Compiled by DEIRDRE McQUILLANand PHYL CLARKE
Dress for less - a lot less
Add up all the items in this outfit from Penneys (right) and the total score comes to €43. That comprises the tie-front sleeveless shirt (€9), the floral sequin skirt (€13), the criss-cross platforms (€19), the PV notebook (€7) and the short spike collar (€5).
With the exception of the collar, which is due in May, everything is currently in store.
I can't live without . . . Blanaid Hennessy of Shutterbug, a vintage store and portrait studio in Kilkenny
Foundation: Vichy Liftactiv no. 25. I got this as a freebie a couple of years ago, but the proof was in the fact that I have purchased it ever since, and recommended it to my friends. It has been my saving grace on many an occassion. It manages to make you look fresher than you feel, and I find it is the only foundation that really gives that “glowy” effect.
Night creme: Serenity Station. I love a natural moisturiser, and for me, the Serenity Station range is the best. It’s made in Kilkenny, and smells and feels beautiful – while properly moisturising my tired skin, it’s also inexpensive at €23.00 with all-natural ingredients. I genuinely loved it so much I decided to stock it in my store.
Lip gloss: Rimmel ‘Snog’ I’ve been wearing this shade for around four years now, and it really is my go-to gloss. I would recommend it to brides and bridesmaids – after many face-aching photographs it still shows off your smile.
Eye drops: Murine I go betweene Optrex and Murine, whichever is handy. I probably shouldn’t, but I do use them every morning. I would genuinely feel lost without them.
Eyeshadow: Mac I have recently returned to Mac eyeshadow. I spend about seven minutes doing my day-time eye makeup, and I never use brushes, so I have to use a shadow that doesn’t fall down my face.
I spend a bit more time on my eye make-up when I’m going out, and again, Mac is easy to apply and quite dramatic. I know – I’m such a typical consumer
Boutique of the week
Brenda Duane's Pace boutique opened on the Clontarf seafront two years ago, a northside successor to her branch in Foxrock. Customers are drawn to Duane's affordable style, her choice of soft fabrics that look and feel good, flatter most figures and can double as day or evening wear. An Italian range, European Culture, and another by Israeli Ronan Chen tick those boxes. "I don't like too much colour, but simple, classy elegance," she says of the stone, creamy greys and blue jerseys that she chose for the current season. She also champions Irish designers such as Heather Finn and Mairead Whisker and points out that "what keeps business alive these days is customer service and always offering something new." Her latest enthusiasm is for supersoft leather coats and jackets from France, in stone and dark navy. Pace Boutique, 53 Clontarf Road, Dublin 3. See paceboutiques.com
Fall in love
Looking for a new lipstick? A fresh lip shade is a nice way to ring the changes as the days become brighter. The right shade will perk up both your mood and complexion. You’ll be spoilt for choice with Lancôme’s Rouge in Love collection which boasts 24 shades and different finishes from sheer daytime naturals to punchy pearlised intense shades. Be warned, you’ll want more than one.
Guess who
The brand Guess, more popularly associated with jeans, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year with a black-and-white campaign featuring Claudia Schiffer. It’s 23 years since the German supermodel, dressed in a black bustier and daisy-print jeans, propelled its profits skywards. Guess has expansion plans for China, where it has 113 retail outlets and plans for 40 more. To mark the anniversary, it is reissuing some of its better-known favourites such as the “Marilyn” jeans worn by Schiffer in 1989 and the gingham shirt worn by Eva Herzigova. Its womenswear and menswear is stocked in Brown Thomas.
The fresh scents of summer
Neom Happiness Candle (€50). Although this would make a perfect housewarming gift, one whiff of its scent and you won’t want to give it away. The blend of white neroli, mimosa and lemon is tempered with cut grass notes and gives 55 hours of sweet-smelling home ambiance. neomorganics.com.
Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir diffuser (€61). A different way to scent the air with one of the most popular fragrances from the London scent house. This sophisticated cocktail of fruit and spices looks as good as it smells. From Brown Thomas. Tom Ford Lavender Palm (€155). Lavender, but not as you know it. The addition of zingy citrus and palm give a modern twist to this classic ingredient. Originally developed for Ford’s Beverly Hills store, this olfactory take on Californian chic is deliciously different. From Brown Thomas, Dublin and Cork.
Max Benjamin Body Range (€19.95). Start the day with the refreshing scent of grapefruit and pomelo, one of a new selection of fragrances in body washes and lotions which contain all natural ingredients, and you’re buying Irish.
