No other time of the year feels quite like December! If you’re looking for the perfect gift inspiration for your true love, we’ve got just the thing for you. Here are Farah Baig’s favourite self-care products for the season.
CHANEL BRINGS BACK ART DECO
The high-end luxury brand Chanel has released yet another phenomenal holiday collection, and we are (naturally) thrilled. Art Deco style is at its peak, which Chanel beautifully demonstrates to through the stunning Holiday 2023 Collection.
The frenzy of the era is in full swing with the come back of spectacular evening gowns, striking sequins and eye-catching shades of gold. A carefully-curated selection of products including an eyeshadow palette, illuminating highlighter, lipsticks, powder and glitzy nail varnishes.
We have our eyes on the Lumiere Graphique palette which features five elegant shades. These precious, dazzling flashes of Pink Gold, Diamond White and Shimmering Black can be combined for a graphic, contrasting eye look. It’s the perfect palette for any time of the day.
Available at leading beauty stockists.
ELIZABETH ARDEN’S GIFT OF GLOWING SKIN
This holiday season, you can share the gift of radiance with Elizabeth Arden’s luxurious festive gift sets. Known for its timeless beauty and innovative products, Elizabeth Arden introduces a carefully curated selection of gift sets which include classic favourites and modern essentials.
Given the effects of the cool weather, we’re leaning towards the fantastic Eight Hour Original Set which promises all-over intensive hydration. This skincare set includes the legendary Eight Hour® Cream Skin Protectant—the iconic skincare formula created in 1930 by Miss Arden to soothe and protect skin. You can also moisturise hands for up to eight hours with the award-winning Eight Hour® Cream Intensive Moisturising Hand Treatment and treat lips to Eight Hour® Cream Lip Protectant to relieve chapping, and help guard against the damaging effects of UV exposure with SPF 15.
Each of Elizabeth Arden’s gift set are designed to pamper your loved ones, so we’re sure they’ll love this during the most wonderful time of the year!
Available at leading beauty stockists and at www.namshi.com.
A REVOLUTION-ARY BLUSH!
Revolution has been growing in popularity given its wide range of affordable, convenient and high-quality products.
This winter we’re in love with the Revolution Fast Base Blush Stick which offers an effortless glow. This no mess, no fuss product is available in three beautiful shades and is easy to use and instantly transforms your makeup with a fresh wash of colour. You can simply use your finger to apply the product onto your cheeks or lips.
Its creamy texture makes it easily blendable and an ideal on-the-go product. The result is perfectly flushed cheeks for an overall look that is radiant, glowy and dewy. Just right for the holidays!
Available at leading beauty stockists and online at watsons.ae
AGE WITH GRACE WITH No7 FUTURE RENEW™
There are several factors that need to be taken into consideration when aging gracefully. If you’re looking for an effective product, we have just the thing for you! No7 Future Renew™ Day Cream is proven to protect against UV and reverse visible signs of skin damage, such as the feeling of dryness and loss of elasticity.
This Day Cream contains SPF40 for damage prevention, No7’s new super peptide blend, an antioxidant blend, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C and rice proteins. It intensely moisturises your skin for up to 72 hours, and within just one week of use, users reported brighter, healthier, more supple skin.
To supplement your day cream, a night cream to rejuvenate your skin is an excellent addition. The No7 Future Renew™ Night Cream is expertly formulated to support the skin’s natural self-repair process while sleeping and reverse visible signs of skin damage. It contains the new super peptide blend, along with other key nourishing ingredients including shea butter, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid.
This night cream helps reverse the appearance of uneven tone and texture, dry skin, and lost elasticity. It deeply moisturises for up to 72 hours and delivers instant results with more nourished, softer, and smoother skin. In as little as one week, users reported their skin felt supple and texture more even.
Available at Boots stores, and online at boots.com.
UP YOUR VITAMINS WITH URANG
With winter on its way in, we’ve been on the lookout for a product that will boost our skin’s health with extensive nourishment. The unique K-beauty and wellness brand, URANG, has released its Vitamin Oil Serum which is rich in vitamins, antioxidants and essential fatty acids – just what we need!
This oil is a light yet powerful blend of natural oils that work on skin elasticity and firmness. The main ingredients are jojoba and rosehip oil. They are full of linoleic acid and vitamins A, B, D and E, agents responsible for improving skin texture, regenerating damaged tissues and blurring wrinkles and expression lines. It is 100 percent vegan and contains no mineral oils, synthetic fragrance, chemical additives or preservatives.
What makes URANG even more special is that its values are rooted in honesty and consciousness. Founder, Jina Lee, a mother and holistic aromatherapist, created this skincare line with high-quality natural, organic ingredients, safe for the whole family.
Available at beautyethic.com.
A SPLASH OF DEWYTREE’S HYDRATION
Here’s a great addition for your skincare routine: the Dewytree Ultra Vitalising Snail Essence Water Hydrating Toner. The great thing about this product is that the list of benefits you’ll feel is just as long as its name!
While we welcome the cool winter months in the Middle East, the drop in temperatures sometimes comes with a range of skin concerns, starting with dry skin. DEWYTREE’s lightweight yet powerful toner will effectively hydrate, soften and plump your skin, allowing for better product absorption, along with a range of other benefits you don’t often get from an essence.
