As a Beauty Director With High Standards, These 7 Products Proved My Favourites This Month

Call me cynical, but as a journalist whose job is to review beauty products objectively, I find I am a particularly harsh critic of viral products. And while I had heard that these K-beauty sheet masks from Korean brand Anua were good, I wasn't prepared to take the internet's word for it. However, when I tried one on my face for the first time a few weeks ago, the results were impossible to argue with. After sitting on my face for two hours, this ceramide-soaked sheet mask left my skin looking the healthiest, glowiest, plumpest it has ever looked. Sure, a minimum of an hour is a long time to carve out for face masking, but every second was worth it. I urge you not to sleep on this sheet mask—it will absolutely blow you away.

Key notes: Oud, sandalwood, rosewood, eastern spices, amber

I know that summer might not seem like the obvious time to start burning rich, woody candles, but hear me out. I insist on having a candle burning every minute I'm at home. (I like my flat to smell luxurious, what more can I say?) And when it's hot outside and all of my windows and doors are wide open, I need my candle of choice to pack a punch. And while this expensive-smelling candle is smoky, rich and intense, it also possesses a spicy warmth that just seems to work in the heat. The result of burning it on a summer's evening is reminiscent of wandering Moroccan souks at dusk, where the aroma of incense, firewood and spices twirls in the air.

Before we delve into my love for this product, I feel inclined to caveat that my brows are somewhat unique. They are thick, coarse, long and jet-black in colour. I also hate grooming them. For this reason, I need my brow gels to deliver serious hold and take mere seconds to apply. This formula is one of my favourites ever. For starters, the clear gel doesn't turn white or flaky—which is rarer than you'd think (true to its name). Then we come onto the spoolie, which is simply sensational. On one side, the fibres are longer and more densely packed, designed to get right to the root of brow strands and lift. On the other side are shorter fibres to feather things out when you're done. The result is perfectly groomed brows that stay in place all day without ever looking too "done".

I have written a love letter to Sunday Riley Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment before. In fact, in said letter (that I wrote last year), I called it the best "serum" I've ever used, and I stand by it. I apply this potent exfoliant to my congestion-prone, acne-prone skin three times a week at night, and have done so for around 18 months. Even after all that time, I still wake up every morning after application with skin so soft it takes me by surprise. I consider this treatment an absolute non-negotiable in my routine for maintaining glow and keeping congestion at bay. You better believe I cracked open another bottle the minute this one finished.

It will surprise absolutely no one that I own a Rhode phone case—doing so is a beauty editor's rite of passage, after all. Therefore, I go through Rhode Peptide Lip Tints like it's nobody's business. I apply this softening, plumping lip treatment at least 10 times a day, and the glassy, taupe finish just helps me feel like I've got my life together. It really is the best everyday tinted, glossy lip balm.

Key notes: White musks, mimosa, blonde woods

I take great pride in my choices of sink-side hand washes. Not only do I find using a great luxury hand wash delivers a little burst of joy into my everyday, but the kick I get out of a guest complimenting my hand wash is second-to-none. This one (which can also be used as a body wash, FYI) is perhaps my favourite sink addition of 2026 so far. It smells creamy, comforting and coddling, delivering a bout of mind-soothing comfort with every use.

I feel very passionately about cleansing balms. You see, micellar water should, in my opinion, always be the absolute last-resort form of makeup removal. Why subject your skin to tugging and scrubbing when you could use a sensorial, luxurious, nourishing balm or oil instead? And they're way more effective at what they do. This stuff was an absolute joy to use. The scent (which I think was a festive limited edition) smells like citrus-finished crème brûlée, and the unctuous formula dissolved every trace of makeup in its tracks (although it does sting the eyes, so don't do what I did and try to scrub off mascara with it). Every night, before getting in the bath, removing my makeup with this felt like treating myself to a mini facial. Pure indulgence.