Another exciting week for the team...
From Beckham to Gandy: our Beauty and Style Director Lisa Oxenham is officially on a roll. Oh yes, this week the beauty desk decamped to a studio with a sometimes topless and always jaw-droppingly gorgeous David Gandy to take some photos for the June issue. For those of you who simply cannot wait for the magazine to drop (and who'd blame you?), there is a whole lot of behind the scenes footage currently being edited, so keep your eyes peeled.
In other news, here's what we've loved this week...
THE SKINCARE: Perricone MD Neuropeptide Face Activator, £75 . Launching in April.
While we prefer not to engage in the futile chase for youth, we are nonetheless interested in keeping our skin as luminous and smooth as possible as we age. This new addition to the Perricone MD range joins a wave of pre-serum products that have recently launched to provide an extra layer of skincare that we love - just wipe over skin and let the peptides and Perricone's signature DMAE firm and soften the skin's surface, then follow with serum. Simple.
THE CAMPAIGN: La Roche-Posay #skinchecker
We're all behind La Roche Posay's drive to keep us all safe in - and out - of the sun (and not just because the Dalmations in the video, click here to watch, are so very cute). Given that skin cancer is the only type visible to the naked eye and that 90% of melanoma cases can be treated effectively if diagnosed early enough, we all need to be more vigilant when it comes to checking moles. This campaign encourages us to enlist a loved one to keep an eye on them. Oh, and while we're having a mini lecture - WEAR SUNCREAM. We're using La Roche Posay's Anthelios XL in 50+, £16.50, every single day.
THE NAILS: OPI Infinite Shine Gel Effects Lacquer System, from £13.95. Launching on the 1st of April.
Like shinier than shiny nails but not a fan of drying gel manicures? Meet your new best friends. These polishes form a hard film in natural light (no pesky UV required) and promise to remain shiny and free of chips for 10 days. Pretty much all of the 30 shades have delighted us, but we will be relying on the classic Unrepentantly Red this spring.
THE TAN: James Read Gradual Tan SPF 15, £22. Out now.
Given our feelings about protecting skin, you can imagine our glee when we realised we can be both tanned and safe from the pernicious rays at once thanks to yet another innovation from Mr James Read's quarters. Technically, this is a three-in-one; while the SPF protects and the subtle tan starts to develop, your skin will also be drinking in aloe vera, hyaluronic acid and algae extract.
THE SHOWER CREAM: Elemis British Botanical Shower Cream, £24. Launches in April.
Purifying rosemary? Check. Nourishing echium? Check. Anti-inflammatory lavender? Check. Soothing chamomile? Check. We could tell you to buy this one based on the skincare properties alone but we'd be missing one big fat factor: it smells heavenly. We used it before bed and slept like babies.
THE MAKE-UP: Gucci Cosmetics Collection, Launching on the 27th of April into World Duty Free.
Oh the sheer decadence of using a palette debossed with the linking Gs we've come to love so well. What should you buy first we hear you ask? Well the Gucci Lip in Iconic Red, £28, would be a good place to start - it's the perfect screen siren bluey red. Otherwise, try any of the eyeshadows curated by the brilliant Pat McGrath.