Dashing for diamond

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It's Olympic time, and the nation is going for gold. But here at Bianca's Beauty Blog we're dashing for diamond - a classic trend which proves ever-popular. In spite of the market's bad press in recent years due to conflict diamonds, diamond sales jumped 53% in 2010, going up a further 26% in 2011. So it would seem that girls still love diamonds, and this is reflected everywhere in the fashion and beauty industries. Diamond rings remain at the top of the tree when it comes to engagements, Nails Inc released an amazing limited edition nail varnish in celebration of the Diamond Jubilee (encrusted with diamond-style stones; left), tiaras and sparkly silver eyeshadow continue to appear on the catwalk, and the Queen and Kate Middleton rocked the cameras with their Diamond Jubilee fashions. 

But with the passing of the Jubilee and the collection of silver, bronze and gold medals at this year's Games does not come the passing of diamond trends and treatments. Even the very word 'diamond' is continually used as shorthand for glamour and high quality - just Google, and you'll see a whole wealth of salons containing 'diamond' in the name (even when diamond-based treatments are not offered there). It suggests the customer will have a high-end experience, and the proliferation of the word in association with fashion and beauty implies that consumers continue to find the idea alluring.

But if you want to have diamonds on your face, and not just in an engagement ring, this too is possible. The new kid on the microdermabrasion block is diamond microdermabrasion (as opposed to crystal microdermabrasion). The diamond version acts more as a 'sandpaper' for the skin, using the diamond's hard surface to abrade uneven surfaces. Crystal microdermabrasion, however, shoots tiny crystals across your face, making the technique more like using a sandblaster. There are other differences too: the diamond treatment depends more on the skill of the operator, while the crystal option is more dependent on the machine (for example, how efficiently the equipment can shoot them across your face and how well the vacuum cleans up the debris afterwards). Naturally, both forms of treatment have their pros and cons: the diamond tips allow for greater precision in delicate areas, such as around the lips and eyes, and don't have to be replaced as often as the crystals. However, they cannot always fit the exact irregularities of skin, despite the existence of different wands for different skin types and depths of resurfacing. There is also the risk of transferring bacteria across the face via the wand.  

If all of that sounds a bit scary, plenty of beauty products that you can use at home give the diamond touch more effortlessly and less expensively. Judith Williams' diamond day and night creams retail for around £32 each on QVC, and include diamond powder for radiance. Even more affordable is Leighton Denny's Diamond Hand and Nail Scrub, which at £11 promises to invigorate and smooth (and all for less than the cost of a round of drinks). Finally, for bling at your fingertips, there's Swarovski's nail wraps, which come with strips of Swarovski crystals for you to make up your own nail art look. 

Diamonds are therefore definitely not going away - so take your marks and dash for diamond this summer.

Cosmetics Contemplations: A Girl's Best Friend?

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I was lucky enough to be able to peruse hundreds of diamond engagement rings online before choosing the one to be bought for me back in 2009. Certainly the newly-affianced of my parents' generation usually had to make do with whatever was available down the local jeweller's, whereas these days there is an infinite wealth of choice. I choose the phrase 'wealth of choice' not without significance - we're not all lucky enough to be able to afford diamond rings, and even my now-husband and I were only able to get mine by going Dutch on its cost (how thoroughly modern of us) - but that doesn't matter, because it's mine and I love it. So how can we all add a touch of diamond sparkle to our lives without breaking the bank?

Sadly real diamonds will always come at a cost - but I think that cosmetics and treatments containing diamonds still offer remarkable value for money. Crème de la Mer's Refining Facial, for instance, does cost £59 - but you're only going to get two or three inferior facials at best for this price in a salon, whereas the 100ml tube is going to offer at least 10 treatments. And for the money, it's certainly worth it for its ability to smooth skin, tone redness, and make visible pores apparently disappear (sadly only temporarily) as if by magic. 

Another brand harnessing the power of diamond powder technology is Larynn Crystalline, whose products, for the record, I have not yet tried. Using "the healing powers of gemstones and plants", the products are supposed to unlock our natural beauty and radiance. Its Diamond face cream is of a comparable price to Crème de la Mer's mask, with a single pot in its smallest size priced at £65. Containing plankton extract, squalane, black oat seeds, maca root, apricot kernel oil, seaweed extracts, avocado oil and honeysuckle alongside pure diamond powder, it is intended to combat wrinkles, regenerate skin, act as an anti-inflammatory, increase collagen stimulation, moisturise, and increase radiance and luminosity (although I can't say I'd want to be the lucky individual who gets the job of measuring something as intangible as radiance).

But even cheaper products are now getting in on the act. Skin79 BB Cream uses diamond powder and jewel complex to help strengthen and fortify skin - and all at the perfectly reasonable price of £17.99. High street luvvie Soap & Glory are also at it, with its anti-ageing gem, Wish Upon A Jar, containing its patented YouthFake diamond spheres as well as shea butter and anti-oxidants - and all for under £15. Even Avon went as far as to bring out its Skin So Soft Mineral Gems Diamond Blush range of body and hand care this year, which contains trace elements of minerals and diamonds, allowing you to get your mitts on some sparkle for under a fiver. Avon doesn't stop there, either, with their Diamond Eau de Parfum also being available.

