Laura Louise Makeup + Beauty

Vanitas is the latest limited edition collection from Illamasqua which is inspired by the dark romance of the 17th century still-life painting.

The tones and hues selected replicate those that were popular within the artworks including rose, deep purples and golds and can create both delicate and bold makeup looks...oh and the packaging is rose gold. The collection is small but select, including one eyeshadow palette and 5 lipstick shades, which I kinda like ; you are not overwhelmed with choice ,it's concise and well-edited. The shades work really well together and the Vanitas Rose Gold Palette is gonna work on ANYONE and everyone, which is why I have shown you 3 different looks you can create with it varying from more intricate to the easy, every-day eye.

The Rose Gold Palette contains 12 shades, all of which are exhisting eyeshadows except for 2 and it has a nice balance of metallic, shimmer and matte finishes. The tones are all pretty warm, which works really well for me as these are the colours I would wear and do wear on a daily basis. Let's get to it...

The packaging is really pretty...well done Illamasqua for jumping on the Rose Gold bandwagon as this shit sells....we all know that. It is made from (tough) cardboard and I know it's had some negative feedback on this as obviously it won't be quite as hard-wearing as a typical plastic palette. I'm sitting very much on the fence with this, as it IS very slimline and compact, and slots into my makeup kit easily. It has a similar physical 'makeup' to Z Palettes (but actually better as Z palettes has a plastic top)which, as a makeup artist, I have use for years and they keep my shadows safe and I have not had any casualties over the hundreds of travels I have done with my kit.It ain't gonna break your shadows or compromise them in any way, let's get that clear.

Herein lies the problem ;This kind of cardboard will get indents and marks on it very easily so it won't stay pretty for that long if you are travelling with it or it's in your kit. As a consumer and paying the £44 pricetag, I can see why some people do not like it though.

The shadows are beautiful and can be worn in multiple combinations ; particular favourites of mine are Vernau, Bronx, Terra & Tango. They are of a good quality and the metallics blend insanely well and are easy to use. As for the matte eyeshadows, as with ANY matte eyeshadows, I would recommend a base to make them apply better and stop them going patchy. I am obsessed with using the 'Terra'(matte red) as a socket colour and blue eyes will love the shade 'Bronx'...if you don't fancy the whole palette, get this colour on it's own.

Erm, I also need to add that Illamasqua....names such as 'Fist'& 'Rim' ; I see you.

Wow how SMUG do I look in those last couple of snaps.
Look 1 : Eyes using shades Fist, Rim, Terra & Obsidian. The lip is MAC Stone
Look 2 : Eyes using shades Tango, Bronx, Rim. The lip is Illamasqua ESP .
Look 3 : EYES using shades Stealth, Servant, Vernau, Wolf. The Lip is this balm-stain from Revlon which is here.

The Illamasqua Rose Gold Palette is available now and costs £44. It is limited edition though so I am pretty sure this will sell out along with the gorgeous looking lippes.

What do you think of these makeup looks & which is your favourite? Do you think this palette is something you would wear?

I have had quite a splurgey month/s so I am now reigning the purse strings back in and focusing on all the good beauty that I already have and it also made me think about what great beauty we have available on the high street AND on a budget. I am a fan of mixing high end and high street...in both fashion and beauty so I wanted to share with you some of my favourite budget beauty (mainly skincare)that is under £10.

First up is possibly my favourite and most used skin cream which is the cult beauty hero Weleda Skin Food. This is *that* desert island product ; a multi-purpose cream that can be used anywhere on your face & body to replenish, hydrate, feed & restore the skin. It is a rich, oily cream that contains calendula, chamomile, rosemary & beeswax so dry/dehydrated skins can use this as a daily moisturiser and oily/combination can use this as a treatment/mask. I have this this product as it cin my makeup kit for 10 years + as it turns the most dehydrated and overworked skin into glowing, dewy & workable skin. It has a huge celebrity following and if it's good enough for Victora Beckham, it's good enough for us mere mortals.

If you like to stay on that more *natural* skincare vibe with a budget then look no further than Good Things skincare. It isn't organic but it is a brand that uses no parabens, mineral oils, SLS or animal ingredients. I am loving their new Pore-fectly Clear Face Mask which is a detox charcoal mask that draws out dirty, impurities and grime so is what I am using as my Sunday deep cleanse. It isn't overly harsh on my skin, and doesn't make me feel dry and devoid of any oil....which is a good thing, even if you hate your oily skin! This contains charcoal powder to clean the pores, Caffeine & Kaolin to rebalance oil and reduce redness and Pomegrante extract which is a great anti-oxidant. This is a great budget dupe for this Dermalogica mask and costs 1/6 of the price

I have used bits & pieces from Superfacialist by Una Brennan over the years, and I think it is my favourite high street skincare range as I have really liked everything I have tried and the quality is so good for the pricepoint. On of the newer things to my collection is the Rose Brighten & Refine Facial Scrub which I have been using loads recently as it's a great all-in-one when you are on the go and don't have time for a hefty skincare routine. It kinda does everything ; brightens, exfoliates, hydrates AND it feels really cooling as it contains menthol, along with Provitamin B5, White Willow & Rose Flower Water so smells wonderful. Also on another Una Brennan hype, this cleanser is one of my favourite ever and I buy it all the time.

Summer would not be complete without dousingLa Roche Posay Serozinc'pon your face by the hour. This product is great anyway, come rain or shine, I just find myself wanting it more when it's warmer as it is so lovely and cooling when you apply it. It is a facial mist that is targeted towards an oily/combo/breakout skin that treats it with you guessed it......Zinc (amazing for blemishes) , and leaves your skin cooled, less greasy-feeling and looking more matte.

I'm now on my 3rd bottle of the Dirty Works Micellar water, and this is available in bigger Sainsbury's stores. It's cheap, cheerful and cleanses my skin a lot better than some of the pricier micellars out there. It contains Hyaluronic acid & Hibiscus extract so soothes and leaves your skin and eye area calm and hydrated.

I don't think there is anyone who hasn't owned a can of Batiste Dry Shampoo. One of the
original's on the high street and still the best. I have used SO many over the years.....expensive ones, fancy ones, newer ones..but I still seem to revert back to this original and classic formula. No frills just a good in-between-wash hair refesher, and if like me, you have fine and flyaway hair, it's great to spray on freshly blow-dried manes to gives a bit of texture and volume.

I think we are quite spoilt for choice with our high street skincare choices nowadays...which is great, as I think we have become a more educated and discerning customer-base, but not everyone has £200 to get a skincare/beauty regime together. I love the fact that you can pretty much pick up a decent skincare routine from the local supermarket.

What are your favourite budget beauty things? Have you tried any of these?

FOUNDATION ; It's that one makeup product that I probably invest the most money into and I am forever finding new formulas and brands that I love and use. Fortunately as consumers we are pretty spoilt for choice with foundations with innovative formulas constantly coming out trying to entice us in.I don't know about you, but I have probably around 4 that I consistently use, depending on how my skin is, what finish and coverage I like and also how tanned my skin is.

If you are struggling to find something that works for you then here are some tips and tricks to finding 'THE ONE' ; that holy grail foundation, which can be quite a time-consuming and arduos task, not to mention heavy on the purse strings!

ASK THE 3 QUESTIONS

There are 4,00000,000000 foundations to choose from and we all haven't got a lifetime to go through them all ; ask yourself these questions that will help whittle down the options and help you find your perfect match.

1) Budget Find your comfortable price-point. Not everyone wants to spend £30 on a foundation every 6 months and there are some fantastic budget options.

2) CoverageDon't straight away think you need a full-coverage! How is your skin without makeup? Unless you have heavy blemishes/ scarring and high redness, it's unlikely you need a full coverage, although SO many people think they do. Your skin will looks it's best withthe lighest foundation your skin needs with strategic & clever concealing...as opposed to using your foundation as a concealer.

3)Skintype This will dictate how a foundation sits and wears on your skin. Dry skins will prefer a more dewy and hydrating foundation wheras oily skins will prefer a semi-matte and perhaps oil-free finish.

There are also many different formulas of foundation which may effect your choice ; cream, powder, fluid & stick foundations being the most common. You may prefer makeup to be quick easy and compact, in that case you may want a powder with a sponge or brush in the compact.

TRY IT OUT

Not on the back of your hand, but on your ACTUAL face. If shopping in a store then usually you will be able to get a sales assistant to apply it & match your skintone for you, so you can wear it around for a bit to see how it wears and sits on your skin. Also a good way to see if it actually IS the right colour when you walk about outside as sometimes store lighting is not great, particulary if there is no natural light. How many times have you purchased a foundation after swiping it on your hand for it to look terrible on your face later @ home?!

Drugstores are a little trickier, as sometimes you are lucky enough to even have a foundation tester, let alone anyone to help you! Take along a small compact mirror, and hunt down the foundation tester you want to try on your skin and match is as reccomended below.

TIPS ON COLOUR-MATCHING :

Yes, you can be yellow (warm), neutral or pink (cool) toned in your skin. If you can't see any obvious tones in your skin and can't work it out....go for neutral.

Some brands such as Bobbi Brown are very yellow-based but most brands have a reasonable selection of pink and yellow tones. MAC offer their infamous NC (Neutral Cool) vs NW (Neutral Warm) shades with C actually being yellow and W more pink. Another brand which I am loving for their ease of tone selection is Cover FX and their custom drops which are split into Pink, Neutral & Gold.

