Brick by Brick...

Shimmer Brick, Bobbi Brown 

These award winning products are without doubt the best highlighters you can buy on the market. Sweep along the top of cheekbones after applying blusher, under brows where light naturally hits the face, or you can use the individual bars as an eyeshadow.  You can use them day and night, and at this time of year, they look amazing with a tan. Pop one into your holiday makeup bag for that golden beach goddess glow! 

Choose from Rose Quartz which gives you a pink rosy glow, Beige, giving a subtle candle light glow, or 24 karat for a pearlescent shimmer.

Available at Bobbi Brown, and Selfridges, £32 

NARS Tinted Moisturiser

NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser SPF30/PA+++

"NARS, foundation is the key to modern makeup. By balancing skin without masking, skin looks flawless and healthy. NARS is about translucent skin" - Francois Nars

During the heatwave, I discovered he most amazing, and lifesaving makeup product - NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser.  It gives you enough coverage to have perfectly radiant looking skin, yet doesn't cake or melt in the heat like a normal foundation.

The task of wearing less makeup, without it looking overly made up or having it melt off your skin can be tricky. We all know showing off more skin in the summer requires a lot of effort - waxing, exfoliating, moisturising, fake tanning, pedicures, etc, etc.... this should also apply to your face too. 

I've tried BB, CC creams, and even mixed foundation with SPF, but none have been as effective or easy to use as the NARS Tinted Moisturiser.  You don't even need a mirror, just apply to your face like a normal moisturiser - perfect for applying just before going to the beach (obviously for those who admit wearing a 'little' makeup to the beach)... ;) 

The oil free formula is infused with naturally derived botanicals to help skin feel hydrated, and also contains sun protection (SPF30), whilst reducing the appearance of hyperpigmentation, and dark spots in four weeks.

* Makeup Artists Tip - For that extra bit of coverage, add a tiny bit of foundation, or for the ultra bronzed goddess glow, add a little drop of highlighter and apply to the face as normal.

I am seriously hooked, I will be wearing this product all year round!

11 shades available from Selfridges, Liberty or John Lewis, £28 

Lancome Hypnose Show collection by Alber Elbaz

One of the most anticipated makeup collaborations this year has finally arrived! The Hypnose Show collection from Lancome designed by the amazing and legendary Alber Elbaz is now available to buy exclusivey in Selfridges or Lancome online.

If I didn't wear makeup, I would seriously consider buying it just for the packaging, as each product is decorated with Alber's signature colourful illustrations. The collection consists of feather-light false lashes, colourful eye-shadow palettes which include magnetic high-precision applicators and volumising mascaras in- Hypnôse Doll Eyes, Hypnôse Star, Hypnôse Drama and the original Hypnôse.

Get them while you can...

Prices start at £18.50

Tangled!!

TANGLE TEEZER, £10.99

If like me it takes you absolutely forever to detangle your hair, then, this product will seriously change your life!

This innovative product is the fastest selling hairbrush in the UK, it's hard to believe that it was first featured four years ago on the TV show Dragon's Den where it was rejected.

Believe me, the the Tangle Teezer dramatically detangles the bushiest, birds nest of barnets, into beautiful, sleek hair, so easily without  splitting, damaging, or breaking.  

My hair is bleached on the ends so it tends to get really knotty, especially after a night out where its suffered from overuse of products and wear and tear. After washing it used to take me what felt like hours to detangle, causing damage, and always splitting.

Now, my routine, is cut by at least half an hour with minimal damage! I really cannot live without mine, and do not know how I have survived so many years without it.

Available in many colours and sizes, nationwide at Boots

*Please note, the possibilities available with long sleek hair are endless...


See below...

To Dye For

YSL La Laque Couture Tie & Dye nail polish, £18

Tie Dye can only mean one thing - the 90's are truly back! Tomorrow, YSL launch an innovative three-in-one nail polish in four colours, Cool (watermelon), Pop (pink), Hip (lilac) and Ice (blue).  

The tri-phase nail polishes are composed of three separate layers to create different finishes - clear gloss (on top), sparkle (second) and lastly, the solid colour. For the tie dye look, the brush needs to slide out smoothly and applied straight to the nail creating a gradient effect.  Alternatively, the bottles can be shaken to form a completely different look, which once applied, creates a candy-like finish.

If you want to go for the ultimate 90's look, wear all the colours and textures at once...with matching hair! 

Available 1 May exclusively at Selfridges 

Prada Candy L'Eau

I’m a huge Roman Coppola and Wes Anderson (Darjeeling Limited, Moonrise Kingdom) fan, so when I discovered they had teamed up with PRADA to make a 3 part film for the new Candy L'Eau fragrance starring Léa Seydoux, I was trés excited!

Capturing the fun and playful spirit of nouvelle vague cinema, the three films feature Léa Seydoux as ingénue Candy, being wooed by best friends Julius and Gene.

...which one of these big haired Parisian's will she choose?

The fragrance itself is a lighter version of the original Prada Candy which is great news for me because I found it overpowering - it contains white musk, caramel, benzoin, sweet pea and citrus notes . The packaging is the same beautiful art deco bottle as its predecessor, but this time in nude and gold.

I think I’m in love with Candy L'Eau too!
From £50, available exclusively at Selfridges until April 29.

Illamasqua Speckled Nail Polish

Illamasqua, Speckled Nail Polish, £14.40

This month I have learnt that you only start missing things/people/food when you realise you can't have them. Abstinence. I have given up chocolate for lent, and having never really craved chocolate before, I seem to have developed an unfathomable desire for the stuff! So, to celebrate Easter (sans chocolate) I wanted to show you the new speckled nail polishes from Illamasqua, which also happen to resemble chocolate mini eggs. 

When I initially saw this collection a few weeks ago I wasn't so impressed, but then I saw it on a friend, and it looked AMAzing! Part of the imperfection range, the nail polish collection is inspired by the fragility and beauty of irregular markings upon bird eggs. Sounds a bit gross, but I guess that's the whole point and ethos behind the collection - finding beauty in something that isn't conventionally deemed as attractive.  

The collection comes in five pastel shades of green, lilac, baby pink, sky blue, and creamy nude.  The ultrafine matt glitter creates an unusual yet beautiful finish which dries with a smooth glossy finish. I seriously need them in every colour! 

This will definitely distract me from my chocolate cravings for a while..

Two weeks to go....

Available at Selfridges and Debenhams