AND Easter rolled around again, like a forgotten Ferrero Rocher on an Easter egg hunt that fell behind the spiky bromeliad and didn’t get found until it ambled downhill after the rain. As you may have guessed, I have done not one but THREE Easter egg hunts with the children, have eaten a good-sized proportion of my bodyweight in chocolate and various hot cross buns collectively the size of a large rabbit. I am now taking some time to sit down with a cup of tea, no chocolates in sight, and review these gorgeous new products over the long weekend. Which brings us to the latest edition of ON MY DESK: what’s new in beauty and skincare at the beginning of April 2015.
MAKEUP
If you want 100% naturally-derived foundation, definitely give this a go. Nude by Nature has medium-coverage mineral foundations that give a photo-ready finish without unnecessary fillers. The range includes a pressed mattifying mineral veil ($34.95), pressed mineral foundation ($44.95), and pressed mineral bronzer ($44.95). Pressed Natural Mineral Cover has medium to full coverage in a fragrance-free formula with zinc oxide sun protection and Vitamin E, avocado oil, jojoba and shea butter to moisturise. This has be far the nicest presentation in a mineral range I’ve seen to date, with a satin fabric pouch and a sponge inside a box – it is beautiful to hold and use. They are doing a good value trio set of the foundation, mineral veil and bronzer for $89.95 for all three. Nude by Nature is available at selected pharmacies and Farmers stores.
Australis is utilising the colour-correcting pigment technology of some of the expensive makeup brands in this budget foundation, Mix It Colour Correcting Foundation, which retails for just $18.90. The formulation contains yellow pigment to conceal dark circles, mauve pigment to brighten skin tone, and green pigments to reduce redness. It has a SPF25 sun protection factor and has Vitamin E an argan oil, and pink grapefruit oil to hydrate skin. It is water-based not oil-based and comes in six shades: nude, beige, natural beige, natural fawn, natural tan and golden tan, available from Farmers, Kmart and selected pharmacies. I found it quite sheer and more of a BB cream consistency than a foundation as it has light coverage.
The popular Velourlips matte lip cream line, also by Australis cosmetics, has released new shades named after world cities: Shang-Hi, Doo-Bai, Bar-Tha-Lona, Ro-Ma, and Buda-Pash. Pictured below: Bar-Tha-Lona in hot red, and Ro-Ma in candy pink. Australis cosmetics are not tested on animals and their velvety matte Velourlips retail for $15 each. I found them to have good, deep colour coverage in one stroke and were great for the price.
In the world of multi-taskers, everything has a mate. There are cleansers and toners combined, BB creams that do everything bar make your bed, and shampoo and conditioners combined, rather oddly, but I don’t understand how that one even works – it’s cleansing your hair then nourishing it? Anyhow, on with this one, which does make sense: Clinique Pop Lip Colour + Primer in one. This little beauty is a rich colour lipstick with a built-in primer to nourish lips with shea and murumuru butters. It is lovely and hydrating and creamy. I particularly like the berry case and silver packaging, too. It comes in 16 shades and retails for $46 from 27th April 2015 at Clinique counters nationwide.
SKINCARE
Double wear is one of the best foundations I have EVER tried. I keep forgetting how nice it is, then discovering it again and being pleasantly surprised. I have been wearing this new BB version since I got it and loving it for application smoothness and finished result. So it’s only apt that Estee Lauder is on a mission this year to get women to discover Double Wear makeup. They are doing sampling in stores and are undertaking a new campaign for their best-selling foundation entitled ‘Love is in the Wear’, and have a new price for the foundation of $69 beginning on 6th April 2015. Double Wear Stay In Place Makeup SPF10 is the number one selling Estee Lauder foundation in New Zealand and the world, with its flawless look and great staying power. The lightweight version for weekends or for a more casual look, is Double Wear Light Stay-in-Place Makeup. The first luminous, long-wear BB makeup from Estee Lauder is Double Wear All-Day Glow BB Moisture Makeup SPF30 with soft optics to give the appearance that it lights the skin from within. It is an oil-free formula with a lightweight texture and it may also be used as a highlighter with your Double Wear Foundation. The new lower price of $69 from 6th April will mean even more people will love Double Wear.
See the Light: Double Wear Light Stay In Place Makeup SPF10
You glow, girl: Double Wear All Day Glow BB Moisture Makeup SPF30
Here’s the Highlights: I absolutely LOVE this highlighter pen. it gives instant results and really works to add light and also conceals well. Double Wear Brush-On Glow BB Highlighter is a brush tipped pen you click to release product, to correct and brighten whilst concealing imperfections. It minimises dark circles and fine lines without settling into creases. Using Photo Optic™ Technology, the emollient formula brightens shadows, helping erase the look of fatigue and dark circles as it highlights facial features. $54.
