In Need of Beauty Prozac

The summer’s a washout, your holiday’s over for another year and you’re left looking and feeling grey. Never fear, says Susannah Taylor, when the going get’s tough, get beautifying.

Looking in the mirror can be a terrifying experience at this time of year. If you’ve stuck out the summer in the UK then the lack of sun has probably left you pasty-faced; if your hair is anything like mine it might well resemble that of an old English sheep dog and your long-hidden body could well be gathering dust (tights already anyone?). Equally, if you’re lucky enough to have grabbed a week in the sun, your post-beach hair might well be fried to a crisp; your skin shedding itself like fish scales and your tan so blotchy you’ve booked a doctor’s appointment for fear of a serious skin condition. Add to this the fact it’s too rainy to wear your sundress but not cold enough to wear next season’s trends and we’re all left in some sort of weird, depressing style limbo.

Thankfully, there is a light. The easiest way to perk up your looks and boost your spirits at this time of year is to add some glamour-inducing treats into your beauty regime. Beautification has been proven, throughout history’s toughest times to raise morale – in WW2 women were advised to ‘Put their Best face Forward’ at all times – and with the credit crunch munching away at our pockets a few beauty products become way less expensive than investing in an entire new wardrobe.

Everyone will benefit from a radiant, glowing complexion. If yours is somewhat lacklustre then give it the kiss of life with an active ingredient loaded moisturising cream.  Korres Wild Rose 24 hour moisturising and brightening cream is a great place to start - containing Wild Rose oil, a natural source of Vitamin C, it reduces and prevents the appearance of brown spots, clarifies skin tone and provides deep hydration leaving skin renewed in weeks. If those frown lines are etching ever deeper into your face then add Found cosmetics’ Sarpa Wrinkle Reducing Serum to the top of your shopping list. This rich, nurturing night product contains peptides that imitate the venom of a viper snake, a rare and as yet undiscovered ingredient which founder Eric Cosson realised to contain intense anti-ageing benefits.

Whether your body has been hiding under a Burberry mac all summer or whether it’s been exposed in the skimpiest of string bikinis, I find the best treatment at this time of year is a top-to-toe exfoliation (let go of the tan girls, pale skin is in for autumn). Rodial’s Power Body Buff contains pumice and ultra-fine jojoba beads, giving you smooth, peachy skin in minutes. For particularly parched skin, follow up with This Works Deep Dry leg Oil, which contains a cocktail of nourishing ingredients from blemish-defying Patchouli oil to nourishing Tuberose and anti-ageing Rose oil. Too good to be restricted to shins  - I recommend slathering it anywhere that feels crocodile-like.

When it comes to make-up and hair trends, this month try eschewing dramatic style statements - you’ll derive the best feel-good factor from making yourself look as healthy as possible before the autumn/winter trends hit. To bring abused hair back from the brink try John Masters’ Honey and Hibiscus Hair Reconstructor which uses organic essential oils of honey, lavender, pink grapefruit and ylang ylang to help reconstruct brittle ends and leave hair gorgeously glossy. For the face, invest in the Best of Becca Palette, a suits-all make-up treat containing the brand’s best-selling bronze eye shadows, rose tinted blush, fleshy lip creme and a dazzling clear gloss for the ultimate wholesome, no-make-up look.

Finally, when you’re really down in the dumps I find painting my nails to be the fastest, flashiest beauty pick-me-up of all. My favourite shade right now is Butter London’s Nail Lacquer in La Moss, a vampy shade inspired by the true glamour girl herself.
Sunshine? Who cares.