Week covered: 16 to 22 October 2026. Prices checked: 23 October 2026.
Huda Beauty's new cheek palette is the launch I'd look at first this week. Four powders with different jobs make a better case for your makeup bag than another near-identical bronzer. Olive & June's dip system is the other release that interests me, provided you're happy to spend an hour doing your nails. The smaller MERIT New Wave bottle is my fragrance starting point; I'd want considerably more evidence before buying a $68 foundation for its skincare promises.
These are my picks among eight new beauty products this week, including the shade and scent extensions worth knowing about. The reporting checks launch dates, prices and brand claims against the sources linked below. This is a researched launch edit, not a wear test. The product scenes are labeled AI editorial illustrations made with FAL from official packaging photographs.
The week's quick takeaways
For a smaller makeup bag: Huda combines four cheek powders in one compact, but only makes sense if you will use more than one pan.
For home manicures: Olive & June removes the need for a lamp. Its dip system still needs time, several liquid steps and acetone removal.
For perfume shoppers: MERIT offers a smaller New Wave size, so the $92 bottle is not the only entry point.
For cautious skincare spending: Ingredient research and finished-formula testing are different things. Dose of Derm’s launch interview makes that distinction especially relevant.
For existing fans: Kylie’s cool-pink balm and REHAB’s amber-scented hair milk are extensions, rather than reasons to replace products you already like.
AI editorial illustrations based on official product photographs; not swatches or testing results.
New beauty launches at a glance
Prices are in US dollars unless marked GBP. These are the listed one-time prices before shipping and any applicable tax. I've separated conditional discounts from regular prices so you can see what you're committing to. Launch dates refer to the market discussed, rather than the first preview online.
New powder cheek palette
Huda Beauty Bronze Filter Palette
- Price & size (USD)
- $49; four pans
- Launch
- 20 Oct, US release
- Best starting point for
- People who use both bronzer and contour
New serum
CLEARSTEM SMOOTH OVER
- Price & size (USD)
- $62; 30 mL
- Launch
- 16 Oct, public launch
- Best starting point for
- Readers considering a retinoid-free texture serum
New brand and foundation
Dose of Derm All-in-One Clinical Foundation
- Price & size (USD)
- $68; 30 mL
- Launch
- 20 Oct, US
- Best starting point for
- Coverage shoppers who can find a shade match
New nail system
Olive & June Dip Mani System
- Price & size (USD)
- $75 with one color; $100 with six
- Launch
- 22 Oct, US
- Best starting point for
- Regular DIY manicure users
New fragrance
MERIT New Wave L’Extrait de Parfum
- Price & size (USD)
- $92 for 30 mL; $34 for 9 mL
- Launch
- 22 Oct; early access 21 Oct
- Best starting point for
- Fans of amber, incense and woody notes
Limited-edition lip-stain shade
Wonderskin x Virgin Headliner
- Price & size (USD)
- $22; one tube*
- Launch
- 20 Oct
- Best starting point for
- Existing stain users wanting a pink-leaning red
Seasonal shade extension
Kylie Winter Kissed Lip & Cheek Glow Balm
- Price & size (USD)
- $22; 1.1 g
- Launch
- 21 Oct, US
- Best starting point for
- Cool-pink cream blush fans; US listing unavailable at check
Limited-edition scent
REHAB x Perrie Sian Rescue & Revive Hair Milk
- Price & size (GBP)
- £24 GBP; 290 mL
- Launch
- 18 Oct, UK
- Best starting point for
- Existing hair-milk users who prefer an amber fragrance
Headliner's official listing did not let us independently confirm its net volume, so there's no per-mL comparison here. A launch isn't a guarantee of stock: some brand pages showed both purchase and unavailable messages. Check your exact variant before ordering.
Huda Beauty Bronze Filter Palette: the format I'm most interested in
Huda has given each pan a job: a cooler contour, a warming True Bronzer, a rosier Sunkissed Bronzer and a Bronzing Melange with sheen. I like that distinction. Warmth and shadow do different things to a face, and a single brown powder doesn't always handle both. Yahoo Shopping reported the 20 October US release and $49 price.
