ROSIE GREEN'S five-star beauty products: Beauty editor has tested everything out there - here are her top ten
- UK beauty expert Rosie Green reveals her must-buys for face and hair
- READ MORE: The beauty gadgets I just can't live without
1. Ruby Hammer Precision Liquid Eyeliner, £19, rubyhammer.com
There are a gazillion liquid liners out there, so what makes this one stand out from the rest?
Firstly, its nib is just the right thickness: delicate enough to deliver the necessary precision, but not so fine you need to go over and over to create the look you want.
It has the ability to create both an ultra-thin tight line and a more dramatic feline flick and the pen is easy to grip and control. Oh, and the formula has built-in 'play' time, so you can correct mistakes.
However, once dry, it's so smudge-proof that it will stay put through inclement weather, sweaty exercise or even a rerun of Marley & Me.
UK beauty expert Rosie Green reveals her 10 best-loved beauty products, from a brightening skin tint to a mirror with an inbuilt stand and adjustable light
Ruby Hammer Precision Liquid Eyeliner, £19, rubyhammer.com
2. Hourglass Veil Hydrating Skin Tint, £49, hourglass cosmetics.co.uk
Older skins want their base to not just blur imperfections, but brighten and even out skin tone; a formula that is sheer enough to look natural and will blend beautifully with none of the product settling into fine lines. Well, this is it!
Virtually goof proof and loaded with skincare goodies – hyaluronic acid for an instant and impressive plumping effect and squalane to reduce moisture loss.
And, for something so lightweight, coverage lasts an impressive five or six hours.
Hourglass Veil Hydrating Skin Tint, £49, hourglass cosmetics.co.uk
3. No7 Future Renew Damage Reversal Serum, £34.95, boots.com
I confess I was sceptical about this much-hyped range – but reader, I was wrong. As a beauty editor I'm deluged with skincare products, yet this serum somehow made it on to my face and into my regime.
Why? Well, firstly its texture – instantly hydrating and cosseting. It's simple to use, too, and not only goes easily under make-up but makes it look a lot better.
Its user-friendly qualities make it ideal for regular application, so its powered-by-peptide technology can get to work.
The upshot is it has made a visible difference to my fine lines – my skin is brighter and more even.
YOU staffers are just as enamoured and on to their second tubes. The best bit? It's not cripplingly expensive.
No7 Future Renew Damage Reversal Serum, £34.95, boots.com
4. SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic, High Potency Triple Antioxidant, £165, skinceuticals.co.uk
This isn't a sexy product. It doesn't make skin feel gorgeous after use nor does it smell great. However, there's a reason beauty editors love it: it works.
Used daily, this watery, metallic-smelling solution will fight off damaging pollution and UV, boost collagen and brighten and even out skin tone.
Expensive, but it contains L-ascorbic acid – the strongest form of vitamin C at an impressive 15 per cent.
SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic, High Potency Triple Antioxidant, £165, skinceuticals.co.uk
5. Simple Human Sensor Mirror Compact, £89.95, simplehuman.co.uk
Oof, you're thinking, that's a lot for a mirror. It is, but trust me, this investment will pay off.
All the fancy make-up in the world won't have the desired effect if compromised sight or bad lighting mean you can't see tidemarks, badly blended blusher or, god forbid, a stray chin hair.
This mirror is the perfect on-the-go size and delivers 3x or 10x magnification (I like the former).
It has an inbuilt stand plus a light with adjustable brightness that cleverly mimics harsh daylight, so you can be confident you'll never be caught out with a straggler. Priceless, surely?
Simple Human Sensor Mirror Compact, £89.95, simplehuman.co.uk
6. La Roche-Posay Toleriane Foaming Gel Double Cleanser, £24, laroche-posay.co.uk
There are myriad reasons why I love this cleanser. As a sensitive skin sufferer, I'm always after a formula that will deliver a deep cleanse without irritating or drying.
This product grips make-up/dirt/oil and feels satisfyingly thorough, yet simultaneously gentle.
Glycerin rich, it leaves skin soft, while ceramides strengthen its barrier, so it stays healthy and resilient.
It works as well on my mature, rosacea-prone skin as it does on my teenage son's oilier, more congested face. Plus, the big bottle (400ml) delivers good value.
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Foaming Gel Double Cleanser, £24, laroche-posay.co.uk
7. Garnier Ambre Solaire Anti-dark Spots & Anti-Pollution Super UV SPF 50+, £12, boots.com
Once upon a time facial SPFs were sticky and left a white cast – spirit sapping. Then the luxury brands stepped in, creating ones that are wearable and bearable.
Now SPFs come in all price points and mass-market brands often outshine their premium rivals.
This one is great under make-up, with no piling or shine, and it prevents pigmentation.
Worn daily it will have a big impact on your skin – think fewer lines, less sun damage, more radiance.
Garnier Ambre Solaire Anti-dark Spots & Anti-Pollution Super UV SPF 50+, £12, boots.com
8. L'Oréal Elvive Hydra Hyaluronic 8 Second Wonder Water, £11.99, boots.com
This is a game-changer for frizzy, flyaway or frazzled hair. If, like me, you try to counter such afflictions with heavy conditioners or heated appliances you'll know neither is satisfactory. Enter Wonder Water.
Loved by YOU staffers of all hair types, it makes hair silkier, smoother and less prone to static.
Just shampoo hair, squeeze out water and massage into hair lengths – the formula will warm slightly. After eight seconds, it will have brilliantly detangled. Then just rinse out, dry and admire your shiny and healthy hair.
L'Oréal Elvive Hydra Hyaluronic 8 Second Wonder Water, £11.99, boots.com
9. Lancôme Hypnôse Mascara, £29, johnlewis.com
I've talked about this product a lot and that's because I believe it's never been bettered as an everyday mascara.
The brush loads with just the right amount of product and grabs the all-important corner hairs (these are key to maximising its effects). The formula glides through the lashes then sets quickly and doesn't budge.
It beautifully builds and bulks the lashes, but not so much they look spidery or doll-like. Zero clumps, zero smudging and, as a bonus, it is also easy to remove.
Lancôme Hypnôse Mascara, £29, johnlewis.com
10. Philips Lumea Intense Pulsed Light (IPL), from £329, johnlewis.com
Is it worth it? That's the question I get asked about hair removal devices – especially as Christmas approaches. And, hand on heart, I can say, yes, this one is.
I remember the first at-home laser hair-removal machines were cumbersome and only partially effective. Not so now.
Philips Lumea Intense Pulsed Light (IPL), from £329, johnlewis.com
My daughter and I share this device and friends have borrowed it too.
You can use it on the face and body and, while it won't permanently remove all hair (Philips says it will work for 12 months, but I think the effects last longer), it vastly reduces the need to depilate.
Easy to use – even for those who don't like instruction manuals. And, because you are not constantly shaving, your skin quality improves, too.
