Lacoste L.12.12 Rouge - Fragrance for Men

Lacoste L.12.12 -
Fragrance for Men

Lacoste L.12.12 Rouge 100ml £45. The iconic Lacoste tennis shirt 

captured in a fragrance brilliantly packaged in a red box and red bottle
complete with woven fabric crocodile. Contains: mandarin, ginger,
rooibus, acacia wood. Invigorating. Red indicates courage in the wearer.
Lacoste, a French clothing and accessories company, founded by
Rene Lacoste, a Grand Slam tennis star in 1920's France, with his
business associate Andrew Gillies. Designed and worn by Lacoste
himself, Lacoste invented the tennis or polo shirt in a breathable cotton
and called it L.12.12. The crocodile logo was born from his nickname
introducing an era of elegance in sports clothing. From tennis attire
to today's contemporary style brand including the Lacoste Polo shirt
in a most classic colour, red. Lacoste L.12.12.Rouge 100ml £45
- the iconic Lacoste tennis shirt captured in a fragrance. Invigorating.
Available from Lacoste Boutiques nationwide. Locate a store at
http://shop-uk.lacoste.com

Kiehl's Rosa Arctica Youth Regenerating Cream

Kiehl's Rosa Arctica Youth Regenerating  Cream

Thick and rich on application at first, Kiehl's Rosa Arctica Youth

Regenerating moisturizing face cream contains Rosa Arctica, the rare 

"Resurrection Flower", an African violet, known to withstand up to 31 

months of extreme dehydration. Harvested at full bloom for maximum 

efficacy, this ingredient is proven to re-awaken cell activity in skin 

where cell turnover and barrier function is decreased due to aging. 

Formulated to boost elasticity and reduce dryness, dehydration lines 

and wrinkles, this is a natural cream, not synthetic as suggested by 

its strong, paint-like smell. Another of its ingredients is glycolic 

acid, a fruit-derived mild acid which decongests the skin (rids it of 

dairy spots or whiteheads) contributing also towards a fresher 

complexion. Kiehl's Rosa Arctica is an anti-aging treatment cream which 

delivers the firmer, denser, smoother skin promised by the product. I 

found this cream tightened the forehead instantly and delivered a blast 

of continuous moisture to the skin over the following two weeks. My 

skin was so revived and radiant, I stopped using the product until I 

think it needs intensive care again. Kiehl's Rosa Arctica suits all skin 

types 50g £45. Use as a day cream or apply at night. Available from 

Kiehl's stores nationwide or check online at www.kiehls.co.uk

'My Bizarre Harper's Cover' - George Lois/Art Director, Ad Man, Graphic Designer

ESQUIRE Magazine October 1963
Art Direction: George Lois
                
          

First there’s the entire photograph, then there’s the beauty shot – the shot of the model, framed for a fashion magazine, like a classical painting. The black hat and the white furs are designer and create contrast. The lipstick and the nail varnish are pink, vivid and glossy. This framed section of the photo is the magazine front cover shot, the Harper’s Bazaar George Lois refers to in the title, ‘My Bizarre Harper’s Cover’, published in Esquire Magazine in October 1963. Outside of the frame, the rest of the photograph is how the model looks in casual attire, tanned and active, away from the glamour, where 'real life' is located. The aqua background makes the entire image pop. American Art Director, graphic designer and ad man George Lois, photographer Art Kane and Esquire intended to expose the artifice of it all, a comment on the power of the American fashion magazine at that time. DC

'How I Taught Nixon To Use Makeup And Become President' - George Lois/Ad Man, Graphic Designer, Art Director

ESQUIRE Magazine May 1968
Art Direction: George Lois

Between 1962 and 1972, American Art Director and Madison Avenue graphic designer and ad man George Lois conceived and designed 92 front covers for Esquire, the American men’s magazine. In the new world of Sixties media, never before seen visual design and inventive copywriting made unforgettable images created by rebels. George Lois was one.  “I located this profile shot in the wire service archives and had Carl Fischer photograph the four hands, including the one wielding the lipstick”. A composite photograph published in May 1968 before Nixon was nominated for the Presidency, it refers to an era of turmoil and TV political debates won first by the televisual President JFK. It anticipates a digital age in digital photography where everything is a possibility. Mostly, I love the spray can with its light mist, the powder puff and the angle and colour of the Sixties lipstick. The lighting suggests an aeroplane. The four hands are different people and one is manicured in the best Sixties pink nail varnish for effect. Nixon is asleep but doesn’t look relaxed, about to be woken by the pink fluffy powder puff.

