After only being available in the States, the Rare Beauty UK range is now on sale at SpaceNK and Sephora 


UPDATE: There’s a new Rare Beauty UK product and it’s a take on one of the brand’s most popular items – the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Powder Blush.

Available in six shades, as the name suggests this blush is a powder version of the hugely popular Soft Pinch Liquid Blush. The shades correspond with six of the shades available in the Liquid version and include:

  • Cheer – light warm pink
  • Hope – nude mauve
  • Happy – cool pink
  • Joy – muted peach
  • Truth – mauve maroon
  • Love – terracotta

Whereas the Liquid blushes come in a mix of matte and dewy finishes, all of the Powder Blushes offer the luminosity of the Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter.

You can buy them directly from Rare Beauty, as well as Sephora for £25 each. Shop the new blushes using the button below, or keep scrolling to read our full Rare Beauty UK guide.

BUY NOW

Original Rare Beauty UK guide continues below

With packaging to die for and reviews that’ll have you emptying your bank account, Selena Gomez’s cosmetics line – Rare Beauty – has caused quite a stir.

It boasts one of the most impressive foundation and concealer shade ranges on the market, with 48 shades available.

Set up by the singer to “break down unrealistic standards of perfection”, the Selena Gomez makeup range has been made to “feel good in, without hiding what makes you unique — because Rare Beauty is not about being someone else, but being who you are.”

In fact, many of the brand’s mission statements align with how we feel about the beauty industry. Its vision is to create “a safe, welcoming space in beauty — and beyond — that supports mental wellbeing across age, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, cultural background, physical or mental ability, and perspective.”

What’s more, when Gomez launched Rare Beauty, she pledged to donate 1% of annual sales to mental health initiatives among other fundraising activities, which form part of her wider $100 million Rare Impact Fund. A fund that, in its first year, donated $1.2 million to mental health resources.

Below we explain where to buy Rare Beauty in the UK, as well as pick some of our favourite products – from the iconic Rare Beauty Blush to gift sets – in the growing collection.

FURTHER READING: How to find your perfect foundation match


Rare Beauty UK: Where to buy 

Rare Beauty UK stockists include SpaceNK and Sephora.

You can also buy Rare Beauty in the UK via the official Rare Beauty website, although you’ll need to pay shipping for all orders under £105, and custom fees.


Best Rare Beauty UK products

The Rare Beauty UK range has been growing steadily in recent months but if you’re not sure where to start, or if the range even lives up to the hype, we’ve handpicked our favourites from across the range. The full list of Rare Beauty products is at the bottom of this page. Click here to jump straight to that section.

♥︎ Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation

£26 | Buy now

The Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation was one of the first products to become available in the Rare Beauty UK collection and it’s one of the brand’s bestsellers.

Not only does it offer medium, buildable coverage with a soft finish, but we’re also big fans of this foundation because it leaves the skin looking radiant and fresh.

We bought a shade that is slightly too orange for our skin and because this foundation does oxidise ever so slightly, we recommend you opt for a slightly lighter shade than you need.

We recently put it head-to-head with Lady Gaga’s Haus Labs foundation in the first round of our Foundation Death Match on TikTok and it won that round. You can see the video here.

On our TikTok, we’ve also previously tested the hydration of this foundation and you can watch that video below. These videos form part of our wider hunt for the best foundation for all skin types, budgets, and needs. If you’re interested in seeing the top 10, go to our best foundation makeup page where you can also find the spreadsheet with the full ranking.

@victoria_woolly_web Replying to @victoria_woolly_web this feels like a bit of an anomaly because hydration-wise it dried it out but finish wise, it still looked dewy and radiant ‍♀️ #fyp #fypシ #mamabella #foundationtest #hydration #hydrated #hydratedskin @Rare Beauty ♬ BREAK MY SOUL – Beyoncé

What’s more, when paired with the Liquid Touch Brightening Concealer (£18), this foundation covers imperfections without feeling too heavy. Even better – both products contain skincare ingredients to help nourish and soften your complexion. This makes it a contender for the best foundation for mature skin, although it will also suit other skin types too.

 


♥︎ Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Concealer

£21 | Buy now

Rare Beauty Liquid Touch ConcealerRare Beauty

Designed to complement the Liquid Touch foundation, in terms of shade range as well as formula, is the Rare Touch Liquid Concealer.

Formulated with skincare ingredients, this concealer is designed to nourish and soften the skin, which is great for hydrating the skin around the eyes and preventing this concealer from settling into the fine lines, while also providing buildable coverage. In particular, it contains lotus, white water lily, and gardenia that all help soothe the skin.

The consistency is creamy and surprisingly lightweight given how much coverage it provides. This also makes it easy to blend into the skin and a little goes a long way. Literally, a single dot of concealer on each side of the nose is enough to cover under the eye, down the nose and even onto the cheek.

The concealer is available in 21 shades, making it one of the most inclusive concealers on the market. Something Selena Gomez has said was a priority for the brand, particularly when developing its base products.  In a recent interview, she said: “I made Rare Beuty with every type of person in mind.

“The Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation and concealer took the longest to formulate because we wanted to make sure we could have an inclusive shade range that did not leave anyone out. I want everyone to feel welcome and comfortable in the beauty space.”

Like with the rest of the brand, it’s also vegan and cruelty-free.


♥︎ Rare Beauty Liquid Blush

£22 | Buy now

Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush reviewRare Beauty

Another of our favourite Rare Beauty products, and one that has several uses making it great value for money, is the Rare Beauty Liquid Blush.

It’s available in 13 shades, ranging from pinks to mauves and deep berry colours, and you can buy it in either a dewy or matte finish.

What we love about this blush is that it’s highly pigmented, meaning you can dial up the colour if you want, or keep it subtle. The formula is lightweight and blends well, even over and underneath powder makeup, and it lasts for hours.

If you want to create a natural flush of colour, we recommend applying it under a medium-coverage foundation (like the Liquid Touch foundation) so that the colour and Rare Beauty blush make your complexion flush.

We currently have the Rare Beauty Liquid Blush in Bliss (matte nude pink), Lucky (dewy hot pink) and Joy (dewy muted peach) and one of the great things about this blusher in any shade is that it can be used for eyeshadow and even liquid lipstick. We know that £22 is a lot to spend on any makeup but if you maximise its use, it at least makes it good value.

You can also buy a Rare Beauty mini blush for £15. It’s only available in the shade Hope but if you want to give the Liquid Blush a go to check its formula and application, and you have the skin tone to wear Hope, then this is a good option.

Due to the fact it’s so pigmented you need to go a little gentle if you use it in this way but we get around this by applying it to the back of our hand before applying it to our eyes or lips using a brush. Or your finger.

This blusher is incredibly popular and different shades come in and out of stock. If you can’t get the one you’re looking for via SpaceNK, Rare Beauty does now offer UK shipping but you’ll need to wait longer and potentially pay custom fees.

Read our full Rare Beauty Blush review here


♥︎ Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Matte Liquid Liner

£20 | Buy now

 

Rare Beauty’s eye range was always historically small in comparison to its lip and base collection, but that recently changed with the launch of three new products as part of Selena Gomez’s Fall Collection.

One of the bestselling items in the current eye range is the Perfect Strokes Matte Liquid Liner, which offers a narrow felt-tip liner for perfect application.

It’s waterproof and will last all day, and its ophthalmologist-tested formula is suitable for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers, so it won’t irritate.

This has since been joined by the Perfect Strokes Longwear Gel Liner – a gel equivalent to the liquid liner that comes in three shades – True Black, True Brown, and Compassion (which is a dark burgundy colour).


♥︎ Rare Beauty Lip Soufflé Matte Lip Cream

£19 | Buy now

Rare Beauty Lip Matte Creammamabella | mamabella

The Lip Soufflé Matte Lip Cream comes in a range of shades, from soft nudes to bold reds. Its formula contains Vitamin E so you won’t get the dry feel that some matte liquid lipsticks cause, so is comfortable for day-to-day wear.

We love the classic red shade, ‘Inspire’, or if you’re in search of something more natural, try ‘Brave’.

The full list of Lip Souffle shades is below.

RareBeauty Lip Souffle Shade swatchesRare Beauty

RareBeauty Lip Souffle Matte Lip Cream

  • Kindness – Nude pink
  • Confident – Rose mauve
  • Elevate – Light warm beige
  • Courage  – Nude mauve
  • Brave – Muted terracotta
  • Fearless – Deep mauve rose
  • Thrilling – True brown
  • Inspire – Bright red
  • Energize – Bright coral
  • Motivate – Watermelon pink
  • Ascend – Deep fuschia
  • Daring – Muted lavender
  • Heroic – True berry
  • Transform – Deep wine
  • Strengthen – Dark blue red

♥︎ Rare Beauty Tinted Lip Oil

£20 | Buy now

Rare Beauty Tinted Lip OilRare Beauty

One of the newest entries in Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty UK range is the new Tinted Lip Oil, released as part of the wider Soft Pinch blush range.

There are eight shades of lip oil to choose from, each one offering (as the name suggests) a soft pinch of colour, and each is designed to hydrate and nourish the lips using a gel-to-oil formula.

The brand promises that the oil is “never sticky” but adds a shine that leaves lips looking fuller and healthier. It’s also vegan and cruelty-free, like the rest of the Rare Beauty UK range.

The downside is that this new lip oil is proving popular and a lot of the shades have already sold out, so be quick if you want to get your hands on it!

RareBeauty Tinted Lip Oil shades

RareBeauty soft-pinch-tinted-lip-oil-arm-swatches shadesRare Beauty
  • Serenity – Muted terracotta
  • Affection – Muted berry
  • Happy – Cool pink
  • Joy – Muted peach
  • Delight – Rose brown
  • Hope – Nude mauve
  • Wonder – Rose mauve
  • Honesty – Nude brown

♥︎ Rare Beauty Discovery Eyeshadow Palette

£28 | Buy now

One of the latest launches from the Rare Beauty range is the Discovery Eyeshadow Palette. Released at the start of April, alongside the Always an Optimist Weightless Eye Primer (£17), the Discovery Eyeshadow Palette comes in a crescent moon-themed case and features seven crease-resistant shades.

According to the brand, the palette was “inspired by Selena’s journey of self-discovery and celebrates the ever-changing colors we reflect every day.”

These shades include:

  • Undeniable – a matte purple taupe
  • Genuine – a matte peach
  • Passionate – a duo-chrome magenta gold
  • Accepting – a glittering rose to bronze
  • Loyal – a matte warm brown
  • Positive – metallic pink champagne
  • Pure – a metallic true gold

Rare Beauty Gift Set range

Rare Beauty gift set collection UKRare Beauty

In addition to the individual products, Rare Beauty sells a range of gift sets that are great for Christmas, presents or simply if you’re trying to get multiple products for a discount.

The most popular is the Rare Beauty Blush and Glow Set. It costs £36 and contains the Rare Beauty Liquid Blush in shades Wisdom (mauve plum) and Virtue (soft terracotta), as well as the Rare Beauty highlighter in shades Magnetize (light gold) and Transcend (rose gold).

You can also buy the Rare Beauty Everyday Rose Lip Oil and Lip Liner Duo for £24. This set contains a full-size lip duo including the Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil and Kind Words Matte Lip Liner in rose brown shades.

For your eyes, you can also get the Sincerely Me Mini Eye Essentials kit. This includes a mini Rare Beauty mascara and the Discovery Eyeshadow Mini Palette. It costs £27.

It should be noted that a few Rare Beauty products aren’t yet available in the UK when bought directly from the Rare Beauty website. These include:

  • Rare Beauty Blush & Glow 4-Piece Mini Set
  • Rare Beauty Scented Candle
  • Rare Beauty Oversized Hoodie
  • “Use Kind Words” Crewneck Sweater
  • Blush & Highlight Custom Set
  • Positive Light Custom Set
  • Rare Beauty Kind Words Lip Set
  • Soft Pinch Liquid Blush Collector’s Set
  • Soft Pinch Liquid Blush (Matte shades) – Bliss, Faith, Grace, and Love
  • Positive Light Liquid Luminizer
  • Stay Vulnerable Liquid Eyeshadow
  • Always An Optimist Weightless Eye Primer

Rare Beauty Find Comfort skincare

Rare Beauty Find Comfort Skincare RangeRare Beauty

Selena Gomez recently took Rare Beauty’s first foray into skincare with the launch of her Find Comfort body care line.

The Rare Beauty Find Comfort range includes a range of products designed to “nourish and soothe the body and mind” and includes a hair and body mist, a hand cream, a body lotion and an aromatherapy pen.

We’ve summarised the new collection below but if you want to learn more, go to our Find Comfort page.


Rare Beauty launches new eye collection

Selena Gomez took to Rare Beauty’s Instagram at the start of July to announce a new collection of eye products including:

  • Brow Harmony Precision Pencil: £20
  • Perfect Strokes Longwear Gel Liner: £20
  • All of the Above Weightless Eyeshadow Stick: £23

The Brow Harmony Precision Pencil is, as the name suggests, an eyebrow pencil. It’s a waterproof formula, with a thin, angled tip designed to mimic hair strokes. It’s available in six shades – Cool Brown, Soft Blonde, Rich Taupe, Warm Brown, Soft Black and Deep Brown – and has a spoolie on one end.

