Cosmetics & Beauty News April 2009

New fragrance from Valentino
Available exclusively at Harrods from May 10, this fragrance from Valentino is the newest in a series of romantic scents, which also features Rock 'n' Rose, Rock 'n' Rose Couture, and Rock 'n' Rose Pret-A-Porter. Rock 'n' Dreams comes in an innocuous-looking flacon, with white floral motif and stopper. Starting at a very reasonable £29 for 30ml, it features unusual top notes of peach and cinnamon, base notes of woods and vanilla, and a heart note of myrrhone.

Stay natural this summer...
...with OnlyNature, a beauty e-tailer which, as well as flogging ethically produced beauty products, also features celebrity and beauty industry news, reviews and advice. They recently sent me their NeoStrata Bionic face cream, which I'll be trying out as soon as I can and reviewing here for your viewing pleasure.

For the Tuscan soul in you
In yet more fragrance news, it has come to light that Salvatore Ferragamo is releasing a new fragrance range for both men and women, after the 2008 fragrance Tuscan Soul, which features Sicilian citrus, sunflower, iris, white lupin and calabrian bergamot. The bottle takes you straight to the Italian city just by looking at it, mixing frosted glass with warm honey-coloured caps, and as well as continuing to sell the eau de toilette (prices from £29), the range will extend to include body lotion and shower gel (from £22). Equally exciting is the launch of a series of three fragrances by Max Mara, to mark the first anniversary of the original Le Parfum. Zeste & Musc, Petales & Musc and Bois & Musc will launch in three different seasons throughout the year, with Zeste & Musc, the first, out this month starting at £30.

Sustaining youth? Sustainable Youth tells us how
Recently featured in this month's edition of Vanity Fair, Sustainable Youth uses its Alasta aloe vera complex to combat the effects of ageing. Available as a spicy serum, soothing cream and oral supplement, prices start at $65. Not ready to report back yet, but can happily say that the serum smells divine - I don't mind smelling like biscuits at all :) Companies certainly seem to be cashing in on the 'beauty from within' thing - Hirsana is another to have brought out an oral supplement recently which claims to strengthen nails, skin and hair. Prices start at $30 from www.hirsanausa.com .

Come fly with me
Are there products you never go anywhere without? What are your travel essentials? Heathrow Airport will be announcing your favourites with its first Travel Product Awards, with winners being revealed on the 8th May. I wouldn't mind betting that Elizabeth Arden's 8 Hour Cream features in there somewhere. And speaking of portable products, Marian Newman's Inkredible Brush-on Nail Polish Pens might be one for your travel bag. At last we might be able to touch up our nails with the same ease as a lip gloss. Available at Charles Worthington in London, and from www.mariannewmannails.com.

First Dior, now Chanel...
Following my report last month on the new book about the rise of Dior, it appears that we'll also be treated to an opus on Coco Chanel, just in time for the release of the film 'Coco Avant Chanel'. Published by Steidl, Mademoiselle is written by Douglas Kirkland and Karl Lagerfeld, and features photographs of the famous lady, taken in the summer of 1962 during an assignment in Paris for American magazine Look. Allowing us to imagine a little of what Coco Chanel's life was like before she took the world by storm, the book is out now for $45/£30/€35.

Givenchy partners with Uma Thurman
Parfums Givenchy has recently announced a partnership with Uma Thurman for a new fragrance - more details of which to be revealed later this summer. However, contrary to the online rumour mill, Liv Tyler will still be staying on as the main face of Givenchy. Good times. The fragrance should hit the UK this September (2009) and America next September (2010).

Tan-tastic
In more collaboration news, Jodie Kidd will be fronting the newest technology from St Tropez - the Aromaguard, which sees off the usual self-tanning smell and replaces it with a harmonious wisp of iris, violets, and fresh fruit. The new technology will be present from this month in various products from St Tropez, including the New Everyday Gradual Tan Mousse and the Self Tan Bronzing Lotion. And the best part? Since the Aromaguard technology is dependent on the reaction between DHA (the main ingredient in self-tanning products) and the proteins on the surface of your skin, this means that the flowery scent will be unique to you in terms of duration and intensity, providing a bit of bespoke zing to your self-tanning experience.

Celebrate Mothers' Day with Bath & Body Works
For those of us in Britain, Mothers' Day has been and gone for the year. However, those of you with your mums living Stateside can win a truckload of goodies for them with Bath & Body Works. Submit a short story here, with a photograph or video, before May 10, in order to have a crack at a shopping spree worth up to $1000. Go forth - you have nothing to lose :)

A clear conscience AND clear skin? SCORE.
Adding to the arsenal of acne treatments is Sensiclear, which has just launched its newest range, which contains the strongest ingredient for fighting acne that is available without prescription (the patented Retextra). It does not contain benzoyl peroxide, is not tested on animals, and starts at $30 from www.sensiclear.com.


Stay in style with InStyle and Nails Inc
In celebration of the nail bar's 10th birthday, Nails Inc has created three bespoke nail colours for InStyle magazine, which will be given away with their June issue (one per magazine), in shades Berry, Nude, and Coral. Each is worth £10.50 and is sure to be of the same high standard as Nails Inc's usual stock. Funnily enough, despite being a 'June' issue, it's out today (April 30).

Sources
www.fragrantica.com
Fashion Monitor Daily
www.highbeam.com
http://uk-beauty.glam.com
www.sustainableyouthproducts.com
www.splendora.com
www.mariannewmannails.com
www.prnewswire.com
http://legseleven7.blogspot.com
Tractenberg