LFW AW12: favourite beauty looks

With Milan preparing for the last few days of shows and the beauty editors eagerly anticipating what Paris may have in store for them I thought I’d take share with you some of my favourite beauty looks from London Fashion Week...

First up: Micahel Van Der Ham with gold leaf eyes, a pretty feline flick and tumbling glossy 40s waves. The gold leaf is highly un-wearable and looks tricky to get right; for that reason I want to experiment with it so much more. But perhaps I’ll wait until the autumn, this is definitely a look for a glamour filled, champagne sipping chilly AW evening.

Next: I loved Moschino Cheap And Chic glittering and sparkling pink lips. They are such fun and give the appearance of having just kissed a tub of sherbet; sugary sweet and delicious.

I also loved: Erdem neon tweed and traditional tailoring teamed with a Charles Worthington bow-tail. The perfect pairing of structure and pretty; a black bow in my hair is a look accessible enough for everyday.

Finally: Roksanda Ilincic grunge bun, dewy skin and smoky eyes. Super sexy, elegant and feminine.

Disastrously one of the key trends to emerge from New York and London Fashion Week was the bare-faced beauty: she sports simple eyes, taupe and beiges colours and not a scrape of mascara. I look a little bit ill without mascara so this is one trend I will not be embracing. As seen at Carolina Herrera, NYFW. 

 

Daniel Galvin: 50% off Romantic Waves Valentines Treat

As a super special Valentines treat London salon Daniel Galvin is offering 50% off the Romantic Waves style all day tomorrow, 14 February.

Ask for a Sienna? 

Or maybe a Lauren Bacall?

I’ve been lucky enough to attend the ultra gorgeous, brand new Daniel Galvin salon in the Corinthia Hotel for a glossy blow-dry and breakfast and I can assure you its completely fabulous. So tell your boss you've got an emergency doctors appointment and head down to the salon for the ultimate burst of feel good endorphin's with these glossy, glamorous 40s waves.

Bliss Fabulips: guide to kissable and beautiful lips

Do you have plans for Valentine’s day? I’ve managed to persuade my boyfriend to take me to “the best steak restaurant in London”, the Hawksmoor. I not-so-subtly hinted by emailing him the link to the website, the time I would like to go and the bottle wine that would match my steak perfectly. I do feel he owes me though; his idea of romance is 50% off in Pizza Express! So I guess I should do my bit by making sure my pout is so primed and puckered  Angeline Jolie will be jealous! 

Mirror mirror on the wall? Who is the poutiest of them all? All hail Princess Pout, Angelina Jolie

And just in time Caroline Frazer, the Simple Skincare Expert and Celebrity Make-Up Artist, has devised the ultimate step by step guide to luscious lips, some of which are so fab I couldn't help but include for you:

“Perfecting our base is the first step for achieving smooth lips. Start by gently exfoliating your lips with a clean, dry toothbrush to remove dead skin cells and encourage circulation.”

“Next apply a lip balm to hydrate and create a smooth base for applying lipstick. Follow by choosing a lip liner that is one shade darker that your lipstick and apply carefully to create subtle definition and a strong foundation for your colour.”

“Finally apply your lipstick or gloss. My top tip for achieving a full plump pout is to go for a pale nude or pink toned lip gloss or lipstick with a subtle shimmer finish as this reflects light and gives the illusion of fuller lips. Finish off with just a tiny dab of illuminator or radiance cream to the cupids bow for extra definition.” 

And with those tips in mind I set about experimenting with the new Bliss Fabulips set with enthusiasm. The set is super cute, if a bit expensive at £39, and promises to bring, “some much needed TLC to your kisser”. 

Bliss Fabulips set

Step one is a bubbling foam that lifts dirt and removes lipstick. Apply using your ring finger, wait for 30 seconds then rinse off. It absolutely did remove my lipstick however I wasn’t prepared for the odd taste – it’s very sickly sweet, just make sure you don’t swallow! Step two, three and four involve exfoliating, plumping and moisturising. I devoted an indulgent ten minutes for pure lip pampering with lovely results: my lips felt smooth, soft and cared for.

Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula Night Renewal Cream

I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect night cream for a while and I think I may have found it. After a press release arrived in my inbox two weeks ago followed by a gorgeous little sample, I’ve been using Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula Night Renewal Cream and I’m very impressed. At just £6.95 it is fantastically affordable but feels very luxurious. 