Since its launch, millions of jars of Revitalift Laser 3 have been sold and it’s New Zealand’s number one anti-ageing skincare brand (by unit and value sales up to June 2014.) After wrinkles, a huge cause for concern is dark spots. These bad boys pop up due to enviornmental aggressors such as UV, stress, pollution and airconditioning and so L’Oreal Paris have formulated Revitalift Laser x3 to combat this problem and challenge three IPL (intense pulsed light) laser sessions with this new product: Revitalift Laser x3 Anti-Wrinkle + Anti-Dark Spot duo. This combo has two steps. Step 1 is a Night Peeling Lotion, which you apply after cleansing onto damp skin during the night while you sleep. It has a chemical exfoliating action with 4% glycolic acid and 1% A-Hydroxy (citric acid). Step 2 is Complete Care SPF15 to leave on during the day, with actives 3% Proxylane, L-Niacide, and UVA-UVB filtration system. This targets dark spots and pigmentation. Makeup may be applied on top. I have tried this two-step skincare for a week since I got it, and had none of the tingling sensitivity I suspected I might have being sensitive; instead, it was soothing and felt great.
Evening primrose oil contains an omega-6 essential fatty acid that is necessary for good health. Weleda has just released this new facial care range utilising the benefits of evening primrose and, like all Weleda products, is NATRUE certified to meet their highest standards of natural organic products. The trio of products are the essentials: day cream night cream, and an eye and lip cream, to hit up dry and ageing skin with an anti-oxidant-rich formula that uses a range of oils to restore skin including macadamia nut oil, inca nut oil, wheatgerm oil, as well as the evening primrose oil that gives it its name. Evening Primrose Age Revitalising Day Cream, Night Cream and Eye and Lip Cream all retail for $47.90 each available from www.weleda.co.nz and from selected health food stores and pharmacies.
This new range is aimed entirely at cleansing gently for those of us with sensitive skin – and I know that’s important as so many people say that cleansing affects them greatly if harsh products make sensitive skin feel extremely dry and ‘stripped away’. Having said that, I don’t see why everybody could use it, as sensitive products are perfect for everyone, and the new micellar waters are hypo-allergenic, alcohol-free and fragrance-free making them ideal for all. You can use the micellar water and the cleansing wipes without any need for water and the gel-cream wash for when you want a soap-free, creamy face wash. L’Oreal Paris Skin Perfection range includes the very reasonably-priced 3 in 1 Micellar Cleansing water ($13.99), Refreshing Cleansing Wipes ($11.99) and Gel-Cream Wash ($13.99), all available in stores now.
BODY
Ignore your feet at your peril. Looking after your tootsies is not only wise, it also feels amazing too, with this new range of products called Linden Leaves Footcare. They smell incredible and feel refreshing and are ideal if you spent a lot of time in high heels and have tired feet. Linden Leaves, the natural essential oils brand started in Christchurch, uses invigorating lemongrass, cucumber, and sage, to treat the mind and body with the benefits of essential oils. Linden Leaves Foot Reviver ($22.99) is a pump spray to spritz on feet and is naturally anti-bacterial. My personal pick of the range is the Foot Massage Cream ($34.99) which is a rich creamy moisturiser containing she and cocoa butters and beeswax to hydrate, sage and lemongrass oils to freshen and cucumber to soothe. Foot Scrub ($$34.99) has natural pumice grains and apricot seed to exfoliate skin and then nourish using grapeseed oil, cocoa butter and shea butter. Best used on warm soaked feet to exfoliate dead skin and stimulate circulation. Follow with foot massage cream for a decadent delightful treat.
I’ve been trying Manuka Doctor’s skincare for a while now and also have their Radiance serum and cleansing wipes on my night stand currently on the go. Their blend of clinically-proven bee venom teamed with certified UMF18+ manuka honey and royal jelly is a potent power-punch of the bee world, with benefits to firm up your skin. This is a body-firming product (not to be used on the face and neck) to lift and tighten problem areas (hello I have lots of those) using red algae extracts, chicory root and caesalpinia spinosa gum. Manuka Doctor Firm Body Moisturiser retails for $54.95 for a large 130ml tub; available at selected pharmacies and department stores and at Manuka Doctor 1 Quay Street Auckland and online at www.manukadr.co.nz.
Megan Robinson
6th April 2015
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