Your essential guide to the best new beauty gadgets

Some things are best left to the professionals: namely, anything that combines the word ‘bikini’ with ‘wax’. But when it comes to home grooming, many of us still can’t seem to get to grips (in my case quite literally) with styling errant locks or de-fuzzing awkward ankles despite endless tutorials and countless how-tos.

That’s where whizzy electricals come in; designed to make beautifying easier, more intuitive and generally more enjoyable, these techie tools will transform your regime.

Our beloved hairdressers may have the knack for coaxing even the most stubborn strands into perfect curls with a practised flick of the wrist but for the rest of us it’s not always quite so easy. Since I'm ‘blessed’ with a thick, unruly mane, my hair had always been my Achilles heel until I discovered Dyson’s Supersonic Hair Dryer. This gamechanger boasts a motor in the handle rather than the head making it easier on the biceps while the magnetic attachments mean less faff. But what made it my ultimate investment piece was the promise of less blowdry time.

For a more budget-friendly option, GHD’s Air Hair Drying Kit is a one-stop-shop for easy styling, featuring the ergonomically designed professional hair dryer (which you’ll spy in many salons), along with a brush, diffuser, styling nozzle and sectioning clips. However, for me, GHD will always be synonymous with its cult straighteners which cut through frizz in one butter-soft sweep.

At the other end of the texture spectrum, ‘beachy hair’ is like the no-makeup makeup of the hair world; seemingly effortless but requires a fair amount of groundwork. Until now. For styling novices or people who just can’t get to grips with wands and curling brushes, the Babyliss Curl Secret Hair Styler and Dyson Airwrap do the hard work for you. Watch an Instagram tutorial with John Lewis & Partners personal stylist Emily Gray (pictured, above) and hairdresser Larry Hill on how to achieve an easy glam look with the Dyson Airwrap. Meanwhile, curl connoisseurs will love John Lewis & Partners Easy Curls Hair Wand, which allows for different sized curls; the secret to the most believable, just-off-the-beach texture.

Finally, to fake freshly washed hair without having to go the whole nine yards, simply wash and dry your fringe (or the very front section of your hair if you don’t have one) before running Cloud Nine’s Micro Iron over it for a sleek re-style in a jiffy.

As a bone fide commitment-phobe anything with the word ‘permanent’ in it makes me feel a little jittery, apart from when it comes to hair removal that is.

Philips Lumea Prestige IPL Hair Remover is the Bentley of body hair blitzers using Intense Pulsed Light for up to 92% hair reduction in just three treatments and hair-free skin for up to six months following eight touch-ups. And for smooth skin on my face? A cleansing brush like Philips VisaPure Mini Facial Cleansing Brush has been instrumental in transforming my skincare regime. I always view cleansing as the cornerstone to healthy skin and this grime-fighting gadget promises six times better results versus traditional cleansing by hand.

If ‘him indoors’ (quite literally as the case may be in the current climate) has fallen out of whack with his grooming routine, help to get things back on track. To tame lockdown locks, Remington’s HC4250 QuickCut Hair Clipper is ideal for tiding him over. The buzzcut is, of course, the simplest option but requires nerves of steel while a ‘fade’ may be slightly more ambitious but, thanks to the nine user-friendly guide combs, wholly achievable (the trick is to sweep up and out). Just be sure to go by the less is more mantra; after all, it’s always possible to take off more…

If body hair is his bug-bear, the BabylissMEN 12-in-1 Japan Steel Multi Trimmer Blue is a multi-groomer whose Japanese steel blades offer a clean, sharp, trim. Or, for a spot of precision grooming, the equally versatile Philips S6650/48 Series 6000 Wet & Dry Electric Shaver will leave him perfectly prepared for those impromptu Zoom calls. The quick five-minute charge will provide enough power for one full shave.