Celebrity Bobs!

The classic bob is defintely here to stay for the time being with more & more celebrities sporting their sleek cuts this season! Eva Longoria unveiled her new look last week & after speculation as to whether it was a take on her close friend Victoria Beckham's 'do' it turns out that it is purely down to filming requirments, regardless it's defintely a look that suits!
This seasons bob takes a new longer length though with a relaxed side fringe, sported by Reese Witherspoon in LA as well as recently shaped in by Lily Allen.
Any bob requires a sleek finish & the new GHD Pure Limited Edition are a must have for styling your look to perfection (£135). Buy at HQhair

Nars - New Fall Collection

Nars have just released their fall collection with warm washes of gold & rose, the collection includes eye shadow duos, blushers, nail polish as well as lipstick & gloss. One that is sure to be a huge hit on the counters this coming season is their new 'Beautiful Liar' Sheer Lipstick (£17) which is a warm spiced coral, it gives a light finish with a splash of colour, definitely right on trend as this year's hottest colour!

By Nars Online at - HQhair

Trend Setters - Latest Make-Up Looks!

Here's a few sneaky peeks at the latest trends coming up this autumn...! Bright lips are still all the rage but rather than staying matte as pictured here they're sparkling with shiny gloss - patent all the way! Coral is still a huge hit since it appeared on the red carpet at the end of last year & Max Factor have a great shade out just now 'Bewitching Coral' (£6.99), match this up with some clear gloss to bring it right up to date, go for Mac's Clear LipGlass (£9.50) for a lasting perfect shine! For the brave fashionistas black is a very hot colour to sport, however I'd prefer to stick to the deep burgundies & plums to create this look, which will also be very high on the trend setter's lists! An important point to note with bold lips is definitely play it down with the eyeshadow, go for a wash of shimmer in a nude/neutral shade, try out Mac's Pigment in 'Naked' (£15) & line the inner rims of the bottom lash lines with white kohl to make them really stand out!! (pictured above as well)
Oriental themes have been making a splash on the catwalk of late & Geisha make-up looks are very in as well, go for a subtle take on this by concentrating the deeper colour on the centre part of your lips with the light on the outer edge, also accentuate the bow of the lip with some clear gloss.
Even though eyes are very nude & sheer this coming season Brows are bold & a little masculine as seen in this picture, not quite Frida Kahlo fortunately, but only with a slight boyish edge to make them stand out & frame the eyes.

New from Mac - Mineralize Eye Shadow

With the world going mineral crazy Mac have launched their new Mineral Eye Shadows, these are contained in a large compact with duo shades. One shadow is a mixture of 3 colours, almost as a marble effect & then the other in a complementary solid shade.
They give a beautiful fresh shimmer wash of colour across the lids that make them perfect for summer!
12.50 Each at Mac Counters.

New Make-Up Concept - Easy Looks

This great new concept for make-up allows you to try out a complete new look without buying full size products, each pack contains small 'bubbles' of colour that are profesionally formulated & designed by make-up artists so they are easy to apply & blend.

The strips are pocket sized & the one-shot colours are applied with the finger tips to create the specific look you would like to go for, there are 5 in total - Sunkissed, Electric, Smokey Eyes, Silver Grace and Shimmer & Glow. Instructions on how to create the looks are within each pack & they advise on how to apply the make-up, each one has 2 foundations, highlighter, eyeshadow & lip colour.
Perfect for packing away on holiday as well as for touch ups or quickly getting ready at the office for a night out! £9.95 each at www.beautyexpert.co.uk

Shower Your Way to Softer Skin!

Imperial Leather have just launched their fantastic new shower wash range 'Skin Bliss' to create softer skin within a week by simply adding it to your daily shower routine! It works by using their own unique 'MoistureLock' system, this basically locks in moisture while cleansing the skin without stripping any natural oils as the skin will seal in it's own natural moisture. It contains 50% moisturising ingredients & tests have proven that it increases the skin's hydration, it's elasticity as well as stimulating lipid production naturally.
I have been testing them out over the last week & not only do they smell great they really do work, I can certainly say I now have baby soft skin with not a dry patch in sight! In fact they have locked in enough moisture that I haven't felt the need to use my normal body cream over the few days, also I have found that my self tanner just glides over my skin blending very easily. So definitely a must have for soft & beautiful smooth skin this summer!
Available in three fragrances; Glow, Cocoon and Renew, all with natural extracts - £2.48.

