The Style Bite

With the icy grip of autumn firmly holding on to my shoulders, my skin gets so parched that it just wants to drink and drink and drink any products I feed it. My normal/combination/sensitive skin (yes, that type does exist) tends to suffer from dryness if not properly looked after and boy, does it let me know when it doesn’t feel properly pampered!

Seeing as my budget won’t stretch to monthly facials at the moment, I’m having to recreate a home-spa of my own. Two products stand out a country mile for me, firstly Guinot’s hydrating mask – what a ring-dinger of a facemask we have here! I think the shea butter has a particularly beautifying effect on me and drenches my skin in a bath of moisture. It leaves my skin soft, supple, soothed and leaves me with a radiant complexion.

Secondly, the amazingly scented Aromatic Cleansing Balm from Darphin. Seriously, smell this stuff, drink it in – it’s a spa in a jar. Applied to wet skin, this amazing, velvety balm turns into a cleansing milk and removes all traces of make-up and dirt whilst leaving my skin plump and hydrated. Used with a muslin cloth means the skin is also thoroughly exfoliated.  So much so that I could easily get away without using a moisturiser if I really had to.
The combination of these two products means an effective, anti-winter barrier, is formed to protect my senstive skin against this horrid, windy, wet weather and should prevent any problems for the season ahead.

What a treat to be invited to a delectable breakfast at Claridges last week! We nibbled on mini smoked salmon bagels and tiny pots of bircher muesli whilst Darphin’s global marketing director, Helene Frey, talked to selected beauty editors about the brands new ‘vision’. The French company are hoping to attract a younger customer base and have created 8 serums that are targeted towards individual skin requirements. Whether your skin is dehydrated, mature, sensitive or suffers from redness, there will be a serum for you. Each of the 8 ranges also includes a skin cream, eye cream and cleanser to enhance the effects of the speciality serums. We lucky few got to try out all of the 8 ranges until there wasn’t a patch of skin on our faces or arms that wasn’t covered in the luxury products. My favourite was the blue hydrating serum which was instantly absorbed by my skin and left me with a smooth, bright complexion. I also managed to take home a bottle of their new anti-wrinkle Predermine serum for my mother who has only just used it for the first time today but is apparently very impressed! Well if it can please my mother, it can please anyone! The serums aren’t cheap, at £112 for the Predermine, it’s definitely an investment but Darphin will have us believe that once we see the results of their serums, we’ll be back to buy the whole range.

Widely regarded as the official Queen of Clean, Eve Lom has created a skincare range that has gathered a growing reputation and a committed following since she opened her first beauty salon in London in the 80′s. Eve has produced a range of products so fantastical that Vogue named her famous cleanser “probably the best cleanser in the World”. But what of this cleanser? What makes it just so damn good?

Firstly, the ingredients, a blend of Egyptian chamomile, hops, clove and eucalyptus oil, combined with cocoa butter. The result is a yellow, waxy paste with some slight texture which cleanses by melting away the dirt on your skin and also moisturises and gently exfoliates at the same time. The feeling of smearing my face in this clinically scented vaseline-like substance wasn’t greatly appealing but once it warmed up on my skin and I saw how quickly my make-up dissolved, I was won over.  Even the most stubborn make-up is removed. As with most other people, the decadence of having a ‘ritual’ is very attractive and I therefore adored the second stage of the process. A specially woven muslin cloth is then used with the cleanser to improve skin circulation while cleansing and exfoliating the skin in minutes. By wetting the cloth in warm water and moving it in circular motions across your face (no vigorous scrubbing here thank you!) the warmth and the moisture ensure every last trace of dirt is gathered up. The result is clean, perfectly balanced skin and a radiant complexion.  My skin felt plump, moisturised and incredibly clean. My one concern was if I had slightly oily skin, would this be an issue placing a heavy moisturiser over the top however, Eve creates products that work to balance out any dryness or excess oils and therefore this cleanser is suitable for all skin types.

Eve has a substancial collection of products in her range of which I am yet to try however, I have been seduced by her cleanser and will be sure to return to try out some other products soon. £48 for 100ml or try a starter kit for £25.

Vivienne Westwood Boudoir is my all-time favourite perfume. Its slightly smokey, florally, spicey scent drives me crazy and I once heard a rumour that it is based on the same smell structure as sperm… That’s right. Sperm. The smell is allegedly meant to invoke the scent of sperm on skin which should cause all sorts of  excitement from the boys!

Good old Viv has now released her new perfume, Naughty Alice, and I’m fairly sure that she didn’t get her inspiration from any bodily fluids this time… Naughty Alice is a gorgeous, sensual and musky scent and is what they call a  ’floriental’ fragrance (see what they did there? Clever) which incorporates black rose, violet and ylang-ylang. It’s not going to replace my bottle of Boudoir but I predict that it will be a big hit this Winter. From £35 for 35ml.

