The Luxe List

As much as matte lips have dominated beauty trends over the past couple of years, I feel like this year might be the year of the gloss. Paul & Joe’s Lipgloss G is a great one if you’re looking to hop back onto the glossy bandwagon.

Like all the products by Paul & Joe, the packaging of Lipgloss G is absolutely stunning. The tube comes embossed with chrysanthemums and topped off with a fluted lid, this is one of those products you won’t mind bringing out in public.

There are  10 shades to choose from, ranging from a deep chocolate all the way through to a clear. All the colours I’ve seen are quite sheer – so they’re perfect if you’re after a natural look, or want to use them as a lipstick topper. Mine, 02 Sherbet is a sheer peach shot through with glitter. On the lips it is so pretty – all shimmery gloss. It’s not sticky or goopy, instead it feels more like a balm. You can feel the glitter in the formula, but it’s not rough or annoying. Wear-time is decent too – I get around an hour and a half before I feel the need to reapply.

Paul & Jo Lip Gloss G is priced at £15 and is available here (UK) and here (US)

Do you ever have those days when your skin just feels blah. If it’s hormonal issues, if I’ve not been eating well, or if I’ve been in the city for a few days straight, I just get those days when my skin looks and feels a bit grim.

So in an effort to reset everything and feel fresh again, I’ve been turning to Formula 10.0.6 So Totally Clean Skin Cleanser – a liquid cleanser which boasts a list of ingredients which is full of natural goodness. Since the product has been designed for oily or troublesome skin, and my skin is dry and sensitive, I tend to use the cleanser once per week.

After cleansing with my regular foaming cleanser, I soak a cotton round in the formula, and then use in the place of a toner. It has a light, slightly sweet scent, and leaves skin feeling super fresh and clean. After using, my skin does feel a touch ‘squeakier’ clean than usual, but I apply a nourishing oil and go to bed. In the morning skin looks and feels so much clearer. Blemishes are reduced, and blackheads completely disappear.

Formula 10.0.6 So Totally Clean Skin Cleanser is priced at £8.99 and is available here (UK) and here (US)

I’m not sure about you, but during summer months, I hardly even look at lipsticks. I’m all about the balms and glosses, then bam. The moment pumpkin spice lattes descent on Starbucks, I start rooting around for my more dramatic lipsticks.

So, it’s never felt more perfect to give Estee Lauder’s new Pure Color Love Lipsticks a go! I was very kindly sent two of the most stunning colours – Bar Red and Up Beet. They’re a bit more dramatic than I would normally choose, but for autumn days when it’s cold but perfectly sunny, these feel ideal.

There are 29 shades to choose from in the Pure Color line – from neutral nudes to punchy shades, Estee Lauder have you covered. In addition to the colour choice, the lipsticks also have a seriously cool shape. A chiselled bullet means that you can apply the lipsticks straight from the tube without having to faff around with lip brushes.

Bar Red is possibly the world’s most perfect red lipstick. Creamy and opaque in a single coat, this is a pinky red colour with a subtle blue undertone. It looks beautiful paired with glowy skin and nude eyes. It’s super comfortable to wear, and lasts for about three hours before needing to touch up.

Up Beet might just take the crown for my most dramatic lipstick shade ever. A deep aubergine purple, the formula is shot through with midnight blue micro glitter. It’s a smooth, incredibly creamy formula, and applies like a dream. This is a real night-out shade, and the blue shimmer makes teeth look super white!

Estee Lauder Pure Color Love Lipsticks are priced at £19 each and are available here (UK) and here (US)

Is there a bronzer more iconic than Laguna by Nars? I’m genuinely not sure – it’s the first one which comes to mind when people ask for recommendations, and I can still remember buying my first pan of it in Sephora.

Coming in the brand’s signature black rubberised compact, this is a powder which you can slot into your makeup bag without worrying about. It’s sturdy enough to survive the bumps of a handbag, but not so much as to be bulky, and to be honest, the product is worth bringing along with you!

