Give your skin some Ji whizIt’s that time of year when skin begins blowing hot and cold – going all temperamental and unpredictable about the change of seasons and temperatures.
Which is why you need Jì – a secret Chinese beauty brand based on the ancient theory that our ‘hot’ or ‘cold’ complexions require seasonal natural ingredients to look their best.
As winter draws to an end, the ivy and St John’s wort in Seasonal Essence For Spring, £72.24, fortifies all skin types against the elements.
The potent saffron in Cream For Cold Skin Types, £69, warms and combats ‘cold’ skin’s propensity towards wrinkles and discoloration, while the highly concentrated green tea in Cream For Hot Skin Types, £69, cools and counteracts ‘hot’ skin’s tendency towards breakouts.
Follow the slightly bonkers nightly Jì ritual of listening to ‘soft music’ while massaging your face and you’ll be powerless to resist smiling at the perfect yin-and-yang-like balance of your newly luminous skin. ji24.com from 11 February.
It's the time of year when skin blows hot a cold - are you a cold (left, £69) skin type or a hot (right, £69)
Big it up...
Extra-large versions of our favourite products mean we can let beauty do the financial belt tightening for us in 2013. L’Occitane’s 600ml Bonne Mère Body Wash, in Honey or Milk, have doubled in size for just £22 each (uk.loccitane.com), and Bliss Lemon & Sage Body Butter 414ml, at £30 (blissworld.co.uk), will last for months. If only we could say the same for our New Year diets.
Investing in super size versions of your favourite products makes good financial senseBackstage at Gucci, lashes were given real lift off
Lash flash
Three of the best new mascaras:
Give Anne Hathaway’s subtle separation a go with Professional Volumising Mascara in Jet Black by fashion label Superdry, £9.50, superdry.com.
Go high volume like 1960s fashion icon Penelope Tree with Guerlain Cils d’Enfer, £22, tel: 01932 233887.
Get liftoff Gucci S/S 13 style with Maybelline’s curl-creating Rocket Volum’ Express Mascara, £7.99, boots.com.
Maybelline’s Volum’ Express Mascara, £7.99 Guerlain Cils d’Enfer, £22 Superdry Professional Volumising Mascara inOur brow icon: Anne Hathaway
★ YOU ASKED…
How do I boost my brows but still look natural? For a tailored brow tip from the pros, use two nude lipliners. Try Young Blood Cosmetics Lip Liner Pencil in Au Naturel to create the overall shape. Add hair-like flicks in Malt, a darker shade (both £10, ybskin.co.uk), for cunningly defined brows that look deceptively natural.
Check out the YOUMagblog for more ways to make salon treatments work harder for longer