Life

Hair Colour, Buy It Now, Tried

Want to discover the ultimate bargain buy, latest must-have luxe product and most important skincare tricks? Beauty vlogger extraordinaire Bubzbeauty spills the beans

Look after your hair with the right products so it feels amazing and styling so much better
Look after your hair with the right products so it feels amazing and styling so much better Look after your hair with the right products so it feels amazing and styling so much better

IF YOU want to know about make-up, skincare and products that'll make you look and feel fantastic, ask a beauty vlogger.

Bubz – aka Lindy Tsang – launched her vlog Bubzbeauty almost a decade ago, when she couldn't find a 'real' job. She now makes a very successful living out of it – as her three million YouTube subscribers will tell you, not to mention her 814K Instagram and 262K Twitter followers.

The Irish mum-of-one (with another on the way) is a big fan of Japanese products (because of their "quality control") and Korean beauty trends, but mostly likes to keep things simple.

"Simple looks don't go out of style," says Bubz (30).

"Make-up that's too heavy can age you, so you want to look fresh-faced."

Here are her top tips, insider secrets and make-up bag must-haves...

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE OF CLEANSING

A lot of people don't realise how important cleansing is. Spend a few minutes massaging your face with cleansing oil, before rinsing off. Make sure it bubbles up and when you rinse, splash 12-15 times to really get rid of that residue.

:: Origins Clean Energy Gentle Cleansing Oil, £24.50 (www.origins.co.uk)

USE ICE TO DE-PUFF

If you wake up puffy, dunk your face into iced water for 20 seconds and it makes all the difference. It reduces puffiness, tightens pores and wakes you up. You can just use an ice cube or cold water if you prefer.

LIPSTICK, CONCEALER AND A BROW PENCIL ARE YOUR MOST IMPORTANT PRODUCTS

If your brows are done and skin looks nice, your make-up is 80 per cent finished. And once you've got some lip colour on, it doesn't matter how dark your dark under-eye circles are, the lips are all anyone will focus on.

:: Colourpop Lippie Stix in Whip, £16.36 (www.Amazon.co.uk)

:: Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer, £23 (narscosmetics.co.uk)

:: IT Cosmetics Brow Power Universal Pencil Duo, currently reduced to £19.98 from £22 (www.qvcuk.com)

MAKE YOUR OWN FACE MASK

I love sheet masks but I also like making my own. Nothing compares to mixing yogurt and oatmeal together. It can solve any skin problem – acne, dryness, oiliness, dull skin, everything. Just use natural yoghurt and oats.

FOR BUDGET BEAUTY, OPT FOR MAYBELLINE, L'OREAL AND SOAP & GLORY

Maybelline makes fantastic concealer – their technology has really stepped up a notch. L'Oreal and Revlon make great foundations and I really love Soap & Glory products, especially their mattifying powders.

:: Maybelline Fit Me Concealer, £5.99 (boots.com)

:: L'Oreal Paris Infallible Total Cover Foundation, £9.99 (boots.com)

:: Soap & Glory One Heck Of A Blot Face Powder, £12 (www.soapandglory.com)

IF YOU'RE SPLASHING OUT, YOU CAN'T GO WRONG WITH NARS, KIEHL'S AND YSL

Nars concealers and foundations have great coverage, YSL Touche Eclat gives you a spa-like finish and I'm a huge fan of Kiehl's Daily Reviving Concentrate. I tend to just use it at night. Everyone I've ever recommended it to has completely fallen in love with it. It's quite pricey, but a little goes a long way.

:: Nars Sheer Glow Foundation, £32 (narscosmetics.co.uk)

:: YSL Touche Eclat, £25.50 (www.yslbeauty.co.uk)

:: Kiehl's Daily Reviving Concentrate, £38 (www.kiehls.co.uk)

FOR AN EYE CREAM THAT ACTUALLY WORKS, TRY CAUDALIE

I've just discovered Caudalie eye cream, which has really helped my dark circles and firmed up my skin.

:: Caudalie Premier Cru The Eye Cream, £49 (uk.caudalie.com)

ALWAYS USE HIGHLIGHTER

I'm pregnant right now and people keep telling me I've 'got the glow', but it's actually a highlighter by Make Up For Ever. I use it under my eyes and on my cheeks.

:: Make Up For Ever Pro Light Fusion Highlighter, currently reduced to £24.75 from £27.50 (www.debenhams.com)

USE KERASTASE RESISTANCE SERUM FOR LUCIOUS LOCKS

This serum makes your hair feel amazing and styling so much better. You can use it on wet or dry hair. It's a lifesaver - especially on my hair, which has been dyed a few times.

:: Kerastase Resistance Serum Therapiste, £21.80 (www.kerastase.co.uk)

DISCOVER PRODUCTS YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT

For tools, I love the BeautyBlender. You can use it for your concealer, powder, blush, it's great to travel with, and you can clean it and use it right away. I really love Benefit's They're Real mascara, too.

:: BeautyBlender, £16 (www.selfridges.com)

:: Benefit They're Real Lengthening Mascara, £20.50 (www.benefitcosmetics.com/uk)

TRIED AND TESTED

:: Can a cordless straightener work as well as one that's plugged in and delivering constant heat? Claire Spreadbury finds out...

Lee Stafford's No Strings Attached Cordless Straightener allows you to smooth locks without having to stand near a plug. Staying hot for a full 15 minutes should give you enough time to straighten, curl or flick your hair as you please. The bright pink straighteners slot into a matching semi-spherical base, which does take up a fair amount of space, though you can also attach them straight to the plug like standard straighteners. There's no green light to tell you they're ready – just a hot smell – and I do feel like I'm more likely to accidentally burn myself because the hot blades are poking up and out of the base. But they straighten well - and having the option to move around more is a definite bonus. I'm going to keep mine in the office for post-work styling in the toilets before meeting friends!

:: Lee Stafford No Strings Attached Cordless Straightener, currently reduced to £59.99 from £69.99 (www.argos.co.uk)

BUY IT NOW

SmoothSkin Bare IPL have launched a limited-edition summer collection. Hailed as the fastest IPL hair removal solution on the market (you can treat your whole body in just 10 minutes and see up to 92 per cent hair reduction after just four weeks), the device is currently available for £179.99, down from £199.99, from www.currentbody.com. Defuzz for less while you can.

BEAUTY BULLETIN

:: STRESS LESS WITH ELEMIS

Elemis is releasing a new range of Life Elixirs – five emotional aromatics designed to bring physical and mental wellness. So whether you need to calm your mind, sleep or find some clarity, there's now a product to help you. We highly recommend the Sleep Bath & Shower Elixir, £55 for 100ml (www.elemis.com).

:: COLOUR FOR CONFIDENCE

As part of their #stylistsdoitbetter campaign, Wella Professionals have conducted a survey revealing 65 per cent of women experience a massive confidence boost after having their hair professionally coloured. So, what are you waiting for? Book in for colour boost this spring.

STEAL OF THE WEEK

Childs Farm's brilliant range of child and baby toiletries now includes three new bumper 500ml bottles of some of their best-loved products. Right now you can snap up their Grapefruit & Organic Tea Tree Oil Hand Wash, Blackberry & Organic Apple Hair & Body Wash and Organic Tangerine Bubble Bath for £5.99 each (normally £6.99). Available from shop.childsfarm.com as well as Amazon.