Magazine

Tests & picks.

What we recommend in the salon – and why. Comparisons and top lists with a clear ranking, honestly assessed.

Smiling woman around forty running her fingers through her full, shoulder-length hairTest · Hair Loss & Hair GrowthTop 10 hair growth products comparedTen well-known products for women and men – and the serum we recommend.
LADUTI Hair Serum, bottle seen from the frontTest · Hair Loss & Hair GrowthWhat really helps with hair loss?Understand the causes, compare the products, keep expectations realistic.Man with a grey beard shaping it with his fingers at the window of an old apartmentTest · Beard & MenBeard care: step by step.A well-groomed beard doesn’t need ten products – just the right ones, in the right order. Our salon routine and beard care kits you can start with right away.Man defining the cheek line of his short beard with a black trimmer on a cobalt backdropTest · Beard & MenThe right beard trimmer: for stubble, edges and full beards.A good beard trimmer cuts in a single pass without pulling, and holds the length you set exactly. The features you really need – and the trimmers we recommend for each type of beard.Woman blending a sheer tinted cream onto her cheek with two fingersTest · Make-upCC cream: even out colour, let skin show.A CC cream evens out redness and dullness without masking your skin. How it differs from BB cream and foundation – and which CC creams we recommend for which skin type.Woman with closed eyes spreading foam over her shoulder in a travertine showerTest · Body & NailsThe best shower gel: is one your skin doesn’t notice.A good shower gel cleanses without leaving your skin tight. What mild surfactants and moisturising extras do, when fragrance becomes a problem – and the shower gels we recommend for dry, sensitive and active skin.Hands at a manicure: a natural nail being shaped with a slim electric fileTest · Body & NailsElectric nail files: for natural nails or for gel?A manicure set with gentle sapphire attachments and a nail drill spinning at 30,000 rpm are two completely different tools. Which one you need – and which devices we recommend.Cupped hands holding a soft white foam, lifted toward the faceTest · Skin & FaceEnzyme peel: smooth skin without scrubbing.Enzymes dissolve dead skin cells without any rubbing – the gentlest way to exfoliate sensitive skin. How it works, and which enzyme peels we recommend.Woman with long chestnut hair being blow-dried with a dryer and round brush, terracotta backdropTest · Hair & StylingThe right hairdryer and why watts alone tell you nothing.A good hairdryer dries quickly without frying your hair. What the motor, wattage and ions really do – and the hairdryers we recommend for each type of hair.Woman with a towel in her hair, eyes closed, in warm facial steamTest · Skin & FaceFacial steamers: a treat with benefits – in the right dose.Warm steam softens the skin and makes blackheads easier to remove. What a facial sauna can do at home, where its limits lie – and which devices we recommend.Woman pressing a drop of serum into her cheek with her fingertipsTest · Skin & FaceThe right face serum: one active, one goal.A serum delivers one active ingredient right where your skin needs it. Which serum suits which concern, how to combine them properly – and the serums we recommend.Hands working a little hair cream through the lengths of shoulder-length wavy brown hairTest · Hair & StylingHair cream: care that stays in your hair.Not all hair creams are the same: one nourishes dry lengths, another defines curls, a third gives short hair shape. Which one you need – and the ones we recommend.Woman in a robe gliding a white handheld device along her lower leg in a bright bathroomTest · Body & NailsIPL hair removal: what an at-home device can do.IPL devices reduce body hair with pulses of light – but not equally well for every skin and hair colour. Who a device is worth it for, what you can realistically expect and which models we recommend.Barber shaping a fresh fade on the side of a man's head with hair clippersTest · Hair & StylingCutting hair at home: with the right clippers.Good clippers don’t pull, cut in a single pass and hold the length you’ve set. What makes the difference in blade, motor and guards – and which hair clippers we recommend.Woman smoothing golden oil between her palms through the lengths of her long brown hairTest · Hair Loss & Hair GrowthThe right hair serum: for your scalp – or for your lengths.“Hair serum” means two different things: serums for the scalp, designed to support thinning hair, and conditioning serums for glossy, supple lengths. We explain the difference and recommend products for both.Man with short salt-and-pepper hair shaping a matte, textured quiff with his fingertipsTest · Hair & StylingThe right hair wax: hold, shine – and how much to use.Wax, paste, clay, pomade – the names sound alike, the results don’t. What matters is hold and shine to suit your hair length and look. What we use in the salon and recommend for home.Two hands, one pressing cream into the back of the other, fine gold ring, yellow sweaterTest · Body & NailsHand cream: for hands that take a lot.When you work with water, shampoo and colour all day, as we do in the salon, you know your hands need more than