So sorry, everyone, I’ve been away on a little work/pleasure trip to Tuscany and – as usual – things have gone a bit mad in my absence! A few things to tell you – great beauty offers that are on, impromptu meetups that I’m holding, a little website admin issue that needs ironing out…
1) I will be at Liberty in London on Thursday evening for their “meet the experts” event. It was brilliant fun last time, so make sure you come and say hello, if you possibly can. I love a good catch up with you all and it’s nice to put faces to names. Drinks are provided and there’s also quite a gorgeous goody bag worth over £150 for those spending £100 or more. (Easily done, unfortunately!) You don’t need to make an appointment or anything like that, just turn up – more info here.
2) Another day, another meetup – it’s like the Crilly Roadshow! This time it’s on Friday and it’s at the new Charlotte Tilbury counter in Selfridges Birmingham. 1-2pm, be there or be square, dwellers of the Midlands! More info in my post here.
3) That amazing Space NK goody bag thing is on again – LOTS of bits and bobs in this one, including the sought-after “mini Diptyque”. There are also hefty samples of REN’s Rosa Centifolia water and Aromatherapy Associates Rose Body Cream as well as brilliant things from Zelens, NUDE and Algenist. It’s free with spends of over £150. You can get the goody bag instore or online HERE – only on Wednesday and Thursday this week. Use the code GETSET14 – if you’re shopping instore you need to book a ticket, £15 redeemable against purchase and you get a glass of fizz. Online shopping, just click and go. No champagne, though…
4) There seems to be an issue with the Daily Fix email at the moment. Some of you (weirdly, it appears to be a lot of people who have been reading from the very start) don’t get an email any more, but my stats tell me that all of them are being sent. Please check that you’re subscribed through Feedburner for the daily emails – I know that the whole Quarterly/Daily Fix thing is totally confusing, but fear not: I am addressing it all when I re-vamp the website. (Don’t worry, it’ll look pretty much the same as it does now, it’s only behind-the-scenes stuff that will change.) Phew. Right. Hold on in there, people, I shall get to the bottom of all of this!
Comments Off on French Skincare: What I Bought at the Pharmacy
A much-requested video; half the world now seems to be obsessed with the mysterious delights that are kept locked up in the legendary French Pharmacie. I don’t tend to go pharmacy shopping as much as I used to, and that is mainly because the things that I used to stock up on are now widely available. Escentual.com stocks Bioderma, Embryolisse and La Roche-Posay, which were the three main brands that I’d stockpile, and you can get NUXE and Vichy and Klorane and Lierac very easily too. But there is still something quite fantastic about seeing all of these brands squashed onto the shelves together; huge multipacks of Bioderma cleansing water sitting above rows and rows of delectable face creams, twenty different treatments for sensitive-skin-that-is-also-acne-prone* underneath cheap tubes of ointment that promise to “repair and protect”. Even if some of the labels and names are now more familiar, it’s nice to see such range and variety in one space.
Read more posts on French Skincare favourites…
There’s nothing in the UK that really compares to a French Pharmacie; not that clean, almost clinical presentation and the way in which samples are given out with every purchase and the fact that staff are nearly always very knowledgeable about the ranges they are selling. It interests me, too, that there’s very little in the way of colourful or garish packaging in the Pharmacie; you are often forced to read the label quite carefully rather than choose according to visual stimuli. It makes me think that the Pharmacie shopper is perhaps much more likely to get something that is suitable for his or her skintype or skin concern – you can’t just pluck things off the shelf, not so much. If you go to Boots, for example, there are so many brands vying for attention and they all have to sing out from the shelves and blind us with their wacky names and pretty bottles – I often wonder whether the customer has a fair chance at being able to select what they really need. I get very easily distracted by pretty packaging and names that promise great wonders… Just thinking aloud, there!
*Treatments for skin that is sensitive and also acne prone, look to La Roche-Posay and Avene in the Pharmacie – or they are at Escentual.com too. If you’re looking for Lierac then it is stocked at LookFantastic.com and Delarom, which is a new discovery for me, can be found at Urban Retreat.
