Plus the ultimate coffee candle, and the tinted lip balm of the summer…
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May is such a fragrant time of year and everything feels full of colour again. And the brighter days are making us embrace summer beauty launches, too. Space NK recently opened a new boutique in Dundrum Town Centre: look out for the full Lisa Eldridge beauty line there (divine – especially the lipsticks), plus standouts such as Westman Atelier and new arrival Glossier. PLUS there’s 20 per cent off lots of luxe brands right now, from Aesop to Oribe for hair; www.spacenk.com.
We visited the Grafton Street store last week to discover US brand Kosas and plenty of other new arrivals – here’s what we love:
FOR FRAGRANCE
Imagine doing a trolley dash in Space NK. What would you head for first? Previously, I’d probably have said ByTerry Baume de Rose, but currently my first (rather extravagant) choice is The Sixth perfume by Vyrao (€200; currently on offer at €160 www.spacenk.com) – an absolutely wondrous herbal and plant blend created by Irish perfumer Meabh McCurtin. I hadn’t realised it was available here, and was so excited to see the chic silver bottle in store. Yasmin Sewell’s cult brand is known for its intriguing scents, and this, for me, is the absolute highlight. Yes it’s expensive. But, with notes of juniper berry, angelica, fennel and apple with patchouli and fir balsam, this doubles as a calming, de-stressing and “negativity diffusing” elixir, so you can put it down to “self-care”. This scent is both outdoorsy and otherworldly, and you’re collecting the work of a star perfumer (try her Roisin Dubh and La Bealtaine for Cloon Keen, as well). www.vyrao.com
FOR GLOWING (AND PROTECTED) SKIN
I hadn’t tried the much-recommended Ultra Violette sunscreen until this week – though I’ve seen it constantly cited as a favourite. I’m now using the Daydream Screen Tinted Veil SPF50+ (€43 for 50ml) – which comes highly rated: two of Space NK’s PR team cite it as one of their “supermarket sweep” essentials. This certainly goes onto skin beautifully and works as both make-up and a skin protector; I’d take this for a weekend away. A new favourite.
FOR HOME SCENT
The standout candle on Grafton Street right now is this one: Cafe by Diptyque. I’ve smelled a few coffee-based candles before, searching for that perfect hit in wax form, but they can be a bit watery on the coffee front – this is the best by far. It captures the unparalleled scent of a strong morning espresso by a skilled barista – so you can indulge all day, without risking the jitters. As someone who adores coffee (make mine a Hatch, or Scéal in Greystones), I find this one a beauty. I’m also intrigued by Naturium’s Cafe Collection of lip balms (€13.80), with tints of mocha, latte and chai. www.spacenk.com
FOR GLOWING SKIN
US brand Kosas is making waves at Space NK, with its “make-up for skincare freaks” tagline. The BB Burst Tinted Gel Cream (€39) is a lovely tinted moisturiser, and there are plenty of pluses, such as being fragrance- and silicone-free. I think calling it a BB cream is a little misleading – it made me think it had SPF protection, but it doesn’t – but it works well if you’re looking for a bit of light summer coverage. It’s light and easy to wear. Get colour-matched for it in store (unusually for a BB there’s a great wide range of shades) and for the accompanying concealer. For a protective version, try Kosas Revealer Foundation SPF25 (€40).
FOR LIPS
We adore the Tatcha lip tints, which offer SPF25 along with silky, gorgeous, buildable colour – I’m using Midnight Lily every day. I love the smooth feel of this moisturising blueberry shade, and it lasts pretty well too – but at €40.25 (for 4g) they are undeniably expensive. If your focus is solely to protect your lips, then look to something like Hello Sunday lip balm SPF50 (€9). For a glossier finish, the Wet Lip Oils by Kosas are pretty and juicy, with a non-sticky texture (€23, for 4.6ml); invest in one of their Hyaluronic Acid lip liners, too.
PS: While we’re on lovely lip tints, I’ve also just started trying the new Clarins Lip Oil Balms and they are EXCELLENT. Designed to be the lip balm equivalent of Clarins’ cult bestselling Lip Oils, these balms (€31) have something called a “proven baby lips effect” – which I find a bit of a weird description. But the shade 06 Fig (which I’d describe as a light berry) is just a beauty, really moisturising and sweet-tasting – if you like just a tint of balmy colour, this is for you. They’re not just for my age group either (though the moisturising formula is very forgiving) as my 17-year-old is also raving about the shade she’s trying – “a lovely lipbalm with just the right amount of pigment”. Other shades include Almond and Cherry. Head to the Clarins Boutique & Spa, Dublin and stockists nationwide from June to try them.
