Confessions of a Beauty Writer

I always try the products I write about – but, although I love experimenting with new textures, formulations, scents and colours, it’s probably fair to say that only a handful of new skincare and make-up additions get absorbed into my personal beauty stash each year.

I’ll try each new liquid eyeliner that comes out, on the offchance that it out-performs Guerlain Eye-Liner (£24.50), the one that’s been my favourite since Clarins did away with the previous holder of the title. But if, after a couple of weeks or so I find that I’m still more inclined to go with the Guerlain, then it’s out with the new, and stock up on the old.

Recently, it’s been my collection of haircare that’s been swelling – to include Aveda Pure Abundance Style Prep (£19.50; www.aveda.co.uk),  a fantastic conditioning and styling spraywhich is great on long, easily tangled and fine hair like mine, and the nourishing, shine-boosting Ojon Rare Blend Oil (£29; www.ojon.co.uk), which I have been using on and off since the summer.

My stash of body creams and oils is not likely to ever be without Clarins Toning Body Balm (£29; www.clarins.co.uk), which I love as much for its geranium scent as for its gorgeous feel, and the Clarins Lotus Face Treatment Oil (£29), which I was recently advised – during a super-relaxing Clarins Energizing Back, Neck & Scalp Massage (£34) to try using on my spot-prone, but permanently dehydrated, back.  That’s part of the plan of campaign to tackle the problem skin there; the other is to treat it with regular sessions.

And of course, my morning routine has undergone a bit of an overhaul since I sampled a Clinique Full Service consultation (one of the variations on the As You Like It service that Clinique customers can enjoy after indicating – through coloured wristbands – whether they have time for a full consultation or an express one).

Val, at Frasers in Glasgow (one of five Clinique counters nationwide where the As You Like It wrist bands are available*), thoroughly analysed my skin and my concerns and sorted me out with skincare and foundation which looked and felt fabulous. Although I have tried Clinique Redness Solutions Make-up SPF 15 (£23; www.clinique.co.uk), I had not tried it over a complete programme of Clinique Redness Solutions skincare, plus  Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus Wrinkle & UV Damage Corrector (£39.50), and the results were not just impressive; they were dazzling. I was transformed.

* The service is available at Selfridges, Oxford Street; House of Fraser, Meadowhall; Frasers, Glasgow; Debenhams Leeds and Fenwick Newcastle.

My Holidays in Beauty

Well, it’s been a few weeks since I last updated my beauty journal – and a lot has happened. Mainly the fact that I’ve turned 40 – and I have to say, it was not only painless but entirely pleasurable. I had a fab party that was everything I’d hoped for and more, I felt great and I got some nice compliments on my hair and make-up (Chanel nails, Clarins eyeshadow, YSL mascara Dior base, Dior, Ojon-treated hair and Clinique lipstick, since you ask). What more could a girl (ahem) want?!

Skincare staples over the last few weeks have been Shiseido White Lucency Clarifying Cleansing Foam (£29, www.houseoffraser.co.uk ), a brilliant wash-off cleanser which seems to calm redness-prone skin, Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner (£24, www.clarins.co.uk), an exfoliator disguised as a toner which is faster to use than the conventional wash-off equivalent, and the brand new Clarins Lotus Face Treatment Oil (£29). After several weeks’ use, I am now noticing an improvement in the shininess of my skin – it hadn’t quite kicked in at the time of my birthday, however. The logic is that putting oil onto oily skin cancels out the skin’s urge to produce excess oil.. If a permanent shine is the bane of your life (with me, it tends to happen after a drink or if someone points a flashing camera at me! – see picture), I’d recommend experimenting with facial oils.

I’ve more or less given up on blotting papers and have reverted to good pressed powders – notably Guerlain Meteorites Pressed Powder (£34) and the brand-new  Clarins Ever Matte Mineral Powder Compact (£25, from February) – and have realised that I often don’t look shiny in real life; it’s those damn photos where the flash bounces off my forehead (and nobody else’s) that have given me this complex.

