BEAUTY & LE CHIC

When it comes to MAC, eyeshadows are the one area I’ve never gone wild. Blushes yes, lipsticks for sure but eyeshadows – I have a modest collection of FOUR (Satin Taupe, Omega, All That Giltters and Dazzlelight if you’re interested)! The colour range is superb, but the formulas have hardly wowed me. And at £13 a go, you wanna be wowed. I’m super late the to party on this one, but I started to notice these MakeUp Geek Eyeshadows doing the rounds. They basically look a lot like MAC but they’re loads cheaper, and wait for it….. better!?

If you’re a youtube addict, chances are you’ve come across MakeUp Geek Founder Marlena. She’s been tubing for years and came up with MakeUp Geek – luxury cosmetics at affordable prices. Her eyeshadows are the jewel in the crown. Like MAC there’s a rainbow of shades and finishes, unlike MAC they cost $5.99 each (currently about 3.90 in English spondoolies). At a third of the price they absolutely blow MAC out of the water! I poured over the swatches and ordered a fabulous five:

Mocha– a rich, strong, deep matte brown. In true matte fashion it’s a bit “stiff” so you need to be a little more heavy handed with your brush. The colour payoff is fantastic and blends wonderfully.

Cocoa Bear– If there’s one shade that everyone seems to love, this is it! A warm, rich, reddish brown with a true matte finish. Incredibly pigmented and so easy to swatch. Hello autumn!

Latte– A medium matte brown with a subtle warmth. A great transition shade to connect light and dark colours. Very pigmented, and although it’s a matte, the texture is softer and more pliable than mocha.

Hipster - Dark sand/light taupey tan with a very slight shimmer. This one has a beautiful buttery soft texture. Sure it can be layered with other shades but it’s a great one-wash lid colour.

Vanilla Bean– a matte finish neutral beige with a very slight sheen. It’s an essential neutral shade ideal as a base colour or brow highlight.

I don’t say this often but I am blown away with the quality of MUG’s shadows. The pigmentation is up there with the best I’ve ever had. The formulas are easy to apply and blend, last for ages and don’t crease. The pans are the exact same size as MAC shadows so they fit perfectly into the pro palettes, or any empty free-from palette like the amazing Z palette, which I already had. Oh and they’re talc and cruelty free!

Almost sound too good to be true? Well…

If you’re ordering form the UK

MUG are a US based brand. They DO deliver internationally BUT be warned you’re likely to be slapped with a fee. I ordered five eyeshadow pans. The delivery charge was reasonable X, but I was slapped with a £12 customs charge *weep* (£8 of which was a handling fee! - Hang on, I had to go retrieve it from the sorting office, what did Royal Mail do?). Anyhoo, I took to twitter to have a rant and it seems these charges are a bit hit and miss. If you’re lucky you’ll escape it, but factor it in when you’re considering the savings. Delivery took just short of two weeks.

I think these eyeshadows are amazing, Melena you’re an absolute star! Check out MUG shadows here.

Any MUG fans in the house?

The everyday heroes we take for granted. The unraved about but in no way shape or form unloved products that we pick up every day without even realising just how much we depend on them.

Batiste Dry Shampoo £2.99 Boots - The original. The best! I should be sponsored by Batiste. I’d estimate my mane’s around 50% hair, 50% dry shampoo. This life saver keeps me going between washes and adds some much needed texture.

Wet Brush £11.99 Cult Beauty – Tangles? What tangles! This wonder brush cuts through my fine, tatty tresses with complete ease and quicker than anything else I've ever tried. Simply put, it's a life saver!

MAC Paint Pot Soft Ochre £16Debenhams - This has been in my kit for ages but it wasn't until I went to the London Make Up School that I really appreciated its magic. I'm all about the multi-tasker. This one primes lids, covers imperfections, intensifies eye shadow and makes sure it.stays.put! Oh, and it pretty much works on everyone.

OPI Nail Envy £13 BeautyBay– Rescuing my nails my since 2003. There’s three nail envy's in my life – original, nude and pink – and they’re more or less on constant rotation. Left to their own devises my nails are weak, brittle and bendy. A bi-daily dose of nail envy helps to keep them strong, nourished and far more attractive.

MAC 217 Blending Brush £20 Debenhams - Okay I have raved about this one a bit, but not as much as it deserves. It’s my number one most used ~~brush~~ magic wand. I mean look at it, it's clearly loved/battered (note to self, maybe it's time to buy a new one). Blend, buff, apply – it does it all. If you only have one eye brush in your collection, it has to be this.

Liz Earle EyeBright £13.50 John Lewis– Liz, I’m warning you, if you ever discontinue this, there will be a riot. My morning saviour! I may be awake, but my eyes have other ideas. Eye Bright helps to wake, revitalise and most importantly, de-puff.

Anastasia Beverly Hills £15Cult beauty - An integral part of my brow arsenal. The tiny brush head is perfect for filling in brows and the bristles are firm affording more precision than the average. It's the perfect partner to Anastasia's Dipbrow Pomade, but it works a treat with powders too.

L'Oreal Fibrology Shampoo £1.97Superdrug - Holy grail shampoo right there! Many claim to thicken and volumise, this one actually does! When I started using this in early 2014 I was astounded by the results, nearly two years later, it's still my go-to. I do think my hair has gotten a little used to it, so the benefits kinda plateau, but I'll switch it up with another shampoo for a while before returning and reaping the benefits,

What are your unsung heroes? I'm always on the look out for new finds.

