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Beauty news

Ha! I say “news”, it’s more that in this lockdown I cannot stop buying cosmetics. When I feel really down, which is probably about once a week, I have a little think about how much money I would be spending on take-out bircher muesli and cocktails if it wasn’t lockdown and then I spend that on something from Lookfantastic or Cult Beauty. And when it arrives it genuinely cheers me up for the day and then gives me a little lift of happiness every time I see it for the next week.

Bobbi Brown Eye Base. There is no eye cream that is going to get rid of dark circles or puffiness. It doesn’t exist. There is some chatter about a new Hourglass cream but I don’t really believe it, and it’s £90+! Get real. For your best bet of getting rid of dark circles you have to get a decent amount of daylight, drink water and sleep. Trust me, I’m as annoyed as you are about this. But this Bobbi Brown eye cream does a very good job of keeping the area hydrated and makes your under-eye concealer go on nicely. For puffiness you need a cool flannel held to the eyes for a few minutes or one of those gel masks.

Shishedo ColourGel Lip Balm/Trinny London lip gloss. My mouth is huge and I don’t want to draw loads of attention to it by making it very glossy or pink. But I do also want to look a tiny bit “finished”. I also don’t like lipstick and don’t have the lifestyle to maintain it. So, what I have been looking for for years is a lip treatment that leaves a smooth, light effect, which makes my lips retain their original colour, but takes them a shade lighter, not darker. It must not be slimy or sticky. It might be scented but they must not taste of anything. It’s a very niche product I need! Should you be in the same boat as me, I have tracked down two: Shishedo ColourGel Lip balm an Trinny London LipGlow lipgloss in Maddie.

Bourjois eye pencil. The search my entire adult life for a very good eye pencil has another stop along the way – the Bourjois Kohl and Contour, or any one of their “Clubbing” range. Bourjois have stopped trading in the UK so this is only available on Amazon. I have got a brown and a black and they’re both terrific.

I’m sure like me you are not arsed with washing your hair much at the moment you are dry shampoo a go-go. I’m a bit freaked about the number of cans you could get through… LANDFILL!!! so I bought a dry shampoo in a tub from Corinne Taylor. It works really well although I do slightly worry that it is itchier than the aerosol kind and I also hesitate to say this but I think it may have irritated my scalp a bit. I’m keen to try out the Phillip Kingsley dry shampoo from his new flaky/itchy scalp range but… LANDFILL!

What about you? Are you also compulsively purchasing cosmetics right now? And can anyone recommend a non-aerosol dry shampoo that works and doesn’t burn your scalp off? Please leave a comment in the handy box below.

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Comments

  1. Jen says

    January 26, 2021 at 12:13 pm

    The bumble and bumble dry shampoo comes in a shaky bottle and is fantastic. That said I have very fine hair and it gives lots of nice texture and also smells divine.

    Reply
    • Cara says

      January 28, 2021 at 3:49 am

      Yes, I second this! It is the best

      Reply
  2. Lucy says

    January 26, 2021 at 12:29 pm

    Esther… Il Makiage… Any thoughts? The reviews are amazing and they promise life changing concealer and foundation… but they keep sending me these marketing emails full of trendy words which I do not understand (‘Hey there, B’ – who IS B? Or ‘what’s up, Bae’ – what is Bae?) which makes me think that it’s make up for people twenty years younger than me (I’m 35). Am I too old and untrendy and my skin too haggard for Il Makiage?

    Reply
    • esthermcoren says

      January 26, 2021 at 1:04 pm

      Hi! No you are not too old and the online colour match thing works fine BUT … it is just make-up. It is make-up like any other. It is not amazing or life changing.

      Reply
      • Anonymous says

        January 26, 2021 at 9:44 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
  3. Anonymous says

    January 26, 2021 at 12:49 pm

    Hello Esther, thanks for the tips. I can also vouch for the excellent Bobbi Brown eye-base, which I purchased in John Lewis just before first lockdown (O tempora, o mores!) and which is only just running out, despite daily use. Ameliorate Transforming Body Lotion has CURED the ketosis pilaris on my upper arms which is cheering me up no end. Finally, Birkenstock do a lovely hyaluronic serum which has evened out my skin-tone after a month’s use. Damn that Bourjois are no longer selling here; I love their dinky little glittery pots of eyeshadow, very easy to apply with finger in taxis etc. and am about to run out of two favourite colours. So off to Amazon I go… trip to Paris not being on the cards… Lisa xx

    Reply
    • esthermcoren says

      January 26, 2021 at 1:04 pm

      I love that Spike readers leave comments in Latin

      Reply
  4. Cindy says

    January 26, 2021 at 1:04 pm

    I haven’t tried it yet but I was looking at the M&S Living Proof Perfect Hair Day dry shampoo. Otherwise I’ve embraced braiding, headbands and clips for the first time since school, and just putting less stuff on it. One thing I’ve bought that I really like is Dr Paw Paw balms, which you can use on lips, cuticles etc. I’ve got a couple of different coloured ones that I put on my cheeks too for a tint. They’re subtle and make me feel ready for the day, when in reality the day is kicking dust in my face and saying “meep! meep!” but I feel happy in the brief moment before I smack into the fake tunnel I drew for myself and what more can you ask from a beauty product?

