Ten Beauty Products You NEED to Know About

Green lipstick, a wrinkle-busting serum and herbal tinctures galore: it's just another week on the beauty desk...

This week the beauty desk have found a long-wear nail polish, a spray that renders pale limbs honey-hued and a green lipstick that’s extremely wearable…

THE SPF: Shu Uemura POREraser Under Base Mousse

The news that the mercury may hit 18 degrees this weekend was met with joy by the team. Joy was quickly replaced with a collective frantic rush to find an SPF for our sun-starved skin. The one we all wanted to bag? This Shu Uemura number; the foam disappears on the skin in an instant, locking down skincare underneath so there’s no wait time to apply make-up AND it makes our pores look smaller while keeping shine at bay.

Out now. £29

THE TAN: Givenchy Brume Bonne Mine Powder Spray

… And then there’s the not-so-slight issue of baring a little more skin. While we may not want to incur damage by trying to achieve a real tan, we are equally unwilling to shed any layers while feeling pasty (to clarify: alabaster = beautiful. Mottled, winter-worn skin = in need of support). The answer lies in this clever spray that applies a shot of tan in a jiffy. Top marks for coming up with a shade that flatters the palest of the pale and adds a glow to darker skin tones, Givenchy folk.

Out in May. £38

THE NAILS: L’Oreal Colour Riche Nail Colour

This week the beauty desk have learned never to judge a nail polish by its bottle; while L’Oreal’s Color Riche nail polish looks modest on the outside, what’s within is so good it’s had the team agog. No top coat required (thank the tireless research team over at L’Oreal for discovering ‘LiquiGel Technology’ for that), and the ten day wear promise is no lie - two coats applied last Friday are resolutely holding firm: no chips, no weird peeling at the corners, just perfect, shiny nails.

Out now. £4.99

THE WELLBEING: 1001 Remedies Purair Air Purifying Spray

The team has a penchant for a fragrant environment. Last week we espoused the virtues of a good diffuser, this week we’re all rapturous over this refreshing and purifying spray. In fact, we’d go so far as to say the 19 essential oils (including antiviral peppermint and immunity-bolstering cinnamon) have managed to stave off the cold that’s plagued the rest of the office. Get spritzing.

Out now. £24

THE HEALTH: Baldwin & Co Echinacea Tincture

Also in part to thank for our continuing good health is this tincture. Echinacea may be the oldest trick in the book, but adding drops of this to our bottles of water really seems to do the trick of vanquishing a nascent cold. On a more superficial note, we love the pretty bottles so much that we're concerned our newfound appreciation for supplements will soon make our desk resemble an apothecary…

Out now. £6.99

THE OLDIE BUT GOODIE: Kevyn Aucoin The Loose Shimmer Shadow

We’re fans of anything that makes the process of applying make-up more foolproof. Step in these roller balls, which disperse a fine veil of shimmer shadow onto the lid with absurd ease. We like to glide them slightly above the lash line so the subtle glimmer catches the light when we blink. Try Citrine to widen the appearance of eyes or Lapis for a nice purple alternative to a smoky eye.

Out now. £23

THE WRINKLE-BUSTER: Fillerina

When word of this skin saviour reached us, we got our hands on a bottle in double time. The blend of six hyaluronic acids (which is renowned for drawing an impressive amount of moisture into the skin – one molecule can hold up to 1000 times its weight in water) plumps wrinkles without any need for needles. To use, simply run the pipette over grooves and wrinkles, leave the filler to penetrate for ten minutes and follow with the nourishing film. Results are both instant and cumulative.

Out now. £79

THE CLASSIC: Elemis Cleansing Balm Limited Edition 200g

Cleansing well is key in maintaining healthy skin; without removing debris and priming the surface, any subsequent product can’t absorb properly. Though advocates of cleansing properly, we’re also keen on anything that makes the process pleasurable. This cleanser does just that thanks to the combination of mimosa and rose flower waxes, elderberry oil and lavender. We'll be using this bumper size to see us through spring.

Out in May. £55

THE TREATMENT: Acupuncture Session at Neal’s Yard Remedies

As newbies to acupuncture, we weren’t quite sure of what to expect when we lay down in Justyna’s therapy room in an attempt to combat soaring stress levels. The needle part was surprisingly pain-free and half an hour flew by. After the session, we were relaxed to the point of sleepiness and will be returning weekly for more

THE LIPSTICK: Lipstick Queen Frog Prince

Inspired by the Brother’s Grimm tale, all isn’t as it seems in the case of this green lipstick, too; smear it on your lips and you’ll have yourself a pinky sheen of an intensity entirely suited to you thanks to clever technology that’ll develop a hue based on your body temperature and pH. Oh, and in case you’re wondering if the green serves a purpose, it does - the pigments act as a foil to the pink, illuminating the colour. This is one frog prince we’ll gladly put on our lips daily.

Out in May. £22