To herald the start of Milan Fashion Week, here’s our edit of the best Italian beauty products out right now
Italy has been very good to us. The homeland of pizza, pasta and gelato, not only are our taste buds grateful, but our bathroom shelves too.
From the most sweet-smelling of summer to winter perfumes to versatile makeup ideas for adding some serious Italian style to our makeup bags, some of the biggest beauty brands and the country’s biggest fashion houses has got it covered when it comes to glowing skin and long-lasting eye makeup.
Here’s our pick of the best Italian beauty launches to hit our shores in recent months to accompany the runways, beauty trends and hairstyle inspiration of Milan Fashion Week.
Pat McGrath Makes Eyes
Dolce&Gabbana Perfect Mono Intense Cream Eye Colour in Dahlia
£25. Buy online .
Created in collaboration with makeup artist legend and Dolce&Gabbana Makeup Creative Advisor Pat McGrath , these velvet-finish cream eyeshadows give resistant crease-free coverage thanks to their lux texture and long-lasting formulation.
“Perfect Mono has such a creamy formula that it can be easily applied with the fingers,” says Pat. “You can create an even deeper, more dramatic look by wetting the finger you’re applying it with, or using a pencil dipped in water,” she recommends. This pearlescent purple shade is our favourite for adding a dose of drama to your night time eye makeup.
The Fashion House Fresh Scent
Gucci, Gucci Première
£57. Buy online .
A glimpse of winter sun as summer passes for another year, this particular scent will definitely appeal to those who like their fragrances floral, fresh and light. With top notes of orange blossom and bergamot, a heart of white flowers and musk and warm wood and leather bringing the base, it’s reminiscent of a day walking in a summer garden - a much spritz of sunnier times when you need it the most.
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The Makeup from Milano That Lasts All Night
KIKO Color-Up Long Lasting Eyeshadow Pencil in Irresistible Teal
£7.90. Buy online .
Budgeproof and meltproof, this eyeliner/eyeshadow hybrid merges the precision of a liner, the colour impact of an eyeshadow and the playfulness of a crayon to create a triple threat eye makeup must-have that will have you doodling from dusk till dawn. This deep green is our favourite for adding an interesting touch of colour to lids and lash lines or as a great way to update your new season smokey eye.
Come Up Smelling of Roses
Acqua Di Parma Rosa Nobile
From £70. Buy online .
Inspired by the centifolia rose from Piedmont, Italy, this perfume is feminine floral fragrance at its finest. Containing top notes of Sicilian mandarin, Calabrian bergamot and pepper, heart notes of peony, violet and lily of the valley and base notes of cedar wood, ambergris and musk, this certainly isn’t a perfume for shrinking violets. Powerful it is indeed, but supremely pretty is also is too.
Eyebrow Shaping Fit For A Pro
Giorgio Armani Eye and Brow Maestro in Medium Brown
£26.50. Buy online .
Multitasking makeup showcased to perfection, this versatile beauty essential comes in an array of different shades and can be used as an eyeshadow, an eyeliner, a hair root touch-up and valuable piece of contouring makeup too. With a subtle iridescence designed to mimic the shine that real hair has, when used with the accompanying applicator, it keeps brows in particular supremely groomed and in check, filling in any gaps and helping enhance, sculpt and refine your natural features. According to Linda Cantello, International Makeup Artist for Giorgio Armani, “Pick an Eye & Brow Maestro shade darker than the natural brows to embellish the features. Use a shade lighter to makeup the eyelid in contrast.”
The Spritz Of Nostalgia
Bottega Veneta Knot
£52. Buy online .
Ever had a perfume that instantly transports you back to your favourite holiday? This perfume does just that, courtesy of its vision to conjure up an escape to the Italian Riviera. A summer cocktail of mandarin, limette, neroli and orange blossom mixed with rose, peony, musk and tonka bean makes for a seriously addictive crisp fragrance that provides a fast track ticket to any locked away Mediterranean memories - minus the air miles.