BLACK MAGIC

Beauty reveals its dark side with a range of lotions and potions dedicated to nature’s most mysterious hue. tama lung reports

Black – the colour of power, mystery and rebellion – never seems to go out of style. And whether it’s because the days are getting shorter or the fact that Halloween is around the corner, even beauty brands are now embracing all things ebony. It all started with the recent appropriation of activated charcoal for cosmetics use, the latest wonder ingredient credited with sucking up impurities and absorbing excess oil. The carbon-based powerhouse has been used in everything from primers and masks to cleansing balms and sheet masks. More naturally sourced elements followed, including the antioxidant-rich black tea at the heart of Fresh’s anti-ageing skincare collection and the sap of black algae that gives Givenchy’s Le Soin Noir collection its revitalising properties and captivating hue. Nannette de Gaspé, available at Lane Crawford during its Good Feels programme (until October 16), has even created a proprietary blend of black Tahitian pearl extracts, black-tea ferment and blackcurrantseed oil to power its Art of Noir skincare collection. Of course, black is also one of the essential colours when it comes to make-up and this season sees the introduction of chic, limited-edition products from a range of top brands. Don’t miss the selections from Clarins, Nars, Shiseido and other leading brands. As the luxury department store Neiman Marcus is credited with declaring: “Women who wear black lead colourful lives.”