Orange adds a juicy new look to autumn
Orange makeup is a great way to inject freshness into your countenance. If, however, you find it daunting, then consider the various hues and textures and mix them up to suit your skin tone and comfort zone. For instance, a light understated salmon will always balance out a no-holds-barred bright cantaloupe across the eyes (a line is more modern and less intimidating than full-on eyeshadow) and cream blush offers less of a commitment than its punchy powder relative. But if all that fails, there’s always Hermès’s new orange nail varnish.
1. NARS Unwrapped Orgasm Blush Duo £35, narscosmetics.co.uk2. Glossier Monochrome Eyeshadow Palette in Mesa £19, glossier.com3. Hermès Les Mains Nail Colour in Orange Boite £40, hermes.com4. Tata Harper Vitamin Infused Cream Blush in Lucky £30.89, global.tataharperskincare.com5. Illamasqua Sheer Veil Lipstick in Sherbert £17, illamasqua.com
I can’t do without… A luxuriously scented soap that really does set the bar very high
There are bars of soap. And then there are big, sturdy, confident luxury slabs of soap. Like this beauty from Loewe. I have an enduring love of bar soaps. It is why, for the longest time I just couldn’t get my head around shower gels or liquid soaps (unless it was washing-up liquid). Why would anyone forsake the opportunity to use a comforting, tactile, deliciously scented, tangible bar of soap for a liquid spinoff that feels so fleeting and inadequate? Yes, of course, bar soaps are not particularly practical – they are slippery, can be messy and they melt in the bath. But perhaps pragmatism is not the point. Lately, we’ve been paying ever more attention to how (and how often) we wash our hands, fundamentally as a means to survive. It’s exhausting but necessary. So let’s put the joy back into it. This bar sets the bar (yes, pun intended) for many other soaps. First, it is huge. There is nothing more underwhelming than a sylphlike bar. It comes on a rope, so you can hang it up (which means you don’t have to clean a manky soap dish). And, unlike many soaps, it is kind to your skin and the divine scent has incredible longevity. Choose between oregano, liquorice and, for the edgy, marijuana (yes, it is intoxicating). If you’ve never had a thing for bar soap, after Loewe, you certainly will. Loewe Oregano Solid Soap, £40, perfumesloewe.com
On my radar… A hard-working conditioner and new cleansers
Clear winner If you’re looking for a cleanser with ingredients – Vitamin C and antioxidants – that are brightening and purifying, you’ve come to the right place. Beauty Pie Super Healthy Skin Foamy Face Wash, £9.96, beautypie.com
Good hair days A gentle cleansing conditioner that not only effectively lifts sebum and buildup, it imparts hydration and volume to stop hair from falling flat. Hair is Fabric Volume Support Cleansing Conditioner, £30,deciem.com
Flower powerThis cleanser/toner/ essence hybrid combines powerful botanicals to simultaneously draw dirt from skin while infusing it with boosting nutrients. Furtuna Skin Acqua Serena Micellar Essence, £67,cultbeauty.com