Tag: alternatively

"Have you been away?": bronzers are wonderful - but be sure to use sparingly. Photograph: Image Source/Corbis

Say no to orange stripes. Say non to cheeks sparkling like they've been mined for gold. It's a nein from me to a white face painted brown, for many reasons, one of which is "bad application of bronzer". Bronzer, used well, does magical things at this time of year. Used well, brushed on with a big round brush (Nars, 42, 0800 123 400) rather than the piddly little ones that come in the box, it suggests you've been on a lovely languorous holiday rather than frantically making yourself up in the downstairs loo. Try Laura Mercier's Dune Bronze (26, lauramercier.com) or Benefit's Hoola (23.50, benefitBeauty products.co.uk). And aim for a subtle shimmer or matte finish – no glitter here, ta.

Alternatively

Benefit Hoola 23.50, benefitBeauty products.co.uk Givenchy Croisiere 32.50, 01932 233 824 Guerlain Terracotta Terra Soleia 44, 01932 23388 Tom Ford 65, harrods.com MAC Bronzing Powder 19, macBeauty products.co.uk

Curl power: Umberto Giannini's miracle worker.

When my hair is overdue a visit to the hairdresser (most of the time) and it's been through the wars (ie unwashed and unloved – a maximum of eight days once, but let's not go there), there are some super shampoos that bring back the bounce and convincingly hoodwink everyone, including myself, that I've "just stepped out of a salon". Fekkai Luscious Curls Shampoo (20, spacenk.com) gives curls a viper boost and leaves them smelling of oranges and honey, reminding me of Greek holidays back when the poor country still had the drachma. Umberto Giannini's Calm Curls Shampoo (4.99, boots.com) zaps frizz and gives a pleasingly high-shine finish. And you get a lot of bang for your buck, which is handy in these austere times.

Alternatively

Davines Love Shampoo 13.10, 020 3301 5449
Philip Kingsley Moisture Extreme Shampoo 14.75, philipkingsley.com
Aesop Nurturing Shampoo 17, aesop.com
Bumble and Bumble Curl Conscious Smoothing Shampoo 17.50, bumbleandbumble.co.uk
Aveda Be Curly Shampoo 15.50, aveda.co.uk

Face facts: work in with gusto to make your skin look brighter

If cleanliness is next to godliness, then exfoliation is standing right above them both, beaming. Facial scrubs get you cleaner than you thought possible – used regularly, they make your skin feel amazingly smooth. Rather than the big sugary grains you get in a body scrub, for the face you want a fine speckle that you can work into the annoying bits by your nostrils with gusto. Try Origins Never A Dull Moment scrub (24, origins.co.uk) to make you look a little bit brighter, and Proactiv's new Solution Cleansing Bar on your back (9.99, proactiv.co.uk). It will feel ever so soft.

Alternatively

Sisley Buff and Wash 65, harrods.com
Bior Pore Unclogging Scrub 4.99, sainsburys.co.uk
Ole Henriksen Walnut Complexion Scrub 26, 020 7351 3873
Declor Double Radiance Scrub 23.40, feelunique.com

Fingersmith: try Butter London's old-gold varnish. Photograph: Observer

Nail time! Sometimes it feels like a body isn't quite big enough for all the jewellery you want to hang on it. You've got, what, one neck? Two wrists, an ankle, a couple of fingers that are thin enough for rings? This is the opportunity to turn your nails into jewels. Metallic varnish. The way to wear it now is as matte as possible – use Rimmel Pro Matte Top Coat at the end if you like (4.59, boots.com) – and on long, pointy-ish nails, so they look a bit like serving spoons. I like the old-gold look of Butter London's Full Monty (12.50, butterlondon.com), which has the feel of tarnished wedding rings, and Mavala's Platinum Marble (4.30, boots.com), which is even odder – an old picture frame, found buried in the garden. OK. End of nail time. Back to work.

Alternatively

Illamasqua: Bacterium, 13.50, illamasqua.com
Nars: Diamond Life, 13.50, narscosmetics.co.uk
Deborah Lippmann: Don't Tell Mamma, 14, houseoffraser.co.uk
Topshop: Hyperreal, 6, topshop.com
Orly: Rock Solid, 9.85, orlybeauty.co.uk
Chanel: Peridot, 17.50, 020 7493 3836