a nicely scented cream. Which hand creams really nourish – from repair balm to handbag essential.Man on the edge of a bed applying body butter to his forearm and elbow in an old apartmentTest · Body & NailsBody butter: when lotion just isn’t enough.Body butter is the richest form of body care – ideal for dry skin, elbows, knees and the colder months. Which ones we recommend and how to apply them without feeling sticky.Woman wearing red lipstick lifting a small white espresso cupTest · Make-upLipstick that lasts: – from morning coffee to dinner.Long-lasting lipsticks come in many forms – from matte liquid lipsticks to nourishing classics. What really lasts, what dries out your lips and which ones we recommend.Lip contour being traced with a rosewood lip liner pencil, close-upTest · Make-upThe lip liner: – the frame for every lip colour.A good lip liner stops lipstick from bleeding into fine lines and gives your lips a clean shape. The liners we recommend – and how to choose the right shade.Woman in pyjamas dabbing a lip mask onto her lips with her ring fingerTest · Make-upLip masks: – care that works overnight.A lip mask is richer than a lip balm and stays on your lips for longer – ideal overnight. The masks we recommend and how they fit into your routine.Woman with shoulder-length loose waves in motion, fine spray mist against a yellow backdropTest · Hair & StylingCurl spray: light, quick, for every day.A curl spray is the lightest styling product for curls and waves: it defines without weighing hair down and brings curls back to life on day two. The sprays we recommend – and what each one is best for.Woman sweeping a cotton pad across her cheek to remove makeupTest · Skin & FaceMicellar water: make-up off in a minute.Micellar water lifts make-up with mild surfactants – no foam, no running water. What it can do, where it falls short and which one we recommend.Hand removing pink nail polish from a nail with a cotton pad on a marble tableTest · Body & NailsNail polish remover: quick, but gentle.Acetone dissolves any polish in seconds – and dries out your nails and cuticles. Acetone-free removers are milder but need patience. Which remover suits which polish, and the ones we recommend.Hand with glossy nude polish resting in a white nail lamp, grey linen clothTest · Body & NailsNail dryers and why your polish decides.A UV/LED lamp cures gel and hybrid polish in seconds – but barely dries regular nail varnish any faster. Which lamp is worth it for home use, and what wattage claims really mean.Man shaving with a razor, white lather on his cheek, navy towel on his shoulderTest · Beard & MenThe right razor: – more blades aren’t always better.A good razor shaves closely without irritating your skin. What the number of blades really means, when a simpler razor is the better choice – and which models we recommend.Laughing woman smoothing cream across her forehead with both handsTest · Skin & FaceNiacinamide: the all-rounder among actives.Niacinamide strengthens the skin barrier, balances shine and helps your complexion look more even. Which concentration makes sense – and the creams and serums we recommend.Woman around sixty dabbing serum onto her cheekbone by a windowTest · Skin & FaceFading dark spots: rather than just covering them.Pigmentation and age spots can be visibly softened with the right skincare – but only a dermatologist can remove them completely. What each method can do, and which products we recommend.Man with lifted chin applying shaving gel along his jaw and neck, pale blue backdropTest · Beard & MenShaving gel: for a shave without the sting.A good shaving gel lets the blade glide, softens your stubble and protects your skin. What sets gel, foam and cream apart – and which shaving gels we recommend.Woman massaging white cleansing milk into her cheeks with her fingertipsTest · Skin & FaceCleansing milk: gentle make-up removal, no tight skin.Cleansing milk dissolves make-up and grime with oils rather than lots of foam – ideal for dry and sensitive skin. What makes a good one, and which we recommend.Woman sitting on parquet beside an open makeup case, choosing a brushTest · Make-upThe make-up case: – order for every collection.A good make-up case keeps everything organised, clean and within reach – at home and on the go. Which design suits you and the make-up cases we recommend.Woman applying self-tanning mousse to her shin with a velvet mitt, caramel backdropTest · Body & NailsSelf-tan: a glow without the sun – or the streaks.An even tan depends less on the product than on the prep. The self-tans we recommend for beginners, for your face and for a deep tan – and how to get the application right.Fine brush tracing the upper lash line on a closed eyeTest · Lashes & BrowsEyelash serum: with or without prostaglandins?Eyelash serums differ above all in one respect: whether or not they contain a prostaglandin analogue. That determines how well they work, the possible side effects – and which serum is right for you.Lash curler lifting the upper lashes at the base, eye looking upTest · Lashes & BrowsThe right eyelash curler and why the curve is everything.A good eyelash curler lifts your lashes from the root without crimping or pinching. What matters isn’t the brand but whether its curve fits your eyelid.