Maison Martin Margiela H&M Launch November 15 2012

Maison Martin Margiela H&M November 15 Launch 2012

Shoreditch East London

 Maison Martin Margiela November 2012
Collaboration H&M Collection
https://twitter.com/MMM_Official
http://www.maisonmartinmargiela.com/
 http://instagram.com/maisonmargiela

"Categorised successfully as underground, deconstructive, destroy, 

grunge, minimalist, provocative, established" - excerpt from catalogue 

to exhibition held to celebrate 20 years of Maison Martin Margiela June 

3 2010 to September 5 2010 Somerset House, London, England. 

In the late 1980s, Martin Margiela, the Paris-based Belgian designer,

pioneered the design of the shoulder of a narrow jacket with puffed 

sleeves mounted high for an elegant silhouette, an invention which still 

defines the look of the label today. Tabi boots in leather with a split 

toe traditionally worn as a slipper for agility in Japan is another 

recognised design Margiela feature.The label on a Maison Martin 

Margiela garment (main collection) is a plain white square hand sewn

at each edge with four white stitches. So instead of an obvious designer 

label, a blank white square, reversing the idea of the value of designerwear. 

Other collections are identified by a circled number and since 1998, 

Maison Martin Margiela has designed four collections yearly for men.

Martin Margiela's runway shows, which I attended in Paris initially for 

i-D magazine from October 1992 onwards, were always an 

incredible, involving experience. Demonstrating his concepts by staging 

his shows in unexpected venues, such as disused warehouses, away from 

the usual runway, he disposed of every available rule in 

fashion, including the importance of the front row. Introducing 

integrity in an industry that needs it, Martin Margiela broadened the 

beauty spectrum, expanding what was acceptable by casting unusual women 

to display the clothing. Sometimes the model's faces were completely 

covered in order not to distract from the design content of the 

clothing. The launch of Maison Martin Margiela's collaboration 

collection with highstreet retailer H&M in November 2012 was at least as

incredible a moment as when Jay-Z first raps "Maison Martin Margiela" in

'Run This Town', his track with Rihanna and Kanye West. Margiela's name

has since been checked by other rappers and Kanye himself attended the

Manhattan H&M collaboration collection launch in NYC, an epic moment

where valued conceptual design meets the accessible highstreet.

Revlon Photoready Compact Makeup with Liquefying Screen

                         Revlon Photoready Compact Makeup
                                      Natural Beige

It’s a liquid-like foundation cream compact with an applicator sponge. A fine, plastic micro-grid or ‘liquefying screen’ covers the cream makeup and disperses it evenly as liquid onto the applicator sponge, drying to a soft powder finish. The cream makeup contains light-reflecting pigments and liquefies for complete coverage and blendability. The photochromatic pigments bend, reflect and diffuse light to help erase flaws. Perfected, airbrushed skin is achievable in any light, an effect suggested by the name of the product Revlon Photoready. The rectangular product design and the liquefying screen inside lend a mobile phone-like quality suggesting a piece of makeup technology. Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 20. Complete with mirror. £12.99 for 0.35 Oz/10g, which is quite a small quantity. Range of shades – Vanilla, Shell, Natural Beige, Medium Beige. Oil free, fragrance free and allergy-causing paraben free. Ready for your close-up? www.revlon.co.uk

