Every week, our editorial team gets to try out tons of new products. (It’s a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it!) In this monthly column, our digital content manager Melissa Fejtek rounds up the ones that stood out from the pack and actually earned a spot in her routine.

Our Favourite February 2024 Beauty Launches

The SPF-moisturizer hybrid of our dreams

SHOP

Hold on to your hats, friends: Biore’s cult SPF has finally landed in Canada. The moisturizer-meets-SPF, which has been a top seller in Japan since it first launched, is now much easier to purchase for us Canadians. And yes, it does features a revamped formula (hello Health Canada regulations), the good news is that the “micro-defense” technology that made the product so successful from the get-go—encapsulated UV filters that create an ultra-light and watery texture—is still a main feature of the product. The result is a lovely even application that absorbs almost immediately with zero greasy feeling. The formula (which is available in SPF 30 and 50, FYI) also includes hyaluronic acid so it doubles up as a moisturizer. For me, that means plenty more applications throughout the day.

The featherlight blush balm

SHOP

Singer Halsey’s vegan cosmetics line just expanded into Shoppers Drug Mart, which is great news if you love to experiment with colour. With everything from matte eye paints to swipe-on eyeshadow sticks, eye gloss and glitter, about-face is a festival-goers dream come true. Now I’ll be honest, I’m not as bold with my makeup as I used to be, but I do love a knockout blush. When I tried Cheek Freak Blush balm, it was love at first application. The formula has this lovely creamy texture and it actually melts into the skin. I’ve tried a few celebrity blushes that boast similar benefits (IYKYK) but I’ve found the blending process to be a nightmare. Cheek Freak is easy to apply and has incredible staying power. Win-win. And the colours? Gorgeous. I’m partial to Get Some (pictured above), but there six other highly pigmented hues to choose from, including a deep violet (Shagged), terracotta (Cowgirl) and fruit punch pink (Laid).

The instant glow-up treatment

SHOP

If you’re jonesing for a real ‘treat yourself’ moment, consider investing in Chanel’s latest AHA peel. The firming facial treatment sloughs off dead skin cells and whatever else is clogging up your pores via chemical exfoliation, and the result is…well, let’s just say you get what you pay for. With a mixture of glycolic and citric acid, the creamy formula only slightly tingles upon application, and afterwards the skin is left feeling baby soft and looking petal fresh. Additional ingredients like niacinamide and glycerin ensure that skin is soothed and hydrated rather than raw and irritated—a common point of frustration with exfoliating treatments. If I’m prepping for a fun night out or a special event, this is the product I reach for. Think of it like a salon-level facial bottled up in a five-minute treatment.

The lipstick on everyone’s lips

SHOP

I’ve known about Merit for a long time. Our beauty director Katherine Lalancette has raved about the brand on multiple occasions, so when I had the chance to try out the brand’s latest launch—a matte version of its signature lippies—I jumped at the opportunity. And I was not disappointed. It’s the perfect lipstick to get that barely-there matte, almost powdery look, but without feeling dry or cakey. It’s lightweight, so lightweight I barely remember I’m wearing it. This lipstick has been spotted all over Fashion Week, too. Diotoma showcased the shades Sunday and Classic in New York, and JW Anderson had models wearing the hues Classic, Vermillion and Antibes in London. Past Lives actor Greta Lee wore Antibes (a soft peach) at the Critics Choice Awards and it was one of my favourite beauty moments of the night. The colour couldn’t be more perfect for spring.

The serum fit for a queen

SHOP

Trust Hungarian brand Omorovicza to make a product that lives up to its name. The Queen Serum, an expansion of the brand’s bestselling Queen of Hungary Collection (which includes the iconic Queen of Hungary Mist), is chock-full of ingredients that mimic the line-eviscerating power of retinol without the retinol. Microalgae and Chinese leaf extract improve skin elasticity, while vitamin D-rich plant stem cells hydrated the deepest layers of the skin for a seriously plumped-up complexion. But the real star of the show is the brand’s patented Healing Concentrate, which is a biofermented distillation of Budapest’s thermal waters, known for having intense regenerative properties.

Read more:
5 February Shopping Picks We’re Obsessed With
5 Must-Have Beauty Products That Launched in January
10 Dreamy New Fragrances We Want to Wear All Winter Long