    Reply
    • esthermcoren says

      January 26, 2021 at 1:05 pm

      All living proof products are terrific

      Reply
  5. Lisa says

    January 26, 2021 at 1:21 pm

    Ref the dry shampoo – some kind of root lifter/volumising powder should have the same effect? Still comes in plastic, but not aerosol. Schwarzkopf do one and I think Batiste do too now. I’m sure it’s all much of a much.

    Reply
  6. Kirsten says

    January 26, 2021 at 1:27 pm

    Another vote for the Bumble and Bumble Pret a Powder dry shampoo. One bottle lasts ages (and I HATE having dirty hair so I use it loads). It’s made it to proper ‘desert island product’ status in my book!

    Reply
  7. Nicole says

    January 26, 2021 at 1:37 pm

    I’m trying out (buying) many different brands of Cleansing Balm for some reason.. I love Emma Hardie’s one and Clinique ‘Take the Day Off’ one and (cheap as chips) The Body Shop Sumptuous Cleansing Butter in Camomile. Perfect for dry skins!

    Reply
  8. Siân says

    January 26, 2021 at 1:47 pm

    I’ve become obsessed with Beauty Pie – I don’t even know why, I don’t like make-up that much and am the opposite of a marketer’s dream. The candles (so cheap! And good), but the one product is the detox shampoo – a tangent and hope you don’t mind. A colleague at work on Teams said suddenly “I’ve never seen your hair look as good as today”.
    I’m also suddenly obsessed with the perfect lightbulb. Really – they are so very ugly most of them. But that’s for another day!

    Reply
  9. Emily says

    January 26, 2021 at 1:59 pm

    I am also feeling very bleughhh and have just bought a load of stuff at Beauty Pie so I can put something nice on my skin to make it feel happy and then also something vaguely make up ish to make me feel vaguely happy.

    Re the dry shampoo situation – can’t those cans go in the recycling? The packaging suggests so.. Oops. Been doing that for years.

    I’ve just discovered I am deeply allergic/ reactive to dry shampoo after being a Batiste devotee. I just thought I had a horrid excema-y scalp and there was nothing to be done about it, but load it up with more aerosol dry shampoo. Turns out i was wrong. A combination of Moo Goo shampoo (with no SLS etc), their scalp balm and swerving Batiste has cleared up the issues.

    For a couple of months I tried (don’t laugh) arrowroot powder dusted into my parting to act as an old-skool dry shampoo (a tip from Going Zero Waste, who you flagged ages ago). It works fine, ish. Even with dark brown hair, the white cast disappears after a couple of minutes. But, it doesn’t do anything for volume, so I’m giving Klorane’s Nettle dry shampoo a go. So far so good.

    Sorry. This was longer than I planned. Who knew I had such opinions on dry shampoo!

    Reply
    • esthermcoren says

      January 26, 2021 at 2:55 pm

      Emily! It’s all thought provoking and most welcome!

      Reply
  10. Julia says

    January 26, 2021 at 2:49 pm

    I use Johnson’s baby powder on my hair. A big shaker thingie lasts like… a year? I have ridiculous hair that’s dry and coarse underneath and fine and greasy on the top, so I just rub in a goodly amount the night before and in the morning it doesn’t have that distinctive 1980s smell and isn’t static.

    Downsides: I do hold my breath while applying the stuff as it’s probably not great for your lungs, and also doesn’t immediately lend a sexy look if you’re climbing into bed with someone, but luckily my husband has got very low standards.

    Reply
    • esthermcoren says

      January 26, 2021 at 2:56 pm

      Julia I think we probably all do by now

      Reply
    • Liz says

      January 26, 2021 at 9:40 pm

      I was going to suggest talc type stuff as well. It works a treat in times of need.

      Reply
  11. Beck says

    January 26, 2021 at 4:35 pm

    I’ve been circling Chanel Metal Terracotta mascara since I read a review that says it makes all eye colours pop (yep, I’m a sucker) and this just made me think f*ck it and click …. doing dry Jan, so it’s the least I deserve since my wallet is fuller and my eyes less bloodshot, amirite

    Reply
    • esthermcoren says

      January 26, 2021 at 4:38 pm

      report back!