You can also give your nails the diamond treatment (just the look, or the real deal) with polishes such as Maybelline's Express Finish Diamonds and Leighton Denny's Diamond VIP Nail Buffer (the latter contains nearly 10% diamond). Give yourself a pedicure, too, with the Diamond Sole Mate Foot Scrub, which contains sea salt, pumice and diamond to kick dry skin into touch.

But naturally these products all run out and need to be replaced. If you really want diamonds to be forever, consider eternity rings - diamonds stretch around them in an everlasting line and can be had for as little as £60 from Amazon, Tesco and Argos. Same price as that Crème de la Mer mask I linked to before in fact. Convenient.

Sally Hansen Diamond Lip Treatment

RRP: £1.95 at www.thecosmetichouse.co.uk
# of shades available: 8

--What does the promo say?--
"Sally Hansen Diamond Lip Treatment is a gorgeous lip gloss which deeply conditions and moisturises your lips while providing a beautiful, luminous diamond shine. With Aloe, Shea Butter and Vitamin A it provides instant hydration and improves lip texture."

--Packaging--
Some might think the faux diamond on the front of the tube is tacky, but I quite like it: it makes it stand out from other products when it might otherwise be passed by. The company name doesn't feature at all on the tube; whether this is a good or bad thing is up to you.

--Application--
Sweep a thin layer across your lips and you are good to go. Super easy.

--Scent--
Almost slightly floral; it has a perfumey quality to it that I had not expected and does not smell cheap or chemical like many other lip glosses in this bracket.

--Texture and consistency--
Not at all sticky; it feels solid, hardwearing and dependable, but comfortable and smooth, while the glitter particles don't grate or irritate at all. Feels as light as a feather on the lips, but not at all weak or watery in application.

--Appearance--
Finally to the most important aspect! I possess the now-defunct Pink Bouquet shade, which is a delightful inbetween pinky-red colour, studded with tiny particles of glitter. However, despite the deep shade, it is a natural match for my lips, delivering a rosy sheen that shimmers beautifully. The range of shades available, though, leads me to believe that there would be a shade out there for just about everyone, from the transparent Diamonds to the red Royal Romance, with several pink, orange and brown shades in between.

--Longevity--
It is unfortunately not perfect; expect to reapply throughout the day. It will last a couple of hours but not much more, and definitely doesn't survive a meal.

--Value for money--
As already mentioned, this gloss doesn't quite tick all the boxes, so if it's an all-day and all-night gloss you want, then you may wish to look elsewhere. However, I sincerely believe that at this price, it's the best 'cheap' lip gloss around, especially given that it contains such fabulous caring natural ingredients that are normally limited to glosses whose prices are out of this one's league (normally for under £2 you're restricted to 17 and Collection 2000). A sparkling summer essential.

perfect partners
Cornsilk Zero Shine Powder and Concealer in One, £4.95 @ www.thecosmetichouse.co.uk
The Original Cornsilk Shineless Matt Powder, £5.95 @ www.thecosmetichouse.co.uk
Healong Beauty Professional Brow Kit, £4.25 @ www.thecosmetichouse.co.uk

Make Your Summer Sparkle

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So they say that diamonds are a girl's best friend? Fine - until your jaw hits the floor at what are normally stratospheric prices. You're very often looking at three figures before you even begin - and that's often for a diamond that you need a magnifying glass to look at. But as with most things these days, if you shop around a bit (thank you, Google Shopping) you can often get what you want closer to the price you want.

Another way to get diamonds more cheaply than having a socking great rock on one finger is to think smaller: diamond earrings, for instance, will be cheaper than a diamond ring. One such website bringing you the sparkly stuff for less is MyJewelryBox.com, and you can also look around for sales at the major retailers such as H Samuel and Ernest Jones. If the prices at MyJewelryBox.com are too good to refuse, but you balk in the UK at the $50 shipping charge, it's equally easy to go in with friends or to take the chance to buy some dazzling gifts in order to get maximum value out of your order.

If you're not really into jewellery, though (after all, this is a beauty website), there are still plenty of other ways to inject some sparkle into your summer, both on the high street and off. Starting with the body, you can find lots of glitter on your local high street, whether this is with Body Shop's Brilliance Powder (which has slightly flawed packaging but still does a good job) or with the ethical competitor, Lush's Iridescent Glitterbug or their Shimmy Shimmy glitter bar (which you just rub over your body until the desired effect is achieved). If you set your sights a little higher in the sophistication stakes, though, you could always try Cacharel's Noa Perfumed Body Lotion, which starts at just over £20 online and provides a divine glow as well as smelling gorgeous.

There are also seemingly infinite numbers of options for adding some sparkle to your face. For the eyes, try Avon's Colour Sparkle Lash and Line, which incorporates a glitter liner and a mascara all into one handy tube, or for a more full-on look, try MAC Pigments for wow-factor and easily achievable fairy princess looks (or their less expensive cousin, Stargazer Eye Dusts). Even the nails can carry off a Dorothy-style look as you paint your nails with Barry M Nail Paints, whose sparkly variants can make you feel like you've stepped straight out of The Wizard of Oz.

Want something more subtle? No problem. There's a plethora of glittery products out there for even the most shrinking of violets, including Bourjois' Little Round Pot Blusher, which has colours carrying the tiniest glitter particles you ever saw, and Sally Hansen's Diamond Lip Treatment, which looks natural while still making you sparkle. It's good for your lips, is hard-wearing, and is even decorated with a small faux diamond on the front of the tube. However, that's not to say that perhaps a real diamond would not be better.