Sarah Loves... Autumn 2023
As the seasons shift, Sarah has discovered a new lipstick, a natural energy booster, a smart serum to help smooth forehead furrows and a heel balm from a friend…
Charlotte Tilbury Look of Love Lipstick and Lip Cheat Lip Liner
When the going gets tough, there is almost nothing like a new lippy to put a smile on your face. So it was that I popped into the Charlotte Tilbury counter at Harvey Nichols Knightsbridge and, with the help of the gorgeous sweet consultant, emerged with ‘Mrs Kisses’ (main pic, above). The blurb calls it a ‘magical golden peachy-pink lipstick with a beautiful matte finish’. Yes, it is matte but it's not dull or heavy; I’d call the shade a very pretty, mid rosy brown with no blue tones (not good for me) and it lasts … and lasts. Oh, and it’s perfect for going-into-autumn colours. And since my lip liner is now an inch long stub, Lip Cheat in deep nude pink called Supersize Me (hmmm) came too.
Everything in my mind and body perks up when I take a daily capsule of this adaptogen, which seems to go wherever it’s needed. This extract of pure Siberian ginseng is described as a general tonic and energy booster that can help promote a feeling of stamina and endurance. Well, it certainly does that but it also makes me feel calm and balanced as if everything is in the right place, working efficiently. Pharmacist Shabir Daya, at Victoria Health, says it improves concentration and mental clarity – which I really think is true. It’s an absolute daily must for me.
HealthAid Sibergin/£17.99 for 30 x 2500mg capsules – buy here
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Bronzer
While I was at the Charlotte counter I simply had to autumn-up my CT Bronzer, which I’d had for, um, at least a year – still some left. It was one of our Beauty Bible Gold Award winners and it is simply fabulous, giving not just colour but also an even velvety finish. However, the Tan shade while perfect for summer is too deep for my now paler face. So Airbrush Bronzer in Medium was whisked on (pronounced ‘very youthifying’, which it is…) and - you know what? - it just shimmied into my bag.
Nivea Q10 Wrinkle Filler Serum
This promises to visibly reduce the appearance of wrinkles in five minutes. I’ve been trying it on the vertical furrow in the middle of my forehead and the little lines above my upper lip. While they don’t disappear – I wouldn't expect that - they certainly look softer and smoother so less noticeable. There’s also a promise that, if you use the product consistently for two weeks, wrinkles on the forehead, around the eyes and lip area will be reduced by a cocktail of powerful ingredients. (This was a ‘self-graded’ result in a pretty large trial.) I haven’t trialled it in this way but it’s definitely worth a try.
Nivea Q10 Wrinkle Filler Serum/£14.99 for 15ml – buy here
I’m grateful to a close friend for giving me her favourite foot soothing and smoothing product, which I’ve been too picky to try because, as well as lanolin, shea butter and aloe vera gel, it contains mineral oil and paraffin. I still prefer to avoid those… but OMG this works. Soft, smoother, more supple feet in one application. Applied two or three times a week, in tandem with using a foot file, my feet really do feel as if I’ve had a pedicure.
Flexitol Heel Balm/£10.69 for 112g - buy here