If you're familiar with Palmers you may agree with me that the defining USP is the products distinctive cocoa butter scent and the night cream does not disappointment, so much so my boyfriend even commented, “I can’t believe it, your face cream actually smells good!”... (last time I share my moisturisers/shampoo/general grooming products with him!) 

Palmers night cream is thick, creamy and works wonders for my winter weather beaten face. My skin is sensitive and sometimes feels tight or dry but Palmers is soothing and very hydrating. The cream contains anti-ageing peptides and retinol which promise to plump skin and help reduce wrinkles. Fortunately anti-ageing properties are not top of my skincare priorities right now but it’s good to know that such a deliciously nourishing face cream can benefit my skin in so many ways.

Have you tried it?

The George at Asda make-over

A package arrived this week and out spilled some of the gorgeous cosmetics from the George at Asda range, courtesy of the George PR team, so I decided to set myself the George at Asda make-over challenge...

Step one: The nothing-but-moisturiser-not-so-pretty-on-a-Sunday-morning blank canvas

Step two: Apply George Face Primer and George Under Eye Concealer

I started with the creamy, fluffy and a little bit sticky primer followed by generous dollops of the YSL Touche Eclat style concealer. Touche Eclat is one of my favourite beauty products; I rarely leave the house without mine stashed in my handbag. It's essential for quick bursts of nude coloured iridescence my cheek or brow bone, or as a light-reflecting concealer under my eyes. George's version looks exactly the same, however the consistency is thick, creamy and harder to blend; it is much more suited to the role of concealer than highlighter

Concealer applied under my eyes and along my nose

Step three: George Shimmer Me! Brush-On Powder applied using a mineral foundation brush to my full face, then applied to my eyes using an eye shadow brush

Step four: George Faux Lash False Lash Effect mascara, followed by George Blush, No.2 Peachy, finished with one last dusting of George Shimmer Me! Brush-On Powder. 

The mascara creates statement, stand out, long lashes however it does take 30 seconds to dry and did smudge a little

Step five: ask long suffering but very kindly obliging boyfriend to take one last photo! The George at Asda make-over is complete!

The range is available in large Asda stores; I've found it hard to track down recent prices online however from reading other blog posts I'm assured the range is very affordable. My favourite product is the George Under-Eye Concealer as the coverage is fantastic and the colour perfect for my skin tone. I recommend locating an Asda store and treating yourself to something from the range.

Have you tried any of the products?

Miss Piggy and MAC

I like to blog an honest product review or tell you about a beauty experience I’ve had but just this once I have to share the details of a delightful press release I received this week... Miss Piggy and MAC have collaborated.

A limited edition, online-only collection goes on sale on the 1^st February. The Miss Piggy range contains a frosted pink eye shadow, £11.50, a black felt tip eye liner, £14.00, and dramatic false lashes, £10.00. The collection is loveable, feisty and fabulous and celebrates the release of the new Muppets movie on 10^th February.

Miss Piggy is glamour personified; I just adore her brash, bossy and bold attitude. She’s dripping in diamonds and feather boas but also packs a mean punch. Nobody messes with Miss Piggy. In the MAC publicity shot Miss Piggy has gone for a dark elfin crop and appears to me to be channelling sixties chic. You must agree, the sugary sweet pink eye shadow teamed with defined, dramatic painted on lashes is pure Twiggy.  

Miss Piggy and Twiggy! Spot the difference!

But don’t let the make-up fool you, Miss Piggy’s metallic gold, shoulder padded, belted trench screams seventies power-woman. She is head to toe fabulous. I cannot wait to purchase a product from the collection; I think the lashes have my vote...!

Available from www.maccosmetics.co.uk

Any brand/celebrity/Muppet collaborations you particularly like at the moment?

The not-so-Everlasting Manicure from Urban Retreat, Harrods

2011 was the year of The Statement Nail. Cracked-effect and magnetic nails from Barry M, OPI and Nails Inc became the essential accessory of every beauty blogger; Kelly Rowland flashed an intricately designed talon every Saturday night; and the beauty pages were filled with how-to guides on creating zebra print and lace effect nails at home. 

