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Winter never screams ‘fresh-faced.’ It’s too cold; our faces are too dry and very little we can do will give us a legit dewy look – well, not unless you fast forward to this July when you’ll be lazing on a tropical beach somewhere. But while we don’t have a magical Back to the Future-type time machine, we do have some tools at our disposal that make us masters of deception – we can fake glowy skin til kingdom come, thank the Lord. And during this time, the most trying of the post-festive lull, we know your lovely face needs some kind?TLC. If yours feels like mine does, chances are as it’s dull, and needs gentle encouragement to be restored to its glorious self. But how?I hear you cry? Start with these six products and you’ll be looking as wonderful as ever in no time at all. Think of it as a mini quick-fix revival kit for the month of January:
Going back to basics the first month of the year is always a good way to begin and this certainly rings true in terms of your skin. An excellent?facial cleanser?will do all the hard work for you and reveal the glowing skin goddess hidden under a fortnight of enjoyable-yet-indulgent drinking and eating. ?Many have wooed me, but I remain loyal to few like I would to the original?Eve Lom Cleanser?(?68).?Full of soothing chamomile and moisturising cocoa butter, it removes dirt and cleanses without stripping the skin.
And for an extra boost, a face mask is the only answer. I used?Clarins Super Restorative mask?(?40.80) just once and have never gone back. It smells and feels gorgeous; skin feels soft and aptly moisturised and once applied, it works its magic in under ten minutes.
The old me would scorn the very thought of a highlighter, but then Trump and 2016 happened and well, help was needed in the skin-beaming department like never before. Benefit’s High Beam (?27.50) ‘satiny pink highlighter does the job like few others. Use it a spot highlighter over makeup or wear under complexion products for have you been on holiday-type luminescence.
So many women I know skip the concealer step but if used correctly, it’s almost as important – and just as effective – as a foundation. This Laura Mercier Undercover Pot (?42) is a tried-and-tested favourite that rarely leaves my makeup bag. It contains two shades of concealer and a setting powder, and the multi-toned yellow shades make this one super-effective at concealing dark circles and red marks on the skin. It lasts ages as you only need a small amount for sufficient coverage.
Hard when they are super-glued together these bitter mornings yes, but a truly great mascara means you can sleep an hour on your morning commute and still appear wide-eyed and bushy-tailed. Only one mascara has ‘the Thing’ for me and it’s Lanc’me Hypn’se Volume Mascara (?28.00).?A cult favourite for a reason, this is the best volumising mascara I’ve ever used;?it?plumps even the tiniest baby lashes for extra voluminous lashes. And you can apply multiple coats without it going flaky, which is a major bonus.
A statement lip can almost completely?transform your look. And at this quite gloomy time of year, don’t be afraid to go for something that makes you stand out from the crowd. Top Shop’s matte lipstick in Rio Rio (?10) – a beautiful orange-tinted red – will instantly brighten your lips and stay put for hours.