Comments Off on Moisturiser Recommendation: REN’s V-Cense
For the past four months, on and off, I have been testing out REN’s V-Cense creams; the Youth Vitality Day Cream and the Revitalising Night Cream. I say “on and off” because the longest period of uninterrupted use was probably about three weeks; for the rest of the time it has been a bit of a scattergun approach. An odd day here, a random night there. But do you know what? These creams worked very, very well for me. I have absolutely no complaints, despite the fact that initially I thought that they would be too rich, and I was a little taken aback by the scent (churchy), which I can deal with when it’s a cleanser (ie the frankincense cleanser from Neal’s Yard Remedies) but not when it’s something that has to stay on my face for long periods of time. The smell of frankincense is incredibly relaxing, yes – probably much more so than lavender, even – but it’s a potent little bugger and I sometimes feel a bit claustrophobic when beauty products have a very strong fragrance. Especially, weirdly, when it’s a scent from essential oils and not a synthetic one. Synthetic scents don’t seem to overpower me, but dose me up with too many essential oils and I wake up sweating in the night thinking that the ceiling is made of cheese straws.
More skincare reviews…
I digress. And actually, the REN products aren’t overpowering in the slightest, it’s just that the faintly churchy smell is a bit of a surprise when the packaging is so white and clean. But the creams worked well on my skin – a plumptious, nourishing feel and no breakouts or issues with richness. They take a little longer to sink in than some moisturisers, but I don’t mind that so much, especially with the night cream, and after a minute or so there’s absolutely no residue at all. No heaviness to the finish, no grease, but my skin felt properly taken care of in the moisture department. It’s actually the night cream I like best – it reminded me so much of a cream I used to use years ago. And it turns out, after some Googling, that the cream I used to use years ago was actually REN’s Frankincense Night Cream, which I think is an older version of the V-Cense!
Anyway – nice. Good go-to face creams if you fancy an all-rounder that helps to smooth the skin and keep it moisturised – the scent is calming rather than stifling, the pump-action bottles are very practical and the price is incredibly fair. £32 from Space NK or with free delivery from LookFantastic.com.
Order online here
Neal’s Yard Remedies’ Frankincense Intense is next on my list to try. I feel as though I’ve found a frankincense theme and now I need to see it through. (Incidentally, please give me your own suggestions for more products to try in the comments below.) I’ve seen rave reviews on this “age-defying” cream but have also had a few reports back from friends who loved the original face cream in this line but haven’t fared so well with subsequent additions. Perhaps this cream is far richer – I’d hazard a guess that it is, seeing as though it’s the Intense version. I’ll be back with some feedback once I’ve found the bloody pot – I have a feeling my Mum may have nicked it as she house-sat when I was off on holiday. It wouldn’t be the first time that things on my “to test” shelf have disappeared…
More moisturiser reviews…
NYR’s cream is a fair bit dearer than the REN; £55. Heavier packaging, but that’s not necessarily a boon if you travel frequently. The ingredients list shows that it’s jam-packed with great oils, including argan and macadamia, as well as frankincense, hyaluronic acid, Vitamin E and various essential oils. Sounds gorgeous, if only I could find the bloody thing.
You can buy Frankincense Intense online here – take a look also at the Argan Oil and Frankincense Refining Cleanser, both total STARS.
Comments Off on LDN Event, GWP Galore & A Genius Mist…
For all of us UK babes who have sat and scrolled enviously through Instagram whilst the ‘Indie Beaty Expo’ or ‘A Night For Green Beauty’ events were taking place is the USA… It’s our turn! Make a note in the diary because Sunday JULY 10th is going to be a great day.
Clean Cult, Londons first wellbeauty festival is taking place. Organised by the totally wonderful Mayah & Sabrina from Call It Vanity and Elsie and Dominika of Clean Beauty Co, Clean Cult will be hosted at ETHOS Spitalfields and showcase 8 of the best British beauty brands around, plus there will be superfood cocktails, complimentary mani’s and makeovers with Kure Bazaar and Jane Iredale. Tickets are £12.50 and uhmmm more importantly I’LL BE THERE! Yes, this northern lass is venturing south for the weekend, who’d have thunk it. I’ll be there from 3pm and I seriously cant wait!
