A new season is the perfect time to take stock of your skincare, shake up your make up, and invest in some new season beauty buys to see you through. Pack away the summer scents and leave the lustrous lip glosses behind, it’s all about indulging in cosy colours and rich formulas.
Here’s what we’ve been loving recently…
Miller Harris can always be relied upon for a delicious new season scent. Last winter we fell hard for the smoky Peau Santal, with its warming notes of sandalwood and pink pepper, but this year it’s the turn of the new Myrica Muse (100ml, £125). With top notes of Strawberry, Bayberry, Pink Pepper and Tangerine, a heart of Jasmine, Lily of the Valley, Patchouli, Rose and Rum, and a base of Benzoin, Musk, Amber, Sandalwood and Vanilla, it smells as good as it sounds. This fruity floral created by perfumer Emilie Bouge, it’s seductive and sophisticated, at once cosy and elegant without being overpowering or too floral. We’re sold. www.millerharris.com
Italian skincare brand Irene Forte has released its revamped Forte Illuminante Lavender Collection with sustainable packaging and even more efficacious formulas. The Lavender Face Cream with Glutathione (50ml, £90) aims to purify and brighten the skin, reformulated to include key ingredient, Glutathione, which has been proven as a potent antioxidant in the brand’s scientific trials delaying cell damage and protects skin DNA to help reduce signs of skin ageing. Together with Rosemary Water, Glutathione also helps to lighten dark spots, deliver a more even skin tone, and purify the skin while Lavender Water soothes and refreshes and Hyaluronic Acid works to replenish moisture levels. It’s deliciously lightweight on the skin and yet feels richly replenishing. The Lavender Tetra-Acid Mask (50ml, £90) is a triple Alpha Hydroxy Acid Complex from Italian Grape, Apple and Lemon, blended with Azelaic Acid. It’s quickly become a staple in my Sunday night skin regime; ten short minutes and you can already feel and see an improvement in the skin’s tone and texture. www.ireneforteskincare.co.uk
Body brushing isn’t exactly a new concept, but HigherDOSE is changing the game with its Copper Body Brush. The ion-charged copper bristles help to accelerate lymphatic drainage, exfoliate the skin and wake up the body, in turn helping to reduce cellulite and restore electromagnetic balance. There’s no competition for a body brush to stimulate the lymphatic system and accelerate the drainage of toxins, inflammation, and even fat. Building it in to a daily routine (I find it easiest to keep by the bed and do it first thing in the morning) and you’ll soon start seeing - and feeling - a difference. The HigherDOSE brush’s ion-charged copper bristles create friction with the body, releasing neutralising ions that are easily absorbed through the skin to help reduce acidity levels in the body and balance your energy state, while the natural horsehair bristles alongside add a luxuriously soft touch. www.higherdose.com
As the central heating starts whirring (though actually with the cost of it, maybe not this winter…) it will inevitably start to play havoc with hair; dry, frizzy locks are not the one. FFØR’s new Super:Shine Gloss Mist (100ml, £19 www.ffor.com) creates a glass-like shine whilst targeting frizz to leave hair super glossy. Infused with bergamot and vetivert, it doesn’t smell too bad either.
While we’re on the subject of hair, those clever folk at John Frieda have launched a new Vibrant Shine collection. The shampoo and conditioner feature lightweight Rose Hip Oil & Shine-Enhancing Complex to cleanse and illuminate hair from within without weighing it down. £6.99 each from www.boots.com.