When it comes to beauty, today’s woman is in.the.know! Any look or skill you want to master – there’s a youtube video for that. BUT there’s still the odd pearl of wisdom (or twelve) that nobody told you. Maybe they were keeping it back for themselves (mean girls) or thought you already knew.
You can thank me later.

1. Panda eyes anyone? I hear a lot of people complaining about liners and mascaras smudging UNDER their eyes. Guess what, eye primer isn’t just for the lids. Most primers – Urban Decay Primer Potion and Benefit’s Stay Don’t Stray (which I can vouch for) can be used under the eye to prevent smudge and transfer, and here’s a Brucey bonus, it’ll also keep your concealer in place.

2. If you’re rocking a bold lip– try dipping a clean lip brush into foundation or concealer and gently trace the outside of your lips. This will give you clean, sharp lines and make that bold lip really POP.

3. Tightline your eyes, especially the upper. I promise you it will make your lashes look thicker and fuller. If you don’t know what this means, it’s basically lining your inner water line. Look down into a mirror, pull your lids up and rim the inner upper line with your favourite eyeliner. Instant Priscilla Presley eyes!

4. DIY dry skin fix. Steam your face then apply two thin layers of your fave moisturiser to lock the moisture in. Two thin layers can be more easily absorbed than one thick one and won’t clog your pores.

5. A weekly warm oil head massage will nourish your scalp, stimulate new hair growth and strengthen your locks. Choose your poison - coconut/olive/almond, give it a good massage and leave for two hours or overnight (with a shower cap over the top if you can). Wash with shampoo – voile hair appears shiny and new!

6. Speaking of shampoo…. Your once amazing shampoo no longer amazing? This is probably because of product build up clogging your hair follicles. Every week or so, have a good ol’ clean with a clarifying shampoo to get rid of build up. Next time you shampoo, amazing again right?

7. If you want to avoid cakey foundation… Start at the middle of your face where you need the coverage and blend it out. By the time it goes to the jawline, it will barely be there – no demarcation marks.

8. You know when you do your eyeliner, especially cat flicks, you always do one side better than the other? Well, do your worst side first, that way it’s much easier to match up on your good side. And if you really can’t master fierce flicks, try scotch tape.

9. No need to buy expensive brow mascaras/setting products. Go old skool - spray hairspray onto a spooly brush, comb through brows to keep them in place!

10. Never apply fake tan after a hot bath or shower. You need to be cold, otherwise it will sink into your pores. Applying tan to your face? Try running an ice cube over your face, especially around the t-zone. No more nasty black/orange heads.

11. Hair slides sliding out? Spray hair grips/bobby pins with dry shampoo first to add some much needed texture and hold.

12. When applying mascara, paint both sides of your lashes. It’s crazy how many people don’t do this. It’s the easiest way to create more volume and when you blink your lashes look s.LICK!

Feel free to share your tips and links. No mean girls here.

£16.95 Escentual | £16.67 Amazon

Perfect cat flicks, how I covet thee! And no matter how much practice I get, perfectly matched lines still evade me. Real Techniques to the rescue…

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again WHAT DID WE DO BEFORE REAL TECHNIQUES! They've made amazingly high quality brushes AFFORDABLE! This perfectly edited four-piece Collector’s Edition Set contains everything you need to line, define and smudge it up!

The Smudge brush

“Designed for enhancing the eye with a smokey effect”. This one’s quite the chunky monkey. Not the kind of brush I’d typically line with. You could if you want a nice thick line, but as the name suggests you’re more likely to smudge with this one. Perfect for creating that smoked out look with powder or pencil.

The Pointed Liner brush

“With its flat tapered head, this brush creates both thick and thin lines with ease”. A fantastic brush to fill in the main body of your liner. Use the flat side to create a thick 60's style liner or turn it on its side to create the end flick. Doubles as a decent lip liner brush too.

The Eyeliner brush

“This firm angled head ensures perfect control and is great for winged looks”. This makes wings EASY! Dip in your favourite gel/liquid liner and let the brush do the work. The angled edge glides with ease and allows you to get the product into the edges of the eye. It’s firm, not hard, and also doubles as a good brow brush!

The Precision Liner

“A finely tapered brush that creates even the thinnest and most precise lines with ease”. This is the skinniest brush I’ve ever seen! I actually thought it was the one I was least likely to use, but turns out it’s the one I use the most. Maybe not one for beginners, and I’d recommend a steady hand but WOW, this one gets so close to the lash line! It allows complete control, you can literally draw the line you want and colour it in. Great for tight-lining too.

There’s also a sleek little brush pouch, but let’s be honest does anyone actually use these?

The quality of these brushes is superb! Hand cut, synthetic fibres - cruelty free of course and the price, well, the four piece set is cheaper than ONE MAC brush! Eyeliner can be tricky. Everyone’s eyes are different and we all have our own techniques, but the Collector’s Edition contains the perfect brush for everyone – beginners and pros alike!

£16.95 Escentual | £16.67 Amazon

Gather around my fellow seekers of va-va voom lashes, I have the BEST THREE MASCARAS in the World right here.

