Clothes lines

Compiled by DEIRDRE McQUILLANand PHYL CLARKE

Tried and tested

Aisling McDermott, one half of the brains behind Ireland’s best-known beauty website beaut.ie, has seen the best and the rest cross her desk over the past five years, so she’s perfectly placed to compile a shopping guide of tried and tested products. Looking for the best gradual tan, long-lasting lipstick or a good-value exfoliator? It’s all here, with price guides and informative sections on the psychology behind store layouts. There’s also an excellent chapter on duping (low-cost versions of a high-end products).

For instance, YSL’s Touch Eclat is terrific, but you can save a whopping €30 by substituting Aldi’s Lacura Beauty Concealer Pen, which costs €4.49 and gives surprisingly similar results.

The book costs €12.99. Gorgeous to Go is published by Gill MacMillan.

New Irish names at BTs

Following on from the Brown Thomas pop-up shop showing Irish designers and jewellers last month, three of them have been kept on at the shop – Lucy Downes of Sphere One knitwear, Emma Manley, who worked with McQueen and is known for her studded leather and chiffon pieces, and newcomer Natalie Coleman, who trained in Limerick and London. “It’s incredible to see how well they did and we are delighted,” says Shelly Corkery, head of fashion at Brown Thomas.

Your questions answered

Q. Although I spend time in the mornings applying eyeshadow carefully, by lunchtime the colour has creased and become patchy. Any suggestions for keeping it in place? Mary from Wexford

A. Skin on the eyelids contains natural oils which can work their way into eyeshadow, dislodging it as the day goes on. The solution is to wear a base which primes skin, ready for colour. Here are three suggestions:

Estée Lauder’s Stay-in-Place Eyeshadow Base (€18) is part of the excellent Double Wear range and it claims to keep colour in place for 15 hours. Trish McEvoy Eye Base Essentials is more than just a shadow base, although it does that job perfectly. It also instantly brightens and grooms the eyelid, evening out any veining and giving a bright-eyed and lifted look. It’s so good you may opt to skip colour altogether and just add a slick of liner. Available from Harvey Nichols, Dundrum. A great budget option is Eye Shadow Base from high street brand Catrice (€4.49). It blends easily to prevent creasing and also makes any eyeshadow waterproof. Clever, non?

Get serious about serums

Skin looking a bit dull and tired? Consider adding a serum to your daily routine for an intensive boost. With their higher concentration levels of ingredients and smaller molecules, which allow them to penetrate deeper into skin, serums work like a secret weapon when battling harsh weather conditions. Ideally, partner serums with a moisturiser from the same range for maximum effect.

BRIGHTENING

Clarins Vital Light (€77) Claims to even out skin tone, correct dark spots and brighten complexion.

PLUMPING

Avon Anew Genics Treatment Concentrate (€30.50) This stimulates collagen production, which slows as we age, plumping wrinkles and firming skin. The company claims results in two weeks.

SMOOTHING

Lancôme Visionnaire (€70) Smooths open pores with a repairing and peeling action. It can also be used around the delicate eye area.

NATURAL

Ren Keep Young and Beautiful (€60) Targets fine lines and firmness, with all natural ingredients.

REGENERATING

Vichy DermSource LiftActiv Serum 10 (€34)

Rich in soothing and regenerating minerals, this has a second-skin texture and is suitable for sensitive skins.

Lainey and the stars

Elizabeth Taylor’s fashion wardrobe is being auctioned in London in December and among the lots are museum quality ensembles from Chanel, Christian Dior, Givenchy, Valentino, YSL and – wait for it – our own star knitter Lainey Keogh. Taylor used to purchase Lainey’s knits from Maxfield, a sophisticated destination shop in Los Angeles, and became not just a fan of the Irish designer’s cashmere sweaters, but a friend too, joining others such as fashion designers Donna Karan and Diane von Furstenburg. Today there is an opportunity to buy from Keogh’s autumn/winter collection at a sale in the Shelbourne Hotel (in the Stephen’s Suite, 10am-6pm). The cashmere pieces will include scarves, hats, sweaters, capes and coats, with prices from €150. There will also be a number of one-off items made specifically for the sale.

Glorious gems

With economists swarming all over Kenmare this weekend, let’s hope they see the silver lining at PFK a small shop on Henry Street selling gold and silver jewellery set with precious and semi-precious stones. An 18ct gold ring, for example, had a big tourmaline and a tiny diamond, with one highlighting the other. This is the work of jeweller Paul Kelly, who has been living in Kenmare for the past 15 years, and combines shellfish farming with goldsmithing. He was originally a fine-art student, and discovered metalwork through an inspiring teacher. He perfected his skills working with master craftsman jeweller Rudolf Hetzel. Prices start from around €150. We particularly like his pretty drop pearl earrings. See pfk.ie.

Bargain silks online

Ivory is a new Irish clothing line specialising in affordable handmade silks for women. It has just been launched by Gillian Ivory, a former business consultant who worked in textiles for many years. It’s a small collection of eight different styles including a shirtdress and a jacket, in fabrics sourced from Thailand, Vietnam and Japan, some of which are very unusual and special, such as a two-tone Vietnamese silk unique to Hanoi. Everything is designed in Ireland, but made in Vietnam by self-employed tailors Ivory met during her travels in the country. This particular tunic, for example, is in Thai silk with cotton hand-embroidered motifs and costs €95. Sizes run from eight to 16 and prices are from €65-95. See ivory.ie.