These Are Allure Editors' Favorite New Beauty Products of May 2022

"I sure am a fan of this 'treatment water' hair-care trend, and the latest from Davines is one of my favorite iterations of this type of product. Like similar treatments, I find I only need to leave it in my hair for a minute or two to get super soft and shiny results. I also love how the bottle has the doses indicated on the side, so you only need to use exactly as much as you need." — Kara McGrath, deputy digital director

"If you've never tried Baked Alaska, arguably the silliest of the five old-school desserts that inspired Vacation's new line of lip balms, let me give you a visual. It's a mountainous, flaming — yes, you literally light it on fire — dome of cake, ice cream, and meringue that's most typically spotted tableside at a Mad Men era-steakhouse. This balm is that flamboyant confection in a tube, and its creamy-sweet scent is, for lack of a better word, bombe. And it’s got SPF 30 in it, so there is some virtue in indulgence." — Taylore Glynn, beauty and wellness editor

"Well, well, well if it isn't the fragrance that's going to have me in a chokehold for the rest of the year. Byredo's De Los Santos fragrance is warm and ambery but at the same time cooling, with just a bit of spiciness. This one's for my woo-woo folks: It opens with clary sage and mirabelle, then the notes of orris and ciste oil creep in. Grounding the whole thing is the sweet, woody, aromatic palo santo, mingled with ambroxan and musks. It's a lovely combination that's easy to wear but also has an undeniable sophistication." — Jihan Forbes, staff editor

"I feel like I'm cheating on my Dyson AirWrap, but Amika's Double Agent Straightening Blow Dryer Brush is worth the affair. I hate having to switch between blow dryers and heated styling tools, and with this blow-drying brush, I don't have to. It's super easy to switch from blow-drying to straightening, and I don't even have to section my thick hair when I'm styling it. Basically, it's the minimalist styling tool of my dreams." — Jennifer Hussein, commerce writer 

"I'll admit it: I play favorites when it comes to skin-care ingredients — and ceramides and hyaluronic acid are at the top of my list. Mary Kay Clinical Solutions HA + Ceramide Hydrator combines both in the form of a lightweight booster serum that leaves my skin noticeably more hydrated and plump. And unlike so many of the hyaluronic acid-infused products I've tried in the past, this one layers seamlessly under sunscreen and makeup with absolutely zero pilling." — Dianna Mazzone, senior beauty editor

"To combat the cold weather's effect on my skin, I've pulled out my body butters to keep the ashiness at bay. Recently, I've been dipping into Best of Beauty-winning Kiwi Botanicals Nourishing Body ButteKiwi Botanicals Nourishing Body Butter. This light orange cream has been keeping my body well hydrated. I like rubbing it into my skin fresh out of the shower and adding a hydrating oil right on top for double the moisture. Its subtle, sweet scent is just an extra bonus." — Gabi Thorne, associate news editor 

"This lip color brings the best of the balm and lipstick worlds together. It's more pigmented than your average tinted balm — so it really looks like you're wearing lipstick — but still brings the hydration you'd expect from a formula like this. Plus, I love that the brand launched darker reds and plums for summer; I'll be switching between the shades Riviera (muted red) and Aphrodite (plum) all season." — Kara McGrath, deputy digital director

"These days, I don't apply my serums and moisturizers until I tap on an essence beforehand. To me, without essence, my skin-care products don't absorb as well into my skin, therefore, they're fairly useless. Kidding, but... really, I love an essence. And I love the Fresh Kombucha Antioxidant Facial Treatment Essence, which is jam-packed with good-for-your-skin ingredients such as antioxidant fermented black tea, hydrating hyaluronic acid, and brightening mandarin peel extract. Just a few shakes of the essence into my palm and then pressed into my skin is all it takes to feel refreshed and ready for the rest of my routine!" —Sarah Kinonen, associate beauty director

"As they're known as the most gentle out of the exfoliating acids (which also include AHA and BHA) and don't leave my skin feeling inflamed, poly alpha-hydroxy acids are my preferred acids. (I like to play it safe, OK?) Dr. Jart+'s latest launch, the Pore Remedy PHA Exfoliating Serum, is spiked with seven percent of the pore-unclogging and resurfacing goodness and formulated as one of that watery, quick-absorbing, and easily layer-able serums I tend to go for — plus, panthenol also helps soothe skin. Subtly minty in smell (there are spearmint and peppermint oils), it's definitely been one of my favorite and most ~refreshing~ nighttime skin-care additions as of late." — Sarah Han, commerce editor