When it comes to mascara we’re spoilt for choice. Pop to your local Boots and you’ll find at least 200 hundreds varieties! But if you could only have three, which would it be? I have loved so many over the years – Lancôme Hypnose, L’Oreal Telescopic, Maybelline Falsies, I’ve enjoyed you all, but these are the ones that I have/will/must replace when they run out…

Chanel le Volume de Chanel £25 Debenhams

This isn’t a mascara, it’s a magic wand! It’s everything you want from Chanel – sleek, sexy and reassuringly expensive. The jet black inky blend of pigments and natural waxes cling to lashes making them look twice as thick, protecting and holding them in a curled position, almost like hair tongs. The quick-drying formula stays picture perfect all day without a hint of clumping or smudging. The Results: Volume in abundance. Bold, yet elegant!

Bourjois 1 Seconde Volume Mascara £9.99 Feel Unique

Bourjois really pulled it out the bag when they created 1 Seconde Volume Mascara. It’s not a million miles away from the Chanel lovely (above) but a hella lot cheaper. It coats lashes with a generous amount of formula and scoops them to new heights, fast! It fans the lashes perfectly, thickens and gives em a good ol’ curl. A quick sweep or two and the lashes are done – just what I need in an everyday mascara. Plus absolutely no clumping or smudging. The Results: Quick coverage, instant volume and nice curl.

Benefit They’re Real Mascara £17.55 Feel Unique

The one that divides opinion – it’s a love it or hate it product. Moi? Love, LOVE IT! It’s the triple threat - lengthens, thickens and curls lashes, and when I say curls, I mean CURLS! Seriously is there some perm solution in it? The precision brush separates lashes perfectly and gives a visible lift – it’s the a lash Wonderbra. The jet black, long-wearing formula doesn’t smudge or dry out and doesn't leave behind any fibre specks like some. The Result - va, va,VOOM, are you wearing falsies? lashes!

What’s in your TOP 3?

Finally a beauty box that puts you in control!

I may have ditched my Birchbox subscription a few months back, but you’ve got to hand it to them, they really pulled it out of the bag, er box with this idea!

For the most part I really enjoyed my Birchbox subscription, but after a couple of years beauty box boredom set in and I was all sampled out… mainly with hair oils and Balance Me products. That’s why “Build Your Own” is such a good idea! No nasty surprises… just SIX products that you choose, all packaged up and beautifully presented in a limited edition Selfridges box for £15!

The pop up pick n’ mix style shop is only available at Selfridges London. Rock up, pick up a box and fill it with six luxury samples… and when I say luxury, we’re talking Elemis, Bumble & Bumble, Origins, Stila, Nuxe, Benefit and many more....

Benefit Air Patrol BB Eyelid Primer
YESSS! Really wanted to try this. It’s a great way to test the water without shelling out £21.50. It’s basically a BB cream for your eye lids – smooths the skin, evens skin tones, hydrates and locks onto shadow. I think I will be buying this!

Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask
When I spotted the UK’s no1 best-selling face mask I couldn’t get it in my box quick enough. I used it at the weekend – it smells divine and my skin looked and felt more nourished and plumped from just one use.

Eyeko Fat Eyestick in Gilt
These things are fab! This is my second Eyeko Fatty, my first came via the aforementioned Birchbox subscription. Gilt is a gorgeous golden khaki shade - very on trend and super quick!

Bumble & Bumble Don't Blow It
I don’t know about you, but if I don’t dry my hair with a hairdryer, it goes flat as a pancake! This first-of-its kind crème is designed to add some much needed bounce and texture to air-dried locks… here’s hoping!

Rituals Honey Touch Body Cream
This smells dreamy! I couldn’t resist. I’ve had a few Rituals products now and they always deliver.

This Works Pillow Spray +
Who actually uses Pillow Spray? I DO!

Be quick, the pop-up is only available in store until 28th September. Can’t make it to London? Don’t worry. There’s an exclusive-to-Selfridges Birchbox available online here. Although you can’t choose your samples, you at least know exactly what you’re getting before you get it.

Have you built yours?

*Warning, this selfie contains coldsores and spots*

Despite what my fiancé thinks, this is NOT an oversized toothbrush for the face! It's the next generation of Sonic Cleansing, the Smart Profile from Clarisonic*

What's Sonic Cleansing all about?

Apologies if you're already in the know, but I've seen these gadgets and gizmos about and never really understood what they do. In their most basic form, they're electronic face brushes that vibrate and rotate to give a deep, deep clean. The Clarisonic Smart Profile is the Rolls Royce of the Sonic Cleansing World. It has a patented oscillation movement that moves the brush head back and forth between 200-300 times a second, yep a SECOND. The powerful turbo and smart, yet gentle brush heads clean skin and remove make up 11 times better than hands/cloths alone. In a nutshell, it’s the most deep cleaning cleanse you’ll ever experience… at home.

What's makes the Smart profile, smart?

Aside from the fact it's faster, cleans deeper and has an incredible battery life, the smart profile does all the work for you. Stick the head on and it knows exactly what to do - speed, frequency, cleansing time, it's all done for you, all you have to do it move it around the face when it beeps. Simples. Plus it's the first one that can be used on the body too. A total face and body skin pampering experience if you will. Read all the technical deats here.