When I am matching a client for foundation, yes I will look at the colour on the neck but often this IS paler than the face anyway as the sun does not catch it as much, so DON'T get matched just on your neck ; try the neck, forehead and chin if you just want a quick match & get the one that is adaptable to all areas of your face and a happy medium between all the areas. Often a colour that is perfect on the neck will be 2 shades too pale on the forehead.

Are you using fake tan? Will you be going paler or much darker anytime soon? Take that into consideration. I always have my winter VS summer foundations, so don't expect 1 colour will suit all year round, you will have to switch it up or get some form of liquid bronze you can add into your foundation to make it warmer. I love the NARS liquid laguna and the The Body Shop shade adjusting drops to add depth to my foundation.

APPLICATION

Application is also important to get the most out of your foundation and to get it looking perfectly polished. Your foundation formula will dictate what the best way to apply it will be and get advice on how is best to apply. In general :

+ Cream/Fluids work best with brushes or sponges

+ Powders work best with brushes or sponges
+ Don't feel comfortable with a brush = use your fingertips!

If you like a heavier coverage, try a sponge. Beauty Blender is the most well-known and does live up to the hype although there are plenty of dupes out there now if you are on a budget. I prefer a buffing brush as I just think it works so much better at working the product into the skin, with this one from Crownbrush being one of my favourites. Foundation brushes have advanced so much in the last 10 years ; before the 'paddle' foundation brush was the main option , but now there are lots of different styles and types so there will always be one that works for you.

I've collated a few of my favourite foundations below so it may make it easier to find your perfect foundation based on your skin type, coverage you want and the all-important budget:

Have you found your perfect foundation yet? What do you like for both budget and high end? Would love to hear your suggestions.

I think the UK makeup scene is a little NYX-crazy right now. With the launch into Selfridges earlier this year and more recently, Boots, this U.S budget makeup brand is more accessible than ever and it's offering the discerning makeup lover a little bit more ; dupes, pro makeup artist type products, and outrageous colours that have not really been available to us on the high street up until now.

The price point is super competitive and I think , great value for you buck with lipsticks starting @ £5 , great quality concealers at just £5.50 and eye palettes start around £7.50. My only gripe with NYX so far is the actual counters....which I have only visited 2 of regulary so far ; the one in Selfridges London and the one in Boots Liverpool Street station. They always seem to be a right old mess with no staff for the majority of times I have been, limited testers and it's pretty hard to find the actual products you want amongst the mess. It must be doing pretty well as a brand so NYX...start employing more staff for your counters in the UK, and don't neglect us!! WHEN are those damn lip lingeries launching onto the counters by the way?! I keep checking back and they only seem to be online....

I love this quick and easy makeup look I have done here, which was using pretty much ALL NYX products and this lip colour is my current favourite at the moment. I actually think I prefer the lip creams over the lip suedes as they don't seem to dry your lips as much and the colour selection is so good. This shade is 'Morocco' and it teams really well with a soft eye as it's so vivid and showpiece.

I also wanted to do a small giveaway with all the key products from NYX which I have used in this makeup look which are all listed below. So enter to be in with a chance to win this lovely lot and get some NYX love all over your face!

[[This giveaway will open @ 12am 5.8.16 so a few hours after this post goes live so check back if it's not open!]]

The giveaway includes:

1 x Contour & Highlight Pro Palette

1 x More To Love mascara

1 x Black liquid eyeliner

1 x Jumbo Eye Pencil (shade = Gold)

1 x Soft Matte Lip Cream (shade = Morocco)

TO ENTER:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

T&C's

- UK ONLY (sorry!)

- OPEN FROM 5.8.2016 until 14.8.2016

- Entrants / usernames will be checked against the giveaway requirements

- Winner will be announced within 24 hours of the giveaway closing via twitter

Best of luck to those entering xx

July Favourites, let's jump to it.

OK so I *think* I have found a new perfect-for-me foundation. I had heard a lot of hype about the Make Up For Ever Ultra HD foundation stick and it thankfully lived up to the hype, and possibly exceeded. I purchased it in my Debenham's haul here. It is super quick to apply and use, it covers brilliantly and has a wonderful semi-dewy finish. True love. Everyone is going NUTS for the new Hourglass foundation stick, but I will save you time & money ; THIS is better, £13 cheaper and DOUBLE the amount of product. No brainer.

Another makeup product I picked up in the same aforementioned haul was the Too Faced Sweethearts Sparkling Bellini blusher, and this again, has become one of my most trusty makeup possesions of late. I love the bright, punchy colour against my more tanned skin and it has a lovely bit of glow that imparts onto the skin to leave a healthy but not shimmery finish. One more thing ; packaging.

You know I love my Crownbrush makeup brushes for a budget option and their new Pro brushes have really taken it up a notch in the quality and performance stakes. They are slightly pricier but this reflects the superior finish and cut and I am OBSESSED with all of the brushes I have tried from this range thus far, in particular the tapered ones like the C531. I just find this shape of brush so good for applying precision powder, including bronzing and contour ; no pathchiness, streaking and it just blends everything beautifully.

I picked up the Lancome Hypnose Volume-a-Porter mascara at IMATS London a couple of months ago and I am really liking it. It's quite a simple wand which I just get on with better ; silicone, not too big, nothing too fancy, it just does the job of coating my lashes and making them look longer & thicker. The formulas is nice and creamy which I like as I find it easier to build and get a nice thick lash. I'm kind of fed up of all these *innovative* mascaras coming out monthly that promise ludicrous things ; just make my lashes look pretty, thanks.

The product of the month for me is the Nudestix bronzing pencil Terracota/Brown Sugar. This is a jumbo double-ended pencil that has a contour shade (matte taupey brown)& an eye shade (shimmery copper) that I am loving wearing on my eye in various combinations. I am not bothering with using it as a contour shade on my face, it works SO well as a beautiful warm and easy eye colour, that's all I have been using it for. The Brown Sugar shade which is the shimmery bronze is perfect for blue eyes, I literally have nearly worn the entire thing down since I got it and as soon as I run out I am re-purchasing this product. I'm actually having slight palpatations thinking about them discontinuing it or it being out of stock etc....crazy woman thoughts right there.

Moving on to the skincare of the moment ; Ok yes, this is a splurgey one, but I cannot deny that my skin is loving the La Prairie Cellular Swiss Ice Crystal serum and it's my favourite serum at the moment.The Cellular Suisse range from La Prairie is for the first signs of ageing, so I actually think I should be beyond this (I don't think...I know..I'm just in denial), but the level up is just a ~~lot~~ little out of my price bracket. I am using this just in the daytime under my moisturiser as I want to last it out for as long as possible ; it has just smoothed and brightened my skin really well and it looks just more plump, healthy & dewy. Youth come at me. This is a super treat for my skin.

With the warmer weather, dare I say *summer* at the moment, my skin/our skin in general produces more oil so my moisturisers are all lighter and fresher with the Bareminerals Smart Combination lightweight emulsion being my go-to over the last couple of months. It's great for a combination skin and the texture is the main thing that I love about this product ; it's so nice & light that I can't feel it on my skin, it doesn't disrupt my makeup and I don't go shiny AF within an hour into my day. It's an oil-free formula and another little bonus for me is that is smells of eucalyptus & bergamot so smells lovely and fresh.

Last up is a haircare product from one of my favourite haircare brands, Redken(have you USED the anti-snap? It's amaze..). I've only used it 3 times now but it's worth a mention because it made a noticeable difference in my blowdry and it really works!! Let me introduce to you the Redken Pillow Proof Express Primer ; It's a bit of a multi-purpose product ; it is a heat protection spray(up to 230 degress so covers all bases), acts a primer,holds your style longer, repairs your hair(HI THERE) AND reduces the blow dry time on your hair...which could be one of my favourite things about it. My hair is fine so it doesn't actually take that long to dry...BUT it's just something I get so bored of doing so anything to make it quicker and less painful is a big thumbs up from me.

What products are you loving lately? Have you tried any of this fine bunch?

I'm sure you already know as a possible discerning beauty lover, but if you don't, The Estee Edit is the new and slightly more 'affordable' makeup range from Estee Lauder that is aimed at the younger generation, the millennials, and perhaps the makeup lover who simply finds the Estee Lauder range a little old hat. There I said it.

Out of sheer curiousity I purchased a few pieces from The Estee Edit on my last shopping trip to Selfridges, (it's exclusive here) including their one and only base/foundation type product which is called The Skin Glowing Balm. I have recently been trying this over the last few weeks so wanted to share my thoughts with you.

I initially thought and just assumed as it was a foundation, but if you buy it with similar expectations, you may be dissapointed. This balm-type product is leaning more towards a skincare product than makeup and is possibly even lighter than a typical tinted moisturiser in terms of coverage. I am actually really liking it though and it gives the most sheer, dewy, second-skin like finish on my skin, and I am often wearing it solo for a no-makeup-day or as a first step under a heavier foundation or concealer to give a slightly heavier coverage.

ESTEE EDIT PACKAGING.

The packaging reflects the cheaper (but not cheap!) price point of the Estee Edit VS Estee Lauder. It comes in a hard plastic bottle with a neat silver pump and lid. I really like the packaging plus you can also see easily when you are running out of product. I also like the blue and white signature outer packaging on the boxes of the Estee Edit range. What do you think?

TEXTURE / INGREDIENTS.

