Secret Weapons

Slightly disturbing, you can actually buy these lipstick knives!

I've made a few fabulous product discoveries recently that have made it onto my Essentials List. Rather than keeping this bag of tricks to myself, I'm going to share these secret weapons and their miraculous powers with you.

Erase Paste from Benefit. This little cracker is my new favorite product. I've tried every concealer under the sun, yes even that well know YSL one, and nothing has come close to this. I only got my hands on some on Friday and I'm already a convert. Not only does it completely cover and brighten dark circles, it hides bags and puffiness with ease. I've had concealers that promise the world, but end up just adding a strange shade to my skin, or becoming wrinkle highlighters. Oddly, in the jar it looks a darker colour, but when applied to the skin, the brightening effect is extraordinary. Whether you are a Mum or just a party animal - do not leave home without it!

Olay Regenerist Thermal Mini Peel. I've used some pretty fancy skin care products in my time, but nothing has given me the almost instant results (with consistency) that this little wonder has. Its called a "thermal peel" as when you apply it to your face it has a self warming quality, rather like that lovely hot towel effect. Use it daily in the shower and you won't believe your eyes. It really does gently polish the skin, and gives it a much smoother, silkier texture - and it even reduces pores! God knows all those nights on the town with the makeup piled on do nothing for the complexion, and I find that simply cleansing isn't adequate to keep the texture smooth and that radiance we all love.


Vaseline Intensive Care Moisturiser. I've taken to keeping a 1 litre pump pack of this on my vanity, which I apply head to toe morning and night. I've got a rather sad collection of about 10 different moisturisers all around the place, but I'm always forgetting to use them. They are either organic, or smell of marshmallows, or had stunning packaging, but at the end of the day they have been forgotten in the back of the cupboard. But keeping a pump pack on the vanity is a constant reminder that I'd like my skin to be as soft as butterflies come the height of summer, and not be rushing for an emergency body scrub to do a half arsed job. For all of your coming out of winter, I'd highly recommend making this a part of your daily routine.

Lemons. No not for a pie or for a trendy table decoration, but for adding to water to make sure you get your daily requirement. There is nothing like a little fresh lemon juice to make drinking a couple of litres of water a day more palatable, and you have the added bonus of all that vitamin C. I start the day with a huge glass of this before I'll allow myself that first coffee, and it always makes me feel better for the rest of the day. I aim to drink about 2 litres of the stuff every day, and yes, it is hard at first, but then you'll find you can't live without it. I am always receiving compliments on my skin, and I really think this is the trick. It seems to have turned back my body clock in a way that no other fancy pants product has.

With all these secret weapons in your bag of tricks, you wont need a fake ID for all your beauty espionage, just a fabulous pseudonym.