Japonesque Brow Kit

Japonesque Brow Kit
  Photo by: Deirdre Crowley

Arriving in a slender, pink mock crocodile purse, the Japonesque Brow Kit grooms and defines eyebrows professionally at home or when travelling. It contains three brow stencils, two brow powders in two shades of brown, one brow wax, a Japonesque slanted tweezer, a clear brow gel and two miniature brushes for application. Complicated at first because I’ve never used one, the brow kit shapes and maintains the eyebrows in four simple steps – select a brow shape using one of the three brow stencils; fill the brow shape in with the brow powders; tweeze any stray hairs, and then style and keep the brow shape in place with the clear brow gel. Instructions are included. This kit’s unique character is designed around the beautiful pink mock crocodile purse and the Japonesque stencils you follow to draw the brow on professionally in a natural arch, or a modern arch, or a light arch according to the stencil shape you choose, whichever matches your real brow shape. A beauty kit you will want and use. $28 from ULTA.com or see at www.japonesque.com  $1 will be donated to Breast Cancer Awareness Research with every kit sold. 

L'Oreal True Match Le Blush

Photo by: Deirdre Crowley/Le Blush True Rose

Le Blush by L’Oreal from the True Match range is the most visibly softening of all powder blushers I’ve used. Softening contours as it builds the cheekbones, it’s effect is enhanced by the colours it comes in - True Rose (a lovely, dusky pink I tested), Nude Pink, Rosewood, Old Rose, Nude Brown and Sandalwood Rose - warm, cool and neutral colours formulated to suit every skin tone. The surprise of this product is its two tier design – the compact blusher first and beneath that a mirror and a miniature, useful blusher brush. Oil-free and non-comedogenic (it doesn’t clog the pores causing acne), Le Blush by L’Oreal provides the finishing touch for a perfected, matte complexion. £7.69 from Boots and Superdrug stores nationwide or see the product online at www.loreal-paris.co.uk

Site Statement Think Beauty Try Beauty

i-D Magazine September 2012 issue

Beauty is filtered through to the consumer when the beauty product becomes available. Backstage at the international runway shows and in fashion magazines, for example, as beauty products, cosmetics and beauty tools are used and become more refined, the beauty industry presents an approach to the beauty ideal and it develops. Trends and glamour are identifiable in beauty and popularity translates into sales, sustaining this huge industry. The future of beauty is skincare, cosmetics, beauty tools and beauty applications and technologies, and these are continuous. The idea of your beauty routine is to sustain it, dream a little and absorb its effects. Consume. Synthesise. Absorb. Enhance.

Max Factor Mastertouch Under-Eye Concealer

309 Beige

The new Max Factor Mastertouch Under-Eye Concealer is a concealer pen with a unique absorbent tip for the precise application of concealer under the ultra-delicate eye area. Functioning as a concealer which blends away dark circles, it’s fluid light-diffusing cream can be applied elsewhere on the face to hide the usual blemishes. It gives excellent coverage. Moisturise your skin before applying to maximize the glide-on movement of the absorbent tip. This product dries quickly for efficiently delivered perfecting effects. Excellent alone or apply after your foundation and before your powder, a tip suggested by the international Max Factor makeup team whose Creative Design Director (Beauty) is the makeup artist Pat McGrath, formerly of i-D magazine. From the company who invented Erase, the original concealer, in 1954, the Max Factor Mastertouch Under-Eye Concealer is available in three shades - 303 Ivory, 306 Fair, 309 Beige. £7.99 from Boots stores nationwide or buy online at www.maxfactor.co.uk

Neal's Yard Remedies Organic Beauty Oil

Neal's Yard Remedies
Organic Beauty Oil

It’s a beauty oil. You drink it. Containing essential nutrients and anti-aging antioxidants including Vitamin E and botanical antioxidant lutein which is present in dark, leafy vegetables, the Neal’s Yard Remedies Organic Beauty Oil is a nutritional dietary supplement formulated to enhance the beauty of your skin, hair and nails. Essential nourishing fatty acids (omega 3, 6, and 9) required for biological processes are vital but cannot be provided by the body itself. Omega sources golden flax seed oil, hemp, avocado and evening primrose combine to renew, maintain and repair hair, nails and skin because radiant skin is more than just a surface – it’s needs nourishing. I add Neal’s Yard Remedies Organic Beauty Oil to fruit juice every day. My complexion looks extremely clear recently suggesting good health. This is a unique beauty product. £12.50 200ml. Available to buy from Neal's Yard Remedies stores nationwide or online at nealsyardremedies.com.100% organic.  

