‘Tis the time to ponder the year gone by, while vaguely setting plans to then largely ignore in the one to come. What better moment to note and celebrate some of my favourite launches from 2014. In no particular order here’s my top 10:
{Water’s Therapy Shower Head}
Anyone who’s taken a break from city living will understand the difference the change in water can make to the comfort and behaviour of your hair and skin. This detachable shower head fits most showers, softens hard water and filters out the potentially harmful mains water additive chlorine. This helps prevent skin and scalp sensitivities, means hair colour lasts longer and your natural oils aren’t leached from your body as you wash. The shower head uses 40% less water, while also somehow managing to increase the water pressure by up to 40% too… genius!
{Nudestix, Magnetic Eye Colour}
Twilight (pictured) is the best-selling colour from the Magnetic Eye Colour pencil series, and this is a boxset you need to get into. Nudestix is range made up entirely of pencils for eyes, lips and complexion. The Magnetic range is my favourite because they are the most ‘committed’ cream eye colour I’ve found (they won’t run out on you). They are simple to apply and ‘easy on the eye’.
This is the most instantly effective natural product I’ve tried. The puffiness pulveriser – whether eye bags or allergic reactions this takes them down faster than a hacked Sony executive. The anti-oxidant-rich, natural cherry fruit enzymes replaces dull, uneven skin with a clear, luminous glow.
{Su Man, Purifying Cleansing Gel Oil}
This triathlete of cleansers turns from an easy-to-handle thick gel, to a slick massage oil as it warms to your skin, to a emulsified cream giving you the chance to properly massage your skin for as long as you want. This allows the ingredients to thoroughly cleanse your pores as well as encouraging circulation and lymph drainage. When you emulsify with a little water this turns to a liquid cream that takes the dirt with it down the drain.
{Anastasia Beverly Hills DipBrow}
Being blonde, eyebrows have never featured in my list of things to enhance, falling somewhat below elbows in my extensive list. Reading the customer reviews on this product is enough to convince a bald man to buy a hairbrush so I gave it a go. ‘Blond’ is the perfect colour, undetectable while enhancing my face to makes me look somehow younger (ever noticed how thin eyebrows can be very ageing?). That definitely elbows elbows down the list.
There are very few creams that live up to anti-ageing claims. This one is completely addictive because after just a week of using this my skin improved in texture, tone and firmness (I did the one-hand test to be really sure and people could easily tell the difference). Growing on word of mouth alone this brand is set to be massive, with a new Serum launching early next year. You heard it first on Cult Beauty…
To find concealers and jeans that actually make me look better wearing them has been a grail-like quest for me. Alas, I found the Jeans solution costs £300 a pair, BUT the concealer grail is a mere £20. It covers without flaking, it doesn’t run into your wrinkles as the day goes on and you only need a tiny bit to veil imperfections, so you don’t look like you are wearing loads of make up. Amazing!
{May Lindstrom The Problem Solver}
This powder mask is made with raw cacao, bamboo charcoal, earth clays, frankincense, turmeric and spices that warm and tingle your skin as you wear it (as with all May’s products it smells so good you will be tempted to taste it, I did and wouldn’t advise). This one needs a 40 minute commitment and it repays you tenfold with the way it corrects skin niggles, shrinks current spots and stops infant spots in their tracks. A beauty cabinet essential with no best before date!
{Mizon Egg White Bubble Cleanser}
For the seasoned beauty pro, especially one accustomed to luxe packaging, this gives the outer impression that it might take your skin off like paintstripper. If I hadn’t got a free sample I wouldn’t have tried this, boy would I have missed out! The foam is as soft and dense as cashmere, it leaves your skin feeling moisturised. It dislodges everything you need a cleanser to remove and leaves your face looking and feeling glorious. Never judge a Korean beauty product by its cover!
{Emma Hardie Dual Action Cleansing Cloths}
With muslin one side and a buffing microfiber flannel on the other this is officially the best face cloth in the world. Don’t dilly-dally, just pick up three for £10 and thank me later…