Lipstick on the Rim: Net-a-Porter’s Global Beauty Director, Newby Hands, On the Best 2023 Beauty Trends: the Brand New, the Tried-and-True, and Everything In-Between 

Here at Lipstick on the Rim, it’s safe to say we try a lot of products. In fact, we take great pride in being guinea pigs—testing, mixing, experimenting. You can call us scientists, if you must. It’s rare to find another human who similarly tries everything under the sun and thoroughly enjoys the act of doing so. Enter Newby Hands, Net-a-Porter’s Global Beauty Director. She’s as seasoned as they come and truly knows the best of the best when it comes to products, brands, trends, and more. We talk all things what’s new and what’s tried-and-true. From hair trends to the next big lipstick shade to getting that just-right bronze, she divulges some secret weapon pro tips that we know you’re just going to absolutely love. 

[Newby] On the One Thing Everyone Needs

“The most asked question I had last year was ‘do I need an LED mask?’ The answer is ‘yes you do.’ I am a super fan particularly if you have adult acne or a teenager with acne that blue light is brilliant. I definitely think it’s an investment. Because of my job I’m very lucky and have been able to try quite a few but the one I use the most is the Dr. Dennis Gross. Tools and devices are huge. It’s high tech and low tech from rose quartz and jade crystal rollers to something like NuFace which has been around for a while but everyone I know is using it. Microcurrent is big, LED is huge.”

[Newby] On What Makes a Good Product

“The product has to work and it still surprises me that I can get something in or that there can be something new on the market that isn’t good. The vast majority now are very good quality and it’s everything from the packaging (the packaging is so key—there’s been a big shift in what modern luxury is, it’s now very pared-back). The product not only has to work but it has to be lovely to use. Our cabinets are full so it has to add something to squeeze a bit more space in. We always think it’s ’the one’ until the next one comes along.”

[Newby] On Why Retinol is the Gold Standard

“Retinol I’m a huge fan of but the new one I think everyone should look at is retinal. Only a few brands have it. The one we have that I love is Medik8 which is the super retinol/retinal brand. They specialize in it. It’s almost as active as a Tretinoin or a retinaid prescription. It works 11x faster than a retinol but you get less of the redness. You get all the benefits faster without the downtime. You can work up to it and it is worth working up to. I put on my retinal and then I wait another ten minutes before putting on a cream like La Mer to help cushion it. Retinol is great but retinal is newer and even better. I think if people started in their 20s, it’s the one with the track record. It’s the one scientists and derms all back.”

Newby’s Beauty Must-Haves: