The Luxe List

Let me tell you a secret – I’m nowhere near as naturally blonde as I ache to be. An by nowhere near, I mean, I am a fully fledged brunette. When my roots start growing in, they’re not dark blonde or mousey brown, they’re just boring brown. And honestly, I’m startled by how dark they are every single time. So, when I was down south last week, I took an afternoon to get my roots done and get my hair brightened up for summer.

All this talk of root bleaching and hair lightening, invariably leads to damage, and what I do to prevent it. Which is why I had to mention Coco & Eve’s Like a Virgin Hair Masque. You will have, undoubtedly, have seen the mask on instagram – held aloft by perky girls with flowing locks, and honestly, I fell for the hype. Coming packaged in a palm-printed box, complete with branded tangle teezer, it promises to transform hair in as little as 10 minutes, and considering how dry my hair can get after colouring, it sounded ideal.

The masque itself is super-rich, and delicately scented with notes of coconut and fig. The formula contains raw virgin coconut from Bali, as well as essence of fig and shea butter to thoroughly protect and hydrate strands. The brand says it’s been designed to be used weekly, but when my hair is freshly coloured, it becomes my conditioner of choice. IT absolutely transforms the texture of my hair, taking away any scratchy dryness and leaving ends soft and hydrated. It also makes hair super shiny – it’s an absolute lifesaver of a product, and now I wouldn’t be without it!

Coco & Eve Like a Virgin Hair Masque is priced at £34.90 and is available here

When it comes to skincare, the one fact I’m weirdly proud of is my cleansing record. I can’t even think about heading to bead without a clean face, so no matter how tired, lazy or otherwise I’m feeling, I always head to the bathroom for a good cleanse before bed. So, when Omorovicza sent news of their new Peachy Micellar Cleansers, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on them.

Packaged in a super chic peach screw top jar, the micellar cleansers come in the form of individual pads which get thrown away after use. The most eco friendly? No. The most convenient – potentially.

Each of the pads comes saturated in a gentle micellar cleansing solution, and it’s perfect for removing light makeup, or used as part of a double, or triple step cleanse. Omorovicza claim that the pads can remove even waterproof makeup, but I’ve not tested them on anything too heavy, but they leave skin feeling fresh rather than tight or stripped after use.

Depending on how sensitive your skin is, you can choose between the two sides: smooth or textured. Most nights I’ve been using the textured one, as I’ve yet to find an exfoliation I didn’t love, and it leaves skin feeling super smooth. I just love the pads’ gentle peachy fragrance, and the fact that the formula contains rose flower water, which is known to soothe and regenerate skin.

Omorovicza Peachy Micellar Cleansers are priced at £35 and are available here (UK) and here (US)

Over the past few years, my daily makeup regime has taken a serious hit. Gone are the heavier, fuller coverage foundation, lipsticks have been replaced with balms and the last part of the puzzle has been a gorgeous daily mascara, which leaves lashes black and lengthened, but not overly dramatic. A sort of your lashes but better scenario.

So, last year, when Glossier released Lash Slick I was all over it. So much so I ordered it pretty much the day of release, raved about it to everyone I know, used it consistently for about a month then promptly lost it. I’m not sure if I left it at the gym, in a hotel, or just managed to drop it somewhere in between, but it completely disappeared. After its vanishing, I tried to tell myself that it hadn’t been that great, that I had at least 15 mascaras to work through, and that once I needed a new one I could order a second.

Spoiler alert – the mascara never reappeared, I made my way through about 5 of those other mascaras, and I still ached for a new tube of Lash Slick. So, when I made my latest Glossier I threw another tube of the stuff in, and honestly, I am so glad I did. Obviously, like everything from the brand, Lash Stick is branded to perfection – the slick pink tube makes me happy to even look at it, and the formula inside is genius. Admittedly, it does take a few layers of the mascara to achieve the natural-looking fluttery effect I’m in love with, but it builds up on lashes easily, leaving them super black, long and separated, without any of the gloopy volume other formulas have. It’s perfect for day looks – it stays looking fresh for hours, it doesn’t smudge or flake, and it stays exactly where you place it. I’ve worn this through spin class, and whilst the rest of me was an absolute state by the end of it, my lashes were still perfection. It even comes off easily with a little cleanser and a warm flannel – no panda eyes for me any more!

Glossier Lash Slick Mascara is priced at £14 and is available here

When it comes to Spring fragrance, I’m a fan of anything fresh and green. I’m not sure if it’s the new blossom on the trees, the longer, brighter days, or just the promise of summer in the not-too-distant future, but I’ve felt in need of an update. So, when L’Occitane sent over their new Herbae fragrance, the timing couldn’t have been better.

It truly is spring in a bottle. From the fresh, green, subtly peppery notes which you get at first, to the citrus heart notes, this is a fragrance which will keep you feeling shower-fresh, no matter how hectic a day you’re having. Inspired by the wild grasses of the South of France, it’s a beautiful perfume, which dries down to an almost fruity base scent. Absolutely perfect for warmer weather, I’ll be reaching for this all season long!

Herbae par L’Occitane is priced at £60 and is available here.