My beauty philosophy has always been ‘minimum effort, maximum results’ – who has the time or money to buy anything that gathers dust on a shelf? This is why I rarely invest in a gadget. We all remember the teenage Christmas gift foot spa that had one soggy outing and ended up at the back of the wardrobe before being rejected by the local charity shop (‘We don’t take electrical items’).
So when I discover a gadget that works I rave about it and stick with it. Here are three go to gadgets, beyond the everyday hairdryer/toothbrush essentials.
· Clarisonic – the clever man who invented the sonic toothbrush has created a sonic skin cleansing brush; and it works. Two minutes with this and any non drying wash off cleanser will leave your skin glowing, deep down clean, exfoliated and less prone to blackheads and breakouts. There is even a brand new travel super mini version that sits in the palm of your hand called MIA FIT.
· Tweezerman x10 Mirror – everyone needs, what I call, a ‘shock horror’ mirror to see their faces close up. They are essential for eyebrow tweezing and spot extraction and this one has a suction cup so you can attach it to a window for maximum light. They are also essential for travelling when hotel bathrooms are often poorly lit. Just remember no one actually sees you that close up.
· Tanita Inner Scan Scales – When I interviewed celebrity trainer Tracey Anderson she told me the secret to weight control was to weigh yourself every day! Now I rarely use exclamation marks, but seriously? While I think that is OTT, I do think a quality scale can help you keep an eye not just on your weight, but on your muscle to fat ratio (far more important than your weight), your hydration levels and even your bone mass. A clever one like this can even work out your body fat %, lean muscle weight, hydration and water levels and ideal daily calorie intake. Just use it once a week though, first thing on a Friday morning works for me.
· IPL/Lasers – Intense Pulsed Light hair removal changed my beauty regime, saves me hours every year and leaves skin smoother with no unsightly chicken skin. Salon treatments are quicker and the machines stronger but they cost a lot, so I have two at home machines that work. The Philips Lumea and the Tria are quick, easy to use and simply require perseverance. Once a week go over the area, shave between treatments and you will notice that the hair gets finer then thinner and then goes within a matter on a couple of months. All you then need to do is a once a quarter maintenance treatment. Oh and if anyone tells you that it isn’t uncomfortable it is – you need the machine to generate enough heat to damage the hair follicle, so yes it stings and is hot, but it works.