Applying makeup professionally requires great products and also great skill, hence most of us simply do what we do and hope for the best. But then you get that fabulous party or wedding invite and you know you’ll need to up the ante in a way that surpasses your skill set. This is where the Lucie app (lucieapp.co.uk) comes in. Here you can access the industry’s most prestigious makeup artists (and massage therapists, wellness gurus and fitness experts) who will come to your house, or office or wherever, and give you the face (or body) you never knew you had.
1. Ilia Beauty Super Serum Skin Tint £46, sephora.co.uk
2. Merit Beauty Clean Lash Mascara £28, meritbeauty.com
3. Makeup By Mario Blush Stick £32, sephora.co.uk
4. Jones Road Lip Tint £26, jonesroadbeauty.com
5. Tom Ford Eye Color Squad £70, tomford.com
I can’t do without… A fragrantly romantic bath soak inspired by London
One of my pockets of joy in tough times is a hot bath. Yes, I know we are all supposed to have swapped out baths for showers, but on days when we need to escape the hardness of reality, even just for a bit, a hot bath offers a solace that is just too comforting to resist. As is this incredible bath soak, which – and I say this with no exaggeration – has elevated my bathing ritual no end. Created by Soapsmith, an artisan soap brand founded by Londoner Sam Jameson, all the products – soaps, handwash, bath soaks – are handmade in Walthamstow, and every scent, with names like Hackney, Marble Arch, Brick Lane, is inspired by London. Bloomsbury, a bold rose, peony and honeysuckle scent, is one of my favourites and the bath soak that comes in this romantic fragrance is particularly divine. The powdery mix turns the bath milky and the scent completely takes over the room and transports you to somewhere quite wonderful. And to achieve that, you don’t need much of the product, which really highlights how incredible the quality is. The soak itself combines Dead Sea salts (exfoliating), coconut milk (moisturising) and essential oils (mood enhancing) to leave you in a much better place than you were before you stepped into the bath. And, thankfully, it doesn’t even leave the tub messy. Soapsmith Bath Soak in Bloomsbury, from £30, soapsmith.com
On my radar… Gently does it with dry skin and fine hair
Strong but kind A clinically proven alternative to retinol, this skin plumping, firming and smoothing serum is powerful enough to yield great results, but gentle enough to be used twice a day. Tatcha the Silk Serum, £98, spacenk.com
A lighter touch Most hair care products dealing with frizz are too heavy for fine hair, but this spray is lightweight enough to combat flyaways and frizz without weighing down the hair. Living Proof No Frizz Spray, £34, livingproof.co.uk
Soothe your skin Very dry or sensitive skin – whether naturally or because of daily aggressors, such as stress and sun exposure – will love this calming and soothing skincare range. Murad Soothing Oat and Peptide Cleanser, £46, murad.com
Follow Funmi on Twitter @FunmiFetto
