In my August edition of ON MY DESK I take a look at highlights in new releases in the worlds of beauty, makeup and skincare that have crossed my path lately, including Antipodes, MAC, Garnier, The Aromatherapy Company, Essie, Neutrogena, Estee Lauder, and Rimmel London. I also threw in an Instagram pic of one of my ‘Makeup of the Day’ posts; I’m going to be doing more of them I think, as a snapshot of what I’m using on my own face day-to-day.
First up, one of my favourite local brands not only in product itself, but in its fabulous ethos: Antipodes skincare. I have gone through pots of their moisturisers and their incredible butter cleanser over the years. I was lucky enough to try their products in a hydrating facial in Dunedin once, too which I highly recommend. This New Zealand certified-organic brand is doing brilliantly worldwide and is giving back to the earth by donating $60,000 to conservation organisation World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF NZ) from the sales of its latest product – the Chia & Kiwi seed Superfood Serum. These two superfoods combine in this serum along with natural fragrances of jasmine and ylang ylang in a formulation to restore youthful vitality to skin.
Price: $49.50 with $2 from each sale goes to WWF NZ
Available: in stores from 1st October 2015 www.Facebook.com/AntipodesSkincare www.antipodesnature.com
The latest MAC fashion colab brings Italian designer Giambattista Valli – not afraid of taking a risk with colour, and who used cyclamen and orange in his Fall couture show in July – with coloured bullet lipstick cases bearing his signature and matching the lip colour within. The lipsticks come in five shades: Bianca B – pale white-pink, Tats – bright hot pink, Margherita – yellow bright peach, Charlotte – rich yellow-red, Eugenie – dark cherry with blue undertone. There’s also a clear glaze gloss ($50.)
Price: $44
Available: on sale from 7th September 2015 from authorized MAC locations.
Helping hands: I’m wearing The Aromatherapy Company Therapy Range Hand Cream & Cuticle Oil, Essie nailpolish in bump up the pumps. This is a two-step treat for worn-out hands- firstly, nourish and protect cuticles with the pen that has a brush tip that you use to paint the oil exactly where you need it. It has a blend of jojoba, evening primrose oil and Vitamin E so will hydrate and repair this area prone to damage. Secondly smooth this delicious handcream in a choice of 8 fragrances over hands and now sit back and try not to do any housework or typing and have a nice cup of tea while it sinks in.
Price: $12.99 for the cuticle oil pen and $17.99 for handcream.
Available at: department stores, gift stores, pharmacies and see online at www.thearomatherapycompany.co.nz
The perfect Ski Bunny pamper pack with Neutrogena hand and foot creams, sunscreen for winter sun protection, a cute ASOS beanie, heated hand warmers, and chocolates! Ultra Sheer face and clear face are ideal so you don’t get those streaky white sunscreen marks on your face.
Price: hand and foot cream $8.99, Body Moisturiser $12.99, Ultra Sheer clear face $22.99.
Available at: pharmacies and supermarkets
My own makeup of the day: I’m wearing MAC Strobe Cream, Chanel no5, World Organic lipstick by Megan Douglas which comes in real bamboo packaging, MAC brush, Kagi ring, Jasmin Sparrow earrings, Estee Lauder BB cream, Bobbi Brown Brightening Brick.
That incredibly popular Garnier micellar water has now been released in hypoallergenic wipes making it a no-brainer for even the most tired or time-poor of us to take off our makeup. I’ve used them for three nights and I find they’re really good, maybe just need to use an eye makeup remover as well for your mascara.
Available: at pharmacies and supermarkets.
Usually-classic brand Estée Lauder has gone to the dark side, with this new Pure Color Envy Matte Sculpting Lipstick in this blackened red, called Commanding.
Estée Lauder Pure Colour Envy Velvet Matte Lip new lipsticks in Furious (red-orange) and Commanding (deep blackened brick).
Available: at Estee Lauder counters nationwide.
Brown and brow delights, from Rimmel London, with self tanning mousse, instant tan, Sun Shimmer BB, and Brow This Way kit and styling gels. The Sun Shimmer comes in an instant tan in a gradual tan matte lotion and in a mousse formulation. The one I found most interesting was the BB Instant Tan; it’s a wash off instant tanning lotion to give you instant colour. Beware of the white sheets at night though! Also new from Rimmel London comes these brow products; a mascara wand gel and Brow This Way duo compact to apply with a brush in powder, then and set the eyebrow in brow wax. I have used the brow mascara and found it excellent; good colour application and a nice, thick formulation.
My hands smell so good I can’t stop sniffing them, with the arrival of ten year old USA brand Lalicious in NZ. Famous for its cult sugar scrub, Lalicious now has a huge range of body butters, hand creams, and lip butters, in signature scents. It is free from parabens, mineral oil, phthlates, gluten paraffin, petroleum, sodium laureth sulfate, triclosan, GMO derived soy, propylene Glycol and synthetic colours. It is 98% natural =, 99 % vegan, and is fair trade and has no animal testing, and is made in USA.
Price: Extraordinary Whipped Sugar Scrub $69, Weightless Hand Cream $35, Hydrating Body Butter $55, Nourishing Lip Butter $35.
Available: Lalicious is exclusively distributed in New Zealand by Beauty Care Ltd ph 0800 223 288. www.Facebook.com/LaliciousNZ
The fabulous New Zealand skincare company run by Vicky Woolford, Savar, has added hair care to its stable of beautiful botanical, natural, New Zealand-made skincare products. The plant-based Ultra Cleansing Shampoo and Ultra Nourishing Conditioner bring together NZ manuka honey, cucumber, ginger, and avocado to cleanse and nourish your hair. The smell SO GOOD honestly I love this combination of fragrances – and I think this big size is not only great value as they last for ages as they are a rich formula not full of soapy filler and detergent like cheap shampoos. It is so helpful for busy people to not have to keep buying little bottles that run out and it means less plastic bottles in your recycle bin too.
Price: $39 each for large 500ml bottles.
Available: www.savaronline.com and leading department stores, pharmacies and retailers.
Megan Robinson
19th August 2015
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