It's the colour on everyone's lips, cheeks and nails this summer. That lovely orangey/peachy/pink shade known as coral is surprisingly easy to wear. I first dipped my fingers and toes into the trend with a bottle of Essie'spolish in a shade called Chubby Cheeks. It was painted on to perfection by Priscilla at the Cut Above salon in Jumeirah and I was so pleased with the results, I bought a bottle to go. When choosing the perfect coral, a make-up artist friend of mine has some advice: ensure the shade doesn't have a whitish undertone because this will make your teeth seem yellowish. It can also appear a bit 1960s (and not in a good way), a look that any woman past 30 should avoid. Givenchy has a proper grown-up lipstick in coral as part of its Interdit Shin range, aptly named Coral Shine. It really lifts the face and highlights a tan. Clarins Crystal Balm is also a brilliant little number and is a more transparent, subtle nod to the trend. If you want to use a touch of coral on your face, try MAC's new High-Light powder compact in Marine Life. It's part of MAC's lovely new summer collection, To The Beach, and gives cheeks a peachy, golden sun-kissed look. Alternatively, try a Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Compact in nectar, which has four shades of coral, and a highlighter in gold. It can be swept over eyelids, cheeks or lips. One tip: it doesn't travel well - the colour tends to crumble - so leave it for home use only. For something more portable, Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Calypso Coral is a fail-safe classic. Another of my favourites is Stila's Convertible Color in Gerbera. This glossy creamy cheek tint lacks any sparkle, and it's not too weighty. Therefore, it's perfect for an evening clutch. For the most contemporary take on the coral look, make it the only pop of colour on your face. Keep your eyeshadow neutral - taupe, bone or beige - and just use a little mascara. To finish things off, spritz yourself with Estée Lauder's Pure White Linen Pink Coral, a soft, delicate floral fragrance with notes of jasmine and honeysuckle. It's perfect for summer evenings and is available at Estée Lauder counters.
Skincare expert Leslie Baumann on the three best flowers to help your skin bloom: Evening Primrose: Oil from this fragrant flower is rich in linoleic acid, which the skin needs to make ceramides, and is a great option for those prone to excessive skin dryness, eczema or psoriasis. You can take oral supplements, but I prefer to use it topically. Rose: Studies have found that rose extract can significantly reduce wrinkling and damage to elastin fibers caused by UVB rays. Anemone: Derived from the leaves of anemone flowers, the ingredient kinetin was made popular by the anti-ageing cream Kinerase and is said to be a gentle alternative to retinoids, which can cause a peeling effect.
L'Occitane Ultra Moisturising Fluid All we wanted was a great, everyday moisturiser with an SP15 or higher that wouldn't cost more than Dh200, but they're harder to find than you might think. There are lots of products around the Dh300 mark, but go any cheaper and you get the sort of pore-clogging greasiness that renders it useless as a make-up base. By far the best we found is L'Occitane's Ultra Moisturising Fluid. It has an SPF20 and, as with their hand creams, is five per cent shea butter, which softens skin and protects it against the sun's drying effects. Neither chalky nor greasy, it's light and silky in texture and absorbs quickly. At Dh177 it's not exactly a budget buy but it's a satisfying rich lotion that goes a long, long way. Dh177, L'Occitane stores nationwide. Too Faced Lashlight mascara It's quite hard for us to excited about a new mascara, but throw in a bit of gizmo and gadgetry and we take notice. Too Faced's new Lashlight mascara has a fantastic little torch on the end of its wand and a mirrored panel on the back of the tube. This is handy for on-the-go retouches, or when your day-to-night makeover is taking place in the back of a dimly-lit cab. It's an excellent mascara, with a formula that (according to the blurb) contains millions of light-reflective microscopic mirrors. It leaves lashes with a perfect jet-black, glossy finish. Dh129, Sephora Dubai Mall
THE HAMMAM WHAT I TRIED The royal hammam at the One and Only Royal Mirage, Dubai. WHAT I WANTED A completely relaxing experience and what I had been assured by friends would be the most thorough exfoliation this side of Abu Dhabi. After a lot of sunbathing on a recent holiday, my dry, crêpey skin was in need of some serious sloughing. HOW IT WORKS The traditional oriental hammam has long played a role in cultural and social life in the Middle East and harks back to ancient Greek and Roman traditions of languorous, steamy baths. The One and Only's Arabesque spa is modelled on the baths of Turkey and Morocco. Its staff, who hail from those countries, are known as tayebs. In segregated male and female chambers, you are doused in warm water, soaped rigorously, washed again, steamed for five minutes to open up pores, slathered in a gooey black Moroccan soap, steamed and bathed again, then scrubbed thoroughly with a loofah on a heated marble slab in the centre of the hammam. The treatment finishes with a natural honey face mask and a 20-minute massage on the slab. WHAT HAPPENED While I was wearing swimwear for modesty, I might as well not have bothered: it was yanked this way and that as the masseuse ensured she did not miss a spot. I sat in a marble alcove while she repeatedly poured warm water over me, a not-unpleasant sensation akin to being bathed like a baby. In the steamy hammam, I was vaguely aware of other women having the same treatment but thankfully, minus my contact lenses, could not make them out through the steam. Eventually, I relaxed enough to become completely pliant in my Moroccan masseuse's hands as she alternately bathed and exfoliated me. The soap was not what one might expect. A deeply hydrating wax-like gloop, made from olive oil, glided on with a butter-like texture. After another steam session, I was ready for my sloughing on the warm slab. However, I was unprepared for the lizard-like layers of skin which come off in the process. Being partially-sighted really can be a blessing. Another bath, and not one for the environmentally-conscious, with the number of towels and amount of water you get through, and I was ready for the finale. The honey mask smelled so good I couldn't resist sticking my tongue out to lick it (it didn't taste too bad, either). The 80-minute treatment ended with a massage to the background murmur of running water. THE RESULTS I emerged with the silky-soft skin of a newborn baby, an effect which lasted for several weeks. So much so, I kept offering my forearm to all and sundry, encouraging them to feel my revitalised skin. A perfect prep ahead of a spray tan or a trip to the beach, this is more of a deep cleanse than a relaxing rub. The massage is more of an after-thought at the end. Nevertheless, I entered a soporific state and enjoyed the deepest sleep that night. If you prefer a longer massage, the Dh650 complete oriental hammam lasts for a total of 110 minutes. The royal hammam costs Dh475 and lasts 80 minutes, or you can opt for a 50-minute traditional hammam without a face mask for Dh360. To book, call the One and Only Royal Mirage, Dubai, on 04 399 9999. For more information see www.oneandonlyresorts.com