The actual texture is quite a thick, buttery balm when you dispense it, it feels like its going to be heavy on your skin but once blended it melts away into your skin beautifully. It is a hybrid of a moisturiser and tinted moisturiser and has plenty of skin-nourishing and conditoning ingredients including the signature Pink Peony, Shea Butter, Evening Primrose Oil & Muru Muru Seed Oil. Which moves me onto my next point....if you have a combination/oily skin, this is probably not going to be suitable for everyday use. I fit into this category and have been using it maybe every other day simply for the fear of it breaking me out with constant use. A bitter-sweet situation as I really love the finish and look of a dewy skin product but as oily-skinned peeps will know, it goes from radiant skin to oil-slick sheen in a pretty short timeframe!

COVERAGE / WEAR.

The wear of the Skin Glowing Balm is *ok* on my skin for an oil-based product, I just have to keep a powder to hand to blot throughout the day, which I personally do not mind in my quest to have a radiant look to my skin. In layman's terms ; yes it makes me look oily pretty damn quickly. It applies beautifully with fingertips because of the moisturiser-like balmy texture, although a buffing brush works just as well, I just like using fingertips with it as the warmth of skin just works the balm into the skin efffectively.

Coverage-wise, it's a light coverage ; as expected. If you are needing anything more than a medium coverage, then you will need to mix a large dollop of your full-coverage foundation in with this. Hangover days will love this product, post-gym, holiday skin and days @ the beach all spring to mind. If you have a normal-dry skin and have reasonably good skin, I think this product will be amazing for you.

The top photo below shows the coverage of the Skin Glowing balm just on it's own, the other 2 photo's include the use of concealer in small areas and blusher, which is how I usually wear it. I am wearing shade 300 wheat which is a medium yellow-based tone.

There is 12 shades of the Skin Glowing balm so I am pretty sure this will fit pretty much all skin tones, and as it is such a sheer pigment product, it's relatively easy to make/force a couple of shades work for you. It costs £26, which is definitely still not cheap, but I feel like the huge dose of skincare and moisturising/anti-ageing ingredients justify the pricepoint. As far as I am aware, the Estee Edit is still exclusive to Selfridges, and is also available online at www.esteelauder.co.uk.

A NEGATIVE FOR ME.

ONE THING I HAVE TO MENTION.....is the smell. It's the pink peony. I really do not like it at all, and it's quite over-powering for my personal taste. Initially when I applied it I actually thought my makeup brushes must have been dirty and I was really wondering what the smell was....then I realised it was the product. Now it's not hugely offensive, it wouldn't stop me using the product because I like it, and I am sure some people will like/love it, but I just do not the smell, and I ain't gonna lie. Now I have just scanned down the (enormous!) ingredients list and I can see Pink Peony on the list but it ALSO contains fragrance so I think it has been amped up to smell more like Pink Peony. Meh.

Oooooh and one more thing, with this being such a good 'day-time' wear base, it would have been great to have had some SPF in it I think? It's competing against tinted moisturiser / BB-type products and these will usually have an SPF.

SUMMARY.

* Sheer cover

* Very hydrating & Dewy

* Skincare-Makeup hydrid

* Best-suited to a normal-dry skin that doesn't want much coverage

* Shades for all

* Strong Fragrance

Have you tried anything from The Estee Edit yet? What are you thoughts? I also have one of the liquid illuminators and the signature lipstick shade, which I will review and share with you as and when I use them!

Two of the most talked about and popular brow pomades/ gels that are out there at the moment ; The Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow& the Benefit KaBrow.

I would think that Benefit based their version perhaps on the ABH Dipbrow as this has been probably the most famous one launched to-date. I have and have used both extensively so I wanted to share with you a comparison which maybe will help you dcide which one to opt for if you are on the market for new brow makeup.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow VS Benefit Ka Brow.

First up ; what is a brow gel? Do you need one?

Back in my teenage makeup days, even bursting into my mispent 20's ; there really wasn't much choice of brow makeup. It was, for the most-part 2-3 shades of brow pencil from a brand, occasionly a brow powder or something slightly fancier (hello Benefit Brow Zings)....and brows weren't really a makeup focus. Nowadays we are met with the luxury of a huge selection of brow products, from gels, to pencils, inks, powders, stencils and everything in between. It can be a task in itself to decide what brow makeup you need but let me tell you why you may need a gel/pomade.

Brow pomades are basically a mix of waxes and pigment. It is a really good all-rounder in terms of brow makeup, as you can use it to both fill in sparse patches on your brow for just natural enhancement, and also with the correct brush, you can use a pomade to create small brow hairs, texture, fades and a perfect instabrow....if that is your thing. Another huge selling point for me is that for the most part, brow pomades tend to be long-wearing, often waterproof, so are very good for an oilier skin, warmer climates or simply if you just want your brows to stay put all day long.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow.

I purchased the ABH Dipbrow in my huge Sephora haul well over a year ago. I purchased it out of intrigue and the hype surrounding it and had never really used a gel on my brows as I have always been happy with a pencil over the last few years (namely the Kevyn Aucoin Brow pencil).

The ABH comes in a small, flat, glas spot with a plastic lid. It is quite bulky, but it holds a big dollop of product within. The ABH pomade texture is creamy enough to allow easy and smooth application, but it still has a certain stiffness to is so it won't slip around on the skin. The best brush I find to apply it is this one from Space NK. One thing you must remember with any of these gel product that comes in pots like this, you need to be really sure you screw the lid back on TIGHT. Otherwise it will dry up. I think the reason why the ABH is dominating the pomade game right now (beside their 11 million follower instagram/ instabrow domination) is simply the amazing selection of shades. A whopping 11 shades see's not just 'brown, blonde, black' etc....but ACTUAL real hair tones ; There is quite literally a perfect shade for everyone in this arsenal.

* 11 shades

* Waterproof

* 4g / £15

Benefit Ka Brow.

This pomade/cream-gel from Benefit is part of their huge new brow collection that launched just a few months ago.I purchased this in the pre-sale that Benefit had online, along with a few other bits, and in all honesty I was kind of expecting this to be a weak version of the ABH. It looked slightly gimmicky with it's garish packagingand more often that not I despise the brush applicators/mini brushes that come within palettes/makeup as they are often downright sh*te. However, I was pleasantly suprised by the Ka Brow ; I love this brow pomade and I am pretty much using this (plus brush!!) on a daily basis @ the moment.

It is slightly sheerer in pigment that the ABH Dipbrow but I personally like this formula as I don't like a crazy-heavy brow. It feels slightly more translucent than the Dipbrow. The brush.....it's actually not bad. It is a teeny angle liner brush and I find it easier to twist this off and use it, than fumbling around for 2 seperate products. It's a good idea and it works. If, like me, you are using this product often, I advise you to give the brush a good clean once a week to prevent a build up of dry product.

* Waterproof

* 6 shades

* 3.0g £18.50

* Comes with applicator (which is actually pretty good!)

Which one is best?!

So gram for gram, the ABH Dipbrow is obviously a much better price as it has more product AND it's £3.50 cheaper than the Kabrow. However, the Kabrow comes with an applicator so you don't need anything else. You MUST use a brush with these products, so after you have purchased some form of applicator for the ABH Dipbrow......it will pretty much work out the same price for these products.

I honestly believe this are pretty similar in quality, wear and application. I can only imagine that Benefit based their product & formula on the best-selling pomade from ABH. I think the ABH Dipbrow is slightly more pigmened in the product, which can be a positive OR negative dpending on the finish that you want. It also wins hands down in the shade selection stakes, with nearly twice the amount. I think if you are relatively easy-going with your brow makeup, want something quick to apply and all-in-one, then the Ka Brow is the way you should go. However, if you are more serious about makeup, a makeup artist and want a proper intricate insta-brow, then perhaps the ABH Dipbrow is for you. Makeup artists will definitely prefer the packaging of the ABH as it's a lot more compact and 'packable' in bulk in your kit, plus the addition of the mini brush within the Ka Brow will be irrelevant for a professional makeup artist ; we would always opt for a full-length artist brush anyway when applying on someone else's face (it's hella lot easier!).

It's pretty much a dead heat for me with these 2 brow products. I am using the Benefit Kabrow for myself personally, and the Dipbrow has gone into my pro kit, which I think basically sums up everything about these 2 products.

Have you used both/ either? What are you preferences and thoughts?

I've featured Pestle & Mortar on my blog quite a bit over the last couple of years,I wanted to re-introduce you to this brand and do a little focus, for those who have never heard of Pestle & Mortar cosmetics and for who have never tried it, mainly because the hyaluronic serum is one of my favourite skincare products EVERand they have just launched an exciting new Retinol oil.

If you have never heard of this teeny skincare brand, let me give you a quick lowdown so you are up to speed ; Pestle & Mortar is a family-made & run business from Ireland founded by a lady called Sonia Deasy. Herself, along with her sister (a biochemist) developed a simple and clean skincare range, with active ingredients, no harsh chemicals and does what it says on the tin.

Currently Pestle & Mortar only do 3 products ; The Pure Hyaluronic Serum, Hydrate moistursier and very recently they launched their 'Superstar' Retinol oil, which I am yet to try but I did see that Caroline Hiron's has already featured this in her favourite retinols which speaks volumes.

The Pure Hyaluronic Serum

Just pure LOVE for this product and think I am currently on bottle no.3. A great multi-tasking serum that quite literally anyone and everyone can benefit from. It is a super lightweight, almost watery serum that works to plump, brighten, hydrate & smooth your skin. Can be worn under any moisturiser both AM/PM and I have tried it with a multitude of different moistursiers and it works with everything. Absorbs into your skin immediately with no residue. Key ingredients include Hyaluronic Acid(plumping/smoothing), Aloe Vera juice(soothing/anti-inflammatory), Vitamin E (anti-ageing) & Lactic Acid(a gentle AHA that brightens, exfoliates, reduces breakouts).

