Monday 31 March 2008

Madonna - Get The Look!


At 50 (well nearly!) Madonna is indeed still looking as fabulous as ever, pictured here in Berlin at her recent movie screening, she sports a very chic make-up look with a vintage edge. Over the last few years she has opted for a heavy liquid liner application on her top lash line, it's now become somewhat of a trademark & she is rarely seen on the red carpet without it.

Get the look!

Madonna has very distinctive almond shaped eyes which look great with heavy liner but the fantastic thing about the over all look is that you can fake it by elongating the eye at the edges with the liner.

1 - First start with a light but matt foundation & powder, try Chanel's Mat Lumiere Foundation.
2 - To begin defining the eyes take a base colour in a nude shade & build into the socket line with a deep brown for definition, apply the base colour over the lid & with a soft blending brush apply the brown with circular movements into the socket line (for best results, tilt your head up & look down slightly to apply shadow to the socket line), Try Dior's Duo Shadow '785 - Dior Ever' with a Nude Shade & Taupe Brown.
3 - The Top Lash Line is the most striking part of this look, applying this can be tricky but with a few tips it can easily be achieved. Use a Gel Liner which is easier to apply, Mac's Fluid Line in 'Black Track' is the best as it gives a matt finish. Begin with a shadow to draw a 'guide line', the shadow is better to use at first & can be corrected easier as it creates a softer line. Using a slanted defining brush use a black shadow & as close the the lashes as possible take the line from the inner corner to the outer, build heavily at the outer corner, just past the middle point of your eye, this will give more depth & shape to your eye, then trace a light line at the outside corner & flick outwards. Once you are happy with the shadow definition take a liquid liner brush & use the fluid line to go over the guide line, try to steady your hand by resting your elbow on a table, take this in stages & build over the shadow from the inner to the outer corner, the two should work together to give a defined & even finish where slight flaws in the line aren't noticeable.
4 - For the bottom Lash Line use the same brown as used for the socket line & take a light smokey line right the way along, blend softly with a cotton bud.
5 - Use a volume mascara to really define your lashes for, try Rimmel's 'Glam Eyes'.
6 - For the cheeks, use a light contouring shadow effect, taking your blusher brush sweep the colour across the apples (soft fleshy part of the cheek when you smile) & then blend under & up to give a defined finish, for this look try Bobbi Brown's blusher in 'Blushed', soft warm beige/pink with a slight shimmer.
7 - Keep the lips a neutral colour as the eyes do all the talking (!!), go for L'Oreal's Colour Riche Lipstick in 'Heather Shimmer'.

Saturday 29 March 2008

Clinique Bonus Time at Boots

Now's the time to treat yourself to some new Clinique goodies, on offer is a free gift worth over £40 which is specially selected by Cosmopolitan to include Spring's soft pink look for eye's & lips. Offer ends Sat 05/04.

Thursday 27 March 2008

10 Years Younger with Mangosteen!


One of the latest 'Super Foods', Mangosteen has recently been heralded as the best source for the most powerful anti-oxidants available in nature to help fight against the ageing battle!! It is rich is 'Xanthones' which have properties that will help repair cell damage from free radicals, slow the ageing process & it is also believed that they can help prevent cancer, heart disease as well as general physical & mental deterioration associated with ageing. As if that wasn't enough to convince you that mangosteen is defintely a huge plus for not only your beauty routine but over all health, Kate Moss has recently been using Mangosteen juice in her detox regime & has seen fantastic results with youthful glowing skin as well as helping her to give up smoking, her celeb friends have even been quoted as saying 'she hasn't looked this good since her 20's'!
Defintely worth a few sips, afterall it's what you put in to your body that counts the most with the fight against ageing, also look out for Acai Berries & Goji Berries which are also from the 'Super Food' family, here's some sources for Mangosteen Juice - www.superfooduk.com & www.naturaljuices.co.uk

Wednesday 26 March 2008

Benefit's Prettier Than The Bride - New Lippy!


Brand new from Benefit is their 'Prettier Than The Bride' Spring 08 Limited Edition Silky Finish Lipsticks, they can give a sheer finish or build up to a higher colour if required & are available in shades such as 'I do. I do. I do' & 'Bouquet Diver'!!
The rest of the new 'Love Your Look' range includes creaseless cream shadow/liner, silky powder shadow & cream blushers, check them out at www.benefitcosmetics.com, they're not out in the UK yet but if you can't wait for them to hit out counters Benefit offer free international shipping if you spend over $100 dollars, enter the promo code INTLSHIP at the checkout.

Tuesday 25 March 2008

Best Under Eye Concealers

Covering those dark circles can sometimes feel like a near impossible task, however I have found the top 3 under eye concealers that are used daily to cover up those tell tale sign circles!!!!
Topping the popularity Poll is YSL's 'Touche Eclat', it's been a favourite for many years & is still the most trusted cover up, it's light reflecting particles really lift the under eye area & detract any darkness, making those circles disappear!! Secondly is Benefit's 'Boi-ing' concealer to camouflage dark circles as well as their 'Ooh La Lift' which is a pink colour corrector which can go under or over your concealer, saying good bye to any darkness! Last but not least is Dior's Skinflash, again similar to Touche Eclat it has highly pigmented light reflecting particles that will bounce the light back creating a flawless finish.

Tips on how to Apply Under Eye Concealer

Apply your under eye concealer after your foundation, as applying foundation after wards can wipe away the concealer.
Take 3 dots from the inner corner to the outer & pat gently with your finger tips to blend.
Once initial concealer applied is evenly blended, apply a little more to your problem area & blend as above.
I like to use a Pink Colour Corrector mixed with a little cream concealer, pink counter acts grey & will disguise dark circles.
Finally ensure that the concealer is blended up to the lash line as well as with your foundation & set lightly with a little powder.

Have a look at the clip below, Tyra Banks carries out a Make-Up Lesson with her audience on how to apply concealer under your eyes.


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Friday 21 March 2008

Happy Easter from Clinique!!!!

For the Easter Weekend only Clinique are offering free delivery on any online purchases as well as your choice of 2 free samples at the check out, offer ends at 11:59 on Mon 24/03!!! (Enter the offer code 'easter08' at the check out - www.clinique.co.uk)

Also check out their new 24 hour mascara 'Lash Power Mascara Long Wearing Formula', a waterproof solution that will stand up to rain, sweat & even tears, but with one huge difference, it removes easily with warm water (!!!) - no more clumpy residue left on our lashes for days!!! Set to be a huge hit at the counters this spring, available now for £12.50

Thursday 20 March 2008

Spring Has Sprung - Fresh Cheeks With Mac!


Great for spring flushed cheeks, Mac's new Limited Edition 'Beauty Powder Blush' (£14), it has a very light shimmering effect on the skin with soft colour & a glowing sheen!
Also to add to this look, use their 'Strobe Cream' (£19.50), it looks amazing under your make-up giving an iridescent finish, it livens up your complexion & has a powerful blend of vitamins & green tea. I use this with clients all the time & it works wonders on all skin types giving a fantastic base for foundation & cheek colours.
A new addition to this range is the 'Strobe Liquid', which is their lighter weight version of the cream, again it helps to promote that radiant glow!

Finally another addition that is impossible to resist is the new Strobe Lip Conditioners (£10.50), they have the pearl finish qualities of the cream but with a flash of colour for the lips, great for moisture & also has SPF.

