A friend admitted to me recently how much she loves lip gloss. She said it sheepishly, like it was a dirty secret: “I know it is a bit tacky…” Well, actually it’s not. On any level. Yes, the formulation used to be tacky, but now it’s much more sophisticated. And you can get a slightly more understated gloss look – it needn’t be gooey – with a glossy lipstick. Which makes it easier to channel Studio 54 meets stealth wealth. Keep everything else simple and just let your lips shine.
1. Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb £18, boots.com
2. Sisley Phyto Rouge Shine £31, sisley-paris.com
3. Victoria Beckham Beauty Posh Gloss £26, victoriabeckhambeauty.com
4. Jones Road Cool Gloss £20, jonesroadbeauty.com
5. Tom Ford Soleil Ultra Shine Lip Color £44, tomford.co.uk
I can’t do without… A remarkable face powder that leaves your skin looking radiant
Powders have a terrible reputation. Their original purpose was to absorb excess oil, give your makeup a velvety finish and set everything in place. Instead, what we largely have is a product that gives you a caked look, and gets stuck in the creases and crevices of the skin, making you look older than Methuselah (and at this point your skin also looks dead). And if you have dark skin by now you also look very grey. It’s not surprising that many of us balk at the idea of powders. However, there is a new wave worth tapping into, all down to a beautiful, modern and really sublime formulation. This one from Hermès is at the very top of the game. The powder is mattifying, but leaves you radiant. It is so finely milled and exquisitely developed that it is barely perceptible on the skin. In fact, as the name suggests it has such an air-like quality to it – so unlike other powders – you feel as if you are wearing nothing. And even if you have to reapply it during the day, it adds no weight. The most impressive thing about it, however, is that it includes emollients – so it is really beneficial to the skin. A powder that has skincare qualities, leaves your make up with the perfect finish without leaving you flat? When you consider the glut of skin-deadening powders on the market right now, this truly is a triumph. Hermès Plein Air Radiant Matte Powder, £72, hermes.com
On my radar… Welcome the new season in with fresh scents
Spring forward An aromatic musk, amber, incense and sage scent might not be an obvious choice for spring, but for a beautiful scent off the beaten track, look no further. Byredo De Los Santos, £182, byredo.com
Clean and fresh Expect this lightly foaming cleansing gel from the new body care line by Serge Lutens to leave you exquisitely scented all day long. Serge Lutens Cleansing Gel, £36, libertylondon.com
Hair apparent Does anyone actually need a hair mist? Not really. But if, like this one from a fragrance brand, it fortifies and conditions your hair while making it smell amazing, then why not? Ormonde Jayne Hair Mist, £60, selfridges.com
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