The Thoughtful (Beauty) Shopper: Irish artisan perfume, cryo-skincare and blue mascara worth trying

CLOON KEEN fragrances, RRP €130-€170

Irish artisan perfumer Cloon Keen has released a new look for its bottles which ups its sustainable credentials as well as tapping into iconic Italian design. The new perfume design was crafted by co-founder Julian Checkley and is hand-sprayed with semi-opaque silver. Director and co-founder Margaret Mangan and Checkley mirrored the metal cut-outs from Cloon Keen’s two boutiques in Galway and Powerscourt Townhouse in Dublin, which take inspiration from the work of Italian architect Carlo Scarpa. In line with the brand's sustainable ethics, a new screw cap spray has been added so that each fragrance is easily refillable and packaging has been minimised to be more planet-friendly. cloonkeen.com

YSL Lash Clash mascara in blue, €34

Launched originally in 2020, YSL’s Lash Clash mascara is high in volume and longevity with its innovative cocktail of wax and film-forming polymers. Following the launch of a Lash Clash in brown now comes Lash Clash in blue. With a new double conical brush, there is also a new 10.5mm diameter wiper with 260 ergonomic fibres. The intense shade comes enriched with an Iris extract from Ourika in Morocco where YSL Beauté has supported the creation of a cooperative of 33 women to grow plants in the Ourika Community Gardens, a social programme which aims to promote the skills of the region’s inhabitants to advance their financial independence. From Brown Thomas and YSL counters nationwide.

Clarins Cryo-Flash Cream Mask, €64

Calcium is known to act as a kind of fuel in our cells – and it is activated particularly at very cold temperatures. This so-called ‘calcium flash’ causes the renewal of keratinocytes, the main cells in the epidermis. In an effort to synthesise this process, Clarins has discovered, a cryo-molecule called MGA and a ‘cryo-like’ extract of evening primrose, with the MGA acting like a thermal starter of the calcium flash on the skin: its cooling effect activating the penetration of calcium into cells to help prevent skin from ageing. Meanwhile evening primrose is a known pioneer plant resistant to extreme cold. This exclusive plant extract is also highly potent in oenothein, a molecule scientifically recognised for activating the ‘calcium flash’. All of these active ingredients are now pooled in their new Cryo-Flash Cream Mask which biologically activates the penetration of calcium into cells to help prevent signs of ageing. What’s more, 40 per cent of the pot is made from recycled glass and is in recyclable jars. The carton is from recyclable cardboard from sustainably managed forests. clarins.ie

Spotlight Oral Care Teeth Whitening Accelerator Gel, €29.95

Irish dental brand Spotlight has created a new easy-to-use gel for upping your teeth whitening regime. The Teeth Whitening Accelerator Gel is formulated using the active ingredient Hydrogen Peroxide and the whitening ingredient PAP. The blue gel can be added to your toothpaste before brushing and works to dissolve stains on the surface of the teeth. When used with a whitening toothpaste, it can accelerate the overall whitening experience. Continuing Spotlight’s sustainable push, it comes in a refillable container made using recyclable plastic. Spotlight.com

Eucerin Hydro Protect Ultra Light Fluid SPF 50+, €24.95

Only 31 per cent of Irish people wear sunscreen daily in Ireland, compared to the 83 per cent who wear sunscreen on holiday abroad, so there is still a way to go in making sunscreen a routine skincare step here. Eucerin has a new Hydro Protect Ultra Light Fluid SPF 50, which is easier than ever to use. Coming with a host of skincare heavyweights including a new Hydro-Tech Complex containing Hyaluronic acid and liquorice root extra for a calming, anti-inflammatory effect and to support the skin’s own protection system, it contains a high UVA and UVB protection with the ultra-light formula applicable for all skin types. From Boots and eucerin.com