Making it up

Toss out last year's losers and usher in a whole new you with freshly discovered beauty classics for 1998.

Aveda's massive array of beauty products can bewilder. Take a peek at their pre-packaged kits priced from pounds 10 to pounds 60. Among these collected classics is the Cleansing Essentials kit complete with Shampure, an essential shampoo recommended by professionals. My personal favourite is The Lips Collection - four lipcolours in a mini version of Aveda's classic recycled aluminium compact. The compact's magnetised interior safely holds all your good make-up (even those pried from other cornpacts. Add a high quality mirror and I'm set for life. Very chic. Very practical. (Aveda: 0171-4101600.)

The latest must-have is the new Denman Paddle Brush. A sensation with knobs on, this black, soft plastic brush goes easy on fragile wet strands, facilitates drying and doubles as a nifty massage tool. Popular? I've seen more women pull these from their handbags than any other brush. This workhorse is pounds 6.95 at Boots and Superdrug.

Speaking of massage, we all know its beauty benefits but few of us can bear the mess of massage oil. Not so with Lush's amazing solid massage bars which provide the slide without the gook. Astonishingly good. Prices from pounds 2.50 to pounds 2.60. (Lush: 01202668545.)

Finally, nothing says "a whole new you" like a new pair of specs. Give your poor eyeballs a gorgeous rest behind the designer eyewear of Cutler & Gross (0171 823 8445). The ultimate chic in face furniture, their spectacles are exquisitely shaped without being burdened with a designer label. Why should you be a walking billboard for someone else? Val Kilmer, Elton John, Bono, Joseph, Karl Lagerfeld and Madonna sport these handmade beauties. Getting a new you for the new year has got to be easier than the rest of those hastily-made resolutions...