Hugely sorry for my absence – it’s not that I haven’t had recommendations brewing, just that I’ve not had time to sit down to write them up. Before I wade into a bunch of ‘I like this and love that’ posts, I thought I’d just give you a little update on some of the new stuff that’s out (more to follow, of course)…
ST TROPEZ IN SHOWER / Kate Moss says she brushes conditioner through her hair in the three minutes this gradual tan takes to set, I prefer to brush my teeth. Whatever you do while this speedy subtle tan takes hold, it’s nice to know you’re following a similar routine to perma-glowy Mossy, isn’t it? The deal with this one: wash first, rub on in circles, comb hair/brush teeth, rinse off without shower gel and pat dry. Do it every other day and you’ll look nice and bronzed all summer.
THIS WORKS IN TRANSIT BALANCING BODY LOTION & REVIVING SHOWER GEL out on the 1st of July for £29 and £25 respectively / This Works is always a brand I’m eager to use – put simply, their stuff does what they say on the tin: they work. These two are ideal if you travel a lot – the mandarin and bergamot in the shower gel are relaxing and uplifting, while the moisturiser is enriched with rebalancing lavender , ginger and nutmeg. Both make arriving home a little more special/less depressing after a trip.
SENSAI CELLULAR PERFORMANCE EYE CONTOUR BALM out on the 1st of September for £82 here / Sensai are actually releasing two eye products: a balm and a cream. In Japan, however, the latter is the thicker of the two, making a balm a better morning moisturiser. That said, this is still much thicker than a gel, so it’s the one for you if you have exceedingly dry skin around your eyes.
TARTE COSMETICS DISCOVERY SET / New to Tarte? Me too. My first foray has been exceptionally pleasing. Essentially a basic full face (foundation, mascara, bronzer, eyeshadow quad, double-sided brush and lip crayon in a canvas cosmetics bag) that would make for a perfect ‘pretty daytime’ look or taster make-up kit for anyone who doesn’t wear much of the stuff, I also like that this is a ‘skincare’ make-up (clearly the way of the future, no?).
LAURA MERCIER LIP PARFAIT / At 19.50 each, this isn’t a ‘I’ll just buy this and test it out for a while to see if it’s nice’ buy, but each of the 12 shades are so very wearable that I can’t imagine if you bought these you’d not use the entire bullet up. The finish is sheeny, fairly dense and one of the most comfortable of all the lipsticks I’ve ever tried.
REN WAKE WONDERFUL NIGHT-TIME FACIAL / I’m still very much on the fence when it comes to all these new overnight products. I’ve found a few I loved, though, and this slips into that category. It goes on over a serum (so you don’t need to forgo that shot of goodness) and basically lactic and glycolic acid will gently slough off dead skin while magnesium nourishes. Not one for super sensitive skin, but anyone with ‘normal’ skin will benefit from using this once or twice a week. N.B. don’t use in conjunction with loads of other exfoliating agents.
FUDGE HAIR ART SPRAYS / These colour dark hair! The joy! The wonder of not having to be white blonde to indulge in the pleasure of rainbow hair! Fudge is not a brand I use an awful lot but having tried these four wash-out colour sprays, I’ll be testing more of their wares imminently. Tip on application: start near the bottom of hair and work your way up, wear something you don’t mind getting colour on (though this washes off fairly easily), and seal with hairspray so your shoulders don’t take the colour.
CHANEL LE LIFT RECONTOURING MASSAGE MASK / Lots of science behind this one but in a nutshell it contains a natural active developed by Chanel to requicken the youth mechanisms of cells. This is a ‘time will tell’ situation, but I’ve been using this mask while watching TV and have to say my slightly puffy areas seem more defined and baby wrinkles less deeply entrenched.
DECLEOR SPF 30 AROMA SUN EXPERT OIL / I recently interviewed Cosmetology Dermatologist and Anti-Ageing Biogerontologist John Hamilton who staunchly espoused the benefits of using essential oils to protect the skin from sun damage – he’s found that they diminish damage from free radicals resulting from sun exposure. This SPF oil contains a combination of rose, geranium and lavender to support the skin and reduce pigmentation and increase the natural production of melanin. The result: even, healthily tanned skin (obvs all the usual rules still apply – no midday sun, keep your face out of it as much as possible and top up on SPF every few hours).
MARGARET DABBS HAND SERUM / Serums: not just for the face anymore thanks to Margaret Dabbs. Previously the queen of foot care, Margaret now makes a stellar hand range, too. It’s pricy, but if you have mega dry hands, a little bit of this followed by moisturiser will sort them out.
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