My experience

I can honestly say from the first go, I noticed results. My face looked squeaky clean – you know that glowing, almost shiny look? I GOT THAT! I also looked more tanned, which I put down to the fact it buffs away really dead/dull skin to reveal true radiance. During the first week I did notice a few "detox pimples", but that's testament to the Clarisonic's deep cleaning powers bring out the nasty toxins, better out than in am I right? After two weeks of using this every other day I feel like I've had a skin transformation. My favourite base, bareMinerals Complexion rescue, keeps my skin well hydrated and glowy, but lately it's been seriously lacking that lit from within luminosity. There's been a dullness that no amount of make up can conceal. This little gizmo has whizzed and whirled away the nasties to reveal new skin! Smoother, brighter, less pimpled and way more radiant skin.

Lazy girls indulgence

I'm surprised (and relieved) by how quick and easy it is to incorporate this into your skincare routine. I mean, I wasn't looking for any big commitments - cleanse, tone, moisturise is enough for me. A standard cleanse only takes 60 seconds. Simply apply your favourite cleanser to your face, pick up the devise and watch it magically swirl away all traces of make up and dead skin!It may not feel like a facial, but it definitely cleans like one.

Bottom Line

It is expensive. But how much do we spend on facials, massages, makeup and lotions and potions in that quest for better skin? Based on the results I've seen, and felt, it's the real deal!

Clarisonic Smart Profile with face and body brush heads £199 from Debenhams

Who's in the Sonic Cleansing Club?

CONFESSION – I’ve got a tiny girl crush on the Little Mix ladies. I ~~follow~~ stalk their MUA Celena Hancock on Instagram. I could tell you that I didn’t buy this lipstick because she used it on Perrie and Jesy… but that would be a big fat lie.

Honeylove Matte £15.50 described by MAC as “a light beige toned with rose”. I’d describe it as a soft honey toned nude – is beigey, browny and ever so peachy. You know I've got big love for Creme d'nude, but for many it flies a little too close to the concealer lips look. No danger of that here, the slightly warm tawny undertones add a lovely depth and prevents you from looking dug up, in fact it has a little warming effect on moi. It’s incredibly pigmented and even though it’s a matte finish, the formula is creamy and doesn’t drag on application (like the retro mattes). It’s funny because I used to avoid matte lipsticks like the plague, but they’re fast becoming my favourite finish. Classic, effortless and requiring a lot less touch ups than the creamy ones. It looks perfect teamed with a classic smokey eye, but it's totally "everyday" wearable too.

If you're looking for that Kylie Jenner/90s throwback inspired look, try teaming it with Soar, Stripdown or Whirl lipliners, personally I prefer it by itself, blotted on in that effortless Brigitte Bardot way.

I think it's my new favourite nude! What's your fave nude lipstick?

Good things come to those who wait, and wait i did. Two years, TWO YEARS it's taken for Charlotte Tilbury to make it "all the way" up north to Newcastle, but she's finally here... and she's fabulous darlings. Her bright lights, rose gold packaging and army of Dolce Vita's, Rock Chick's and Golden Goddesses have pretty taken over the beauty hall - nobody puts MAC in the corner, except Fenwick Newcastle - he he.

So I came, got made up (£35 redeemable against products) and conquered the credit card. I need some time to stare at, I mean road test these beauties but for now, here's a little Tilbury porn...

There were two things that were always going to make it in my basket - Filmstar Bonze & Glow - every bit as good as I hoped it would be, my none-existent cheek bones have never looked so good and the sexy as hell Dolce Vita Luxury Eye Palette. Eye cheat was a surprise hit - a perfect flesh coloured eye pencil that quite literally cheats its way to brighter eyes and the iconic Rock n Kohl Liner in Bedroom Black could possibly be EVEN better than the Urban Decay 24/7 liners. Repeat after me "I will not buy another lipstick, I will not buy another lipstick" - a mantra that went straight out the window as soon as Penelope Pink touched my lips. And the mini miracle eye wand aka 8 hours sleep in two chicks, I never stood a chance.

So that's me living on porridge oats for the rest of the month, but at least I'll look like a screen siren!

Have you Charlotte Tilbury'd yet? What are you favourite products?

If you’re looking for a winter skin saviour this could be just the tonic...

I don’t know about you, but if I don’t catch enough zzzz’s, it written all over my face! No amount of makeup can conceal a bad night’s sleep. Skin repairs itself whilst we sleep, if you’re not getting enough, especially good quality deep sleep, it will inevitably lead to tired, dull-looking skin. Mothers, travellers, shift workers, insomniacs, even party animals – you know what I’m talking about. Vichy to the rescue?

Idealia Skin Sleep Recovery Night Gel-balm* is the first product clinically proven to stimulate all the skin’s deep sleep mechanisms – so no matter how many hours sleep you have, the skin’s nightly functions will remain at their optimum. Essentially, it cheats your face into thinking you’ve had the full eight hours, when you were really bingeing on Netflix.

The unique gel-blam texture is a treat to the senses. It’s thick and rich like a balm, but fresh like a gel. It smells divinely relaxing and it’s pink! I’ve been applying it at bedtime - it sits there looking pretty (in pink) on the bedside table so I don't forget to use it and there's a mirror on the lid so you can see what you're doing - pretty nifty idea Vichy. I can highly recommend working it in with a good old facial message - a couple of minuted bliss before bed. For me, I think of it more like a bedtime mask. It sinks in well, so your skin won’t feel wet or claggy, buy it’s super rich so you know it’s there! It’s deeply hydrating and gives my skin an instant plumpness. When I wake up, my skin feels more hydrated and less lacklustre. And now that the winter is creeping in, I’m appreciating the TLC even more.

