Launch List: The Best New Beauty Products in September, From OLAPLEX’s First Hairspray to MAKE UP FOR EVER’s First Lip Balm

Ultra Violette Unblock Screen SPF 50 ($40)

The first sunscreen in the U.S. to contain bemotrizinol, or BEMT (the first new UV filter approval here in more than 25 years), this SPF is formulated for oily, acne-prone and reactive skin. It pairs BEMT with zinc, sebum-regulating Bix'Activ and hydrating Pentavitin in a whipped, soft-matte texture that eliminates the frustrating white cast situation. It also comes in a touchless, airless jar, which matters more than you’d think for anyone applying sunscreen over active breakouts.

“We have developed products using BEMT in our global range for close to 10 years, which is why we've been able to move fast, not just with the launch of Unblock Screen, but with a pipeline of BEMT-powered products to soon follow, starting with the highly anticipated launch of Fave Screen in January 2027,” says cofounder Bec Jefferd.

MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist ColorGlow Lip Balm ($26)

MAKE UP FOR EVER’s first-ever lip balm delivers hydrating, buildable color in one swipe thanks to skin-care ingredients like hyaluronic acid, peptides and blueberry seed oil. It comes in seven shades—five shiny, two shimmery—and leaves lips looking plump and feeling soft for 24 hours. It's a low-effort pout perfector with high payoff, and can we talk about the packaging? So fun! Who wouldn’t want to show that off?

Olay Retinol24 Starter Night Repairing Lotion ($28)

Retinol can be intimidating for anyone, no matter your age, skin type or skin-care experience. The team at Olay knows that, especially after 70 years of skin research, so it created this fragrance-free nighttime lotion to make the transition easier than ever before. First-time retinol users get an introductory dose of Pro-Retinol, a triple collagen peptide blend and niacinamide in a lightweight moisturizer that gradually refines the skin surface without irritating sensitive or reactive skin types. The regimen is simple by design: Apply the lotion at night and use sunscreen during the day to protect your skin as it acclimates.

OLAPLEX Shape Set Hairspray ($34)

Olaplex is finally tackling hairspray’s biggest trade-off: a formula that holds without wrecking your hair in the process. Shape Set uses the brand's patented Bond Set Technology (an encapsulated peptide that relinks broken disulfide bonds) to deliver dry-touch, brushable hold, repair and heat protection in the same spritz. In testing, it held styles in place for 96 hours (frizz control included), reduced hair breakage by 60 percent after a single use, and left 97 percent of users saying their hair still felt touchable, not glued.

Hydrinity CÉLTHERA Advanced Overnight Repair Cream ($160)

Swap your basic night cream for this new one from Hydrinity, which pairs biomimetic ExoEGF Technology (a 24-hour sustained-release exosome delivery system) with signal peptides, sunflower seed extract (an NAD+ booster), ceramides and more to support skin’s energy, repair and renewal processes while you sleep. The results speak for themselves: Clinical testing showed a 212-percent improvement in overall hydration, 100-percent visible improvement in skin appearance and 78-percent softer skin after just two weeks of use.

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Blur Loose Powder ($50)

Charlotte Tilbury's cult-favorite pressed powder now comes in a loose version, taking the micro-milled "Powder Blur Technology" from the legendary compact and turning it into an ultra-fine, weightless dust that somehow bakes without ever looking baked. It comes with up to 16 hours of wear time, avoids the dreaded flashback in photos, and also contains emollients for a bit of hydration (while still mattifying). Pores looked blurred and shine disappears, but skin doesn't look flat or chalky. It also comes in seven shades, two of which are brightening options made to soften under-eye shadows. And of course it comes with a heart-shaped puff, because of course it does.