L’Oreal Color Riche Lipstick

Crazy Fuchsia 370 

L’Oreal Color Riche tested in Crazy Fuchsia 370 is a lush shade of highly glossy dark pink lipstick for light brunettes from the Made For Me range, a feature of its difference from other lipsticks. The casing is glamorous in silver gold. Enriched with moisturizing Vitamin E and nourishing omega 3 oils, L’Oreal Color Riche is a favourite high shine lipstick, enhanced with light-reflecting waxes. Another cosmetics success from the world’s largest cosmetics company. Other shades are available to enhance your own natural colouring. £8.19. Available from Boots stores nationwide.

Dunhill Custom Eau de Toilette For Men

Dunhill Custom Eau de Toilette For Men

Dunhill Custom as described by Dunhill, the designer menswear, leather goods and accessories company, is “a perfectly tailored fragrance” for men. Designed for the individual, and accompanying the Dunhill fashion line, Dunhill Custom is a fragrance in a square glass flacon that has weight and a cap that can be customized using the Dunhill Monogram service available at www.dunhill.com. Containing English Pippin Apple, Cedarwood and Spicy Black Pepper, Dunhill Custom is “a head-turning scent”, and “a scent that really suited me”, as tried by Mr Peter Andrews. With over one hundred years experience, Dunhill Custom by Dunhill is a covetable product. Eau de Toilette 50ml £42.00. Eau de Toilette 100ml £54.00. Launched exclusively at Harrods.

Japonesque Pro Brow/Lash Comb

Precision crafted with a wooden handle designed for a weighty in-hand feel, the JAPONESQUE Pro Brow/Lash Comb with natural bristles creates a fuller, groomed looking eyebrow in tune with current trends created by beauty professionals backstage at the international runway shows who are known to favour JAPONESQUE beauty tools. Less inclined to pluck your eyebrows as a result of using this brow/lash comb, you will find the eyebrow’s natural shape is enhanced, while the lash comb expertly separates lashes after the application of mascara. For professionally shaped, separated and defined eyebrows and eye lashes, find the JAPONESQUE Pro Brow/Lash Comb online at www.japonesque.com $12. JAPONESQUE beauty tool tutorials are available to view online.

Max Factor Miracle Touch Creamy Blush

14 Soft Pink

The advantage of cream blusher over powder blusher is its finish. Applied to bare skin or over a foundation, its cream texture beautifies the complexion. Max Factor Miracle Touch Creamy Blush in 14 Soft Pink, a warm pink, is not much bigger than a 10p coin. It appears small at first but containing an expert amount of colour, it’s the best cream blusher I’ve ever used particularly for Summer days when the skin is more naturally radiant. Preferably blend with a blusher brush to perfect coverage and to complement your own colouring choose also from 03 Soft Copper, 07 Soft Candy, 09 Soft Murano. £6.99. A rosy tone that lasts all day. Available from Boots or order online at www.maxfactor.co.uk

Max Factor Miracle Touch Creamy Blush Update 19 February 2013  

After I posted this review in September 2012, the product was used

extensively a month later in October 2012 during the Spring/Summer 2013

runway shows to create a number of looks that are current. Makeup Artist

and Max Factor Global Creative Design Director Pat McGrath used the 

Max Factor Creamy Blush in Soft Copper and in Soft Pink at the Stella 

McCartney and Givenchy shows and at Versace, Bottega Veneta, 

Dolce & Gabbana and Valentino. "I haven't seen this much blush since 

the nineties", she says, "and it's good to see it back!". 

