The standout skin star, blonde booster and beauty icon revival you need to know about …
THE STAR BUY
Few samples go straight into our daily make-up bag – but this silver tube is one of them, and I’m convinced that anyone aged 40-plus will find it a revelation. Trinny’s Miracle Halo Complexion Illuminator is the latest in a long line of glowy liquid highlighters. Others I’ve loved over the years include Tom Ford’s Skin Illuminator in Fire Lust, a pinky tint, while Bobbi Brown did the All Over Glow highlighter, a golden elixir that for some reason is no longer in its line-up. More recently on rotation are Pai’s The Impossible Glow in rose, Westman Atelier’s Liquid Super Loaded and Vieve’s fabulous Skin Dew. Miracle Halo is available in four shades, from soft pink to bronze Firelight, and the pink one, Candlelight, is my ride or die.
What makes it so good? This liquid highlighter has a very silky feel on the skin due to the squalane and oils in the formulas. Made in Italy, it somehow manages to be glowy and dewy on the skin without being sticky (with many others, you avoid kissing someone on the cheek in case you get glued to them). Yes, 15ml for €38 is not cheap, and we wish they were refillable. But the formula itself is not only instantly brightening, it also lasts incredibly well on the skin, not drying out and lingering in lines like some, remaining fantastically luminous. I didn’t expect to love this so much, but I’m finding it indispensable. My tip is to use it alongside the popular BFF tinted moisturiser for a supernatural finish. One caveat: the pump dispenses far too much in one go. Put all that on your face and you will look quite strange. Dispense delicately!
Miracle Halo is suitable for all ages – we know a glamorous 85-year-old who’s wearing this and loving it – but especially for midlife when your skin can feel a bit dry and you want a boost without anything jarringly metallic or obvious. It’s great to see some key brands such as Victoria Beckham and Jones Road by the actual Bobbi Brown now being created by women aged 50-plus, as they are actually aware what works for them at this age. Sometimes, they even feature women aged 40/50-plus in their ad campaigns – about time too …
SEE MORE: All You Need To Know About Trinny’s New Multipurpose Beauty
THE BEST BLONDE BOOSTER
Blonde hair isn’t always the easiest to manage, especially during holidays featuring sunlight and perhaps chlorine, plus humidity. Head to the peerless CH Tralee for a solution – the Kerry superstore stocks John Frieda’s specialist collection for blondes which puts hair health at the forefront, helping to reverse the signs of damage caused by colouring, bleaching and heat styling. Try the new five-minute Salon Blonde Tone Perfecting Treatments (€12.99 each) available in three shades from platinum to champagne, and featuring a Protein-Peptide Complex to help repair, strengthen and improve elasticity – particularly important for lightened or processed hair. Use once a week to revive your tone and protect the condition of your hair. Add the Blonde Gold Spun Silk Illuminating Water (€12.99) to your routine as a post-shampoo hair rinse designed to illuminate and smooth hair. Lightweight yet powerful, it promises a salon-worthy silky, glossy finish. The full John Frieda Blonde Collection is available online and instore from CH Tralee.
SEE MORE: Be Your Best Blonde This Summer
THE 90s LEGEND
The original Nars The Multiple stick is back with a bang. First created in the 1990s by make-up artist Francois Nars, the all-in-one colour stick – to be used across eyes, lips and cheeks – has sparked a billion imitators over the years. It’s been an enduring hit and this autumn sees the arrival of 12 shades in a “new next-level formula” that I hope is not too different from the original. The Multiple has long been a fun and foolproof bit of make-up, delivering on the go, fuss-free beauty that’s back for AW25. Its sleek packaging is instantly nostalgic, too. There’s a waitlist, naturally, but my advice is to wait until you’re travelling to pick one up – the euro price is €47, compared to £33stg, which is a jump. All of the shades will be available nationwide from September, but in the meantime you can try out two existing shades, including bestseller Orgasm in mini format, at Boots (€39).
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