A lipstick worth talking about

Mwah! It’s beauty rumoured that women who wear lipstick kiss their partners more often than women who don’t. It's also said they're ready to kick off their heels and enjoy life more than those who prefer to leave their lips slick bare. Doesn’t that say something about the increased confidence women get from wearing lipstick?

Hot on the lip-licious factor is Clarins new Rouge Eclat Satin Finish Age-Defying Lipstick which is launching in January. With lips at their pout best around the age of 16 – after the first flush of youth, lips gradually lose their pillow fullness with age unless you resort to fillers; Clarins have created a long-lasting colour along with an injection of their Nutri-Youth Complex. Protecting lips against dehydration and helping to boosts collagen, the formulation feels super nourishing and cushioning thanks to the inclusion of vitamin E and plant waxes. Remember, a dry lip adds up to a thinner looking lip. Plus, they’re lip-smacking tasty too with a blackberry and liquorice flavour. Beautifully encased in gold, cherry pick from 15 gorgeous shades catalogued under subtle nudes, rich and warm and vibrant brights. An Angelina Jolie mouth is not guaranteed, but surely this has to be a lipstick lust for the start of the new year.

Clarins Rouge Eclat Lipstick, £18.50 available from January.

Pretty naughty, pretty nice!

HOLIDAY HAPPY COLOURS

I know we haven’t celebrated Christmas yet, but after being saturated with copious amounts of glitter, gold and sparkle leading up to the festive week, it was a breath of fresh beauty air when something caught my eye that looked light and sweet, reminding me of warmer and fun times ahead.

Estee Lauder’s Pure Color Pretty Naughty collection, is not hitting the stores until February, but I thought I’d shout about it now to build up a little bit of excitement for what really is a dullsville month. Usually a month of dull skies and no celebration - except if it's your birthday, so a little bit of pretty certainly wouldn't go a miss!

Tom Pecheux, creative make-up director for Lauder has really tapped into the sunny side of his nature for his uplifting trend collection for spring. Yes, these watercolour pastels could be classed as pretty naughty, or in my eyes just plain pretty – without being insipid. Shades take inspiration from an English garden, but far from twee, they're given an urban twist and described as youthful and rebellious. Find your inner rebel by playing up the fanciful soft hues in the eye palette, and then slightly taming with the dark pigments for emphasis. The double ended Kajal EyeLiner in black and sky blue can be used to give a youthful flicker or bold definition at the corner of the eye. Nail the look with Insatiable, the light weight lilac nail polish that’s a tad off-beat. The whole collection may have grown from the creative seeds of an English garden, but to me the colours just sum up the joy of travel – blue skies and happy minds.

Pure Color Five Color Eyeshadow Palette in Pretty Naughty, £35

Pure Color Intense Kajal Eyeliner Duo in black/blue, £18

Pure Color Nail Lacquer in Insatiable, £14.50

www.esteelauder.co.uk

Hollywood's skin secret

I recently read that you should hide away heavy duty wrinkle creams in your bathroom when inviting friends around – along with any other embarrassing lotions and potions. Now, I can understand hemorrhoid cream, but wrinkle cream?  To me this comes under the same category as a Botox user putting their line free complexion down to drinking water and having early nights. If you have good looking skin why not spread the word on what you’re using?

One cream I wouldn’t mind my friends seeing is Erno Laszlo’s new Transphuse Line Refining Cream. One because it costs £235 and therefore they must think I’m doing okay for myself! And two, it looks luxurious on the bathroom shelf. A skincare line with true Hollywood heritage, it was founded by a young and forward thinking dermatologist called Dr Erno Laszlo in the late 1920’s. Seen as a skincare revolutionary, his advice was sought after by Hollywood’s elite including Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.  

Today, Dr Laszlo’s philosophy still holds true with the creation of tailor made products specifically formulated to confront the signs of premature aging. Transphuse boasts ‘fusion technology’ that is said to stimulate new collagen growth and modulates micro-dermal contractions that cause fine lines. A key ingredient is the plant based Gatuline Expression that is said to relax facial muscles. I’ve been using the cream for a little over a week, and although I can’t say lines are melting away – a month is needed for visible results, I do like the feel of it. Light in texture and sinking readily into the skin, it leaves my skin feeling firmer. Only time will tell if it's a keeper in terms of anti-aging benefits, but  it’s a cream I’m going to continue with. I’m having friends around tonight, and I’m going to ignore the bathroom etiquette  rules and leave this tube of gorgeousness on my bathroom shelf!

Erno Laszlo Transphuse skincare line is available from January from The White Hall at Harrods priced from £95.

www.ErnoLaszlo.com

Eyeing up some Egyptian attitude

There’s nothing quite like working a sexy Cleopatra eye whether it be a cinematic Liz Taylor or an Amanda Barrie Carry On effect. The tool of the trade for this mysterious and captivating look is kohl. This form of eyeliner had its breakout moment in Ancient Egypt where it was worn not only to enhance the eyes, but said to protect skin from the searing desert sun. It has also been speculated that kohl was worn to protect the wearer from the evil eye. Today, the only kind of eye Bourjois is interested in creating is one with modern attitude and mystery which comes courtesy of their new and aptly named Queen Attitude Kohl Kajal.

Twisting up like a lipstick bullet - the black satin ribbon at the end of the tube makes for a nice touch, this cone shaped kohl is inky black and incredibly soft thanks to its natural waxes. Although coal intense, it gives a powdery and graphic finish thereby creating a sensual, rather than a hard looking eye.  But if applied with a heavy hand, it can be easily smudged out due to its baby softness. Really, it's goof-proof to master. There’s no need for a pencil sharpener either as the tip will naturally contour to your make-up application without the need to sharpen. Apart from bathing in asses milk, I think this clever kohl captures the spirit of Egyptian beauty beautifully!

Bourjois Queen Attitude Kohl Kajal, £6.99

Available from www.boots.com www.superdrug.com and www.asos.com