Tuesday 18 March 2008

Latest Make-Up Trends - Dark Lips


Rumoured to be the latest trend for our luscious lips is 'Black', a colour said to suit all, however I'm not too sure about it in this particular area of our face (Marilyn Manson may disagree of course!). Featured at the latest Giles Deacon show during London Fashion week, his models showed off the new Autumn/Winter Collection sporting this bold make-up look, set to be huge come Autumn this year.. If you're brave enough the best way to get this look is to opt for your favourite black eye shadow, firstly apply a lip balm to soften the lips, then using your black eye pencil (sounds scary I know!) line the lips as you would with your lip liner, fill in the lips by patting the shadow over the top with your lip brush, finish with some clear gloss to give it some sparkle!
Another version of this look was shown during the YSL show as well, which was a deep purple stain, for a more wearable version of this try Mac's Lip Tint in 'Plum Perfect'.
Also on the more 'wearable' subject, Chloe's latest collection for the new season is back to very girlie 'boho chic' which is making a huge comeback on the highstreet, the make-up to tie in with this had a natural finish but with a contoured edge to it as well, soft brown eyeshadow but well defined on the lash lines & lightly bronzed cheeks to shape the face with deep plum lips to finish, Try Mac's Lipstick 'Sheer Plum'.
Dark lips are defintely on the up this year & it's a trend to watch out for, of course not many people are bold enough to take to the streets with black lips, but it's all about adapting it for yourself & making it a wearable look, my tip is to defintely opt for the deep plums!

Monday 17 March 2008

Early Summer Glow - Benefit's 'Talk To The Tan'


Just out in the US is Benefit's brand new facial instant self-tanning product 'Talk To The Tan', just like it's sister product 'Jiffy Tan' it is a temporary tint that gives an even & natural sun kissed glow to the skin. Easy to apply & streak free, it stays on until you wash it off & remove with cleanser, not available in the Uk yet, but if you can't wait you can bag one of these over the web at www.benefitcosmetics.com!

Sunday 16 March 2008

Bridal Beauty - Make-Up Tips From Chanel

I came across this very useful Video from Conde Nast & Chanel on Bridal make-up, for those of you who are going it alone make-wise for the big day it has some essential tips - defintely worth a peek!!!

Thursday 13 March 2008

Snake Venom Is The New Botox


Move over Botox, Snake Venom is the new anti-aging craze to sweep America & now available in the UK it is set to become just as popular. The main ingrediant is 'Syn-ake' which mimics the paralysing effects of snake venom in order to smooth out wrinkles, similar to Botox it blocks the neuromuscular contractions that cause tension in the facial muscles, when these are frozen the wrinkles are then reduced. The best thing about this formula is that it is a cream so no needles required!!!! There are a few products on the market here in the UK, firstly there is 'Syence Skin Venom - Memory Cream', this one was a sell out in the US, although it has quite a hefty price tag at £180! Another cream that is availalble in the UK now is Planet SkinCare at £44.95, picture above. (www.planetskincare.co.uk).

Wednesday 12 March 2008

Victoria Beckham On The Front Cover Of Vogue


Creating quite a buzz this week is the new front cover of Vogue, featuring Victoria Beckham & it certainly is 'bling' personified as she is quite literally dripping with diamonds, right down to her sparkling eyeshadow! The 12 page article includes a photoshoot with top photographer Nick Knight, with many pictures from the shoot taking on a 1940's feel, further inspiration for this season's vintage glamour. Victoria described her shoot with Vogue as the most exciting day of her life & it has been a life long ambition to appear on the front cover - definitely helping to secure her aspiring fashionista status!

Check out the video clip below of the shoot -



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Dress like the stars with Goddiva

Monday 10 March 2008

Body Shop - Passion Fruit Body Butter


Probably one of the most famous products from the Body Shop, their Body Butter is pretty much world renowned for it's first class moisturising effects! Easily & quickly absorbed into the skin leaving it feeling soft, smooth & conditioned for up to 24 hours which helps to prevent any dryness. As well as winning many 'Cosmopolitan Beauty Awards' recent reviews have given this one a fabulous 5/5 score - the Passion Fruit scent makes it good enough to eat & lasts really well too as well as leaving your skin baby soft!
Also try their new Body Butter in Japanese Cherry Blossom, as recommended by Vogue!
Body Butter 200ml - £12 & 50Ml - £5

Friday 7 March 2008

Eyelashes Galore!