As usual, lots of new brand launches and product releases at Naturisimo. They have just launched Zao Makeup (that bamboo packaging! swoon), Lotus Wei Flower Essences for gorgeous mists and scents, Colloidal Silver Plus, Storksak Organic for babies, Hifas da Terra supplements and more!
Also new is their latest limited edition beauty box, this time the perfect box for summer sun protection with 10 items, 5 of which are full size for £27.95 (worth £79).
Lots of gorgeous boutique brands launching at Content recently with some fab gift with purchase offers.
First up is the new-to-me super luxe skincare brand Julisis, receive a deluxe mask sample with any purchase.
Part home decor, part bodycare the beautiful Isla Apothecary has launched with a Palo Santo GWP.
The superfood brand Kiki Health has launched and a purchase of two or more products gets you a free full-size Magnesium Oil Spray! I actually really want to buy this mist so maybe now is the time!
Antipodes has finally made it’s way to Content and buying any two full-size products gets you a free full-size Reincarnation exfoliator.
Finally, they also have the newest spring shades from Kjaer Weis and RMS Beauty, including an exclusive from RMS the Content Lip Shine
Keeping up with their trend of bringing the best brands to the UK, Alyaka have just launched Ecobrow (!!!) Yarok Haircare and Dr. Alkaitis.
They also have the Mahalo Red My Lips Tint, a beautiful true ruby red lip colour designed to support the RedMyLips campaign.
Finally, they have also put together a new May Lindstrom sample kit, this time featuring generous 10ml sizes of The Honey Mud, The Problem Solver and The Clean Dirt, with the cost of the kit given as credit towards a full size purchase as always.
Cult Beauty have started stocking Coola Sun Protection and I’m so excited about the SPF30 Makeup Setting Spray! Coolest invention ever! If I was going on holiday this year I would for sure be picking this up. Easy sun protection without having to layer a greasy cream underneath your makeup, genius.
The new look Lina Hanson has launched onto The Detox Market and boy oh boy it’s gorgeous. Not only that but she has two new products; the Global Face Trio and Global Treasures balm. The Global Face Trio is a powder to paste style product to mask with, cleanse or exfoliate, and it contains an ingredient I’ve never heard of before; Thanaka powder. I can’t wait to order a lil sample of this to try it out when it makes it to the UK!
Comments Off on The beauty cream with a cult following
From Chanel lipstick to faithful Frizz-Ease, these beauty products have a cult following for a very good reason
Crème de la Mer Moisturising Cream, from £105
Of all the moisturisers, this is recommended by beauty and fashion editors time and time again. It’s thick and creamy and melts into your skin – especially nourishing in winter. Treat yourself from your late thirties onwards, although a 25-year-old Amber le Bon told us she uses it.
Dr Hauschka Rose Day Cream, £28
A-list fans of this cream including Jade Jagger, Cate Blanchett, Kate Moss and Georgia Jagger. Each tube contains the extract of more than 1,000 organic rose petals, as well as rose-oil and rosehip extracts, which soothe sensitive or dry skin. It is all natural and ‘biodynamic’, which, to the purist, is superior to organic.
Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair, £44
This night-time skin repair serum has won a host of awards and is a staple for beauty editors. It is favoured for its brightening, line-smoothing, skin-plumping effect as well as its role in helping the skin repair itself from the daily onslaught of UV and pollution. Ingredients include antioxidants, to neutralise free-radical damage, and peptides, which help in the anti-ageing quest.
Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish, from £15.50
Introducing the cleanser that paved the way for all the host of balms we know today. Massage the on to skin (it also removes eye make-up) and remove with a warm, damp muslin cloth. Soothing, gently astringent, purifying essential oils of rosemary, camomile and eucalyptus give a clean, refreshing scent. Glycerine and beeswax mean that skin feels soft rather than taut afterwards.