Hydrate Moisturiser

This is a lightweight, firming and peptide-packed moisturiser to ensure a firmer, brighter and more wrinkle-free skin. It has natural hydrating ingredients including Jojoba and Squalene which will soften the skin without overloading it with oil ; hence why this cream is suitable for ALL SKINTYPES. It also contains Pomengranate, Green Tea & Vitamin E which are great anti-oxidants for protecting the skin against free radicals. I love the packaging for this, which comes in an airless container which keeps the product active, fresh & it's super hygenic. For a super dry/dehydrated skin, then I suggest pumping a little bit out onto the top bit, then adding a drop of oil into the moistursier / mix & then apply straight onto the face.

Superstar Retinol Night Oil

The only product I am yet to use so I can't say first-hand that I love it , but I want to share with you what it's all about. As obvious from the name, this is a Retinol-based oil that is desgined just for PM use (as with most strong Retinol products).Retinol is THE only proven anti-ageing ingredient that actually works to soften lines, prevent wrinkles, brighten the skin, reduce the appearance of pores and help the texture of the skin. It is a bit of a wonder ingredient, and everyone should have at least 1 Retinol product in their skincare routine. The Superstar Retinol oil is infused with TWO types of Retinol to give you a double-pronged attack & this is encapsulated in a base of cold-pressed grapeseed oil. I am so excited to try this and review it for you.

Pestle & Mortar skincare is available online and in Liberty's London.

During warmer months, our skin generally produces more oil....yay for some, unless you are like me and already pretty oily on the ol' face.
Makeup slides off quicker, feels a bit yuckier, and skincare needs to lighten up a bit to ensure I don't break out ; say hello to some of my favourite summer hydrators ; lightweight hydration without the heavyness or balminess that winter months crave & need.

Chantecaille Bio Lifting Oil Free Fluid

Ok this is on the (super) high-end scale of things, I know that. However it is a pretty phenomenal product if you are oily and need a good high hit of anti-ageing ingredients on your face. Products for oily/combination skin can often be aimed @ younger people, but yes they ARE some of us out there who are old AF yet still have an oily and breakout skin. Over the last 2/3 years this has improved but in all honestly a LOT of brands do not cater for this skintype. Chantecaille have does this for a long time and have done it very well ; forget your La Mer, Sisley blah-de-blah...Chantecialle is where it's @ for high end/ luxury skincare.

Enough gabble ; this is an oil-free, lightweight, mattifying fluid that is infused with botanicals that combat humidity whilst restoring the density and elasticity in the skin. It contains Coffee Stem Cell extract, Plantago Stem Cell, Raspberry Stem Cell extract, Peony Root Extract, Matrixyl 3000, Hexapeptides, a huge bunch of flower waxes and all this is encapsulated in a pure rosewater base. PHEW. Insanely good & worth the £230 pricetag.

Embroylisse Hydra-Mat Emulsion

A makeup artist's secret weapon ; the original Emboylisse is the ONE product that you will consistently see backstage at fashion weeks. This emulsion version is a newer and more lightweight formula that mattifies the skin, absorbs excess oil and tones the skin ; I am asbsolutely loving it during these summer months. Particulary good if you like a more matte and sheen-free finish on your skin or need a good base for an all-day foundation wear. Not an anti-ageing product, this is simply to make the skin look and feel good. The texture is a cooling gel and feels wonderful and fresh on my skin. This would also be a great one for the boys!

KIKO Solar Protect Serum SPF15

An innovative duo-phase serum formula with an SPF15 protection which is why it is great for the summer. It has full UVA/UVB protection with a good dose of key ingredient Hyaluronic Acid that holds water in your skin without weighing it down or feeling greasy. I love it because it gives my skin a really nice glow without making it oily or overly shiny, and sits well under any makeup/base I have tried it with. I've used this many-a-times simply on it's own and it has left my skin with enough hydration without having to use ANYTHING else, making the morning routine a hella lot quicker! This is currently 30% on the KIKO website.

Omorovicza Illuminating Moistursier

OK so this product isn't necessarily aimed at a combination/ oily skin. It just works for me and I find once I apply this my skin looks instantly smoother and imperfections blur away with the addition of *magic* ingredient Ruby Crystal. I must admit, I initially purchased this solely based on the fact that is said illuminating on the box...you know I am a sucker for that skin glow, and it really does give you a lovely sheen on the skin BUT it definitely isn't overly thick or rich and hasn't given me any breakouts. All Omorovicza products are made with the inclusion of Hungarian Thermal Waterwhich nourishes & infuses the skin with natural minerals and vitamins. If you are on the far end of the oily-skinned spectrum, then this may not be for you as it is a little heavier than the others products I have suggested here.

Antipodes Rejoice Light Facial Day Cream

If you prefer a more natural and clean approach to skincare, then look no further than the Antipodes Rejoice Light Facial Day Cream if you want something to keep your skin balanced in humidity. This is a wonderfully gentle and clean daily moisturiser that contains skin-loving avocado oil, anti-bacterial manuka flower oil & vanilla pod makes is smell sumptuos. I use this winter-summer as it's not super-light or too heavy, it has a lovely balance ; one that my clients ALWAYS ask me about and want to know what it is as this cream makes your skin feel instantly good, comfortable & nourished. Just because this skin cream is organic, doesn't mean it isn't active/ anti-ageing (I agree a lot of them aren't..) ; this is scientifically proven to increase synthesis in collagen production by 59%.

Do you find your skin oilier during the warmer months? What are your favourite skincare products that are lighter on your skin?

I've just got back home after a week away in the gorgeous Isles of Scilly, so apologies for the lack of blog posts. I took my laptop with me with all the intentions of getting a few things done, but of course, life and fun took over and this is the first time I have creaked open my dusty MAC in over 7 days. A little late to the game, but first up is my August Beauty Favourites.

Let's get stuck straight in.

Urban Veda Sandalwood + Botanics Body Scrub. I have a few bodycare products from Urban Veda in this lovely Sandalwood scent, and for some reason I have really taken to this body scrub. It is really aromatic, herby and lovely and I think both men and women will like this woody, fresh scent. The scrubby particles aren't overly abrasive but enough so to give your dead skin a good slough and polish and it's also great for the removal of over-zealous fake tanning patches on knees and elbows. It contains 13 bio-oils which explains the wonderful spa-like smell. Urban Veda is a range that is relatively new to me, and I think it's probably best summed up as a budget (yet natural) version of Aveda.

This Works Energy Bank Hand Makeover. I am nearly at the end of this faithful hand balm. It has a lovely texture, feel, smell and the key thing I think that puts this hand cream above many others is that it instantly makes your hands look younger, smoother and brighter. It likes makeup for your hands but it has no colour or anything just blurring pigments that give a flattering soft-focus finish to the most weary of hands. Also contains Vitamin E, Blackcurrant Oil & Shea Butter to nourish and protect your hands and it seems to really help with my rough, chapped skin.

Byredo Gypsy Water Eau De Parfum. Eurgh, Byredo, why you so pricey yet glorious?! I think what first attracted me to the brand was their fragrance names ; Mister Marvelous, Mojave Ghost, Olivers People and the Sunday Cologne amongst others.

Gypsy Water is a glamourisation of romany lifestyle ; the earthy scent of forests, soil & campfires. Sounds bizarre, smells glorious. Key notes include Juniper Berries, Bergamot, Pine Needles, Incense, Amber & Sandalwood.

Another thing I love about the Byredo fragrances as a whole ; they are unusual combinations of scent and are not common AKA no other fucker will be wearing your scent, unless they have impeccable taste.

Sephora Cream Lip Stain 06. I picked this up amongst my haul when I was in Florence a couple of month's ago. No, the Sephora's in Europe are NO WHERE near as good as the U.S stores (soz) but I still got some great bits, with this infamous lip cream being the top of my list. I think/assume this is what everyone always raves about and it's a really great, and long-wearing matte lip colour. I promise you it does not dry your lips (possibly the least-so at of all I have tried) and it stays on for like a week*. This colour is a really pretty pink and I will be stocking up on a few more shades when I am in the U.S next month. My Sephora shopping list is *INSANE*.*like a good few hours without moving.

Chanel Illusion D'ombre 'Rouge Brulee'. So makeup artist wunder chick Lucia Pica has done an insanely good job in creating the Chanel Les Rouges Collection No.1, I am going to go as far to say I think it is their BEST makeup collection ever. I love so many of the shades and products, and I have always loved red makeup, whether it be for the eyes, lips or cheeks. The Rouge Brulee cream shadow is such a great shade and I think if you are to pick up anything form this collection, this is that one product ; hues of copper, a touch of subtle shimmer, and shot through with a sea of different glistening pigments, it's utterly glorious and looks great on ALL eye shades I promise.

Sunday Riley LUNA Sleeping Oil. I bought this ages ago, probably around when it first launched (gotta love the HYPE) , then I got a little bored with it and stopped using it, and preferred to slather myself in her JUNO or ARTEMIS oils. For some reason my skin is loving the LUNA again and I have been using this pretty much every PM for the last 2/3 weeks and my skin is glowing. A great advanced retinol oil that is active, natural, and really gives obsession-worthy radiance to the skin. As you may or may not know, Retinol is pretty much the *only* scientifically proven anti-ageing ingredient that actually really works, so you need something in your skincare with this in it.