JAPONESQUE Retractable Lip Brush

The JAPONESQUE Retractable Lip Brush is a technically advanced lip brush designed with a precision tip so accurate it completely erases the need for lip liner. Its synthetic fibre tip tapers to a point so fine it's the ultimate in precision, mistake-free lipstick application and as you fill in lines and small crevices, it lends a fuller look to the lips.

As a retractable lip brush, it reduces to travel size and fits in your handbag. In the lightweight pen format, it glides open and closes with a satisfying click as it retracts to completely cover the lip brush inside. A superior product, consider this my new makeup bag staple. Order online at www.japonesque.com $14. JAPONESQUE beauty tool tutorials are available to view online.

Dr Organic Organic Rose Otto Night Cream

Dr Organic Organic Rose Otto Night Cream

Like the Dr Organic Manuka Honey Rescue Cream reviewed previously, Dr Organic Organic Rose Otto Night Cream is free from petrochemicals and artificial preservatives including parabens and sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) that strip the skin causing long-term damage. Using only organic and natural ingredients in its products, and the latest scientific methods of extraction, this ecologically-conscious beauty range fulfils the aims of its products I think. 

The Dr Organic Organic Rose Otto Night Cream anti-ages instantly. Working specifically when applied overnight, I found it brightened the appearance of the skin to reveal a natural, moisturized glow. Penetrating  the subcutaneous layers of the epidermis, lowering trans dermal dehydration, and stimulating new fibroblasts - cells that synthesize collagen, the skin’s vital proteins - the health of my skin was revived during sleep. 

One of the most expensive and newly applied essential beauty oils, the Oil of Rosa Damascena contained in the Rose Otto Night Cream is renowned for its rejuvenating properties. It improves the skin's texture making it appear smoother, softer, younger. The rose oil combines with biologically active ingredients including Menyanthes Trifoliata, an aquatic plant clinically tested for its anti-aging properties. As a successful overnight cream, the Rose Otto Night Cream leaves the skin hydrated and nourished. One of my favourite recently found skincare ranges, Dr Organic is stocked exclusively at Holland and Barrett stores in the UK. £9.79 for 50ml. Available also to buy online. www.drorganic.co.uk

Dr Organic Organic Manuka Honey Rescue Cream

Dr Organic Organic Manuka Honey Rescue Cream

Free from petrochemicals, additives and artificial preservatives that strip the skin of valuable moisture causing long-term damage, Dr Organic Organic Manuka Honey Rescue Cream is a rich cream which rescues the skin in emergency conditions. Containing manuka, the healing honey of New Zealand and the Maori people, it is a hypoallergenic (tested against allergies), moisturising, nourishing, rejuvenating and soothing cream which can be used on dry skin, sun exposed skin, sensitive skin, irritated skin and allergic skin. It is, I found, particularly effective as an under eye moisturiser, an eye cream.

As a rescue cream, it repairs, restores and hydrates dry, cracked and damaged skin, enhancing natural cell regeneration and improving skin tone. Additionally, it contains Sweet Almond Oil, Beeswax, Zinc Oxide, Liquorice Root and the essential skin nutrient Vitamin E. Dr Organic Organic Manuka Honey Rescue Cream is a treasure of a product. 50ml for the incredibly reasonable price of £8.69. The Dr Organic range is stocked exclusively at Holland and Barrett stores in the UK. Available also to buy online. See the Dr Organic range at www.drorganic.co.uk

Boots No7 Poppy King Lipstick

  

Number Three Glamour
No7 Poppy King

Boots own brand No7 Poppy King Lipstick is a collaboration with Australian lipstick entrepreneur Poppy King. Producing an exclusive range of lipsticks intended to change women’s views of lip colour forever, this line involves the expertise of a woman whose other inventions include the invisible lip liner. 

