A new year, a new vintage with Michele Ouellet

The fashion world in the UK is used to seeing the same faces. Why, you wonder? Lineage, I say (but we'll leave the in-depth analysis of the UK's cult of caste to the ethnologists at UCL, shall we?). There are some (La Moss, teenage mum (way to aid the national stats, girl... the UK's got be on top somewhere!) Jourdan Dunn) who don't come from the landed (or simply titled, thanks to the economy) gentry. They seem to be the exception, not the norm.

In the US, there is an equally privileged set of girls who become models, fashion designers, whatever... And I have to say, If your last name is ASSOCIATED WITH A PUBLISHING HOUSE, you are not on the catwalk for any other reason, sweetheart. Well, fine, maybe you're a shade cuter and a sliver thinner than the average Jane, but, well, the last name doesn't hurt, does it?

Then there are those who come from money, lineage or whatever background and are actually worthy of the titles they are bestowed (and more power to this set, I say!).

This is where I see the young Miss Michele Ouellet fitting in. Given a winery for her 21st birthday (of sorts... more of a label but still trumps my a pint of beer), she's the face of Lorenza Rosé (her label) and cuts quite the cult figure in the model world. Bringing something of the olde worlde (i.e. Christie Brinkley/healthy/Cali, decidedly not street urchin) modeling style back, we're intrigued by the girl. And ecstatic to find someone with her fingers in a few other honey pots so far afield from the world of haute couture (variety is, after all, the spice of life, dears). So hurrah to her and keep reading for our five-minute chat with Oullette to see what has to divulge from her insider stance on the world of smoke-and-mirrors and the tools which are therein employed... and her wine. We are very curious about the wine

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In the name of the nose: smell-good skincare with Duchess Marden's rosy product roster

Rose as an ingredient in beauty and perfume products never goes out of fashion. I don't care what anybody says... You know what I say? PANTS to the Debbie Downers who call it old-fashioned. On the contrary, it's more updated than ever. Gone is that powdery, sneeze-inducing approximation of the past, now replaced with a heady, oriental rose. It's a spicy rose, like the Scent Systems rose. Le Labo's signature scent is a rose. REN's most popular products are their Rose Otto ones... it's exotic, it's not your garden-variety blushing bloom. In fact, it's anything but an insipid, powdery, lonely floral nowadays. It's been re-invented to work with our more adventerous post-modern palettes.

THE DESCRIPTION

Duchess Marden is a niche brand (maybe you've heard of it, maybe not) that's been gaining ground (and stockists) over the course of 2009. It's HQ-ed among the redwoods of serene Marin County, CA... a short jaunt north of San Francisco. Although situated in the rolling, green landscape of Northern California, the brand's inspiraton stems from a trip to India, where brand founder Marla had what seems to be a bit of a religious experience with rose water, which is fine by me. Because she came home and straight away founded Duchess Marden.

The hero ingredient of the range (8 products. I'm such a sucker for small ranges) is, duh, rose. Each product was developed to be effective but, more interestingly (I think, as most products are effective (to a point)), they are a complete olfactory experience. They have such a heady rose essence to them, like the steamy innards of a green house at the height of a sunny summer's day. They are also meant to be good for the skin and system (as well as the sniffer) as the products are free from the usual suspects (petrochemicals, parabens, chemical preservatives, GMOs...). And they're all vegan. Not all that common (great for vegans with a penchant for luxe skincare).

The bottles and labels wouldn't look out of placed on a mirrored vanity table -- cloudy glass bottles, mottled gold caps and beautifully bright (like Indian saris) lables, fittingly embossed with crowns. A Victorian lady back at home after Le Gran Tour, could certainly have pilfered these from the Ottoman Empire, traditionally regal yet Oriental.

The various textures of the products are all rather nice and rich. The face cream is thick and needs to be slathered on. The hydrating mask is gelatinous... the foaming cleanser gently slides across the skin and the cream cleanser has the texture of yogurt and, I find, can simply be wiped off if you want an even gentler clean. The neck and decollete serum feels just like a serum should (sort of slimey but in that comforting high-concentration-moisture-giving-benefits way)...

What does it do? It's meant to be anti-ageing. Not being of the pseudo-scientific ilk, though, many woman might have a hard time reconciling that something so fragrant and pretty could be more than just an indulgence. However, it is incredibly moisturising and that plumps the skin, which makes you look younger (if that's what you're aiming for).

THE GOOD

The scent is, to me, intoxicating (although the husband doesn't like when I'm slathered in rose), the bottles are beautiful, the formulas (on what I tried) were moisturising enough to be useful during Chicago's and London's respective cold seasons. The foaming cleanser did not leave my skin taut or stripped. The hydrating masque is absolutely lovely -- plumping and brightening. Keep it in the fridge if you want it to work even harder for you. The are also close with their suppliers (working with, say, a matriarchal community in Uganda to source their unprocessed shea butter).

THE BAD

The exfoliator isn't very exfoliating (there is a low scrubby bead to cream ratio), the anti-wrinkle serum is more of an oil, it's easy to forget to use the neck and decollete serum, some find the scent of rose off-putting (not me).

THE PRICE

• Foaming Cleanser £22.00/$38.00
• Creme Cleanser £22.00/$38.00
• Enzyme Exfoliant £27.50/$44.00
• Pure Rose Water £28.00/$40.00
• Hydrating Masque £26.00/$52.00
• Face Creme £34.50/$60.00
• Neck and Decollete Serum £40.00/$64.00
• Anti-Wrinkle Serum £34.00/$58.00

You heard it hear first: Dr. Alkaitis skincare

There's a new brand of beauty product on the market in the US, soon to hit UK shores. Any unfortunate pronunciations aside, this range of products is super effective and natural, a trend that's become a mainstay in beauty nowadays. After all, prior to 100 years ago, that's pretty much what we had to work with anyway -- natural ingredients by default.

Apparently, no Dr. A product is more than two weeks old at the time of shipment, everything made (and overseen by Dr. A himself) in California. We like their company philosophy that 'the essential foundation of beauty is health.' Here, here. They even go so far as to say 'if you can't eat it, don't put it on your skin.'

I'd be a hypocrite to say that I don't sometimes use products that contain harmful chemicals. For a large part of my young life, that's all I knew (knowledge is power and all that...). That said, I make an effort not to, and since I've starting using the Dr. Alkaitis Purifying Cleanser and Nourishing Treatment Oil my skin has been unusually soft and the clarity is amazing. I don't generally endorse products this heartily. Maybe it's to do with the fact that all Dr. Alkaitis's products are organic aloe-based rather than water based. Maybe it's because of the high concentration of all those lovely ingredients. Whatever it is, I'm sold. Along with my Kirsty Mcleod Clarifying Clay Exfoliator (and a nightly combo of the Dr. Alkaitis oil and the Kirsty Mcleod Revitalising Vitamin Booster (NB for white western women of the world: stop being scared of oil! The right kind is REALLY good for your skin, even on your face).

They might not be a classic cult item, but they'll no doubt become a regular feature in die-hard beauty junkies' bathroom cabinets soon.