Happy Holidays

How to make your skin glow

This is not a paid post. Products are press samples.

While we all know that healthy skin is a result of good genes and diet, plus wearing sunscreen every day, there are products out there that can help to give that radiant glow.

Here are the ones I love.

L’Occitane Immortelle Overnight Reset Oil-in-Serum, £49
It is not often I rave about a product, but this one does make a difference. When you wake up in the morning, your complexion looks lit from within.  

This light water-gel is a cocktail of goodies including Immortelle Oil Extract – L’Occitane’s renowned antioxidant. It sinks into the skin on application so no there is grease.

Erborian Glow Crème, £16, uk.erborian.com

Blending Korean high-tech formulas and French elegance, this multi-tasking product can be used as a primer or highlighter. I like to wear it on its own as an illuminator as it is subtle and not too sparkly but you can wear it under the CC cream (£17), if you want a little extra coverage. 

Clarins SOS Primer in Universal Light, £27
This instantly brightens the face giving a lovely, natural glow. Goes on like a dream. You can use it on its own or mix it with your base.

If you need extra help, try Beauty Flash Balm (£32). This fabled product from Clarins has revitalised many a tired skin. You can use it as a masque or underneath make-up as a primer.

By Daralyn Danns

Styling tips from award-winning hairdresser Jason Collier

Jason Collier has worked with the likes of Victoria Beckham, Eva Longoria and Damian Lewis. He is also the current ambassador for US haircare line, Shea Moisture.

This company is fast gaining a reputation for its great hair products. It has a wide choice of ranges including its new Shea Moisture African Black Soap Bamboo Charcoal line (lookfantastic.com) for those with sensitive scalps.

Words of wisdom from Jason

Making sure you have the right product for your hair is imperative. Jason also stresses the importance of using the shampoo and conditioner from the same range as they are designed to work together. You can use styling products from other collections.

If you are not sure what you should be using ask your stylist. Everything in moderation when it comes to using heated appliances including straighteners. A heat protector will help to keep your locks in good condition.

Use a masque once a week. If you have fine hair, you can use it as a pre-shampooing treatment. You should find it will give you the benefits of deep conditioning without weighing your locks down. 

What brush should you use? According to Jason, bristle brushes will give you more control than ceramic. Jason suggests asking your hairdresser if you can try styling with one on each side of your hair to see which you prefer. 

A good way to get the kinks out of your hair is to use the flat wrap technique. As you brush your hair snugly against the scalp, keeping it taut, follow it closely with your dryer. Then dry it in the opposite direction. You can smooth out the ends using a round brush or try a Mason Pearson.

It may look easy when you watch videos on how to blow dry your hair but what you don’t see is the work that goes into it behind the scenes. 

If you have got to your 26^th birthday and don’t know how to blow dry your hair, Jason reckons you probably never will. So he advises to have a weekly blow dry and economise elsewhere.

Jason’s favourite products. Obviously, he likes all of Shea Moisture’s collections but at the moment, he says he cannot be without Shea Moisture Hydrate + Repair Multi-Action Leave-in Conditioner, (£10.99, Boots. Superdrug also stock Shea Moisture products). When travelling he likes to use the SuperFruit Complex 10-IN-1 Multi-Benefit Range.

As for what the new decade will bring, Jason says at the moment we are seeing a lot more individualism in hair styles and colour. But things change so quickly so who knows what tomorrow will bring!

By Daralyn Danns

Gift ideas

This is not a paid post. Products are press samples.

Finding the perfect gift for a friend or loved one can be hard. As we look more and more at the ingredients within our products, we tend to favour companies such that use good quality, traceable, natural ingredients. 

While a brand may claim its lines are made with natural ingredients, this does not mean you will not have an allergic reaction to a product so always do a patch test first, especially if you have sensitive skin. My tip is to look for products that contain as few ingredients as possible.

If you are not sure what somebody likes, avoid beauty products and give something for the home.

L'Occitane is one of my favourite brands (you may have your own) for personal use and for gifting. 

Here are three ideas.

L'Occitane Uplifting Candle, £20
A lovely scent which makes you feel good.

L'Occitane Revitalising Home Diffuser Set, £37
This melange of mint, pine, rosemary, sweet orange and litsea cubeba is ideal for the busy festive season.

L'Occitane Harmony Scented Soap, £10
With soap back in fashion, this makes the perfect stocking filler. Gentle and creamy and containing ylang-ylang essential oil, it smells lovely too.

By Daralyn Danns