Because Your Mum’s Worth It Too

It was surely only a matter of time before Oscar-winning actress Dame Helen Mirren joined the ranks of older faces for  beauty brands (Charlotte Rampling recently became a poster woman for Nars) – and yet she still seems an inspired choice. It was announced today that the 69-year-old Brit is now face of L’Oreal Paris’s Age Perfect range. She said: “I am not gorgeous, and I never was, but I was always okay looking and I’m keen to stay that way. I have always loved the L’Oreal Paris brand, and I hope I can inspire other women towards greater confidence by making the most of their natural good looks. We are all worth it!”

A New York State of Fragrance

If your mind is turning towards Christmas shopping for the girls, remember that one of the new perfumes on the block is an ideal option for gal pals with a weakness for Mugler’s Angel or other similarly vanilla-led fragrances. DKNY MYNY (eau de parfum from £37 for 30ml), which  has Rita Ora (above) as its face, is a fresh yet sexy fragrance with a fruity top note of raspberries and galbanum spiked with pink pepper, a heart of jasmine, freesia and roots of orris, and a base note of patchouli, vanilla absolute and musk. And for its first Christmas, it comes in a great value gift set – £49 for a 50ml eau de parfum, plus a 100ml body lotion. For stockist information, call 0870 034 2566.

Fabby Chic

Modern Muse, Estee Lauder’s new fragrance of 2013, now has a bolder, more daring younger sister. Modern Muse Chic (from £45; www.esteelauder.co.uk) has – says Karyn Khoury, Senior Vice President of Corporate Fragrance Development Worldwide at Estee Lauder Companies – a “dual-impression fragrance structure” which means that some women will be attracted to its bold floral accord “while others will be drawn to the dark sensuality” of its woody accord.

Personally, I’m not usually a fan of white flowers or vanilla – both of which feature in Modern Muse Chic. But it has definitely worked its magic on me and I’m finding both the fleshy white flowers (tuberose and stargazer lilies play their part in the top note) and the sensual patchouli, labdanum and musks of the woody base strangely appealing..

Le Gloss, C’est Boss

Actually, I’m not a natural gloss wearer, but Rouge Allure Gloss (£26; on sale from today), the latest one from Chanel could well make a convert of me – the range of vibrant, covetable colours is eye-watering. Rouge Allure Gloss is a sumptuous gloss with a lacquered effect that plumps up the lips and provides lasting shine while caring for the delicate lip skin thanks to the antioxidant complex it contains, which protect from environmental damage. Like its big sister, the Rouge Allure lipstick, it comes in a gold-tipped tube which you click at the tip to open. Tres chic, tres Chanel!