Clarins Eye Quartet in Smokey Passion/Dior Rouges d'Or in Victorine in action

I’m going to be gutted when I run out of the two limited edition cosmetics which have seen me through all the Christmas nights-out and parties: Clarins  Eye Quartet Mineral Palette in Smokey Passion (£30) and the Dior Les Rouges d’Or lipstick in Victorine (£22.50).

And speaking of favourite products of 2011, I rounded them all up for a “Beauty Oscars” feature in the Daily Record at the end of December. Here’s hoping the next 12 months produces such fantastic finds as Diorskin Forever Fluid SPF25 (£29.50), Chanel Illusion d’Ombre  (£22.50), Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet (£23.50),  Lancome Visionnaire (£58), Guerlain Rouge Automatique (£24.50), Sisley Phyto Mascara Ultra Stretch (£27), YSL Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils Shocking (£22), Chanel No19 Poudre (from (£61), Clarins Eye Contour Gel (£26.50), Sisley Black Rose Cream Mask (£88), Clarins Extra-Firming Body Lotion (£39.50), Nanoblur (£19.99) and Estee Lauder Resilience Lift Firming/Sculpting Eye Creme (£40). Happy – and beautiful – New Year!

My Week in Beauty

Apologies for the oversized pictures – yet another problem with WordPress….

It’s not the easiest time of year to keep an up-to-date diary – what with all the bugs going round (I felt lousy for about ten days) and then the frenzy of social activities and shopping once December kicks in. Thankfully, I was recovered in time for the first of them: another fabulous party hosted by ROX, the Glasgow-based jewellers.

This being the Christmas party, it seemed appropriate to pull out all the stops, and give the Guerlain Les Ombres de Nuit 4 Colour Palette (£37) – a beautiful eyeshadow quartet from the French company’s exquisite Vol de Nuit Christmas collection – an outing. Actually, as is invariably the case with palettes, I only used the two lighter shades – a brownish silver and a greeny acqua – as recent photos of me with heavy eye make-up have made me look less than my best..  So, I’m using Grace Kelly as my beauty inspiration (this week!)..

My go-to lipstick for evenings at the moment served me well at the ROX party – surviving several cocktails and copious canapes: the deep reddy-pink Belle de Nuit shade of the new Dior Rouge Dior Les Rouges Or lipsticks (£22.50).

Having been unwell for a while and Saturday being my first night out in ages, I was out of practice and totally forgot to paint my nails at the front door before dashing into my taxi. I put that right on Tuesday when I headed off to the annual Clinique Christmas dinner wearing one of the new nail varnishes from Chanel – for spring 2012… Chanel Le Vernis in April (£17.50; 020-7493 3836) is the stand-out shade for me of the trio being launched at the end of January (it’s coming round sooner than you’d think). A dark browny pink (as opposed to May and June, which are pastel shades), it has vamp appeal – and was the perfect substitute for the bottle of Tom Ford nail polish which I had hoped would turn up in time.

I’ve been experimenting a little with my skincare too… I’ve not yet tried out any of the face products by the Scottish all-natural beauty company Pure Lochside, but I’m dying to try one of their facials, having recently experienced a hand and arm treatment in Whole Foods – and been introduced to their oils and balms, many of which use Scottish ingredients including the surprisingly soothing thistle.

The oil which I have been using religiously at night is Clarins Lotus Face Treatment Oil (£29; www.clarins.co.uk, from January). Although it’s being relaunched in a new, smaller bottle with a pipette for easy application, it has actually not changed in its formulation since it first went on the market. In 1954! I’ve been using two drops of this oil on my shine-prone skin every evening, and while I won’t say that I’ve noticed a let-up in the shininess yet (it has only been a week), I am finding it a pleasure to use and I’m noticing that my skin feels smoother as a result. So far, so positive… Let’s see what happens two weeks into the party/cold weather season – and as my 40th birthday looms ever larger.