Beauty Notes | 13 October
Isamaya Ffrench Has Left Isamaya Beauty
Makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench is no longer part of her namesake brand, according to The Business of Beauty. Two sources told the publication she departed in 2025, and while Ffrench declined to comment to them, she appeared to confirm it on Instagram. Replying to a fan who said an order from the brand had gone missing, she wrote, “I’m not associated with the company anymore and haven’t been for some time.” She launched Isamaya Beauty in 2022 with Italian incubator Flash Beauty Holdings, building it around her famously experimental artistry, and it quickly found a home at Sephora in the US. The Business of Beauty reports the brand has slowed down in recent years, with products currently discounted by up to 70% on its website, and its future remains unclear.
Le Labo Launches Papyrus 20 Candle
Le Labo has a new candle, and it’s one for anyone who loves the smell of old books. Papyrus 20 is inspired by aged parchment and worn paper, built around cypriol, an earthy, woody ingredient long linked to ancient papyrus. It’s softened with ylang-ylang, warm labdanum, and musk, so the result is subtle and comforting rather than heavy. As with the rest of the brand’s home collection, each candle is made by hand in the US and comes with a personalised label. It’s available now at lelabofragrances.com.
Rochelle Humes Teams Up With Killabrush
Rochelle Humes has signed on as the first-ever ambassador for Killabrush, the brand behind a hairbrush with antimicrobial technology built into its bristles. To mark the partnership, she’s designed two new autumn colourways: Butter, a soft, creamy neutral, and Merlot, a deep, rich red. The brushes use the brand’s Killa BZK technology, which it says was developed over two years and reduces up to 99.9% of bacteria build-up on the brush, helping to keep your scalp cleaner between washes. It’s a natural fit for Humes, who recently launched her own skincare brand, Eulah. Both shades arrive on 19 October at killabrush.com and lookfantastic.com.
The Ordinary’s First Lip Plumping Treatment Is Here
The Ordinary is taking on lip plumpers, minus the tingle. Rather than using irritating ingredients to make lips swell, its new HA + Asiaticoside Lip Treatment relies on a hyaluronic acid complex that floods lips with moisture for an instant plumping effect. It’s paired with asiaticoside, which the brand says helps soften the look of fine lines over time, and goji berry extract to support lip volume. The idea is to give an immediate boost while improving lips in the longer term. It’s available now at theordinary.com, with more retailers stocking it from 29 October.
Caldera + Lab Drops First Deodorant
Men’s skincare brand Caldera + Lab has moved into bodycare with The Deo, an aluminium-free deodorant that it says gives 48-hour odour protection. It’s built around postbiotics, magnesium, and an enzyme complex designed to tackle odour at the source, plus a mineral powder blend to absorb sweat. And true to the brand’s skincare roots, there’s niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and aloe vera in there too, to keep underarms soothed and hydrated. The scent, Bergamot + Balsam, was created with a fragrance house and mixes citrus, pine, and rosemary with a warm sandalwood base. It applies clear, so no white marks. The Deo is available now to subscribers at calderalab.com, with a wider US release at Amazon and Nordstrom from 20 October.
Bluemercury Gives Lune+Aster an Upgrade
Lune+Aster, the in-house makeup brand from US beauty retailer Bluemercury, has had a glow-up. It’s back with a new look and a simpler approach, centred on a handful of products that are easy to use and don’t require a 12-step routine. The standouts are two new multi-sticks: a cream one you can swipe across cheeks, lips, and eyes, and a highlighter for a quick hit of glow. There are also new eyeshadow quads, a setting powder, and some double-ended brushes. And this is just round one, with more launches on the way through 2027. The refreshed range is available now in Bluemercury stores and online at bluemercury.com.