Je'Taime Bourjois

Bon Soir,

Sorry, got a bit carried away with the whole French thing! So, the Clothes Show Live has came to an end (sad face). It was so much fun, I met some really cool people (The girls from Never Fully Dressed, Kim at 2Adorn, the Bourjois gals) and I got some great bargains too! I am definitely going on the last day next year, I couldn't believe how cheap stuff went, apart from the make up brush stand! I was not happy with them, the brushes are amazing and yeah they were a bargain, however, they bumped up their prices on the last day and I bought some for my mate (Lulu lost all the nice Chanel brushes I got her) after the woman on the stand said they won't be going down, then in the last hour they reduced them big time!

Moving on, I am in love with Bourjois' Illuminating Touch. It's a peachy/gold highlighter in the cute Bourjois packaging. Take a look;

It's an easy to use highlighter and gives a nice peachy shimmery sheen, I have applied it with a blusher brush on my cheekbones and on my brow bone. I actually forgot how good Bourjois' products are and I'm glad the Bourjois stand at the Clothes Show reminded me about the good quality and nice range of products. Those French certainly do it well!

Bon Nuit from me.

x

Clothes Show Live

Wow, the Clothes Show Live really has delivered this year on it's 21st anniversary! Well done!

It was sooooooo busy, I normally can't stand to be among crowds of people, but I really enjoyed people-watching, there were all kinds of people there, all searching for something and some trying to 'be searched for' by model scouts. I just don't know how some of the girls were wearing sky scraper heels and party dresses/all dressed up...to go shopping??? I mean, would they been seen on the HIgh St dressed like Lady Gaga? I'm going to try and get some pictures to show you (if you haven't already been to the Clothes Show and seen for yourself).

So, enough of me thinking out aloud! So, what did I see that was so good? and oh so bad?

Let's start with so good! I am completely in love with 2adorn, fabulous hair accessories, check out some of the creations on the website;

http://www.2adorn.com/

OMG! I couldn't decide which one I wanted because they're all amazing and I wanted them all (if I could afford it). The lovely designer/founder Kim helped me go for an amazing peacock headband fascinator and I can't wait to wear it! Have a look;

I also love Siren and Dahlia but haven't had a chance to buy anything from those stands yet because the ques are a joke! There is a lovely dainty jewellery stand as well called Mahala but I need to check that out properly to tell you more but my mates bought some gorgeous chains with the most pretty little charms. I want to get one like Deb's with the skull and the rose.

Well done to Carmex for finally getting there butt at the Clothes Show, selling cherry and orginal Carmex. I've got a sweet badge saying I (heart) Carmex. You jealous? Haha

Jelly Pong Pong had a good offer on, a goody bag for £10 with 5 decent products, I wouldn't use them personally but would make a nice gift or stocking fillers.

Amie, a skincare range for young skin also made its debut at the Clothes Show, educating young girls the importance of keeping your skin clean with good natural products, not harsh medicated products.

See what I mean by how good it's been, it's all to much to take in but I love it!

So, now for the oh so bad, let's start with the '6 in 1 bronzer'. OMG, the product was totally grosse and cheap, I'm not even sure what it was called but these poor girls were walking around the show with tide marks on their faces like they'd put their make up on with closed eyes! It shouldn't be allowed! It claimed it was a 6 in 1 bronzer because you could use it on eyes,lips, etc etc. Errrm, who the hell wants bronzed lips? and like you can't do that with other bronzers, so much for a USP, they need a new marketing manager or how about just keep the product in poundland.

Glitter? OMG, young girls please don't waste your parents hard earned moula on cheap glitter make up that goes everywhere! These kind of stands shouldn't be allowed to exhibit. I think the Clothes Show should set some rules that these brands should have some standards.

I'm off to go and gorge on Lindt chocs (the red ones). So, I'll be back tomorrow or Wed.

Bon nuit,

x

Is your make up stale?

Hello beautiful people,

The title of this blog is not about your make up 'look' being stale but literally, is your make up stale? as in OUT OF DATE? Yes, believe it or not make up does have an expiry date. I must admit I am guilty of this make up crime and it is so easy to lose track on how long you've had your products.

I don't know how many of you know, but make up does have a symbol on the packaging giving you a shelf life, eg;

This is from the back of a Nars bronzer, so this symbol means that once opened, this product will be ok to use for 24 months. Obviously, if you haven't opened it, it will stay fresh for much longer.