It always seems to be the same two brands producing high-tech, marketable goods for women with high-disposable incomes at the mo. In my mind, Rodial are the beauty equivalent of apple with regards to their ability to create certain products before their competitors but now Bliss seem to be catching up pretty quickly… Say hello to their ‘Pore–fector’ gadget which is definitely something for the girl who has everything (bar the willingness to put a bit of elbow grease into her beauty regime it would seem). Their new skin toy will give you ’complexion perfection’ as it uses sonic waves to clean blocked pores. By generating sonic vibrations - which in turn creates ‘micro–jets’ – the pore-fector leaves your skin clean and purified whilst the vibration helps any products to be absorbed into the skin. It’s gimmicky, true, and very similar to the Clarisonic but… betcha still want one! £125 from Bliss outlets.

The pioneering and iconic Creme de la mer brand came about because Aerospace physicist and all-round smart guy, Dr. Max Huber was trying to get rid of some skin scars he got from a lab accident. During his mission he created ‘The Miracle Broth’ which is the magic ingredient in CDLM’s collection of beauty products.

The latest pot of perfection to come from the brand is the new Eye Balm Intense, which contains tourmaline and deep sea red algae to de-puff and lift the eye area to rid you of any unwanted wrinkles or lines (lets be honest – are wrinkles or lines ever wanted).

This new product is sure to be a hit with the dedicated consumers who follow CDLM like a religion.

Another product that I have heard amazing things about but always seems to me to be a bit of an indulgent, unnecessary addition to my already bulging make-up bag is the CDLM face mist. Considering that I already make my own which I keep in the fridge, I wondered what this one could offer me that I really needed in my life. The rep at Harrods soon shot me down by informing me that theirs is a ’highly charged’ water which helps ‘heal, hydrate and rebalance’ dry complexions. The mist creates a special negative ion-rich environment that instantly shifts skin’s energy level, visibly uplifting and reviving lethargic skin. A ‘live internal magnet’ continually recharges the ingredients to maintain their optimum potency. Marine and botanical extracts soothe surface irritations and gently relax dry lines to restore skin’s appearance. Indispensable after exposure to sun, wind or other dehydrating conditions.

Well that puts paid to my lavender water concoction…

What a treat to be invited to the very trendy Soho Hotel today to get my hands on lots of new beauty products! I was treated to a fantastic facial using the latest in radio frequency waves  from Indiba which re-balances the ions in your skin cells and helps promote rejuvination. The radio waves use your energy points to create an unbelievable heat which is then transfered to the rest of your skin. I was left with glowing, plump skin as if I had just finished a run! And the fine line that was across my forehead was totally gone! Amazing. Results will last for up to a week.

Once my skin was in tip top condition, Hannah, the make-up artist and global ambassador for Glo Minerals,  gave me a makeover using the latest A/W 2010 colours in the collection. Glo Minerals  is a 100% natural mineral make up range (i.e no chemicals or talc) which is so good for your skin, you can either sleep in it or apply it straight after a facial treatment – even a chemical peel! Hannah is a regular artist on catwalk shows and therefore knows a trend when she sees one! Apparently the fashion trend for this season is no mascara, which is not a trend I’ll be partaking in! A/W trends will also include bare cheeks, paired down eyes (greys, neutrals etc), and lips that involve a stained centre with an outline of gloss rather than a lipliner. After my makeover my skin was dewey, fresh and very on-trend. Glo minerals can be bought online here.

Paul & Joe have created one of the cutest lipsticks that The Style Bite has ever seen! Their new collection of three wearable colours come in Paul & Joe’s standard quirky and colourful packaging but best of all, the top of the lipstick is the head of a liccle tiny kitty cat. Awwww! That’s all well and good but who would have the heart to ever use it? The three colours are Clair De Lune, a graceful and soft pink; Over the moon, a zesty orange/coral and Moon Shadow, an exotic red with a hint of pear.

Skincare expert Kate Somerville is now selling her products in SpaceNK. Hurrah! Previously only available is the US, Kate’s products are the result of her experience of working in paramedical esthetics, the collaboration of medicine and skincare, and the products in her collection have been produced as a result of specialist requests from the clients in her LA based clinic. Needless to say, she has worked on some of the most famous faces out there and now us mere mortals can now achieve a gorgeous, healthy glow just like our favourite celebs! Out of the products The Style Bite has used, one of my fave choices would be ExfoliKate, made with fruit enzymes which clarify and clean the skin by removing dead cells and eliminating surface bacteria. Used twice a week, it will help keep your skin fresh, clear and velvety smooth.

At the wedding I attended yesterday, the bride was given a gorgeously girly gift which I instantly fell in love with. A kindly girlfriend gave her a blush/highlighting powder from the 2010 Givenchy summer collection which was to die for. The Fleur de Frangipanier limited edition powder palettes come in two shades and are inspired by the tropical island of Mauritius. I absolutely adored them and will be running out tomorrow to get one of my very own.