Healthy living
Anti-ageing
Beauty Award winners
Sally Brampton announces the winners of the first Saga Beauty Awards
It was fabulous to hear from so many of you, who voted in the Saga 2006 Beauty Awards. The surprise was not how sophisticated and discerning we fiftysomethings are, but what supreme beauty experts you all are too.
You included products I didn't nominate but love (sadly, there's just not enough space to include everything) as well as great beauty buys I'm not familiar with (yes, I rushed out and bought, so thank you) and I was impressed to see even cult niche brands included - and absolutely the best of the bunch too.
They may not have made it to the top slot but I'm totally with you in loving Dermalogica skin care, Eve Lom cleanser, Aveda hair care, Decleor creams and oils and Laura Mercier and Bobbi Brown cosmetics. It was also great to see organic lines from Neal's Yard, Dr Hauschka, Green People and Weleda coming through strongly.
So thank you all for taking the time to vote. I feel I know you so much better now as well as the beauty news you might like to hear about in future issues. Your suggestions for this column are welcome at any time. I may not be able to reply to all of you personally but would love to follow up your ideas.
As a reward for your efforts, we put all your nominations into a basket and blindfolded Emma Soames, our editor. She picked out five names at random, who will receive beauty bags crammed with goodies. I do hope you enjoy them and for those who weren't lucky, well, there's always next year...
Best for Hair
John Frieda Frizz Ease Shape and Shine Flexible Hold Hair Spray (£3.79 for 250ml; available nationwide). One of the new generations of hair sprays; holds even limp hair well, brushes out easily and adds shine. Not just a favourite hairspray but one of your favourite brands too.
Philip Kingsley Elasticizer (£20 for 150ml; 020 7629 4004 or philipkingsley.co.uk). Hair ages just like skin, becoming finer and drier and this is a deep conditioning and strengthening cream that really works, made by an expert trichologist. Every time I mention this product, it sells out three times. Seems the rest of you are hooked too.
Best Moisturiser
Best for Face
Olay Regenerist Rehydrating Lotion with UV Protection (£19.50 for 75ml). The entire Regenerist line is fabulous, containing an amino peptide complex also used in some super-expensive creams. Judging by the number of nominations, I'm obviously not the only one who thinks so.
Nivea Visage Anti Wrinkle Q10 Plus Day Cream (£9.99 for 50ml). I confess that I hadn't tried the Nivea Q10 range. Well, at your suggestion, I gave it a go and it's great. Also worth trying is Nivea's new anti-ageing range, DN Age Cell Renewal, containing folic acid and creatine.
Best Cleanser
Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser (£19.75 for 200ml plus 2 pure muslin cloths; mail order 01983 813913 or lizearle.com). Here's an old favourite I'd forgotten about. Well, you hadn't and voted for it in droves. Quite right too. It's brilliant.
Best Eye Cream
Olay Regenerist Eye Lifting Serum (£19.50 for 15ml, nationwide). Another winner from the Olay Regenerist line; this is great to use at night for busting wrinkles. Beats many more expensive creams hands down.
Clinique All About Eyes (£20 for 15ml; 0870 034 2566 or clinique.co.uk). Another great favourite with you, this lightweight gel reduces puffiness and minimises dark circles and fine lines. Great for daytime use as it helps hold eye makeup in place.
Specialist Face product
Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Protective Recovery Complex (£32 for 30ml; 0870 034 2566 or esteelauder.co.uk). I originally included the Concentrate, which is the newest in the range, but so many of you raved about the classic formula, it was our overall winner. Top tip; use a few drops during the day too, to bust skin-damaging free radicals generated by pollutants and UV light.
Best Makeup
Best Mascara
Lancome Definicils High Definition Mascara (£17.50; beauty counters nationwide or www.lancome.co.uk). This is undoubtedly your favourite mascara - and it's mine too. It has the perfect brush - slim and easy to use - doesn't clump, flake or smudge and lasts all day. A true classic.
Clinique High Definition Lashes (£12.50; 0870 034 2566). Well, you sure do all love Clinique, for good reason and here's the first in three winners from them. Half-brush and half-comb, this keeps lashes beautifully separate.
Best Foundation
Clinique Dewy Smooth Anti-Ageing Makeup SPF 15 (£17.50 for 30ml: 0870 034 2566 or clinique.co.uk). I'm thrilled you've introduced me to this, your number one favourite. Smooths out fine lines, makes skin look fresh and contains an age-busting SPF15. Perfect.
Estee Lauder Futurist Age Resisting Makeup (£25 for 30ml; beauty counters nationwide or esteelauder.co.uk). Great for smoothing out the appearance of fine lines, and it's a treatment cream too, packed with good stuff.
Best lip product
Clinique Colour Surge Butter Shine Lipstick (£12; 0870 034 2566 or clinique.co.uk). A fabulous combination of colour and gloss available in 18 shades, this is perfect for older lips when a too matte or dark lipstick can be both harsh and ageing.
Lancome Juicy Tubes Lip Gloss (£13; nationwide or lancome.co.uk). This is your absolute favourite and what's not to love? Great shine, great consistency, great colours.
Best For Body
Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion (£4.19 for 400ml). Well, you love this and so do I. It may not be posh or preciously scented but it does the job, brilliantly.
Honourable mentions; Body Shop Cocoa Butter and Dove Body Silk Moisturising Cream
Best for Hands
Best Hand Cream
Atrixo Enriched Moisturising Hand Cream (£4.99 for 200ml, nationwide). Another outright winner. No frills or fancy packaging but it truly works.
Clarins Jeunesse de Mains Age Control Hand Lotion SPF15 (£15.50 for 75ml). This is the specialist hand cream you voted for, to protect hands from the sun. Why don't all hand creams contain an SPF?
Best nail care product
OPI Original Nail Envy (£16.70; 01923 240010 or lenawhite.co.uk). Brilliant for weak or damaged nails.
Sally Hansen Hard as Nails (£4.25, available nationwide). Another favourite.
Best For Tanning
Best self tanner (body)
Johnson's Holiday Skin Body Lotion (£6.99 for 400ml available nationwide). You all seem to love the new moisturisers, which contain just a hint of self-tan for a healthy glow. Quite right too. They may well be the best new beauty invention of the past few years. This one is your favourite: it's streak-free as well as being a good, rich moisturiser.
St Tropez self tanning mousse (£30 for 240ml, available at beauty counters and selected chemists nationwide). Your favourite for an instant tan, this mousse dries in sixty seconds then deepens over three hours. "Love it!" as one of you so succinctly put it.
Best self tanner (face)
Olay Complete Care Everyday Sunshine Face in Light Sunkissed Glow (£7.49 for 50ml). This was your favourite, because of its added Vitamin E and an SPF15 which keeps skin glowing and protected.
Best sun care
Clarins Sun Control Cream Very High Protection SPF30 (£15 for 125ml at beauty counters and selected chemists nationwide).The best anti-ageing treatment there is from Clarins, you voted them the best brand for sun protection.
Best new product
Elizabeth Arden Prevage (£145 for 50ml; 020 7574 2722). This contains a powerful antioxidant once only available from registered dermatologists and is clinically proven to reverse visible signs of ageing. Great for reducing fine lines and irregular pigmentation. You were impressed.
Information on this site is for interest only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should consult your own doctor about any specific health concerns.