Tag: Friday Beauty Edit

 

The Friday Beauty Edit

 

Friday’s beauty hot list:

Revlon Colorstay Creme Gel Eyeliner, £8.99.  A clever design where the applicator brush is stored in the lid.  Pull out the brush, flip, and reinsert to create a long handled eyeliner brush for greater control.  The soft, creamy pitch black glides on and unlike some long lasting liners, doesn’t set too fast so you have time to blend.  Use the brush on its side for the finest line.  This is brilliant for creating both a classic winged cat eye or a softer smokier line to define.

Dr Jart Water Max Sleeping Mask, £26.  Newly arrived at Boots from Korea this is an intensive overnight moisturiser.  It’s going to be perfect as the temperature starts to drop, radiators go on and skin starts to turn up its heels and dehydrate.  Two full pump’s worth is ample for face and neck.  Unlike other masks it sinks in, so don’t worry about marking the pillow.

Olay Regenerist 3-Point Treatment Cream Fragrance Free, £19.99.  Cheaper skincare often lets itself down with its scent, which can smell cheap or too heavy.   For me, the new, scent free version of this light, fluffy moisturiser is a plus, as well as its  luxurious yet quick to absorb texture.

Lyn Harris Le Cologne, £25.  For those not in the know, Lyn is behind Miller Harris, the British scent company known as much for its divine floral packaging as its lovely scents.  Now, Lyn has designed six scents for Marks & Spencer at a fraction of the cost including this.  Billed for men it’s also great on a woman thanks to vetiver and amber, which after an initial hit of bergamot, lemon and rosemary give it warmth that’s chic not sultry.  Brilliant value, do check out all six to see which you like best.

Jergens Deep Conditioning Oatmeal Body Cream, £4.99.  Rich, whipped cream for dry arms and legs with a mouthwatering, comforting caramel scent.  Inhaling it is almost as satisfying as a nice creamy toffee without the calories.  A great basic – apply to warm, slightly damp skin after a bath.

 

 

This week’s hotties:

(Are you getting the red theme?  Got a thing about red right now.  I blame it on Rita Ora’s lips, too much putty nail polish and that red is one hell of a good fingers-up to the economy.   Autumn’s new make-up launches are embracing red too.)

Astalift Jelly, £69.  In this pot is an unusual, cherry red jelly – its colour is down to the antioxidant red algae extract within.  It acts as a moisturising, brightening, protective skin booster.  In other words, apply before moisturiser for extra smooth, plump skin with a layer of antioxidant protection to boot.  It’s made by Fujifilm with ingredients used to prevent film colour fade.  Novel, huh.

Freeze 24/7 Arctic Lift, £60.  Its star ingredient is a cactus extract, which has terrific water binding, moisturising properties.  This stuff is brilliant – it’s like a youth-ifying, line filling, smoothing and firming salve for a tired looking neck.  Available September 1st.

L’Oréal Revitalift Laser Renew Eye, £19.99.  It was bravely tested against the cosmetic treatment, fraxional CO2 laser and gave impressive results.   The test was conducted on 50, 45-55 year old women.  Half the group was given one laser treatment for crows feet.  After skin healing, there was an average 17% decrease in fine line depth.   The other half used the Laser Renew skincare regimen for two months, two times a day.  There was a 14% reduction in fine line depth.   Like the idea?  This eye cream is a good place to start.

Stella The Print Collection, £38, available 19 Sept.  Her second limited print collection of atomisers.  I blogged about the first last year (still a few of the florals left at Boots online).  And these are just as moorish.  Each of the three designs was taken from prints from her summer show.  The one pictured, being red, is my favourite.  And its rose scent is as fresh and new today as it was when it first launched.  Glamorous, handbag must have.

Estée Lauder Nail Polish in Le Smoking, £14.50 (0870 034 2566).  Red is always big news in the lead up to Christmas, and this year it’s set to be big earlier: think September.  This, true pillar box red, Le Smoking is the perfect accessory for the trouser suit: winter’s big fashion story.

