As the weather (slowly, but surely) warms up, the colour gradually returns to one's cheeks and the deathly pallor of the last few months of winter subsides, it's the perfect time of year to give your beauty regime an overhaul, give everything a spring clean and invest in some new products to see you through to summer.
Over the last couple of months I've become heavily reliant on the somewhat genius Burt's Bees Intense Hydration Night Cream(£19.99 www.burtsbees.co.uk. Infused with Clary Sage, a plant that grows on mountainsides and is known for its incredible moisture retention, this petite pot packs a serious punch. A little goes a long way and just a small dose nightly is enough to smother your face in a richly indulgent layer of moisture. Using it throughout the winter has kept my skin supple and soft, meaning fewer scrubs and a better blank canvas to start the new season with. The range also includes an Intense Hydration Day Lotion (a little rich for my skin but great of you suffer from dryness) an Eye Cream and Treatment.
Being a big fan of multipurpose products, Egyptian Magic has become one of my favourite new discoveries. This all-natural skin and hair balm is made from six of nature's most powerful moisturising and healing ingredients - olive oil, beeswax, honey, bee pollen, royal jelly and propolis; based on an ancient Egyptian recipe, it's been a bestseller for the last 20 years. The non-greasy blend can be used for a host of purposes; make up remover, moisturiser, eye cream, split end mending hair treatment, lip balm, hand cream, nail conditioner - the list is endless. The fact that it's antibacterial and contains no toxins makes it a perfect stretch mark prevention regimen during pregnancy, soothing redness and fading scars, and even healing blemishes. A pot of genius if ever there was one. £29.00 from www.selfridges.com .
Spring is synonymous with injecting some fresh colour into one's wardrobe, and make up bag, and I have a trio of new favourites that at doing just that. Cowshed's naughty
little sister, Shoreditch's Cheeky Parlour, now does a nice line in products, including the a Chat Me Up Nail Paint (£7 each from www.urcheeky.com ) My spring faves are Babe Watch, a luscious lilac, and the suits-everyone pinky nude Laid Back. Sisley's Hydrating Longlasting Lipsticks (£34.00 www.sisley-paris.com), with their sleek, gold packaging and prism cut, remind me of the old-school glamorous lip colours of my mother's I used to play with as a child, even down to the scent. With 23 shades, ranging from satin and pearlescent to iridescent, I adore the L31, a richly vibrant fuchsia pink.
I'm the first to put my hands up and admit I don't get my hair trimmed nearly as much as I should (twice a year, maybe...) and since I've been colouring it for 15 years it's starting to look a tad frazzled at the ends. The new OGX Weightless Hydration Coconut Water Shampoo & Conditioner (£6.99 from www.boots.com) have been lending a helping hand to keep my mane moisturised until such time as I get round to booking a haircut, with the added bonus of making my bonce smell like a Caribbean cocktail. Win win.
Love Laurel x
