- The Observer, Sunday January 14 2007
Heavy-duty body creams
Ella
Baché Body Water Source Crème, 200ml, £23, 01753 880537
Very moisturising, but with a nice, light texture.
4 stars
Sisley Confort Extreme, 150ml, £58.50, 020 7591 6380
Good all-round body cream. Feels nourishing.
4 stars
Nivea
Body Rich Care Body Moisturiser Dry Skin, 250ml, £4.39, Boots
So rich it's hard to rub in. Smells very comforting, but feels a bit greasy.
3 stars
The Body Shop
Shea Body Butter, 200ml, £12
Smelt horrible. Shame, because the consistency was spot-on, and I like the travel-sized pot.
3 stars
Lip balms Burt's Bees
Beeswax, 8.5g, £2.99, www.myburtsbees.co.uk
Really fabulous. It works consistently without drying out the lips.
5 stars
Ren
Acacia and Honey, 7ml, £6.50, 0845 225 5600
I love this. Works in seconds, and doesn't dry lips out over time.
5 stars
Florestas
Buriti Fruit, 9g, £4.85, www.ikove.co.uk
Dinky little tin. Feels easy on the lips.
4 stars
Boots
Mediterranean Olive, Almond and Sage, 25ml, £4.50,
Pot is big and clumpy. Smelt weird. Didn't like this very much.
2 stars
Peeling kits
Estée Lauder
2-Step Perfectionist Peel, £50, 0870 034 2566
For once-a-week use with mask and pads, this self-heats and works superbly to freshen skin.
5 stars
Gatineau
Skin-Renewing Peeling Kit, £65, 0800 731 5805
Three components to use every four days. It left me quite scaly, but does peel effectively.
5 stars
Phytomer
Peeling Vegetal Exfoliant, 50ml, £18.25, 0808 100 2204
Gentler than the previous two but a good exfoliator if used regularly.
4 stars
No7
Pamper & Peel Radiance Mask, 50ml, £14, Boots
A paint-on latex-likemask that stays on for 25 minutes and then you peel off although it leaves little bits. Fun but not very effective.
2 stars
Heavy- duty face creams Sheerin O'Kho
Wintertime Face Cream, 40ml, £58, Space.NK, 020 8740 2085
Romantic images of skating on frozen ponds, a great smell and feels natural on the skin. Love it.
5 stars
Omorovicza
Rejuvenating Night Cream, 50ml, £83, Harvey Nichols, 020 7235 5000
Skin feels tight but plump when you apply it. In the morning you look fresh-faced and healthy. I really like this.
5 stars
Pro-ferm
Protective Day Cream, 50ml, £65, Space.NK, 020 8740 2085
Ignore the pseudo-science on the box, this cream feels divinely thick and nourishing for day.
4 stars
The Body Shop
Vitamin E Nourishing Night Cream, 50ml, £8, 01903 844554
Doesn't make me excited. Or feel nourished. It's all a bit too ordinary.
3 stars
Sexy perfumes
Solange Azagury
Stoned, 100ml, £145, 020 7792 0197
Love the bottle; fragrance full of Eastern promise. Not too heavy or overpowering.
5 stars
Ormonde Jayne
Orris Noir, 50ml EDP, £58, 020 7499 1100
Spicy-sexy, in a get-the- fabulous-lingerie-out kinda way.
5 stars
Donna Karan
Gold, 50ml, £40, 0870 0342566
A sweet, exotic floral in an interesting bottle.
3 stars
Calvin Klein
Euphoria Blossom, 30ml, £25, 0800 083 6310
Hideous bottle. Didn't feel euphoric at all. Oh Calvin, what were you thinking? This hits the shops in February, but don't rush to get it.
2 stars
Under-eye shadows
Biotherm
Hydra-Detox Yeux, 15ml, £22, 0800 037 1020
Guess what. I saw a difference. A small one, but definitely an improvement.
3 stars
Clinique
All About Eyes Rich, 15ml, £20, 0870 034 2566
Felt moisturising, but the shadows are still 100% there.
2 stars
Hylexin
Serious Dark Circles, 15ml, £95, Harvey Nichols, 0207 235 5000
I am really trying to see a difference between my left eye (the tester) and my right eye (the control) but there's none.
No stars
Medik8
Dark Circles, 15ml, £22, 0845 673 2222
Is there a difference? I don't see it!
No stars
Men's clippers (tested by a man)
Philips
180 Degrees Pivoting Clipper Head, £50, 0115 950 6514
Love the pivot action and it's cordless too, so no longer have to lie over a mirror trying not to miss a patch or garrotte myself with the flex.
5 stars
HeadBlade
Ultimate Head Shaving Razor, £12, 020 7581 5211
Usually not a fan of such a close shave, but this is a great idea. Someone really thought out the ergonomics of shaving your own head.
4 stars
Remington
High Precision Washable Hair Clipper, £24.99, 0800 212 438
Cordless with the added bonus of being wet and dry so can be used in the shower to trim your other bits.
4 stars
Nicky Clarke Xtreme
Wet & Dry Ceramic Clipper, £24.99, 0800 525 089
Good wet and dry function but clippers feel a bit cheap.
3 stars