      Reply
  12. A Reader says

    January 26, 2021 at 4:48 pm

    Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk is the best I have ever used; I’ve tried (and do not rate at all) the Phillip Kingsley stuff and Batiste. I also don’t particularly like anything else I’ve tried from Klorane. But that dry shampoo: for me, perfection.

    Reply
  13. Anna says

    January 26, 2021 at 6:36 pm

    Very interested to hear dry shampoo recommendations. I wash my hair each day to avoid zero volume and hint of greasiness but I’d rather use dry shampoo and save those ten minutes.

    Reply
  14. Mary E Arkinstall says

    January 26, 2021 at 6:48 pm

    Re: dark eye circles, my favourite product for many years was Benefits ‘ Oh la lift’ a pale pink cream which depuffs beautifully. Then they tragically discontinued it and I can’t even find it on ebay.
    Do you have any ideas for a replacement? The lip balm sounds good, I think I’ll try it in Bella.

    Reply
    • esthermcoren says

      January 26, 2021 at 8:32 pm

      I keep meaning to try the Becca under-eye thing and don’t because of my critical belief that no under-eye thing really works, but people do say it works wonders

      Reply
      • Anonymous says

        January 27, 2021 at 9:38 am

        Thanks for the suggestion – I’ll investigate, and also the Trish McEvoy one suggested by Sarah. Its really hard to choose based on a screen!

        Reply
  15. Sarah says

    January 26, 2021 at 7:20 pm

    I really like the Trish McEvoy under eye thing – but it’s always going out of stock. Does anyone know of anything similar that’s easier to find?

    Reply
  16. Kathrine says

    January 26, 2021 at 10:54 pm

    The best product I’ve ever tried, for anything, is the By Terry Baume de Rose sheet masks. £14 a pop but genuinely take me from wizened old husk to the Fairy baby in 20 mins. Divine. As they’re so fucking expensive, talc for dry shampoo (just really rub it in), the old fashioned cream Simple make up remover, Chapstick, that 90p shiny green apple shampoo from the bottom shelf. Oh, Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Intense as well. Must be the Intense one. Clears up skin in an instant including mask congestion. Am very much all or nothing with beauty expenditure.

    Reply
    • esthermcoren says

      January 27, 2021 at 9:01 am

      You are the ultimate high low

      Reply
  17. Gemma says

    January 27, 2021 at 10:26 am

    For under eye circles the best combo I have found is two colours of the Nars Creamy Concealer. I have very dark circles, always have. Doesn’t matter how much sleep I get am destined to have the headtilt and ‘are you ok, you look reaaaaally tired’ situation.

    I get a normal size tube of the custard colour and a mini version of the vanilla. Then use the custard as usual and then the vanilla just gets dotted on the lower part of the dark circle. It has taken me years, and alot of money to figure this out so glad I have somewhere to share it.

    Reply
    • esthermcoren says

      January 27, 2021 at 11:35 am

      Gemma I love a hard-won beauty solution and I am pleased you took the time to share it with us

      Reply
  18. Lotte says

    January 27, 2021 at 11:47 am

    With regard to beautiful lips. I had problems (pre lockdown) finding a good lip gloss or similar that is suitable for Coeliacs. I can’t use products containing wheat/barley/rye/oats on my lips as no doubt I will ingest some of it. They hide those ingredients using fancy (Latin) names ! I don’t use lipstick as the kind man at the MAC counter in Harvey Nics once said to me ” oh no, you can’t wear lipstick with THOSE thin lips”. Do you have recommendations for gluten free lip gloss please?

    Reply
  19. Old Fossil says

    January 27, 2021 at 1:01 pm

    Birch Box! I love getting lots of little treats. I signed up for a year half price with one of their special offers. I keep them in a bowl in the bathroom and wantonly indulge!

    Reply
  20. Hannah Wren says

    January 27, 2021 at 4:25 pm

    `Love chatting all things waste and recycling… I also wonder if aerosols are that bad? They are aluminium and infinitely recyclable (apart from the caps) and go in standard recycling… so might actually be better than a plastic bottle? Would love an informed opinion from a packaging guru 🙂

    Reply
    • esthermcoren says

      January 27, 2021 at 4:48 pm

      *buys 9,000 bottles of Batiste*

      Reply
  21. Celia says

    January 30, 2021 at 2:46 pm

    Chanel’s Rouge Coco Flash in Chicness (although also keen to try ‘Boy’) – nude, moisturising & luxe. Added bonus of free choose-your-own samples if you order direct from Chanel online. Also love the ‘try it on’ feature on their website

    Reply
  22. Eileen Dawson says

    January 31, 2021 at 7:35 pm

    For lovely lasting lip colour, even under a mask, I love these; L’Oreal lip colours – Paris-Brilliant-Signature-Lip-Ink, I have two shades which cheer me every day. x

    Reply

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