March's beauty must-haves are about making everything bold and bright

Well, we made it through February! And that means spring beauty launches abound. From a new sister line by Glossier to OTT luxurious face wash, nearly every beauty category is covered this month. Now if only we can get some spring weather, right?

Get in on the fun

Millennial cult fave brand Glossier just launched a new diffusion line, which they've dubbed Glossier Play. The slightly controversial launch (their Glitter Gelée contains non-biodegradeable glitter, which fans are not very happy about), features a roster of influential faces (including Troye Sivan, Toronto's own Donte Colley and Noor Tagouri), marking the brands first foray into highly pigmented colour cosmetics. The line contains Vinylic high shine lip lacquer, a gel eye pencil called Colorslide and a strong highlighter aptly called Niteshine. We'll be sticking to the gel eye pencil, in an eggshell blue dubbed Early girl, and the Vinylic gloss in red hue Baby.

Glossier Play Colorslide in Early Girl, $18, and Glossier Play Vinylic Lip in Baby, $20, glossier.com

Foam it up

Is your skin craving a hit of hydration as we close out this dreadful winter? Live Clean's newest product to hit shelves is a foaming body wash that promises major moisture, thanks to shea, murumuru, mango, aloe, moringa and matcha. With three scents in the line-up, the drugstore brand continues to deliver on its mandate of 98 per cent plant-based formulations that are free from parabens, dyes and sulfates, all while staying vegan and Leaping Bunny Certified.

Live Clean Foaming Body Wash, $9.27, well.ca and in Shoppers Drug Mart and Walmart stores

Making scents

After seeing a demand for products that are free from certain ingredients, Secret decided to launch an aluminum-free deodorant in three scents — including rosewater, daylily and honeydew. More clinical research needs to be done, but studies are suggesting that high levels of aluminum toxicity in the body may lead to an increased risk in breast cancer and Alzheimer's, hence the ongoing development of deodorants and antiperspirants that are free from this element. The clear formulation is also free of parabens and dyes, and the brand promises it won't leave behind any white residue on clothing.

Secret Aluminum-Free Deodorant, $8, drugstores and mass market retailers

Day to day

Beauty brand Arbonne is known for the multi-level marketing approach to selling, similar to Avon, but with more natural products. The brand has banned over 2,000 potentially harmful ingredients (1,400 of which are also banned in Europe, and the rest of their own volition), and they just launched their first shampoo, conditioner and leave-in treatment. The low-lather shampoo takes a bit of getting used to (just add more water to get a bit closer to the type of lather you're used to with traditional washes), but its formula (made with pea protein, sustainably sourced baobab and ashwagandha root) leaves locks feeling clean and soft without drying them out.

True Hair Daily Shampoo and True Hair Daily Conditioner, both $33, arbonne.com

Stick up!

Olay is entering the mask category with a little innovation — their stick masks are made to help users put the masks precisely where they want them without getting any residue all over their hands. With 100 per cent pure kaolin clay to offer micro-exfoliation and glycerin to moisturize, the stick can also be used solely on specific areas of the face as well.

Olay Glow Boost White Charcoal Clay Face Mask Stick, $13, mass market retailers across Canada

Feel the heat

Bold, graphic liner was all over the Spring 2019 runways (think bright blue at sustainable designer Gabriela Hearst's show, an aqua cat eye at Alice + Olivia and acid lime at Christian Siriano, to name a few), so now is the perfect time to channel the tropics with a bright eye look. NYX is bringing the heat with their Tropic Like It's Hot collection, which includes the Off Tropic Pro Liner series. With nine saturated shades (four of which are in the blue to green family), these water-resistant pencils dry down to a matte finish that will definitely draw attention.  

Off Tropic Pro Liner, $7, nyxcosmetics.ca and in NYX Cosmetics stores

Go with the flo(ral)

Pantene Pro-V has gone sulfate-free with their latest innovation. The major beauty brand just brought the Rose Water Sulfate-Free Shampoo and Moisture Milk Conditioner to the market. Made for dry and colour-treated hair, this duo is hydrating, while they help to balance the scalp's pH levels.

Pro-V Rose Water Sulfate-Free Shampoo and Pro-V Rose Water Sulfate-Free Conditioner, both $8, available at mass market retailers and drug stores across Canada

All about Bowie baby

Celebrity makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury has strayed from her glossy Hollywood ways with her latest launch — Colour Revolution is full of highly pigmented must-haves inspired by '80s glam rock. You can never go wrong with a Tilbury lip, so lean into the look with one of the six sexy shades, like Studio 64, Dirty Dancer or Video Vixen. Made with hydrating ingredients like Crambe seed oil, mimosa oil and more, these sleek beauties are a great addition to anyone's retro-inspired look.

Color Revolution Latex Love Lipgloss in Studio 64, $39, charlottetilbury.com

Skin so soft

Swiss-made luxury skincare brand Valmont is looking to change the way you cleanse with their new line Purity. Focusing on the skin's microbiome (trust us, you'll start hearing a lot about this in skincare!), the line consists of nine different ways to clean your complexion, with textures based on customer's preferences — think gel, foam, milk, cream and lotion washes. Each cleanser contains glacial water from the Swiss Alps, and helps to balance the skin's good bacteria, leaving less room for bad bacteria to inhabit the complexion. The gel formulation, called Icy Falls, is for the less-is-more makeup wearer, while Wonder Falls will work to get off long-wear formulas. There's even a bi-phase eye makeup remover if you need the extra help.

Valmont Icy Falls Cleanser, $195, Valmont Wonder Falls Cleanser, $205, and Valmont Bi-Falls Eye Makeup Remover, $85, valmontcosmetics.ca and in Holt Renfrew stores

Silver seekers

Having grey hair is not as taboo as it once was — just look to Instagram influencers like Grece Ghanem and Sarah Harris. L'Oréal is now launching a line to brighten silver locks (ie take out any yellow tinge), leaving brighter, glistening strands. And if you're a blonde or brunette with a side of grey, they have options for you, too.

Age Perfect Beautifying Colour Care, $14, lorealparis.ca and mass market retailers and drugstores across Canada