editor says...nourishing skincare only this month
Whether you want to give your skin some TLC after all the December antics or are trying to tackle the effects of the month's cold and chaotic weather, there's nothing more welcome at the start of the year than nourishing, thoughtful skincare. You know the type that just slides on with a velvety, buttery feel and leaves skin soft, soothed and moisturised.
So it's no surprise that January's new launches were overrun with nourishing winter skin staples, from a new lip-drenching mask to a groundbreaking new cleansing butter and even a clever serum packed with skin-loving ingredients.
~ Aleesha Badkar, Beauty eCommerce Editor at woman&home
RRP: £24
I love a lip mask for really locking in moisture and leaving skin soft and supple, and this new launch from Gisou is up there with some of the best. A thick formula packed with ceramides, collagen, hyaluronic acid and Mirsalehi honey, it leaves lips smooth and hydrated throughout the day.
RRP: £20
This has become one of my new favourite serums. Its thin and lightweight gel-textured serum is like a big glass of water for the skin, soaking in in seconds and leaving the skin feeling soft, smooth and refreshed.
RRP: £52
We're big Tropic Skincare fans over at woman&home, so we were pretty excited to be one of the first to try this highly-anticipated cleansing balm - and it did not disappoint. The soft butter melts into a rich emulsion making for one of the most nourishing cleansers I've tried. It melts away makeup seamlessly and leaves skin soft and clean, without stripping away the oils that keep our skin healthy.
Our 12 top tried and tested beauty picks to snap up this month
RRP: £164 for 100ml
"One of the brand's biggest launches this year, Jo Malone's newest fragrance drop, Amber Labdanum, is all about the rich, elegant, lesser-known ingredients found in Spain's Granada. It opens with a warm but bitter orange scent (reminiscent of my favourite Bitter Mandarin from the brand), settling onto the clean but ever-so-slightly smokey woods of the labdanum and amber heart and base. It's warm, ambery and sharp all in one supremely elegant fragrance."
~ Aleesha Badkar, Beauty eCommerce Editor at woman&home
RRP: £48
"A mousse in the way that a fancy French restaurant will give you the most rich, thick and silky chocolate mousse for dessert, this is about as decadent as it gets for a cleanser. Thick, rich, creamy and almost buttery in the way it glides across the skin, this washes away makeup and build-up in seconds, leaving a soft, nourished finish in its wake. I love a shower oil for how it leaves the skin feeling like you've just moisturised even when it's rinsed and dried off - and this does exactly the same thing."
~ Aleesha Badkar, Beauty eCommerce Editor at woman&home
RRP: £28
If you know me, you'll know that I'm very picky when it comes to finding the best mascara. As someone with naturally straight lashes (they almost point downwards), I'm always on the hunt for a formula that not only delicately lengthens my lashes, but also does a stellar job at lifting and curling them too. Enter, Lancôme's newest mascara addition – the Curl Goddess Mascara. I had a good feeling about this buy from the get-go as the tube feels incredibly lightweight and the formula inside isn't overly wet or messy. But it actually went above and beyond my expectations as it delivered effortless fanned-out results in just one swipe, separating my lashes for a natural-looking lifted and curled effect. Not to mention, these results lasted all day long, which is rare for me as my eyelashes typically drop as soon as I step outside. In fact, this mascara impressed me so much that it has become my new go-to.
RRP: From £32
"Jones Road has launched bodycare. Say less. Honestly, I knew I’d love this because I love every considered, intentional move Bobbi Brown’s brand makes. But once I got the body oil and lotion into my bathroom and started using them, the textures, aromas, and functional-chic packaging still thrilled me. The oil, in particular, is a gem. It smells lovely, but not overpoweringly essential oil-y (so many do), and has left my ashy winter limbs comfy and sheeny without getting all over my clothes."
~ Fiona McKim, Beauty Channel Editor at woman&home
RRP: £79
Tatcha is known, and loved, for its ability to create some of the best face moisturisers on the beauty scene, and now there's a newbie on the block. Say hello to the Longevity Memory Cream. This youth-restoring formula utilises the brand's nutrient-rich Okinawa Cellescence Complex to delay visible signs of ageing – think boosted elasticity, long-lasting hydration and a brightened complexion. The cream takes form as a gel-cream with a bouncy texture that is reminiscent to memory foam, therefore earning the 'memory' title in its name. Effortlessly melting into the skin, this moisturiser has a cooling effect upon application, before imparting a brighter, bouncy appearance with a healthy dewy radiance.
RRP: £49
"Medik8 strikes again, this time with a gentle, oil-balancing serum that uses niacinamide and peptides to soothe redness and inflammation while supporting the skin barrier and encouraging skin cell renewal. I also love the hyaluronic acid inclusion that helps this serum to gently exfoliate the skin without any irritation or dryness."
