Gone are the days of plucked minimalism, instead the S/S12 catwalks were stormed by warrior queens with brows that erred, at times, more towards the Frida Kahlo end of the spectrum. Which isn’t to say you should dash off and start frantically cultivating a mono-brow, but a little less pruning is definitely a good way to update your face for 2012 – you’ll look like a sexier, more grown up version of you and nobody will quite be able to put their finger on why. If you are reading this from behind a sparse sprinkling, try the new and improved Peter Thomas Roth’s Lashes To Die For lash growth serum – it works on brows too and if you start now you’ll be able to pull off a full ‘Brooke Shields’ before the daffodils come up this spring.

Look to the new industry darlings Arizona Muse and Bambi Northwood-Blyth (fash-swoon left) for inspiration. Both are the eyebrow icons you need to channel. And far from swamping their unquestionably beautiful foreheads, their bigger brows lend an elegant yet sexy edge to even the most ladylike make-up looks. They’re tomboy-ish, brushed up with clean skin and ponytails; edgy when coupled with lashings of kohl and look archly sophisticated when lovingly groomed (if it was good enough for Elizabeth Taylor…)

If the prospect of growing your brows induces more than a few furrows of doubt, look no further than Anastasia Soare, with her arsenal of products to aid the transition. Much like ridding yourself of a fringe, growing out eyebrows is no mean feat and an awkward interim phase is virtually unavoidable but try to resist the temptation to tweeze.

The ‘definitive eye and brow expert’, Anastasia’s eyebrow range has everything you need to fake a full set, even if you’re decidedly lacking. Use Brow Wiz to plump up sparse brows (the nib is so fine it can mimic individual hairs) then define and set the shape with award winning Tinted Brow Gel.

Or, if you’ve not yet fallen foul of over-zealous eyebrow epilation, be thankful and experiment with what you’ve got. Use Anastasia’s Brow Pen and Brow Powder Duo to enhance their natural shape and draw attention for the right reasons. If you’ve got the confidence to pare down the rest of your make-up, statement brows are not only incredibly fashion forward they add structure to your face, drawing attention to your eye area and balancing out a heavy chin (a great trick too if you wake up with a massive zit!)

A small change can make a big difference so don’t panic at the prospect of growing a set of caterpillars. Tw-ease yourself in gradually and you’ll soon be raising more than a few approving eyebrows.

verity douglas

Are we here again? I haven’t even got to the bottom of last year’s list of resolutions…

There is a certain element of, ‘know thyself’ that needs to be injected into this process. For example, if at no point in your life have you ever been great at mornings, it’s probably not a good idea to decide to resolve to get up at 6am four times a week to go jogging, this simply won’t happen. Here are a few easy resolutions worth keeping:

1. MOISTURISE YOUR HAIR

Just like skin, hair looks and feels better when moisturised. Use a hair mask once a week to give it a boost, this not only makes it look nicer, but moisturised hair is less brittle and won’t fall out as much, leaving you with a thicker mane. Go as natural as you can with this one and it will treat and calm your scalp, which also encourages growth and stops flakes. The Sachajuan Overnight Hair Repair is beautiful and lasts for ages and the Elemis Monoi Moisture Melt is great for both hair and body.

2. LOOK AFTER YOUR FEET

Just like love you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone. If your feet fall apart and grow crooked it will effect you daily. When worn for 20 minutes a day Beech Sandals help keep your feet flexible, pain-free & looking good. They strengthen & retrain your toes out of the crushed, distorted shapes that fabulous shoes force them into, realigning them to sit straight. Margaret Dabbs’ Footcare Range will keep them looking lovely on the outside.

3. PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE SUN

Be aware that unless you are in a windowless room your skin is being aged by the sun. It’s never to late to start and when in 20 years time people are mistaking you for your daughter’s sister you will thank yourself. If you can go for physical barrier protection Invisible Zinc make a lovely daily moisturiser (SPF30+) that also protects from pollution called ESP, Alison Raffaele‘s primers (SPF15) are incredibly lightweight and Jane Iredale and BECCA both make mineral foundations that are also chock-full on minerals to feed your skin. It’s also a good idea to make an appointment to have your annual mole check with your GP today!

