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Happy Lunar New Year! I for one am very excited to put the Year of the Snake behind me and charge into the Year of the Horse, especially after a particularly intense season of Valentine’s launches over the past few weeks. January and the start of February are usually relatively sleepy months, but it felt like brands this year were anticipating the Fire Horse’s incoming kinetic energy and started this year off with a huge wave of early launches.
One of my favorite things about writing this column is observing the ebbs and flows of various industries, seeing how trends build momentum and subtly pivot to meet the cultural conversation. The past few years have felt a bit scattered as we’ve become increasingly siloed by algorithms and over-stimulated by vanishingly short micro trends. But 2026 has felt like it has a real energy and focus thus far, in tune with the direct energy of the Fire Horse. Over the course of the last couple months, brands have focused on nourishment, repair, and comfort, all needed before we gallop into this new year. It feels like we’ve all been in need of a collective breath, seeking out tactile, communal experiences to counterbalance our online lives. P.F. Candle Co. and Haricot Vert’s pop up this weekend in Echo Park (more info on that below) is a perfect example of this energy (and an event I’m sad to miss!).
Now that we’ve taken a beat to recharge, I’m excited to see where this new year energy takes us.
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First Up: A Charming Candle Collab
P.F. Candle Co. has partnered with Brooklyn-based jewelry brand Haricot Vert on Dreamworld, a comforting, cloud-like limited-edition candle inspired by girlhood nostalgia and cozy crafting culture. To celebrate the launch, the team is hosting a hands-on charm bar pop-up this weekend at P.F.’s Echo Park flagship from February 19–22, where guests can design custom charms inspired by the candle’s motifs.
Trending: Year of the Horse
For Lunar New Year 2026, Asian-American-founded baby bag brand Caraa released a limited-edition Year of the Horse capsule collection. The capsule features horse embroidery on two rich red bags: the Baby Bag Large in Red Dahlia and Baby Pouch in Red Dahlia.
Huha launched their fastest sell-out drop ever, The Giddy Up Collection. The horse girl twist on their classic Low Profile Thong was so popular that it sold out in less than three days. Good news for us is that they’ve put up a waitlist for a potential restock.
Trending: Lip Service
Kulfi launched the Lassi Lips Staining Lip Liner, a hybrid chubby liner that also stains. Its creamy, blendable formula is designed to prevent bleeding & feathering for 6 hours, then gently fade into a natural, transfer-proof 10-hour stain. Infused with Vitamin E + peptides for smoother-looking, hydrated lips, it’s also designed to layer seamlessly with gloss, balm, oil, or lipstick.
EADEM released two new shades of its popular Le Chouchou lip softening balm: Château Rose and Sakura Shaved Ice. Le Couchou is formulated to offer the benefits of three lip products in one: exfoliating lips like a gentle peel, hydrating like an intense lip mask, and giving a high-shine finish like a lip gloss.
Before You Go…
- Sleek Swedish design brand Aarke has launched their signature Kettle in Sand, a brand new colorway. I was lucky enough to get an advance sample and love the neutral color and sophisticated silhouette. It may be the first kettle I love to look at as much as I love to use it –an essential in the depths of NYC winter.
- Salt & Stone launched their newest skin-nourishing formula, Salt & Stone Body Oil. The fast-absorbing oil is formulated with seaweed extracts and squalane to seal in moisture for lasting softness and a glowing finish, a savior for dry winter skin. The new body oil is available in two popular Salt & Stone fragrances: Santal & Vetiver and Bergamot & Hinoki.
- arrae introduced Inositol, a women’s core nutrient designed to support hormonal vitality. The convenient fast-melt stick pack features a 40:1 inositol blend, enhanced with lactoferrin and folate. Inositol promotes hormonal balance, cellular energy, metabolic balance, healthy blood sugar maintenance, and overall ovarian and reproductive health.
- Hair extension experts RPZL and creator Caroline Malloy launched an exclusive collaboration. Inspired by Caroline’s retro-chic hair tutorials, they’ve created a set of strawberry-themed hair accessories to bring a little vintage glamour into your haircare routine. The collection includes a velcro hair roller set, several really cute claw clips, and a polisher brush to help brush out your vintage curls.
- Bounce Curl officially launched at Sephora this week! Bounce Curl blends science-driven innovation with generations of Mesopotamian beauty traditions to create formulas that support and celebrate every curl type. To celebrate the Sephora launch, Bounce Curl is launching its new Weightless Collection, a six-product curl-friendly line-up consisting of a shampoo, conditioner, thermal heat protectant, and more.
Happy shopping. Email me directly – hannah@thequalityedit.com – with any launches you’d like to see in the spotlight, or DM us over @thequalityedit.
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