The Perfect Strokes Longwear Gel Liner joins the Perfect Strokes Matte Liquid Liner from our list above. RareBeauty claims it has “all the pigment, precision and waterproof wear” of the liquid liner but is now in a twist-up gel. This eyeliner is available in three shades –  True Black, True Brown, and Compassion (burgundy).

Finally, the All of the Above Weightless eyeshadow sticks come in six shades:

  • Well-Being – pink
  • Compassion – burgundy
  • Adventure – bronze
  • Integrity – champagne
  • Contentment – rose taupe
  • Growth – copper

Each one has a subtle shimmer and the creamy gel stick is easy and quick to apply, blend and build.

The three new Rare Beauty products launched on 6 July and you can buy from Rare Beauty’s website or Sephora UK.


RareBeauty Mental Health 101 and Rare Impact Fund

Selena Gomez recently announced she is continuing to use her Rare Impact Fund to improve access to mental health services and education for young people.

Created in 2020, the Rare Impact Fund was set up to raise $100 million to address youth mental health. One per cent of Rare Beauty’s annual sales are donated to the fund, and in its first year, more than $1.2 million was donated to mental health resources.

Today, the fund is announcing an additional $1.5 million in grant support to 12 organisations that are expanding access to mental health services and education for young people worldwide.

Five new organisations are also joining the Rare Impact Fund’s list of grantees, which increases accessibility for mental health resources through a variety of tactics including supporting a 24/7 hotline, increasing teacher knowledge of their own mental health to better understand their students, and distributing mental health resources to schools.

The Rare Impact Fund plans to work with these organisations, in addition to their ongoing partners, to “co-create and distribute mental health content to an engaged community of over 5 million young people to destigmatise mental health and foster community through Rare Beauty.”

Gomez has Bipolar Disorder and has been a mental health advocate since her diagnosis. When she launched RareBeauty, she pledged to donate 1% of annual sales to mental health initiatives among other fundraising activities, which form part of her wider $100 million Rare Impact Fund.

Rare Beauty also launched the Rare Beauty Mental Health Council in the summer of 2020 designed to bring mental health experts from universities, organisations, and companies together to guide the company’s strategy.


Full Rare Beauty Products List UK

Full Rare Beauty Products List UKRare Beauty
  • Find Comfort Hydrating Body Lotion 250ml – £28.00
  • Find Comfort Stop & Soothe Aromatherapy Pen 5ml – £20.00
  • Find Comfort Hydrating Hand Cream 53ml – £18.00
  • Find Comfort Body & Hair Fragrance Mist 100ml – £28.00
  • Soft Pinch Liquid Blush 7.5ml – £22.00
  • Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer 7g – £25.00
  • Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil 3ml – £14.00 (Discounted from £20.00)
  • Discovery Give Yourself Grace Eyeshadow Palette – £31.00
  • Brow Harmony Flexible Lifting Gel 4.5g – £19.00
  • Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter 2.8g – £24.00
  • Stay Vulnerable Melting Blush 5g – £21.00
  • Positive Light Liquid Highlighter 15ml – £24.00
  • Positive Light Tinted Moisturizer Foundation 30ml – £29.00
  • Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara – £21.00
  • Stay Vulnerable Glossy Lip Balm 3.8ml – £19.00
  • Positive Light Under Eye Brightener 4ml – £23.00
  • Liquid Touch Brightening Concealer 7.5ml – £21.00
  • Kind Words Matte Lip Liner 0.4g – £15.00
  • Liquid Touch Concealer Brush – £17.00
  • Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara Mini – £11.00
  • Perfect Strokes Gel Eyeliner 0.25g – £19.00
  • Liquid Touch Foundation Brush – £27.00
  • Always An Optimist 4-In-1 Mist – Hydrating Mist Primer 85 ml – £26.00
  • Kind Words Matte Lipstick 3.5g – £21.00
  • Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation 28ml – £29.00
  • Perfect Strokes – Matte Liquid Liner – £20.00
  • Lip Soufflé Matte Lip Cream 3.9ml – £21.00
  • Always An Optimist Soft Radiance Setting Powder – £24.00
  • All of the Above Shadow Stick 1.3g – £21.00
  • Always An Optimist Illuminating Primer Travel Size 15ml – £15.00
  • Brow Harmony Precision Pencil 0.08g – £15.20 (Discounted from £19.00)
  • Always An Optimist Illuminating Primer 28ml – £26.00
  • Always An Optimist Pore Diffusing Primer Mini 15ml – £15.00
  • Always An Optimist Loose Powder Brush – £29.00
  • Blot & Glow Blotting Sheets 100 Sheets – £5.00
  • Always An Optimist Pore Diffusing Primer 28ml – £26.00
  • Brow harmony – Shape & fill duo – £26.00
  • Always an optimist weightless – Eye primer – £20.00
  • Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer 7g – £25.00
  • Blot & Glow Powder – Puff Refill – £14.00
  • With Gratitude Dewy Lip Balm 2.8g – £15.00
  • Stay Vulnerable Liquid Eyeshadow 3ml – £21.00
  • Positive Light Silky Touch Precision – £17.00
  • Stay Vulnerable – All- Over Eye Shadow Brush – £15.00
  • Lip Soufflé Matte Lip Cream 3.9ml – £21.00
  • Soft Pinch Liquid Blush 3.2ml – £15.00
  • Fresh and Dewy Lip & Cheek Duo – £28.80
  • Blot & Glow Touch-Up Kit – £25.00

♥︎ Don’t miss out! Sign up for the mamabella newsletter today ♥︎


 

 


MORE LIKE THIS


Discover which GHD straighteners best suit your hair type, styling needs and budget with our GHD comparison guide


UPDATE: The majority of GHD straighteners, hair dryers and stylers are currently on sale in the Amazon Spring sales.

  • GHD Platinum Plus is now £178.99, down from £229 – a saving of £50
  • GHD Duet Style is now £304, down from £379 – a saving of £75
  • GHD Helios is now £133.99, down from £179 – a saving of £45
  • GHD Unplugged is now £212.99, down from £299 – a saving of £86

You can shop the full range of discounted GHD stylers on Amazon, by clicking the button below, or keep scrolling to read which is the best GHD straightener for you and your hair needs.

SHOP NOW

Original best GHD straightener guide continues below

GHD has become synonymous with high-quality hair tools that promise to cater to a wide range of types and styling needs – albeit at a price.

The brand’s straighteners, in particular, have garnered a loyal following for their advanced technology, design, and performance and they can be used for straightening as well as curls, waves, and more.

However, the range is growing – only this month GHD released a new styler called the Chronos – and because they don’t come cheap it can be difficult to know the difference between the models. This can make it hard to determine which GHD straightener best suits you and your needs.

In this guide, we outline how each of the best GHD straighteners stack up against each other and what their respective stand-out features are to help make this choice easier (and prevent you from wasting your money).

This article is divided into the following sections. Click each link to jump to the relevant section.

If you’re still not sure which is the best GHD straightener for you and your needs, GHD also offers a Hair Quiz that helps you narrow down your choices.

And to get the best price for GHD hair straighteners, check out our GHD sale guide where you’ll see live price info for a range of websites.

SHOP ALL GHD

Best GHD straighteners UK

The below GHD straightener comparison chart shows how each styler differs in terms of price, technology, and features. Click the image to enlarge it in a new tab. Below the image we’ve highlighted the key differences to look out for when shopping for the best GHD straightener.

Best GHD straightener comparison chartmamabella | mamabella

Click the image to enlarge it in a new tab


Key differences between the best GHD straighteners

Each of the best GHD straighteners offers a single heat setting of 185°C. Based on GHD’s research, this is said to be the optimum styling temperature for achieving “long-lasting, professional-looking results without excessive heat damage.”

All of the models have an automatic shut-off feature which means that if the styler isn’t used for at least 30 minutes, they automatically turn themselves off.

Elsewhere, the key differences between the best GHD straighteners, besides their prices, are:

  • Technology: From single-zone to ultra-zone technology, and the new HD motion-responsive technology, each straightener offers a different approach to heat distribution and styling speed and efficiency. Single-zone sits at the bottom of this spectrum while HD motion-responsive is the most advanced technology.
  • Plate width: This refers to the individual size of each hot plate on each GHD straightener. On the standard models, the average is 26.8mm per plate and is designed to suit most hair types. The GHD Max has 42mm plates which are better suited to longer, thicker hair. Although the GHD Duet Style’s plates at 20mm, there are four of them rather than the two seen on the other stylers.
  • Heat-up time: This is how long it takes for the styler to reach the optimal 185-degree temperature. It ranges from 20 seconds on the Chronos and Platinum Plus, to 45 seconds on the GHD Unplugged.
  • Price: The cheapest GHD model is the GHD Original at £139.  The most expensive is the GHD Duet Style at £379.

FURTHER READING: GHD Platinum Plus vs GHD Chronos: Which flagship straightener is worth your money?

COMPARE GHD MODELS

GHD Platinum+: Best GHD straightener

£239 | BUY NOW

GHD Platinum Plus styler reviewGHD

At £239, the GHD Platinum Plus is definitely an investment, but for good reason. It has ultra-zone technology which means this straightener smartly maintains the optimal styling temperature of 185℃ evenly across its plates. This consistent heat is key to achieving salon-quality results at home, reducing hair damage and adding shine.

As a styler, it’s versatile enough to handle the majority of hair types, making it a great all-rounder whether you’re straightening, curling or adding waves.

It heats up in 20 seconds, turns off automatically after 3o minutes and comes with universal voltage. Elsewhere it comes with a three-year warranty.

Read our full GHD Platinum Plus review

BUY NOW

GHD Chronos: Best GHD straightener for curling, and shine

£289 | BUY NOW

GHD Chronos UK new straighteners release date and priceGHD

The GHD Chronos is the latest styler to join the best GHD straighteners ranks. It matches the Platinum Plus in terms of temperature (185 degrees), heat-up time (20 seconds) and warranty (three years).

For the extra money – the Chronos is £50 more expensive than the Platinum Plus – you get GHD’s latest heat technology known as HD motion-responsive technology.

GHD claims that this technology makes the Chronos twice as responsive to the movement and thickness of your hair in that it offers the most accurate heat monitoring of any GHD styler. It also monitors this heat distribution 250 times a second to make sure the plates maintain the optimum styling temperature of 185°C.

This also makes it three times faster while increasing shine by 85% and cutting frizz in half.

It should be noted that the “2x faster” claims are in comparison to the GHD Original which is the cheapest and oldest model with single-zone technology. It would be interesting to know how much faster the Chronos is compared to the Platinum Plus.

Elsewhere, the Chronos has a redesigned wishbone hinge and a new curved shape, making it easier to curl hair with straighteners.

Read our full GHD Chronos review here. 

BUY NOW

GHD Unplugged: Best GHD straightener for short hair/travel

£299 | BUY NOW

GHD Unplugged buttonGHD

The GHD Unplugged is a cordless straightener that allows you to touch up your look at work, in the car, or anywhere you need to. It has dual-zone technology, rather than the ultra-zone seen on the Platinum Plus.

This makes sure heat is consistent and your hair is styled evenly, without excessive damage, but it’s not as smart or as constant as on the Platinum Plus or the GHD Duet Style. By comparison, the Plus and Duet Style monitor heat 250 times a second, while the Unplugged (and Gold) monitor is 200 times a second. This is a minor difference but is a difference nonetheless.

The GHD Unplugged also has a longer, 45-second heat-up time than the rest of the stylers in the range. This is impressive for a cordless model, and the compact design means it can fit into your life and bag, but it’s more than twice the heat-up time of the Platinum Plus and Chronos.

The plates are marginally smaller on the Unplugged (22.5mm) vs the Platinum Plus and Chronos (26.8mm) but this is deliberate to keep the Unplugged compact and portable. As a result, the GHD Unplugged is unlikely to replace your main, everyday GHD straighteners and is more for style touch-ups on smaller pieces of hair.

In this way, the GHD Unplugged has effectively replaced the GHD Mini that used to offer smaller plates for shorter styles.

The price of the Unplugged is also on the higher side but this is to account for the battery technology, and the freedom having a battery offers. It comes with a two-year warranty.

Read our full GHD Unplugged review or get more wireless straightener recommendations in our best cordless straightener guide

BUY NOW

GHD Gold: Best GHD straightener for value for money

£179 | BUY NOW

GHD Platinum Plus GoldGHD

The GHD Gold is one of the cheapest GHD straighteners (not cheap, but cheaper!)

At £179 it comes with dual-zone technology as seen on the GHD Unplugged. This monitors heat 200 times a second to make sure that your hair is styled evenly but is inferior to the ultra-zone technology on the Platinum Plus and HD motion-responsive technology on the Chronos.

It has a 25-second heat-up time means it takes slightly longer than GHD’s flagship models, but only minimally so.

