Obsessed: The three beauty products our Beauty Editor needs you to know about in July
Editor's cut: The best of beauty this month
Editor's cut: The best of beauty this month
Each month I will be regaling you with tales of my three favourite products du jour. Or should that be du mois? In my line of work, with product after product arriving at my door in the arms of impatient couriers, it takes something truly special to stand out from the crowd. Wallflowers need not apply; this list is reserved solely for the products that stop me in my tracks. Are you ready? Here we go...
1. Il Makiage Woke Up Like This Flawless Base Foundation, £36 | Il Makiage
Let’s talk about foundation. Or more specifically, this foundation. Or more specifically still, how I came to find this foundation. You’ve probably heard of Il Makiage - it’s one of this year’s most talked about brands. Why? Because it combines tech with beauty perfectly. They’ve set out to make buying a foundation and finding the right shade online simple. Finding the best foundation is tricky at the best of times, but online?! Near on impossible. Their questionnaire is a well-oiled algorithm that asks you loads of questions, like which finish you prefer and how you like to apply your complexion product. Anyway, to cut a long story short. It is the best colour match I’ve had in a long while. The actual foundation is matte, but not cakey. Full coverage, but not heavy. I urge you to trial it. If you needed any more convincing of its brilliance, it’s had 155,000 5* reviews.
2. Medik8b R-Retinoate Day & Night Youth Activating Cream, £120 | Amazon
This is not a new product. It is, however, a new product to me. The other day, I saw my really hot friend (a fellow Beauty Editor) raving about it on Instagram. Her glowing skin was so glorious in the picture, it was practically singing to me. (I imagine it was a sweet, sweet aria.) I wanted skin like that. I had to get my hands on this product. Here's the lowdown: it's a retinoid serum that utilises the power of retinyl retinoate (also known as r-Retinoate). It is 8x more powerful than retinol. It's combined with vitamin C, making it like the Superhero of serums. r-Retinoate is photostable, which means it doesn't break down in sunlight. So whilst you still have to wear your best facial sunscreen, it's safe to apply in the morning too. Within about two weeks, I noticed that my skin was feeling smoother, looking more even and my complexion was brighter. According to their website, you are 'gifted with a silken touch'. A touch dramatic, but I agree and am here for it.
3. Loewe Paula's Ibiza EDT, £68 | Selfridges
Despite what you might have been lead to believe, due to the dreadful weather, it is in fact summer. And with the 'warmer' months brings a whole slew of fragrances, each competing for that 'scent of the summer' position. I'm here to tell you, that this is it. Let's start with the packaging. This perfume is encased in a turquoise paper tube covered in delightful illustrations of mermaids, starfishes and seahorses. I'm picturing myself treading water in the sea already. Now let's move on to the bottle. A dinky, yet chunky, bottle that comes in at a solid 50ml. If I had managed to book myself a getaway, this would make it through airport security. The colour gradient on the glass reminds me of a Tequila Sunrise. What says summer more than a cocktail? And finally, we're rounding off with the actual juice. Let me give you a taste of the recipe: coconut, mandarin, frangipani, patchouli and vanilla. Now, go on, tell me that isn't the scent of the summer...
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Katie Thomas is the Senior Beauty Editor at Marie Claire UK. With over 10 years of experience on women's luxury lifestyle titles, she covers everything from the best beauty looks from the red carpet and stand out trends from the catwalk, to colonic irrigation and to the best mascaras on the market. She started her career on fashion desks across the industry - from The Telegraph to Brides - but found her calling in the Tatler beauty department. From there she moved to Instyle, before joining the Marie Claire digital team in 2018. She’s made it her own personal mission to find the best concealer in the world to cover her tenacious dark circles. She’s obsessed with skincare that makes her skin bouncy and glowy, low-maintenance hair that doesn’t require brushing and a cracking good manicure. Oh and she wears more jewellery than the Queen.
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