Another year, another ton of new lotions, potions and cosmetics hit the counters of beauty halls up and down the land. There is so much choice that it's easy to feel overwhelmed but worry not, beauty journalist Alison Kerr had her ear to the ground and eyes fixed on the next big trends. Here's her guide to the best beauty buys of 2009.
1. Hot pink lips: This year, the mantra for make-up lovers is "Think Pink" -- from your eye shadow (check out Bobbi Brown's limited edition Sparkle Eye Shadow in Ballet, a pearlescent pink) to your toe nails (Estee Lauder's Fuschia Pure Color Nail Lacquer), but it's on the lips that the new season's chicest shade makes most impact. Many of the beauty brands are advocating pink pouts, and although delicate rose tones and soft, shimmering petal colors are lovely for spring, one pink screams 2009 above all the others: hot pink.
Gloss addicts can satisfy their craving for shine with Lancome's new, vibrant Laque Fever which comes in four shades, including two stunning hot pinks: Furious in Fuschia and Pink My Ride. Lipstick lovers with a fashionable fetish for fuschia need look no further than the Estee Lauder counter where the range of new Pure Color Gloss Sticks -- part lip balm, part lipstick, part gloss -- includes Pop Pink, the perfect choice if you're prone to dry lips or if strong lip color looks too harsh on (or just scares) you.
2. Nude nails: Of course, for just about every hot pink lip color hitting the beauty hall shelves there is a corresponding nail varnish, but the trendiest option for fingernails in 2009 is a nude shade. Various companies have taken inspiration from those most sophisticated of women -- the French. Dior has built a whole collection around the ideals of French beauty -- very natural but subtly enhanced -- and its new eye shadow compacts and nail shades, the beige-colored Nude Chic in particular, are not only on-trend for spring 2009 but will also be future classics. The French-based American make-up artist Laura Mercier, a favorite of Madonna and Sarah Jessica Parker, is also famous for creating a flawless yet natural look and she is also advocating nude nails for the spring -- choose from Nude Peach or Sheer Kiss Nail Lacquers. Others worth investigating include Chanel's shimmery and sheer Django Nail Color and Estee Lauder's matte Honey Flower Pure Color Nail Lacquer, a tan shade. And, starting in March, watch out for U.S. celebrity manicurist Deborah Lippmann's brand new range of nail varnishes. She too has a new, natural, nude shade which has strong celeb credentials: Sarah Smile was created for SJP. 3. Must-haves: What will the most talked-about beauty buys of 2009 be? Well, no fashionista's cosmetics bag will be complete without the latest drop-dead gorgeous lip palette from Chanel. Part of the Bohemian Fantasy make-up range for spring, itself inspired by Coco Chanel's 1939 Couture Collection of gypsy-influenced colors and shapes, it includes five shades of lipsticks, exquisitely presented.
The first "it bag" of the New Year is undoubtedly the Lady Dior, made famous by Princess Diana, and, from January 15, available in miniature form containing a two-shade palette of make-up for the lips and face. At pounds 68.50 (nearly $100), it's probably only for those of us with Christmas money left over -- or a Swiss bank account -- but it will be a collector's item in years to come. More practical -- in more ways than one -- and likely to cause a stampede at Space NK stores where it will be exclusively stocked from spring, is a new range of lip glosses called Huge Lips Skinny Hips. Not only do these glosses plump up your pout; they put you off eating as they contain Hoodia, a natural hunger suppressant. 4. Ace bases: Mineral powder foundations were big news in 2008, and this year there will be even more choice, including a probable bestseller from No7 at Boots -- its Mineral Loose Powder Foundation. The advantage of mineral powder foundations is that they are light enough to give a natural look, while providing great coverage. They're a brilliant choice for anyone with sensitive or problem skin. At Dior, they're taking the mineral foundation a step further on from powder: they've created two new Diorskin Nude foundations formulated with active mineralized water which helps to improve the skin over time. Even in its powder form -- Natural GlowFresh Powder Make-up -- the foundation contains nearly 20 percent water to hydrate the skin. But for maximum results, try the Natural Glow Hydrating Make-up.
Not only do these foundations feel super-comfortable, with none of the heaviness of traditional bases, but they look natural -- and natural is the way to go in 2009. It's always been the signature look at Bobbi Brown, but this year she is adding another natural-looking base to her range. Skin Foundation SPF15 is, like the Dior and No7 ones, weightless, long-wearing and so comfy that you'll forget you're wearing it. 5. Magic tricks: This year, it will be easier than ever to look fantastic with make-up that stays put as long as you want it to. As with many of the talked-about new products of recent years, the ones which work the most magic are ones which you use before you even open your make-up bag. Guerlain's Eye Primer is a case in point: it's a sort of foundation for the eyelids. It smoothes out lines and crinkles on the lids and enables eye make-up to go on easily, and stay in place. And not only that, but even if you don't want to use eye shadow, the flesh-colored primer will perk up your peepers for a natural look. Sisley Instant Perfect does a similar job on the rest of the face: name your skin complaint and it will sort it out. No, it won't eradicate wrinkles or permanently rid greasy skin of its oiliness but it will tackle problems short-term while making them vanish for the day thanks to silicone polymers which make lines and crevices look as if they've been filled in and absorb excess oil.
The magic wand to try if your New Year resolution is to transform stubby, lackluster lashes into long, curled affairs worthy of Cheryl Cole is Clinique's High Impact Curling Mascara. And in the spirit of our financially-challenging times, this mascara doesn't require eye make-up remover at the end of the day: good old H2O is all you need to wipe it off. 6. Wrinkle busters: This year, a new batallion of creams will launch an assault on our wrinkles -- and the buzz word to look out for is "sirtuins" (proteins which have been found to prolong the life of cells). One of the most exciting developments is Clinique's Youth Surge SPF 15 Age Decelerating Moisturizer which uses sirtuin technology to slow down the visible signs of ageing while encouraging the skin to repair itself. Similar technology is to be found in Estee Lauder's Time Zone Line and Wrinkle-Reducing Moisturizer. Both the Clinique and Lauder creams also tackle "glycation," which is the detrimental effect of sugars found in aging skin. Watch out for a super-cream later in the year from Chanel which will wage war onglycation. For anyone who prefers to follow the natural route skincare-wise, the best bet is Origins Youthtopia Age-Correcting Serum. It draws on the powers of the herb Rhodiola, which stimulates skin's natural ability to repair itself.
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