Thanks to ingredients like snail secretion filtrate, adenosine, and aloe leaf extract, the essence actively targets skin concerns like redness, irritation, wrinkles, damage and acne. We’re sure you’ll love this Korean skincare product as much as we do!
Available at watsons.ae
MELT AWAY YOUR MAKEUP WITH DR.PAWPAW
If I had to name one product that has been a game changer in my daily routine, it would be the fantastic 3in1 Cleansing Balm from Dr.PAWPAW.
At the end of a long day, washing your makeup off can feel tedious, especially with waterproof or long-last products that put up a fight. This hydrating balm effectively melts away even the most resilient products and gently resurfaces your skin leaving it feeling clean, conditioned and refreshed. All you need to do is massage a thumbnail amount onto wet or dry skin before rinsing it off with water. While this does a great job of taking off all of your makeup, you could follow this with your preferred face wash for a double-cleansing routine.
What makes Dr.PAWPAW a revolutionary skincare line is the fact that it consists of only vegan products which cater to all skin types. The British-born beauty brand’s multipurpose solutions are made in Korea and include its innovative trademarked formulation PAPAYALURONIC™. This formulation provides the nourishing and soothing effects of papaya extract, teamed with 8x hyaluronic acids which absorb into all layers of the skin for instant and long-lasting hydration, resulting in super soft skin.
Available at leading pharmacies.
PUCKER UP WITH NOTE COSMETIQUE
The trendy, innovative and skin-friendly brand NOTE COSMETIQUE has launched yet another fantastic product just in time for the festive season. There’s nothing quite like a bold lip to complete your holiday look, and NOTE COSMETIQUE has a fantastic range of hues to choose from.
Hand us a NOTE Mattever Lipstick and it’s highly likely we’ll fall in love. This fantastic lipstick saturates lips with an elegant, creamy, rich and kiss-proof formula. It features a non-transferable lightweight formula that blends evenly onto lips, dries quickly and leaves a beautiful matte finish. It is also infused with argan oil, known for its properties to nourish lips leaving them conditioned and supple. Pick from 18 timeless shades from pretty pink to deep violet.
NOTE COSMETIQUE’s formulas are infused with powerful ingredients including natural oils and vitamins. All products are cruelty-free, halal-certified, and paraben-free.
Available at leading beauty stockists.
MASTER GRAPHIC EYE MAKEUP WITH FLORMAR
Bold and daring beauty trends graced the Fall/Winter 2023 beauty runways, with the graphic eyeliner trend taking centre stage. Characterised by bold lines, artistic shapes and striking colours, this trend offers beauty lovers a chance to make a statement this season.
To embrace the trend and recreate the looks as seen on the catwalks, Flormar presents its OPEN UP Mascara and Graphic Eyeliner. The Graphic Eyeliner boasts a rich, highly pigmented formula that glides on effortlessly thanks to its cut-tipped design to create bold lines and intricate designs. Whether you’re looking to craft sharp wings, geometric shapes, or striking accents, the Graphic Eyeliner is your go-to tool for mastering runway graphic eye makeup looks.
Pairing perfectly with the graphic eyeliner is Flormar’s latest release, OPEN UP Mascara, available in ‘High-Definition’ and ‘Waterproof’ variants. Both mascaras elegantly separate each eyelash, creating a fan-like effect and defining the overall look. The High-Definition Mascara boasts a jet-black formula that is 24-hour long-lasting, smudge-proof and flake-proof, while the Waterproof formula withstands moisture, sweat and smudging. Both options feature Vitamin E to strengthen lashes and protect with its antioxidant properties.
Ready to stand out this winter?
Available at Flormar and online at Glambeaute.com
DRAW A LUSH BATH
At the core of Lush’s mission is advocating for well-being, and bath bombs have been a part of that for over three decades.
The inventor of the bath bomb, Lush Co-founder and Product Inventor Mo Constantine, first created this iconic product in her shed back in 1989. However, with the expiration of the trademark, many competitors started producing bath bombs that resemble the original version invented by LUSH.
Bath bombs have become a cultural phenomenon, earning a special place in the hearts of millions around the world. Experience the joy of escaping into a vortex of steaming colour and fragrance and take your self-care routine to the next level. As with every holiday season, LUSH has a wide range of holiday-themed bathbombs including Snow Drift, Snow Fairy Lights, Sweet Pudding and more.
Available at LUSH stores.
NIGHT-TIME REJUVENATION WITH DERMA E
It’s no secret that our skin rejuvenates and restores itself at night. So, a good night’s sleep coupled with a fantastic skincare routine can do wonders.
Derma E Vitamin C Intense Restoring Night Cream is a luxurious, antioxidant-rich moisturiser that delivers restoring overnight protection and supports natural rejuvenation of environmentally stressed skin. It effectively rejuvenates skin, making it appear more youthful while reducing signs of aging such as uneven tone, discoloration and fine lines and wrinkles. Vitamin C also helps guard your skin from the damage that can be caused by the sun’s UV rays.
There’s no gift quite like the gift of self-care this holiday season.
Available at leading beauty stockists and at watsons.ae.
