Inky-black lipstick is a thing for AW19 and if you have an inner goth desperate for liberation then by all means knock yourself out. For everyone else, however, a burgundy iteration as seen at Chloé is a less intimidating option. While darker lip hues are always conversation-starting statements, I still maintain it’s open house – you just have to find your tribe. Classic? Go blood red. Experimental? Dark plum. Top tip? Keep everything else minimal. A touch of mascara, a hint of foundation and a barely there eye. Dangly earrings optional.

Essentials

1. Tom Ford Lip Colour in Bruised Plum £40, tomford.com

2. Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint in Undefeated £19, boots.com

3. Dior Rouge Dior Ultra Care Liquid in Paradise £30, dior.com

4. Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Colour Liquid Lipstick in Burgundy £18, johnlewis.com

5. Givenchy Le Rouge Night Noir in Nº5 Night in Plum £29, debenhams.com

I can’t do without... A super serum from Japan’s top-selling brand

Hada Labo Lotion No 1 Super Hydrator, £15.95, amazon.co.uk

I started waxing lyrical about J beauty (Japanese beauty) brands a few years ago. Then, I could only really attest to the brands available in the UK I had personally road tested. When I visited Tokyo over the summer, I was determined to explore and buy tonnes of left-of-centre brands unavailable here. Instead, I bought a T-shirt with wording that was lost in translation, wasabi-flavoured KitKats and models of Tokyo trains. No beauty. Why? I was overwhelmed. Rows and rows of unidentifiable beauty products, mostly written in Japanese, immobilised me. So I left empty handed. One of the brands I did notice was Hada Labo. I didn’t know it at the time, but it is available here. It is the top-selling mainstream beauty brand in Japan. And this product is one reason why. There are hyaluronic acids and then there is a brand that takes things up a notch by combining four different types of hyaluronic acid. It boosts skin moisture way beyond the superficial. I love that it has a pump, the texture (not watery, not too thick) isn’t sticky or tacky, it’s equally brilliant on dehydrated and oily skins (hydration without the grease) and it layers extraordinarily well with other serums. I saw a difference in my skin – plumper, more supple and glowing – pretty much overnight. Hence, this is addictive. Just as well it comes in a huge bottle.

On my radar: high-end, high-performance face masks

Winter hair fix Curly and textured hair types will love this coconut and almond oil-infused mask. It is moisturising, prevents hair breakage and will get your hair through winter. Oribe Moisture and Control Deep Treatment Hair Mask, £57, net-a-porter.com

Night worker A cocktail of plant-based ingredients – such as Padina pavonica, known for its thirst-quenching properties – make this a dream for dry skins. Pricey but worth it. Sisley Velvet Sleeping Mask, £93, sisley-paris.co.uk

Easy peelers These colour-coded home facial peels – red for oily and acne-prone skin, yellow for hyperpigmentation, and blue for dry skin and rosacea – are fun but highly efficacious. Dr David Jack’s Face Paints, £139, spacenk.com

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