Who's excited about the next Sunday Riley U.F.O oil that is launching in October? That's another thing on my Sephora list FYI, I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

Antipodes Skin Brightening Finishing Powder. A long term favourite of mine and a product I have picked up on again and I am using this for dear life right now to keep my summer sheen @ bay. What I really love about this product is that it doesn't completely matte the skin, it leaves it with no oil or shine but a subtle layer of brightness and glow - like magic! One of my favourite setting powders ever and this will continue to be in my favourites over the years to come. It is also fragrance-free /organic and suitable for EVERYONE.

Have you tried any of my current favourites?!

You know I love my Crownbrush makeup brushes, so when they recently launched a full range of 'pro' brushes, I was super excited to try them out.

They have included 30 brand new brushes in the Crownbrush PRO range and they differ from their standard brushes by being of a better quality of hair and they have also have a mix of synthetic and natural hair to give the ultimate professional finish. I love the fact that Crown have pushed the boat out in terms of the cuts and shapes of the brushes.... some I have never seen or used before which instantly impresses me as I already have a ridiculous arsenal of makeup brushes/ artist brushes in my pro collection, so new shapes of brushes which I don't have get me a little over-excited.

I was sent a bunch of the Crown PRO to try out, and here I have hand-selected my personal 5 favourites ones and why I am loving these particular fluffy friends.

(1) The C531Pro Lush Pointed Powder Brush is the top of my list. It is a really soft synthetic brush that is smack bang in between a bronzer and a blusher brush in size ; which makes it ideal for both and or any type of powdering. I like it for contour because of the tapered point and I like my contour to be relatively natural. I apply it initially with the point to pack the contour cream or powder on and then use the fluffier sides to buff it out to nearly nothing. As it is synthetic hair, this can be used for both cream and powder products

(2) C500 Pro Flat Powder Brush A lovely fluffy powder brush that has quite a unique flat-shape if you look at it sideways. Ideal for powder or bronzer because of it's large fluffy shape. Made from natural hair (goat) and it is super soft and lovely on the skin because of the shape and cut. It reminds me of the shape of the original Chantecaille powder brush if you ever got your hands on that one (it has since changed!).

(3) C525 Pro Round Blender Brush This is a real beauty of a brush and every MUA needs something like this in their kit. (I recently just spent £££ @ IMATS on a Hakuhodo one exactly like this!) It is a really small buffing type brush, with a round head and a semi-firm finish and feel which makes this brush ideal for precision powdering in those hard-to-reach areas and places you need to really pack it on ; corners of the nose, above the brows, chin etc etc. I also use this for buffing in cream foundation and concealer in larger areas (goes VERY well with the Kevyn Aucoin SSE FYI.) A really good on-set powdering/ touch-up brush for professional makeup artists.

(4) C505 Pro Angle Contour Buffer This is a great brush for contour lovers, in particular I think it works perfectly with a powder formula as again, this is a natural (very soft) Sable hair. The angle allows you to follow the curve of the face/cheeks for an easy application.You can absolutely use this with cream contour if you prefer, although the hair may ruin over time. This brush is ideal if you like a heavier look on your contour, also it is great for heavy blotting and powdering.

(5) C508 Pro Angle Blender Brush. A small, angled, synthetic brush that can be used for everything and anything with both powder and cream formulas. Do with it what you will. I find this brush perfect for anything under eyes ; blending & buffing in concealer and also to set my concealer with the Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder ; It's just a great shape and size for this.

Have you tried any Crownbrush makeup brushes yet? They are my no.1 for brushes on a budget and the service is always great & very easy to shop online. You can also catch Crownbrush at most makeup trade shows if you want to have a see and feel of the brushes before you buy (that's if you can bust your way to the front of the always-2-metre-deep-que of makeup obsessives that are clambering all over the stand!) Let me know your thoughts.

This Retinol night treatment from Pestle & Mortar has just launched and I wanted to share with you some key factors about this oil and why it is well worth sticking it on the shopping list/ lust list / christmas list...or at least just getting on your skincare radar.

The Superstar Retinol Night Oil is as it sounds ; an oil, a PM one and it contains Retinol ; hooray! It's pretty advanced in terms of formula and the actual 'Retinol'(Retinoid) used and for the price, it's one of the best Retinol oils on the market in my opinion. Familiar with the Sunday Riley LUNA oil? This is remarkably similar ; Pestle & Mortar have obviously been taking notes...

RETINOL FOR DUMMIES.

Ok, let's try and break it down ; the key ingredient / Retinol in the Superstar oil is called HYDROXYPINACOLONE RETINOATE (that's the one and only time I will write that). This is basically a next generation / advanced retinoid that has multiple skincare benefits including reversing the signs of ageing, smoothing lines and wrinkles & boosts collagen production. (NOTE: It's also the one in LUNA) You may be reading this and thinking blah blah blahhhhh that's what all 'anti-ageing' products do....or say they do ; however Retinol is THE ONLY PROVEN anti-ageing ingredient that there is out there. In short, you need something with this in it if you want anti-ageing in your skincare.

Vitamin A/ Retinol is also readily absorbed & accepted into the skin and has the ability to repair damage caused by free radicals. It truly is an exceptional ingredient and if used correctly and within a decent skincare routine, it can make a huge difference to your skin.

Why do people talk about Vitamin A when talking about Retinol and what's the difference? Ok so this is when it gets confusing a little.....basically RETINOL is a type of RETINOID which is found in VITAMIN A. Hence why people often refer to Retinol as Vitamin A and the other way around. There are different types hence why different brands often say they have a 'new' type of retinol etc etc etc. This is always changing and advancing. Some brands use 1, 2 , even 3 types of Retinol in their products but the key to it actually working is how stable it is and the %. Often pure Retinol is pretty unstable and can be inactive pretty much as you open the jar ; Just do your research.

Retinol, in a decent concentrate will usually be a PM treatment (as is the Superstar, Sunday Riley, Chantecaille Retinol, 111 skin, Strivectin etc etc) as it can make your skin sun sensitive. Some cheaper products may contain retinol at low levels so it can be used in the day and night. As a general rule, if you want it to be strong / active, stick to the ones that are just for PM use. If using in the day, ensure you are slathering on at least an SPF30.

Retinol DOES NOT exfoliate your skin although people think it does due to the 'peeling' effect it can give you. This is simply your skin cells turning over as opposed to removing dead skin cells, which is what exfoliation will do. It is perfectly fine/safe, and advised to use AHA'S & BHA's alongside retinols.

SUPERSTAR RETINOL NIGHT OIL.

So aside from having the aformentioned key Retinoid ingredient, what else is making the Superstar oil so good? It contains a superior blend of organic, cold-pressed oils that also help to reduce pore size, and even the skintone and texture. The oils have been selected to deliver optimum amounts of Vitamins A, E, C , B along with Omegas 3 & 6 which are all hugely beneficial to the skin.

What's the faff with cold pressed oils? A lot of brands are throwing this term around at the moment (again, Sunday Riley are big on this..also Kat Burki, PAI, Organic Pharmacy) so what are the benefits? Well cold-pressed oils are made by using lower temperatures to extract the oil from the source (nuts/seeds/plants etc) which keep the oil stable and all the valuable elements in tact. Cheaper oils are made by using huge commercial batches and higher heat which often leaves the oil completely devoid of nutrients ; hence why they are cheaper.

The texture of the Superstar is a silky, lightweight oil ; it absorbs into my combination skin easily without any sticky residue. One pump is plenty for full face application & I often do half a pump to start and if I need more, I go for another half. Use this after you have cleansed in the PM, don't use anything else under or over it, this is sufficient on it's own and you shouldn't really need anything else.

I have had no adverse reactions whilst using Pestle & Mortar Superstar, no peeling etc, although I have been using retinols in my regime for many years. If you have never used any retinol then ease yourself into it by starting off using it 2x/week and just build it up. On that note, this is a non-irritating formula ; no parabens, mineral oils, fragrance etc so if you want to start using retinol in your skincare, this would be a perfect place to start. The black packaging and pump isn't just for show, this ensures the ingredients are kept air & sun exposure so Superstar is kept active and potent with every use.

It has a really nice, slightly herby & musky smell(possibly the cumin seed?) which I actually really like...it just smells like it's going to be good for your skin. As specified it has no added artificial fragrance to make it smell a certain way, it's simply the natural oils within.

Skincare authority & absolute LASS Caroline Hirons featured this oil in her favourite 5 Retinols which speaks volumes, you can watch her natter about it here. She also breaks down the terminology and faff probably a lot better than I have here.

The Pestle & Mortar Superstar Retinol Night oil costs £63 for 30ml. Not cheap, but as explained above, the price is absolutely justified with the quality of retinol and the addition of organic cold-pressed oils. It is available to purchase here.

With LFW AW17 looming upon us, I wanted to share with you some tips & tricks on how, as a makeup artist, you can get working on shows and assisting some top makeup artists. I have worked around 12 seasons of fashion week and have been fortunate enough to assist some of my most-loved makeup artists including Kirstin Piggot, Alex Box, Sharon Dowsett & Charlotte Tilbury. I am asked often about HOW to get working alongside these amazing artists, and here is a a few hints to get you on your way.

CONTACT THE AGENCIES.

