I’m so glad Chanel decided to continue with its Les Beiges Water Fresh Tint line. Since its launch in 2019, it’s become a summer sell-out and has now added two innovative new products to the line-up for barely-there make-up. The original Water-Fresh Tint foundation* is still available and amazing, with its ‘microfluidic’ oil-in-water-gel formula that smooshes into a delightful sheer veil of coverage. (more…)
After the longest winter ever, we’re finally seeing glimmers of brighter days ahead. The one thing that’s kept me going beauty-wise has been products that engage the senses. Much as I appreciate purely functional products, I’m far more likely to use things if they look, smell and feel nice.
SKINCARE. Apart from the odd central heating-induced breakout, my skin’s been surprisingly well behaved this year. My morning routine is fairly simple – oil or balm cleanser, followed by hydrating serum, moisturiser and facial oil. Shiseido’s Vital Protection Radiance Serum* (£106 below) has been a joy to use. Even though it’s a creamy texture, it’s quite ‘wet’, so it gives a good amount of slip for morning facial massage (I use my knuckles but you can also use a gua sha stone). While it’s pitched as anti-ageing (for fading dark spots and firming the jawline), I just use it as an extra boost of hydration. (more…)
Latest update on beauty ingredient, yuzu fruit. Since I mentioned it in my spring trend round up, the Japanese citrus has cropped up in a summer fragrance and a radiance boosting foundation.
The fragrance first. Louis Vuitton’s ‘On the Beach‘ (£200, above and below) is part of its Les Colognes line (colognes but with eau de parfum concentration) and combines a top juicy note of yuzu (the note you smell first), with a herby cocktail of thyme, rosemary, pink pepper, cloves and cypress, plus a floral neroli note. It’s designed to smell subtly coastal rather than full-on beachy (despite the name). Fragrantica has some early reviews here. (more…)
If there’s one thing this year has proved, it’s the importance of the human touch. Not being able to hug, enjoy a massage or simply shake hands has been, for many, beyond brutal. And for good reason. Skin-on-skin contact is scientifically proven to boost our emotions, releasing powerful feel-good hormones. According to Tiffany Field of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami, so-called ‘skin hunger’ actually weakens our immune systems, effectively allowing the stress hormone cortisol to run riot.
The next best thing then, according to Field, might be self-administered touch. (more…)
