Wealden Times | WT259 | December 2023 | Christmas Supplement inside

(Note, the Lumiquartz was ouchouch-ouch
pricy, when new, but tested
by me for a Beauty Bible trial.) The good
news: there’s a fairly similar version available in the
form of LUX SKIN Rose Quartz Sonic Face Wand,
£44 – doesn’t have the LED lights, or warm the
skin, but it massages with 6,000 sonic vibrations
a minute, to dispel fluid and relax the face.
If puffy eyes are a problem, try a trick that I
learned from Linda Evangelista herself, who turned
up at a shoot I was on and ran ice cubes over
her under-eye bags (yup, even supermodels get
these). If that feels a bit brutal or you’re prone to
broken veins, wrap the ice cubs in muslin first.
Blitz dead skin cells
The other reason skin looks dull, besides needing
a circulation rev-up, is usually a build-up of gunk
and dead cells. The fast track to more vibrant skin
is to ‘Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate!’ (to misquote
the Daleks). I often reach for one of several
wonderful masks that I’ve found to perform a
brilliant exfoliating trick. One is a new love in
the form of Sali Hughes Better in 5, £15 for
50ml, a gel mask which uses a light acid action to
dissolve the dead top layer of skin, revealing fresh
cells beneath (N.B. I have sensitive skin and get
on fine with this). An ‘old love’ is This Works
Morning Expert Vitamin C Power Mask, £39 for
55ml – just ignore the ‘morning’ bit of the name;
I’m guessing you’ll be using this in the evening, it
works just fine then, too, massaged into skin for
just one minute to work its exfoliating magic, or
left in place for up to 10 minutes. I find that Liz
Earle Brightening Clay Mask, £24 for 75ml,
also has a fabulous illuminating action in just a
couple of minutes, drawing out impurities with
clay (yet not setting uncomfortably hard). I like
to remove all of these with a soft, fluffy flannel
generously dunked in warm-to-hot water.
Give skin a good drink
As an alternative to an exfoliating mask, slap on
a sheet mask. I flipping love these for topping up
dry skin’s moisture levels in no time; the fabric
seems to press and trap moisture in the skin, and
while it’s a short-term fix, it’ll get you through a
party with a healthily plumped-up complexion.
There are a gazillion sheet masks out there, and I’m
not THAT keen on the fact they’re single-use (do
make sure your chosen mask is biodegradable), but
in an S.O.S. nothing works quite so well. Check
out BEAUTYPRO Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating
Sheet Mask, £5.95, Garnier Moisture Bomb
Pomegranate Hydrating Face Sheet, £3.49, or
Dr. PawPaw Your Gorgeous Skin Hydrating
Sheet Mask, £4.99. (There are plenty of very
expensive sheet masks out there, but I honestly
don’t think you need to splurge on these.)
Reach for a
beauty legend
Two particular products in
the beauty world have become
classics on the strength of their
quick fix powers, and I know hordes of
women who swear by them: Clarins Beauty
Flash Balm, £36 for 50ml (now 96% natural, by
the way), and Guerlain Midnight Secret, £28 for
15ml. They both have an instant skin-energising,
moisturising effect that I can attest to, and are great
underneath whatever make-up you choose to slap
over the top – the skincare equivalent of having
plasters in your First Aid kit (if you get my drift).
Put on your party face
Your skin will be prepped, glowier, more radiant
and – I promise – ready to boogie (or ready to
stand in the corner nursing a soft drink, if that’s
more your bag). I’m not going to tell you the
‘right’ make-up to wear – although I always find a
red lipstick empowering (and I think I might just
write a whole column about them, at some point).
Go glitter, go nude, go whatever makes you feel
good. But then, I heartily recommend that you set
your make-up with a spritz of my new ‘fave find’.
I admit to having been an utter cynic about setting
sprays, until I tried By Terry Hyaluronic Glow
Setting Mist, £35 for 100ml, and this is going
to be in my life forever. Yes, it makes make-up
stay put for longer. DO NOT ASK ME HOW.
(Not that I even care.) But it’s the finish delivered
by this fine mist that really pushes my buttons:
twice in the first day after I’d used it for the first
time, people said: ‘Your skin looks amazing.’
Not wet. Not even dewy, but… lit from within,
somehow. It’s just the ticket for a ‘candlelit glow’,
whatever you’ll be lit by at your destination.
Last but not least, spritz on your most
empowering scent. Literally, whatever makes
you feel a little stronger, or walk a little
taller, which is one of perfume’s superpowers.
Then get out there and party. And – who
knows? – you might even enjoy yourself!
Visit beautybible.com for more of Jo’s
product reviews and beauty tips.