We test the latest social media-friendly beauty brands and see which ones really live up to the hype.
The skin saviour — @Drunkelephant
Followers: 370k
One of Sephora’s most sought-after skincare brands has finally crossed the pond, leaving UK beauty obsessives jumping for joy.
And while the fun, colourful little bottles look like they belong in your kids’ playroom, what’s inside them is seriously impressive.
Founder Tiffany Masterson wanted to create a range free of the “suspicious six” ingredients – essential oils, drying alcohol, silicone, chemical sunscreens, fragrances/dyes and dreaded sodium lauryl sulfate – so the mega-effective products are as “clean” as skincare gets.
Our fave? Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil, £34, which packs antioxidants and omegas into skin, leaving it plump and moisturised.
- Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil, £34 from Cult Beauty — buy now
The mane tamer — @Igkhair
Followers: 228k
If you dream of cool-girl hair but don’t have cash to burn, listen up.
IGK has taken the UK hair scene by storm since launching its line of mane-perfecting products earlier this year.
The eye-catching packaging and tongue-in-cheek names (like Trust Fund or Smoke & Mirrors) are made for social media, while the results are worthy of the red carpet – no wonder fans include Ciara and Lana Del Rey.
We’re obsessed with IGK Expensive Amla Oil Hi-Shine Topcoat, £25, which accentuates and protects colour while giving you your shiniest locks yet.
- IGK Expensive Amla Oil Hi-Shine Topcoat, £25 from SpaceNK — buy now
The natural range — @Herbivorebotanicals
Followers: 338k
Formulated in a kitchen by a husband-and-wife team, Herbivore has beauty bosses everywhere talking.
The range contains pretty much every natural skin-loving ingredient you can think of, sourced from all over the globe – from exfoliating French pink clay to revitalising Brazilian gemstones.
If we had to pick a fave, it would be Herbivore Rose Quartz Illuminating Body Oil, £38 – not only does the sparkly pink bottle make for the most gorgeous flatlay on your feed, but the rose quartz gemstone ingredient (yes, an actual crystal) will also leave you luminous from head to toe.
- Herbivore Rose Quartz Illuminating Body Oil, £38 from SpaceNK — buy now
The homegrown brand — @Farmacybeauty
Followers: 142k
It might sound weird, but farm-to-dressing-table skincare is becoming a thing.
Farmacy started when amateur gardener Mark Veeder discovered a new variety of echinacea boasting record levels of cichoric acid, known for protecting skin from the elements and soothing conditions such as eczema.
He started growing it at scale, and now it’s the key ingredient across a whole range of skincare products.
Throw in some honey and voilà, you have Farmacy Honey Potion Renewing Antioxidant Hydration Mask, £36, an antibacterial concoction that calms stressed-out complexions in a flash.
- Farmacy Honey Potion Renewing Antioxidant Hydration Mask, £36 from Look Fantastic — buy now
The indy option — @Love_amika
Followers: 140k
Creative hair enthusiasts, rejoice! Brooklyn-based hipster haircare brand Amika is officially available on UK soil – and we simply can’t get enough of it.
The range is perfect if you want to get edgy with your style without having to compromise on the condition of your locks.
Amika First Base Moisturizing Styling Cream, £20, is packed with sea buckthorn berry to hydrate and bring out the natural gloss of your hair while also holding your style in place all day.
- Amika First Base Moisturizing Styling Cream, £20 from Birchbox — buy now
The celeb choice — @Doseofcolors
Followers: 2.9m
This US-born indie make-up brand has earned a cult following – not to mention Beyoncé’s approval – thanks to its simple-yet-chic packaging and incredible no-frills formulas.
The huge range of cruelty-free, vegan goodies has some of the strongest pigments in the game and staying power that rivals most of its premium competitors.
We love Dose of Colors Matte Lipstick, £16 – it comes in 35 shades and dries down to the most comfortable matte lip we’ve ever tried. We’ll take 10!
- Dose of Colors Matte Lipstick, £16 from Beauty Bay — buy now
Stockists: Amika (Birchbox.co.uk), Dose of Colours (Beautybay.com), Drunk Elephant (Cultbeauty.co.uk), Farmacy (Lookfantastic.com), Herbivore (Spacenk.com), IGK (Spacenk.com).
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