I’m not saying this cream will solve your sleep woes, but the relaxing blend of green tea and jasmine help to promote deep sleep. And once you are asleep the cocktail of goodies will make damn sure they repair and regenerate your dull, tired skin.

Idealia Skin Sleep Recovery Night Gel-balm Essentual | Boots | FeelUnique

Two things I do every morning without fail – 1. apply eye cream, 2. Apply concealer/highlighter in a vain attempt to cover up my pesky eye bags. A double ended wand that does both... music to my ~~ears~~ eyes but can it really provide 8-hours sleep in two clicks?

Charlotte Tilbury's Mini Miracle Eye Wand £29 is described as 'a miraculous two-step remedy for bags and dark circles, because the whole world is tired'. There’s an eye cream at one end to tighten and smooth and a highlighter at the other end to conceal and brighten.

I wanted to love this product. I wanted it to be a sent-from-god, mni-miracle, life-saving, holy-grail-in-the-making product. Sadly, it’s not. At least not in my (tired) eyes. I’m not saying it’s a major fail, but it’s hardly the magic wand it claims to be.

The eye cream is packed with all the right goodies - hyaluronic acid, Shea Butter Extract, Jojoba Seed Oil, Borage Seed Oil, Rice Bran Protein, Glycerin and all that jazz BUT i find it quite watery and on its own, it doesn’t do a whole lot for the cause. It definitely hydrates and smoothes out the area, but it’s not as effective in my opinion as Vichy x and Liz Earle Eye Repair, which both feel richer and have amazing light-reflecting properties.

The highlighter comes in 5 shades. I’ve got shade 2, a neutral beige shade for light skin tones with neutral undertones. It’s a decent colour match – light enough to highlight but not too light that it looks ghostly. It’s packed with micro-particles that brighten shadows, conceal discolouration and diffuse the appearance of under-eye hollows. It’s very lightweight and definitely has skills in the brightening department and it photographs beautifully! It is lacking however in the concealing department and since my eye bags are blue toned, they respond better to yellow toned highlighters like MAC Prep & Prime Highlighter in Light Boost and YSL Touche Eclat Shade 2. This one's a bit too neutral.

Now here’s the main problem, the two work in harmony. The eye cream does provide a nice, smooth base, but the concealer doesn’t blend well over it. It kinda sits on top of the eye cream looking patchy and settling into the creases. I have to work my ass off to get it to blend in. I’ve tried patting, I’ve tried rubbing and in the end I’ve resorted to using a soft bristle eye brush to create a more airbrushed effect.

A couple more quarms, the brush applicator is very small, I would have liked for it to be a bit fatter, and this could have helped with blending. Speaking of size, the product is a disappointing 3mls. Presumably 1.5ml at each end. Compare this to MAC prep & Prime highlighter 3.6ml or bareMinerals stroke of light 5.5ml, this wand ain't gonna last long.

I’m not saying I don’t like this product, I do! It delivers results (you can definitely see the difference in the pictures) but after five years development and talk of "mini miracles", I am a little disappointed. I’ll enjoy using it for now, but I doubt I’ll repurchase, and that't the ultimate acid test.

Have you tried it yet? Thumbs up or thumbs down?

Guys and gals, I think I’ve discovered an unsung hero.

HD Brows (who I think are in the process of rebranding themselves as just ‘HD’) Conceal & Correct Palette– It’s hands down the best concealer palette I’ve used. It’s everything I hoped Laura Mercier’s Secret Camouflage would be, but wasn’t. FYI I don't hate Secret Camourflage, it's just very stiff and difficult to work with.

The palette comes in three colour-ways – light/medium, medium, medium/dark. I went for light/medium with the intention of using this for bridal work, but it’s actually a very good colour match to my own skin. That’s the beauty of having a palette with three shades – it’s completely customisable and covers you all year round. They’re full coverage conealers but they’re not cakey or drying, which is where Laura Mercier’s fell down and they’re luxuriously creamy and easy to apply. They blend beautifully too so you don’t get that dry/crusty edge where the concealing ends.

I primarily use this for pin-point concealing (Lisa Eldridge styleee) on spots and pigmentation – I have an annoying red burst-blood-vessel on my nose and a bindi style spot on my forehead. This discreetly covers them all day. It’s also an under eye bag slayer! Although I prefer not wear anything too heavy under le eyes, if the bags are especially dark – this zaps them good.

If you’re into extreme highlighting and contouring this would work a treat, and if you like to do that conceal around the brows thang, this is perfect! It’s creamy and glides around the arches with ease, but blends in and doesn’t look too obvious.

HD Brows Conceal & Correct Palette £25 HD Brows | Beauty Bay

Everyone needs a good concealer palette in their arsenal!

There’s a small breed of women folk (I’m not being sexist, I’ve just never found a man that does this) that have Christmas all wrapped up by September. If you’re one of those women – I salute you! For everyone else, this one’s for you! I’ve scoured the shops and brochures so you don’t have to. From small, stocking-sized packages to luxe lust-haves, this gorgeous gift guide has got it covered... And ladies, if you’d like to be on the receiving end, start dropping some hints, and fast!