Warmer in tone than most of my other bronzers, Laguna gives skin a believable glow without ever turning too orange. A quick swish of the bronzer brush gives a believable sun kissed glow. The colour is also easy to build, and never looks patchy or muddy. The lasting power of the bronzer means that you won’t need to touch up your makeup all day long! It’s also got the subtlest touch of golden shimmer running through the formula, which prevents you from looking muddy.

Nars Laguna Bronzing Powder is priced at £29 and is available here (UK) and here (US)

When you’re investing in good skincare, it can be more than a little daunting. It’s usually expensive, and I don’t think that there is a worse feeling than bringing a new product home, unwrapping it like a kid at Christmas and being absolutely crestfallen when your skin decides to freak out.

It’s happened to me a few times now, and it’s the reason why I’m that person at the beauty counters, begging for samples so I can try the products before investing my cash. Thankfully, Odacite must agree with me, and have brought out their Try Me Kit – the ultimate way to find your holy grail serum. And the best bit? it’s only £26!

There are four kits to choose from – all tailored to skin’s concerns, and they contain six vials of the brand’s serums as well as a little bottle of the Time Release Delivery Cream. Depending on your issues, you can then add a couple of drops of the serums to the cream and apply as normal.

The back of the tin rather handily details what the serums do, and if you need an even stronger dose of skincare, you can apply the serums direct to the skin.

The Odacite Try Me Kit is priced at £26 and is available here.

When it comes to travelling, the only thing I hate is packing. It’s such a faff to move everything from cupboards and drawers, just to put it back a few weeks later. So, in an effort to be more adult about the whole thing, I’ve taken to keeping certain things travel-ready at all times. My carry-on case now always holds a makeup bag full on general bits and pieces I need every time I’m away – a toothbrush, floss, moisturiser, makeup remover.

But when I was in Harvey Nichols a couple of weeks back, I couldn’t resist picking up a couple of the mini tubes of Marvis toothpaste. It’s one of my favourite dental brands (and not just because of the seriously luxe packaging) thanks to effective formulas and unusual flavours. These two tubes are now in my travel bag, and I’m already counting down the days until I’m off somewhere nice and can use them!

Marvis toothpaste minis are priced at £3.50 each can be found here.

I’m not going to lie, I’m one of those people who slots into routines far too easily. It just feels easier. So, when an email popped into my inbox inviting me to try out Leith’s newest (and undoubtedly most stylish) salons, I jumped at the chance. It’s an area of the city I don’t explore enough, so I was excited to go down and take a look on a sunny Saturday afternoon.

The brainchild of Archie Reilly and Josh Denholm, it’s the second salon for the duo (the original is down in Lancashire) and it’s a real gem. Situated on Salamander Street, the salon is gorgeous – all stripped wood and industrial style lighting. It feels like you’ve walked into a fabulous Down Town New York salon, and thanks to all the candles burning it enjoys a super chilled atmosphere.

I was booked in for a trim with Josh – one of the brains behind the operation. Originally from Edinburgh, it’s been his dream to open a salon in his hometown for a while, and he has done so well! After a wash and a heavenly head massage, I was led back to the chairs and asked what I was after. Since it was just a trim (bye bye split ends) I was in and out in under an hour, but I could have happily spent longer in there. Plied with tea, magazines and chatting away to Josh, it was such a lovely way to spend the afternoon! The salon use Paul Mitchell and MoroccanOil products, meaning your hair is going to look and feel fantastic (and thanks to my visit I’m already on my second bottle of Paul Mitchell shampoo and conditioner! Since my visit, my hair has felt so healthy, and people have remarked it even looks longer!

You can contact Reilly Denholm on 01315547444 or email them on info@reillydenholm.co.uk

When it comes to exfoliation, I can’t get enough of the stuff. Sugar scrubs, salt scrubs and even chemical scrubs, I’ve tried and loved them all. The ones I had missed out on though were the coffee scrubs. Completely natural (the scrubs come from used coffee grounds) the scrubs promise to be gentle on the skin, leave you feeling silky and the caffeine from the scrub is also great at fighting the dreaded cellulite.

