Welcome to the latest beauty buys I love right now. From science-backed skincare to an innovative laser facial that will reset and refresh any skin type. A subtle musky scent and an affordable brow and lash-boosting serum. Here’s my pick of must-haves for May, says editor Trudi Brewer.
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Drunk Elephant Protini Powerpeptide Resurf Serum, $149.
Hard on the heels of the epic Protini Polypeptide Cream, this serum was made to revamp dull skin, and winter is the perfect time to treat your complexion to some serious skincare. Focusing on skin clarity with firming peptides and 10 per cent lactic acid for gentle exfoliating, you can expect your skin to look radiant in weeks.
Boost Lab Peptide+ Lash and Brow Serum, $40.
The combination of a brow and lash serum is brilliant, and this newbie is affordable and effective. Phyto-actives, protein peptides, prebiotics, caffeine, and hemp seed oil, boost growth. In addition, it blends red ginseng, and Japanese rose extracts that anchor those hair follicles. Like all growth serums, you need to be patient to see results. Use each morning for eight weeks.
Caci Laser Facial, $190.
I have been prepping my skin for this new glow-giving Laser Facial for over a month. If you are new to skin treatments, it kicks off with two sessions before the Laser Facial, the first a gentle Peel and the other Hydradermabrasion, to ensure my skin is ready for this collagen-boosting thermal treatment. So to the skin service: The first step is a gentle, level one chemical peel after a double cleanse. This frees the skin of any dead skin buildup and helps the light to penetrate deep into the dermis. Then the skin is marked with a white wax pencil so the laser can follow a grid-like pattern over the face. The light creates channels deep in the skin using a low thermal temperature to trigger a wound-healing response in the skin. In my case, this boosts my sluggish collagen production, which helps firm and brighten the skin. Done and dusted in 30 minutes, there is no pain (only a slight warm tingling) or downtime (other than a pinkish glow and, the next day, a slight itch on the skin) - it’s the perfect glow-giving lunchtime service. And the results - firmer, more radiant skin - that gets better-looking by the day. Who doesn't want that, right?
DIPTYQUE L'EAU PAPIER EDT, 50ML $189.
Intrigued by how a fragrance can take on the olfactory impression of ink-soaked sheets of white paper, I needed to smell this scent. Once I did - OMG, it’s exquisite. The hero ingredient is delicate white musk with a blend of creamy rice steam accord (which does smell like freshly steamed rice), then divine citrus-like honey-like mimosa flower. Does it smell like paper? Not sure, but it’s bloody gorgeous. The perfect skin-warming scent for winter. If I had known I would love it this much, I would have purchased the 100ml bottle.
Sugar Baby DREAM CREAM SKIN LOVING DAILY FACIAL CREAM, $33.
My skin is dry, and in winter, it constantly feels parched. So this little pot of creamy goodness you can use day and night is full of skin-nourishing ingredients. The list includes B3-C and E, hyaluronic acid (my all-time fave ingredient), fruit extracts, and coconut. But all you need to know is that it melts onto the skin, giving it a dewy glow that lasts all day - one-word #love.
NARS Afterglow Lip Shine in Orgasm, $50.
The perfect sheer pink is my latest gloss purchase to add to the dozens I already have. Not only is it the cult Nars sheer perfect peach pink colour, but it is also loaded with pomegranate extracts, jojoba oil, and vitamin E-infused raspberry seed oil. It’s everything for gloss lovers like me.
Another designer expression of loving our true selves.