What bothers me though (more than bronzer/blushers/eyeshadow) is lip products (and I've mentioned mascaras before in a previous blog,so won't babble on about that again). Don't you just hate that stinky-gloss smell (when lipglosses have gone bad)? The offical expiration date for lip products is 9 months because of the bacteria you continually add to the tube (niiiice). However, I have noticed some brands go stale quicker than the 9 months, I've noticed this with Mac and the Nars pots.

So, here is a little guide for you for keeps.

Mascara: Personally, I change every three months because like lipglosses, bacteria builds up fast.

Foundations: Depends whether it's water or oil based, the water based ones will expire quicker (12 months)  than oil based (18 months)

Concealer: This depends on the packaging really and whether you use your fingers/apply directly to skin. Roughly 12 months.

Pencils: Sharpen regularly and they'll be fine.

Eyeshadows: I have eyeshadows from years ago and they're fine, just make sure you clean the make up brushes you sue with the shadows regularly.

More tips;

1. Wash brushes once a week or every 2 weeks (I wash mine with shampoo and conditioner, you can use something gentle like baby shampoo or you can buy special brush cleaner).

2. Stale make up (especially oil based products) can lead to blocked pores which means you could be ruining your complexion.

Hope this helps y'all.

x

Oh My Orly!

Hiya,

I have been major busy lately which reflects my lack of blogging (sorry). There are so many wonderful products I just am bursting to blog about!

Before anything else, I must say I am very excited for the Clothes Show Live this year! Can you believe it will be celebrating it's 21st birthday? Wow, I didn't even realise how long it had been running for. I am looking forward to hunting down any cool beauty products, so I'll be blogging all about what treasures I find.

So, back to the title- Oh My Orly! I am actually in love with Orly nail polishes, I have passed all my Chanel, Nars and OPI polishes on to my little sister because I am starting an Orly collection.

Orly was founded by a guy called Jeff Pink from L.A in 1975, he named the brand after his now ex-wife. Orly follows fashion trends on which he bases his seasonal colours and he redefined the whole concept of nail care and introduced nail fashion! The founder developed the Original French Manciure after working on the Paris fashion shows, he wanted a nail colour that complimented every outfit on the runway.

So, there's a bit of history on the brand, I must mention that this brand is 'three-free', so no nasty chemicals, which may be dangerous for pregnant women.

I stumbled across the most amazing and must-have colour for the Winter, it's called 'take him to the cleaners'. The name is hilarious and was actually part of the 'divorce' collection, but the colour was so popular in the states that it made it to the permanent collection. It's like an upgrade of Chanel's Rouge Noir.

I've had mine on for four days now and not one chip! It's easy to use as well with a nice long thin handle and brush, so you don't get big blobs of nail polish running down when you're painting your nails.

There are so many colours I love; Liquid Vinyl, Passionfruit, Basket Case and Naughty (don't you just love the names)! I also recommend using the Flash Dry drops if you're impatient like me and risk smudging your nails.

Have fun trying out some of the colours!

I'm trying out some massage candles tonight, so will update you about those tomorrow.

Love,

Farrah

x

Join the Badger Balmy

Hiya,

I do apologise for not blogging lately, I have a range of amazing products to update you about. So, I'll start off with my hot star product of the week- Badger lip balm.

My lips are always dehydrated and the only product that keeps them hydrated is Eight Hour Cream, that is until I discovered Badger. I'm currently using the Pink Grapefruit flavour, which is major yummy! It makes an amazing lipstick base as well!

The packaging is well cute and men can feel comfortable pulling it out their pockets too. The best thing about these products is that the ingredients are certified organic, with key ingredients like extra virgin olive oil, exotic butters and herbal extracts, so no secret nasties to watch out for! Oh sorry the best thing is the price, it only costs a few quid for an organic lip balm with natural ingredients.

The lip balms come in a range of flavours from Ginger & Lemon to the cocoa butter range with sub flavours like 'Poetic Pomegranate'.

I also have some calming balms and a cuticle balm I'm yet to try out, which I'm looking forward to. I hope there is a calming balm for my hormones or impatience.

I am a MAJOR badger balm fan now! You must try it out, I bet you'll ditch your current lip balm and join the badger balmy.

Let me know what you think.

Love,

Farrah

Blusher RULES!

