Add these items to your handbag …
Some luxury beauty brands simply excel when it comes to the idea of make-up as an accessory: Beauté Louis Vuitton, for example. When lipsticks and palettes are as exquisitely designed as LV’s, we want to save up for a single item, rather than buy several ordinary ones. An investment, yes, but a lasting one (the lipsticks are refillable). It’s all about balance now: our beauty has to be sustainable and eco-conscious, with smart but minimal packaging, and refillable. Stylish yet practical. Other statement lipstick cases that stand out include the Givenchy jewel lipstick with integral fold-out mirror (available online), the exquisite Dries Van Noten lip colour collection, and the refillable, super-slim Hourglass Confession lip colours, designed to look like a glamorous Hollywood-style cigarette holder.
Rhode’s phone case with a built-in slot for lipbalm was a viral hit; I’m sure more brands will capitalise on this idea. A lipstick or scent with a loop, to hang off your bag, is one way to go – see Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle eau de parfum purse spray, right, €195. Chanel’s packaging and design team, led by the pioneering Sylvie Legastelois, are in a class of their own: see the Rouge Noir collection, featuring brushes and mascara in that distinctive black-red, for another example.
Tom Ford’s just-launched Soleil collection, including a white and goldclad lip oil, is made to be shown off at every opportunity, as are the new-look T-branded palettes.
Paris brand La Bonne Brosse has made even the humble hairbrush into a glamorous accessory. The gentle, elegant, natural boar-bristle brushes (€142), available in a range of colours, are a far cry from those ugly plastic ones that scrape across your scalp.
Dyson’s latest innovation could become a sought-after accessory this summer: the Hushjet Mini handheld fan weighs just 200g, and has a six-hour battery. One for warm days (and hot flushes).