The brand listing has five depths: Light, Medium, Tan, Rich and Ultra Rich. Look closely at the individual pans in your depth, especially the contour, rather than choosing from the palette name alone. The illustration here shows Light; it isn't shade-matching advice.
I'd put this on the shortlist if you already alternate between contour and bronzer. If you only use one matte bronzer, four pans can mean paying for three you leave untouched. The matching brush is sold separately, and I wouldn't treat it as a required extra. Our Huda Beauty buying guide puts the palette in context with the rest of the range.
CLEARSTEM SMOOTH OVER: the retinol comparison needs scrutiny
The number I'd pay attention to is 30. That's the participant count in the study described in CLEARSTEM's launch announcement, which puts SMOOTH OVER at $62 for 30 mL. It reached its public launch on 16 October after earlier loyalty access. A study of that size gives the marketing percentages some context; it isn't a large independent comparison with retinol.
The product page lists bakuchiol, tripeptide-85, a tranexamic-acid derivative, milk thistle and plant stem-cell extracts. The brand describes a thin gel for uneven-looking texture and positions it as a retinoid-free option. That's a useful description of its intended role. It doesn't establish that the serum reproduces a retinoid's results.
There's a light blueberry scent, too. I'd check that before buying if an unscented serum is what you want, however gentle the rest of the pitch sounds. And the prominent $49.60 price requires a subscription. The one-time price is $62. Compare the commitment you want, rather than the lowest number on the page.
Dose of Derm foundation: I'd check the shade before the skincare story
Dermatologist Sheila Farhang's new brand debuted on 20 October with one product: All-in-One Clinical Foundation. The official listing gives a $68 price for 30 mL, six launch shades, buildable coverage and SPF 45. Its ingredient list specifies 25% zinc oxide.
The skincare pitch combines a peptide, postbiotics and plant-derived exosome ingredients under the TriBiome name. But in Beauty Independent's launch interview, Farhang said extensive clinical testing of those ingredients working together in the finished foundation had not yet been conducted. Research on an ingredient can't tell us everything about the bottle that contains it.
For $68, I'd want a convincing shade match before getting interested in the rest. Six options leave less room to fine-tune depth and undertone. More shades are planned, but that doesn't help someone whose match is missing today. If you want the stated coverage and can establish a match, it's worth a look. If the skincare promises are doing most of the persuading, I'd wait. Our foundation guide has established alternatives to compare.
Olive & June Dip Mani System: book out the time
Olive & June's 22 October release gives regular home-manicure fans a new system to consider. Entrepreneur's interview with founder Sarah Gibson Tuttle confirms the date and describes the development of its plant-based powder. The appeal is air drying without a lamp. The brand's application estimate is 45 to 60 minutes, followed eventually by acetone soaking for removal.
The official system guide lists $75 with one color or $100 with six, including the liquid steps and application tools. It also showed conditional MANI30 prices of $52.50 and $70 when checked. Confirm that offer at checkout. The larger "value" figure totals the items bought individually; it isn't an earlier kit price.
I'd start with one color. Buying six before you know whether you enjoy the process feels premature. The brand's "up to 21 days" wear statement hasn't been tested by us. Also read the ingredients note: the powder is non-acrylic, but the liquids contain methacrylates, and Olive & June flags possible reactions for people with relevant sensitivities. The plant-based description applies to the powder, not the whole kit. Our Olive & June guide compares its other manicure formats.
MERIT New Wave: the $34 size makes the most sense to me
New Wave is MERIT's second fragrance. It launched publicly on 22 October after a day of early access for Vogue readers, according to Vogue's launch report. The US brand page lists $34 for 9 mL and $92 for 30 mL. I'd begin with the smaller bottle or a sample.
The listed notes start with pink pepper and angelica seed, move into orange flower, ylang-ylang and a honey floral accord, then bring in resins, woods, incense, tobacco and vanilla. That description puts it on my sampling list for someone who already likes amber and incense. A fresh-citrus shopper should try it before committing. Those are judgments from the notes, not a claim that I've smelled or worn it.
MERIT says the extrait contains nearly 30% fragrance oil. Concentration doesn't tell me how long it will last on your skin. The 9 mL bottle costs more per mL, but saves $58 upfront against the 30 mL. For an unfamiliar fragrance, I'd give that lower commitment more weight than the unit price.