Benefit Real Cheeky Party Makeup Gift Set £26.55 John Lewis | Debenhams

Last year they brought us the Cheeky Sweet Spot, this year it’s the Cheeky Party. A genius idea from Benefit – all of their iconic box o’ blushes, the amazing Hoola bronzer and this year, a mini They’re Real and Push up Liner, all encased in a o’ so cute tin! With an individual value of over £70 it’s a blushin’ blockbuster! They sold out well before Christmas last year – you have been warned!

Estée Lauder The Ultimate Makeup Kit £49.50 Debenhams

For the eyeshadow lover in your life. With over 30 Pure Color shadows in 3 palettes to pop in and out of this customizable palette, the possibilities are endless.

Real Techniques Deluxe Holiday Set £20 Superdrug

If there’s anyone left in your life that hasn’t discovered Real Techniques yet, they need this set!. The carefully edited collector’s edition includes Multi Task Brush, Exclusive Tapered Foundation Brush, Exclusive Angled Highlighter Brush, Base Shadow Brush and Finer Liner Brush.

Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Lipstick Wardrobe £220 Charlotte Tilbury

Come to mama! The Tilbury temptress has done it again. A collection of 10 Matte Revolution Lipsticks to keep you poutin’ all year round. The only downside, is the price!

St. Tropez Instant Party Kit Christmas £10 LookFantastic

An ideal stocking filler for the northern lass in your life! Lashes and tan – nite oot sorted!

Lancôme Hypnôse Volume-à-Porter Mascara Makeup Gift Set £18 Debenhams

The Queen of mascaras always delivers at Christmas time. This is the only Lancôme mascara I haven’t tried (hint, hint) plus the free mini Lip Lover and Crayon Khôl make it even sweeter.

MAC Enchanted Eve Lip Bag Red £34 MAC

This screams Christmas (and New Year). This three-piece lip lovely will see you through the party season and beyond.

bareMinerals Fabled Favourites 7-Piece Bare Beauty Obsessions Gift Set £19.80 Debenhams

If you haven’t fallen for bareMinerals yet, this set could seal the deal. The eye, cheek and lip collection includes seven tried and-true customer favourites. Give the gift of beauty or keep it all for yourself.

Laura Mercier Flawless Contouring Palette £35 John Lewis

The extraordinary cream formula is more blendable than typical contouring powders, allowing for a natural, flawless, fool-proof application every time.

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish™ Limited Edition Sweet Orange & Mint £8.78 50ml John Lewis

A cute stocking filler from Liz… This Christmas, enjoy a fresh and uplifting fragrance, combining zesty notes of sweet orange oil with the refreshing aroma of just-crushed peppermint, plus a limited edition gold trimmed cloth – that’s me sold.

Origins 'Let Us Glow' Skincare Gift Set £27 John Lewis

Tired of looking tired? Prepare to become one of the perky people with a skincare saviour from Origins.

Diptyque classic set of three mini candles SpaceNK

I can’t defend them. They are ridiculously expensive and yes, you’re effectively setting fire to money, but money never smelt so good! Honestly they smell divine, plus they’re strong and very long lasting. The trio includes Bailes, Figuier and Roses.

Beautyblender Make-Up’s Best Friend kit £27.50 Selfridges

And because it's too damn cute - The Beautyblender,aka Make-Up’s Best Friend... in triplicate.

*Prices correct at time of publishing. Promotions come and go*

Christmas lists full yet?

Despite being a real blogger fave, I’ve never used a Laura Mercier base (shock horror). I worship at the altar of her pimers, but the foundations have passed me by. That was until I was training at The London Make up School earlier in the year and had access to the whole range. There are two versions of the Silk Creme Photo Edition Foundation – moisturising and oil free. I’m reviewing the former, but I used both at LMS and was blown away by their versatility. They suited everyone’s skin type, looked incredibly flawless and, true to its name, photographed beautifully.

Headline deats…

A long-wearing formula with a high pigment load that provides up to 12 hours of full coverage wear while feeling comfortable on skin and hiding even hard-to-cover imperfections. The photo-ready, natural luminous finish is ideal for video, photography and special events.

My thoughts…

It’s full coverage for sure, about as full coverage as I’d go. If you’re used to sheerer foundation like moi, it might seem a bit thick, but it doesn’t feel heavy or look cakey. It covers most redness, decolouration, pimples etc so you can probably forgo concealer – bonus! It’s not a swipe-with-fingers-and-go foundation, you’ve got to take the time and effort to b-lend. I apply it with a regular No7 foundation brush then smooth with my fingers to check it’s pressed in. For an even more flawless application use a sponge or beauty blender – I’m just too lazy to do this on a daily basis. The finish is absolutely flawless! I wouldn’t call it dewy, more luminous and slightly glowing. It’s moisturising, but not greasy and lasts all day. Despite being full coverage it manages not to look too flat or mask like and yes it photographs wonderfully – no insta filter needed. It’s a real gem for bridal make up.

I’m going to have to shave off some points for the poor shade range. Colour match was tricky. At the school I had the full range to mix/customise to meet the model. In store I was matched to Medium Ivory (I’m MAC NC 30, Chanel Vitalumiere 30). At first this seemed way too light for me, but as the winter draws in and my summer glow disappears, it’s becoming a better match. I'm wearing it with Giorgio Maestro Bronzer in the photo - review here.

For me, this isn’t an everyday foundation – I’m still a bareMinerals Complexion rescue nut! But there are the days when I need a bit more coverage and certainly for nights outs, events and anything involving photography – this is where I turn!

