DIY days

Model Co Lash Wand Heated Lash Curler. Photo / Babiche Martens.

Labour Weekend is the traditional time to head out into the garden, but if you don't have green fingers, tend to beauty chores indoors instead. Here are a few of the interesting gadgets we've come across lately that will let you become your own best beauty therapist.

1. Via curling wand $120

A professional standard wand you can buy for home. While straighteners can be used to form a flick of curl, the rounded barrel of this specialist ceramic tool makes it easier. A good blowdrying technique and a small round brush will give you the most lasting result, but a wand means ringlets at the ready. This one comes in two barrel sizes and has an easy-to-read digital panel for settings. Do use a heat-styling product to protect hair from heat. (For stockists Ph 0800 842-725 or see www.viasalon.co.nz)

2. My Exfoliator (two-device pack) $59

This plastic device has a laser-cut blade and can be used on moist skin by men and women. The idea is to hold the exfoliator at a 90-degree angle - it is designed not to nick despite its razor-like look - and it will help clear surface skin cells and oil without removing hair. Use the small exfoliator on the face and the larger one on the body as a skincare routine or before shaving, waxing or applying self-tanning products. It can also be used to reduce itch on waxed areas and to clean up remnants of self-tan. Comes with a cord for hanging in the shower. Exfoliated skin looks fresher and products more readily absorb into it, so regular exfoliation is recommended. I prefer a gentle scrub, but for those who have reactions to some products and for men troubled by blocked follicles and looking for a smoother shave, this may be worth a go. (Smith & Caughey or see www.myexfoliator.co.nz)

3. Model Co Lash Wand Heated Lash Curler $43

Lash curlers really do make lashes look longer by turning them into a sweeping curl. The usual metal contraptions are a bit off-putting until you get the hang of them, so this Model Co version is likely to encourage more people give curling a go. The plastic device is battery-powered and, unlike a metal curler, is used over mascara (a big no-no with rubber-rimmed metal tongs as lashes may break). In the time it takes to mascara your lashes, the wand heats up, then it is held to the root of lashes and gently pulled up to curl. The comb can then be used to separate lashes for a more dramatic flutter. Holding a warm wand near the eye feels a little odd, but it's less intimidating than placing a metal brace over lashes. Adding a few falsies in the corner is more effective, but this is easier for everyday, and effective for those with straight lashes. (From selected Farmers stores and Smith& Caughey.)

4. Philips Body Groom (Model TT2021) $119.19

For men who like to be smooth all over, this body groomer is the at-home answer to waxing. From a company known for its shaving and electrical goods, it is a well-designed hand-held shaver with its own charger. It comes with three combs for different degrees of shaving closeness and has a trimming head and hypoallergenic foil to protect against nicks and cuts. Can be used wet or dry on chest, stomach, underarms, groin, legs, back and shoulders. Philips says of men who groom body hair, leg hair removal is most common, but one-third shave or trim the pubic area, 13 per cent tackle chest rugs or shave or trim the underarms and one-in-10 the back.

To find out more about manscaping, see www.shaveeverywhere.co.nz where the claim is made that a close shave down below will "add that extra optical inch". My tester didn't like to say, but he was taken with the shaver's ease of use.

The company has also brought out a new 7-in-1 Grooming Kit to give those with facial hair more options for tailoring their individual look. (From Briscoes, Noel Leeming, Bond & Bond, LV Martin, 100 per cent Stores and Hill and Stewart.)

5. Omnilux Clear-U $690

Omnilux light therapy is used in skin and beauty clinics to treat acne and improve skin's appearance. The price of treatment courses can add up quickly, but they do leave skin looking fresher. Now the technology has been boiled down into the Omnilux New-U and Clear-U, two small hand-held devices for at-home use to maintain and extend salon treatments. Omnilux employs LEDs of specific frequencies and wavelengths, with the New-U recommended for the treatment of crow's feet and said to stimulate natural anti-ageing processes and improve skin tone and clarity. The Clear-U is to treat mild to moderate acne. LEDs emit blue light said to kill bacteria and red light to calm skin. Skin is treated for 20 minutes at a time twice a week for a month, with trials showing good results. (For details Ph 0800 575 565 or www.www.spauniverse.co.nz )

6. Oral-B Triumph with Smart Guide $209.99

Electric toothbrushes have been around for a while and there's no doubting they give a superior clean. This one pulses 40,000 times and oscillates 8800 times per minute to really bust plaque build-up. What makes this model new is that it is fitted with microchips to let you know via the wireless display unit if you are brushing too hard and spending the recommended 30 seconds in each quadrant of the mouth. The timer is a great way of training kids to make sure they don't just rush over some sections of the mouth. There's also four different settings, so you can concentrate on polishing, or adjust for sensitivity. Oral-B comes with a range of brush heads so the handle can be shared among family members. (Department and electrical stores. For stockists Ph 0800 441 058.)