Blush crush

Preparing to leap into March dictates an upswing in mood and therefore make-up. Cosmetic counters literally pop with bright ‘n’ breezy spring shades to lift winter pale complexions. I love to start with the cheeks as it’s the easiest way to uplift the whole face. Putting a pure and natural flush in the apples is Clinique’s Cheek Pop collection. A playful embossed daisy that delivers the freshest of colours with zero trace of power or build-up. The wizardry formula begins life as a smooth liquid which is then transformed through a slow baking process - I don’t think Mary Berry was involved, that ends life as a super lightweight powder. Colour stays true all day.  Just abracadabra.

For a more vintage feel, but nevertheless still bright and modern is Bobbi Brown’s Pot Rouge for Lips & Cheeks in Hibiscus. It’s a limited edition which was inspired by Bobbi’s memories of her grandmother who used lipstick on her cheeks instead of blush. This doubly hard-working pot of cosmetic joy blends blindfold easy, giving cheeks a pretty and sheer wash of colour. As for the lips a stained finish is imparted which helps the illusion of fullness. Who say two into one doesn’t go?

Clinique Cheek Pops is available in 4 shades and retails for £16.60

Bobbi brown Pot Rouge for Lips & Cheeks retails for £19.00

Both on counter March

Nothing but eye-catching

If you’re eyeshadow shy then Clinique has the answer for you in its new limited edition All About Shadow Neutral Terrority 2 eight shade palette. Popping colours isn't the only way to make an impact as this cleverly orchestrated palette shows that neutral also doesn’t add up to naked. An everyday palette of ultra soft-to-so-sexy shadows gives the eye definition when worn alone or layered and blended together. Like all Clinique shadows, each shade gives intense colour payoff with its delivery of high density pigment. The lighter shades can be used for highlighting while the darker colours effortlessly shade and line socket and lash line. The results are nothing but eye-catching.

Clinique All About Shadow Neutral Terrority 2, £32.

Nationwide from the 7^th February.

www.clinique.co.uk

Scents of time

The reintroduction of this fragrance from Clinique originally launched in 1986 really took me back. Not so much olfactory, more lifestyle. I had landed my first magazine job thinking I was all get-go and stylish, along with believing the world was for my taking. In many ways it was, although hopefully I’ve shaken off some youthful and headstrong ways! But Calyx summed up that era for me with its bottled confidence. The bottle is direct and modern in its approach – no flowery stopper or faceted glass here, and the only fruit in the scent is grapefruit that makes it incredibly fresh, zestful and clean. Clearly ahead of it’s time sandwiched in-between the indulgent and cloying power scents the shoulder-padded generation represented, it deserves a successful comeback in this century. You could say it’s a fragrance that’s grown into itself.

Calyx retails at £36 for 50ml.

Exclusive in Selfridges now and available nationwide from the 28^th February.

How to do super skin

Anything that has the word super in, I’m there! The newest ‘super’ beauty hero is Clinique’s Superprimer Face Primers that lift skin to the next level. Sometimes foundation just isn’t enough to give dynamic looking skin – you need a foundation for the foundation!

The main role for these all-action customised primers is to prep skin so foundation doesn’t under achieve. Available in five colour correcting shades all will appear translucent upon application. This is comforting when squeezing out of a yellow, brown,  lilac or a baby doll pink tube! From correcting redness ,dullness, discolourations through to sallowness, there’s one for every complexion grumble.  And if you haven’t got a complexion grumble – lucky, lucky you! Then the Universal Face primer will instantly smooth your (already perfect) skin to create the ultimate canvas for foundation. Utilising the theory of colour science, each pigmented shade is created to neutralise the contrasting complexion grumble to give an almost photo shopped appearance. Ready for your close up?

Clinique superprimer Face Primers cost £20 and are available nationwide this month.

www.clinique.co.uk

Clinique's big moisturizing makeover

 

Yellow as custard, but certainly not skin cowardly, Clinique’s Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion has become a cult classic since it launched in the swinging sixties. It could have even been your first introduction to a ‘serious’ dermatological developed moisturiser. Today, it’s still Clinique’s leading product and its biggest seller. So, on that bombshell why have they decided to reformulate it and introduce Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+. What does that + mean?

Well, it certainly wasn’t on a throwaway decision. Just over six years in the making, it’s taken three formulating dermatologists, 53 researchers, 100 formula trials and over 1,600 women of different skin types and ethnicity across five countries s to arrive at the results. Phew! The said results benefit skin by creating a better resistance against environmental slayers. In essence, the formulation has been modernised for the modern world. Clinique’s guiding dermatologists observed that they were seeing more patients with skin troubles such as redness, itching, breakouts, dullness and dryness…all symptoms that equalled a weakend barrier. To address, it now has a barrier strengthening complex along with new moisturising ingredients including hyaluronic acid, glycerine and urea. With super charged moisturising abilities along with re-booting qualities, it makes for a formula that’s Dramtically Different. And that’s a + sign in my skin book!

 Clinique’s Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+ costs from £17.00 for 50ml.

www.clinique.co.uk

Clinique's shadow play

If Clinique get any more fancy pants with their eyeshadows, they’d have to send a make-up artist to your door! Their newest shadow play really does bring out your inner make-up professional where great colour, know-how and wearablity come in a single sweep or two.

First off, let’s talk about the formula. They definitely have the luxe factor which you can’t help but feel as you glide the applicator across the lid. The colour pops due to their high density pigment, with shades staying true all day. Crinkly eyelids are a beauty worry of the past as a special fusion layering and variable milling technology makes lids appear smoother. I do love a bit of beauty science! Secondly, they’re shut-your-eyes easy to apply thanks to colouring by numbers. Each shade in the duos (two complementary light and dark shades paired) and quads are duly numbered where you can apply as indicated on the diagram printed on the mirror. Spoilt for choice when it comes to on-trend shades - from blues to violets to nudes, eyes will be looking come-hither when launched later this summer.

