While spring might not officially start until March—this year it begins on the 20th to be precise—the two glorious days of sunshine that we enjoyed last week had me dreaming of spring beauty looks. Just like the bright hues and seriously extra vibe of the new-in pieces from Topshop, ASOS and Mango that we found earlier this month, the high street is full of colour and playful texture when it comes to their beauty offering too.
Topshop is getting the spring party started with glitter-flecked eyeshadows and pots of pearly skin pigments, Free People is offering up an eclectic mix of colour-change lipglosses and jelly-textured skincare and Urban Outfitters is leading the charge when it comes to experimental eyeshadow palettes for every occasion.
But, with such a cacophony of textures and colours out there to play with, it can be hard to know where to begin when you want to try your hand at something new. That's why I've sifted through all of the just-arrived beauty products on the high street to bring you the very best buys from Topshop, Urban Outfitters and Free People right now.
TOPSHOP
A nod to the green beauty trend, this deep teal glitter eyeshadow boasts a "sequin-finish" that catches the light beautifully.
I love mixing a few drops of this in with my foundation for a dewy skin look but it looks equally lovely patted over makeup onto cheeks and brow bones for a more intense glow.
Making all my Studio 54 dreams come true, this gorgeous palette contains 9 glittery cream eyeshadows, 3 highlighters and 1 blusher so you can mix up your makeup look to your heart's content.
Yes, it is another eyeshadow. What can I say? Topshop are doing eye colour right this season. As the name suggests, this powder has a changeable nature. In certain lights it looks like a warm golden-bronze while in others it boasts an iridescent green quality. Press it on messily with your fingertips for cool girl festival vibes—even if you're only on the bus to work.
Lip gloss is back and this one definitely would have made my pocket money wishlist in the '90s. A combination of crystals and light-reflective pigments lend this iridescent gloss its shimmer which looks surprisingly subtle when actually applied to your lips.
In direct opposition to the rise of the lipgloss, matte lipsticks continue to be big beauty news. Pink, rather than red, seems to be having a bit of a moment when it comes to lip colour. I love this bold fuchsia—and the name—for the beauty version of power dressing.
Related: This £39 Topshop Dress Is About to Be All Over Your Feeds
I remember being obsessed with the Topshop Glow Pots when they launched beauty back in 2010. Now, they're back and remain one of the best cream highlighters on the market overall. A little bit goes such a long way and looks amazing on all skin tones.
URBAN OUTFITTERS
While this mask isn't new—it's been trending on Instagram for the past couple of years—it has recently been restocked on Urban Outfitters after selling out within 24 hours last time it dropped. It's one of the best clay face masks that I've ever used and you'll genuinely see a reduction in oil and pore size after one use.
If you're as smitten with the bold eyeshadow trend as I am then this baked eyeshadow palette should be top of your shopping list. You'll find everything from neutrals to brights inside, and each one boasts an incredible amount of pigment so a little goes a long way.
I'm a sucker for cute packaging and Ohii, Urban Outfitters' very own beauty brand, certainly delivers on that front. Embracing 2019's obsession with jelly textures, this dewy lip balm delivers rose-tinted hydration to your lips.
A step-up from Pixi's iconic Glow Tonic, this new toner uses time-release retinol to work deep within your skin to restore radiance. It has the added benefit of targeting fine lines too, for smoother skin all-round.
Appealing to my inner magpie, this palette comes courtesy of Bleach London—the cutting-edge hair salon who know a thing or two about colour. While I'm not sure I'll be going back to the '90s and applying these to my body, these glitters look incredible pressed onto bare eyelids for a modern take on sparkle.
Available exclusively at Urban Outfitters, this lip gloss and highlighter duo has me dreaming of summer sun. Both formulas sheer out easily on your skin so you can create a subtle sheen or a full-on Californian glow, depending on what you want.
This contains a moisturising blend of soybean extract, mushroom extract and witch hazel water to nourish and hydrated tired skin. But, if I'm honest, the best thing about this mask is how it makes you look like C-3PO for 20 minutes—and it's so satisfying to peel off.
FREE PEOPLE
In the words of Marie Kondo, this lip gloss sparks joy. It's bright, it's glittery but it's also clever. The gloss reacts to the pH balance of your skin, adjusting to just-for-you shade of pink. It's definitely sparkly but I love it.
Related: Buy Free People Swimsuits, Live Happily Ever After
Take a luxurious approach to exfoliation with this pink body scrub. It uses real rose quartz crystal powder with mineral salts and flower petals to slough away dead skin cells so your skin will be left beautifully bright.
I'd describe this as more of a skin tint than a full-on foundation but, if you're looking for a more a natural approach to coverage then it's great. It uses kind-to-skin ingredients like blackcurrant and quinoa seed extract to improve the texture of your skin beneath too.
I'm a big fan of the RMS Beauty Lip2Cheek pigments so when I spotted these bright pots of gloss, my heart skipped a beat. Although they're coined as lip products, if you're feeling brave then I think they'd look really cool worn on eyes too for a shiny lid look.
This might be the most fun face mask you'll ever have the pleasure of applying. It's brimming with star-shaped glitter (biodegradable, I hasten to add) along with ingredients that generally do your skin some good. Ferulic acid, vitamin B and collagen all work in harmony to plump your skin and improve elasticity.
For me, candles are an essential all year round. these ones are made in Australia from soy and coconut waxes and smell a lot more expensive than their £28 price tag.
Strictly speaking, this isn't a beauty product but have you ever seen a water bottle this beautiful? The glass bottle contains a natural crystal stone that promotes healthy energy throughout the day. Plus, there's no denying that keeping your hydration levels up will have only good effects on your skin.
Next up, Glossier just launched a new makeup brand and I want everything.