Éminence Organic Skin Care Vitamin C+ Eye Cream ($102)

Give your under-eyes the brightening boost they need this time of year with this new vegan eye cream, featuring a cooling metal applicator designed specifically for the eye contour. The formula combines a stable, dual-soluble vitamin C derivative with caffeine-rich yerba mate and antioxidant cloudberry to reduce dark circles and smooth fine lines. Clinical testing found that 88 percent of users saw improvement in their under-eye appearance after 28 days, with a 19-percent increase in eye contour brightness after two months of twice-daily use.

IGK Turn It Up Instant Airy Volume and Thickening Spray ($28)

Does your hair go limp by lunchtime? If so, this new dry spray that volumizes and thickens in one step is for you. The formula includes hydrolyzed pea protein to plump individual strands (and keep them that way for up to 48 hours) and marshmallow root extract to keep hair soft instead of stiff. Spray it onto dry hair in sections (like you would dry shampoo) to build up your desired volume. We love that it’s not sticky or heavy either, and like all IGK products, it smells really good.

Grande Cosmetics GrandeTUBULAR Tubing Primer ($25)

For those who aren’t ready to fully commit to tubing mascara, GrandeTUBULAR is tubing primer that turns any mascara—the favorite you’ll never stop buying—into a tubing formula (aka no more raccoon eyes, and you can remove it with only water). But that’s not necessarily a new concept, so of course founder Alicia Grande took it a step further, infusing the primer with her peptide complex to also promote longer, thicker lashes over time. As a bonus, the primer was made bright blue so that it also intensifies the look of the mascara without leaving behind a white cast.

DefenAge 24/7 Barrier Balance Cream – Hydration+ ($106)

DefenAge’s cult-favorite 24/7 Barrier Balance Cream now comes in a richer version, created after customer feedback called for something even more replenishing. Like the original, it's powered by the brand’s signature Age-Repair Defensins, which signal dormant skin cells to help generate fresh, new ones, while also improving texture, tone and radiance over time. Hydration+ takes the formula a step further with barrier-supporting peptides, squalane, shea butter and niacinamide for a velvety, moisture-locking finish. As drier weather sets in, it's the perfect layer for skin craving extra comfort this season.

Drybar Buttercup PRO Professional Blow-Dryer ($229)

The beloved Buttercup just got a major makeover, 13 years after the original launched. The brand says it’s the first blowdryer to offer customizable ion technology, which lets users choose their ion level from 1 to 3 (ions help boost shine and control frizz based on hair type, as high ion output can be too much for fine hair). Another cool feature: The device’s exclusive Drybar Mode automatically alternates between warm and cool temperatures so hair doesn’t overheat or dry out. It’s much more compact for those who travel, it dries hair faster, and it also comes with a diffuser and concentrator.

Nakery Beauty SkinInfusion Plump + Hydrate Cleansing Wipes ($20 for 30 wipes)

A rethink of the humble cleansing wipe, these large, treatment-infused cloths use Double Activated Technology to release tiny cleansing bubbles that remove full-glam makeup, waterproof formulas and even lash adhesive (they’re ophthalmologist-tested) without harsh scrubbing. And of course they go beyond cleansing (founder Liz Folce always pushes the boundary), incorporating key actives like WrinFix-PX, glycerin and alphahydroxy acids to also help smooth skin, fade dark spots and plump the look of fine lines.

Bubble Skincare Clean Landing Daily Purifying Hypochlorous Acid Spray ($13)

Consider this gentle spray a panic button when your skin is angry. The fragrance-free hypochlorous acid formula was dermatologist-developed to calm redness and irritation on contact, and the ultra-fine spray comes out of a 360-degree nozzle, so it works upside down, sideways or wherever your face (or body) happens to be during a meltdown.

“Hypochlorous acid is one of those ingredients I often recommend because it's effective yet incredibly gentle on the skin,” says New York dermatologist Marisa Garshick, MD. “It's an ingredient that's actually produced naturally by the body to help with wounds. Clean Landing helps support skin that's prone to visible redness, irritation, and post-workout or post-sweat congestion, making it an easy addition to almost any routine.”

