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If you know your make up, then you will know FACE Stockholm which means you need to know you can only buy it from one place only in the UK, at http://www.victorialovesbeauty.com/.

Summer Blushin'

Ok, so it's been like a month since I went to NYC and I never did show you the tarte or FACE Stockholm blushers I got. Well, these are the colours I'll be rockin' on my cheeks this Summer.

Around 10 years ago when I first discovered NARS, I used to wear a combo of two blushers called Gina and Gilda (not sure if NARS still make these colours now), anyway, so I discovered the combo of Gina and Gilda in the form of Tarte's Amazonian clay long-wear blush in Tipsy! It's my favourite shade of coral/orange blush EVER and the quality is utterly amazing! I wish I bought all of the colours in the range.

I usually mix cream and powder blushers because I find cream blushers lack the high pigmentation I need. That was until I discovered FACE Stockholm's creme blush-on, the colour below is called 'London' (I got this in NY too). I have been wearing this on my lips too. Addicted!

The next FACE product below is actually an eyeshadow (now discontinued) called 'Shocking'. If you know me well, you know I love my bright cheeks and lips, this is like a highlighter/neon colour blusher, can't wait to wear this with a tan.

The bad news, tarte cosmetics is not available in the UK. Good news, FACE is! It's available from www.victorialovesbeauty.com.

Beautiful Women in Beauty..Meet VB

This week, I got to interview Victoria, founder of specialist on-line retailer Victoria Loves Beauty (VLB). Due to the easter weekend, I have decided to post this up a day early as I'm guessing, like me, fellow bloggers will be gorging on chocolate all weekend.

VLB provides professional make up tools and niche make up brands (including my favourite FACE Stockholm) for professional make up artists as well as the regular make up savvy gals.

VLB pledges to offer excellent quality beauty products at great prices. VLB also offers further discount to professional MUA students, salons and make up academies (no excuse now to use but nothing but the best in your career as a MUA)

Hi Victoria, thank you for allowing me to interview you. I love the range of products and professional MUA tools on your website (www.victorialovesbeauty.com).

How long have you had your own website?

1 Year

What were you doing before that?

I was a full time mummy.

Does your job require specific qualifications/training/experience?

Not necessarily, but it does require a lot of research. Sales knowledge and core business skills are definitely a big advantage. Good time management, organisation and the ability to plan and work to set goals are also very important skills.

What inspired you to set up your own business?

After being in the retail fashion industry for many years, I decided that I wanted a change of direction. So after starting a family, I knew I wanted to rebuild my career doing something different. I have always had a passion for cosmetics however wanted to stay in retail. So I decided to combine the two and that’s when the idea of Victoria Loves Beauty came about. After a lot of planning and research, VLB was formed in 2010 and started trading in 2011 and its the best decision I had ever made.

What do you do on a daily basis?

Sales, business development, marketing, product sourcing, purchasing and all aspects of day to day running of an SME (small to medium sized enterprise) with my business partner.

What advice would you give to someone wishing to set up their own business/website?

Always conduct thorough research. I spent over a year on my market research and in that time I gained a lot of useful knowledge and contacts. Listen to the advice and information given by credible people with a proven track record; take it on board and put it to good use. If you want to get into the make-up industry, try doing some work experience. You may not get paid, but the advice and knowledge that you walk away with is far more valuable. Most imortantly, you should also maintain a positive , ''can do'' attitude. Stay focused and you will achieve your goals!

Which products do you highly recommend and why?

There are a few that come to mind; firstly our Long tipped & amp short tipped eye-liner applicators. These are fantastic for creating a precise, defined line when applying eye-liner. Secondly, would have to be Face Stockholm's volumising mascara, you will never need false eyelashes again once you have tried this. Finally, Model in a bottle setting spray, once your make-up has been applied, just a quick spray of this and there is no need for touch ups for the rest of the day.

Now some beauty questions, how long does it take you to put your make up on in the morning? and if you're going out.

Including skin prep, I would say around 20 minutes on a normal day, and around 40 minutes if I am going out. Once it's done, I spray my Model in a Bottle then I don't have to re-touch it again.

What is your most favourite must-have product/make up item? (only one…I know it’s hard)

You're right, this is hard. It would have to be Model in a Bottle fixing spray. I never need to re-touch my make-up once I have sprayed this. It doesn't clog the pores and makes your skin feel super soft. (I need me some of this model in a bottle!)

Lipstick or lip gloss?

Both. Once I have applied my lipstick, I will go over with a clear gloss.

Cream blush or powder blush?

Both again. I always use a a cream blush first, then go over with a powder to add shimmer.

High St make up or Beauty Hall brands?

Either. There are some great high street brands out there. Don't be afraid to mix and match.

Finally, what or who is your definition of beauty?

Beauty comes from within, make-up just enhances it.

Thank you so much Victoria, check out the super selection of FACE Stockholm products here.

 "Beauty comes from within, make-up just enhances it." Victoria (VLB)

Big trip to the BIg Apple!

Last week I was in NYC to celebrate my mates birthdays (the Lee sisters). We spent most of our time eating delicious food and partying.

Me being a make up fiend, I had to get my beauty fix, so while the Lee's caught up with beauty sleep, I spent my spare hours in Sephora, Bloomingdales, Duane Reed and everywhere in between that sells beauty products.

I wish our pharmacies were more beauty focused like the USA and the rest of Europe, there are the odd few (a cool pharmacy on Great Portland Street) which sell NUXE and ART DECO but the majority are just so boring!

I also prefer the sales assistants on make up counters/pharmacies abroad, they are so friendly, full of knowledge and passionate about the industry they are working in (they remind me of me when I used to work in make up). I find that a lot of counter staff over here can be rude, judgmental and they definitely lack overall beauty and product knowledge (have found this on MAC counters and this kills me to say, but also a lot of Space.NK's, whereas the girls in Space.NK in NY were superb!!). The staff in Space.NK where I live are clueless, they are so clueless that I have even enquired about part time in-store work with them because I feel like the store will eventually close down because they don't appear to be making any money.

Do you guys prefer to buy your make up online or in-store? While you think about it, check out the highlights of my NYC trip in pictures.








My view everyday



My breakfast and hourly snacks



Pretty pigment glitters at FACE Stockholm store!

Pretty blushers at FACE Stockholm

The cream blush and eyeshadow I bought (which I'm using as a blusher)

Glorious tinted moisturisers

The KORRES stand in Sephora

Corrector palettes at FACE Stockholm

Highly pigmented eyeshadow range by FACE Stockholm

OMG, amazing! We need these in the UK

Me and Lee dying over our Pinberry order

I wish mascaras all showed their brush like this

Erm, hello! I need this supersize in guava!

Josie Maran Argan Oil Lipglosses! I WISH I bought them!!

Tarte Cosmetics stand! The Amazonian blushers are stunning!

The adorable French Bulldog who resides in the same building as Lizzie Lee