Back By Popular Demand - Cinique Self Tanner Mouse

Clinique have brought back their Quick Bronze Tinted Self-Tanner Mouse to counters everywhere for summer 2008! The fabulous mouse is creamy & light weight which absorbs quickly on the skin to create an even tan, the colour shows instantly so you can blend easily without streaking, it is also long lasting & will gradually fade away evenly. Also suitable for dry skins too. (£15)
Plus buy any product On Line this week & receive a free pair of Clinique Flip Flops for your holidays!! (Available until 26/07)

Tri-Aktiline Deep Wrinkle Filler - Alternative to Botox?

With Botox, Collagen Fillers as well as the new celeb treatment 'Juvederm' (line filling injections) becoming the latest beauty must-haves, it is no surprise that since it's launch in the UK this year, wrinkle filling serum Tri-Aktline has been a huge hit as well as a growing obsession...!
According to it's science it works in 3 ways, firstly with plant extract 'Gatuline' which relaxes facial tension & reduces expression lines, plus seaweed extract 'Kombuchka' which helps to plump out & smooth the appearance of wrinkles, then finally 'Argireline' that stimulates collagen production in the skin. Their tests also showed that after 4 weeks 83% of users noticed a visible improvement in the appearance of wrinkles with some even noticing instant effects in certain areas.
After looking at feedback from users who have been trying it over the last few months, most have had postive results, some saying that as soon as it was applied they could see an improvement to certain lines & others noticing a smoother appearance to their skin with wrinkles decreasing after a few weeks of use. Most people who have used Botox before did find some similar effects with a smooth appearance near the eyes & mouth, although the results are not as effective as injections themselves, but if using the cream everyday lines & wrinkles will improve & stay away, great news for needle-phobes! One down side though is that the consistancy is a little thick & can be difficult to apply, also you cannot use it under make-up as it won't blend very well. Still over all a good product & certainly cheaper than botox! Available from Boots - £24.99.

Brand New - Simple Radiance Wipes.

Just out from Simple are their new Daily Radiance Cleansing Wipes, Simple wipes are always gentle on the skin & an excellent quick step to removing make-up, however this new addition also contains light reflecting particles which gives a radiant & brightening boost to the skin! £3.99

Perfect Summer Pout!

For the perfect pink pout that is all the rage this summer try out Paul & Joe's new Sparkles Collection in Sakura Bonbon, a pretty sugar pink with a light coverage to create a natural finish as well as having a moisturising formula to keep your lips & soft & luscious all summer!!
Also prime your pout to perfection before applying your lippy with Benefit's Dr Feelgood Lipscription, this is a buffer with lips beads to ensure any dry skin is removed then a lip balm to finish off & soften as well as protect.
Both Available On Line At HQhair

Summer Skin - Receive A Free Nivea Q10 Sunkissed Day Cream!

Help us review Nivea's Anti-Wrinkle Q10 Sunkissed range, this is their day cream to combat the signs of ageing as well as sun damage with SPF15, but now with self tan to build a gradual sunkissed glow - what more could you ask for! We have 20 full sized tubes to give away for our readers to sample, all we ask is that you tell us in a few words what you thought of it & we can let everybody know how effective it really is when creating that all important summer glow!
Simply send your name & address to eyecandyblog@googlemail.com & say whether you woud like a 'Light' or Medium' Sunkissed Moisturiser & we'll get your freebie off to you! (UK Only).