It has the same size plates as the Platinum Plus and Chronos and is backed by a two-year warranty that speaks to its reliability.

Shape-wise it’s a little less smooth and a little more boxy and square than the Platinum Plus and Chronos. This makes curling with the GHD Gold harder. It’s not impossible, far from it, but it’s not as easy as with the more recent models.

BUY NOW

GHD Max: Best GHD straightener for thick, long hair

£199 | BUY NOW

GHD Max GHD

For all intents and purposes, the GHD Max is a GHD Gold with larger plates.

Specifically designed for people with long, thick, or curly hair the GHD Max has wider, 42mm plates. These plates are engineered to cover more hair with each pass, significantly cutting down styling time.

Technology-wise, it offers the same dual-zone technology as on the GHD Gold and it also heats up in 25 seconds and comes with a two-year warranty.

BUY NOW

GHD Original: Best GHD straightener for beginners

£129 | BUY NOW

GHD Original straightenersGHD

The GHD Original is the straightener that started it all, and at £129, is the cheapest GHD straightener available in 2024. It’s also the most basic in terms of technology and design.

Its single-zone technology makes sure the plates remain at their optimal temperature of 185℃ but it doesn’t adjust the temperature across the plates to adjust for different hair thickness or similar.

The 25.6mm plates are slightly smaller than the most recent, flagship models but the difference is barely noticeable.

What is noticeable, however, is that the hair doesn’t glide through these plates as smoothly as they do on Platinum Plus. It can also take longer to style with these straighteners as a result. Like with the GHD Gold, the Orignal has a more square shape compared to its successors making it less suited to creating curls and similar.

The GHD Original heats up in 30 seconds and comes with a two-year warranty.

BUY NOW

GHD Duet Style: Best multi-purpose GHD straightener

£379 | BUY NOW

GHD Duet Style designGHD

The GHD Duet Style is the most expensive option in the best GHD straightener range but that’s because it’s a slight anomaly. Instead of just relying on flat iron plates to style your hair, the Duet Style also takes your hair from wet to dry thanks to a built-in hair dryer mode.

In Wet mode, the air flowing through the chamber doesn’t exceed 155°C (285°F), and the air from the roots vents maxes out at 90°C (195°F). These two vents run simultaneously so you can dry the roots and the hair at the same time. In Shine Shot mode, four 20mm ceramic plates then reach 185°C (365°F).

There isn’t a heat-up time listed on the GHD site but in our experience, it takes 20 seconds for the plates to get hot enough to use once the styler has been switched to Shine Shot mode.

There isn’t anything else like this in the GHD straighteners range so it’s hard to do a straight comparison. However, the plates are most similar to the GHD Gold so you’re effectively getting a GHD styler and GHD Gold for a cheaper price than buying the GHD Helios and Gold separately. You can read our GHD Helios review here.

The only similar product on the market is the Dyson Airstrait. You can read our Dyson Airstrait UK review here, or learn more in our GHD Duet Style vs Dyson Airstrait guide.

Read our full GHD Duet Style review

FURTHER READING: GHD Duet Style vs Dyson Airstrait: Which wet-to-dry straightener is best?

BUY NOW

Which GHD straightener best suits you and your hair?

Below we’ve explained which GHD straightener best suits different hair types and styling needs.

  • Best GHD straightener: The GHD Platinum+ is the best GHD straightener in terms of price versus performance, technology, and design.
  • Best for on-the-go/short hair: The GHD Unplugged is perfect for styling anywhere without compromising on performance.
  • Best value for money: The GHD Gold strikes a good balance between technology, performance, and price.
  • Best for beginners: The GHD Original is an ideal starting point, offering straightforward styling at an accessible price.
  • Best for thick, long hair: The GHD Max with its wider plates is specially designed to handle thicker, longer hair types efficiently.
  • Best multi-purpose GHD straightener: The GHD Duet Style offers drying and straightening features in one so while it seems expensive, it represents better value for money than it may appear.
  • Best for curling:  The GHD Chronos is the best GHD straightener for curling and waves as well as for the most advanced technology and speed.

If you’re still not sure which is the best GHD straightener for you and your needs, GHD also offers a Hair Quiz that helps you narrow down your choices.

To get the best price for GHD hair straighteners, check out our GHD sale guide where you’ll see live price info for a range of websites.

In our GHD Duet Style review, we see if the new wet-to-dry GHD hair straightener is worth your time, money and effort 


JUMP TO SECTION

Click the links below to jump to the relevant section:

GHD Duet Style: At a glance

How to use the GHD Duet Style

GHD Duet Style review: Design and ease-of-use

GHD Duet Style review: Before and after

GHD Duet Style review: Verdict

GHD Duet vs Dyson Airstrait: Which is best?

UPDATE: You can currently save £75 on the GHD Duet Style which is on sale as part of the Amazon Spring sales.

It usually sells for £379 but you can get the white model of the wet-to-dry styler for a reduced price of £304. This is a saving of £75, or 20%.

Granted it still makes it an expensive styler but with this discount, it increases the price gap between the Duet Style and Dyson Airstrait and might make your decision between the two easier!

A number of the other best GHD straighteners are also cheaper but it’s likely only for a limited time so if you want to take advantage of the savings, be quick!

BUY GHD ON AMAZON

Original GHD Duet Style review continues below 

We’ve always been told to never straighten hair when it’s wet. Wet hair is incredibly fragile and applying any heat to it can cause the bonds to break down and your hair to become brittle.

However, with the launch of its new hot air styler, GHD has found a way for you to do just that – all without causing damage (apparently).

Called the GHD Duet Style, the 2-in-1 tool uses what the brand calls “groundbreaking Air-fusion technology” to channel the airflow through a drying chamber to remove moisture from the hair.

There are then four low-temperature styling plates that straighten and smooth the finished look.

In our GHD Duet Style review below, we explain more about the new hair straightener and reveal if it works as well as promised on our fine wavy hair.

You can also read how the Duet Style compares to the Dyson Airstrait in our GHD Duet Style vs Dyson Airstrait head-to-head.


GHD Duet Style review

Click the image below to see a larger version of our “which GHD hair straightener is best” chart in a new tab

Which GHD straightener is best for my hair type mamabella | mamabella

This chart shows the price, features and differences of different GHD stylers to help you determine which GHD hair straightener is best for you, your hair type and budget

The GHD Duet Style is the latest styler in the wider GHD hair tools range, released in February 2023. Features-wise, it’s unlike anything the brand has released before. Design-wise, it resembles the GHD Max, price-wise it’s closest to the cordless GHD Unplugged.

Although the Duet Style uses hot air, it’s closer in design, use and finish than the hair dryers so we’re including it in the hair straightener range.

Below we detail how the GHD Duet Style fits into the wider GHD hair straightener range and the wider styler market.

  • GHD Duet Style: A wet-to-dry hair straightener that combines hot air, with four 17mm heated plates (two on each arm) to create straight styles.
  • GHD Platinum Plus: GHD’s flagship hot-plate hair straightener that uses its most advanced ceramic technology to create straight and curly styles. If you’ve never used a straightener to curl your hair, check out our How to curl hair with straighteners according to the experts at GHD and Trevor Sorbie or read our full GHD Platinum Plus review.
  • GHD Gold: GHD’s mid-range hair straightener that has many of the same technologies as the Platinum Plus but a slighter cheaper design, lower warranty and slower heat up time.
  • GHD Max: The GHD Max is effectively a GHD Gold with larger plates. It’s suitable for all hair types but is particularly well-suited for long, thick and curly hair types.
  • GHD Original: For many people, especially those of us of a certain age, the GHD Original has the iconic yellow plates and is the cheapest styler in the range. It’s cheaper because it doesn’t have the wishbone hinge of the Platinum Plus, nor the dual- or ultra-zone technology seen on its more expensive siblings.
  • GHD Unplugged: The GHD Unplugged is a slight anomaly, like the Duet Style, because it’s cordless and has smaller plates – 22.5m wide.
There is only one other like-for-like, wet-to-dry hair straightener and it’s called the Dyson Airstrait.
Like the GHD Duet Style, it looks like a pair of straighteners but has hot air vents in arms that dry the hair as it’s passed over each section of hair.
You can read more in our GHD Duet Style vs Dyson Airstrait guide.

GHD Duet Style straightener: At A Glance

GHD Duet Style specificationsmamabella | mamabella

What is the GHD Duet Style? The GHD is a 2-in-1 styling tool that uses hot air, via what the brand calls “groundbreaking Air-fusion technology” to remove moisture from the hair as it’s pulled through the chamber. There are then four low-temperature styling plates to straighten and smooth the finished look and add shine. GHD claims that during tests, there was no thermal hair damage detected after four passes of the Duet Style over the hair in wet-to-style mode, compared to hair that had been dried naturally.

GHD Duet Style price: £379

GHD Duet Style colours: Black, and white

Where to buy GHD Duet Style: GHD | Lookfantastic | Cult Beauty | Amazon


How does the GHD Duet Style work?

How does the GHD Duet Style and Shine Shot work?mamabella | mamabella

To switch the GHD Duet Style on, you slide up the button on the side (pictured). A white ring of light around the button, as well as a beep, will let you know that it’s switched on and the motor will start running

The GHD Duet Style offers two modes:

  • Wet mode: In this mode, hot air removes the moisture from the hair. This is used to dry and straighten the hair.
  • Shine Shot mode: In this mode, the hot air is switched off and the hot plates are switched on.

How to use the GHD Duet Style hair straightener

To switch the GHD Duet Style on, you slide up the button on the side. A white ring of light around the button, as well as a beep, will let you know that it’s switched on and the motor will start running.

This motor sound gradually gets louder – it sounds like a tiny plane taking off! – and the white light will flash and you’ll hear another beep when the styler is ready to use.

From here you need to:

  1. Section your hair.
  2. Spray the individual section with heat protectant spray. You can also apply heat protectant all over your wet hair before styling, you’ll just need to make sure all your hair is covered to avoid any damage to areas that didn’t get treated.
  3. Working from back to front, place a piece of hair no wider than the drying chamber inside the arms of the Duet Style.
  4. Clamp the styler at the roots and hold for three seconds in order for the root drying vents to knock out any moisture.
  5. Slowly pass the hair through the straightener from root to tip.
  6. Repeat this process on the same section of hair until it’s dry. GHD advises that four passes should be enough to dry even the thickest of hair and in our experience, it only took two passes if the styler was moved slowly enough through the hair. This can require a bit of trial and error though.
  7. Once that section is dry, repeat steps 1-6 until all of your hair is dry.

To use the Shine Shot mode:

  • Once your hair is dry, leave the styler on but press the Shine Shot button. This will turn off the dryers and you’ll get another beep when the plates are ready for use.
  • Section your hair and pass the hot plates over each section in turn.

GHD Duet Style review: Design and ease-of-use

GHD Duet Style designmamabella | mamabella

The GHD Duet Style measures 42.4cm in length and is 32.5cm wide. The individual plates are 1.7cm wide each

From a distance, the GHD Duet Style looks like a large pair of straighteners; not too dissimilar to the look and design of the GHD Max. It measures 42.4cm in length and is 32.5cm wide. The individual plates are 1.7cm wide each.

WHICH HAIR PROTECTANT TO USE?

It’s vital that you use a heat protector when using the GHD Duet Style.

GHD suggests using its own range of heat protectors, in particular its new GHD Sleek Talker oil that is said to create a thermal barrier on the hair while adding shine.

We also like the Olaplex No.7 Bonding Oil, as well as the Cantu Thermal Shield Heat Protectant. Cantu products are designed with natural and afro hair in mind.

These hair types are notoriously dry and need extra nourishment, making any Cantu product great at providing protection.

We’ve additionally listed a range of other options in our best heat protectant spray guide.

This makes it a bulky piece of kit and not the easiest of stylers to move around the head.

We especially struggle when trying to dry and straighten the hair at the back of our head, or when trying to get the styler close to the roots.

The plus side is that it means the Duet Style can dry relatively large sections of hair at any one time.

The flow of air that comes out of both the inner, and outer drying vents doesn’t feel very powerful but they work surprisingly well, considering. This also means they don’t cause your hair to go everywhere, causing flyaways and frizz.

Given the size and weight of the styler, it’s necessary to hold the end of the Duet Style while passing it over your hair, in order to keep it steady and not pull too much on the hair, as well as give your arm a break.

The problem with this is that the styler gets hot and uncomfortable to the touch.

It’s not so hot that it burns you, but it’s hot enough for us to not want to hold it for long periods. It seems like the rubber edging is designed to help with this but it’s too narrow to really make a difference.

Plus, we’ve noticed that these rubber strips tend to attract a build-up of leftover heat protectant and styling products. It’s easy to remove it with a wet wipe or similar but it’s worth noting.

Speaking of which, it’s vital that you use a heat protector when using the GHD Duet Style. It may not seem like you need to, because it’s using hot air rather than hot plates in Wet mode, however, given how hot the air gets, and how long it’s left in direct contact with your hair, you’re potentially setting yourself up for damage if you don’t.

