The Launch List: May’s Best in Beauty

The Rundown
Phlur expands its bestselling Rose Whip fragrance world with Rose Whip Deodorant, a skincare-led natural deodorant designed to turn fragrance into a daily ritual. Free from aluminium and baking soda, the formula offers clinically proven 48-hour odour protection while actively caring for underarm skin with salicylic acid to help neutralise odour-causing bacteria and brighten discolouration, alongside arrowroot powder, zinc ricinoleate, algae and tamanu oil for moisture and comfort. The scent mirrors the original Eau de Parfum, blending rose and osmanthus with black currant, pink pepper, amber and cashmere wood. It also launches alongside the Rose Whip Layering Duo, pairing the deodorant with the travel-sized fragrance.

Why We Love It
Natural deodorants can be hit or miss, but this leans into skin health as much as scent. The addition of active ingredients makes it feel more like underarm skincare, while the layering element taps into the growing idea of fragrance as ritual rather than a final step.

Pro Tips
Wear alone for a softer take on Rose Whip or layer with the Eau de Parfum to build longevity and depth. Apply onto clean, dry skin and allow a moment to settle before dressing.

Price
AED 80 / $22

The Rundown
Kosas enters the highlighter category with Shiny Objects Wet Glisten Powder Highlighter for Face + Eyes, a talc and silicone-free launch powered by wet-pressed technology that brings together the radiance of a liquid with the ease of a powder. Wet and dry ingredients are blended together to preserve moisture, creating a smooth, glazed finish without chalkiness, glitter or fallout. Enriched with antioxidant-rich Passion Fruit Extract, it is clinically shown to help reduce dryness and support smoother-looking skin, even when worn alone. The collection launches exclusively at Sephora Middle East in five shades, ranging from iridescent blue-green to warm bronzed copper.

Why We Love It
For anyone who has struggled with powders feeling flat or liquids slipping throughout the day, this strikes a happy middle ground. The texture blends seamlessly into skin for a soft, light-catching finish that feels effortless rather than overdone. The shades also feel thoughtfully curated, with Opaline and Glimmerose standing out as particularly wearable options.

Pro Tips
Tap onto the high points of the face with fingertips for a natural-looking sheen, or press onto lids and inner corners for a reflective eye look. It also works beautifully across the collarbones and shoulders. Wear alone or layer with complexion products depending on the finish you want.

Price
AED 160 / $44

The Rundown
Benefit Cosmetics expands its brow collection with Dream Sheen Brow Glaze, a tinted gel designed to deliver glossy definition and flexible hold in a single swipe. The conditioning blend features quinoa peptides to enhance shine and provitamin B5 to help keep brows feeling soft and nourished. The custom dual-sided applicator is where it gets clever: the brush side evenly coats and lifts, while the flat edge adds shape and fuller-looking definition. Waterproof, smudge-resistant and lightweight, it promises up to 12 hours of wear. Available at Benefit Cosmetics boutiques and Sephora stores across the region.

Why We Love It
The glazed brow trend has been quietly gaining momentum and this feels like an easy way to wear it. The applicator adds versatility, letting you shift from softly groomed to more sculpted depending on the look you want. It also has that beauty-meets-care appeal, giving brows shine and hold while still feeling nourishing.

Pro Tips
Brush through clean, dry brows using short upward strokes to lift and shape. Use the flat side to build definition or fill sparse areas where needed. Allow it a moment to set before touching for the best finish and hold.

Price
AED 140 / $38

The Rundown
Ilia Beauty expands its clean beauty offering with Overglaze Hydrating Lip Gloss, a skincare-infused gloss designed to deliver colour, comfort and care in one swipe. The formula combines up to 12 hours of wear with 24-hour hydration and is clinically proven to help boost the appearance of lip volume while resisting feathering and bleeding. At its core are moisture-boosting fenugreek seed extract to nourish and soften, alongside sustainably sourced seaweed extract to support definition and fullness.

Why We Love It
Gloss has been having a moment, but this feels like a more considered take. Rather than focusing solely on shine, Overglaze leans into hydration and lip care while still delivering the glossy finish people want. It is the kind of product that works just as well in a makeup bag as it does on a desk.

Pro Tips
Wear alone for a soft wash of colour and shine or layer over lip liner for added shape and longevity. Reapply throughout the day to keep lips hydrated and glossy.

Price
AED 105 / $29

The Rundown
Hermès Beauty enters the complexion category with Plein Air, the house’s first skincare-infused foundation. Imagined by Creative Director Gregoris Pyrpylis as an almost invisible veil, the fluid texture is formulated with 82% skincare ingredients and created to even tone, soften the look of imperfections and revive radiance while delivering a lasting second-skin finish. Rather than covering, it enhances, allowing natural skin and individuality to remain at the forefront.

Why We Love It
There is something quietly confident about Hermès approaching foundation with such a light touch. Plein Air is not chasing full coverage or transformation. Instead, it focuses on skin that still looks like skin, with a finish that feels refined, effortless and wearable. It is the kind of base that slips seamlessly into a routine and stays there.

Pro Tips
Take your time with this one. Plein Air rewards a gentler approach. Using a dense foundation brush, press and tap the product into skin rather than sweeping it across the face. The fluid texture melts in beautifully and builds a more seamless, skin-like finish this way. Start with one pump and build only where needed, warming it on the back of your hand before application.