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Moisturising Photo Edition Foundation £35 SpaceNK | House of Fraser | John Lewis

Who's a fan?

If there’s one thing Charlotte Tilbury has nailed, it’s the packaging! Her lipsticks are exquisite. The rose-gold metal-ribbed casing is elegant, timeless and expensive. They remind me of the Estee Lauder lipsticks my Mum had when I was a kid. Please lord if I ever drop my handbag, let this roll out and not a tampon!

Packaging nailed, what about what’s on the inside?

Don’t be fooled by the name ‘Penelope Pink’ actually isn’t very pink. It’s more nude with a slight dusky/browned pink. It’s very neutral – neither warm or cool and for that reason it should be universally flattering. It is of course the lipstick to complete the Dolce Vita look and it perfectly balances the intense warm copper/red brick toned eyes. It’s perfect for an everyday or paired back lip.

It’s a moisturising formula, very emollient and glides on with ease. Creamy and buttery yet lightweight, you can definitely forget you’re wearing it! My lips are pretty chapped right now and it doesn’t cling to the dry skin, instead it smoothes over and provides a perfect surface. I feel like I have to be quite generous with application, it needs a good couple of coats. It’s fairly sheer on first swatch, but builds up to a fuller coverage.

The finish is quite shiny, almost glossy. There’s no denying that it makes my lips look fuller– juicy and glossy and plumped up, even without the liner. Stick the liner on (Pillow Talk) and BAM, Pam Am pout! The staying power is pretty good, especially for a nude, a moisturising nude no less!

When I it comes to lipstick I tend to be all or nothing. I cane new lippy. Put it in my bag, wear only that and only that for a few weeks, before the urge for a change creeps in and I swap it out for another. Penelope (not so) Pink and I have been going steady for 8 weeks now, no subs bench yet!

I’m really pleased I picked Penelope Pink. It’s unlike any other in my collection and I’ve already had decent wear out of it. It’s a good all rounder and when I do eventually take it out of my handbag, man will it look good on my dresser! I’m not planning to rush out and buy any more of the K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipsticks. I don’t think they surpass MAC, except in price, but I could be tempted with CT’s Matte Revolution range.

Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick £23 Charlotte Tilbury | John Lewis

Have you tried Charlotte Tilbury lipstick? Please share your links and comments.

I’m all about the multi-tasking, time saving, fuss free products. Who has time to faff about with five products when one will do!

Murad Invisiblur Perfecting Shield Broad Spectrum SPF 30 is a unique multi-benefit anti-ageing serum that blurs, primes, moisturises and protects skin in just one step. In short, it’s a wonder primer!

It feels like one of those silicone textured primers, think Smashbox Photo Finish but lighter. In fact, it’s light at air. The velvety, slightly mattifying texture sinks in to reveal an instantly visible improvement to the appearance of pores and lines. It helps to blur pores but doesn’t feel like it’s sitting in them – no polyfiller here. Mattifying textures aren’t normally my favourite, you know me, I’m all about the glow but it truly makes my face look extra smooth and flawless. It provides the most perfectly silky smooth canvas for applying make up and my foundation lasts longer!

On top of all this, it’s delivering proper protection. For years I hardly worried about sun damage. Like most, I wore sunscreen on holiday but didn’t bother in the UK. That was until I put my face in one of those face analysis contraptions and saw sun damage all over the place. This contains factor 30 and for once, it’s truly invisible, lightweight and non-sticky.

I can’t lie, the price makes me wince. I was lucky enough to get this in a good bag at a Murad event. BUT when you consider it’s an anti-aging treatment, sunscreen and primer in one, it's an easier pill to swallow. Either way it delivers flawless skin in one step!

RRP £55, currently £46.75 John Lewis | Feel Unique

Stop.What.You’re.Doing. Christmas has come early.

The £5 eyeshadows that ARE BETTER than MAC are now available on UK soil. No more postage, no more two week waits and most importantly, no more extortionate customs charges.

If you’re a youtube addict, chances are you’ve come across MakeUp Geek Founder Marlena. She’s been tubin’ for years and launched her own line MakeUp Geek – luxury cosmetics at affordable prices. The hype surrounding their eyeshadows is completely justified. They look a lot like MAC but they’re loads cheaper, and wait for it….. better!

I ordered Mocha, Cocoa Bear, Latte, Hipster and Vanilla Bean earlier in the year and was blown away by their quality (full review here). Super rich, intensely pigmented, true, vivid colours, exquisitely blendible and super long lasting. And all this for $5.99 each! WOW. The only downside – ordering form the US meant a two week wait, $9 delivery charge and £12 customers charge. Well no more! Our very own Beauty Bay are now selling MUGs eyeshadows (from £4.95), pigments and blushes. Whoop, bloody whoop! Off I go to fill my palette. Next on my wish list - Prom Night, Shimma Shimma and Creme Brulee.

Check out the amazing Makeup Geek at Beauty here

Scoring the perfect brow is a fine art and no one knows this more than Benefit. From grooming to styling they’ve got brows down. So imagine my delight when this dropped through the door…

The Curious Case of the Brow Dilemmas is the ultimate capsule brow wardrobe with everything you need to arch out the competition along with a VIP card which entitles me to free brow treatments at Benefit Brow Bars – Christmas has well and truly come early. It took me all of about 5 minutes to make my first appointment.