Epionce Ultra Refining Lytic Serum ($96)

Always prioritizing skin barrier health, dermatologist-led Epionce is introducing this new take on exfoliation that skips the irritation of traditional retinoids and acids. Powered by botanicals that are new to the brand—lemon thyme, saw palmetto, wakame and West Indian lemongrass—plus vitamins A, B, C and E, the fragrance-free serum targets lines and wrinkles, dark spots, texture, elasticity and radiance while actively supporting the skin barrier. In clinical testing, it improved dark spots and discoloration 46-percent better than a leading medical-grade regimen, with visible improvements in tone and radiance after just one week of use.

“This launch represents a breakthrough in delivering expert exfoliation while being kind to skin and those who are unable to use traditional retinols,” says founder and dermatologist Dr. Carl Thornfeldt. “As part of a barrier-boosting Epionce regimen, the Ultra Refining Lytic Serum serves as an adjunct to all the benefits already being realized within that regimen, and allows us as a brand to expand our ingredients and formula portfolio.”

Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Fluid Flex Natural Matte Longwear Foundation ($48)

Fenty Beauty is replacing its OG matte foundation with this natural-matte, medium-coverage formula that was “made to move with you” thanks to Fluid Flex Foundation Technology that allows it to bend and stretch with every expression you make, and without creasing or cracking. It’s super longwear, waterproof and great for oily skin, and it comes in 50 new shades with more fine-tuned undertones. The brand says the foundation was “inspired by years of consumer notes [and] Rihanna took her original shade range back and started from scratch…creating more neutrals and testing all around the world.”

“I just fell in love with the formula: how light it was, how it matched my skin perfectly, the neutral undertones, all of the things that I wanted better in a foundation,” says the founder. “Once you start using this, it’s over.”

La Prairie Swiss Pristine Serum ($320)

Part of a new three-step system from La Prairie is this barrier-repair serum (there’s also an essence and a cream) built around Hypower LP52, a proprietary complex developed with leading scientists at two Swiss universities, alongside encapsulated glacial minerals that are released gradually into skin. Designed for stressed skin showing signs of fatigue, the serum, which took six years to perfect, claims measurable results across six markers: fine lines, pores, texture, tone, radiance and redness, with barrier function fully restored by eight weeks. It’s suitable for all skin types, even sensitive, and each bottle's crackled glass finish is designed to be one of a kind.

“We worked with the universities to patent a specific extraction process to get the essential nutrients we needed to create our proprietary complex called Hypower LP52,” says Julien Goetz, a life science expert for La Prairie who is part of the R&D team. “We also created a new cellular model that was able to replicate modern fatigue at the cellular level. In our study, we deprived skin cells from oxygen and then studied how they were able to survive in this particular extreme environment with our active ingredients. We managed to prove that the older essential repair pathways were reawakened, and we are so excited about these results.”

beecee The Everything Balm ($24)

From the founder of Beautycounter and Counter comes this modern take on the classic multipurpose ointment (aka the jar of petroleum jelly you’ve had sitting in your cabinet for years), and this one is petrolatum-free. Formulated with shea butter and jojoba oil, the super nourishing balm locks in hydration, prevents moisture loss and soothes dry spots without a greasy residue. Apply it anywhere you need a little extra TLC, from your eyelids to your lips, cuticles, heels and wherever else.

ALPYN 3-in-1 Barrier Repair Serum ($58)

One of our favorite multitasking serums as of late, this one takes a barrier-first approach to hyperpigmentation, treating three concerns—dark spots, loss of firmness and redness—in a single formula rather than isolating brightening as its own step. Buzzworthy ingredient azelaic acid addresses discoloration and uneven tone, Snap-8 peptide smooths the look of expression lines, and centella asiatica and mountain-grown ghostberry calm visible redness and boost hydration. And, it’s even earned the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance.