Remember that famous scene from Bridget Jones Diary where she has to have dinner with lots of smug married couples? You know, the one where the happily married wife bluntly asks her “why are there so many single women these days Bridge?” She jokingly replies “…well I suppose it doesn’t help that underneath our clothes we are all covered in scales!”  The comment of course goes down like a lead balloon and the entire female audience is left feeling heartbroken for the sorry state of Bridget’s love life.

But did our good friend Bridget have a point after all? Here at The Gloss Project the condition of our flaky, parched Winter worn skin would certainly suggest so as it appears that come January, we seem to be our most reptilian. The onslaught of the cold wind and rain teamed with the stuffy heating only results in dull, dry and sensitive skin that is screaming out for a bit of sunshine. Whilst you may not be able to afford a three-week stint in the Caribbean you might be lucky enough to get hold of these fabulous winter skin saviours that guarantee to nurse grey skin back to its soft, peachy appearance.


Scrub a dub dub: In order to allow a good moisturiser to actually do its job you must remove scaly skin with a decent exfoliator. Forget half hearted puff balls, body brushes and brillo pad gloves and discover soft pink skin with the help of Space NK’s Daily Fix Japanese Wash Cloth. This super size towel teamed with plenty of hot water and decent soap allows you to scrub all those hard to reach places. £18.

Moisture Injection: Lavera All Round Moisturising Cream is an inexpensive and indispensable rich cream that leaves skin soft and supple. The ice-cream like smell means using this product is more of a pleasure than a chore. Whilst it may take a while to dry, results are well worth the wait. The organic ingredients of almond and sheer butter are kind to sensitive skin and a little bit goes along way. Moreover it comes in a handy tin making it an easy-to-transport handbag essential. £6.95

For something a little more heavy duty (including the price tag) try Ren’s Moroccan Rose Otto Ultra-Moisturise Body Oil. The beautifully light rose infused body oil intensively replenishes the driest of skin, locking in moisture to give it a healthy glow. It’s none sticky and the scent makes it almost edible. £34

Balmy Army: Random break outs of sore dry skin are a Winter hazard, so it’s a good idea to carry around a fast acting balm. Elizabeth Arden’s classic Eight Hour Cream is a legend amongst its millions of users. Perfect for lips, face and hands the beauty balm has managed to become a hit with some of the biggest sceptics. The Walking With the Wounded (WWTW) team of former soldiers were impressed with the cream’s ability to work on frostbite and blisters during recent missions to Everest and the North Pole.

Oil Leak:  Oily skin is Winter’s number one victim. The constant temperature change aggravates oiliness and if skin is dehydrated then it overcompensates by producing more oil leaving it tight and flaky. Rectify damage with an oil-free hydrating serum such as Aesop Hydrating Serum. It will give your skin an extra boost without it becoming greasy £41.

Best Foot Forward: There is nothing more painful that shuffling around on sore, dry feet. So put your best foot forward with Margaret Dabbs Intensive Hydrating Foot Lotion.  We simply cannot get enough of this product. Unlike other balms that simply sit on the surface of the feet, one small pump of this award winning luxurious lotion immediately absorbs and visibly moisturises the skin. It leaves tootsies baby soft and deeply nourished. With the signature ingredient of Emu Oil (a natural bi-product) and the scent of lemon myrtle, this product has for good reason, gained global hero status. £25


Transforming your nails is by far the easiest way to switch up your look; nothing says ‘New Season Trend’ like freshly painted talons. And if like most, you are a fan of nail art then you’ll be pleased to hear that there is a slew of must-have nail collections launching this year. From textured nudes and 3D beads to metallic vamps and rubber brights, here are the ones team GP are most excited about.

Playing it Cool:
We are particularly loving Rococo's Sandrine, from their new Spring collection. It’s a cornflower blue inspired by the Parisian woman. A rework of the classic French blue this crème finish paints a block shade that’s totally on trend. (Available March 2013 from Space NK). If you're a fan of nude shades with a pop of vivid colour  then it’s also worth checking out the nude-yellows and pinks from Butter London.

Dark and Edgy:
Everybody was talking about Prabal Gurung’s ghoulish blood dripping nails at NYFW and it seems the gothic medieval look was a firm favourite among many designers including Theirry Mulger and Rodarte. To recreate this look you’ll need a fine-tip striper brush and blood-red polish.  Gently allow the lacquer to drip down the nail giving it a gory stained effect.


This trend certainly inspired OPI’s SS13 collection titled Euro Centrale. Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director explains “Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Romania make up an exciting new fashion hotspot. When visiting these countries, you’ll view Gothic churches alongside vibrant graffiti murals, blending two very different aesthetics. This fusion of old and new was also seen in catwalk looks during New York Fashion Week, where classic styles were reinvented with modern silhouettes and patterns”.


For an on trend look we recommend OPI’s cleverly named ‘Vant to Bite My Neck?’ and ‘I Saw…U Saw…We Saw…Warsaw’ colours. (Euro Centrale by OPI will be available February, 2013).

Tempting Touch:
If like us you adored Ciaté's Caviar Manicure™ then you’ll be pleased to know that this look isn’t going anywhere. Beaded nails will still be going strong in Spring as proved by the manicures spotted at the Joy Cioci show. Unlike last season however, where colours were bold and mismatch, the 3D dotted look will be much more somber with, creams and swan-whites taking the lead.


