Chic chignons
20.04.09
Above left: Toner is often overlooked but this Yves Saint Laurent 3 in 1 Cleansing Water Radiance Revealer removes make-up and cleanses and tones the skin. £20 (01444 255 700).
Middle: Condition your skin with Dior's Cleansing Water for Face and Eyes. It contains white tea to make you look radiant. £18.50 (020 7216 0216; www.dior.com).
Right: Calming, hydrating and refreshing, cleansing water is gentle, and Caudalie's natural Cleansing Water for face and eyes suits sensitive skin. £14, at Selfridges (020 7318 3538; www.selfridges.com).
Star buys
(Left) Pixi by Petra SPF20 Illuminating Tint & Conceal is a handy pocket-sized foundation tube complete with a concealer on the end. Light Glow is a natural, translucent shade. £23 (www.pixibeauty.com).
(Above) We love this Luminous Cheek Colour from Dolce & Gabbana's glamorous new make-up range. £27 (0800 123 4000; www.selfridges.com).
HOW TO CREATE THE PERFECT CHIGNON
By celebrity hair stylist Frédéric Fekkai
* A classic chignon is the simplest of all updos. Just make sure your hair is not stiff from using a lot of product so you can take it down at the end of the evening. Hair should remain soft and moveable and not appear dull.
* Start by blow-drying the hair to bring out shine and get rid of frizz. Apply a frizz-fighting product such as Frédéric Fekkai Coiff Anti-Frizz Silkening Crème.
* Apply just a hint of pomade, such as my Coiff Piecing and Forming Wax, to control unruly strands of hair. Then slick back your hair with both hands and secure in a low ponytail.
* Twist the ponytail up towards the top of your head, tucking in the ends and spraying with hairspray to keep everything in place. Secure with a jewelled barrette or vintage hairpin to add a touch of glamour or make it slightly less formal.
Frédéric Fekkai products are at Space NK (www.spacenk.com)
The tools
(Right) Pearl- and crystal-encrusted 'Wanda's treasure' hair clip, £205, at Browns (020 7514 0016), Frédéric Fekkai Coiff Anti-Frizz Silkening Crème, £18, and Coiff Piecing and Forming Wax, £18.
TRICK OR TREATMENT:
Triple oxygen facial and hot cream manicure at Bliss London
The promise A facial to transform stressed skin after travelling or too many late nights, and a manicure.
The process Bliss is the perfect New York-style stop-off - fresh, airy and clinical. With R&B playing in the background, the 85-minute facial revived my skin with intensive cleansing, exfoliation, a fruit acid wash, several wraps, extractions, a calming oxygen and milk mask, a hydrating enzyme pack and, last but not least, a cool vitaminised oxygen spray. My hot cream manicure - during which I was buffed, clipped and preened - was done at one of the nail stations upstairs. Afterwards there was tea, a brownie buffet and a selection of cheeses and grapes.
The verdict My skin felt as if it could breathe and looked noticeably plumper and firmer, and my nails were neat for days.
Facial, £145 for 85 minutes; manicure, £30 for 30 minutes. 60 Sloane Avenue, SW3 (020 7590 1789; www.blisslondon.co.uk). LJ
Edited by Sophie Goodwin