Like a particular makeup artist's work? It just takes a quick google search or social media stalk to find out who represents them. Drop the agency an e-mail, which will be on the Agency's homepage and say who you would like to assist, a makeup work CV and a few of your strongest images OR a link to your website. (a Facebook page or Instagram isn't professional when dealing with leadin agencies, so if you have no proper website, just attach images).

You can create a free & basic website with WIXor even Wordpress.

It will be the 'fashion agencies' who will be looking after the MUA's heading up the fashion shows (makes sense) so make sure you are getting in touch with the correct agencies. Noteable ones include Streeters, CLM, Art Partner, Tim Howard Management, Premier, Jed Root & Julian Watson.

Don't be put out if you don't hear back , agencies will receive a huge amount of e-mails from similar-minded and determined MUA's wanting to assist. Leave it a month, and drop another e-mail. There is a fine line between being keen and being a pain in the ar*e so just be polite, professional and to the point. They don't want a 3-page life story, just your name/ contact & keep your work experience really concise. Pick out just your best jobs /assisting - agencies will have like 30 seconds to glance over your CV. Also, keep it relevant ; this is FASHUN so they won't be interested that you once did a celeb from Strictly Come Dancing back in 2010.

ASSIST ASSIST & ASSIST SOME MORE.

Don't e-mail the agencies 2 weeks before the shows with the above. They will already have their longlists and or shortlists for their show teams for particular artists. They will also be so busy that your e-mail will probably never even see the light of day! It's highly unlikely that they will put you onto a team if you have never assisted with that agency before. You have to do the graft and just 'get in there' over the year ; take any assisting offers you may get, more work will come and they will start to know you and use you more frequently. Initially it will likely be unpaid assisting, but once you prove your worth, the good jobs will come in and hopefully.....the shows.

PS. You pretty much need to be in or near London for regular assisting.

HOW IT WORKS / OPTIONS.

You will get contacted by e-mail usually around 2-3 weeks before fashion week and asked if you are available for *INSERT ARTIST* on *DATE/S* & possibly *DESIGNER* . If you are, you will then be put on 'option' for this. Option means basically you are longlisted with a bunch of other MUA's. Once they have had all their replies about availibility, the agent will go through their option list, shortlist it and confirm with the MUA's that they want on the show. Obviously they will opt to go with the ones who are more familiar with or have worked with the artist before. If you don't make the cut, you will then be 'released' from the option which means you are not needed. If you are 'confirmed' then that is 100% you are on the show and committed to the date and time.

Unfortunately, if you confirm and option, then get offered another option, you cannot/ should not take it. If you are then confirmed on both, you will royally piss off one of the agencies who will drop you off their books like a sack of sh*t. Often you will get optioned on all days, and get dropped on all/some ; it's just the way it works, as annoying as it is.

£££ PAY £££

In general terms it will increase with your experience. The bigger the shows and artists you assist, the bigger the budget . I have worked on probably the same amount of unpaid VS paid shows. You need to get experience under your belt to progress. In general, paid shows can range from £150 - £300. If you get optioned on a show, it's best practice not to immediately ask what the fee is. Once you get confirmed you will be told what the fee is etc. Tough but true. More often that not, you will also get a nice bundle of makeup and/or skincare from whoever is sponsoring the show also.

It can take a while to receive payment from shows also, so just ahem, grin & bear it. I've waited up to 3 months. Probably more.

YOUR FIRST FASHION WEEK.

What happens on a show? You turn up around 5 hours before the showtime and preen and prep the models into whatever look the lead makeup has designed (this would have been tested and approved with the designer before the show). Often a brand will sponsor a show and provide the key makeup items/ colours that are needed for the look. Still take along a full, yet concise kit as you will always need other products and sometimes need to ahem, improvise.

The lead makeup artist will demo the look onto one of the models (take notes & a photo of the final look for reference) which is what you need to re-create on your models. There will usually be between 16-25 models who need to have makeup applied so you will be expected to do 2-3 models depending on how many makeup assistants on the team and the structure of the show team. Top teams such as Pat McGrath will have around 4 divisions within the team so some MUA's are just doing body concealing/lotion..nothing else.

Once you have applied the look to your model then you need to get it checked and approved by the lead artist. Tick your model's name of on 'The List'..Then onto the next. Be prepared for working very quickly, under pressure, at the same time the model is having both hair and nails done and literally sometimes on your hands and knees!

BACKSTAGE ETIQUETTE.

Haven't worked @ Fashion week before? Here are some tips to keep you on the straight & narrow:

- Don't be late (I have seen assistants been kicked off the show when they arrive for being late)

- Don't use your phone unless necessary. Avoid taking BTS (behind-the-scenes) etc

- Don't post anything from BTS on social media unless approved by the lead artist.

- Keep your section tidy and hygenic. Backstage photographers are swarming like bee's and you are representing the lead artist , their agency and the sponsoring brand.

- Stick to black or dark clothing to be on the safe side ; The makeup artist's uniform!

- Keep makeup minimal ; it sounds bizarre, but it's just the norm.

- I always have short nails, it's just more hygenic & safe.

- Wear trainers/ comfy shoes. Just...yes.

- Don't take *it* personally ; I have been shouted at, I've seen screaming matches & dramas, it just happens as the pressure it pretty intense until showtime.

BASIC KIT ESSENTIALS.

- Full set of makeup brushes & alcohol spray for spot cleaning

- Foundation for ALL skintones

- MAC Face & Body for ALL skintones

- Basic skincare (Embroylisse / Bioderma micellar/ Lucas PawPaw / pump dispenser body lotion)

- Hygiene (tissues/wipes/cotton pads/ Q-tips/ disposible wands etc)

- Mixing Palette (handy for when you need to borrow product/don't have something, I like this one from Crownbrush)

- Straws (yes straws) in case the look has a bold lip and the model wants to drink.

- Nappy bags for rubbish

- Deodorant / mints / tampons. Just because.

I hope this was helpful! Let me know in the comments if you have any questions.

SEE ALSO: My London Fashion Week Kit Essentials (full edit)
Fashion Week Survival Kit

Lets' get straight to the point ; the Bareminerals BAREPRO Performance Wear Foundation is THE best foundation I have ever used from Bareminerals and I am pretty sure the best foundation powder I have ever tried. I have not been instantly wow-ed by a foundation for quite some time which is why I wanted to share this new launch with you, some before & after's and the general lowdown on why I am loving it so much.

Foundation powders have been a love-hate thing for me in the past. It's not something I ever really wear on it's own/as my main foundation, but more as a finish/sweep over the top of my liquid foundation to perfect it. I will often keep a powder foundation in my bag for touch-ups, but that's about it. I have oily skin, so in theory I should be more attracted to a powder foundation to keep the shine @ bay, but I simply love the dewy, gorgeous finish that you can get from a liquid as opposed to a typical foundation powder. Thoughts of cakey skin, dry-looking skin and a powdery face creep into my mind, but I should know and do know that powder formulas have come on in leaps and bounds, and the barePRO shows me exactly that.

What the peeps @ Bareminerals say about barePRO ;

'A high performance, 12-hour long-lasting coverage, that lets your skin breath'. Tick. Tick. Tick.

First up : The Coverage.

It is really buildable as in you can get a tinted-moistursier-esque finish up to a full, flawless coverage, and I mean flawless. This gave my skin such a smooth, filtered finish that I almost looked airbrushed on the one side in the comparison shot. I promise you there is no airbrush or photoshop in any of the photos.... it just smooths away pores, fine lines and hides any uneven skintone, redness and blemishes. I would also like to add I have no concealer or anything else on in the photos except the one at the bottom of the page. Once I had buffed the powder all over my skin to a nice finish, I then went in harder over areas that needed concealing/ blemishes etc. I also used this here under my eyes.

Longevity & Wear.

It promises a 12-hour wear and I have worn this probably for over a week or so and I can confirm that the wear is really good. Do you need to powder/top up throughout the day? Well that depends on your skintype, I am oily-combo and I just needed one blot throughout the day. In terms of coverage, it stayed all day and I didn't feel the need to have to top up with any more foundation.

Skin Treatment.

Ok so we know that skincare is what you should look to for treating and helping your skin longterm but it doesn't hurt to have some decent ingredients in your makeup too. This contains 90% minerals and vitamins so definitely one to consider if you are sensitive, have problematic skin or simply don't like any clog or residue on your skin ; the formula feels totally weightless on me, even when I build it up to a heavy/full coverage.

The barePro foundation is clinically proven to improve skin clarity, reduce the appearance of pores and control shine. Hooray for us oily-skinned girls.

Another key selling pointsfor me is the fact that it comes in a sleek compact (with sponge for touch-ups) which makes it easily slip into your handbag, and to be honest, you could probably ditch the concealer/ powder etc from your bag also = SPACE SAVER!

They do do a specific barePRO makeup brush to apply this foundation, which I haven't actually tried. I applied it with this brush which I was really happy with. I would just suggest anything that is quite dense to ensure you can build up the coverage in areas needed. Apply with a circular buffing motion to get a nice, even finish.

The barePro Foundation comes in 20 true-to-you shades so there is something for everyone and I love the fact there are different tones with both warm, cool and neutral so you can really find a perfect match. I am wearing Natural 11 in the photos which is my usual tone, but after holiday I am a little warmer as you can see in the 'before' photos so slightly pale right now but great for when I lose my tan....which will be begrudgingly imminently.

The BarePro foundation costs £27 and is available online and in all retailers stocking Bareminerals.

