beauty

'I'm a beauty editor. Here are 6 lesser-known brands you need in your beauty cupboard.'

Open up your beauty cupboard and you'll more than likely see a cute little crowd of star beauty brands - Go-To, La Roche-Posay, SkinCeuticals, Charlotte Tilbury, CeraVe and the likes. And they're there for good reason - they make bloody good products.

However. If you're willing to take a wee peek beneath the buzzy stuff everyone already knows about and loves, chances are you'll find a slew of lesser-known beauty brands that are just as good. 

The best part? Many of them are Aussie-made, too.

From makeup brands to innovative skincare, I've rounded up six under-the-radar beauty brands you need to get your hands on this year. Because they're about to be huge. Just sayin'.

AHC.

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Korea's number one brand AHC officially dropped in Priceline late last year - which is massive news. One of their famed products is called Eye Cream for Face (it's out of stock right now, naturally) - and in case you haven't heard of it, it sells every three seconds in Korea. Crazy! So, YES we're excited.

The stuff is good. Really good. And now that it's made its way over to Priceline, I'm predicting it's only going to get even bigger. 

There are four different ranges - Hyaluronic Dewy Radiance Range, Youth Focus Range, 365 Red Range and Age Defense Real Eye Cream For Face - and they can each be used to target different skin concerns. 

The best part? It's all pretty affordable, with prices starting at $25 for the AHC Luminous Glow Real Eye Cream for Face.

Holme Beauty.

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Okay, but have we tried Holme Beauty yet? No? You must. This stuff is wildly good. 

The brand dropped in 2021, but you'd think it's been around for way longer - because the products are quickly becoming a staple in pretty much every beauty editor's makeup kit.

My absolute favourite pick is the Holme Beauty Primer. It's pure MAGIC. I love to wear it instead of foundation, and it immediately makes my face look luminous, healthy and more alive, while still feeling gloriously lightweight on the skin.

I'm also partial to the Holme Beauty Setting Spray and its impressive ability to make me look like an *actual* glow worm, along with the more recent launch, the new Holme Beauty Lip Glosses. They come in two different colours - Divine and Drip - and leave your lips plump and shiny with a subtle dash of colour.

Boring Without U.

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Boring Without U only came about last year, and it's already making (massive) waves in the industry for its game-changing mask - For Face Sake. It's forever selling out, so you're going to want to hop on the waitlist if you wanna try it.

It's basically a face mask for combo skin and blemishes - featuring two different formulas for your T-zone and your U-zone. There's a creamy whipped butter, full of ingredients like salicylic acid, colloidal oatmeal and niacinamide, along with a soothing jelly formula packed with AHAs, and hyaluronic acid.

If your skin is chucking a tanty and you're not sure what to try - give it a whirl!

Caliray.

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Not only are these products utterly gorgeous, but the stuff inside slaps, too! We love to see it.

Made up of a tight selection of beauty products, such as mascara, blurring primer and a diffusing tint and lip gloss (they also have supplements and wellness products), Caliray is a dreamy lifestyle brand that is definitely one to watch in 2023.

Saie Beauty.

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Have we heard of Saie? This beautiful collection of glow-giving highlighters, balms and nourishing lacquers delivers wearable colours and beautiful textures filled with skin-loving ingredients. It's pretty much fresh, dewy, healthy-looking skin, bottled.

These products have racked up a bunch of beauty awards. In fact, the Dew Balm, Sun Melt and Slip Tint (get this on my face) all won Allure Best of Beauty Awards.

The best part? The stuff is sustainable too.

If you're looking to upgrade your beauty routine in 2023, with uncomplicated makeup that boasts real skin benefits, start here.

Foile.

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Meet Foile: A dreamy, shelfie-worthy collection of refillable skincare products that are just as effective on the skin as they are easy on the eye. Swoon!

From the Skin Sponge Serum to the Angel Eye Jellie eye masks - the brand takes note from skincare brands like Emma Lewisham, aiming to mesh luxury beauty with sustainability, touting zero waste and minimal (but oh so beautiful) packaging.

Have you tried any of the above products before? Share with us in the comment section below.

Feature image: Erin Docherty; Priceline; Holme Beauty; Caliray.

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