Get Fresh!

by Jane Cunningham

Ok, so we admit it. The Beauty Experts are feeling frisky about the onset of Spring. We are all in for super sexy skin, sensual fragrances and touch-me tresses. Shedding off the last vestiges of winter, we are embracing the freshness of March and experimenting with new beauty ideas, so we look and feel even more gorgeous!

Buying fragrance for someone is a little bit like buying a work of art – you can never be sure the recipient will really like it just because you do. However, we have some fail safe ideas that will hit the olfactory spot in a way that a Damien Hirst never could. By using perfumed body care, the aromas are more gentle and ‘warm’ to the body more quickly. It’s a much gentler way to give scent and once you’ve tried the ‘layering’ effects of fragranced bath and body goodies, there’s no turning back!

 

However, we adore the dizzying effects of I Loewe You EDT, £34. If you like your scent fruity and feminine with a backdrop of flowers, this hits the spot every time. Top notes of zesty grapefruit, bergamot and citron mingle with jasmine, peony and rose to create a very wearable fragrance.  Let’s not forget the current revival of Lavender – little wonder really that the multi-talented flower is the hit of the beauty world. As well as smelling delightfully feminine, its aromatherapy abilities are second to none. Calming, comforting and refreshing, it’s a great way to relax and revive the spirits. So, our REN range is the perfect Mother’s Day gift choice, especially as we are giving a free High Altitude Lavender Shower Wash 250ml, worth £15, with every £40 spent on REN, for the first two weeks of March.

It’s called High Altitude because – you guessed it - it’s grown and picked at high altitude in the French Alps for an increased level of purity. Match it with the High Altitude Lavender Bath Oil, £19.50, and Wild Yam Omega Body Repair Cream, £32.50, too see off any dry skin while toning and firming, and you have the perfect luxurious but nurturing all-over body treat.

What are we like at getting up in the morning? Hopeless! But that’s just us. What’s spurring us on at the moment to leave our duvets – apart from the lighter mornings of course, are a wonderful range of revver-uppers that wake up the senses in the most luxurious way.

 

Korres Citrus Shower Gel, £6.50, is a zesty lemon fragranced gel that uplifts, freshens and definitely awakens! Boosted with aloe vera and wheat proteins it gives skin a soft and silky feel, and contains anti-aging ingredients. A different, but equally effective way to boost energy levels in your morning shower is Molton Brown Energising Seamoss Bath & Shower, £15, smells like a fresh sea side walk. Using plant and seaweed extracts to help improve skin tone and texture, the ozonic aroma is energy boosting and revitalizing. Of course, everyone is loving Cowshed Morning Body Wash, infused with lemon and orange essential oils. It comes as a boxed pair; Cowshed Showering Pair Gift Box, £12, the other being Evening Body Wash, full of calm-down ingredients such as lavender and rose essential oils.

Spring cleaning is an annual British event; just when the daylight gets a tiny bit brighter, all the things that need pepping up around the house become obvious! The same goes for skin. Emerging from the cocoon of winter, brighter day light shows the flaws we’ve been ignoring since last October. However, unlike the housework, there’s such a lot of pleasure to be had from freshening up your skin. And while all the creamy skinned celebrities are flocking to their facialists in panic, we’ve got just the thing whatever your skin problem.

 

If your complexion is acting out of whack, try Living Nature’s Balancing Day Lotion, £35, that restores moisture and contains the all essential sunfilters to keep wrinkles at bay. Using Manuka honey and essential fatty acids, it’s great for those prone to oily skin. One of the legacies of winter is sore and dry skin, so if yours is sending out an SOS for moisture, Murad Correcting Moisturiser, £26, will get it back on track. Any rosacea, redness or irritation disappears, and the ultra moisturising ingredients leave your skin feeling comforted and supple. In fact, the last two weeks of March see another special offer – spend £40 on Murad products and get a deliciously invigorating Pomegranite Cleanser absolutely free.