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiya,

Have you missed my blogs? I am sorry I haven't blogged over the weekend, just been super busy! To be fair, I could have spent Saturday or Sunday night blogging but I was distracted by X Factor and Cheryl Cole's CRAZY blusher!

So, today as you've already guessed, I'm paying homage to my KEY make up product, the only product I will NOT be seen without...BLUSHER! Yep, blusher RULES!!! The most amazing invention ever, my ma used to call it ROUGE when she used to put it on me as a KID!!! (I swear she put it on me throughout my childhood, oh and eyeliner).

Anyway, so do you ever go to make up counters and get told there are 'rules' for applying blusher?

Personally, I believe there is only one rule when it comes to wearing blusher- make sure you're wearing it. I disagree with rules when it comes to make up, it's fun and as long as you're wearing it to suit you then that's all that matters.

I overheard someone giving advice to another lady about how to apply blusher, she was saying how "you should suck your cheeks in and drag your brush outwards" (so basically, 80's blusher which looks like it's been applied with a ruler). This may have been flattering for the woman suggesting it but not so for the other lady. We have different face shapes, sizes, cheekbones and skin tone.

I personally apply my blusher just on my cheeks and I always use pink/peach tones because of my olive skin tone, I tend to look ill/yellowish so I need colours to brighten me up and to bring out the beige tones.

I don't know what Cheryl Cole's make up artist was thinking on Saturday, she had bronzed blush around her temples and near her eyebrows, that looks good for high fashion shoots/music videos but wasn't doing anything for the pretty Mrs Cole this weekend, she reminded me of when kids have their faces painted into animals, like a tiger or something.

There are different types of blushers from gel to powder, in my teens I used a liquid blusher for years (Benetint) but as I've got older, I use powder for everyday and a cream when I'm on holiday or wearing minimal make up.

Here are some of my favourite blushers;

1. Nars (all of them) but at the moment, I'm loving Exhibit A. Orgasm, Gina and Mata Hari are beautiful colours too (I have all of the Nars blushers).

2. The Nars Multiple in Mauritius and Portofino are my fave for the summer and holidays (I keep mine in the fridge), oh and South Beach for a nice bronze glow on holiday too.

3. Bobbi Brown Apricot, this is the best colour blusher ever! It suits every skin tone.

4. Shu Uemura in Red 14, got the slightest shimmer, barely noticeable but the colour is easy to use and blends in easily.

5. Bobbi Brown cream blush in Calypso for lips and cheeks. I love dual products and this colour is just like the YSL Rouge Volupte Lipstick in 13.

So, go bright this Winter with your blusher and if you've never tried it, give it a go and watch your skin glow (good tagline eh?).

Bon nuit (feeling very French lately)

Farrah

x

Sweet as Honey

Hi Hunnies,

Well, at this present moment in time, my face is covered in...HONEY. So, I thought I'd share a cheap yet super effective face mask with you all.

First of all, I want to share some of the amazing benefits of honey with you, I personally feel that not enough credit is given to honey bees and their beautiful honey.

I remember my dad telling me that honey cures more or less everything from infections, heals wounds and even diseases and he told me this has been mentioned in the Qu'ran and now scientists are catching on to the amazing benefits of honey.

I won't list everything but I will mention the benefits of using it as a face mask, it's an antiseptic and powerful antioxidant and helps healing the skin.

So, to get your skin ready for Christmas parties, proms, charity events, girl's nights out or a hot date, apply a thin layer of honey and leave it on for at least 20 minutes (I leave mine on for 30 mins). If you do this a few times a week, you'll get a nice glow as well as super soft skin.

Now it's time for me to wash mine off.

Enjoy and try not to lick it all off! Haha.

Love,

Farrah
x

The future's bright...

Hi again,

I'm back already, I've got so much to write about and I've been so busy. Eeeek! So, I'm making the most of the bit of spare time I have tonight (I am supposed to be walking my dogs right now) but tonight, you guys are my priority! He he.

It's Christmas in a few weeks and 2010 in 2 months! There are some amazing products out on the market and 2010 is all about skin, lips and nails!

Our skin doesn't half take a bashing with our harsh Winter (I hope you are all using an spf moisturiser?) so it's important to look after it (both face and body) so it's ready to be revealed for Spring/Summer. However, if you're a last minute kind of gal and you like quick fixes, then this product is screaming out for you, it's the Clarisonic skincare brush!

It's kind of like an electric toothbrush for your skin, Manchester Make up It Girl Jade tried it out the other day and actually said "it's like having a facial, it's amazing". Have I mentioned there is also a brush for CELLULITE?!