I’ve been using the Bean Body scrubs for a few weeks now, and I have to say – I’m a complete convert. Available in seven scents (from coconut to mint and everything in between) there is something whether you want to smell fresh or fruity. Using the scrubs couldn’t be easier – when I’m in the shower, I just take a handful of the formula and massage in circular motions for 5 minutes. The coconut oil in the scrub is super nourishing for skin, and then I just hose it off. The scrubs all smell incredible, and they leave skin looking and feeling incredible!

Bean Body Coconut Coffee Bean Scrubs are priced at £14.95 per bag and are available here.

When it comes to skincare, products like serums tend to be pricey. It’s because the ingredients tend to be more concentrated, but that doesn’t make paying for them any easier, so when Boots sent over their new Botanics Triple Age Renewal Super Serum I was seriously intrigued.

As a rule, I tend to think of the Botanics line as one of the unsung heroes of high street skincare. Their Micellar water is among the best I’ve tried, and if you have sensitive skin like mine, their products never feel too harsh or drying. Happily, the new Triple Age Renewing Super Serum is another knockout. A lightweight texture with no discernible scent, I’ve been smoothing on a couple of pumps prior to moisturising every morning. The serum boasts hydrolysed hyaluronic acid, vitamins A, C & E, as well as soy protein, which work together to reduce the appearance of deep lines and wrinkles. It leaves skin looking firm and radiant, and you’d be hard pressed not to believe that this wasn’t from a luxury brand!

Boots Botanics Triple Age Renewal Super Serum is priced at £10.49 and is available from Boots

At this time of year skincare can be a tricky business. You can experience four seasons in one day, and it’s not uncommon for Edinburgh to whip from rain, to wind to bright sunny skies, all within a matter of minutes. That’s where the genius of the Anne Semonin Daily Musts Coffrett comes to play. A collection of the brand’s best-loved masks, which address a whole range of skin issues. Whether you’re after a dose of hydration, a deep cleanse or a good scrub, Anne Semonin has you covered.

The fact that all four scrubs come packaged in dinky little individual use pots is so handy. They’re perfect for travel, and I love that you get a fresh product every time you want to give yourself a facial. The pots are also quite generous, so you can share some skincare goodness, or just reseal the pot to use again.

The mask I’ve been reaching for the most has to be the Exfoliating Mask, as it leaves skin feeling silky soft. With a formula rich in red seaweed and kaolin, it both exfoliates the skin whilst brightening the complexion. I tend to use this prior to one of the more moisturising masks for the full facial experience!

The Gel Mask, is an absolute godsend if you’re looking for a product to deeply nourish and hydrate skin. The mask is enriched with marine elements, and gives skin a beautiful glow. A perfect choice to use prior to makeup application this makes skin feel smooth and look radiant.

I think the Mineral Mask was the one I was most excited to try out! The winner of the 2017 Beauty Shortlist Awards, this is a real workhorse of a product which can be used in a variety of ways. If my skin feels dull and congested, it can be used as a cleansing mask, or if I want my skin to feel clean after a day out in the city, it can also be used as a regular cleanser. Anne Semonin also recommend that it can be used as a booster, and even an eye treatment!

Last up, but certainly not least is the Cream Mask. The most fabulous nourishing and moisturising you can imagine, the Cream Mask is packed full of Shea Butter, Jojoba and Marine Minerals. It’s super nourishing and calming and soothes irritated skin almost instantly. If you’ve been a bit lax in your skincare routine, the Cream Mask is going to get skin right back to health.

The Daily Musts Coffrett is such a fabulous way to introduce yourself to the Anne Semonin brand. It’s priced at £44 and is available here.

If you’re anything like me, you buy 101 hair elastics, grips and clips but when the moment comes for using them, they’re nowhere to be seen. But I bring rather good news. One of my favourite brands for hair accessories – Scunci is now available at high street giant Primark! Whether you’re after a paddle brush which speeds up blowdrying, or headbands which mould to your head to prevent headaches, you’ll be spoiled for choice!

Scunci Hair Accessories are available now in-store at Primark