~ Aleesha Badkar, Beauty eCommerce Editor at woman&home
RRP: £36
It's the world's worst kept secret that I'm a big Living Proof fan, with the Full Shampoo and Conditioner being some of my most frequently used products. So, I was excited to discover their newest launch, the Moisture Rescue Mask – which arrived in perfect time to battle my dry winter strands. This mask is designed to transform brittle, lifeless hair into bouncy, silky-soft tresses, and that it does. After just one use, my hair felt smoother, softer and more hydrated. Not only that, but it also revived the healthy shine of my locks and kept flyaways at bay. I also appreciate how it only requires to be left on for five minutes, as no one has any more time to be hanging around for a hair mask to work its magic. Oh, and its scent is salon-worthy!
RRP: From £37
"One of my favourite fragrances from Jo Loves, Amber Lime & Bergamot is warm, citrussy, woody, with a touch of sweet, so I loved seeing that it's now available in a bodycare range. Layer with the perfume to make the scent last all day."
~ Aleesha Badkar, Beauty eCommerce Editor at woman&home
RRP: £33
To celebrate the launch of this new serum, I was lucky enough to be treated to a facial with Laneige earlier this month. In fact, I was left so impressed by my introduction to this formula that it has worked its way into my daily skincare routine. Only needing three drops to cover my entire complexion, this formula acts as both a hydrating and retexturising serum, working deliver long-lasting hydration while smoothing uneven texture – AKA glass skin. As someone with a dull, tired complexion, since using this serum my skin has appeared naturally brighter, radiant and more even. It also gets points for its innovative, easy-to-use packaging that effortlessly dispenses the product.
RRP: From £23
"I’m a longtime fan of Kiehl’s OG Ultra Facial Cream, so when this intensified, restorative version landed in the woman&home beauty cupboard, I whisked it home and slathered it on tout suite. The clue is in the name - facial meltdown - and the punchy-looking siren-red pot. It’s designed to help when your skin is freaking out, probably due to bad weather or bad behaviour with aggressive skincare. I was guilty of both in December, and this squalene, bisabolol, and colloidal oatmeal blend soothed away my skin sins all January long."
~ Fiona McKim, Beauty Channel Editor at woman&home
RRP: £26
It's almost impossible to find a lip gloss that doesn't leave behind a hair-attracting stickiness, but this ILIA formula is an exception. Possibly one of the most comfortable lip gloss formulas my lips have ever adorned, this featherlight, non-stick formula is infused with fenugreek seed extract and seaweed seed extract for long-lasting hydration and definition. Arriving in 12 shades, it not only delivers a sheer wash of colour to the pout but also boasts an impressively glossy finish that naturally catches the light, giving the lips a smooth and plump appearance.
RRP: From £14
"Firstly, can we talk about how chic this collection looks? I was in my element arranging this around my warm, earthy-toned bathroom - and that was before I'd even tried any of the products. But I can safely say, I was hooked after just the first use. My favourite product from the range has to be the Serum Body Wash, as not only is it super gentle and hydrating on the skin, but it's probably the product that most shows off the addictively warm and earthy woods fragrance that makes you feel like you're in an expensive hotel. And the sharp, clean scent carries over to the other bodycare products too, with an indulgent but lightweight butter that soaks in well, leaving skin feeling soft and refreshed - I loved it to help cool down a bit after a slightly too hot bath. The luxury oil is thick and rich but absorbs well, and I love how clean the deodorant is, soaking into skin well without marking clothes. An impressive collection that I won't be giving up any time soon."
~ Aleesha Badkar, Beauty eCommerce Editor at woman&home
In other news...
Aside from the products we've had our hands on this month, there are also some notable pieces of beauty news that are worth spreading the word of – from new limited-edition fragrances inspired by the latest Netflix drama to the revival of a popular eyeshadow palette.
❤️ Dyson brought back their limited-edition Red Velvet and Gold hair tool range, inspired by the richness of Valentine’s Day.
🛏️ Estrid launched their refillable antiperspirant in a limited-edition 'Bedroom Floor' scent, which smells like crushed rhubarb soaked in lychee.
🌼 Floral Street partnered with Bridgerton to launch the Enchanted Masquerade Eau de Parfum, a floral gourmand scent with a musky base.
💄Kay Beauty launched limited-edition Luxe Matte Lipsticks in collaboration with Falguni Shane Peacock, where high-performance beauty meets couture design.
5️⃣ Happy birthday Merit Beauty! The minimalist beauty brand behind the bestselling Flush Balm and Great Skin Serum turned 5 years old.
🫐 The Body Shop relaunched their iconic Dewberry fragrance from the '90s, a truly fruity, floral blend.
1️⃣ One/Size, hailed for their high-performance makeup setting sprays and loose setting powders, is now available to shop at Boots.
👁️ Urban Decay have revived their Original Naked Eyeshadow Palette for limited time only.
‼️ After much testing, we have to give honourable mentions to other new beauty launches that impressed us this January, such as the Paula's Choice CellularYouth Longevity Serum, JVN's FlexHold Strengthening Hairspray, the L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Glass Skin Hydrogel Glow Masks, Morphe's M109 Spatula Foundation Brush and NARS Afterglow Tinted Lip Balms.