MAC Strobe Cream, £24.50 When this illuminating moisturiser first arrived nine years ago it caused a storm. It’s a perfectly balanced blend of vitamins and finely milled, light-reflective particles that give a soft, iridescent glow when smoothed over the skin. A flat, dull complexion is instantly illuminated. It’s 21-year-old skin in a bottle.
Shu Uemura Brightening Cleansing Oil, £30
Not long ago few of us would have dreamt of cleansing with oil, but it is incredibly effective at dislodging grime. It is also gentle, because it doesn’t strip the skin of its natural oils. When Shu Uemura’s cleansing oils arrived in Britain from Japan they picked up a small cult following, but soon more and more women tried them. They are great value, too – the huge bottle lasts months.
Sisley Express Flower Gel Mask, £80
One of the original, super-luxe skincare houses, still privately owned by the d’Ornano family, Sisley is the preserve of the St-Tropez set (expect to see bottles of Sisley sunscreen lacing the loungers on La Croisette). Make-up artists like to use this mask to perk up exhausted models’ skin before shows and shoots. If you can splash out on some even once in your lifetime, your skin is unlikely to regret it.
Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, £36.50
A make-up artist favourite and an essential in Linda Cantello’s kit, it has a sheer texture and a little shimmer in it, which makes skin look radiant. It’s especially useful if you’re somewhere north of 35.
Benefit Hoola, £23.50
Make-up artists and Benefit fans alike love this bronzing powder because it looks so natural. There isn’t a hint of orange, and shimmer is kept to an absolute minimum – too much twinkle can be ageing.
Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in ‘Black Ink’, £25
This waxy, solid eyeliner is a different take on liquid liner or kohl. Pressed along the eye line with a small, flat, slanted brush, it is a woman’s best ally for creating a defined eyeliner flick. Bobbi Brown has made life easier for all of us (liquid liner is terrifically difficult) and inspired a handful of similar liners.
By Terry Éclat de Teint, £36
Consider this a cross between concealer and highlighter from Terry de Gunzburg, the make-up guru responsible for creating Touche Eclat for Yves Saint Laurent. Use it under your eyes to brighten any darkness. In fact, you can use it anywhere on your face to make skin look fresher and more youthful.
Chanel Rouge Coco Lipstick in ‘Mademoiselle’, £25 At some point in her life every woman should experiment with red lipstick – and own one by Chanel. The modern way to wear red lips is to pat the colour on with your finger to create a stain.
Lancôme Hypnôse Mascara, from £20.50
A Hypnôse mascara is sold every ten seconds across the globe. Now ten years old, Hypnôse broke new ground with a polymer formula, adapted from the world of hair products. It meant women could do naturally defined lashes with a single coat for day, and add more layers on top for extra volume at night without it caking or clumping. It’s a hottie on the red carpet.
NARS Blush in ‘Orgasm’, £23 When it first appeared in America in 1998 women jumped at the chance to try this soft, gold-flecked peachy-pink blush. Applied to the apple of the cheeks (the fleshy bit when you smile), it imparts a warm glow and seems to be universally flattering. It’s now also available in a cream blush stick, an illuminator and a lip-gloss.
John Frieda Frizz-Ease Hair Serum, £6.29
Nothing like this had been on the market before Frizz-Ease arrived in the early 1990s – it started a hair-styling revolution. For those in need of some curl control, it is a must-have. There are now different concentrations to suit varying hair thicknesses, so all forms of wave and curl are covered.
Philip Kingsley Elasticizer, from £16 For lacklustre hair that is feeling the effects of one too many half-heads of highlights, this award-winning mask is the answer. ‘It is hard to get back that elasticity with everyday conditioners and this just seems to work,’ says Ben Cooke, a celebrity hairdresser.
Tweezerman Slant Tweezer £12 These slanted and fine-edged tweezers reach hairs others simply can’t get to, without them off as you pull them out. A classic make-up-bag essential.
Beautyblender Sponge £16 A sponge to dip in foundation and ‘bounce’ or ‘roll’ on to the skin, this gives amazingly even coverage. Be patient, though – it may initially take a little longer to apply make-up, but after a few tries you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.
