No98 Beauty is everywhere right now. At first, I chalked it down to the fact that Zendaya's hair stylist used it on The Odyssey star's hair throughout the mammoth press tour for the film. If it's Zendaya-approved, it's only natural we all want to try it.
But the momentum has continued long after The Odyssey's cinematic run finished. Last night, No98 was used backstage at the Victoria's Secret fashion show, with facialist Michaella Bolder using the brand's debut skincare launch, simply named The Mask, £14, on supermodel Ashley Graham.
Ashley then proceeded to walk the infamous runway with such glowing, gleaming skin, I was distracted from the lingerie (and giant wings) she was wearing.
© Getty
It's not only US A-listers using the brand. Homegrown talent Rochelle Humes told me she can't get enough of the hair mask when we chatted last week, and mere mortals are all over No98, too.
When I visited family friends last week, I noticed both the 15-year-old daughter and 50-something mother had it in their bathrooms, proving the appeal spans generations.
So why is everyone so obsessed with this British beauty brand that seemingly came out of nowhere? For those in the influencer scene, it's interesting to learn the brand was set up by OG influencer Lorna Luxe – but she doesn't particularly feature in the branding or marketing, setting this far apart from many influencer-fronted brands.
Lorna isn't the selling point, but she sure seems to know a good product when she sees one…
Trying the Zendaya-approved haircare
Zendaya's stylist, Coree Moreno, proved that No98 is a versatile range, using it on the actor's hair when she wore it long, loose and fluffy on the Spiderman press tour, and again on her ultra-short pixie crop during Paris Fashion Week.
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He used the brand's The Glass Anti-Frizz Hydration Spray, £30, and The Gloss Miracle Oil, £30, for Zendaya's undone look and again when he styled her softly spiked pixie crop, rating both for how soft and manageable it makes the hair.
I haven't been able to get my hands on these two just yet (I blame Zendaya's selling power) , but I have been using No98's Hydra Bond Shampoo and Conditioner, £44 for the set, for over a month now, and can see why A-Listers are loving it.
As someone with curly hair, the ends of my hair become dry easily, but this spa-scented duo keeps my hair feeling soft from root to tip, with far fewer knots than I'm used to. The ingredients are key to the manageability it delivers. Brazil nut oil lends strength, hydrolysed elastin and wheat protein reduce breakage, while castor, olive and avocado oil team up to moisturise and soften.
Rochelle called the scent "insane" when I chatted to her, but for a more specific breakdown of the scent; it's a spicy, woody fragrance, with so many layers of notes it reads more like a perfume than a shampoo and conditioner duo. It as cardamom top notes, followed by rosemary, cedarwood, patchouli and clove, finishing with vanilla, smoky vetiver and leather tones. After washing my hair with this, I can smell it all day.
I normally finish conditioner way before shampoo, because I slather it on, but in No98's case, they're running out at around the same time, testament to the fact that the shampoo is nourishing enough that I don't need to drench my hair in conditioner for the softness I want.
As for the skincare? It only dropped today, so forgive me for not trying it yet, but I'll leave you with Michaella Bolder's comments on her skincare routine for Ashley Graham ahead of the VS show.
© Getty Images for Victoria's Secr
"Each session [with Ashley] started with No98 Beauty The Mask applied on fresh clean skin. It’s the slickest golden glow treatment perfect to prep and plump the skin, giving it a real boost of hydration before I started any hands-on work."
She followed with the brand's moisturiser (not yet available), which she says creates the 'dreamiest luminous finish.'
If it creates a glow even half as angelic as Ashley Graham's, I'll be sold!