While the GHD Duet Style has a built-in filter, it doesn’t offer a cleaning mode (like the Dyson Airstrait) so you’ll need to keep it free from dust and build-up over time. GHD recommends using a soft toothbrush to keep this filter clear.

BUY NOW

GHD Duet Style review: Before and after

As you can see in our GHD Duet Style review before and after video below, the styler works as promised.

It definitely takes the hair from wet to dry. It manages to straighten it as well as a pair of hot-plate straighteners, and it has a surprising amount of shine. It also leaves the hair feeling soft and smooth.

What’s more, the style seems to last much longer than when we blow dry our hair. Because we have naturally wavy hair, as soon as it gets even a hint of humidity – either in the air or because we get so hot our head starts sweating – our hair starts curling and turns frizzy.

After using the GHD Duet Style, we were able to go to a sweaty comedy gig (which involved walking in cold, damp air) and our style remained in place the whole time. No frizz, minimal wave or curl.

@victoria_woolly_web The GHD Duet Style costs £379 in the UK it took 15 minutes to complete this and while it looks fine, it doesn’t blow me away. I think I can get a better finish with more body and movement and less brittle-looking ends using my Revlon 2-in-1 brush tbf ‍♀️ The fact it got my hair that straight with just air is decent though, and it does have hot plates should you want them #mamabella #ghdhair #ghdduetstyle #ghdduet #ghdduetreview #straighthair ♬ Flowers – Miley Cyrus

That said, this can also be a downside. The styler’s ability to create straight, smooth finishes and knock out any frizz can also result in it getting rid of body and movement. The root drying vents do help to add volume at the roots, so that’s something.

We don’t tend to like straightening our hair using regular straighteners because our hair is so fine and thin that it tends to look limp and flat. The GHD Duet Style caused the same problems. That means it’s not a unique flaw of the Duet Style, but it is worth noting.

This is also exacerbated by the fact the size of the overall styler, and the small plates, don’t bring a huge amount of versatility. We like to use our regular GHD straightener to add flicks, waves, and curls, but its smaller design and smooth, contoured edges make this easy.

The Duet Style is too large and too unwieldy to move around the head, and twirl around the hair in the same way. Especially on our mid-length hair. No matter how hard we’ve tried, we’ve also not managed to add flicks or curls in the way that GHD promises.

How to use the GHD Duet StyleGHD

GHD claims its Duet Style can create multiple looks (pictured) but we’ve not managed to replicate anything other than poker straight hair

We wonder if this is, in part, because of the external drying vents. As we move the styler through the hair, these vents not only dry the roots but channel hair and dry the ends. This means that by the time the styler reaches the end of the hair, it’s already dry and harder to manipulate.

When used with the Olaplex Bonding Oil, our hair felt incredibly soft and smooth after using the GHD Duet Style. When used without, it still creates a sleek finish but it’s not quite as smooth.

Our biggest complaint, though, is the time it takes to achieve the finished look. On paper, the GHD Duet Style should speed things up by drying and styling at the same time. In reality, it slows things down.

Not only does it take time to section the hair, and make sure each section is protected, it then takes multiple, slow passes over each strand of hair to dry it effectively. This took us, on average, 15 minutes each time.

By comparison, we can usually dry and style our hair with the Revlon One-Step Plus in less than five minutes. Should we then want to straighten our hair, this only adds a couple more minutes smoothing the style. All without knocking out the body and movement our fine hair needs.

BUY NOW

GHD Duet Style review: Is it worth it?

GHD Duet style arms and drying chambermamabella | mamabella

The flow of air that comes out of both the inner, and outer drying vents on the GHD Duet Style doesn’t feel very powerful but they work surprisingly well

There’s no denying that the GHD Duet Style is pricey. You could buy the GHD Air (£119), GHD Platinum Plus (£229), and even the GHD heat protectant (£18.95) for less money, and they offer very similar use cases in terms of being able to dry and straighten the hair. In fact, you could even buy the flagship GHD Helios with the Platinum Plus for not a huge amount more.

It takes longer to go from start to finish with the Duet Style than when we blow dry and straighten our hair, and it offers far less versatility.

Despite our hair feeling softer when using the Duet Style, and the style lasting longer, we don’t think our hair looks as healthy as it does when we use the Revlon. Plus the sizzling and steam that comes off our hair when using the Duet Style – as you may be able to hear/see in the TikTok video above – doesn’t fill us with confidence that it’s protecting our hair as much as it could.

We imagine if you love wearing your hair straight, or your hair is naturally thick and hard to manage with a regular hair dryer, then we can see where the Duet Style could bring benefits.

If you want to give up your hot-plate straighteners, the Duet Style does offer the best of both worlds in terms of straight styles with less extreme heat. With the added benefit of plates as and when you need them.

All things considered, though, there’s little going in GHD’s favour.

That’s not necessarily a fault of GHD per se. It’s more a fault of the overall wet-to-dry styling trend generally but at this price point, we can’t, in good faith, recommend it. Unless you have money to spare and don’t mind taking a risk.

BUY NOW

♥︎ Don’t miss out! Sign up for the mamabella newsletter today ♥︎


 

 


MORE LIKE THIS


In our GHD Helios hair dryer review, we put the most expensive GHD hair dryer through its paces and see how it compares to its sister dryer in our GHD Air vs GHD Helios head-to-head


JUMP TO SECTION

Click the links below to jump to the relevant section:

GHD Helios Review

GHD Air vs GHD Helios

Helios vs Dyson Supersonic

UPDATE: The GHD Helios – as well as the GHD Air and almost the full range of GHD straighteners – are on sale as part of Amazon’s Spring sales.

The Helios is now £55 cheaper at £133.99 for the limited edition pink peach and pastel blue models.

The Sunkissed Gold model is £140.99, down from £179.

While the standard models – in black, blue or plum – are £141.99 and the white model is £143.

If you’ve had your eye on a GHD Helios but didn’t want to pay the full price, this is the cheapest the dryer has been a while.

Alternatively, keep reading our GHD Helios review to discover if it’s even worth the investment.

BUY NOW

Original GHD Helios review continues below

We were one of the first sites in the UK to get the chance to write a GHD Helios review and we weren’t disappointed.

Described by GHD as its “lightest, fastest professional hair dryer”, the Helios came eight years after the GHD Air.

The Air is the brand’s only other GHD hair dryer that’s still available after the GHD discontinued the GHD Aura.

It’s a testament to the GHD Air’s quality that eight years on it’s still considered one of the best hair dryers around.
It’s up there as one of our favourites – but GHD’s rivals have been hot on its heels in recent years.
The seeming lack of innovation from the hair giant allowed other brands to gain ground.
GHD released the Helios to not only challenge these rivals but to show it’s still at the cutting edge of technology.

So does the dryer live up to these claims, and in the battle between the Dyson Supersonic and GHD Helios, which is best? Our updated GHD Helios review is below.

We’ve also listed the comparisons between the GHD Air vs GHD Helios, and the Helios vs Dyson’s hair dryer. You can jump straight to the relevant sections by clicking the links below.

Read more about the GHD vs Dyson rivalry in our GHD Duet Style vs Dyson Airstrait head-to-head

Buy the Helios from GHD | Buy the Helios from Amazon


 GHD Helios review

GHD Helios review full imageGHD

Developed by GHD’s UK Research and Development lab in Cambridge, in conjunction with top physicists, engineers and styling professionals, the GHD Helios is said to be lighter and more powerful than its rivals

The GHD hair dryer was built with physicists, engineers and styling professionals at GHD’s UK Research and Development lab in Cambridge. The brand claims it’s lighter and more powerful than its rivals and helps dry your hair faster while giving more styling control.


GHD Helios review: Colours

In contrast to the all-black GHD Air, the GHD Helios is available in a range of colours.

As of 2023, you can get the GHD Helios hair dryer in six colours. These include:

The first – a pink peach colour – has been designed to raise funds for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

If you buy the pink version of this Helios, Platinum Plus or GHD Gold, GHD will donate part of the proceeds to breast cancer charities. Each Helios in the pink collection has the Take Control Now slogan embossed onto the side.

The second, jade colour and forms part of GHD’s new Dreamland collection, which has been released ahead of Christmas as its holiday range.

Every year, GHD releases a limited-edition range of dryers and stylers that are only available in the run-up to Christmas. They’re often still available in the New Year, and sometimes at a discount, but it depends on stock levels.

GHD pink breast cancer awareness monthGHD

 

The limited-edition models are slightly more expensive, at £189, but there are also gift sets that let you get multiple stylers for slightly less.

All the stylers with new designs include:

FURTHER READING: GHD sale: Save money on GHD stylers, dryers and more


Helios review: Design

GHD Helios review grill and buttonsGHD

Having owned, and used, a GHD Air for at least five years we can categorically say that the GHD Helios is noticeably lighter from the first use. You can instantly tell it’s quieter, too, and its extra power becomes immediately clear as soon as you start using it

The GHD Helios weighs 780g (without the plug and cable included in that weight), compared to the GHD Air’s hefty 1.54kg – so half the weight.

Having owned a GHD Air for years, we can confirm the GHD Helios is noticeably lighter. You can tell it’s quieter, too, and its extra power becomes clear as soon as you start using it (more on that in the Performance section).

That said, we’ve never had a problem with extra weight on the GHD Air because the dryer is so well-balanced. The extra weight even gave the GHD Air dryer a reassuring heft that made it feel expensive. This is missing somewhat with the GHD Helios. The Helios, in terms of weight, feels like many other dryers on the market. Even though it costs up to 10 times as much.

The engineers have pushed the motor speed up from 2,100w on the Air to 2,200w on the Helios. Its concentrator nozzle is thinner and longer on the Helios compared to the somewhat stubby nozzle that ships with the Air.

We tested the white and rose gold model for this GHD Helios review and it’s beautiful. The rose gold accents on the grill and loop add a stylish touch. What let this down, however, is the fact the nozzle is still black. This looks slightly out of place when attached.

Buy the Helios from GHD | Buy the Helios from Amazon


Speed 

GHD Helios grille against wallGHD

In terms of speed, during our GHD Helios review, the dryer took our fine, mid-length hair from wet from a shower to dry in one minute and six seconds

Where the Helios most definitely does not feel like other dryers, though, is in its performance.

Until recently there have been two benchmarks when testing the best hair dryers – does it offer the speed of Dyson Supersonic, and does it offer the styling control of the Revlon One Step Hair Dryer and Volumiser? These are our go-to dryers.

As our GHD Helios review scores show, the GHD hair dryer surpasses these two dryers in almost every category.

The GHD Helios took our fine, mid-length hair from wet from a shower to dry in one minute and six seconds. It took 1 minute 50 seconds to dry our hair following a swim, and despite only rough drying our hair, as opposed to using the concentrator nozzle, we were pleasantly surprised with how effectively the Helios’ ionic technology de-frizzed.

GHD branding Helios reviewGHD

To put this into perspective, the Dyson Supersonic was previously the fastest dryer we’ve used – drying our hair in 2 minutes 6 seconds which is now a minute slower than the Helios

Our hair didn’t have the shine that comes from styling it properly, but we didn’t have to use straighteners which is almost a given with other models following a rough dry. Including the GHD Air.

The Dyson Supersonic was previously the fastest dryer we’ve used. As you can read in our Dyson Supersonic review, it dries our hair (on average) in 2 minutes and 6 seconds. This is now a minute slower than the Helios.

Similarly, the Supersonic was a minute and eight seconds slower at drying our hair after a swim. With the concentrator nozzle attached to the Helios, it took us two minutes and 20 seconds to style our hair. Again, a minute faster than the Dyson Supersonic and on par with the Revlon.

Buy the Helios from GHD | Buy the Helios from Amazon


Power and technology

GHD Helios review buttonsGHD

The GHD Helios does have a faster motor than the Dyson (2,200w vs 1,600w) but in reality, this isn’t the main differentiator here.

Plus the motor speed is largely moot.

Don’t be hoodwinked into thinking a faster motor equates to a superior product.

It’s what the motor does with the airflow that counts.

Subsequently, a large part of the development of Helios went into its so-called AeroPrecis technology.

For example, the Dyson Supersonic’s motor produces around 1,600W. There is no denying that it’s incredibly fast and efficient. In fact, it’s faster than an F1 car.

Having a super fast motor may remove water quickly – and sometimes it doesn’t even do that! – but it can often do this at the sacrifice of shine.

Depending on how hot the dryer gets this could cause unnecessary damage.

GHD Helios technology: Why is it so good?

To achieve its fast drying speeds without damaging the hair, the GHD Helios is based on four technologies.

These combine to create the overall effect.

  • Grille

Instead of straight, flat edges, the edges of the holes on the grille are concave. This helps reduce the level of noise and volume created by the Helios. It most definitely makes a noticeable difference to the volume of the GHD Helios.

  • Impeller

The number and sizes of holes in this grille then control the intake of air and this air travels into the impeller which rotates, via an integrated power supply, to increase the air’s velocity.