Guerlain Météorites Pearls, £40 There’s something utterly indulgent about this finishing powder. Yes, its effect is pretty, but the packaging and bonbon-like pearls will also lend a Madame de Pompadour feel to any dressing-table.
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser, £34 Perfect for light coverage, and the secret behind many a dewy complexion, providing enough coverage to even the complexion, while allowing the skin beneath to show through. Apply an undercoat of the matching primer, and you’ll be fresh-faced all day.
SK-II Facial Treatment Mask, £86 for a box of ten Before a party, apply this hydrating cotton mask, impregnated with the Japanese brand’s signature ingredient Pitera (a blend of vitamins, minerals and proteins) for 20 minutes. Your skin will look as plumped as if you’d had a professional facial.
Nivea Smooth Nourishing Hand Cream, £3.49 A classic that never fails to deliver, this is better than many more expensive brands we’ve tried, it really sinks in and lasts for ages without feeling greasy. Good for elbows, knees and dry cuticles, too.
No. 7 Protect & Perfect Advanced Serum, £23.95 Several members of the Stella team swear by this hugely popular anti-ageing product and say their wrinkles seem ‘less cavernous’ as a result. They look great, so we have no reason not to believe in the power of this highly concentrated retinol-based formula.
CREDIT: PHILIP BOLT
Philosophy Microdelivery Peel Kit, £59 We’re quite wary of using abrasive peels and scrubs unsupervised by a dermatologist, but this at-home kit gives quick results without the scary red-faced consequences. It’s a two-step scrub and gel that you leave on for a few minutes before washing off to reveal the softest, smoothest skin.
Embryolisse Lait Crème Concentré £22 This once-hard-to-find French pharmacy product has a cult following and is loved by make-up artists and better yet it’s recently arrived in Boots. A great translucent product that is perfect under foundation and hydrates even sensitive skin without causing irritation.
Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover £4.99 Fast and fabulous. You simply dip in your finger and twist to remove nail polish. No cotton wool required or ruining otherwise perfect nails when trying to remove the varnish on just one– a desk drawer essential.
Clinique Chubby Stick Cheek Color Balm, £19
Quick to apply, easy to blend and chubby as you like, this flattering blusher launched an army of make-up in crayon-form. A contouring and highlighting shade is also now available bringing us steps closer to the cheekbones of dreams.
Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow, £49
Make-up artist Tilbury’s own-name range has garnered quite the following and this is one of the best sellers. A double compact with a highlighting power and matte sculpting powder this is well worth the price tag.
Jo Malone Vitamin E Body Treatment Scrub, £70
It’s not often a scrub gets us excited, but this makes exfoliating a joy. Salt and organic brown sugar crystals are combined with ingredients rich in Vitamin E to slough away dead skin cells and leave skin so hydrated you can skip moisturiser afterwards. It smells of marzipan too.
Kérastase Nutritive Nutri-Thermique Masque, £24.25
With a loyal following amongst hair stylists, this deep conditioning mask gives life back to hair that’s dry, sensitized and in need of intense nourishment. If you’re regularly using any sort of heat-styling product, it’s a once-a-week hair must.
L’Oréal Paris Elnett Satin Hairspray, £6.60
A classic in every hair stylists’ kit. The preferred choice of hairspray backstage and behind the scenes on fashion and beauty shoots, a mist of Elnett holds styles and volume like no other, but brushes out easily so hair isn’t left stiff or powdery.
GHD Gold V Classic Hair Styler, £125
What did we do before GHDs hit bedrooms across the nation? It spawned the noughties hair trend for straightened locks, and in keeping with the current trend for more bohemian waves, a generation of women have also acquired the dexterity required to use these straighteners to curl hair too (the technique is similar to curling a ribbon with the edge of a pair of scissors).
St Tropez Self Tan Express Bronze Mousse, £33
A recent addition to the list of products every women should women, this fake tan develops into a light caramel after one hour, a toffee tone after two, and a deeper shade after three. It’s quick, bespoke and puts an end to the 8 hours wait it usually takes bronzers to develop.