 

Like it or not, it is staggering the revolutionary effect Botox has had on the beauty world.  Since, at the very least, its approval by the FDA in the US – if not longer – it has transformed infinite furrowed brows.  But it has also polarised women’s thoughts on how we tackle ageing.  I wish the Today Programme’s piece on it this morning had gone bit deeper.  Where was the expert to throw a more balanced view on it safety issues?  With prolonged use just how safe is it, really?  Rather a preamble for this Friday’s beauty edit so without further delay:  the best moisturisers for summer.

Amie Skin Shield Daily Moisturiser SPF15.  This arrived on my doorstep a couple of days ago and stopped me in my tracks.  Its texture feels as light and lovely as the most luxurious and expensive.  It absorbs without leaving skin greasy, has UVA and B protection and the most glorious, floral scent.  What’s more, it’s only £5.95. 10/10.

Balance Me Natural Protection Daily Moisturiser SPF18, £26.  Ideal for those who prefer fragrance free.  Lightweight, softening and soothing thanks to sweet almond oil and organic aloe – and reassuringly natural.

Chanel Hydra Beauty Gel Creme, £50.  Light, luscious half gel half cream.  Feels cooling, soothing and extravagant.  Lovely scent.  No SPF, but ideal underneath say Dermalogica’s, or at night in summer.

Super Facialist By Una Brennan Tea Flower Mattifying Moisturiser, £12.99.  Ideal if your skin is a little too shiny for your liking.  Or, you’re getting a few spots in the humid weather (tick).  Contains mattifying ingredients plus salicylic acid, which acts as a gentle anti-bacterial.  Clean, green, lily-of-the-valley-ish scent.

Estee Lauder Perfectionist [CP+R] Firming Serum, £50.  Use under any of the above if you’re after extra firming, anti-wrinkle help.  This updated version of the original uses advanced peptides (proteins that trick the skin into doing younger things, like repair itself), marine biotech ingredients (eek, think clean, effective extract rather than slimy, smelly, seaweed soup) and more to help smooth and brighten skin.  Its texture makes skin look smoother and better immediately.

Friday 6 July 2012     Leave A Comment

The Friday Beauty Edit #2

 

 

Il Libro Degli Agrumi Verde s’Arancia, £22.50.  This is simply a lovely, orange flower scent.  Light, pretty, unobtrusive, great any time of year.  It’s available online and at one of the three new Marks & Spencer beauty departments (High St Kensington is one) and is part of a brilliant line-up of scents, skincare and body care affordably priced and of the calibre you might expect to see at Space NK.  These beauty departments are set to expand across selected M&S’s across the country.  Keep an eye out.

Rimmel 60 Seconds in Blue Eyed Girl, £2.48.  Right now, this is on my left big toe.  On the rest (of them) is a blue by Roccoco nails courtesy of a medi-pedi at the new Margaret Dabbs clinic at the Bulgari Spa in Knightsbridge.  This saved the day for my smudged toe nail.  Very cool colour.  Flattering royal blue.  Also fab on fingernails.  Orange may be summer’s hot nail colour but for me, this is it.

Lancome Rouge In Love Lipstick in 322M, £21.  A pinkish coral that harps back to the 50s, but looks modern and flattering and gorgeous thanks to the silky, moisturising texture of the lipstick.  As far as coral’s go this looks fresh and clear rather than flat and chalky.  A caveat: coral can look sickly – best against a bronzed or super pale peaches-and-cream skin.  Do apply bronzer!

Melvita Moisturising Rose Nectar, £24.  Sometimes the simplest things are best.  This delicate, soothing, daily moisturiser is steeped in rose water and extract of rose petal .  If your skin is normal or slightly dehydrated it is ideal.   Silky texture, quick to absorb and not at all greasy – sublime. Yes, I love it.