Local beauty brands and global conglomerates have brought their A-game so far this year. Here’s the new launches worth knowing (and trying) in 2025 and beyond.
Put down a finger if you’ve caught yourself exclaiming: “How is it June already?” at least twice so far this month.
Yes, we’re hurtling through 2025 at record speed - and faster still is the rate at which beauty brands are innovating and unveiling new products to simplify routines.
This year alone, we’ve seen the reformulation of a mascara from one of the country’s top clean makeup brands, a citrussy scent range from a cult-favourite fragrance maker, and a luxurious new haircare line which prioritises scalp and hair health.
But that’s not all that’s impressed us this year so far.
Below, beauty editor Ashleigh Cometti charts the 10 best products to land on her desk in 2025, from a XXL plumping lip gloss to a hybrid exfoliating mask.
The Cleanser
It’s been 30 years since Bioderma released its now-iconic micellar water, the first of its kind back in 1995. To mark the auspicious occasion, the French pharmaceutical brand has teamed up with fashion designer and long-time fan of Bioderma, Victoria Beckham. “When I was a teenager, I suffered from serious skin problems and it had a significant effect on me. Today, it’s essential that I take great care of my skin,” Victoria says. “Bioderma’s Sensibio H20 has been a must-have product for me for years. It’s been at my side every day for as long as I can remember.” While the gently cleansing formula remains unchanged, the limited-edition offering is bedecked in hot pink with the former pop-star’s initials “VB” emblazoned on the front.
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Advertise with NZME.Available from Chemist Warehouse or Chemistwarehouse.co.nz.
The Exfoliant
In a world-first for the brand, Aesop has unveiled its new and only chemical exfoliant, one which is applied like a mask and removed after a 15-minute period. The new Aesop Lucent Facial Refiner, $133, is a gently exfoliating mask which sees PHAs and BHAs combine with vitamins B, E and F to improve both skin texture and appearance, while leaving it smooth, supple and hydrated. The twice-weekly exfoliant is the second product to be added to the artisanal brand’s Lucent range, following in the successful footsteps of its Lucent Facial Concentrate. When used together, the Lucent Duo is designed to reveal skin that appears more luminous and even-toned, said to address hyperpigmentation with ongoing use.
Available from Aesop signature stores, selected department stores or Aesop.com.
The Serum
As the next “big thing” in beauty, expect to see exosomes cropping up both in-clinic and in topical skincare over the coming months. One brand which has cottoned on to the benefit of these buzzy, nano-sized cell messengers is Osmosis, with the launch of its new StemFactor harnessing the next generation is exosome tech to allow the high-performance growth factor serum to better penetrate skin. The patented formulation contains more than 600 different types of growth factors and peptides to strengthen skin’s structure, while supercharging its ability to heal, repair and regenerate, meaning its particularly effective on ageing, dry or sensitive skin types. Not to mention it’s excellent to smooth on after invasive skin treatments such as micro-needling, to support wound healing and skin regeneration.
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Advertise with NZME.Available from selected day spas and independent stockists or Osmosisskin.co.nz
The Moisturiser
Skin feeling inflamed? Irritated? Itchy? Enter Murad’s newest innovation - an ultra-soothing cream-based moisturiser which is geared toward those with sensitised or eczema-prone skin in mind. The calming, hypoallergenic formulation is free from both alcohol and fragrance, rendering it safe to use on skin that appears red, dry, itchy or tight. It does so thanks to the use of fermented heartleaf extract, an antioxidant-rich ingredient revered in K-beauty for its ability to soothe and hydrate, alongside ceramides and microalgae to calm an angry complexion and boost moisture levels once more.
Available at Caci clinics nationwide or see Caci.co.nz or Murad.co.nz.
The Primer
It’s the newest in Smashbox’s stable of skin-smoothing primers, and now the new Photo Finish Pore-Vanishing Primer joins the party to help blur the appearance of pores while gripping makeup for up to 12 hours. It promises soft-focus skin, and can be worn alone, on top of moisturiser to prime for the makeup steps to follow, or patted over top of makeup for a diffused effect. Not to mention the oil-free formulation won’t leave behind a white cast or pore-clogging deposits on skin, leaving skin feeling smooth, velvety and mattified.
Available from Mecca stores nationwide or Mecca.com
The Mascara
Renowned for its clean, innovative formulations, local beauty brand Aleph has reimagined its signature Lift/Lengthen Mascara to include a host of new ingredients which position the product as a lash growth serum as much as it does a cosmetic. The next-generation mascara still lengthens, volumises and defines lashes like the original, but this time sees fresh ingredients added to support lash growth and long-term lash health. The reformulation includes lash serum peptides like trifolium pratense and vigna radiata sprout extract, alongside organic mung bean and clover sprout extracts to stimulate lash length and density across a 28-day period. Not to mention the category-defining product helps to anchor lashes at the root, reducing fall-out and supporting overall lash vitality. With sustainability at its core, the refillable glass vessel is able to be cleaned and reused as part of the brand’s circular packaging model.
Available from selected independent retailers or see Alephbeauty.com
The Lip Gloss
It’s only just hit shelves, but all eight shades of YSL’s new Plumping Lip Oil Gloss have already sold out online. Promising to create a glossy, plumped-up pout, the oil-infused hybrid is said to drench lips in glass shine for up to eight hours’ wear, while leaving lips hydrated and nourished for up to 24 hours. Unlike other glosses which can feel tacky, YSL’s newbie promises shine (not stickiness) thanks to its blend of hyaluronic acid and fig pulp from the YSL Beauty Ourika Community Gardens. The plumping effect it offers lips is courtesy of ginger and pepper oils, which stimulate blood flow and give that signature “tingle” sensation on application.
Available from Sephora or Sephora.nz
The Scent
Trust Diptyque to unveil a summer-ready collection in the depths of Southern Hemisphere winter. Designed to pull even the most hardened person out of seasonal stagnation, the new Diptyque Summer Garden collection has us daydreaming of wandering a luscious orchard in high-summer, with its selection of seven products spanning fragrance and body spray through to candles and hair mists. Viva loves L’Eau Des Hespérides, a sparkling, verdant eau de toilette which sees fresh citrus combine with spicy elements for a refined, elegant finish. A scented reminder that sunny days are coming.
Available from Mecca or Mecca.com
The Body Product
It’s the cult-favourite skincare range known for drenching skin in 48-hour hydration (and keeping it there). Now, Clinique has ushered in the next chapter in its Moisture Surge story with the new Moisture Surge Body Hydrator. Designed to offer skin a much-needed drink, this fast-absorbing body lotion works to refresh skin with a layer of lightweight hydration, without leaving any oily residue behind. If your skin is feeling parched from too-hot showers and exposure to the cold weather, then this dermatologist-tested body lotion could be just the ticket to restore skin to its glowing, hydrated best once more.
Available from selected department stores including Farmers or Farmers.co.nz
The Shampoo & Conditioner Duo
Offer tresses a little indulgence with new-to-Mecca brand Commune’s Seymour Shampoo & Conditioner Set, which is designed to gently cleanse hair without stripping it of its natural oils. The enriching two-step system promotes optimum hair health and vitality, rebuilding strands from the inside out. For a truly sensorial experience, allow the signature Seymour scent to whisk you away to Somerset, with notes of heady botanicals, ripe fruits and warming woods, which make hair washing a pleasure.
Available from Mecca or Mecca.com
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