THE HEAVY-DUTY EYELINER

I’m always looking for liquid eyeliners that stay put. When the area around your eyes is less firm than it used to be, and your brow lower, you need a liner that is tougher and more enduring – I find that many slide or smudge off pretty quickly. And it does seem that with liquid liners you get what you pay for. The Signature de Chanel Intense Longwear Eyeliner Pen is often rated as one of the best – including in our house, where my exacting 15-year-old swears by it – and at €40 it’s an investment. If you’re passing through the airport, you can still get Estee Lauder’s Little Black Liner, with crayon on one end, liquid brush on the other, for €24.50 (www.theloop.ie). But the one I’m using at the moment is Lancôme’s new Idôle Ultra Precise Waterproof Eyeliner (€23, from February 23 at Brown Thomas, Arnotts and online at www.Boots.ie). It has restored my faith in being able to wear a bit of a winged liner. It glides on beautifully, is deeply carbon-black and, most importantly, stays on well. It has a very fine nib, so is great for subtle flicks or more elaborate graphic artistry.

THE BODY TREATMENT

The Velvaere spa at the Radisson Blu Royal hotel in the centre of Dublin has had a challening start, with its original opening date being spring 2020. Having heard a lot about it, I finally got to see inside. Located down by the side of the hotel just off Georges Street, it’s a bit of a hidden gem in the heart of the city. A handy spot for a lunchtime or after-work visit when you’re in town, it’s a medi-spa, so you could get your microneedling done here as well as your lunchtime manicure or Margaret Dabbs pedicure. The thermal suite (access included in treatments of over an hour) is smart and features a hydrotherapy pool – with constantly changing lights, so you’re bathed in orange to blue to red – a spacious sauna and steam room, plus ice fountain and fancy shower (Caribbean storm experience shower, no less). Book a treatment mid-week and you might just get the place to yourself. I tried the Signature body treatment (€110, 60 minutes) with lovely therapist Rose, which involves a very relaxing full-body massage using French brand Codage products (which are quite heavily fragranced). There’s a relaxation area to chill out in afterwards, and the whole place is very quiet and peaceful; it’s a bit of a maze in that it’s spread across three floors. I’ve also heard good things about the Fire & Ice facial (the “red carpet facial”), an intensive clinical treatment that apparently leaves you with brand-new skin. And I like the idea of the Day in Dublin facial (€110, 60 minutes), designed to detoxify skin and leave it brighter and protected for a day in the city. Facials from €60 (30 minutes), for the Codage Radiance or Deep-Cleansing Facial, with most 60-minute treatments at €110. Spa manager Milana and her team are very welcoming and it’s a peaceful, highly polished spot in the middle of town. www.velvaerespa.ie 

THE NEW CLEANSERS

Trinny London has branched into skincare, with two cleansers. We know lots of GLOSS readers are big fans of Trinny and her portable, neat make-up pots. So does her skincare deliver too? The short answer, having tried both Better Off, an AHA-PHA Gel Cleanser (€34), and Be Your Best enzyme balm cleanser (€39), for a few weeks now, is yes. When you use them, you absolutely recognise the difference a proper cleanse makes compared to a quick, self-deluding swipe with a bit of micellar water. Your skin will glow. For a double cleanse, use Be Your Best first – a balm rich in sweet almond, borage and linseed oils that’s great for gently removing all make-up, even waterproof eye make-up. Apply to dry skin and add water to activate; there are T-Towels, or muslin cloths, available too for gentle removal. Better Off, with lactic and malic acids, is both exfoliating and conditioning. “They’re both formulated to provide gentle exfoliation steps,” notes Woodall, who says these formulas are the culmination of everything she has learned about skincare over the past 40 years. The easy to use twist-up yellow tubes add some welcome brightness to the bathroom – and they are refillable (though I’m not sure how you get rid of the yellow tube itself, which is taller than most 100ml bottles). There is added parfum/fragrance in each, but they don’t have a strong scent of any kind. Personally I still prefer something like Eve Lom cleansing balm or Modern Botany’s natural balm as I like a slightly richer texture and softly herbal smell, but these new ones are both effective and easy to use. I’ll be decanting into a Trinny pot for travel. Duties, customs charges etc are included in the online prices; €8.95 delivery. www.trinnylondon.com

See Trinny chatting in her dressing room at home:
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