Each shade in the No7 Poppy King Lipstick range is given a name and an idea by the designer - History, Power, Glamour, Seduction, Intrigue, Confidence, Allure. The colour I tested was Number Three Glamour, a dark pink in a highly covetable small, signed silver tube in a beautiful green polka dot and red box. Apply No7 Poppy King Lipstick straight from the tube, blot to set and then apply another coat. Build colour by dabbing on using feather strokes. These sheer, highly moisturizing colours are trans-seasonal, transferring from Winter to Summer easily unlike most.

Available from Boots nationwide. £12 for a 4g tube. View the range of colours at  www.boots.com

JAPONESQUE Artisan Tweezer

  

Designed with ease of use in mind so that it fits comfortably in the hand and feels like an extension of your fingers, the JAPONESQUE Artisan (‘skilled’) Tweezer is an essential beauty tool for precision grooming. Crafted for perfect balance and alignment, this stainless steel tweezer is finished with a deep, rich enamel coating for a weighty in-hand feel. Constructed with a hand-filed precision tip, it is designed for flawless extraction and expert hair removal. Invading territory previously occupied by the mighty  ‘Tweezerman’ only and aiming high aesthetically, the enamel coating comes in a range of exceptionally covetable patterns and colours. Some of the best include the Starry Dreams Artisan, Cheetah Pattern Artisan, Summer Stripe Artisan, Jigsaw Patterned Tweezer, Artisan Slant Tip – Pink.  

Based in California and founded over 20 years ago, JAPONESQUE the brand has supplied precision instruments and makeup brushes to the beauty industry, providing the tools necessary to create new looks backstage, for example, at the international runway shows and in fashion magazines. As beauty tools become more refined, the beauty industry’s approach to the beauty ideal or aesthetics develops also. Beauty is filtered through to the consumer when the product becomes available. Used extensively by beauty professionals worldwide, exceptional materials, superior craftsmanship and uncompromising standards guarantee the most versatile, inventive and distinctive makeup brushes and beauty tools are made by JAPONESQUE. 

I cannot recommend the name more highly. The JAPONESQUE Artisan Tweezer is available to buy from selected John Lewis department stores in the UK or at www.japonesque.com $20.00. JAPONESQUE beauty tools tutorials are available to view online. Note: JAPONESQUE Tweezer Reconditioning Program - should your tweezers ever loose their edge, simply send the tweezers to be reconditioned for free. Details online. 

Lush Ultrabland Cleanser

Lush Ultrabland Cleanser

Named Ultrabland, because its ingredients are simply formulated to cause minimal irritation, the Lush Ultrabland Cleanser is a rich, soft, oily face cream that cleanses the skin including the delicate area around the eye to effectively remove even waterproof mascara. It is intended to treat every type of skin without causing reaction or puffiness. Recommended also for people with problem skin, if you use nothing but Ultrabland for one month, it brings the skin back into balance whilst thoroughly cleansing it. 

Based on an ancient beeswax and vegetable oil formula from the times of Galen, the Greek physician and philosopher, Lush Ultrabland Cleanser lifts dirt, grease and make up without stripping away your skin's natural defenses. To use, warm and melt with the fingertips and massage lightly onto the skin. Almond oil and beeswax combine to bind grease and dirt, eradicating it efficiently with the use of a damp cotton pad or muslin cloth soaked in lukewarm water. Rose water and rose absolute (rosa damascena) reduce redness and balance and calm the skin. Honey soothes, moisturises and is an antiseptic. Fresh irises steeped in the almond oil are an ancient skin beautifying added ingredient. 

Considered the Lush founders' number one Desert Island product, they’ve used it for almost 30 years themselves and cannot do without it. Similarly, I’ve used the Lush Ultrabland Cleanser for seven years and wouldn’t use any other cleanser on my skin.

 £6.45 for 45g. £10.25 for 100g from Lush stores in the UK or order online at 
www.lush.co.uk.

Jergens Naturals Skin Firming Body Moisturiser with Pomegranate Extract

Jergens Naturals

  

Jergens Naturals Skin Firming Body Moisturiser with Pomegranate Extract is one of the new, modern, natural and effective alternatives to synthetic body moisturisers. Made with 96% natural ingredients, as tried and tested, it visibly firms cellulite-prone skin after just two uses, an amazing, almost instant effect of its main ingredient Pomegranate. 

