WITH the strain of the summer holidays over and kids back in class, mums are finding time to focus on themselves again.
Beauty counters are buzzing with women wanting to refresh their look and try out the latest trends.
According to marketing agency Mintel, the back-to-school period is a boom time for beauty sales, as the transition from summer to autumn sees exciting new products hit the shelves to cash in on seasonal trends.
But with so many products on offer, choosing what to buy can be a hard decision.
Boots found that more than half of consumers get confused when shopping for make-up.
So, whether you are refreshing your foundation or looking for a new lippie, here beauty expert Claire Coleman, pictured, brings you the best of the autumn beauty launches.
THE good news is that in recent years, lip formulations have really upped the ante, and whether you want a lipstick, a gloss, an oil, or a balm, there’s going to be a product for you.
The lip sorbets that Bourjois launched earlier this year tick a lot of boxes.
Thanks to a blend of vegetable oils, they have the texture of a butter or balm, but the colour hit you might get from a lipstick.
These come in six shades and the depth is buildable, so slick and blot for a subtle wash, or layer up for a shiny slick.
I’M not usually a fan of big palettes, as you tend to use only a handful of the shades, but this one looks very practical.
There are two cream shadows in beige and brown which are great for wearing alone or as a base, and some darker brown powder shadows that could do double duty as an eyeliner.
Plus there are shimmer and metallic shades for a high-impact, night-out look.
If you’re a Charlotte Tilbury fan on a budget, this is right up your street.
You might want to use a setting spray with some of the sparkly shades to avoid glitter fallout.
GONE are the days when blusher was either a flat matte powder or a cream that slid down your cheek within minutes of application.
Today’s hybrid textures promise the best of all worlds.
These pigment-packed blushers look like an old-school powder blush but contain mango butter, almond butter and shea butter ensuring they glide over the skin.
There are 12 shades from soft baby pinks to electric fuchsia via corals and oranges, so you’re bound to find one to suit your complexion.
Apply with a brush and blend, but do go easy.
These babies pack a serious punch of colour that stays put.
PERSONALLY, I’ve never been a fan of pen liners.
Despite years of trying, I’ve never managed to master that perfect cat’s eye flick.
Instead, I go for a smudgy, smoky kohl line that is more forgiving of my cack-handedness.
But this budget liquid liner pen from Primark’s latest PS Pro make-up collection, may have changed my view.
For a start, it comes in a chocolatey brown, which is always softer and more flattering than black.
Plus it also has a superfine precision tip which meant I could get right into the corner of the eye with the point, and then almost lay the length of it along the base of my lashes to give a neat, even line that didn’t budge.
I still couldn’t manage a flick with it, though.
THERE are so many great-priced, high-performing mascaras on the market that you’re rather spoiled for choice.
The latest to join the party is this one from Rimmel London, which boasts that it is “ultra-volumising”.
Too often in the past, this has meant thick, clumpy lashes that clog together.
Not so with this formulation, which is buildable, meaning the first coat just seems to lengthen, separate and define lashes, while you can use more to get that dramatic, “big night out” effect.
NEVER bothered with a primer before? See if this one changes your mind.
It’s a step between skincare and make-up and contains grapeseed oil to hydrate the skin, providing the perfect prepped and plumped canvas to apply your slap.
It goes on beautifully and is easily absorbed, leaving skin looking softer and more even.
Whether you’re trying to make your make-up sit better, or last a little longer, this could be your new beauty BFF.
WHEN it comes to bases, Maybelline has had a bunch of hits recently (check out their Super Stay Skin Tint and Perfector 4-in-1 Glow if you don’t like a traditional foundation).
And this latest launch is just as good.
While I’m not convinced anyone should be wearing foundation for 30 hours, if you are looking for a long-wearing formula that gives you medium-to-full coverage without feeling too caked on, this one hits the spot.
Available in 22 shades, it is matte, but not flat.
I got best results by putting it on with a slightly damp sponge applicator.
BRONZING drops are nothing new – TikTok went wild for Drunk Elephant’s £34 version last year.
These ones, launched under Boots’ 17 brand in the summer, owe a lot to celebrity make-up artist Daniel Sandler’s Watercolour Liquid Bronzer.
You can either apply the drops of bronzer directly to your face, as you would any other bronzer, then blend with a finger, brush or sponge.
Or, if you’ve caught the sun and you worry your usual base is a fraction too light for you, add to your foundation to give a more sun-kissed shade.
These come in three shades – light, medium and deep – and probably work better for those who like their bronzer to have a hint of sparkle rather than a more iridescent shimmer.
MY biggest concealer bugbear is one that goes on beautifully, but within hours seems to dry out and go cakey.
It’s why I always recommend using a hydrating eye cream before you apply concealer.
Now L’Oréal Paris thinks it has gone one better by developing this serum concealer.
It claims the product “corrects like a concealer and cares like a serum”, thanks to a hyaluronic acid complex that helps moisturise your skin.
Available in 17 shades, it comes with an iron-shaped applicator that tapers to a point, making it easy to get into the corner of the eye.
It does blend nicely, but be sparing to avoid the serum collecting in creases.