The brush gently cleanses skin but is twice as effective as manual cleansing and allows better penetration of serums and creams, so you'll really reap the benefits of those products.

Apparently, if used twice daily, it will reduce the appearance of fine lines and pores, which makes sense due to its deep cleansing.

I must warn you, if you want to get your mitts on this product, there are waiting lists (unfortunately, even I have to wait for one) but they are available at Space.NK.

Manicures are expensive and let's be honest, they're more of a luxury treat in these hard times of the credit crunch, which is why nail care companies are working very hard to make great products for us and beautiful colours for those dull Winter days, two brands to watch out for are; Rococo Nail Apparel (don't you just love the use of apparel?) and Butter London nail products (love the British heritage).

Rococo nail polish comes in an array of daring and delicious colours from Hip-pop (a red/orange) to gold leaf (gold glittery) and our tester Jade has had it on for FOUR days now and it hasn't chipped!

They are highly pigmented and as Jade has proved-staying power! Nothing worse than chipped nail varnish (especially after a day like OPI).

The names are brilliant and my favourite is FunBoy, the name is hilarious and the colour is my fave-a bright pink!!

Butter London is all about natural nail care, I was won over by the packaging and the hilarious names such as the 'nail fertiliser' and I love the base coat which is called 'nail foundation'. They are certfied '3 Free' (you should know what this means from my toxic blog). There are like 30 colours and my favourites are Macbeth and Primrose Hill Picnic. I love the way the names evoke a feeling like I really am at a picnic on Primrose Hill.

Finally for 2010, lips are big, bright and beautiful with long lasting lipsticks which are creamy and moisturising during cold winter days. Some of the best are the Nars velvet lip pencils (my fave is red square) and the YSL rouge volupte, these are really highly pigmented so they have solid staying power without drying.

Before applying lippy, scrub lips with a toothbrush and a bit of vaseline/8 hour cream or make your own lip scrub with some brown sugar and vaseline or honey. Honey has amazing healing properties. Jelly pong pong actually have a lip treatment made from honey and it's brilliant!!!

So, let's brighten up our gloomy British Winter with some beautiful products.

Night night,

Farrah

x

Perfect face begins with a perfect base

Hiya,

Everyone wants great skin, so the question is how do we get it? This is Part 1 of 'Perfect face begins with a perfect base'.

Well, it might be obvious but it all starts with a good diet and great skincare regime. I personally have a terrible diet, I don't drink litres of water, I indulge on chocolate and cake because I am a very fussy eater and rarely eat fruit unless I make a smoothie, so what's the secret to my skin? I don't have flawless skin but all credit is due to the Queen of Skincare- Eve Lom.

I have been using Eve Lom for years now, I always remember the first time I used it, I was so frightened because I was told I would have a 'huge breakout', but I didn't. Some first time users do breakout because their skin may be congested so Eve Lom unclogs pores and decongests skin, bringing all the rubbish to the surface of the skin.

So, back to Eve Lom...well, it's a creamy cleanser which cleanses, tones and exfoliates the skin, it's made from four powerful oils; Eucalyptus, Egyptian Chamomile, Hops and Clove. It comes with a specially woven muslin cloth (100% cotton), it's used with the cleanser to improve circulation while cleansing and gently exfoliates the skin.

It comes in different sizes, I buy the largest pot and it lasts me ages, it comes with two muslin cloths too.

The fabulous thing about Eve Lom is because she knows you'll love the cleanser, she does a starter kit, so it comes with mini versions of the cleanser, a moisturiser, TLC cream etc to give you a taster of the products without spending a lot of money.

The product is suitable for all skin types and I swear by it! So, even with my diet which lacks everything good, Eve Lom is my saviour!

Watch out for Part 2 of 'Perfect face begins with a perfect base', where I'll be talking about fabulous bases once you've got a good skincare regime.

Au revoir and Bon nuit,

Farrah

x

Trick or Treat? Read on to find out...

Gooooood Evening and Happy Halloween,

I'm guessing that most of you will be getting ready for Halloween parties and clubbing or even trick or treating (my lil Sis Sarah certainly is-you better not be home late missy!!).

So, if you're using face paints or just painting on your usual face, make sure you scrub scrub scrub because you do not want to be waking up with blocked pores or spots.

