Cosmetics & Beauty News June 2009

Move into summer with spring
Green & Spring, that is. Say hello to Britain's newest body care brand. Featuring beautiful Warhol-style drawings of British birdlife on its bottles, it promises that its natural remedies are "rooted in the British countryside, inspired by the very best of our wild environment as nature intended". Sounds good to me - those bottles should leap right off the shelves with their distinctive packaging among bland after bland bottle designs. Featuring candles and gifts as well as lip balm, body lotion, shower gels and hand creams, essential oils are abundant and should prepare your body amply for a summer of sunshine. Purchase from http://greenandspring.com or from Liberty of London, as well as from a selection of hotels in Oxford, Paris and Gloucestershire.

Fragrance news
Many brands are unveiling new fragrances soon (some this summer, some a little later - remember, patience is a virtue!). Among them are Chanel, with BEIGE, named after Coco Chanel's favourite colour; Jo Malone's vanilla and anise fragrance, designed to evoke the moment that vanilla orchids bloom at daybreak in Madagascar (available from September); Dior, with Escale à Pondichéry (inspired by Pondicherry in India, and heavily fragranced with Assam tea, lemon, cardamom, bergamot, and other spices - £46 from July 6th); Lancome, with Hypnose Senses (contains notes of patchouli, rockrose labdanum, benzoin vanilla, tonka bean, osmanthus absolute, honey, pink peppercorns and mandarin essence); and Avon with In Bloom, fronted by Reese Witherspoon and available in November. See, boys, there's plenty for you to choose from...you have no excuse.

100 years of beauty
L'Oreal celebrates its centenary this year, and instead of holding a star-studded party in its honour, they have instead launched their '100 citizens project', which aims to equip people in local communities worldwide with the skills and resources they need to enter the beauty industry, such as hairdressing training in the Philippines, promoting science in Indonesia, and encouraging the professional placement of underprivileged youths in Portugal. As well as potentially creating jobs in the midst of a recession, such a project could also encourage self-esteem, provide a brighter future for those who were never given the chance to have one, and allow those who benefit to pass on the same values of hard work and opportunity to those around them. Nice work.

Minerals for men
Giorgio Armani has harnessed the power of volcanic minerals to create its new range for men. Consisting of just about everything from a shaving cream to a bronzer, there should be something here for all men, from the manliest to the most effeminate. The range claims to help strengthen skin structure, refine texture, and unify tone; the only thing it doesn't come with is a lock and key for the lads to keep this lovely stuff away from the girls.

Economise with Chiconomise
We beauty buffs need all the help we can get in these recessionary times in order to keep us going with a steady supply of makeup and various other beauty bits. Thankfully, there is help at hand. Chiconomise, a website created by Apprentice winner Michelle Dewberry, will make sure we never miss a good deal ever again, giving information on sales and discount vouchers. Current spotlighted deals include 10% off Benefit cosmetics, 50% off at Body Shop, and a saving of £7.45 on YSL Touche Eclat. Permission to say this is ingenious?

The things these kids will do...
A report recently conducted by Simple skincare reveals the frankly horrifying things that some young girls will resort to in the quest for perfect skin. A survey of 1000 teens aged 13-17 (300 boys and 700 girls) this May showed that the top five responses to the question 'what extreme measures have you taken to remedy spots and acne?' were vodka applied neat to the skin, applying a harsh cleanser and toner followed immediately by a sunbed session, freezing the area with an ice cube and then applying muscle relief cream Deep Heat, neat application of TCP to the affected area, and neat application of nail varnish remover to the affected area. Thankfully, its newly established Junior Board of Skincare Advisors, the youngest Board to date, is on hand to quash these myths and send girls on their way feeling a little happier and surer about how they can treat spots. Keep your eyes peeled and your ears open to see what the Junior Board can do to make a difference.

Get a tan before your hols - organically
Perhaps instead of sticking raw skin under sun lamps, the misinformed teenagers above should perhaps ask their parents very nicely for a summer treat at Gielly Green. Located in Marylebone, West London, the salon offers a full-body tanning treatment using organic cleansers, rich clay exfoliators, and rose-scented body lotions as well as the organic sandalwood-scented tanning lotion. Furthermore, if that's not personal enough, they also offer a bespoke spray tan, with a number of choices available from the tan shade to whether it's contaminant-free or quick-dry. Both treatments cost £65, so while a bit pricey, it sounds a hell of a lot better than possibly burning yourself on a sun bed.











Extracting beauty
Available from tomorrow (July 1st) at Boots is their new Boots Extracts range. The tagline, 'developed to make a difference', certainly seems to deliver - as well as promising soft lips and smooth skin with all kinds of lovely stuff like mango extract and rosehip seed oil, it's also Fairtrade, meaning that the products are ethically produced and help communities in developing countries. The range not only includes Body Shop-style body butters and lip balms, but also offers travel collections and gift sets.