Pomegranate is a source of powerful antioxidants known to seek out and destroy free radicals which age the skin by decreasing its elasticity. Aloe, a great skin cooler, is renowned for its moisturizing and firming properties. White Tea is rich in powerful antioxidants known to help fight inflammation. This wonder cream for the body also contains Jojoba Seed, Soybeans, Cottonseed - which maintains moisture balance in the skin, Sunflower, Grape - which relieves distressed skin and boosts the skin’s moisture barrier, Green Tea Leaves and Dog Rose. Added caramel gives this lotion its pleasing colour naturally. 

As the most effective visible skin firming body moisturizing cream I have ever used, specifically on the upper thighs, stomach and the upper inner arm, I highly recommend Jergens  Naturals Skin Firming Body Moisturiser with Pomegranate Extract. Improves and maintains elasticity. Allergy-causing paraben free. 

Not tested on animals. Made in the UK. 200ml RRP £4.99. 350ml RRP £6.49. Available at most good supermarkets, Superdrug, Boots or at  www.jergens.co.uk

Neal's Yard Remedies Wild Rose Beauty Balm - my desert island product

Neal's Yard Remedies Wild Rose Beauty Balm

Neal’s Yard Remedies Wild Rose Beauty Balm is a cleansing, moisturising, refining treatment which is formulated to achieve smooth, radiant-looking skin. Containing vitamin-rich wild rosehip seed oil, this little miracle nourishes and revitalises skin in need of emergency conditioning. With its natural, delicate scent, it is rich in anti-aging antioxidants and essential fatty acids which help keep all skin types in complete optimum condition. 

The award-winning Wild Rose Beauty Balm is a three-way product which can be used as a gentle exfoliating cleanser, or as a balancing mask, or as a deeply nourishing and protecting balm for dry or dehydrated skin. The high levels of wild rosehip oil - proven to help repair, firm and smooth the skin, combine with geranium, starflower, hemp and rosemary seed oil to decongest (that is, swiftly rid the skin of white heads or dairy spots, for example) and enrich the skin, restoring its natural radiance within a week as tried and tested. An unbleached, organic muslin cloth included with the product should be dampened with warm water and used to remove the balm for gentle exfoliating and cleansing or deeply nourishing the skin if used overnight. Apply sparingly to clean, dry skin, paying particular attention to dry and dehydrated areas.

This superior beauty balm, the best I've ever used, also functions as a full facial treatment – see instructions enclosed with the product. To care for the accompanying muslin cloth, wash regularly with a mild detergent and allow to dry naturally. £37 for 50g. Made in England. 99% organic ingredients. 

Available to buy from Neal’s Yard Remedies stores nationwide as part of the complete Wild Rose skincare range or purchase online at www.nealsyardremedies.com. Neal’s Yard Remedies Wild Rose Beauty Balm is without doubt an essential part of your beauty routine.

Boots No7 Natural Blush

22 Candy Pink

No7 Natural Blush Cheek Colour Compact is an improved formula powder blusher from the Boots own brand range of cosmetics. Blended from micro fine powders, it can be applied smoothly, with or without foundation, if worn with a moisturiser. The colour I tested in 22 Candy Pink reflects current trends in cosmetics. It enhances a pale complexion, giving a fresh-faced look. Applied correctly with a blusher brush, its sheer formulation gives a luminous glow. The approved method of application suggests you smile, then lightly apply the colour to the apple of your cheek. Build colour gradually as it easier to add than to take away.

Other colours include Soft Damson, Honey and Coral Flush. £9.50 for a long-lasting 5g. Available at Boots stores nationwide. Hypo-allergenic (allergy tested) for sensitive skin. With added Vitamin E and Pro Vitamin B5 to care and condition.