I prefer to prevent spots but sometimes those horrid little (or huge volcano sized) things manage to creep their way up to the surface of the skin. I swear by Eve Lom, I've been using it for years (and will be writing a separate blog about it, it deserves the respect) which prevents my spots but due to bloody hormones I do get the odd spot.

So, my cheap and cheerful method is some lemon juice from a REAL lemon, just cut some lemon up and rub it on the spot/s. It's worked a treat for me for years, but....when you get the big-momma-just-won't go-spot or blemish then you need Dermalogica's overnight clearing gel.

It's a bit pricey but lasts aaaaaaaages as you only need a little.

It's an overnight treatment which treats acne, blemishes and congested skin. It really really does work! Skin cells are renewed when you sleep so it makes sense why this product is so effective! Perfect for skin prone to breakouts!

Hope you enjoyed your TREAT!

Sweet dreams....

Farrah

x

"I love what you do, don't you know that you're toxic..."

Britney Spears wasn't referring to nail polishes in her song but the song title summarises a lot of nail polishes in one word- TOXIC!!!

I LOVE painting my nails and one of my most favourite and loved brands is Chanel and I am pleased to announce that they have been certified as safe, which means they don't contain the 'three' toxic chemicals commonly found in nail polishes.

These toxic chemicals are; TOLUENE, FORMALDEHYDE and DIBUYTL PHTHALATE (also referred to as the 'three'). These chemicals have been linked to rerpoductive harm and cancer (source: Campaign for Safe Cosmetics).

The safe to use nail polishes are known as THREE-FREE. Some of the safe brands to use are;

* Chanel

* Orly International

* OPI

* Revlon

* L'Oreal

* Zoya

For a full guide to THREE-FREE brands and those which are not yet three-free, please visit;

http://www.womenandenvironment.org/campaignsandprograms/SafeCosmetics/Nail_Polish_walletcard.pdf

for a free downloadable information card.

So, for now, enjoy some safe and happy painting.

Farrah

x

Welcomes Manchester Make up It Girl - Jade

Hiya,

I just want to welcome the fabulous Jade to Make Up It Girl, now you'll have the best advice from the North, South and the Midlands!

Jade (AKA Legs/Showgirl because of her amazing 6ft long legs) is a make up artist in Manchester and is also a BIGTIME beauty product addict! She has actually recommended some fabulous products to me such as the Rodial cellulite sun cream (yep, I defo noticed a difference and I didn't burn) and Go Smile teeth whitening gel (love it!!!).

Some of Jade's fave products;

* Nars Laguna Bronzer

* Chantecaille gel foundation

* Chantecaille concealer (which also treats spots)

* Laura Mercier primer

* Laura Mercier Secret Brightener

That's all for today.

Have a lovely evening,

Love,

Farrah

x

Days are shorter, nights are longer so I guess it's 7 Hour Cream...

Gooooooooooooooooooood Morning Guys and Dolls,

How are you all on this fine, grey Monday morning?

Well, I've been a busy bee researching and contacting people about harmful ingredients in beauty products, so watch out for that bog, will be coming soooooooon...

For today's blog, I just wanted to share a must-have for Winter skin. If you're like me and you get chapped lips and dry skin in these harsh Winter months, I can highly recommend Elizabeth Arden's 8 Hour Cream, I know you must be sick of it being called 'the beauty industry's best kept secret' (well obviously not, with all the press coverage it gets) but I pulled my tube out of my winter make up collection and just smothered it all over my lips! It felt so good, it was like devouring a big cream cake (which I did for brekky this morning), my lips were instantly lubricated and healed!!! Well done Liz Arden!!

At the moment, there is the retro limited edition packaging which is really hot but it does the same job whether it's in a fancy pot or the plain tube, but for those of you who are collectors then you might want to buy one but not use it and hope you'll be able to auction it off in the farawy future.

So, there are the lipstick versions of 8 Hour Cream (in clear and tints) or if you're like me and put it everywhere (eyelids, cheekbones, lips, hands) then you'll be better off buying the tube.

It's also good for sunburn, minor skin irritations and there are a whole range of products in the Eight Hour range from hand cream to sun protection. HAVE FUN!!!

xxx

Could she be the most beautiful girl in the World?

Good afternoon guys and gals,

Yes, Idid say GUYS, I know you guys love reading my blog too, well today I've got some eye candy for y'all.

I know this isn't about make up or skincare but I think this girl is BEAUTIFUL! and I just wanted to share her with you.