  • Stator vanes

This faster airflow is catapulted into the stator vanes which stop the rotation and direct this faster airflow in a straight line towards the nozzle. It’s this faster, direct airflow that helps dry the hair quickly and with minimal damage.

  • Nozzle

The nozzle on the GHD Helios has been redesigned and it noticeably curves at the end – similar to wingtips on planes. This slight lip reduces air turbulence and creates a precise flow of air towards the hair.

By increasing the power and concentration of the airflow, it also reduces the need for more heat. This is better for the environment and your hair. Plus, the reduction in turbulence coupled with ionic technology is what reduces the amount of frizz and flyaways.

READ NEXT: What does conditioner actually do to your hair?

Buy the Helios from GHD | Buy the Helios from Amazon


Performance

GHD Helios review side angleGHD

The sacrifice you make for the GHD Helios’ increased speed, it seems, is in volume and bounce. Something that not a single dryer has been able to match when compared to the Revlon 2-in-1

The sacrifice you make for the GHD Helios speed is in volume and bounce. Something that not a single dryer has been able to match when compared to the Revlon.

This was the first, and only real disappointment we felt when using the Helios. In the pursuit of speed, the precision on the Helios does not lend itself as well to creating bouncy locks, as some of its rivals do. If you then straighten your hair to remove any remaining flyaways, your hair will be left limp and flat.

This may be preferable if you have wild, thick hair, but it made our hair look almost greasy.

GHD recently launched a barrelled hot brush called the GHD Rise. We’ve found this to be a great addition to our styling routine meaning we can rough dry our hair quickly with the GHD Helios, straighten out some of the frizz before putting the volume and bounce back in. However, you shouldn’t have to pay for an extra product – the GHD Rise costs £169! – to get volume and bounce.

On the subject of styling, the lighter weight of the Helios as it moves around the head during a blowdry is welcomed and we thought the GHD Air was well-balanced until we used the GHD Helios.

The effort GHD claims it has put into making the Helios ergonomically balanced has paid off.

That said because the nozzle is longer and thinner than on the GHD Air the shaft length is ever-so-slightly too long for our arms. This is a minor complaint. Plus, because less heat is needed to dry the hair, it is possible to place the dryer closer to your scalp so it’s less of an issue than it may first seem. It’s worth noting though. Particularly if you have long hair, your arms will start to ache.

Buy the Helios from GHD | Buy the Helios from Amazon


GHD Helios review: Verdict

GHD Helios review profileGHD

The GHD Helios has been two and a half years in the making and the effort put in has paid off

Whether it’s our cynical nature or the fact we’ve been in the business of writing reviews for a long time and have seen many a bold marketing claim, we began this GHD Helios review with a little scepticism. Oh, how wrong we were.

The GHD Helios was two and a half years in the making and the effort has paid off. It’s head and shoulders, excuse the pun, above the GHD Air. It almost toppled the Dyson Supersonic as our favourite hair dryer. We still switch between the two.

This is bolstered by the fact that while still an expensive piece of kit, at £179 the GHD Helios is almost half the price of Dyson’s equivalent. If you are in the market for a new hair dryer, the GHD Helios is a wise investment. And even if you’re not, we’d be surprised if your current dryer can live up to the results of the Helios.

Buy the Helios from GHD | Buy the Helios from Amazon


GHD Air vs GHD Helios comparison: Which is better?

GHD Air hair dryerGHD

Considering the GHD Helios is pitched as GHD’s flagship hair dryer, it’s worth highlighting the differences between the GHD Helios and its predecessor GHD Air (£109 from Amazon) to see which one will suit you best.

The GHD Air is now 10 years old and in terms of performance, the signs of ageing were starting to show.

Looks-wise, it still holds its own and the GHD Helios is remarkably similar. Almost a copy-and-paste job in some areas, including the placement of the controls. It has the same three-metre cable, too.

However, there are some key upgrades.

GHD Air vs GHD Helios Price: The GHD Air costs £109 whereas the GHD Helios price in the UK is £179.

GHD Air vs GHD Helios Attachments: You still only get one concentrator nozzle as standard – and need to pay separately for other attachments like a diffuser – but the nozzle has been redesigned.

For the extra money for the GHD Helios you get:

  • A lighter, slightly more streamlined design
  • A softer plastic casing
  • Six standard colours to choose from: white and rose gold, blue and black, black and silver, red and gold, mint-green and silver. GHD semi-regularly releases limited-edition versions of the Helios as well but they tend to sell out quickly
  • Less noise
  • A faster motor
  • A stronger stream of concentrated air
  • Redesigned nozzle
  • Vastly improved performance

VERDICT: The GHD Helios is better based on performance and style

Buy the Helios from GHD | Buy the Helios from Amazon


GHD Helios vs Dyson Supersonic comparison: Which is better?

Dyson Supersonic Mothers Day Edition Fuschia Pink comb and brushDyson

Price: The GHD Helios costs £179 whereas the Dyson Supersonic price in the UK is £349.99 – a staggering difference of £170.99.

Attachments: You get one concentrator nozzle as standard with the Helios. With the Supersonic you get a Smoothing nozzle, a Concentrator nozzle, a diffuser and a heat mat

Speed settings: Three on the Helios. Three on the Supersonic

Heat settings: Three on the Helios. Three on the Supersonic

Drying time: The GHD Helios dries our hair from wet from the shower to dry in one minute and six seconds, on average. The Dyson Supersonic review dries our hair (on average) in 2 minutes and 6 seconds.

For the extra money for the Dyson Supersonic, you get:

  • A more compact hairdryer, making it ideal for travelling
  • Less noise
  • A more balanced design/less arm ache
  • A faster motor
  • A stronger stream of concentrated air
  • Plus the extra attachments

VERDICT: The GHD Helios is better value for money but the Dyson Supersonic takes the crown. 

Buy the Helios from GHD | Buy the Helios from Amazon


♥︎ Don’t miss out! Sign up for the mamabella newsletter today ♥︎


 

 


MORE LIKE THIS


Whether you’ve got thinning hair, looking to boost hair growth or just want to tame frizz, we’ve handpicked the best hair oils for all budgets and needs


JUMP TO SECTION

Click the links below to jump to the relevant section:

Best hair oil

What to look for when buying the best hair oil

What hair oil do I need? 

Hair oil is a great way to nourish your hair and scalp to prevent your hair from breaking. It can help to tame frizz and give your hair a healthier glow.

It’s a great option if you regularly use styling products, curlers or straighteners, too.

Or if you colour your hair which makes it much more prone to being brittle and breaking.

What’s more, the massaging technique of applying hair oil will also help stimulate the circulation of blood to your scalp, which in turn helps to improve the health of your hair.

However, no one wants to have greasy-looking hair and this might be putting you off using a hair oil.

Fear not, we explain what to look for when shopping for the best hair oil and detail how to find the right oil type for your hair type.

FURTHER READING: How to hair oilHow to protect your hair from pollution | Do you have combination hair?


Best hair oil

 


Editor’s Pick: Fable and Mane Holiroots Hair Oil

From £14 | Buy now

Fable and Mane Holiroots Hair OIlFable & Mane

Fable and Mane’s Holiroots is a pre-wash, strengthening hair oil that contains a blend of Ayurvedic herbs, including Ashwagandha, Bhringraj, and Brahmi.

Each of these ingredients is known for its hair-strengthening properties and when combined, they work together to improve scalp health, reduce fall, and promote thicker and healthier hair growth.

In particular, Ashwagandha is what’s known as an adaptogen; an ingredient that helps the body respond to stress and get it back to a state of balance, what scientists call homeostasis.

Helping your scalp benefits your hair, and this hair oil stimulates the circulation to the scalp and its hair follicles, which helps make hair grow stronger and thicker.

Elsewhere, this oil is also infused with coconut oil and sesame oil, which provide nourishment and hydration to the hair and scalp.

This helps to prevent dryness and breakage, leaving the hair looking shiny and feeling soft.

In addition to using it as a pre-shampoo treatment, it can be used in a leave-in conditioner, as a styling product, or as a treatment for dry hair.

It can also be left overnight and we recommend wearing a satin bonnet to avoid the oil getting on your pillow (and face) and to reduce friction.

Buy now from Cult Beauty

Best cheap hair oil: L’Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil 

£8 | Buy now

Loreal Elvive cheap hair oil reviewsL'Oreal Elvive

We love this hair oil from the wider L’Oreal Elvive range because it’s a budget-friendly option that works for most hair types. It provides intense nourishment, shine, and frizz control while being suitable for all hair types.

If you’re just starting out with hair oil, this is a good option for you to try.

It contains a blend of six flower oils, including lotus, chamomile, tiare, flax, rose, and sunflower. These oils work together to leave the hair soft, smooth, and shiny.

Additionally, the lightweight formula means it doesn’t weigh the hair down.

The oil can be used in a number of ways, either as a pre-shampoo treatment, a leave-in conditioner, or an overnight softener. It can be applied to wet or dry hair and a little goes a long way making it even better value.

Buy now from Boots

Best luxury hair oil: Monpure London Ultralight Healthy Hair Oil

£58 | Buy now

MONPURE LONDON ULTRALIGHT HEALTHY HAIR OILMonpure

This luxury hair oil from Monpure is packed full of nourishing ingredients including vegan keratin, castor oil, and wheat germ oil.

The vegan keratin hydrates your hair and repairs any fragile strands. The wheat germ oil and antioxidant Q10 help to boost hair growth and strength, while castor oil softens and nourishes the scalp and hair.

The Monpure hair oil will also boost the elasticity of your hair because of the vitamin-rich ingredients.

Monpure specialises in scalp care, which in turn means it’s an expert in hair growth and hair loss.

You can read more about its recent campaign targeting hair loss and helping women regain their confidence in our guide on trichotillomania, or our how to make hair grow faster guide.

Buy now from Cult Beauty

Best hair oil for thinning hair and hair growth: Hair Veda Sabal Hair Growth Oil

£29.99 | Buy now

Hair Veda Sabal Hair Growth oilHair Veda

Hair Veda is a UK-based specialist in natural, organic hair oils. The brand was founded by Aneeka Chauhan whose husband suffers from Alopecia areata.

After trying many solutions – from shampoos to off-the-shelf hair oils – nothing helped so Aneeka developed her own natural alternative.

Inspired by Ayurvedic principles, which is an ancient holistic healing system that originated in India, the Sabal Hair Growth oil contains jojoba oil, cedarwood oil, thyme oil, rosemary oil, lavender oil, and garlic oil.

All of which help regrow, repair, and strengthen the scalp and hair.

The addition of garlic oil, as you’d imagine, does add a prominent garlic smell but this also means it offers antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties which are especially key for people suffering from scalp conditions and severe hair loss.

If you have mild to moderate hair loss, or you don’t fancy smelling like garlic, then Hair Veda also sells a lemon-scented oil called the Avani Hair Growth Oil. It costs the same as the Sabal version, with most of the same ingredients. Yet instead of garlic oil, it contains lemon oil.

Buy now from Hair Veda

Best hair oil for damaged hair: Moroccanoil Treatment Light

From £13.85 | Buy now

Moroccanoil Hair oil Moroccanoil

Moroccanoil is an OG hair oil.

It’s made using argan oil hair oil which is particularly good if you have dry and damaged hair. This also makes it ideal for coloured hair.

The brand details a number of ways this oil can be used:

  • Styling and finishing: Apply a small amount of oil onto your palms and work through damp hair after shampooing. Style as usual.
  • Protection: Apply the oil as a barrier, of sorts, that helps to protect the hair from damage caused by sun, wind and other harsh environmental factors. Note: It doesn’t not block UV rays.
  • For coloured and chemically treated hair: Before applying colour, highlights, straightening or relaxing treatments, Moroccanoil recommends applying around 5ml directly onto hair. Gently massage into the scalp but do not rinse.  You can also add 4-7ml to your colour mix to increase your hair’s absorption rate and even enhance the shine and depth of colour.
  • Hair extensions: This hair oil can be used to help detangle hair, wig and hair extensions.

It has a lightweight feel, meaning it doesn’t leave the hair feeling heavy or greasy, even if your hair is fine. As well as helping to improve the strength of your hair, this argan oil is great for restoring softness and shine to your hair. All for a mid-range price.

Buy now from Lookfantastic

Best hair oil shampoo: Aveeno Scalp Soothing Rosemary shampoo

£8.99 | Buy now

Aveeno Soothing Fresh Greens Blend shampooAveeno

We explain the benefits of rosemary oil on the health and quality of hair in our the science behind rosemary oil for hair guide, but in summary, it has been shown to be

  • antioxidant (protects cells from damage)
  • anti-inflammatory (reduces inflammation)
  • antimicrobial (active against microbes),
  • fungicidal (ability to destroy or control fungus)
  • anticancer (used to prevent cancer)

You can use rosemary oil on the scalp and hair to take advantage of these benefits, or you can buy a shampoo that contains rosemary.