Price
AED 591 / $161

The Rundown
Hourglass has announced Grammy Award-winning musician Olivia Dean as its new Global Brand Partner, launching the collaboration with a cinematic campaign inspired by her real beauty routine. Marking the second chapter of the brand’s Any Time, Any Place, Any Wear complexion campaign, it was filmed aboard a Belmond train journey through Europe and is accompanied by The Olivia Dean Edit featuring three complexion favourites: Veil Hydrating Skin Tint, Vanish Airbrush Concealer and the new Unreal Liquid Highlighter. The partnership will also expand into a series of intimate live experiences designed to bring beauty and music together.

Why We Love It
The pairing makes sense. Olivia Dean’s approach to her craft — soulful, instinctive, and deeply human — maps cleanly onto what Hourglass does best. The edit feels genuinely personal rather than assembled and the Belmond campaign is the kind of beauty storytelling that goes beyond the product.

Pro Tips
Start with Veil Hydrating Skin Tint to create a fresh, light-reflecting base, then add Vanish Airbrush Concealer only where needed. Finish with Unreal Liquid Highlighter across the high points of the face for a soft glow that feels polished yet effortless.

Price
AED 463 / $126

The Rundown
Barcelona-based dermatological skincare brand pHformula has reformulated its C.C. Cream SPF30 with reef-friendly broad-spectrum filters and an upgraded ingredient blend focused on skin health. The lightweight, vegan-friendly formula corrects, protects and treats in one step, helping to even skin tone while defending against UV rays, blue light and environmental stress. Key ingredients include the five-algae Vitality Boost complex, golden seaweed-derived Soothing Shield, rice bran oil and the antioxidant-rich Skin-Antiox complex. It is available in four colour-correcting shades and is suitable during pregnancy and lactation.

Why We Love It
This is skincare-first complexion made easy. It combines tint, treatment and SPF in one step while still feeling lightweight and wearable, making it ideal for everyday use.

Pro Tips
Apply 20 to 30 minutes before sun exposure and use the two-finger rule to ensure enough protection. It is also a great option during skin treatments or recovery periods when daily SPF is essential.

Available
Select Clinics Across the UAE, including: Aesthetics Dubai, Hortman Clinics, Novomed Abu Dhabi& SensAsia Spas

The Rundown
Simihaze Beauty, founded by Palestinian sisters and entrepreneurs Simi and Haze Khadra, launches Easy Lash Clean Lift Mascara, a tubular mascara created to lengthen, lift and define without clumping or smudging. The lightweight gel-crème texture is infused with conditioning rose oil and rosewater, while rice bran wax adds fullness and candelilla wax helps keep the application smooth. A custom triangle-curved brush made from renewable plastic hugs the lash line, with extra bristles at the tip designed to catch even the smallest lashes.

Why We Love It
This is everyday mascara done well. The tubing technology delivers clean definition without heaviness and removes easily with warm water, making it especially appealing for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers. The addition of rose oil also gives it a subtle lash-care angle.

Pro Tips
Start at the root and work upwards in short strokes to build lift. Use the tip of the brush on inner and outer corners to catch smaller lashes, then add a second coat once the first has set for extra definition.

Price
AED 140 / $38

The Rundown
Kosas follows its Shiny Objects launch with Lip Pulse Glassy Lip Plumper, a clean lip treatment designed to deliver visible volume through a custom warming and cooling complex that stimulates and refreshes the lips. Inspired by the feeling of falling in love, it creates a warm-cool tingle without the usual sting. Clinically tested, the formula was shown to improve lip plumpness by up to 58%, while also boosting hydration, texture and overall lip quality after four weeks of use. Available in six sheer shades from clear to soft mahogany, it launches exclusively at Sephora Middle East.

Why We Love It
Lip plumpers are not always the most comfortable category, but this feels different. The sensation is noticeable without being overpowering, the finish is glossy rather than sticky and the shades are designed to enhance rather than cover. It is the kind of product that slips easily into everyday rotation.

Pro Tips
Apply directly for a glass-like finish or layer over lip liner for extra definition. For more volume, concentrate the first layer at the centre of the lips before blending outward and reapply throughout the day as needed.

Price
AED 125 / $34

The Rundown
Hourglass expands its complexion collection with Unreal Liquid Highlighter, a serum-textured highlighter designed to melt into skin and deliver up to 12 hours of buildable glow. Ultra-fine light-reflecting pigments are suspended within a flexible base that moves with the skin for a luminous finish that never feels metallic or heavy. The vegan formula also hydrates while helping skin appear firmer and more lifted over time. Already featured in Olivia Dean’s Hourglass edit, it is quickly becoming one of the brand’s standout launches of the season.

Why We Love It
Liquid highlighters often come down to texture and this one gets it right. The serum consistency blends seamlessly, whether worn alone for soft radiance or layered over makeup without disturbing what sits underneath. It adds light in a way that feels natural and flattering.

Pro Tips
Press onto the high points of the face, including cheekbones, brow bones and the cupid’s bow for a targeted glow, or mix a drop into foundation or skin tint for an all-over luminous finish. Start small, as a little goes a long way.

Price
AED 150 / $41