Mirror, Mirror

I’m currently reading a biography of movie star Barbara Stanwyck. She was not the most beautiful of stars but she certainly exuded sex appeal and knew how to get a guy – a trait she shared with one of her most memorable characters, the eponymous heroine in the glorious 1941 comedy The Lady Eve. I’ll be writing a Style on Film soon about this movie, the first in which Stanwyck wore high fashion, but in the meantime, here’s a wonderful clip which shows why a single gal should never be without a mini mirror … 

 

(She Wore) Purple Velvet

You’ve got to hand it to Tom Ford: he creates the most beautiful perfumes, bestows the most gorgeous names on them, and presents them in the most sensual bottles…. His latest creation, Velvet Orchid (in stores from September), is no exception – though I have to say, I don’t care for the advertising image that accompanies it (above).  I didn’t know Tom Ford had a line in wrapping paper …

Still, you buy perfume for the scent don’t you? And this one is an especially voluptuous, creamy heady and feminine scent which, says Ford, takes the DNA of the original black orchid flower into new territory. The woods and spices of the original fragrance fade into the background behind an ultra-feminine floral veil.

Fresh top notes of Italian bergamot and mandarin orpur are offset by the sweetness and warmth of honey and vanilla, while the floral heart fuses everything from jasmine and rose to Tom Ford’s signature Black Orchid accord. The woody, fleshy base of the fragrance is intensely rich, warm and sensual. This is a head-turning fragrance for confident or confidence-seeking women..

Prices for Tom Ford Velvet Orchid eau de parfum start at £72 for 1.7oz.

Cheek Chic

Meet my new best friends… They put a smile on my face (well, you need to smile to find the apple of your cheek) and a glow on my complexion .. Clinique Chubby Stick Cheeky Colour Balms (£19 each) are this season’s must-try new blusher.

I’m already a convert thanks to the ease of use, the nourishing, creamy feel on my currently dehydrated checks, and the fab range of colours. I’m currently sporting the rosy pink Amp’d Up Apple shade, but more corally Robust Rhubarb might get an outing this weekend ..

* Available now at www.clinique.co.uk and stores nationwide.

The Art of Looking Polished

There’s something very attractive about the polished look that you seem to find most often on the streets of Paris, New York and London. Simple, usually nude make-up (with the occasional slash of bright lip colour), unfussy clothing and accessories and an air of being on trend but not slavishly under its spell. It’s not a look that comes easily, or naturally, to everyone (though the luminous Cate Blanchett certainly worked it in Blue Jasmine, above) but there’s one simple step that can set you on the path to polished-dom: great skin. And great skin starts with thoroughly cleansed skin, as Clinique’s guiding dermatologists Dr David and Dr Catherine Orentreich, always advise their patients. They say: “Skin that is cleansed well, gently yet thoroughly, is better prepped and primed for whatever treatment products are applied after.”

It makes perfect sense, then, that Clinique has now launched a cleansing brush – to ensure the most thoroughly cleansed, healthiest skin.  Its Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush (£79) is not the first cleansing brush on the market, but it’s the first I’ve tried which was created by a skincare company – and that counts for a lot. As Clinique’s boffins point out, the most effective brush is only as effective as the cleanser it’s used with – so producing your own brush to go with your own cleansers (Clinique designed this one to be used with its 3-Step Facial Soaps) is the logical way to go.

The brush is oval-shaped and designed with two lengths of bristles to tackle different areas of the face, and to ensure that even the tricky-to-reach, and easily clogged, area around the nose gets attention. Lightweight and waterproof (so you can use it in the shower), the brush is gentle enough to be used twice a day for 30 seconds at a time (the self timer automatically turns it off after 30 seconds, the appropriate amount of usage time for most skin types).

* Available exclusively from John Lewis stores and online at www.clinique.co.uk now, and nationwide from August 29.