Tried & tested – the best new beauty products of April 2023

With over a decade in the beauty industry I’ve tried thousands of products, from skincare to haircare, make-up to bodycare – and beyond. Here are some of my favourites from April 2023…

It Cosmetics CC+ Nude Glow, £33

The original CC Cream from It Cosmetics is one of my all-time favourite foundations, providing flawless, long-lasting and full coverage with every use. It’s the one I recommend for weddings because its skin-perfecting formula simply does not budge.

But its thickness isn’t for everyone. And the brand has taken note.

CC+ Nude Glow provides light to medium coverage, and contains an impressive amount of skincare to boot, including soothing and perfecting niacinamide, brightening green tea extract and hydrating hyaluronic acid.

My first impressions were that, when applied, it barely looks like you’re wearing make-up at all.

The lightweight formula glides on and blends effortlessly.

Available in 22 shades, it evens skin tone and reduces redness, but allows your natural complexion to shine through. It stays put all day too.

Drunk Elephant Bouncy Brightfacial, £60

You know that gorgeous glow you get on holiday, during the “golden hour” before sunset when the light hits your skin and makes it look flawless? That’s what this powerful little product intends to emulate.

It contains azelaic acid, which is one of my favourite ingredients in skincare. A mild exfoliator, azelaic acid is also anti-inflammatory, which means calmer, smoother, less red-looking skin. There’s salicylic acid in there too, which is antiinflammatory, anti-bacterial and exfoliating.

A leave-on mask (although the word mask implies it’s thicker than it is in reality) I’ve been applying it after my moisturiser and before my SPF twice a week – and the results are clear to see.

It has an instant tightening effect, and with prolonged use, my skin is more even-toned and radiant.

Escentric Molecules Molecule 01 + Ginger, from £20

When this fragrance landed on my desk I idly spritzed it, as I do all of them. But this one stopped me in my tracks – and I’ve worn it every day since.

As the name would suggest, at its heart is ginger. It’s one of three new scents from the brand to add a single note to its cult classic “Molecule 01” base, a velvety, woody, cedarwood fragrance.

It’s a stop-you-in-the-street scent, and one I’ve been asked about whenever I’ve worn it. It’s spicy with just the right amount of sweetness and I can’t get enough of it.

I never knew I wanted to smell like a shot of ginger juice? until now.

Tan-Luxe Express Mousse, £37

To me, self-tanning always seems a bit of a faff. I love the result, but the process takes too long. So when this Express Mousse from Tan-Luxe landed on my desk, promising a light tan in 30 minutes, I was excited.

My favourite self-tan takes a minimum of an hour to develop. But I don’t often have an hour to spare. Half that, I might manage. I applied the mousse, making sure to exfoliate and moisturise dry areas like elbows and feet beforehand. The sweet-smelling formula went on easily with a mitt, and sank into my skin quickly. I liked that it contains vitamin C, beta glucan and hyaluronic acid to combat dryness and provide skincare benefits along with the tan.

After 30 mins I washed it off.

A few hours later, a subtle natural-looking tan developed on my skin. People looking for a darker tan can leave it on for up to three hours. Great for the time poor – I was impressed.

Keeo Genius Smart Glide Straightener, £179

Indie hair is one of my favourite trends of the year, and – helpfully – one of the easiest to recreate at home. Inspired by 90s grunge, it involves messy waves that look undone, cool and effortless – think Kate Moss.

And this new hair tool from Keeo (meaning “care” in Korean) is just the thing for the job.

Clever tech means the straighteners don’t clamp the hair, therefore the level of straightening you achieve can be easily adapted to what you want.

On the Keeo’s first glide, tamed flyaways are back in their box and there is more shine – but hair isn’t poker straight.

Twisting the tool 180 degrees and pulling the hair through it allows you to create gentle, loose waves. It switches off after 35 minutes too, so when I dash out in a rush I never need worry I’ve left it on at home.

*Follow Hannah on Instagram @hannahrbritt