This shampoo is designed to work for hair loss prevention and to strengthen and stimulate your hair follicles. As well as rosemary, it also contains argan oil (hence why we’ve included it in our best hair oil list) which moisturises the hair and protects it from damage.

Buy now from Lookfantastic

Best hair oil for an irritated scalp: Pattern Jojoba Oil Serum

£25 | Buy now

Pattern jojoba oil serumPattern

The best hair oil for your scalp is likely to be one that includes jojoba oil and that’s because it’s rich in vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, B vitamins, vitamin E, copper and zinc.

It’s what’s known as base oil – rosemary oil is the same – so you’re going to want to dilute it with a carrier oil or similar before applying directly to your scalp.

Alternatively, you can put this jojoba oil serum in a container of hot water, massage it into your hair after shampooing, cover it with a towel for 3-5 minutes and then rinse with warm water.

Buy now from Cult Beauty

Best hair oil: What to look out for

To get the most out of one of these best hair oils, it helps to know which ingredients suit your hair needs.

If you have damaged hair, for instance, the best hair oil has a higher fat and protein composition, such as argan or coconut oil. That’s because these types of oil have moisture-retaining properties. Another good hair oil for damaged hair is castor oil, which is known for enriching hair follicles and hair strands due to its high Vitamin E and omega fatty acid content.

Hair oil for fine or thinning hair should use lighter oils, like macadamia seed and Abyssinian oil. Weak hair would also benefit from castor oil because it’s protein-based and rebuilds the integrity of your hair strands. Rosemary hair oil for thinning hair is also a good option because rosemary oil can help your hair grow more.

If you have an irritated scalp then you’ll want to try jojoba oil because its chemical structure matches the sebum produced by your scalp. It’s a great hair oil for dandruff too.


Which hair oil do I need?

Below we explain more about the different types of hair oils and what benefits they bring.

Coconut oil

How-to-get-rid-of-frizzGetty Images/iStockphoto

Coconut oil is perfect for dehydrated hair because it moisturises and seals your hair strands. This means it helps with taming frizz. It also helps prevent your scalp from becoming dry and flaky, so coconut oil is good for dandruff.

You can use coconut oil as a pre-shampoo treatment, so that it protects your hair from stripping when you rinse. Don’t use too much coconut oil if you have brittle hair because it can lead to a protein build up and this can cause your hair to break.


Argan oil

Argan oil works well for all hair types, but its particularly a great option if you have curly hair or you’re looking for a hair oil for coily, textured hair.

Argan oil contains compounds called phenols, antioxidants (like Vitamin E) and fatty acids, which help strengthen your hair follicles and promote cell production on your scalp.

Argan oil is also a great hair oil for dry hair because it helps to lubricate your strands and is a great option if your hair is looking a little dull and needs a boost.


Abyssinian oil

Similar to Argan oil, Abyssinian oil helps to boost your hair’s shine. It has a high percentage of Omega-9 fatty acid which helps give hair a glossy feel. This makes it a good oil for dry hair. Its fatty-acid content also helps to condition split ends.


Jojoba oil

Jojoba Oil skincare ingredient checkermamabella | mamabella

If you’re wanting to boost your hair growth, jojoba oil is worth a try. It stimulates circulation in your scalp, as well as nourishing and strengthening your hair follicles because it’s packed with vitamins and minerals such as vitamins C, B and E, as well as copper and zinc.

Unlike other oils that moisturise the outer layer of hair strands, the fats in jojoba oil penetrate the outer layer of hair, so it repairs beneath the surface.


Castor oil

If you have a dry or flaky scalp, or have brittle hair, then give castor oil a try. While castor oil doesn’t directly stimulate hair growth, it helps create a better environment for your hair to grow. It’s good at treating inflammation, for example, because it’s packed with ricinoleic acid.

This is also because castor oil is a natural hydrator. Applying castor oil to the scalp helps to open up follicles and attract the dirt inside. This clears the follicles from build-up and encourages hair to grow.

It can also help trap moisture to make hair shinier.

“Castor oil helps enhance the appearance of healthy, glossy hair and nourishes the hair follicles,” according to Anya Wolfenden, Director of Product Innovation at Heritage Store. “It’s also an ideal oil for using as a topical castor oil pack, because of its versatility.

Dr Kim Nichols, Heritage Store’s Consultant Dermatologist, added: “It’s best to start using castor oil sparingly to see how your scalp responds, and then increase use as needed. Quality is key when purchasing a castor oil.”


Olive oil

Before you reach for the olive oil in your kitchen cupboard, a hair product with olive oil will be your best option. That’s because olive oil in its purest form has a large molecule size and therefore will only work on the surface of your hair strands. This makes it great for protecting your hair.


Manketti oil

Vitamin E is great for keeping your scalp healthy and manketti oil contains high levels of Vitamin E, as well as polyunsaturated fatty acids. Both are effective at protecting your skin, making it great for your scalp too.


♥︎ Don’t miss out! Sign up for the mamabella newsletter today ♥︎


 

 


MORE LIKE THIS


We explain what causes ingrown hairs, how to get rid of them as well as how to stop the annoying lumps from ever appearing


If you’ve ever had an ingrown hair, you’ll know they’re unnecessarily difficult to get rid of. Not only can they feel itchy, they cause red bumps to appear on the skin and are often accompanied by spots and pus – not a good look anywhere on your body.

The problem arises especially after shaving, which is why men typically get them on their face and neck, while women find them on legs and armpits and pubic region.

Despite the irritation they cause, an ingrown hair isn’t inherently dangerous – but if they’re left untreated they can become infected.

To get to the bottom of what causes ingrown hairs, how to get rid of them as well as how to stop them for good, we’ve spoken to Chanele Rosa, a Candela Medical Clinical Specialist for UK and Ireland, and Nada Ward, Founder of soap bar brand Beauty Kin.


Ingrown hair

An ingrown hair is a common condition where your hair curls back or grows sideways back into the skin, resulting in an inflamed, raised, red bump.

They can be painful, and some may form a boil-like sore. Ingrown hairs can be caused by some methods of hair removal such as waxing, tweezing or shaving, predominantly among people who have dense coarse hair.

In some cases, it may be caused by a lack of exfoliation in the area or a hormonal imbalance.

Ingrown hair after shaving, cream or epilator. Anatomy infographics of hair vector illustration. Beautiful legs.Getty Images/iStockphoto

“One of the first signs of ingrown hairs is itchiness around the suspected area, usually followed by redness,” according to Ward. “Another indicator is raised skin, or lumps that appear to be filled with pus, as the area has become inflamed.”

Sometimes you can see the hair that’s struggling to break through just beneath the skin. This can make it tempting to try to remove it or break the skin to help it escape.

People often think that if they don’t use any methods of hair removal, they won’t get ingrown hairs but this is not always the case.

Our hairs shed on a regular basis and when the hair grows back the hair follicle may be covered with dead skin preventing the hair from exiting the skin and resulting in an ingrown hair.

People with curly hair are more likely to get ingrown hairs but people with straight hair can also develop ingrown hairs.


How to get rid of ingrown hair 

It is best to stop waxing, shaving, or plucking your hair until the hair goes away. A warm compress can be applied to help open the follicle and you can gently exfoliate the area to help lift the hair above the skin.

Be careful not to over-exfoliate though. Removing dead skin can help reduce the number of ingrown hairs in an area but frequently exfoliating can also contribute to ingrown hairs because the skin regenerates quickly, and the hair follicles will be covered before they start to grow.

You shouldn’t ever tweeze the hair whilst it is under the skin because this may break the skin in the area and cause an infection. You also run the risk of leaving a fragment of hair under the surface of the skin.

Once the hair has lifted out, you can use a sterile tweezer to gently pull the hair out although your tweezers need to be strong and sharp, in order to successfully grab the whole of the hair.

If the ingrown hair is infected, you will need to see your doctor who may prescribe an antibiotic.

“The temptation to gouge out an ingrown hair with your fingernails or tweezers is almost too much to bear at times,” explained Ward. However, using dirty hands or tools can potentially lead to infection, or even scarring.

Once you have removed the ingrown hair, your skin should clear up and calm down. Make sure you then apply a moisturiser to prevent the skin from drying out.


How to stop ingrown hair

Beauty Kin soapBeauty Kin soap

Rosa recommends creams with ingredients that exfoliate the skin such as salicylic acid, glycolic acid or lactic acid. You can read more about these ingredients in our guide to the acids in your skincare.

“Exfoliation helps maintain healthy hair follicles, allowing your hair to grow back in a normal way,” added Ward.

This is because if you don’t exfoliate, and especially if your forget to moisturise after shaving your skin can become overly dry and coarse skin. This makes it thicker and harder for hairs to break through, which causes them to grow inwards.

Tea tree oil has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and aloe vera will help soothe the area.

Do not pick or squeeze ingrown hairs as this may cause an infection and may result in a scar. Laser/IPL is a great solution for preventing ingrown hairs as it permanently reduces unwanted hair.

“If an ingrown hair has become infected, it could look more like a spot than a lump, and a whitehead could also be present,” said Ward.

Yet she stressed that even if you don’t like the look of ingrown hairs, they’re perfectly normal. “In a society that is so obsessed with skin being smooth and hairless, it is no wonder that ingrown hairs are extremely common.”


♥︎ Don’t miss out! Sign up for the mamabella newsletter today ♥︎


 

 


MORE LIKE THIS


Here’s how to remove dark spots on your face, hands and body with these tried-and-tested dark spot correctors and serums


JUMP TO SECTION

Click the links below to jump to the relevant section:

Best dark spot corrector ranking

What causes dark spots?

How to choose the best dark spot remover

What really removes dark spots?

Dark spots – known as sun spots, age spots, or hyperpigmentation – can plague your skin for various reasons and many of us turn to concealer in a bid to make them disappear.

Yet, you may be better off choosing a dark spot corrector.

The best dark spot correctors use a selection of ingredients to block the different causes of pigmentation while inhibiting the enzymes that create melanin and lead to pigmentation.

Below, we’ve handpicked what we consider to be the most effective correctors for getting rid of dark spots, and hopefully, there’s something here for every budget.

You can read more about what causes dark spots and how to get rid of age spots by clicking the links in the box to the left.

FURTHER READING: How to get rid of age spots – or prevent dark spots from ever appearing


Best dark spot corrector

  1. Editors Pick: Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiant Serum – £48
  2. Bargain buy: The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA£10.50
  3. Luxury Buy: Dr. Dennis Gross Dark Spot Concentrated Serum£99
  4. Best dark spot toner: Ole Henriksen glow 2OH dark spot toner£25
  5. Best dark spot serum: Pai Fade Forward Dark Spot Serum£59
  6. Best for sensitive skin: Korres Wild Rose 24-hour Moisturising & Brightening cream£29
  7. Best targeted dark spot treatment: Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel Pads£21

 

 

WANT TO KNOW MORE? Best BB cream | Best moisturiser | Best tinted moisturiser  | Best toner | Best primer | Best cleanserBest eye creamBest anti-ageing cream | Best hand cream| Best foot cream | Best face mask  | Best face exfoliator | Best face oil| Best serum| Best night cream | Best SPF | Best Vitamin C serum | Men’s skincare routine | Best moisturiser for oily skin | Best moisturisers for dry skin

 


1. Editor’s Pick: Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiant Serum Complexion Correcting

£48 | BUY NOW

Why we love it: OK, so it’s slightly more of Luxury Buy than a high-street bargain, but there’s a reason the Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiant Serum is our Editor’s pick.

Not only is it the number one anti-dark-spot product in French pharmacies, but it’s also a global bestseller – with one sold every 30 seconds. In fact, it’s been a bestseller for the past 15 years, since it first launched, and this classic oil-free serum helps to brighten skin, improve the appearance of dark spots, and evens out skin tone, unlike any other product we’ve used.

Caudalie’s cult serum is enriched with Viniferine, which is said to be 62 times more effective than Vitamin C in correcting dark spots and boosting radiance.

Its natural brightening ingredients are also non-irritating and free of parabens, sulfates and phthalates (read more in our guide to clean beauty), making it perfect for those even with sensitive skin. We love it, and we know you will too.

FURTHER READING: The best skincare for sensitive skin – and what to avoid when buying moisturisers and more

BUY NOW

2. Bargain Buy: The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA

£10.50 | BUY NOW

Why we love it: Chemistry-led, high-street (and mamabella) favourite, The Ordinary continues to take the beauty industry by storm with this winning formula.

Fantastic for all types of hyperpigmentation, The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA does feel slightly sticky on the skin because of the hyaluronic acid, so we recommend only using a few drops before bed for best results.

This product contains 2% alpha-arbutin, which is a higher concentration than the standard 1% used by other brands.

For anyone who is really on a budget, this is the only product you need, with visible lightening of hyperpigmentation patches over a matter of weeks.

Disclaimer, if you have very sensitive skin this dark spot remover can cause irritation and cause breakouts so it’s worth introducing to your routine gradually. Or opt for what we consider to be the best dark spot remover for sensitive skin, the Korres Wild Rose 24-hour Moisturising & Brightening cream.

