FAVOURITE | New forever beauty products in 2010

PLENTY OF people in the beauty world don't have forever beauty products. Why would we when a huge chunk of the job is trying everything out that comes to market?

Rarely have I bought something over and over again. If ever. Honestly, whether they'll tell you or not, the beauty folk often call in what they use or if they're so backlogged with reviewing stuff (ahem, my default state), then they beg off new products, already so mired in countless products they have to use.

Usually, I use whatever's on hand, whatever I am trialing that day/week/month. Maybe it's not like that in real life. I guess there's some sense of brand loyalty but it's hard to develop a taste for one thing when you've got 20 on the docket to try.

Here are a few from 2010 for which I'll be happy to plunk down cash when they run low or wear out.

Alpha-H

I'm all over this brand like white on rice. In 2010, Glyolic Acid has changed my 30-something skin for the better. The range is described as Glycolic based Anti-Ageing. They should add acne-fighting and Rosacea-styming to that description too. Gorgeous stuff. The Essential Hydrating Cream, Liquid Gold Intensive Night Repair Serum and the Daily Essential Moisturiser all get my humble blogger stamp of approval. Particularly the first two... packed with Vitamin A, Vitamin E,  Glycolic 14%, Niacinamide, Licorice Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5...  

Hourglass Femme Rouge

I rocked this shiz on the Vail ski slopes over the Christmas holiday in the brilliant berry Nocturnal. Why not? It was moisturising, stayed on, has rich pigment, the tube's refillable, it's got none of the nasties that are found in many lipsticks and, well, I was in the mood for a bit of glamour wherever I could find it as I didn't have the full ski bunny outfit. Instead, I wore my mother-in-law's 1970s ski pants that were almost a foot too short, a second-hand pastel camo coat from my sister and a helmet. If it can withstand the weather and wear of skiing and make anyone dressed as mad as I was feel glamorous, it's a keeper.

L'Occitane Peony Lip and Cheek Water

Has cut down my every day routine by a huge chunk of time. Swipe a bit onto my cheeks after I put on my RMS un-Cover Up in 22, once across the lips before blotting it with a finger, wiggle some mascara into my eyelashes or pile a bit of bright lipstick on the stain that's created a nice base and I'm good to go. It's super light, easy to blend before it sets (unlike many lip and cheek stains), has a natural, lovely peachy-pink colour and -- the real kicker -- makes me actually look like a refreshed, younger version of myself.

Alexa Rudolfo Bois Nu Candle

Just take the lid off and your entire house smells amazing. Light the sucker and it'll last for hours. Clean burning, long burn time, beautiful (and re-usable) glass containers with gorgeously heavy lids. I have two in a small one bedroom place and that's all I need. The scent is slightly musky but not overbearing. It smells expensive.

Oral-B Professional Care SmartSeries 5000 Electric Toothbrush

This one has taken some getting used to. As in, I can't mindlessly run it across my teeth for a few seconds before going to bed. You have to individually brush each tooth with the round, rotating brush head, like the dental hygenist does. The rubbery nubs and bristles are seriously whitening too and there's a timer so you know when you've done two minutes. My smiles loads brighter than it was before and my dentist is so much happier to see me than he was at the end of 2009. 

[Can't find a pick of the brush online. Boo.]

Babyliss Hair Brush

I still have to cut knots out of my hair. True story. It gets so tangled and matted during the winter when I have a scarf or collar rubbing against it all day. Often times I would just tuck it under on itself and leave it, like a giant dreadlock, until warm days. Conditioner was no match for it and even my favourite brush -- the one I've had for EIGHT years, my Marilyn -- couldn't make any but a superficial difference. Enter the Babyliss brush... a combo of boar bristles and spikey plastic ones that massage my scalp and instantly fix my mop. I dragged it through  my hair and had tamed the previously un-tamable mess in less than 30 seconds. My hard has been looking sleek since (also thanks in part to at Vidal Sassoon). I'm still trying to find a voltage converter to use my Root Boost, but I bet it would have made the 2010 list if I could've used it.

Win a Babyliss Root Boost | Sponsored giveaway

NOW CLOSED. WINNER IS EMMA R. Congrats, Emma!

UNTIL LAST February I didn't give much thought to my hair. Loads of women care very deeply about their hair and dedicate hours a day styling it. Um, if I brushed, I was putting in an effort. My hair is straight as a rod, fine and I generally just whip it into a French twist. Often times it's faded with roots and scraggily ends. My hair was in such a state when I saw my lifeless mop on flim while doing a couple videos for a project. Wow. Did. It. Look. Bad. In true beauty nerd fashion, I promptly made a maintenance spreadsheet for mein looks. One of the line items? My mane. One of its biggest problems? It had as much life as a dead fish. Less, probably.

So thank good Babyliss launched a set of tools for lifting and adding volume instead of flattening (the majority of other ones!). Your hearts are aflutter just about now, right? Right? Big Hair (£45) is a barrel-brush-wand bit of magic that looks like it could take my fringe from limp to lucious. Root Boost (£30) finally finds an aesthetically pleasing way to use crimps -- micro crimp at the roots for body! GENIUS.  And the Waving Wand (£30) will add a bit of that beachy texture too. Hallelujah. I can rotate heat with backcombing to add volume now.

Because these tools are so amazing, we're giving one away. Which one? The one that's really speaking my language -- the Root Boost. It would, without a doubt, radically change my aversion to doing my lank locks and bet it would do the same for the rest of you suffering from head-hugging hair.

Win a Babyliss Root Boost Simply enter your name and email for a chance to win a Babyliss's Root Boost! This brand new product will completely transform limp, flat hair!
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Terms and Conditions: Competiton runs from October 8th 2010 and closes October 31, 2010. Beautwoome.com is the promoter. Employees of Babyliss Ltd, anyone associated with the promotion and members of their close family may not enter this competition. Winners will be drawn at random from all correct entries received before the closing date. Winners will be notified within 5 working days after the closing date. All details received will not be used for any Babyliss databases.

ONE ENTRY PER PERSON. IF ANY OF YOU CHEEKY MONKEYS ENTER YOURSELF MORE THAN ONCE, YOU ARE IMMEDIATELY DISQUALIFIED (and don't think it's not easy as pie to find the multiple-entrant offenders.)!