Sparkle and shine
Tracey Strange lines up a selection of top beauty products for special gift-giving
1 You might expect a beauty editor to be picky about perfume. Curionoir’s Purotu Rose Extrait de Parfum is one of my all-time favourites. Created by New Zealander Tiffany Jeans, it’s a heady mix of rose, bitter orange and smoke; robust and sexy, it dries down to powdery rosiness. A special limited edition 50ml version in a hand-blown glass bottle with a jewelled charm made by designer and goldsmith Maeve Woodhouse will set you back about $560 but a standard bottle without the additions costs $265. curionoir.com
2 Clarins’ Top Coat Mascara in Gold ($50) coats lashes in a veil of gold that lasts all night. Can be worn alone or over mascara. Welcome to the sparkle party.
3 When it comes to makeup, the expression “you are only as good as your tools” is apt. Nude by Nature’s Desire 10-Piece Brush Set ($50) is a collection of cruelty-free complexion, eye and lip brushes contained in an elegant roll.
4 Perfect arches make your eyes look bigger, your features fiercer, and your face somehow “cleaner” and more balanced. A well-defined pair will undoubtedly make you look sharper. Benefit’s Magical Brow Stars ($109) is a blockbuster set that includes five of the brand’s best-sellers. Everything needed for a brow lift.
5 In a tube adorned with the constellations of the night sky, L’Occitane’s Holiday Almond Hand Cream ($39) has a suitably festive fizz about it.
6 The gift of experience is a magical one, and anyone who loves fragrance will relish the chance to make their own. Miller Road offers perfumery workshops from its studio in Devonport’s Queens Parade (conveniently opposite the ferry terminal). For $85, participants can get up close and personal with more than 160 fragrance notes and create their own 30ml “eau de me”. millerroad.co.nz
7 Get into the spirit of the season with Molton Brown’s Festive Frankincense & Allspice Fine Liquid Hand Wash ($50). A handy hostess/host gift.
8 Illumination rarely comes prettier or more affordable. Lush’s Fairy Dust Dusting Powder ($17.50) gives skin a luxe-looking lustre.
9 I’ve been a huge fan of Dermalogica since a series of treatments cleared my
skin of adult acne. Dermalogica Transform by Night, Glow by Day ($245) is a great pack to have during the party season since it includes products to restore the complexion overnight for a brighter glow come morning.