So when I received a voucher for Urban Retreat at Harrods, I chose the Everlasting (gel polish) Manicure, £55. Inspired by a nail feature in Look magazine, I opted for a French manicure style shocking pink nails finished with glittering gold tips. I was expecting outstanding results from Harrods, especially at a cost of £55 but sadly I was disappointed. Urban Retreat felt more express nail bar than luxury salon; the manicurist was friendly but I felt I was burdening her when I asked for a glass of water, which arrived in a tiny paper cup. 

 The not-as-glam-as-you-think Urban Retreat, Harrods

I was surprised when she started by painting my entire nail in the shocking pink, I expected her to start with the gold tip, and then paint the pink polish, just as a French manicure. After the pink was dry the manicurist layered the gold, in a very thin strip, directly on top. Immediately I could tell that the gold was not a strong enough colour – it was completely overpowered by the pink underneath. The gold looked muted, not the stand-out flash of glitter I was hoping for. Forty five minutes and £55 later, my nails looked good, but I wasn’t blown away. 

The manicure stayed perfect for the next seven days but on the eighth day amid a badly timed flat move (I scrubbed the oven, unpicked parcel tape and washed countless dishes... all without gloves) my nails started to chip. Unfortunately, they didn’t just chip in small chunks but in long strips - the layered gold tips began to peel off completely! Again, I was disappointed as I felt the manicurist should have recognized that by layering strips of gold polish onto the pink she was creating an uneven surface that was likely to peel off. 

Four weeks on I have one nail left standing – my thumb! I think it’s time for me to remove the polish from the rest of my nails! 

I would definitely get a gel manicure again; I loved having practically perfect nails for seven days straight. However I wouldn’t get them done at Harrods. For £55 I expect an excellent service, not an express nail bar environment, bad advice and colours that peeled off. 

And for those that don’t know... a gel manicure is a gel like substance, applied like normal polish but dried under an ultra-violet light. The gel polish isn’t damaging to nails in anyway and the polish stays chip free, shiny and perfect for two weeks or more. 

Have you had a gel polish before? What did you think of the results? Can anyone recommend a great, but affordable gel nail bar in London?

A very happy 2012 to our readers & some wise words from Christian Dior

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and a fun New Year? I arrived at home in Scotland on the 22nd December and began the kind of hibernation only acceptable at Christmas time. I ate too much, I sampled the delights of many bottles of red wine and I slept for ten hours a day. I didn't blog and I barely tweeted. I dragged my boyfriend on long walks through the Scottish countryside. It was perfect. 

I'm now en route to London to reconnect with work and reality. My bag is full of beautiful Christmas presents (I will blog my favourite beauty prezzies!) and my waistline is an inch or two wider (oversized boyfriend shirt anyone?) and I'm feeling rested, relaxed and recharged. This year I plan to work hard (a promotion would be nice!) blog & engage with bloggers, have fun, choose happiness, (in the words of Little Mix) be myself, and finally (Mr Dior would be proud) channel my inner zesty-ness at all times. 

"Zest is the secret of all beauty. There is no beauty that is attractive without zest." Christian Dior

Sarah x

Stylist Skincare Awards Reader Event & Clarins All About Lips gift set

I’m mad about Stylist. I demonstrate my level of dedication to the free weekly magazine every Wednesday morning when I take a five minute detour on my commute just to pick one up.

 Stylist magazine, one of my favourite covers!

I'm also mad about beauty. So you can imagine how eager I was to purchase the £10 ticket to attend the “Stylist Skincare Awards – Exclusive Reader Event” at Harvey Nicks, Knightsbridge on Thursday evening. At the event I was astounded by the sheer depth of knowledge possessed by beauty editor Joanna McGarry on all things beauty and skincare. During a question and answer session women fervently quizzed Jo on their skin problems:

“I suffer from adult acne, but also have dry skin, what product do you recommend I use?” or, “Sometimes I experience large, uncomfortable spots when I use certain brands. What products do you think are best for my skin?”

Jo provided candid and educated answers sounding at times like a qualified dermatologist. 

One of the highlights of the evening was when, following Jo’s presentation, a few glasses of champagne and a mini chocolate cupcake (or three), I took a leisurely stroll through the glistening, gorgeous aisles of Harvey Nicks beauty department to buy something lovely (the ticket was redeemable against purchases!). 

After sampling almost everything the Clarins All About Lips gift set caught my eye. 

