ABOUT FACE:Applying lipstick in public has always had an alluring glamour about it; gloopy lipgloss that you squeeze out of a tube just doesn't cut the mustard. You need a compact mirror and a proper lipstick to emerge slowly from its casing to have proper impact.
New to Ireland is cult US brand The Balm, with its Read My Lips range of conditioning lip colours - and just look at that supercool newspaper print packaging. It comes in six shades, my favourite being Letter to the Editor (€16.95 from pharmacies nationwide).
Made in heaven
A powder that smoothes and perfects the skin, with the benefit of being an active skin treatment to boot. Stellar ingredients such as goji berries provide antioxidant protection and pure gold gives skin a luminous bright finish. Want more? Fine line and wrinkle reduction due to its high mineral and peptide content. The icing on the cake? It presents as a travel-friendly pressed powder with a built-in "shaver" that dispenses just the right amount of powder every time. Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder from Smashbox at an earthly €49.95. See www.smashbox.com for stockists.
Master of maquillage
What a coup for Lancôme to net Aaron de Mey (left) as its new artistic director. One of the most creative and exciting make-up artists of his generation, Aaron has collaborated with the creme of the fashion and beauty world. A master of colour and texture, he draws inspiration from his extensive travels and from subjects as diverse as Marlene Dietrich and the black volcanic sand on the beach of his native New Zealand. Expect some exciting new looks coming to your local Lancôme counter soon, or check out Aaron in action on lancome.co.uk.
Way of the bath
A new body product from the Origins Matcha Tea range was always going to lure me. I'm already a fan of the body scrub, with these bath salts all I need to do is soak away while it infuses my skin with all sorts of goodness. And such a fragrance! Well, if you can't drink the darn stuff, might as well take a bath in it. Origins Matcha Tea Body soak, €54.
All clear
After a hard day's work, all I usually want is a cup of Earl Grey watching Fair City. These days, I've noticed that I'm keen to rush upstairs and do my skincare routine before I've even put the kettle on. The reason is the new skincare range from Crystal Clear. The fragrance is amazing, the texture divine, and the skin softening benefits immediately noticable. This feels like a professional treatment in the comfort of your own home. For stockists, tel. 01-2353901.