Upping the anti with textured nails is Nails Inc who have recently created a kinky leather effect polish. This vampy shade applies glossy but will dry down into a chic leather look texture. Alexa chung sent nail junkies and beauty directors into melt down when she recently sported the polish at the British Fashion Awards.

For texture with lashings of colour try illamasqua's Rubber Brights. This playful limited-edition collection features luminous colours with a rubbery, matte texture. Gorgeous for a hot neon look.

Heavy Metal:
Metallic nails with a glossy finish were a staple at the Spring shows. To recreate the look watch out for Yves Saint Laurent’s Jade Imperial and Bronze Pyrite. Topshop’s, Nails in Plume and Nails in Mercury Rising are also standout lacquers. Think rich old coppers, ornate purples and splashes of platinum.


Two Tone:
This bold but subtle look is a quick way to project a new trend. There’s lots of ways to wear it. Opt for half moons crescents, vertical lines or diagonal strip detail. The key to this look is to not be neat. Softer lines give it a fresh new edge.





It goes without saying that the part most brides look forward to about their wedding is choosing a dress. Closely followed by the actual ‘marriage’ part and living happily ever after of course. Yet after endless internet trawling and countless appointments at dress shops suddenly, what’s suppose to be a once in a lifetime opportunity to look your very best, ends up in you trying to argue that actually it would be much more ‘rock n roll’ to turn up in ripped jeans and a white t-shirt instead.

Whilst you might think the problem is being spoilt for choice my dilemma was the exact opposite. I liked NOTHING. Each dress morphed into the next and I was severely lacking that ‘je ne sais quoi’ feeling. To put it bluntly if one more shop assistant asked me "does it feel like the one?" I was in danger of hurling the complementary champagne at her head. On the verge of throwing a massive bridezilla fit my best friend managed to come across bridal designer Inbal Dror (knew I made her a bridesmaid for a reason). After hours of cooing, gasping and fantasizing about wearing every single design featured on her website I finally managed to scrape my jaw off the floor and enquire about availability. The lovely ladies at Morgan Bridal informed me that a preview of the whole collection would be held at their store for one weekend only. From then on six designs would stay in stock. I booked an appointment immediately and just as I thought, the eight week wait was worth every second.


Hailing all the way from Ashdod in Israel this exceptionally talented designer made a name for herself amongst the global fashion élite in Milan. Her haute couture collection has two very distinct trademark features that consist of a exquisite train and beautifully crafted low back. The lightweight luxurious material drapes and clings in all right places and the cuts are daring but elegant. She knows exactly which curves to accentuate and which ones to hide and the end result is a collection of dresses that are overwhelmingly beautiful. Every piece exudes a captivating sexiness, whilst balancing the classic VS modern fashion dilemma.


Moreover is the variety within the collection, a love affair between jewels, crystals, diamanté, lace and silk means that there really is a design that you will not fail to fall in love with. For eyes that are tired of looking at humdrum bridal designs, these are certainly the dresses to remedy them. For more information on Inbal Dror dresses visit Morgan Davies Bridal


It goes without saying that the part most brides look forward to about their wedding is choosing a dress. Closely followed by the actual ‘marriage’ part and living happily ever after of course. Yet after endless internet trawling and countless appointments at dress shops suddenly, what’s suppose to be a once in a lifetime opportunity to look your very best, ends up in you trying to argue that actually it would be much more ‘rock n roll’ to turn up in ripped jeans and a white t-shirt instead.

Whilst you might think the problem is being spoilt for choice my dilemma was the exact opposite. I liked NOTHING. Each dress morphed into the next and I was severely lacking that ‘je ne sais quoi’ feeling. To put it bluntly if one more shop assistant asked me "does it feel like the one?" I was in danger of hurling the complementary champagne at her head. On the verge of throwing a massive bridezilla fit my best friend managed to come across bridal designer Inbal Dror (knew I made her a bridesmaid for a reason). After hours of cooing, gasping and fantasizing about wearing every single design featured on her website I finally managed to scrape my jaw off the floor and enquire about availability. The lovely ladies at Morgan Bridal informed me that a preview of the whole collection would be held at their store for one weekend only. From then on six designs would stay in stock. I booked an appointment immediately and just as I thought, the eight week wait was worth every second.


Hailing all the way from Ashdod in Israel this exceptionally talented designer made a name for herself amongst the global fashion élite in Milan. Her haute couture collection has two very distinct trademark features that consist of a exquisite train and beautifully crafted low back. The lightweight luxurious material drapes and clings in all right places and the cuts are daring but elegant. She knows exactly which curves to accentuate and which ones to hide and the end result is a collection of dresses that are overwhelmingly beautiful. Every piece exudes a captivating sexiness, whilst balancing the classic VS modern fashion dilemma.Moreover is the variety within the collection, a love affair between jewels, crystals, diamanté, lace and silk means that there really is a design that you will not fail to fall in love with. For eyes that are tired of looking at humdrum bridal designs, these are certainly the dresses to remedy them. For more information on Inbal Dror dresses visit Morgan Davies Bridal