Expert Trial Team: spring beauty buys

Spring has just begun, ladies, and at beautyheaven we think that with every change of season a few new beauty buys are in order.

After all, there’s nothing like a fresh scent or skin wonder product to re-energise and inspire. Not sure yet what new goodies you’ll choose? Consider the products our Expert Trial Team are loving this week. There’s a luxe-looking self-tanning oil, an all-in-one beauty balm to renew and refresh, a sea-inspired scent and a vibrant lip stain to lift your make-up look.

Here’s what our triallers had to say about the products…

St. Tropez Self Tan Luxe Dry Oil

bh’s Liv says:

I just LOVE an innovation. I also really love self-tan, so when the new luxe dry self-tanning oil from St. Tropez landed on my desk I put my hand up to trial it straight away. The bottle is so luxurious looking. A strong, glass package that just looks expensive. The bronze, shimmery water inside it is guaranteed to delight. You can tell that just by looking at it. I got this home and must admit I had a bit of a boo boo. The instructions do say to remove the plug before use and then reinsert it once you’re done. I was struggling trying to pop the entire plug out of the opening and once I’d managed it, I found that the oil just went everywhere! It smelled amazing and left my skin with an incredible golden sheen, but my bathroom floor was left much the same way. It wasn’t until the next day that I realised there was an opening to the plug, revealing a much smaller opening that allows you to receive the right amount of product – phew! For a second there I thought we had a major packaging flaw on our hands. All in all I am extremely pleased with the product. It left my skin feeling nourished, a subtle glow had developed by the next day and it left my whole body smelling amazing. While I still do think a pump or a more oil-friendly means of product distribution would be ideal, it would in no way turn me off purchasing this product.

Ultraderm All In One Balm SPF 15+ 30ml

bh’s Rosie says:

I’ve spent a fair amount of time searching for the perfect all-in-one product for my skin and thankfully, I think I’ve found it! What doesn’t this little beauty do? It moisturises, primes, covers imperfections, enhances my skin tone, protects from the sun’s harmful rays, and most of all gives my skin a seriously flawless finish. I have combination/sensitive skin and it has a fair bit of redness, so I chose the ‘nude’ shade. I found this silky formula was incredibly easy to apply with my fingertips just like I would apply my moisturiser. It blended easily and sank into my skin without feeling sticky. It sat lightly on my skin all day and maintained coverage until I removed it with my cleanser in the evening. I would definitely recommend this balm to anyone who wants light coverage, with all the benefits of a moisturiser with SPF.

Jo Malone Wood Sage and Sea Salt Cologne

bh’s Sam says:

This scent has gotten me seriously excited for summer. It actually smells like sunshine and the beach. How they hell did they bottle that? I’ve never worn a unisex scent before, but this seems to be the perfect mix of the notes I adore in men’s fragrances and the notes I favour in women’s. But neither stands out more than the other. Like I said, perfect! I love that it’s not overpowering but it will still linger on the skin all day. It doesn’t have that punch-in-the-face powdery smell that some overly floral scents have. It’s well balanced and definitely now a favourite on my dresser.

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Vernis à Lèvres Glossy Stain

bh’s Carli says:

Finding the perfect shade of red is not an easy task. Some are too orange, some too pink, some even too purple. So you can imagine how incredibly pleased I was when I applied this bad boy to find it had just the right amount of every colour to make it the perfect shade of true red. Though you apply the colour like a gloss, it’s got the pigmentation of a lipstick – which is what I want from a lip colour. I also really liked that it dried to a matte finish and felt like a balm when I rubbed my lips together. I did find that I had to reapply after a few tea breaks, but I’m not too fussed by that.