Benefit Brow Grooming

Repeat after me - taming of thy brows is essential. I’m definitely guilty of letting the bushiness get out of control. No excuses now! I didn’t drop the “VIP” when I booked my appointment, to properly review the service l wanted to make sure I was getting the same treatment as everyone else. I’m always a little nervous letting someone else loose on le brows, but with over 10 million groomed, I was in safe hands. I went for the full works – waxing, dyeing, shaping, and trimming. I told the girl I wanted to keep them thick (about a hundred times) and I wanted to take my arches a little higher, with slightly more of a point, if poss! The dye made such a difference. I normally skip this part since mine are already pretty dark but the tint helped create the illusion of more fullness and ultilised my little baby hairs to take the brows higher. Through waxing and plucking I got a nice, clean shape. I still looked like me, just better. The service is super efficient and I was done in 30 minutes. Guess what, at Benefit, everyone is a VIP. Find your nearest Benebrow Bar here

Brows styled with BrowZings and Gimme Brow Dark

Brow Zings £24.50 here

Brow zings, where have you been all my life? I don’t know how I’ve never used this. I guess I went from pencil’s to HD Brows and Anastasia Beverly Hills and somehow skipped this one. BIG mistake! Wax on one side, powder on the other, some handy little grooming tools, it’s everything you need in one tiny palette. The wax gives the powder something to adhere to (genius) for a bigger, bolder, beefed up and super long-lasting brows.

Gimme Brow £18.50 here

You know I love this one. Gimme Brow took so-called “brow mascaras” by the short n curlies! It doesn’t just tint brows or comb them in place. It magics brow hairs where they don’t even exist. The innovative brush-on fibre-gel adheres to skin and hair, filling sparse patches and thickening brows naturally. The tapered brush is tinie-tiny and absolutely perfect for shaping and filling the hard to reach gaps. Fuss free and super quick - it's shaved minutes of my morning routine. For a natural, low key brow I only need this. For a full, bad ass brow, Brow Zings and Gimme Brow together are a force to be reckoned with!

High brow £16.50 here

Do you know what, I had this years ago and had totally forgotten what a visible difference it makes. I'm not a big fan of the whole concealer around the brows thing. I think it looks a little fake and, well, obvious. This is much more natural. Lifts, enhances and highlights brows in an instant.

Sadly The Curious Case of the Brow Dilemmas bumper pack isn’t available to purchase, but you can buy all of the individual items here.

Are you a Benefit Brow fan?

The quickest, easiest, most fool-proof tan I’ve ever used.

Over the years my love of tan had dwindled. I’m normally pretty happy to embrace the au natural look, but there’s something about party season in Newcastle to make you feel very pasty. The problem is, the faff puts me off! Enter James Read Instant Bronzing Mist.

When it comes to tan, James Read is the man! His Sleep Mask Tan, hands down the best facial tan I’ve ever tried. But bronzing mists, hoever, are a tricky beast to master, but I honestly couldn’t face the latex gloves, tan mits, ronseal coloured lotions and potions – spray and go sounds better to me.
So this is how you use it. Stand in the bath. Sray it all over your body. Done! Seriously that’s it. I sprayed it on in a pretty cack handed manner and fully expected a patchy, streaky dis-aaaaar-staa, but somehow I ended up with an even, all over, golden tan. The spray is more of an ultra light mist that disperses evenly and widely (if that makes sense) so it covers quite a generous area with each stroke. You can even spray it directly on face, hands and feet – just make sure you moisturise your knuckles, elbows and toes. It absorbs straight into the skin and is completely clear. It was dry before I even got out of the tub. I got dressed and left it on overnight. Like every other tan, it did smell biscuity, but it didn’t transfer onto my clothes or bed sheets.

I wanted to be able to walk into work the next day and not have everyone think – she’s been tango’d. I might be a northern lass but a full-on mahogany glow in the middle of winter aint my thing (any more). Thankfully I got an even, all over glow. It was noticeable but not in-yer-face. I cannot believe how quick an easy it is!

For fuss free tanning during the festive season crack out the James Read Instant Bronzing Mist £25 ASOS | Space NK | QVC

Gather around my little beauty junkies, fancy a peak inside my Christmas presents?

I hope you've all had a wonderful Christmas and you're still in holiday mode. I know I am (hence why things have been a little quiet over here lately). Normal service will resume soon but in the mean time here's a little something to whet your appetite. It's become a bit of a tradition to share my Christmas gifts, we do all like to have a nosey don't we, and as always I've left of the pjs and socks.

I won't go into too much detail now, after all, this is my blogging material for the next few months! Plus, I haven't had time to 'play', I'm still in greasy hair, all-day-pjs mode. I'm beyond excited about the Tarte Holidaze Collection QVC! It had sold out pre Christmas and I thought I'd lost out, fortunately Santa came through. It's a bumper collection of 16 Amazonian Clay Eyeshadows, 4 Amazonian Clay Blushers, Mascara and Lip Creme. I guarantee you I'll be raving about this next year! It wouldn't be Christmas without a little Liz Earle under the tree and I was lucky enough to get more than a little. This bumper collection of skin and body care wonders will keep me going until summer. There was some lovely surprises too like the Leighton Denny Front Row Collection and Nars Illuminator in Org*sm, which amazingly I've never tried.