I just welcomed my September Birchbox in the post, and I think it's a REALLY good one. I have been a little 'meh' with a few of the more recent, but this has clawed it back for me ; and I think it's one of the best boxes for me of the year. *clapping hands emoji*. From what I have seen on blogs and social media too from consumers ; it has been well-received everywhere.

The theme is 'HEROES'...do we care about themes? Not particulary no, we just care about those goddamn products, the sizes and the saving, but it's a good idea for Birchbox to keep within a theme I guess and keep a kind of story going. In the leaflet you get within the box, it tells you a little about the monthly theme and what it's about....if you are interested.

This month's Birchbox is the same pull-out-drawer style as the last couple, which I think has been well-received by consumers, which is why they have continued to do so. Makes it just a little easier for stacking , storage & recycling your box into something more handy.

THE PRODUCTS

Laura Mercier Blemish-Less Primer (15ml)

The newest (I think) addition to the Laura Mercier Primer Squad and I this is the only one I haven’t tried so another win for me. This is a water-based lightweight gel that is a treatment for a breakout skin. Currently us oily, blemish-ridden girls will opt for the oil-free or normal formula but it’s good to see they have introduced this as I think problematic skins usually shy away from using too many layers of products on the face ; at least this is doing somethingworthwhile ; along with smoothing the skin AND helping your makeup stay flawless. If this isn’t for you then the Laura Mercier Primer arsenal currently stands at 8 Deep so there really is something for everyone. The tube is a decent size, will probably give around 20 uses.

NUXE Prodigieux Shower Oil (30ml)

This is actually the product that I was most excited about in this month’s box. I love French skincare brand Nuxe, I have a long-standing obsession with their cult Huile Prodigeuse oil & I cannot get enough of the beachy scent of this product. A shower oil that has *that* oil in it? GET IN AND AROUND MY FACE (erm or BODY). Smells wonderful and It’s super nourishing as it contains a blend of precious oils. I have already purchased the full size in my mind.

Amika Bombshell Blowout Spray (30ml)

I have used this brand before, and I am *pretty sure it was from a Birchbox. I have vague memories of the floral pretty print and I think it was a hair mask of some description. This is a styling spray that volumises, adds texture and smooths all-in-one. I am yet to try it, but a huge tick from me is that fact that in comes in a generous 30ml size so you can get a good 2-week use out of it to see if it really suits your hair type and regime

Starskin Eye Catcher patches (2 patches = 1 use)

Always a welcome addition into any beauty addict’s stash. A brand I have never heard of. These pre-soaked eye patches promise to brighten, smooth and de-puff the eye area and contain coconut juice & liquorice root extract. I had never really bothered with eye patches until this year really ; I have been travelling quite a bit and I just always seem to throw in a couple of packets each time I go away. They are slimline and easy to pack and perfect for jetlag, tiredness and simply over doing *the fun*.

Model & Co Highlighting Trio (Full size hollaaaaaa)

This was another highlight (LOLZ) for me in this month’s box. Really impressed with this pretty trio of cream shimmers. All very easy to apply and wearable, and something that I know I will use a lot. Know your NARS? Thing of the Laguna, Cococabana & Orgasm. HIYA.

You can subscribe to Birchbox here. It costs just £10 & P&P per month and you can un-subscribe anytime. I think it is one the the best beauty subscription boxes out there and you always get a really good saving.

Ok we've all, as discerning beauty lovers and makeup obsessives, heard the rumours and news about Sephora potentially opening this year in the UK. It started off with a flurry of twitters, and now Cosmopolitan ran this story, Huffington Post & more have published similar about the impending store opening in Westfield, Stratford. I've put my detective spectacles on, done some research and the conclusion is ;

IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN & IT'S HAPPENING BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

The Rumour Mill.

This started on Twitter around 3 days ago, and people went into makeup melt-down. Rumours of staff @ Westfield being told about the opening of the new Sephora store, eagle-eyed shoppers seeing Sephora branding being taken into the store & I have heard first hand of makeup artists already working for brands (cough MAC) within Westfield, Stratford, have been applying for jobs @ Sephora.

Twitter @CherryWallis

Twitter @JoXoArtist

The fact that US Sephora started shipping to the UK around 2 years ago also is a sign that they were possibly dipping their toes back in the UK market, building customer loyalty & seeing how us UK crew like to spend.

Sephora have always been relatively quick to dispel rumours of a UK store on social media ; however this time they have remain tight-lipped..which speaks for itself.

What went wrong the first time?

I remember when we had Sephora before, it came to the UK in 1999 and opened 9 stores in various locations including Bluewater, Southampton, London N1 & Solihull. It vanished mysteriously & pretty quietly only 6 years later in 2005. Sephora remained and still remain shtum about why they left the UK so quickly, but rumours of soaring rent costs, badly chosen & out-of-town locations, crappy stock levels, under-staffed shops & also the fact that they were nothing like the French Sephora's all probably play reason for their departure.

I think also the beauty market is SO different now, and that it will work this time around, with the right location, plus just starting off with 1 flagship as opposed to 9 out-of-town locations. There is possibly no better location than Westfield and let's be real, it's absolutely going to smash it this time around with the soaring interest in makeup, the PR storm surrounding it and the fact that the UK are even more-obsessed with beauty than ever before. I foresee people moaning about how they chose to open in London ; it's just pure business sense & they want to/need to get it right this time around. The shopping destinations in London generally generate a lot more money than anywhere else in the UK. I would suspect they will also launch an online UK Sephora shop simultaneously also, so those who cannot frequent the store often, can at least top up online.

Will it be like the U.S Sephoras?

I very much doubt it no. Sephora is owned by LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennesy) which is a luxury good conglomerate that owns a shit load of brands including lots of beauty ones we know and love ; Benefit, Dior, Guerlain, Sephora, Aqua Di Parma & more. However, currently Sephora in itself is 3 separate companies within LVMH : 1) Europe 2) Middle East/Asia 3) North & South America. I can only imagine we are going to slot into the 'Europe' division UNLESS a fourth company has/will be created which would be solely UK.

((RANDOM FACT: BOOTS used to own Sephora before LVMH & BEFORE it first came to the UK!))

So let's assume we will be part of the Europe Sephora division. It's will still hold some amazing brands, we know that, but if it isn't like the shopping experience you get in America, I'm not *that* excited. I haven't been to the flagship Champs-Elysees Sephora store which is meant to be pretty unreal and stocks a LOAD of brands that aren't seen in many other European stores, but I have been to a handful of other Sephoras in Europe and they really do not compare to the U.S shops in terms of shopping experience, customer service and the brands that they hold. Saying that perhaps they will make the London store as exceptional as the Paris flagship (here's hoping)& we will get all the brands that we want to see.

Sephora Brands I love.

Just on a personal level. I am a huge U.S Sephora fan and do big shops when I am visiting (I am off next month to Boston, with a shopping list as long as my arm!) so there are some brands I am really hoping come with a UK Sephora. MOST of the brands @ Sephora are available in the UK somewhere or somehow but there are a good handful that are not at all, or are just online, which defeats the shopping experience.

BRAND LOVE:Kate Somerville, Boscia, Pat McGrath Beauty, Sephora own brand, Bite Beauty, Drunk Elephant, First Aid Beauty, Dr Dennis Gross, Too Faced, Kat Von D, Lit Cosmetics, Marc Jacobs Beauty, Peter Thomas Roth, Surratt, Tata Harper, Sunday Riley, ABH, Too Faced, Josie Maran. *I know some of these are avail in the U.K but not readily or full ranges*

I think the beauty (no pun intended) of Sephora is that it sells luxury brands, niche brands and affordable beauty brands that aren't available in your usual department stores, but alongside your usual department store brands(Bobbi, Estee Lauder, YSL, NARS, Clinique etc) so basically it's just ALL UNDER ONE ROOF. It has that nice balance of self-service and beauty counter so that you can roam free with your shopping basket if you like and mind your own business, but at the same time, get some advice if you need.

When will it open?

From a retailer perspective, it's a very good idea to open pre-christmas and if they are already installing and working on their new location in Westfield....I can only imagine it will be next month or perhaps early November when we see the doors opening to a flurry of makeup artists, bloggers, beauty lovers and arm swatching lunatics.

PS. These views are simply mine from compiling information from the interweb, my personal knowledge & assumptions, beauty insiders & reading various articles.

Herman is utterly terrified at the prospect of Sephora opening in the UK.

What do you think of the idea of Sephora opening here in the UK? Do you think it's going to work? You can start your shopping list HERE. (!!)

When I first clapped eyes on Kristen Stewart in the campaign images of the Chanel Les Rouges No.1 Fall collection, I had literally purchased the entire range in my head, and I was desperate to immerse myself in this sea of beautiful , luxe red hues.

As a whole, I think this collection is utterly fabulous, gorgeous and sensational. Red is timeless and beautiful and on the cheeks, lips and eye ; I LOVE RED. I am a huge girlfan of makeup artist Lucia Pica who creatively designed Chanel Les Rouges and I think colour-wise, this is the BEST Chanel makeup collection for many, many years.

I skipped along to my local Chanel counter a couple of weeks ago to pick up some of the range, have a proper look and swatch and play with the shades. I had already had my beady eyes on the stunning Illusion D’Ombre ‘Rouge Brule’, and it was equally as beautiful in real life as in the images, I also got the other Illusion D’Ombre within the collection which is Rouge Contraste..and that's as far as my Chanel Les Rouges Collection purchases went. Initially, I wanted to get the eyeshadow quad, but in real life it wasn’t quite as impressive for me as it was in the photos. I also passed on the red lipsticks ; they are absolutely beautiful, but I have 100 similar shades of red. Instead I picked up a bottle of the Perfection Lumiere foundation which I have been wanting to try for years.