Biotherm Skin Vivo Uniformity

Biotherm Skin Vivo Uniformity

In formulating Biotherm Skin Vivo Uniformity, an anti-aging texture and tone reversive day cream, scientists at Biotherm have combined their knowledge of both the clinical signs of aging and genomics (the study of genetics and DNA) to identify and target five key irregularities involved in the loss of skin condition – hyperpigmentation or uneven dark patches, redness, dull tone, roughness and loss of elasticity. Whatever the season, climate or altitude, Ultra Violet or sun exposure remains the primary cause of premature aging of the skin. Skin Vivo Uniformity, the latest in Biotherm’s advanced anti-aging range of face creams, is scientifically proven to help visibly rejuvenate and protect the skin’s appearance by returning a more uniform-looking complexion.

Formulated with five active ingredients combined with UVA/UVB Sun Protection Factor 15, Biotherm Skin Vivo Uniformity contains Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, derived from a micro-organism chosen for its action on dermal proteins. Vitamin CG, a derivative of Vitamin C chosen for its anti-aging, exfoliating and anti-pigmentation properties. ER 195, derivative of salicyclic acid chosen for its micro-exfoliating effect to remove excess dead skin cells that can dull the complexion. Reverserol SV, Senna alata leaf extract chosen for its self-protecting properties. Pure Thermal Plantkon, chosen for its skin-smoothing properties.

This product is recommended for normal and combination skin and with regard to skin tone, I found it delivered a decrease in the appearance of pigmentation imperfection, a decrease in the appearance of redness and an increase in skin luminosity. Skin texture feels refined. There are fewer visible pores. Skin feels more supple. Skin Vivo Uniformity by Biotherm is in fact a supercream. You can feel its potency immediately. Apply once daily and again at night. £59.00 for 50ml. Available at selected Boots or on Amazon or locate a store at  www.biotherm.co.uk

Kiehl's Panthenol Protein Moisturizing Face Cream with Vitamin E and Beta Carotene

Kiehl's Panthenol Protein Moisturizing Face Cream

Kiehl's, the skincare brand, was founded as an apothecary in New York's East Village over 150 years ago. As a full-service pharmacy, it offered customers homeopathic and herbal remedies, essential oils, over-the-counter drugs, and the first Kiehl's own brand name products. Kiehl's extensive experience has resulted in a specialist cosmetic, pharmaceutical, herbal and medicinal knowledge refined over generations. 

Containing minimal allergy-causing preservatives and enriched with nourishing Vitamin E and Beta Carotene, the Kiehl's Panthenol Protein Moisturizing Face Cream is the one Winter moisturiser I always use. In the most effective way, it combats both the harsh weather conditions outside, and the in-home extremely drying effects of Winter heating on the skin. This face cream’s key ingredient Panthenol is a penetrating, naturally-derived plant protein which absorbs into the skin and is converted into Pantothenic Acid, a B complex vitamin which maintains healthy skin and hair also. It assists skin care products in retaining water and absorbs water from the air, aiding in skin moisturization. The Kiehl's Panthenol Protein Moisturizing Face Cream also contains olive fruit oil, sweet almond oil, apricot kernel oil and avocado oil. To eradicate dryness and for optimal overall skin maintenance, use as a day cream or at night. £35.00 for a generous 125ml. Not tested on animals. Available from Kiehl's stores nationwide.

Revlon Grow Luscious Lash Liner

Revlon Grow Luscious Lash Liner in Emerald

The Revlon Grow Luscious Lash Liner comes in Onyx (black), Emerald (green) and Espresso (brown). A revolutionary pencil, it contains a botanical and vitamin rich formula which nourishes and supports healthy eye lashes. In just one stroke, the Onyx I tested delivered an ultra-smooth, intense jet black lick of colour to the lash line. Glide along lashes from inner to outer corner, keeping close to the lash line itself. Non-irritating to wear, intense stayability, waterproof. £6.29. Available to buy at Boots and Superdrug. Locate a store at www.revlon.co.uk. A perfect accompanying product to the Revlon Grow Luscious Plumping Mascara in Blackest Black.