Natalie Portman at her latest Film Premier for The Other Boleyn Girl, sporting glamorous lashes and of course these are not through the aid of Mascara alone but are perfectly formed & beautifully placed lash strips that give her eyes this striking finish. Try Mac's 12 Lash (£7.50) as they give a fantastic dramatic look & are easy to apply or if you fancy going a step further why not opt for Semi Permanent Lash Extensions, these give you fuller lashes with added volume and will last for up to 2 months! The treatment normally takes around 1-1.5 hours & individual eyelash extensions are bonded and blended into your existing lashes one by one, this creates extra length and volume which will feel just like your own lashes! No maintenance is required (although using oil based eye make-up removers & waterproof mascara is best avoided), top-ups/refills are also offered to keep your lashes looking voluptuous. The extenions are only applied by trained professionals obviously & as the demand is growing more & more salons are offering this service, have a look at Xtreme Lashes for more information as their directory of therapists are available nationwide - www.xtremelashes.uk.com. Only slight down side to having this done is that the treatments can be expensive & range between £70 up to around £300.

While we're on the of eyelashes why not try Rimmell's latest ofering on the Mascara front, brand new Glam'Eyes, it promises to give you lashes that are 10x fuller & 80% longer, defintely worth a shot!

Dress like the stars with Goddiva

Mac Paint Pots


Try Mac's new Paint Pots (£12), another version of the Mac Paints this fabulous formula is easy to paint onto the eye with no creasing & gives a smooth long lasting finsh as well as intense colour. The other great thing about it is that it can be mixed with the mac shadows & liners, available in a range of different colours in matt & pearl finishes.

Thursday 6 March 2008

Best Long Lasting Foundation - Revlon Colorstay


This week I went on the look out for the best long lasting foundation & this one defintely came up trumps as the most widely used foundation for staying power!
There are 2 types, one for Combination/Oily Skin & another for Normal/Dry Skin (11.99), it has their secret ingrediant 'Softflex' which keeps it light on the skin as well as looking freshly applied for 16 hours, so after applying in the morning it should survive all the at the office as well as a trip to the gym!

New to the range is the Colorstay Mineral Foundation (12.99), again it's lightweight with a flawless finish & is a loose powder foundation, said to be great for your skin!

Wednesday 5 March 2008

Promoting 'Real Beauty'

This is one of the many Dove Campaigns to promote 'Real Beauty', it has been so refreshing to see a large cosmetic brand doing it's bit to stamp out the media's perception of what is beautiful - manufactured, buffed & polished unachievable beauty, to the point none of us would even want to look in the mirror again for fearing we could never live up to these unrealistic & not to mention false standards..?!



The above film shows the real story behind the billboards, we've all heard before that ad pictures are airbrushed although to see it performed before your very eyes just goes to show how real 'false' beauty actually is!
I've always believed in making the most of what you have, we can't all love what we see in the mirror everyday of life & there will always be photos of ourselves we want tear up, but it's how we feel about what we have that matters as well as learning that perfection does not exist & if even it did, would it be good enough for us anyway!?

Saturday 1 March 2008

Latest Looks - Bold Eyebrows, Coral Lipstick & Orange Nail Varnish


Bold Eyebrows, Coral Lips & Orange Nails are three of the hottest looks of the moment, firstly bold eyebrows - Sienna Miller 'boldly' sported this look back in September last year which caused quite a stir, even making it to the front cover of Vogue. To get this look ensure your brows are well shaped with no stray hairs (bold does not mean bushy, nor does it mean monobrow!!), one way to give yourself an instant bolder look is to take some eyeshadow closest to your own natural colour & with a slanted eye brush (Try Mac's Small Angled Brow Brush - £13) define & deepen your brows, then take a brow comb through them afterwards to soften the finish.

Coral lips have featured a lot this week & it is most definitely the colour of the moment, the buzz started after it featured during London Fashion Week, Revlon's 'Kiss Me' Coral shade was brought out from the archives for the Roksanda Ilincic show & was such a hit Revlon have now brought it back out for sale!! (Limited Edition - £7.49)

Dark nails have been all the rage for quite some time but this season lighten up with Orange nail polish which is the latest lacquer obsession, neon colours are set to dominate for quite some time to come! Try Nails Inc -'Hans Place' (£9.50)