Hair accessories with a twist: cue the new down-do
A low pony backstage at Erdem A/W 17 show
‘She took her hair like her drink. Neat, with a twist.’ So says the card that accompanies Anthropologie’s delightful Bow Hair Tie Set (£12, anthropologie.com).
Sweet in the hair, pretty on the wrist and they don’t snag your lengths.
Now when you’re channelling the low ponies at JW Anderson, Erdem and Loewe, there’s absolutely no excuse for shoving up your hair with that regular elastic band.
Gender fluid fragrances
Reports that a growing number of millennials no longer think that traditional gender binaries define them are unlikely to have escaped your notice.
It certainly hasn’t eluded the attentions of the luxury fragrance sector, as market research company Mintel reports that unisex scents (we’re calling them ‘gender neutral’ now) grew by 32 per cent in the UK between 2015 and 2016 – and are still on the rise.
Guerlain’s new Lui Eau de Parfum (£145, harrods.com) – floral, spicy, woody, a little leathery and smoky with a hint of vanilla and musk. It aims to be neither feminine nor masculine, but defiant of convention in its trailblazing ‘gender fluidity’.
The new collaboration between Maison Kitsuné and Heeley called Note de Yuzu (£90, harveynichols.com). Yes, yuzu is the citrus fruit you’ll recognise from your favourite Japanese menu. Mixed into a scent that’s fresh and zesty, yet also curiously salty, you can see that the fragrance is not just for ‘him’ or ‘her’.
The Decay of the Angel Eau de Parfum by Timothy Han (£160, timothyhanedition.com) – who creates perfumes for ‘individuals’ – blends frankincense, rose, oudh and tonka. The effect is an unusual burnt floral that you’ll love – and your other half will steal.
I enjoy the watery wake-up call of a morning cleanse – particularly now that I’ve discovered Lixir Vitamin C Paste. Calling itself a ‘morning mask’, it breaks down sebum, scavenges free radicals and makes my skin look perkier when I massage it into dry skin, wait a few moments and rinse.
According to Lixir founder Colette Haydon, it contains a form of vitamin C that becomes available to skin cells upon contact with water, bringing benefits that continue even when it’s washed off (£32, victoriahealth.com).
Storm L’Oxygéné Polish (£14,50, Nailberry)
Fresh from the Sadie Williams A/W 17 show, Nailberry’s new Storm L’Oxygéné Polish is a brooding blue-black metallic that’ll see your nails through October nicely. £14.50, nailberry.co.uk.