This month, we’re refining our pores with a city-proof cleanser, getting in the mood for summer with yellow nails, and decoding the secret to supermodel skin.
1. Jo Malone soaps
Lest you thought Jo Malone soaps couldn’t get chicer, designer Michael Angove has given them a fabulous floral update. You’ll be reluctant to unwrap English Pear & Freesia, £15, but when transported to a fruit-filled garden, you’ll be glad you did.
2. Yellow nails
A swift departure from the moody hues we usually choose in winter, this Mark. Exclusive to Avon Gel Shine Nail Enamel in Daysie, £7, gives our mostly black ensembles an injection of much-required colour. Change from a tenner too!
3. Matte concealer
NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer, £23, ticks the blurring, concealing and smoothing boxes with aplomb. This is a heavy-duty camouflage for those wanting (and needing) to hide blemishes, bags and the rest. We like it a lot.
4. Body scrub
Miller Harris Lumière Dorée Body Scrub, £28, sloughs away dead skin cells, while quenching skin with a sweet scented and gratifyingly gritty blend of cane sugar, sunflower seed and sweet almond oil. Here’s to spring fresh limbs.
5. Armani foundation
We, along with Kim Kardashian, have been in make-up mourning since Armani discontinued our fav base. But apparently, Mr Armani heard our cries, as the brand new and supremely silky Power Fabric, £40, is just as good, if not better.
6. Highlighter
Press your index finger on Stila Heaven’s Hue Highlighter in Bronze, £28, and marvel at its cushiony bounce. Bestowing the breed of glow belonging to an Amazonian supermodel, simply sweep the circumference of your face, and throw yourself an admiring glace.
7. Nude nails
Famed for her superior knowledge of nail health, Deborah Lippmann packs her polish with all the good stuff. We love the universally flattering, slinky shade of Gel Lab Pro in Beachin’, £18. And you can’t go far wrong with a minimalist manicure too.
8. Jo Malone's new fragrances
Inspired by the writers, intellects, philosophers and artists that made up the The Bloomsbury Set, Jo Malone’s new perfume collection is off-beat and cool. Tabaco & Mandarin Colonge, £46, captures the smell of a gentleman’s club with a smoky, sage and fruity blend.
9. Smoother
Combatting our every complexion woe, IBUKI Smart Filtering Smoother, £20 absorbs oil and moisture, blurs pores and harnesses the most rouge-ridding of botanical extracts to give us the kind of flawless veil that only Facetune can achieve. Not that we ever indulge…
10. Hair booster
Kérastase Aura Botanica Aromatic Concentre Essentiel Multi-Use Hair Booster, £42.50, is a real game changer. Multi-functional, this 98% natural formula can be used as a treatment for dry and damaged hair, a styling product or a bespoke booster when cocktailed with conditioner.
11. A spa-like fragrance
The old Turkish Bath on Jermyn Street was the starting point for Penhaligons’ new fragrance Savoy Steam, £134. Imagine the moment you step into a spa and the bergamot, incense and eucalyptus catches your throat and courses through your system
12. Calm balm
It’s essential to take time out and regroup, so switch off your phone, brew a cuppa and massage ESPA’s lavender and geranium infused Inner Calm Balm, £15, into your wrists and temples. Expect increased focus, harmony and balance.
13. Metallic shadow stick
For a modern rendering of the smoky eye, smudge Rimmel Shadow Stick in Guilty Grey by Rita Ora, £4.49, onto the inner corners. Metallic shades have the power to highlight and accentuate, so swipe on with abandon.
14. Hyration skin serum
Low temperatures call for skincare reinforcement, and help comes in the form of Elemis Hydra-Boost Serum, £45. Layer under your moisturiser for an increased hydration hit (64% to be exact), and visibly plumper, pillowy-soft skin.
15. Hair care capsules
Skincare capsules are a permanent fixture on our nightstands, but our hair is yet to get in on the action. Until now. Aldo Coppola Pearls of Beauty, £90, may be spenny, but each is packed with amino acids and keratin, that make for a shiny, supple swish.
16. Air mousse cleanser
With environmental pollution particles up to 20 times smaller than our pores, it’s no surprise city dwellers suffer from irritation, dryness and premature aging. Scoop Darphin Intral Air Mousse Cleanser £28, for its detoxifying formula that also makes light work of make-up removal and pore cleansing.
17. Eye reviver
Allow Clarins Multi-Active Yeux, £35, to take up a permanent residency in your bathroom and expect darkly ringed and sad looking peepers to be given a boost by way of caffeine (to counteract puffiness) and teasel extract (to fight fatigue).
18. Juicy Couture fragrance
If the fragrance we wear portrays our mood, Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy Sucré, £69, is to be spritzed when feeling playful and decadent. Taking its cues from a cupcake, this gourmand fragrance features lush and, well… juicy notes of vanilla, red currant and almond cream. Yum!
19. Pink lips
With a vibrant pink embedded in a balmy bullet, Dolce & Gabbana Passion Duo Lipstick in Tropical Pink, £30, meets at the crossroads of lip colour and lip care. Our tip to pull off a glossy neon mouth? Keep skin clean and brows groomed. Always.
20. YSL mascara
From Marc Jacobs to Moschino, this season lashes came fully loaded. Our utensil of choice? YSL’s lusciously inky The Shock Mascara, £23, which, thanks to an hourglass shaped brush, leaves no lash unturned.