The set contains two Natural Lip Perfectors (one in nude, the other in peachy pink); two Colour Quench Lip Balm (one in gold, the other rich pink); and the cutest gold pencil case make-up bag. This little gem is a limited edition gift set for £17, ideal for Christmas gifts, or in this case, “I-just-couldn’t-resist-and-definitely-deserve-it” present for myself.  

The Natural Lip Protector is a fabulous hybrid product – part lip balm, part lip tint. Infused with shea butter, mango, Vitamin A and E it is moisturising, protective and feels super smooth upon application. The pink or nude give a little pop of long lasting, non drying colour.  

The Colour Quench Lip Balm is more gloss than balm but still works as a lip moisturiser. It’s non sticky, smells fruity and tastes lovely. 

Did you attend the Stylist Skincare event? Or have you tried the All About Lips gift set? Please do let me know.

L'Occitane, Christmas Gift Collections Beauty Blogger event

I was lucky enough to be invited to the L’Occitane (pronouced Lox-ee-tan) beauty blogger event last week to celebrate the launch of their Christmas Gift Collection at the boutique store in Covent Garden.

We were met with champagne and Christmas biscuits in the gorgeously rustic, bright and beautiful basement level of the store. The Christmas Gift Collection sets were displayed appealingly and we were told that we would be allowed to pick our favourite to take home that evening as a little early Christmas present from L’Occitane. You can imagine, we were like kids in a sweet shop with far too many delicious choices.  

L'Occitane Christmas Gift Collections, which one to chose??

  

I was treated to the most informative and interesting tour around the store, shown each of the product ranges and given an insight into the L’Occitane world by PR manager Simon. L’Occitane is a brand that I’m very new to and having asked around it seems many of my friends and family are as well. But as Simon explained, once customers discover L’Occitane, they remain very loyal. Simon told me on average a skincare and beauty consumer will use a brand for seven years before their tastes and needs change. However, L’Occitane customers will stay for much, much longer. After an evening spent absorbing and learning all things L’Occitane, I can understand why. 

Everyone's favourite... L'Occitane Handcream

Forced with making a decision I chose the Romantic Rose Collection as it contained a perfume and a scented candle (and who can resist a scented candle?!). Floral’s, especially Rose are top notes that I tend to avoid as I find them more suited to someone older however, this perfume is light and one that I couldn’t resist. The packaging is exquisite – a pink gift box with a gold Provençal Christmas Tree, the products inside are carefully wrapped in pink tissue and sealed with a L’Occitane sticker.

 L'Occitane Christmas Gift Collection, Romantic Rose Collection, £46

The L’Occitane experience was captivating and exciting and I urge you to visit the store for yourself.

 

Bare Minerals High Shine Eyecolor: Electric and Moonshine

Two gorgeous little gems have added extra glamour to my exhaustingly fun week of working and partying: Bare Minerals High Shine Eyecolor in Electric (a bluey, greeny shade) and Bare Minerals High Shine Eyecolor in Moonshine (a plumy, purple shade).

Bare Minerals High Shine Eyecolor in Moonshine

Moonshine and Electric give a gorgeous, heavily pigmented, glistening, metallic finish - perfect for the impending party season. Conveniently, as described by many of the top journalists in their beauty pages, metallic eyes are the make-up look to work this winter.

Metallic and glistening - Bare Minerals High Shine Eyecolor in Electric and Bare Minerals High Shine Eyecolor in Moonshine

I was extra crazy about Moonshine as the deep plum and purple shade is flattering, striking and completely on-trend. In this week’s “Beauty Charts” page in Grazia Angelica Hermon loves the rich and majestic purple shades found in YSL’s Golden Gloss lipgloss and Nars Eyeshadow Palette in Arabian Nights. She writes, “This week’s hottest new beauty buys: purple power.”

The formula is super creamy, velvety soft and, in true Bare Minerals fashion, does not dry or irritate my sometimes-sensitive eye area.The eye shadows come in a small tube; inside the tube is a wand with a cushioned tip. The first time I applied the colour I smoothed the tip of the wand straight into my eyelid. The intensity of the colour was pretty cool but very quickly the pigmentation particles fell onto my cheek bones.  