FURTHER READING: The best The Ordinary products for all your skincare concerns – from large pores to redness, wrinkles and acne

BUY NOW

3. Luxury Buy: Dr. Dennis Gross Professional Grade IPL Dark Spot Concentrated Serum

£99 | BUY NOW

Why we love it: This is one of the most pricey recommendations we’ve ever made in our Best Buys lists, but we stand by it. As you can guess by this dark spot corrector’s name, it produces professional-grade results. Plus, because it’s concentrated, you only need a tiny amount.

This means that it lasts a lot longer than you might think. We’re not saying this makes it great value for money but it’s not quite as expensive and extortionate as first appears.

The Professional Grade IPL Dark Spot Concentrated Serum is great at lightening sun spots, age spots, and any dark patches on your skin in a matter of weeks thanks to it being formulated with 10% L-ascorbic acid, lactic acid, kojic acid, and arbutin.

Its formula removes over-pigmented surface cells, clears and illuminates skin tone, and fights against environmental aggressors. In a clinical study, 80% agreed that their skin tone looked more even and 88% agreed that their dark spots and sunspots had faded.

If we had one criticism – other than its high price – this dark spot corrector smells remarkably like soy sauce…and looks like it too!

FURTHER READING: Lactic acid for skin: What is lactic acid and what does it do?

BUY NOW


6. Ole Henriksen Glow 2OH dark spot toner: Best toner for dark spots

£25 | BUY NOW

Why we love it: Made by a Danish skin cosmetician, the Glow 2OH Dark Spot toner is ideal for anyone looking to add an extra layer of treatment into their hyperpigmentation routine.

This product contains high-potency glycolic acid and lactic acid alongside witch hazel water, camomile, and sandalwood extracts.

When applied to the skin it does tingle, however, it’s still gentle enough to use every day.

Its sugary lemon scent is refreshing and after a few weeks, the skin appears brighter and smoother.

We wouldn’t recommend using this product alone on dark spots or acne scars that are particularly bad, as it might take some time for results to show. However, it is a great post-inflammatory treatment to use alongside other serums and moisturisers in our best dark spot remover and corrector list. And it’s affordable, too.

FURTHER READING: What does toner do – and why is it so important?

BUY NOW

5. Pai Fade Forward Dark Spot Serum: Best serum for dark spots

£59 | BUY NOW

Pai Fade Forward Dark Spot SerumPai Skincare

Why we love it: Pai skincare was formulated because founder Sarah Brown couldn’t find any truly hypoallergenic, organic products to fix her hyper-sensitive and acne-prone skin.

The brand is designed to target skin that’s red, irritated and stressed and its Fade Forward Dark Spot Serum helps even out the skin tone and fade the appearance of pigmentation.

The best thing about this serum is that it’s been designed to not only get rid of age spots, but stop them forming in the first place.

It contains marine algae to tackle the look of skin discolouration and a stabilised form of Vitamin C to brighten and protect. It’s suitable for all skin types too. The only downside is that it’s very expensive.

BUY NOW

6. Korres Wild Rose 24-hour Moisturising & Brightening cream: Best for sensitive skin

£29 | BUY NOW

Korres dark spot age correctorKorres

Why we love it: Fantastic for post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, Greek beauty brand Korres focuses on using natural ingredients and homeopathic remedies.

Its Wild Rose 24-hour Moisturising & Brightening cream is, as the name suggests, a highly moisturising and brightening cream. It contains 96.8% natural ingredients and is enriched with wild rose oil, leaving skin feeling extremely soft and smooth.

High in Vitamin C, this product works to correct pigmentation while making the skin visibly brighter.

It’s fragrance-free, relatively well-priced, and suitable for vegans. It’s also the best dark spot corrector for anyone with sensitive skin. This is because it doesn’t contain any harsh ingredients or high potency AHAs.

The downside to this is that it can take a little longer for pigmentations to fade – but we think it’s worth the wait.

FURTHER READING: Vitamin C: What does Vitamin C do and which is the best Vitamin C serum for skin?

BUY NOW

7. Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel Pads: Best targeted dark spot treatment

£21 | BUY NOW

Why we love it: This is the second entry in our best dark spot corrector list for the Dr. Dennis Gross brand. This goes to show just how good the brand is.

These Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel Pads are by far the gentlest peel pads we’ve tried. They contain a combination of lactic and mandelic acid. This combination not only creates an even-looking glow, but it also reduces the appearance of scarring, pores and it lightens dark spots over time.

This is the only peel on the market to combine five alpha and beta-hydroxy acids (AHAs and BHAs) with potent, wrinkle-fighting antioxidants, to smooth, refine and protect the complexion. For best results, we recommend using them two to three times a week and it is available in five, 30 or 60 packages.

FURTHER READING: Best face exfoliator: Get smoother skin using scrubs from Upcircle, The Ordinary, Nip+Fab and more

BUY NOW

What causes dark spots on the face?

Dark spots on the face, hands and body appear for a variety of reasons. These include:

  • Genetics
  • UV exposure
  • Pregnancy
  • Hormones
  • Inflammation (from skin trauma like acne or rashes)

How to choose the best dark spot remover

The wide range of dark spot causes makes choosing the best dark spot corrector for you and your skin tricky. What’s more, if your dark spots are caused by genetics, in particular, a dark spot remover may not work as well as it would on spots caused by the sun.

However, before you decide on which dark spot remover best suits you and your face, we’re going to stress (again) how important it is to use SPF. Every day. Even in winter. This becomes even more crucial if you use a dark spot corrector that exfoliates the skin and makes it more sensitive to the sun.

Read our guide to What is SPF and why is it so important? to learn more, or check out our list of the best SPF products.


What really removes dark spots?

The ingredients to look out for in a dark spot remover/corrector include:

Also, it’s worth noting that unless you go to a dermatologist don’t expect results overnight with any dark spot remover.

Once it starts to make a difference, the changes are permanent so it’s worth the wait. It just means you may need some patience!

It also means that it’s worth investing in a good remover to get the best ultimate results (and not waste your time…)


Don’t miss out! Sign up for the mamabella newsletter today


MORE LIKE THIS


In our GHD Duet Style vs Dyson Airstrait head-to-head, we look at the different features, design, and early performance of the two stylers to see which wet-to-dry straightener is potentially worth your time and money 


JUMP TO SECTION

Click the links below to jump to the relevant section:

GHD Duet Style vs Dyson AirStrait: Similarities

GHD Duet Style vs Dyson AirStrait: Differences

GHD Duet Style vs Dyson AirStrait: First impressions

Everything you need to know about the GHD Duet Style

Everything you need to know about the Dyson Airstrait

UPDATE: The GHD Duet Style is currently on sale as part of the Amazon Spring sales.

It usually sells for a staggering £379 but you can get the white model for a discount price of £304.

This is a saving of £75, or 20%.

What’s more, its biggest rival, the Dyson Airstrait, is now on sale more widely.

Having previously only been available directly from Dyson, you can now buy it from Sephora or Boots.

The price is the same but in case you have a Sephora, or Boots account or are shopping for something else, you can now pick up the Airstrait at the same time!

BUY GHD ON AMAZON

Original GHD Duet Style vs Dyson Airstrait reviews continue below

GHD made headlines earlier this year when it launched the first-of-its-kind wet-to-dry straightener called the GHD Duet Style.

It promised to revolutionise styling, with experts describing it as having the potential to “rock the industry” thanks to “game-changing innovation.”

This is because it combines hair-drying features and straightening plates in a single styler.

Our interest was well and truly piqued when GHD launched its Duet Style, and we’re now just as excited following the launch of the Dyson Airstrait (not Dyson Airstraight as some searches suggest!) – a wet-to-dry straightener from the iconic engineering brand.

Below we explain the key differences between the two products and our early impressions in our GHD Duet Style vs Dyson Airstrait guide.

You can also read more about what we think of the new Airstrait in our hands-on Dyson Airstrait review, and read more about the new GHD hair straightener in our GHD Duet Style review.


GHD Duet Style vs Dyson Airstrait

Dyson Airstrait UK vs GHD Duet Stylemamabella | mamabella

Below we list the similarities between the two products, followed by their key differences, and then our opinion of each.


GHD Duet Style vs Dyson AirStrait: Similarities

GHD Duet StyleGHD

Both brands describe their respective tools as wet-to-dry stylers. Both resemble straighteners, albeit with much larger and thicker designs; both have hot air vents along the inside of the respective styler’s arms; and both have features designed to dry the roots and add shine.

Both brands claim their respective stylers create minimal heat damage.

When used to dry the hair, they’re used in an almost identical way. Sections of wet hair are clamped in between the two chambers and as the stylers are passed over the hair, they remove moisture from the hair.

Dyson hasn’t specified how many times you should, or shouldn’t pass the Airstrait over your hair, whereas GHD advises against passing your hair through the chambers more than four times.

GHD’s CTO, Dr Rob Milner told mamabella that this is because “three passes are sufficient to dry and style the hair so, in our testing, we used four passes to ensure the hair was fully dried. We didn’t see a user need to dry further, so we chose four passes for our standard tests.”

Buy the Airstrait | Buy the GHD Duet


GHD Duet Style vs Dyson AirStrait: Differences

Dyson Airstrait UK review is it worth it?Dyson

The Dyson Airstrait offers two main styling modes – Wet and Dry – and only relies on hot air to style your hair.

There are five temperature settings to choose from across the two modes. You can select these via the buttons on the control panel.

Wet mode:

  • 80°C (175°F)
  • 110°C (230°F)
  • 140°C (285°F)

Dry mode:

  • 120°C (230°F)
  • 140°C (285°F)
  • Plus top-up Boost

In addition, the Airstrait has a separate Root Drying mode that directs a concentrated flow of air from the side of the styler that is used to dry the roots. It then has a Cool Shot mode, used to finish your style.

The GHD Duet Style offers a Wet mode, in which hot air removes the moisture from the hair. Once the hair is dry – and only when it’s dry – you can switch to Shine Shot mode. This turns off the hot air and turns on two hot plates which work in the same way as the plates on previous GHD straighteners, such as the GHD Platinum Plus, to straighten the hair.

In Wet mode, the air flowing through the drying chamber doesn’t exceed 155°C (285°F), and the air from the roots vents maxes out at 90°C (195°F). These two vents run simultaneously so you can dry the roots and the hair at the same time.

GHD Duet Style in whiteGHD

In Shine Shot mode the plates reach 185°C (365°F). This is the standard temperature seen across GHD’s wider hair straightener range and is what the brand describes as the “optimal” temperature to mould the hair while causing minimal damage.

The GHD Duet Style costs £379 in the UK and $399 in the US. The Dyson Airstrait costs $499 in the US and the £449 in the UK.

Buy the Airstrait | Buy the GHD Duet


GHD Duet Style vs Dyson AirStrait: First impressions

On one hand, we love the variety that comes from the Airstrait’s range of features. We can use the styler in several ways and we imagine it could effectively replace our hair dryer/hot brush with ease. The Dry mode takes this versatility to the next level and genuinely (in our opinion) offers something unique in the market that appeals directly to how we like to style our hair.

As we explain in our hands-on Airstrait review, there have already been several occasions where we wished we had the Airstrait and could have benefited from its use.

The downside is that there is a lot going on with the Airstrait and, while the controls are intuitive, have the potential to feel a little overwhelming. Which mode are you in? Which temperature setting do you need for your hair type? When do you need to use the root drying mode? Is it time for the cool shot?

The GHD Duet Style removes a lot of this mental load. It selects the air temperature for you, and combines the root drying function with the main dryer so it has all bases covered. In our experience, this root drying feature can be a little hit and miss though, and only dries from beneath the root. It’s not possible to dry from above. This is great for adding volume, but less so for creating a sleek finish or removing frizz.

Dyson Airstrait wet-to-dry straightener designDyson

This is a minor point, however, because having the Shine Shot option effectively turns the Duet Style into a GHD straightener. The hot plates remove any frizz and create a smooth finish that even the best cool shot would struggle to match.

WHAT TO BE AWARE OF 

To change your style, hydrogen bonds within each hair strand have to be broken before being reset into their new shape. This is done via heat or moisture.

It’s why straighteners can bend and mould the hair, and why your hair becomes flat and more flexible when it’s wet.

When hair is wet, water naturally weakens these bonds. In this state, the bonds are more elastic and can be reset as hair dries but it also means that your hair is at its most fragile.

If you apply too much heat, it causes these bonds to break and damages the health of your hair, as well as your ability to restyle it.

Both the GHD Duet Style and Dyson Airstrait claim to strike the right balance between maximising hair styling while minimising hair damage, but we highly recommend that you still use a heat protectant.

Also, avoid passing the stylers over your hair too many times as this increases the potential heat, and thus the potential damage.

 

Considering how long it’s been drummed into us that using excessive heat on wet hair is the worst thing you can do, both wet-to-dry straighteners make us a little nervous (given how close the hot air gets to the hair) however, the GHD Duet Style’s use of hot plates exacerbates this a little.

