NEW SEASON GLAMOUR

Irish female entrepreneurs are producing world class beauty products for the coming months

When I first started writing this Irish beauty column, I feared there might not be enough variety in homegrown beauty brands to keep bringing you the best of the bunch, but more fool me. Every single month, our native brands are growing and evolving, and releasing amazing new products as well as finessing existing ones.

First up this time is a gorgeous skincare product that’s timely for anyone who’s all about pumpkin season – like me. The Eminence Organics Pumpkin Latte Hydration Masque (1 €68, thewicklowstreet clinic.ie) is absolutely gorgeous for an at-home facial, using all the goodness of pumpkin puree which is rich in enzymes, beta-carotene, amino acids and antioxidants to fight the visible signs of ageing.

It’s also got the benefits of moisturising avocado oil, orange peel, aloe vera and a patented BioComplex that’s packed with Coenzyme Q10 and Alpha Lipoic Acid. Buy for at-home use or try the whole facial experience at the Wicklow Street Clinic for €110.

Bellamianta is known first and foremost for its award-winning fake tans, but it has slowly but surely been widening its offering to include cosmetics. The new brow products are clever, especially this 3-in-1 Eyebrow Enhancer (2 €21.99, bellamianta.com), which contains a fine-tipped brown pencil, spool brush and a tinted brow mascara in one sleek package.

Influencer and online make-up supremo Keilidh Cashell’s KASH Beauty brand continues to grow, stocked now in major retailers like Brown Thomas and Boots. The latest addition to her line is these new colours of Skin Glaze (3 €19.95, kashbeauty.com), a highlighting and colour-rich blusher or bronzer.

They’re an Irish dupe for Charlotte Tilbury, now in seven shades.

I’ve tried a lot of false nails in my time, and these from

SOSU cosmetics are the most impressive I’ve ever used. Not only do they stay on, they come in a wide range of fashion-forward shapes and colours that would rival any nail art at the beauty bar. Salon Nails in Seconds (4 €9.95, sosucosmetics. com) are easy to apply and look absolutely stunning.

Vogue Williams always looks amazing, and her Bare By Vogue range of false tan is growing by the year. This new clear tan water (5 €24, barebyvogue.com) is the best guide-free fake tan I’ve tried – there’s no colour upon application, so nothing to stain sheets or clothing but it gives your skin enough of a sheen that you can see where you’re putting it or if you’ve missed a bit.

It smells great, wears off well and is also available in medium.

I’m a big fan of hair extensions and I’ve been wearing Gold Fever bonds for years. But sometimes I want a bit of extra glamour, or even extra hair for a complicated style, and clip-ins work wonders for that. This new Irish brand Cascata (6 from €125, cascatahair.ie) is certified as Guaranteed Irish and holds an ethical hair sourcing accreditation; the quality is so good, they can last for five years if taken care of, and because they’re human hair, can be washed and styled. A

full head costs from €245, while side pieces for filling in cost from €125.

I know it’s too early to mention the C word, but when a top Irish brand releases something that is sure to sell out, I have to let you guys know about it. Sculpted By Aimee’s very first advent calendar (7 €90, sculptedbyaimee.com) has an open waiting list right now – it contains products worth €170. A steal!

Lake break

I recently visited the gorgeous Wineport Lodge in Athlone, Co Westmeath, to try out the new spa facilities, the hero of which is a gorgeous bathing experience. Two friends and I took the train from Dublin and then a short taxi ride to the beautiful lakeside property, and after gorgeous massages tailored to our needs (mine was extra gentle because I recently had surgery, which was reassuring), we all hopped into tubs filled with good stuff designed to relax and soothe us.

Patrick enjoyed a mud bath complete with a refining face mask, I opted for sea salts and bubbles while Rebecca chose the full seaweed experience. We all sipped Prosecco, ate some fruit and chilled out before visiting the lovely infinity pool downstairs. We were so relaxed, we didn’t even want to get dressed up for dinner so we had a very low-key meal before a restful night’s sleep. I’d totally recommend Wineport, everything was top notch. See wineport.ie.

Peace Of Mind

I recently went for a full-body mole-mapping with dermatologist Dr Susanna at Renew Clinic. I may have an Italian surname, but I have pale Irish skin and I’ve noticed more and more freckles and skin tags popping up as I get older. I always wear SPF, but was conscious that I couldn’t check certain places on my back. So, for peace of mind I wanted to get an expert opinion.

Dr Susanna had me lie in my underwear covered with a sheet, and she checked every single blemish on my body with a magnifying glass. Thankfully, nothing suspicious came up – if it had, I would have been referred to The Beacon for a biopsy immediately. I learned about my own skin, and what products would help my specific body concerns, and also that Renew offers a cryotherapy freezing service for skin tags that I will be availing of in the winter months when I’m not showing as much skin. Call Renew on 01 661 9261 to find out more about mole-mapping. I’m very glad I got checked out and will do so again next year.