A good mate of mine, Amit is a photographer and he is actually flying out to Poland (her country) to do a shoot with her, she has worked for a range of big name clients and has also appeared in Vogue (all that and she's only 19).

Let me introduce you to Alex...

Some facts;

* Alex is only 5ft 5 (only 1 inch taller than me, proof you don't have to be super tall

* She's got a 23 inch waist!!!

* She is very down to Earth considering how successful she is.

Amit is always on the lookout for 'the next big thing' and he does have a good eye for talent! Got one more thing to do before I go, I can't leave the ladies without some eye candy can I? Enjoy. xxx(One of the male models Amit will be working with)

Let me know what you think and if you think you could be the 'next big thing'.

To see more of Amit's work, visit www.myspace.com/amit108

What's your poison?

Hiya,

So, when I was waiting outside a barber shop in Brixton, this is what I saw outside a salon;

'Cream of Snail Slime', now I don't know what I was more shocked about; the fact that it's snail slime or that a salon in BRIXTON actually has a huge client base for this treatment. I actually spoke to someone at the salon today who gave me some more information about it and I must admit..I am actually quite interested in trying it out.

So, a bit on the history as to how the benefits of snail slime were discovered. Scientists in Mexico disocvered that snail slime contains natural amino acids, proteins, collagen and elastin. All of these ingredients are used by snails to help regenerate its calcareous skin when it's affected by any damage.

There are different brands of 'cream of snail slime' and the lady I spoke to at the salon assured me that they use the best brand called 'Eligarden', a company in Columbia.

Apparently, cream of snail slime repairs and rejuvenates skin which has been scarred by acne and burns, it is used for stretchmarks, wrinkles and years of sun damage.

You can actually by a soap and a cream, the salon I spoke to stock both but they also offer custom made courses of treatments for specific problems and courses start from £25, not bad eh? Well, I think I might go and catch some snails and make some slime smoothie and sell it on because my garden has some pedigree snails who try to eat my dogs food!!!

What do you think? Would you try this out?

Here are some other crazy and extreme beauty products;

* Snake peptide venom, which apparently is like botox and combats wrinkles.

* Geishas in Japan use Nightingale bird poo as part of their beauty regime.

* Erm... Organic BULL SPERM hair treatment..........

* A placental cream which ACTUALLY contains PLACENTA!! suppose it's better than eating it, like my school friend's mom did (yes, she ate my mate's placenta after she was born, she actually took it home and cooked it)!!!!.

Hope you've learned something new today, so like Sainsbury's slogan says "Try something new today", hahaha.

Have a fabulous evening.

Love,

Farrah G.G

HAUTE GLAMOUR MAKE UP

Hello again,

Haute Glamour (pronounced 'glam-ooor') is the current catwalk trend for make up. So, it's all about strong hair and make-up, directing a move from the 'no make-up make-up' like Sienna Miller to strong make-up like red lips and winged eyes.

Now, let's not forget that on the catwalk, anything goes! However, in real life, alot of these 'catwalk trends' are not really going to happen, are they? I mean, I wouldn't dream of going into work like this-

The bronze cheek contours and lips look was created at Alessandro dell'Acqua, it's also a look that Cheryl Cole adopted in her solo video 'Fight for this Love'.

What I want to know is, do the beauty editors in top magazines who update their readers with catwalk trends go into work like this? I am so curious to know what some of these top beauty editors look like.

This season, beauty editors are (in my opinion) committing a major make-up sin- 'a blusher-free zone' (eeeeeeeeeeeeeeek, can't believe I just had to even write that-urgh)! Blusher is an essential for EVERY make-up bag, it transorms my olive-yellow skin into glowing beige! I refuse to leave the house WITHOUT blusher!

So, back to 'Haute Glamoooooor'. So, we all know it's very unrealistic to go into work at 9am with contoured bronzed cheeks, so the question is this; "How can you add a touch of this catwalk glamour to an everyday look?" Well, you can do the winged eye but it doesn't need to look like this (unless you're going to party)-

This look is from the Versace show, where winged eyes were extended up to the temples. Lips were made neutral with concealer and gloss. I personally prefer a nude lipstick.

For an everyday look, go for a non shimmery bronzer (like Laguna from Nars) and contour cheeks just under the apples of the cheeks and where you would naturally catch the sun (sweep across forehead, down nose). The focus will be on the eyes, depending on how adventurous you are, you could either use a liquid eyeliner for a thick winged eye or some black eyeshadow and sweep outwards towards the end of the eyebrow (I will post pics, just need to find my camera).

