Still wondering whether to bother with a primer? According to SUQQU UK spokesperson, make-up artist Morag Ross, you should definitely add one into your make-up regime. ‘The right base ensures you use less foundation on top, which prevents caking and gives that “lit from within” glow,’ she says. For Beauty Bible’s top primer recommendations, check out our Beauty Bible Award-winners here.
Why do we so often get sick after flying? You might think it’s the air inside the plane – but multiple filters mean that’s changed much more regularly than you might think. Instead, it’s often the surfaces on a plane that carry bacteria and viruses – so make like a germophobe and swipe a disinfectant wipe over your table and armrests before eating or touching your face, wash your hands – or use a hand sanitizer featuring at least 60% alcohol.
Skin dry and itchy? Try a D-I-Y sugar bath. (No, really.) It’s an old Chinese remedy for dehydrated skin: buy some sugar cane slices (from a Chinese supermarket or grocery), half-fill the bathtub with water and put a couple of slides of sugar in the water, leaving them to melt. Then top up the bath – and enjoy.
New mum? Feeling less-than-glam? Bobbi Brown recommends smooshing a few products into an empty palette for a quick make-up fix: concealer, cream foundation, cream blush, lip balm, matte lipstick and a glossier option. Slip it into your bag and you've always got a mini-kit handy – while still leaving room for nappies and bottles etc...
Get yourself out there into some green space. (When we're in London, we head to our amazing parks.) Exposure to nature 'has been shown to improve our health, boost the immune system, reduce the stress hormone cortisol and enhance mental wellness,' writes Dr. Rupert Sheldrake in his new book Science and Spiritual Practices.
Looking for products that will last all day? Stains are a great choice. Lip and cheek stains give colour, look natural – and because there's (virtually) no oil in the formula, just don't budge.
Applying fake tan? Wait a while after showering, as warm skin can absorb colour unevenly. (The exception: St.Tropez’s in-shower self-tanner, which is designed for just that.)
Ridged nails? Invest in a good old-fashioned chamois leather buffer, which gently creates a smooth, shiny surface and helps eliminate ridges. (Your granny was right about some things.)
Wake up – and lace up those trainers for a walk. Research shows that those who exercise moderately at 7 a.m. have lower blood pressure throughout the day.
Don't give up on red lipstick just because it's summer. But go for orange-toned reds (which look great with a tan); a blue-toned red is more 'Hollywood', and works better in the winter months.
If you get a reaction to an 'active' anti-ageing cream, cease and desist. Red, itchy patches, flaking, broken blood vessels, lumps and bumps – these are a sign that damage is being done, rather than improvements being made. Most anti-ageing creams will have been tested for years before they're put on the market, tested on humans – but there will always be people who react. Soreness, burning and irritation aren't a sign that 'something's happening' – they're a sign you need to stop using it.
Avoid using retinol or AHAs for 24 hours before tanning, as they tamper with absorption and can result in patchy colour. (That applies to face and body.)
If you’ve booked a spa treatment, get there early. It gives you time to relax before your session, and avoids a frenzied rush feeling. If you have to set your phone alarm to nudge you to leave in good time – well, that’s just a darned good idea.
Did you know that alcohol can affect how good your self-tanner looks? It dries out skin, which can result in a more uneven finish.
If you use an eyelash curler, never clamp down for more than a few seconds, otherwise you risk ripping out lashes.
This is peak blister season, as our feet adjust to wearing quite different shoes (and without a protective layer or tights or socks). Shake some talc or cornstarch into your shoes, to help keep feet dry. We also like to change our shoes more often than usual, right now – rather than wearing the same pair all day, which can lead to friction.
Soap is having a moment. It’s one of beauty’s simplest products – but some soaps, we’ve found, can turn to moosh quite quickly. Our solution is to dry the soap on a towel, when we dry our hands. Keeps it firm, so it lasts longer.
If your bath oil seems to do more for your tub than your skin, try a new approach. We like Aromatherapy Associates’ technique: massage the oil directly into the body, so the softening agents are right where you want them. Once you’re in the water, the warmth will help them penetrate.
Do you regularly wake up in the night? The liver is most active between 1 a.m. and 3 p.m., and this might be a sign that your liver could use some extra help. Try supplementing with milk thistle, taken in the morning. And if you find yourself wide awake between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m.? (And you’re not a ‘lark’?) This is when the large intestines are most active; you might want to supplement with pre- and probiotics.
When traversing a department store, never miss the opportunity to ask beauty consultants to demo a new make-up launch on you that you’ve read about (maybe here!) Our experience is that they’re always more than happy, especially during quiet hours. (We’d never shop for make-up – or indeed anything, in a department store – at lunchtime or after work – if we have a choice.)