In reality, it’s no different from drying your hair normally before running separate straighteners over it. Yet the fact the two are combined could make it tempting to skip the drying step and on the occasions we’ve used the Duet Style, we’ve almost gone overboard with heat protectant and making sure the hair is super dry before switching to the plates.

You can read more in our GHD Duet Style review.

Dr. Milner confirmed to us that the heaters on the plates in the Duet Style are the latest evolution of GHD’s ceramic technology meaning “the closest product in the market [to the GHD Duet Style] is the Platinum Plus.”

This includes a ceramic heater element inside each of the heater plates and an external non-stick, heat-resistant ceramic coating. As a result they’re designed to maintain a steady stream of heat.

In this way, with the Duet Style, you’re getting the equivalent of two GHD products in one thus making the price a little easier to swallow.

On the topic of price, there’s no denying that both stylers are expensive and, while for the price you’re getting the very best, market-leading technology in each, it does limit their respective appeal.

Since the Dyson Airstrait was officially launched in the UK, we now know that the Dyson styler costs £449 – a not-insignificant £70 more expensive than the Duet Style.


So which is the best wet-to-dry straightener?

Deciding which wet-to-dry straightener is best will come down to the features and performance you need.

In our limited review time, we’d have to give the award to the Dyson Airstrait. It better suits our hair type, the type of natural straight style we prefer, and how often we see ourselves using the styler versus the price.

However, if you’re looking for a truly 2-in-1 styler then the GHD Duet Style will seem like better value for money without sacrificing too many of the Airstrait’s features and bringing with it its own USP in the form of the hot plates.

Read our full GHD Duet Style review here.

Buy the Airstrait | Buy the GHD Duet


When is Dyson Airstrait coming to UK?

The Dyson Airstrait UK launch was on 31 January. It’s not available to buy from Dyson.


What do the experts think?

New Dyson wet-to-dry straightenerDyson

Dyson and GHD will both tell you their respective technologies are the best, and we can only go on our own experiences with the stylers. In order to get an independent and expert view of wet-to-dry straighteners generally (as a concept), we spoke to some of the best stylists and hair specialists in the business.

Award-winning celebrity stylist, and CEO of mdlondon, Michael Douglas told mamabella: “I’m not massively keen on wet-to-dry stylers. From an engineering and physics point of view, they’ve got a certain kind of novel appeal. However, there are a few things I have a problem with.

Michael Douglas and Davina McCallmdlondon

Celeb stylist Michael Douglas is pictured with Davina McCall

“One, they tend to make the hair very flat; they’re not great at putting body into the hair and, in my experience, they tend to cause quite a few flyaways. Two, straight hair, to me, feels like an absence of style. I like to see movement, body and texture. Straight hair to me feels styleless; it’s kind of an older style from the late ’90s, or early noughties and I think a lot of these wet stylers are being brought about due to advances in physics and technology and engineering, rather than driving trends or being influenced by trends.

When asked if he, as the founder of mdlondon and its BLOW hair dryer, would venture into this space, Douglas said: “I would never make a wet-dry or wet-to-dry product. I think you’re far better off blow-drying your hair and using straighteners if that’s what you like. I don’t think wet-to-dry stylers save an enormous amount of time and I think you get a better result without.

“Having said that, I like being proved wrong! It will be interesting to see how good and effective these new stylers are and how that ties in with what people actually want from their hair.”

Susie Hammond, Consultant Trichologist at Philip Kingsley said: “You need to remember that when hair is wet, it is much weaker and thus it’s much more susceptible to damage. So, while it’s very tempting to want to minimise the hassle of styling by using a one-step tool, there are some potential disadvantages we need to bear in mind. Straightening hair usually involves the use of high temperatures or multiple passes over the same strands which can cause breakage over time, although damage from heat will only occur past the point your hair is dry, so it’s important to follow a few simple rules to minimise the potential damage.”

These steps include:

  • Ensuring you’ve taken as much moisture out of your hair as possible before starting the process. This should be done by blotting and squeezing with a towel (microfibre towels are great for this) but never by rubbing the hair, as that can cause damage to the protective cuticle layer of the hair shaft. Roughing up the cuticles can also cause more frizz and less shine.
  • Use a heat protection product every time you style your hair.
  • Try and keep straightening for special occasions, meetings, etc when you need to look your best; the rest of the time it’s very possible to get a lovely smooth style with a good (wooden and vented) paddle brush and low heat on the hairdryer.

Award-winning men’s hairdresser, Jim Shaw added:  “I think it’s great to see the industry progressing and how much technology is now part of our everyday routine. The development of new products such as the wet-to-dry stylers is a whole new generation of innovation and one that is incredible to be a part of.  There has been a lot of discussion around these and I think it is all down to personal preference on whether these suit you, your salon, and your work. For me, I do like them however need some more time to get used to this new tool!”


How does the Duet Style compare to other GHD stylers?

If you want to zoom into the image below, click it and it will open in a new tab.

Best GHD straightener comparison chartmamabella | mamabella

Click the image above to make the file larger

The GHD Duet Style is the most expensive GHD styler – at £379. It’s also the only one not to have universal voltage, likely because of the hair-drying aspect. You can see how the Duet Style compares to the rest of the GHD range in the image above.

FURTHER READING: GHD Platinum Plus vs GHD Chronos: Which flagship straightener is worth your money?


 

♥︎ Don’t miss out! Sign up for the mamabella newsletter today ♥︎


 

 


MORE LIKE THIS


Makeup recycling is much easier than you think. Here’s everything you need to know about recycling skincare and makeup in the UK 


Many of us are trying to live more sustainably. Whether that’s opting for paper straws or reducing plastic, but one small change we can make that benefits the environment and doesn’t impact on our lives too much is recycling makeup and skincare.

For a long time, beauty brands didn’t necessarily prioritise environmental concerns when designing packaging. Yet an increasing number are now switching to recycled materials and offering more options when it comes to recycling. From paper packaging, to fully recyclable pots and even refills.

This is great for the planet but if you’re of a certain age – like us! – and you’ve had it drilled into you that makeup and skincare packaging can’t be recycled, this new trend may be confusing.

To be fair, even if you’ve grown up in this more environmentally conscious society, it can be overwhelming knowing what can, and can’t be recycled, and how to manage it all.

To make it easier, experts at WeThrift have shared their tips on how to start recycling your unwanted or empty product containers. We’ve also got a recycle logo quiz in case you wanted to put your knowledge to the test.

FURTHER READING: Does makeup go off? How to tell when it’s time to throw your old beauty products away


Makeup recycling

To get started with makeup recycling, as well as recycling skincare, haircare and even electricals you need to understand what can and can’t be recycled. The best place to look is on the packaging itself.

CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW TO ENLARGE IN A NEW TAB

Makeup recycling logos what they meanmamabella | mamabella

As a general rule (although there are, of course, exceptions):

  • If the material is paper, cardboard, or glass these can be recycled in your usual recycling bin (after cleaning it out.)
  • Pumps and some bottle caps can’t be recycled so make sure they are removed and binned before recycling.
  • If the product has a label, remove it before recycling.
  • Makeup brushes, palettes that contain mirrors or magnets, and mascara brushes can’t be recycled.
  • Although typically made from glass, nail varnish bottles are also unrecyclable due to the toxins used in nail formulas.

FURTHER READING: Recycle logo quiz: Do you know what the recycling logos on beauty and makeup packaging mean?


Can the packaging be reused?

Before recycling, or throwing your packaging out, can it be reused for something else?

Almost any skincare packaging can be reused, as can powder pots, lip gloss tubes etc. “They’re great as as storage for homemade face masks” said WeThrift, or for taking your favourite products on holiday. “A spray bottle can even be used to mist and water your plants.”

Clean out your product

Once you have a better idea about what can and can’t be recycled, the first thing you need to do is take the packaging apart to separate each material before throwing out what can’t be recycled, and washing out any residue left in the packaging that is recyclable.

Set it aside to dry on a towel.

Put the easily recyclable materials in your recycling bin, and then look for a local drop-off point for the rest.


Makeup recycling near you

M&S Beauty Takeback recycling schemeM&S

“Many high street retailers are taking part in their own recycling schemes, to prompt their customers to become more environmentally friendly,” said WeThrift.

Maybelline have makeup recycling locations all over the UK. A quick search will lead you to many stores nearby that provide this service.

M&S Beauty Takeback Scheme: M&S customers can return any form of plastic or aluminium beauty packaging – from bottles and tubes to caps, pumps, and tubs – from any retailer, by dropping their used product into dedicated boxes located within each store’s beauty section. It doesn’t need to be M&S products.

Maybelline: Maybelline recently partnered with Tesco, Superdrug, Boots and Sainsbury’s to launch makeup recycling boxes with TerraCycle, a leading recycling company. Once the recycling station boxes are full, the packaging is separated by polymer type, cleaned, and turned into plastic pellets that can be used by manufacturers to make new products. You can find your nearest recycling bin on the Maybelline website.

Boots: Boots offers its Recycle at Boots scheme that makes it easy to recycle any empty beauty, health and wellness products in 700 Boots stores across the UK. Even if you didn’t buy them from Boots. You’ll also get 500 Advantage Card points when you spend £10 or more.

John Lewis: John Lewis lets your recycle a broad range of beauty packaging in their stores as part of its BeautyCycle programme. If you’re a My John Lewis member, you’ll get £5 off when you spend £20 or more on beauty that day too. Just bring in five or more clean, empty beauty product containers to any of our beauty counters.

Kiehl’s: You can return used bottles and tubs to any Kiehl’s Boutique Stores (not department stores) and be rewarded for your efforts. Once you’re enrolled in its Rewards loyalty programme, you get 15 points for every full-size Kiehl’s empty you return. Once you reach 10 empties, you’ll reach 150 points, which will unlock a £10 voucher for you to use in store.


Makeup and skincare refills

Charlotte Tilbury magic night creamCharlotte Tilbury

In addition to offering makeup recycling incentives, a growing number of brands are now offering refills. This allows you to keep the packaging and refill it with your favourite products. You can often get the refill for cheaper than the original too so you end up saving money and the environment.

Some key brands that offer refills include:

  • Charlotte Tilbury is offering an increasing range of products that can now be refilled. This includes its Magic Cream, Magic Water Cream and Magic Eye Cream. You can even refill powders, bronzers and more.
  • BYOMA’s full range of skincare products is packaged in fully recyclable, 100% monomaterial plastic, which makes recycling them easy, or you can buy refills to reuse this packaging again and again.
  • MOAM Organics are all 100% natural, non-toxic, vegan, biodegradable, refillable and made in the UK. Each of the skin, hair and body products are made with essential oils that promote a different feeling of wellbeing depending on the scent.
  • SANS- is the natural, refillable, plastic-free deodorant. SANS-’ capsules are made from aluminium and are infinitely recyclable and refillable. The stick refills come in zero-plastic, fully recyclable cardboard packaging.
  • Salt of the Earth is another refillable natural deodorant brand that sells deo sprays and roll-ons which can be refilled time and again, and which cut down plastic packaging by 60%.
  • Wild is a third natural deodorant brand that recently moved into other toiletries and all of them are refillable. You can read what we think about Wild in our Wild deodorant review
  • Faith in Nature sells bigger bottles of its haircare, skincare and even laundry products and a large number of them all refillable.
  • Isoclean sells a range of makeup, brushes and surface cleansers and cleaners and you can buy many in refill pouches.

♥︎ Don’t miss out! Sign up for the mamabella newsletter today ♥︎


 

 


MORE LIKE THIS


At the start of September, L’Oréal Paris Elvive committed to making all of its plastic packaging either recyclable, reusable, refillable or compostable by 2025.

This was closely followed by the launch of the UK’s largest makeup recycling scheme by Maybelline – another L’Oreal Paris brand.

According to the brands estimates, its 2025 pledge will save a whopping 900 tonnes of plastic annually in the UK alone; the same weight as 50 double decker buses. Globally, this is will save a staggering 7,000 tonnes; nearly the same weight as the Eiffel Tower (which stands at 7,400 tonnes).

As part of this announcement, L’Oreal Paris ran a survey that found 32.8 million of us in the UK struggle with the idea of recycling bathroom products.

Almost half of those surveyed (44%) said that the different logos on beauty packaging was confusing, meaning they didn’t know what can and can’t be recycled, while 87% claimed they would recycle more if brands made it clearer on the packaging of products.

With this in mind, we thought we’d put this to the test with a little quiz. Below you’ll be shown eight recycling logos with three possible meanings.

All you have to do it identify the correct meaning of each one! Sounds easy, huh?

Beyond recycling makeup packaging, it’s also worth keeping an eye on your makeup expiry dates.

As a rule, most products have a symbol on their packaging which shows how long they’ll last once you’ve opened them. This is once the product has been exposed to all the germs in the air and on your skin.

The symbol looks like a little pot with an open lid and will have a number on the inside. This number refers to the number of months the particular product is safe to use, see below.

You can read more in our Does makeup go off? guide to beauty expiration dates.


♥︎ Don’t miss out! Sign up for the mamabella newsletter today ♥︎




MORE LIKE THIS