Two eye make-up remover pads later I decided to take a different approach – I rubbed an eyeshadow brush onto the tip and then applied onto my eyelid. This was much more effective as there was no fall out and I was able to apply the colour as eye liner on my bottom lash line. After experimenting all week my favourite look is to apply Moonshine to my eyelid, moving up to the crease followed by applying Electric on top as liner on the lower and upper lash. 

  £15 for one, available in Bare Minerals store and concessions across the UK and online. 

Have you used these? Do you have another suggestion for application and making the most of these gorgeous colours?

The power of argan oil: Melvita New Argan Oil Roll-On

Over the previous few years argan oil has become a buzz phrase in the beauty industry. The oil’s healing and nourishing properties have led to it being used across a variety of products including facial oils, firming lotions, hair conditioning treatments and cuticle creams. 

Liz Earle is a huge fan of the precious oil and she describes the moment she fell in love with it, “It was the best facial I’d ever received. I had to know more about the oil called the ‘gold of Morocco’.” Consequently, argan oil is now a key ingredient found in many products in her skincare range. 

In this month’s Elle magazine beauty writer Suzanne Scott tries and tests Superskin Concentrate Facial Oil by Liz Earle. The product contains organic rosehip, neroil, vitamin E and the healing argan oil. Suzanne describes how the oil affects her skin, “After two weeks, my skin is soft and looking clearer. In fact, when I don’t apply the oil for a night I notice I wake up puffy faced.” 

Argan oil has been used by the Moroccan people for hundreds of years in their daily routines.

It is sourced from the nuts of the rare argan tree and can be used in a number of ways including treating eczema, preventing ageing, soothing skin from sunburn and is even used in cooking. It is rich in essential fatty acids and omega-6 so is therefore nourishing, healing and extremely moisturising. 

Over the previous month I have been slipping the new Melvita Argan Oil Roll-On into my handbag. 

I’ve used the elegant glass tube on my lips, face and any areas I’ve felt are in need of some soothing, nourishing attention. My skin can be sensitive, especially in the winter months but Melvita’s Argan Oil Roll-On has proved the perfect antidote to any inflamed or dry patches. As the oil is precious and absolutely lovely to use I have been sparing with my applications – I really don’t want this gorgeous product to come to an end!

Melvita is a skincare brand that I really didn’t know much about however it’s one that I’ve quickly fallen in love with. They are a France’s leading ecological and organic beauty brand and have stores worldwide.

They first launched in the UK in 2010 with a gorgeous store in Covent Garden, amazingly the store has two beehives on the roof with 100,000 worker bees making delicious honey which can be purchased within the store! 

With the home made honey and a promise that at least 95% of ingredients found in all products are completely natural, Melvita is bringing a new meaning to the phrase “natural beauty”. 

For more information take a little look at the Melvita website: www.melvita.co.uk

Have you discovered Melvita? Or used argan oil? Please let me know.

Halloween make-up: M.A.C. creations & Chess Board face

The UK and the US went wild this weekend with Halloween madness. Tulisa worked a severe ponytail and smokey eyes as Cat Woman on the X-Factor, and Jersey Shore's Snooki hosted a M.A.C Halloween Face Off challenge on the M.A.C. facebook page (www.facebook.com/MACcosmetics). Six top M.A.C. make-up artists created fabulously wacky, crazy and a little bit scary Halloween faces, the winning look was Tim Burton meets Alexander McQueen inspired, the make-up artists described it as, "Hallow-Queen". To me it was less high fashion, more birds nest of death...! But please do make up your own mind:

M.A.C. Halloween Face Off winning look

If you are planning a Monday night of Halloween fun and still need inspiration, here are some of my favourite creations I captured on my adventures this weekend.

Beauty & Style Belle do Feather lashes and Flamingo Face

Doll Of Death

Mexican Sombrero of Terror

Boys love to wear make-up at Halloween

And as a little extra, my beautiful assistant Style Belle demonstrates how to create a fabulous chess board face...

Apply thick white paint as your base. I recommend applying with an art store paint brush and pot of paint

Pot of creamy white paint and large paint brush

Use a thinner paintbrush to carefully apply the black squares. Start by painting the outline of the square followed by filling in the middle with straight, thick strokes

Paint onto neck and fill in patchy areas with black. The finished look is almost there...

Add a slick of dark red lipstick and adorn with glam earrings. The chess board face is finished

What look is your favourite? Please do let me know what you think.