4. FEED YOUR INNER BEAUTY

There are times when even the saints amongst us fall fowl of our five a day. Beauty supplements are a big trend for 2012, they not only keep your daily vitamins and minerals topped up, they are focused specifically on nutrients and anti-oxidants to keep skin and hair looking youthful and healthy. If your skin is going through a particularly bad patch Murad’s Skin Clarifying Supplements help remove blemish-producing toxins and strengthen the skin against irritation, Perricone MD’s DMAE Anti-ageing Supplements support the functions that bolster the skin’s elasticity and thickness, and strengthen cell membranes.

5. HELP YOUR HANDS

Hands are great communication tools so make sure you’re sending out the right message. Like bad shoes, chipped nail varnish, chewed cuticles and flaky dry patches on your hands spoil your whole look. Re-apply or take off old nail varnish the minute it chips. If you are a frequent varnish wearer or have sensitive skin Priti do a non-toxic, non-irritant, organic-soy-based nail varnish remover and biodegradable remover wipes that keep you looking chic without harming the environment. Keep a tube of hand cream on your desk and Creative Nail Design do a super effective Cuticle Eraser cream to exfoliate away any dry skin buildup.

6. GET YOUR HEART RATE UP

Regular exercise is one of the hardest resolves to keep up, but also the one with the most benefits to your health, body, immune system, levels of happiness, ageing and skin luminosity. The Tracey Anderson workouts are bloody tough to do, but the results that really show after just 2 weeks are enough to keep you hooked (see left for the example she sets).

7.  DARE TO WEAR

We all get stuck in a beauty rut… black eye liner, black mascara, peach blusher, pony tail anyone? Try taking just one of your regular looks and just change the colour you are using. Prestige Eyeliners have a great range of colours, if you have brown eyes try the purple (Icon) or envy (green), for blue eyes try the gold and those lovely green eyes go for a grey. DuWop do a lovely range of Eyecatcher Eyeshadows that you buy by eye colour (see below), designed to make whatever you have pop beautifully.

8. SPRING CLEAN…FREQUENTLY

Time to wash your make up bag and get into the habit of cleansing your brushes & make up sponges weekly. There is no point in being fastidious about your cleansing routine if you just brush the bacteria back onto your skin when applying your make up. Beautyblender’s Make up Tool Cleanser is a soothing soy-based, low-suds formula that’s strong enough to remove even waterproof make up from your sponge or brushes, without damaging them in any way.

9. MOISTURISE YOUR BODY AFTER SHOWERING

There is nothing better than a hot shower to wake one up in the morning, but the hotter it is the more it strips your skin of it’s natural fatty barrier. The best way to remember to do this is to keep your moisturiser in the shower. Pat your skin dry with a towel rather than rubbing, then lather it on this while your skin is still damp because this helps your skin to better absorb the oils and holds in that moisture. View our full range of cult body moisturisers here.

10. PICK A RESOLUTION AND STICK TO IT

Most beauty regimens take at least a few weeks to have an effect, if you are not a natural choose one upgrade to your routine and stick to it. Set a reminder on your phone, put the products where you see them every day.

alexia inge

If we could all jump into the picture above I don’t think this article would be relevant, unfortunately this eatery only seats 10…

I just read a sad fact about the UK and am sure this is reflected more and more throughout the world. In the last three years the use of anti-depressants has risen almost a third. Times are tough at the moment, and while these pills are helpful for severe depression the current onus on drugs as the first resort is totally wrong. Here are a few things you can do to stave off the January blues without taking pills OR spending money:

1. Let your loved ones know how much they mean to you, the resulting feelings of goodwill will send your serotonin levels soaring.

2. Crowbar yourself out of your comfort zone and try doing something really challenging, or even something you find quite daunting. The feeling of achievement elevates not just your mood, but your sense of self worth.

3. Wrap up warm and get out into nature, even if that’s just a local park. Get the sun on your face for at least half an hour.

4. Make friends with your neighbours – this might be one of your ‘out of comfort zone’ resolutions – feeling part of a community is proven to make people feel more content, plus you might make some new friends which is always useful especially if you get locked out!

5. Try doing a random act of kindness every day, it doesn’t have to be big or complicated, I like complimenting random old ladies on their hair

For some more lovely tips throughout the year put the blog Feeling Good Today on your reading list.