Nivea Visage Q10 Plus Day Cream - Review

All week I have putting Nivea Visage Anti-Wrinkle Q10 Plus Light Day Cream (quite a mouth full!) to the test to see if does indeed live up to it's wrinkle bashing claims! The science behind the product is that it encourages the skin's metabolism through the aid of coenzyme Q10 & also protects against further ageing of the skin with improved UVA protection (SPF15). The claims are that fine lines are visibly reduced within hours, expression winkles reduced in 3 weeks & even deeper wrinkles are reduced after 4 weeks - too good to be true.....?!
After my first application I kept a close eye out for significant reductions in my fine lines (unfortunately I have a few these days...), first impressions of the cream though is that it is indeed very 'light' & as with most Nivea products it smells great, it is smooth to apply & feels fantastic on the skin leaving a really fresh clean feeling. Also it's gentle on the skin, as I find that some anti-wrinkle creams tend to sting at times on application especially near the eye area, of course you should always apply a separate eye gel/cream but your over all moisturiser does come into contact with this delicate part of the skin, but this cream feels cooling & smooth even just under the eye. Being non greasy & easily absorbed makes it a great base for applying your make-up as well, I noticed that my skin had an instant fresher appearance with my foundation looking even & natural when applied over the moisturiser which is a huge plus!
Of course most importantly, am I wrinkle free....?! Well recently I have noticed a very unwelcome fine line (becoming more wrinkle like every week!) near the top of my forehead, however after using Q10 Plus this week it has reduced significantly, most noticeably today which is the 5th day of using the cream. I have to say I'm very surprised, I was expecting a small difference with some fine lines which I have of course (although not within hours) & the few fine lines that were there are now virtually invisible, but the stubborn line on my forehead I was not expecting to disappear so quickly (I thought Botox would be the only answer!), so over all I am very very happy!!! I'll most certainly be continuing it's use as I've been surprised with the results, I would say it's an all round preventative product as well as repairing damage that is already there, however one thing to remember with all anti-ageing products is that you have to keep up the routine with them to see significant effects long term. Nivea Visage normally retails at £6.79.

Benefit's You Rebel now in 'Lite'

Defintely a summer must for pale skins is Benefit's 'You Rebel Lite' tinted moisturiser, it gives just the perfect light hint of colour to give you a subtle sunkissed glow! With an excellent smooth application, plus SPF 15 as well as antioxidants it will keep your skin fresh & beautiful all summer! Available at Benefit counters now £19.50.

A Girlie Girl's Guide to Surviving T In The Park!

Last week I covered festival glamour & how to look your beauty best while stuck out in a muddy field, which the likes of Kate Moss & Kelly Osbourne managed to do so well at Glastonbury....however this week it's truly about getting by without wanting to run home crying to your nice warm shower by Saturday night!!!!
Most of us girlie's like to smell nice, feel nice (i.e clean!) & look pretty damn hot effortlessly, so how do you achieve this when camping for three days on the trot...??!!!

Well first of all pack the essentials, such as baby wipes, excellent for a quick all over rub down to get rid of muck as well as the memory of the poratloos from your skin! Boots do great travel wipes as well in handy packs so stock up on them plus some antibacterial hand wash, also available at boots. Get yourself some three in one face wipes with eye make-up remover, cleanser & toner for getting rid of any make-up, food or dirt (Johnsons 3 in 1 face Wipes - £2.99), plus a rich moisturiser with UV Filters (Simple Replenishing Moisturiser - £3.28). Take an all in one shower gel/shampoo (Radox Refresh Shower Gel & Shampoo - £1.69) & get to the showers early doors, but if the hangover holds you back on that one wait until a popular band is on stage (one you don't want to see though!) & get to the showers then, you're less likely to be queueing, it may feel like a bit a trek but if you haven't showered in over 48hrs it will be a god send! Obviously if the showers are too hard to get to then your wipes will come in handy but also try some dry shampoo on your hair (Batiste Dry Shampoo, £1.39), at least it'll feel non greasy & a bit fresher! Take two small towels as well for washing, plus two face flannels (one for your face & one for your body), even wetting this with bottled water & giving your face a good wash if you can't get near the showers is better than just face wipes alone, not forgetting the other to wipe yourself down as well after a hard days work at the festival!

Always wear layers & carry a PVC poncho for any unwanted rain fall, also avoid flip flops or any open toes even if the weather is great, toes get stood on, not forgetting any mud that you can find yourself well & truly stuck in (believe me I've been there!!), closed toes with comfort at all times & wellies really are a style item at T in the Park!
It kind of goes without saying, but don't take any expensive items with you & pack as light as you can making sure you have a change of clothes if it starts raining. Of course plenty of body spray & deodorant can help when not showering for some time so make sure you have some nice scents with you! Also be safe in the sun & pack some sunscreen, at least SPF15.

Finally, something for the gents to keep a look out for is the 'Philips Soundshaves VW Camper Van' that will be at this years festival, the stylists will be cruising around the campsite offering their 'Razor Sharp Style & Soundtracked Stylin' with Hair Trims, Face Shaves as well as Facial Hair Styling, so keep your eyes peeled and/or ears open...!!!

