Pencil power

A short, sharp but sweet post. These cute pencils from Bourjois are called Contour Clubbing Pencils, but even if you don't bust moves on the dance floor, they're great for giving high voltage to a classic smoky eye. Apply to upper and lower lash lines to make your look rock and pop. They're waterproof so have poolside written all over them.

Bourjois Contour Clubbing Pencils, £4.99

Serum smart

As some flip over a new lipstick or mascara, I do the same when a new serum comes into my eye line. I adore serums. Their lightweight, drink it all in attitude suits skin something wonderful and I believe are the saviour of many a pooped out complexion. If I dropped one from my skin regime it would feel like going out without any underwear.

You may have heard about Clinique's Smart Custom-Repair Serum as it was launched back in June, but I've only just gotten around to trying it. It's an SOS kind of serum that uses repair technology to help patch up the damage you see and even the damage you don't on your skin. In R&D for 5 years it boasts the power of 37 patents to deliver custom repair. I could rattle through them, but all anyone wants to know is, does it make the skin look better? Well, I've only been trying it for a couple of days and as nice as it is to use, I can't say whether it does or doesn't yet, but what I can tell you is, that after a 12 week study, results showed visible improvement in treating uneven skin tone, dark spots, dullness, lines, wrinkles and firming. Now, that sounds seriously smart.

Clinique Smart Custom-Repair Serum, from £48.00.
www.clinique.co.uk
 

#SCENTWITHLOVE

One of the factors that keeps a brand fresh is newness. But the balance can be tricky. Too much newism can feel overwhelming and not enough makes the brand look stale. DKNY hits the right note with fragrances being introduced just when you fancy a spritz of a different kind of NYC spirit.

The newest edition from brand is DKNY MYNY - the tag message being, be part of New York. And really who wouldn't want to be? A non-stop city buzzing with life, personality and a can-do attitude, the juice sums this up with their newly chosen fragrance face Rita Ora. As for the scent - it's playful and sexy. Raspberries, Egyptian Jasmine, Freesia with a dry down of Vanilla Absolute and Musk makes it modern and urban. Although it has to be said, it's more chic than street! As for the bottle, I personally find it a tad clunky, but you can't ignore the homage to one of the most exciting skylines in the world. Spritz and enjoy.

DKNY MYNY retails from £37 and is available exclusively at Debenhams.co.uk from the 5th August and nationwide from 20th August. 

Insta-fabulous skin

Who doesn't want better looking skin in a instant? It's available on Instagram with the right filters - heck, does anyone leave their skin untouched when uploaded? But what about in real life. You know, when you meet people face-to-face? Alpha-H Instant Facial comes pretty close to giving your skin a clean sweep and a bright hello. Based on the benefits of a salon inspired peel - minus the redness, since I've been using this I've had quite a few compliments about how good my skin looks. It's a breeze to use too. Simply spritz on a cotton pad and wipe over your face. I only use in the evenings, as I don't want to over-do it and risk dry skin by using twice a day as recommended, then follow up with my usual serum or moisturiser. It's just the tonic for refining pore size, reducing dead cell build-up and mattifying the T-zone. In your face Instagram filter!

Alpha-H Instant Facial, £35.50.
www.alpha-h.com