"My shower is nothing to write home about — it's the smallest spot in my cramped Brooklyn apartment. I don't typically love to spend a ton of time there, which means I often skimp on body treatments. That changed with Biossance's new Squalane + Sugar Enzyme Body Scrub, which achieves the damn near impossible... making the process of hunching over in my tiny shower, scrubbing the shit out of my skin, well, fun. I love the formula, which isn't too sticky and does come off when wet (unlike other formulations that come off on your towel). It's made of pomegranate enzyme, a hydrating sugarcane-based squalane, and sugar crystals. It's not harsh, and it makes my skin feel really soft. Plus, it's pink, which is very important." — Alaina Demopoulos, beauty editor

"All of the shadows in this little palette are pretty, but it's the white chrome pearl that pushed this into editor's favorite territory for me. Though the superfine glitter is a powder formula, it dries down to look more like a cream. I've been layering it on as the final step in my eye makeup; it almost gives off the "wet" effect, but without all the slipping and sliding that come from adding actual balms to your looks." — Kara McGrath, deputy digital director

"If Dr. Rose Ingleton tells me to put something on my face, I'm gonna do it, OK? Her namesake brand's Daily Moisturizer quickly became a favorite of mine, so when I heard a cleanser was on the way, I promptly put myself on standby. Now that I've tried it out... let's just say it's been very difficult for me to test other cleansers. This gel-like concoction is packed with soothing aloe and hyaluronic acid and pro-vitamin B-5. I recently broke out into a rash around my eyes after testing a product, but of course, I still had to wash my face. This didn't irritate my skin a bit. It's gentle and your face feels clean without that stripped sensation. It's also got a Jamaican superfruit blend that includes sugar cane extract. I may be biased, but there isn't anything that's come from that island that I haven't liked, and this is just something else to add to the list." — Jihan Forbes, staff editor

"I like when my falsies are big and bold, so when Kiss launched its Lash Drip Strip Lashes collection, I was super excited to test them out. These lashes have a 'wet effect,' which makes them look a bit darker. Each style is long and wispy, so I can get the dramatic effect I love." — Gabi Thorne, associate news editor 

"Durability has become an increasingly significant factor in how I view beauty products. Sure, plenty of formulas offer gorgeous finishes and countless brands have Insta-friendly, aesthetically appealing packaging, but when a tool lasts a very long time — we're talking years — despite regular use, it zooms straight to the top of my 'Recommendations for Friends' list. As of 2022, I have been using this full, fluffy brush from Kevyn Aucoin for upwards of five years, and it worked just as wonderfully this morning as it did back in 2017. Its bristles are soft and densely packed, making blending a breeze, and it stands up well to regular washing, somehow always returning to its original ivory color regardless of whether I've used it with a hot-pink blush or a shimmery bronzer." — Sam Escobar, site director

"By far, my most masochistic habit is that I love to test out clean deodorants — as a naturally sweaty person, things can quickly go wrong. Thankfully that wasn't the case with By Rosie Jane Deodorant, which is made from a combination of glycerin, aloe vera, and sugarcane alcohol. I am told by exactly one Australian person that spray deodorants are popular down under; this was my first time using a spritzer for my pits, and I quite enjoyed how mess-free (and white streak-free) the application was. Though I usually reapply it twice a day, I have noticed that I stink a lot less and generally feel cleaner. I usually put this on before a hot yoga class, and though nothing can stop me from sweating through that, I definitely was a lot less, uh, pungent, afterward." — Alaina Demopoulos, beauty editor

"Drunk Elephant Wonderwild Miracle Butter is about as multi-purpose as it gets. I've used this salve to hydrate my cuticles, soothe irritation, and bring chapped lips back to life. The formula is remarkably non-greasy, particularly when you consider it's packed with marula and shea butters plus meadowfoam and rosehip oils." — Dianna Mazzone, senior beauty editor

"I have been scared shitless of using retinol for so long now, simply because my skin is so vulnerable to inflammation and irritation, which retinoids are known to cause when overused. This new formula from Youth to the People, however, has an admittedly funky yellow tint that helps me keep track of just how much I'm putting on my face and neck — that way, I can reap the benefits of fine line and acne prevention without the dreaded 'retinol purge.' Thank God." — Nicola Dall'Asen, news editor

"While I've tried more leave-in conditioners than I can count, there's something extra special about this guava-infused, gel-like, creamy hydrator made with aloe vera, coconut, and avocado oil. Not only does it give my hair the softest waves, but it makes for the secret ingredient for my (now perfected) slicked-back bun. After finger-brushing two pumps worth into my damp hair, I'll scrunch in a quarter-sized amount into my ends before combing them back into a mid-bun for an all-day treatment. Oh, and did I mention the smell? Addicting." — Talia Gutierrez, editorial assistant