Wonderskin x Virgin Headliner: a shade for existing stain fans
Headliner arrived on 20 October as a pink-leaning red in the existing Wonder Blading lip-stain range. The joint launch announcement gives a $22 US price and describes a limited-edition collaboration inspired by Virgin's signature red. The new part is the shade.
The product instructions say to apply thin, even layers, wait 60 seconds and wipe the blue layer away with a damp tissue or cotton round. If your normal lip routine is a quick swipe of balm, factor in that extra step. Wonderskin promises up to ten hours of color; we haven't tested Headliner's wear. Compare its promotional swatches with what you like rather than relying on a suits-everyone claim.
I'd consider it if you already like this stain format and want this red. Owning a similar shade is a good reason to pass. During October, Wonderskin says 5% of global Headliner net sales will go to Look Good Feel Better. That's a share of net sales, rather than 5% of each displayed retail price.
Kylie Winter Kissed balm: the compact is smaller than you might expect
The Winter Kissed collection launched on 21 October, according to HOLR's report of Jenner's announcement. The Lip & Cheek Glow Balm takes the familiar Winter Kissed cool pink into a cream blush format. If you've been waiting for that combination, there's a reason to look.
Look at the quantity before the $22 US price: the official product photography shows a 1.1 g compact. The entry price is lower than the larger palettes here, but you're buying a small amount. Kylie describes a satin finish and fingertip application to cheeks or lips. The snowman carton is appealing; it tells us nothing about wear.
The US listing marked the variant unavailable when checked. I'd put the right shade on a restock list rather than pay a reseller premium. Other markets can have different prices and stock, so the US figure shouldn't be carried across without checking.
REHAB x Perrie Sian Hair Milk: a replacement purchase, perhaps
REHAB's seven-piece Perrie Sian collection reached the UK on 18 October, as reported by Retail Times. The Rescue & Revive Hair Milk costs £24 GBP for 290 mL. The brand page describes the existing formula in a limited-edition amber fragrance, with vanilla, musk and coconut notes.
Hyaluronic acid and red algae are among the ingredients REHAB draws attention to. The brand claims heat protection up to 230°C and moisture retention for up to 72 hours. Those are its figures, not our test results. Its instructions are straightforward: shake, distribute through wet hair, then brush through before styling.
I'd consider this when an existing leave-in conditioner runs out and that scent profile appeals. I wouldn't replace a bottle that's working just for the collaboration. A collaborator's personal hair story also isn't evidence that the spray regrows hair. We verified the UK listing; there is no implied US price here.
Where I'd spend less this week
Headliner and Kylie's balm both list at $22, although the stock caveats matter. If your budget is under $25 and neither fills a gap, I'd keep the money. Limited edition is a reason a product might disappear, not a reason you need it.
For bigger purchases, buy the smallest useful commitment. Olive & June's one-color kit saves $25 against the regular six-color option. MERIT's 9 mL saves $58 upfront against 30 mL. Neither is necessarily cheapest per use or per mL. Both cost less while you work out whether the format belongs in your routine.
How we checked this week's launches
This edition covers the previous seven completed days, 16 to 22 October. We required evidence of an actual release within that window. A product page appearing online, a press release and a public on-sale date can be different events; CLEARSTEM's loyalty access and MERIT's Vogue preview are identified for that reason. We left out releases outside the window and announcements for products not yet on sale.
We checked official descriptions, prices, quantities and available ingredient information, then used launch reporting to establish timing and context. Dose of Derm's 30 mL and Kylie's 1.1 g sizes were checked against official packaging photographs. Prices and availability were checked on 23 October and can change.
These judgments use the disclosed specifications and their limitations. We haven't established wear time, irritation risk or treatment effectiveness through our own testing, and brand claims remain attributed to the brands.
Are these all completely new formulas?
No. Headliner and Winter Kissed are shade releases; the featured REHAB hair milk changes the fragrance of an existing formula. I've labeled those distinctions because a new buying option isn't always a new function.
Should you buy before independent reviews appear?
Only if you're comfortable with what you can check now. I'd confirm shade and return terms before buying an expensive foundation, and try a fragrance sample or smaller size first. If a promised skincare result is the reason you're interested, wait for stronger evidence on the finished product.
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