Other looks showcased red lips, especially with paler skin (which is what I did today as I haven't applied fake tan in a while). Sometimes I like to go pale throughout the cold weather, it gives me a rosy glow so i don't need as much blusher. I wore Nars Red Square today, I wore it all day and it stayed on and didn't dry out or go flakey! It's amazing! It's actually an orangey red, I will be doing a post about different shades/brands and types of RED lipstick!! So, look out for that.

http://www.narscosmetics.co.uk/color/lips/velvet-matte-lip-pencil.html

Next time I will be blogging about this; Yes it does say 'CREAM OF SNAIL SLIME' (grosse).

Ta ta,

x

STAR PRODUCT OF THE WEEK

Good Evening Guys and Gals,

So, manicured hands up who has dark circles that even YSL Touche Eclat can't hide?

I am one of those people, I don't know if it's an age thing (because my dark circles have only recently got worse) or if it's because I am mixed race and I have darker pigmentation or something (considering I am very pale without my Nars Casino Bronzer)!!! I sleep way over the average 8 hours a night, I must admit I don't drink much water. Jen T did suggest drinking green tea helps (haven't got round to trying that yet).



So anyway, I have tried a range of undereye concealers, the light reflective ones (eg, Touche Eclat) and the concealer sort (which are generally more creamy and thicker because they actually cover up the dark circles). I always use Bobbi Brown's (one of my favourite brands and one I have been using since I was a teenager) concealer kit which comes in a great little pot with the concealer in the top and loose powder underneath to set the concealer (see pic).

However, I have recently re-discovered one of THE best concealers for dark circles, it's another Bobbi Brown product and it's called the correcter; http://www.bobbibrown.co.uk/templates/products/sp.tmpl?CATEGORY_ID=CAT6087&PRODUCT_ID=PROD72645

It comes in a range of colours from Porcelain Bisque to Deep Bisque (my colour is peach). It is designed to be used under the concealer kit but this morning I didn't even need to use it once I had applied the corrector. I loved how natural it looked and it blended in with my skin tone rather than having two extra light panda circles!

Did I mention that I was considering having mesotherapy injections in my undereyes until I used my corrector this morning? Thank you for saving me £350 Bobbi Brown.

What's also handy is the cute packaging with the little mirror (see pic).

So, a huge round of applause to Bobbi Brown for inventing the 'star product of the week'.

Who or what product do you think will be honoured with 'star product of the week' next time? Answers on fb's wall please.

Mwah,

Make up it girl

Cheap Vs Chic

So, during a lovely dinner with the gorgeous girls (Jen T, Kiran and Sarah), we started talking about make-up (my most favourite topic as you've probably already guessed). A few weeks ago I was talking to Kiran about the cheap quality of Mac lipsticks, they are very dry and after a bit of wear they go all grosse and bitty (I'll take some pics and post soon and show you). Kiran was declaring her undying love for them until today, the day that she discovered REAL, GOOD QUALITY lipstick -the YSL rouge volupte, with it's dreamy, creamy texture and highly pigmented colour, she is now a chic lippy convert. It is so worth it to spend a little extra on a top quality product. So, I dedicate this post to you Kiran, this is a special day you'll always remember.

Mwah

Bon nuit,

Farrah

Laura Mercier Pressed Mineral Powder

Now I must admit, I am a HUGE fan and avid user of Laura Mercier's fabulous products. I have been using her tinted moisturiser for YEARS! and I've always been afraid of heavy foundations after using them on clients in my make up artist days.

However, I felt like a change so thought I'd try the mineral foundation, which comes in a pressed powder form (as pictured) or a loose powder version (which lasts longer so it's better value for money if you're not clumsy).

This product is brilliant, it has a natural finish and you can layer it on (within reason) and you can't even tell you're wearing foundation! It is best used with either the Laura Mercier face brush or the mineral foundation brush, they are both stubby brushes made from real hair. I've had my Laura Mercier brushes for 8 years now and as long as you look after them, they last! I wash mine with shampoo and condition them, then let them dry naturally. The sponge that comes with the product is only really useful for top ups throughout the day.

I'll post some pics up of how good it looks! So, for now au revoir and I'll be back with my next fave beauty product.

Mwah,

Farrah