Summer Make-Up Trends & Tips!

Here's some great advice on applying summer make-up for day time into the evening, very simple & easy to folow, perfect for your summer holiday make-up routine!




Here's the round up for Mac Summer make-up trends, everything from neon & electric bright colours to washes of gold & silver as well as nudes & natural finshes.

Top Three EyeLiners

This week I have been on the look out for the best eyeliner, one that stays put without smudging & running as well as creating a soft but defined finish. There were three definte top products out there that came up trumps in recent polls carried out, in first place was Mary Kay Eyeliner (£9.75) with most users voting it as their favourite product, it has a creamy formula that makes it easy to apply with a soft finish & is also waterproof which is defintely a huge plus! In second place is Mac Eye Kohl Pencils (£11), the favourite shade being in Smoulder (black), the colour is easy & smooth to apply with a light pearl finish, also long lasting. Finally in third place of the top eyeliners is Maybelline's Expert Eyes (£4.99), again the pencils were soft & easy to use with the finish lasting really well too.

EyeShadow Tips

Here's some great tips I came across for creating a fabulous brown eyeshadow look - Enjoy!

Latest Trend - Grey EyeShadows

The latest look from the catwalks is all about soft shades of greys as well as warm washes of gold, Maybelline's Expertwear Eyeshadow Trio in Vintage Grey (£5.99) is pefect for creating this look. Their celebrity make-up artist Fiona Jolly recommends blending the medium shade into the socket with the lighter shade into the brow bone, then the darkest into the outer corner of the eyes & under the bottom lash line.
My tip for soft beachwear shadow with this look is is to mix the medium & lighest shades, then gently sweep across the full lid (focusing the lighter shade at the brow), it will give a wash of colour that looks fresh & simple with some added sparkle! Go for a grey eye pencil with this look as well to keep everything soft, try out their LineDefiner in Silver Dazzle (4.99), it's smudge free so is great for wearing on the beach!

Brand New - Clinique Long Last Glosswear - Review

Clinique have just launched their brand new lip gloss, Long Last Glosswear SPF15, it claims to last up to 8hrs - fantastic or too good to be true....???!!!!!!
Well after looking at recent polls it appears it isn't too good to be true after all, some users found that it stayed put for at least 4 hours, not as much as claimed but still pretty good, as well as many others finding it actually lasted all day. The colours are subtle (18 shades available) & create a lovely glisten that sparkles on the lips, it doesn't feel too sticky on application either like some long lasting glosses, also the added bonus of SPF15 was found to be huge plus as well as the gloss conditioning the lips keeping them soft & moisturised. Over all a great product & definitely worth investing in for the holiday make-up bag this summer! Available now from Clinique Counters - £12.50

Festival Season Glamour - Top Tips!

With the festival season in full swing after Glastonbury last weekend & the eagerly awaited T In The Park coming up in less than a fortnight here's a few tips for keeping it chic in your muddy wellies!!! Kelly Osbourne definitely did it in style at Glastonbury this year & looks fantastic with her slick hair, rosy cheeks & cute glasses!
Always keep your make-up low maintenance & natural, opt for a tinted moisturiser to give you a light coverage with a healthy glow (go for No7's Soft & Sheer Tinted Moisturiser - £9.50). Keep the eyes bare apart from lashings of waterproof mascara to make them stand out (definitely try Clinique's Lash Power mascara, it's last up to 24hrs without running or smudging in rain or humidity - £12.50), for cheeks keep it subtle with a cream blusher it's easy to apply & gives a glowing finish (get Mac's cream blush, it lasts really well - £14) & try moisturising lip gloss to keep your lips luscious & kissable (Maybelline's 'Shiny-Liscious' goes on like lip balm & tastes amazing - £3.99)!! Also don't forget the sunscreen, even if the weather isn't holding out as well as it should, being in such an exposed area all weekend can leave you a bit weather beaten & only the slightest sun with all the breezy gusts can have you looking more lobster-like than festival gorgeous!!! Another few must haves are travel sized packs of wet wipes to have in your pocket, body spray & for the hygiene conscious a small travel size hand cleanser (those portaloos are not to be trusted!!!!). Finally make sure you have a great pair of sunglasses to finish the look & get your hair back with a hair band & tie it up, plus don't forget the wellies (they go with everything!!!)