All About Shadow Singles, £16

All About Shadow Duos, £22

All About Shadow Quads, £28

In-store nationwide from 2^nd August. www.clinique.co.uk

Clinique fine tunes your skin tone

CLINIQUE'S NEW CC CREAM - NOT A BRA SIZE!

Move over BB creams, we now have the CC cream. Yes, it may sound like a bra size, but funny enough it does wonders to up-grade your skin too. CC stands for Colour Corrector and you probably need it more than you think. Ahead of the launch of Clinique’s Moisture Surge CC Cream SPF30 Hydrating Colour, their guiding dermatologist reveals that skin’s complexion and tone can sometimes go off-message and cause skin to look different. Less radiant, a little dull and in need of that much elusive natural glow.

In research Clinique discovered that women thought their skin looked its best half an hour after exercising. And I agree. Post workout once my sweaty, red complexion starts to fade, skin looks naturally invigorated. There’s colour in my cheeks that no blush can replicate. And that’s the natural glow Clinique are hoping to mimic with their chemistry magic. Incorporating advance colour correcting technology, it utilises light to achieve a healthy looking skin. Dual-layered colour correcting optics scatter light multi-dimensionally to neutralise skin’s complexion. The result? An instant brightener.

The product could mildly be called addictive. It melts effortlessly into the skin and gives a cooling burst of hydration. As for the finish, it’s less drying than a BB cream, leaving skin feeling soft and supple. With six shades running from light to dark, I would definitely recommend a personal skin fitting!

Clinique New Moisture Surge CC Cream SPF30 Hydrating Colour Corrector is available from 26^th April price at £28.
www.clinique.co.uk

Eye spy Chubby Stick Shadows

Eye candy all wrapped up

We’ve had Clinique Chubby Sticks for lips,  we now have the sequel: Chubby Stick Shadow Tint For Eyes. But unlike some sequels which are never as good as the original, you can be sure these will be a make-up blockbuster. Like the lips, their crayon like appeal makes them easy peasy to use in terms of fuss free application. Simply glide and swipe your way to loveliness!

Pencil Power!

Their freshness not only lies in their formula – Jenna Menard, Clinique’s Global Colour Arist reveals you can use the stick to apply shadow directly on the lid in just one sweep, but their layer-ability too. With 12 hyper-wearable, creamy dreamy shades from nudes to pink to violets and blues, the key is to scribble and play with complementing shades. For a wide eyed look, Jenna suggests applying Lavish Lilac as an all over wash on top and along the bottom lash line, and then use Fuller Fudge as a wide eyeliner close to the top lash line. The possibilities are endless. “The key is to blend the edges of the colours with a shadow brush before the make-up sets,” says Jenna. Keep your eye out for them when they hit stores from the 15^th February.

Clinique Chubby Stick Shadow Tint For Eyes, £16

www.clinique.co.uk

Clinique's lullaby skin

MY THREE DREAM CATCHERS

To improve the way your skin looks in the morning, action needs to be taken at bedtime. I rise at 7am, and looking in the mirror is not always a pretty sight. Skin can face the world looking sad, creased and dehydrated. Three good things that have helped improved my AM skin is: a good book. For too long now I’ve been reading emails, tweets and news stories on my iPad before sleep. The upshot? I toss and turn with thoughts running through my head. Now, give me a good book and I’m out like a light. My second skin saver is a silk pillowcase bought from John Lewis for £35. Pillow creases now never happen. That’s all I need to say. And thirdly, my beauty bonus is Clinique’s new Moisture Surge Overnight Mask.

MY BEDSIDE SKIN STAPLE

I can always tell my skin needs a slug of something serious if I put the palms of my hands on my cheeks and push up. I can see a myriad of fine lines caused by dehydration. With central heating pumping out, winter is a time skin needs PM SOS. To be honest, I don’t really know what the difference is between this and a night cream as you don’t need to rinse it off. I suspect the mask just makes it sound more hard working, but whatever it gives the results. It certainly goes on like a night cream; it sinks in readily and doesn’t leave any mask like tightness or residue on the skin. It feels luxurious, giving intense hydration with moisturise trapping hyaluronic acid along with sodium hyaluronate which delivers an instant burst of moisture. This VIP (very important polymer) is able to hold large amounts of water within the skin so it’s left feeling plumped. It’s not an exaggeration to say, my morning skin is now getting a much better (looking) wake up call!

Clinique Moisture Intense Overnight Mask is available nationwide from 1^st January priced at £28. www.clinique.co.uk

Clinique's new Chubby Sticks

CHUBBY STICKS NEW EDITIONS

Just thought I’d give all you Chubby Stick Chasers – of which there are many, the heads up on their new Intense Moisturizing Lip Colour Balms.  Chubby Sticks have become the make-up bag must-have since  launching, but to make lips ever more licious, Clinique have created a fuller coverage formula. Clever them!

These all-performing lip crayons now offer the benefits of a moisturising lip balm using a blend of decadent butters, oils and antioxidants. Shea butter, mango seed butter and jojoba seed oil all party together to deliver your best ever slick to lips. With on-the-hop quick application, stay-true colour and strong, buildable coverage, the formulation conspires to make eyes focus on full and kissable lips. What’s not to love?

THE NEW COLOURS ARE AS TEMPTING AS MACAROONS!

The newest lip recruits come in eight new shades too including Curviest Caramel, Plushest Punch and Grandest Grape.  Oh, and I love the names – just too tempting to scoop them all!

Clinique’s Chubby Stick Intense Moisturizing Lip Colour Balms are £16 each and launch nationwide from mid November.

www.clinique.co.uk