Origins puts the zing in your skin

By golly, just looking at this GinZing Refreshing Scrub Cleanser from Origins sets my skin all a tingle. In a get-up-and-go-go bright orange tube, this gentle daily exfoliating cleanser buffs and preens skin to silky smoothness. The natural exfoliating scrubbing beads whisks away dead skin cells in a jiffy –  without mimicking the actions of sandpaper, whilst an essential oil blend of grapefruit, lemon and spearmint acts as a fragrant alarm call in your shower. You can't help but feel top of the morning after this beauty treat! Put it on your daily essentials list.

Origins GinZing costs £18.50 and launches at Selfridges in May. Nationwide in June.

www.origins.co.uk

D&G's new fragrant star

If ever there was a fragrance to welcome in the lighter, warmer days of spring, then this is surely the spritz. Dolce by Dolce&Gabbana whisks up the designer duo’s olfactory romance and nostalgia of Sicily. Feminine and refreshingly simple, it’s a mix of white flowers blended with the spirit of Neroli leaves and defined by a South African flower by the name of White Amaryllis – the first time used ever in fragrance.  It was created using ‘headspace technology’ which captures the exact scent of the flower when it’s in full bloom without having to cut it and grind the petals to extract the essential oil. The overall effect is floral and elegant with a slight sexy edge.

The thick, clear and heavy glass bottle has a vintage feel and the flower stopper is a nod to Sicilian customs. And for D&G devotees you will notice that the slim black grosgrain ribbon is reminiscent of the white shirts and bow-ties that were a signature of early D&G fashion. This is classic chic bottled.

Dolce&Gabbana Dolce retails from £62.00 for 50ml.

Aerin's perfect palette

Taking a nosey at Aerin Lauder’s Instagram account I can’t help but notice the founder and creative director of her own make-up line has an unrivaled attention to detail. From the way a table is laid, to the position of a chair through to the vases she chooses to display her flowers, it’s well thought out and aspirational. This finely tuned eye is carried through into her cosmetic collection which, although modest in terms of range is very desirable.

My favourite this season has to be Aerin’s Kaleidolight Palette, £40. An over sized palette of five scrummy skin-loving and light enhancing shades, it’s got the mix just right. You can either swirl over a soft brush and let the colours dance over the whole face, or you can individually pick out and apply. Use the lavender for instance to highlight the eye, or the bronze or pink shades to bring a sea breeze glow to the cheeks. It delivers joined up thinking too. The more wearable colours take up more space, whereas lavender is downsized knowing less is more.  However you play it, it’s a perfect palette.

Aerin Kaleidolight Palette available from Harrods, Selfridges and John Lewis.

www.esteelauder.co.uk

Designer lips

Like their clothes, Dolce&Gabbana's Classic Cream Lipsticks are desirable, sexy and achingly fashionable. Inspired by the Italian woman of the 50's - all heels, wiggles and flirtation, their new range of 28 spring colours leaves no woman's lips looking bland, boring and ignored. Creamy and velvety, half of the formula is composed of emollients which makes the lipstick super comfortable to slick as well as hydrating the lips. The colours split into shade stories of reds, oranges, purples, corals, pinks and nudes, capturing the beauty of Sicilian roses along with the velvety touch of their petals. Which colour will you freshly pick?

Dolce&Gabbana Classic Creams Lipsticks retail at £24 each.
Available from Harrods and www.harrods.com

Skin science

Let’s face it once you tip over the age of 35 or 40, you’re always on the lookout for the Next Big Thing in anti-ageing whether it’s laser, injectables or an uber moisturiser. I fall into the skin school of thought that nothing will make you look younger, but procedures and product can make your skin look the best it can. I knew nothing about Dr Bragi until I looked on their website. It told me the success of their products was all down to the ‘marine enzyme science’ with graphs recording enzyme activity temperature comparison. I’m not interested in graphs, I’m just interested whether it makes a difference to my skin. And it does. I’ve been using the Age Management Moisturiser at a costly £120 and it has left my skin looking, how can I say, if not younger than more relaxed. No lines have disappeared, but it just looks rebooted. As well as boasting super active marine enzymes that are said to never let up the task of smoothing, exfoliating and cleansing from deep within, it also has the skin wonder ingredient, hyaluronic acid for trapping moisture. Oil-free, it almost feels like a serum to apply and makes a great base for make-up. I will leave it up to you if you want to pay three figures for a moisturiser, but my skin is telling me it likes it. Very much.

www.drbragi.com

   

Pretty in peach

Peach is the new pink. More youthful than girlie, it brings freshness to the cheeks and brightness to the lips. Clarins picks up on peach for its new Opalescence spring make-up collection. It’s delicate and light with a wisp of the romantic. Their Cream Blush melts like ice cream into the skin to sculpt, smooth and add a wash of colour, where lips are given a choice of Gloss Prodige – an ultra glossy, non sticky formula that smoothes lips, making them look naturally fuller thanks to the smart Suprashine Colour Complex, or Joli Rouge Brilliant Sheer Shine Lipstick. Semi-sheer, it adds a jolt of colour and is lip-tastic to apply. You can swipe without a mirror as the bullet is incredibly soft. So the collection doesn’t come across as too saccharine, it’s pulled back with their Mineral Eyeshadow in Smoky Plum. Giving a modern smoky eye, it’s highly pigmented and can be used wet for added drama. Balances out sweet cheeks and a peachy pout something wonderful.

Clarins Opalescence make-up collection on counter now.

Cream Blush, £18.

Mineral Eyeshadow, £17

Gloss Prodige, £17

Joli Rouge Brilliant Sheer Shine Lipstick, £18

www.clarins.com