The Les Rouges Collection is relatively formidable ; with the signature quad, x2 Illusion D'Ombre eyeshadows, x2 waterproof eyeliners, x 6 lipsticks (2 differing formulas), x2 lipliners, a blusher and x2 nail polishes. It is all honestly absolutely beautiful, but if like myself, and you already love RED, then you may have similar shades @ home. I am still toying with a lipstick and a lipliner.

The Illusion D'Ombre Rouge Brule is such a beautiful shade ; a multi-faceted slighty shimmery coppery red, and the Rouge Contraste is a really rich, dark red-brown. Both colours work seriously well on blue eyes FYI. If you are after a good long-wearing red lipstick then take a look at the 'velvet' formulas within this collection ; they are simply stunning. I cheated here in the pics with a dupe from NARS called Cruella.

THE MOAN.

The formulas of the Illusion D’Ombre ; They aren’t good. In fact, they are dry and difficult to apply after just 2 weeks of owning them.

Yes, I screw the lid back on tightly and I never leave the lids off for more than 10 seconds at a time so it’s not me……it’s them. It’s a darn shame because both colours are absolutely stunning. The darker shade 'Rouge Contraste' is the one I have actually used less and this is the worst offender of the two ; as in it’s near impossible to even pick this ‘cream’ formula up with a brush, it comes off in small dry-ish pieces. WAH. If they cost £5 I really wouldn’t care and I would simply struggle on as I have been doing…but these cost £23.? I have used the Illusion D’ombres before and I do remember them becoming a bit dry and tricky after maybe 4 months…but not 1-2 weeks.

So what am I doing to apply and use the Illusion D'Ombres? I have this mixing medium from Inglot, which is just a clear fluid you can add into any makeup really to make it more fluid without it losing it’s staying power (I use this every day with my ABH Dipbrow at the mo which has been drying) so I am happy enough to do this as I had this product kicking around anyway. Not sure how I would feel if I had to purchase something extra to make the Chanel shades apply though. So a lil’ warning and a heads up to you all.

Have you indulged in any of the Les Rouges Collection? It’s limited edition so if you want anything you better be quick-sharp I think as it’s a popular one. Maybe you haven’t had any problem with the cream shadows? Maybe you have? Let me know your thoughts.

I am making a real effort to make a change on my blog, and only 'review' products I have *properly* used...I mean for weeks into months rather than just a sniff and a swatch (YEP. IT HAPPENS). I also think when it comes to both skin & haircare you need to really use it to know how it works for you both short and longterm. I was sent a bunch of products from L'Oreal Professionnelto try a few months ago.....and I want to share with you my thoughts on this particulary exceptional range ; the Vitamino Color A-OX. I have been using this for months now, and it's really working miracles on my hair.

I currently have super-damaged, over-processed bleached hair. It needs a lot of love and attention and feels very sorry for itself. It tells me this by being utterly difficult to style and shitty to work with. The Vitamino Color A-OX range from L'Oreal Professionnel is all about protecting your hair's colour radiance, boosting colour intensity and shine & protects colour-treated hair. I have 4 of the products which i dip in and out of/use in conjuction with one another..

Vitamino A-OX Soft Cleanser (shampoo)

My star product, and one I will immediately purchase when I have finished it up. It is a gentle sulphate-free shampoo that had a wonderful creamy mousse-like texture when lathered up with water. I was actually genuinely suprised to find it was sulphate-free due to the way it *foams*. It gently releases hair impurities AKA dirt n' grime from the hair shaft and leaves the hair lovely and clean without the stripping. I have it in a tube form (I think there is a bigger size that comes with a pump) and I was suprised at how small the actual hole was to get the shampoo out, as in you really have to squeeze it to get the smallest amount out. I think this is because it is super-concentrated so you only need such a small amount, like HALF of a normal shampoo. This annoyingly small hole actually does help you remember that. If you just want to try one thing from the range first ; this is it.

Vitamino A-OX Color Cleansing Conditoner

A posh 'Wash-N-Go'. Shampoo'ing your hair can bring the colour out quickly and also can actually cause damage on over-processed hair (HOLLA). If like me, you have fine hair and need to wash it often then it can be beneficial to cleanse gently and this is perfect ; a very, very conditioning shampoo-conditioner in-one. This isn't something I use often, it's more like a once a week alternative as a full deep cleanse ; also great as your gym buddy. Note ; this does not lather very much so don't use this when your hair is really dirty and greasy as it will do nothing!

Vitamino A-OX Fresh Feel Mask

Although this is classed as a hair ' mask' I find it light enough and perfect as my conditioner. I tend to wash my hair every 2-3 days, perhaps if you wash daily then it may be too much. It is a feels beautiful and luxury in my hair and leaves it nourished, protected without heaviness. This is also a great smoothing conditioner, so if you get tangles in your hair ; this is also for you. Hair is left really soft and easy to manage.

Vitamino A-OX Jelly Masque

This is a great mask-treatment for coloured hair, and I find, for fine hair. I love the texture of a thick, oily mask but in reality it just makes my thin hair really lank and I need to wash it again the next day; this masque is a lightweight jelly texture (and it's PINK Gaaaaa) that hydrates deeply, protects your colour and radiance WITHOUT the heavy feeling. I use this maybe once a week/every 10 days or so. As with all masks, I tend to really squeeze out the excess water in my hair after shampoo'ing, slather on a good dollop then crocodile clip my hair up for around 5 minutes to really let the hydration get to work.

What is your favourite haircare for coloured hair? Have you found anything that works for you?

You've probably heard of Soho Farmhouse, if not for ALLLLLL the big & swanky blogger/press events being held there after it opened, someone, somewhere you know has probably been and you've seen their sneaky snaps on Instagram. I say 'sneaky' because the Farmhouse etiquette is in align of that with the entire Soho House group ; they don't like phones. Aside from being anti-social in public places, it allows any members to not have to worry about being papped & keeps privacy and anonymity for all the slebs who are staying.

ABOUT /

Soho Farmhouse is a members' club-slash-swanky country club and resides deep in the Cotwolds amongst 100-acres of land. There is 40 purpose-built cabins where you can sleep 2 up to 14 people, and they come fully equipped with everything one might need for a super-posh country stay. They think about all the *little* things to the necessary from plasma TV's, retro radio's, the MOST comfiest (& huge) beds, full-size Cowshed products for you to use at your convenience (& minatures for you to take-away), homemade Farmouse granola for you to eat in the AM with your complimentary milk, that's if you don't opt for your personal chef to come up in a little signature mint green milk-float to cook you the full english outside your cabin. Oh, and in the PM's, you can ask for a personal bartender to come along in aformentioned milk float to come and rustle you up cocktails until the cow's come home. Moo. There's lots to do, see & experience and it's pretty much designed to never make you want to leave.

x3 photos above Copywright Soho Farmhouse www.sohofarmhouse.com

THINGS TO DO /

It is kindaaaaaaa a posh person's playground, basically. There is lakes for rowing, shops, horse riding, a giant Cowshed Spa, a Josh Wood hair salon, pop-up restaurants, bicycles for cycling around the huge grounds, obviously an indoor AND outdoor pool (it turns from one to the other = magic), gym, spinning, walking, a free cinema, pretentious classes that involve growing your herbs and floristry......everything. You could easily stay here a whole week and not get bored. I LOVE IT.

The Cowshed spa is beautiful and they do every treatment you can imagine. You have individual changing rooms that all have a loo, sink and shower and they come fully equipped with a hairdryer, straightners and all the white, thick, fluffy towels you could ever need. The spa does both Cowshed & Skinceuticals treatments, the shop sells both of these, along with other beauty additions such as the Clarisonic, Oribe haircare and Neville skincare aimed @ the boys.

The main courtyard AKA party central is where a lot of people hang - this is where the big barn restaurant is, a florist, the main bar (opens until the last person fall on the floor FYI), clothes shops which sell ridiculously expensive things, the cheese shop (BUY SOME REBLOCHON), a small coffee shop, ping pong tables and of course those huge rustic fire pits that you have probably seen your arsehole mate on instagram curled around at nightime whilst sipping some form of fancy £15 cocktail.

NO SNAPPING OR SOCIAL /

A Soho house general policy. Yes, there are celebrities there.....but members don't really care much for that, it's the norm and they respect the need for privacy, which makes it a nice, relaxed vibe. I've seen princesses, actors, singers and famous models there ; no one cares, and they can happily shuffle about in their hunter wellies and trackies with no makeup on without the worry of fans and snappers catching them off-guard as they chow down on their baked truffle eggs. Apparently an overly-eager-but-not-so-subtle-couple tried to catch David & Victoria Beckham in the back of their *selfie*...they had their memberships immediately revoked. LOL GIRL BYE.

The staff are discreet, you won't get any gossip from them ; and they are all very casual, relaxed and friendly. I heard there was up to 300 staff on site PER DAY fluttering around doing various unimportant-important jobs.

CABINS + ACCOMADATION /

I have stayed there a couple of times now ; once in a 3-bed cabin and then more recently in 'The Farmhouse'which is the original house and is the biggest which has 7 double bedrooms. In all honesty the cabins are more impressive with the decor and comfort, but the farmhouse is perfect if you have a large party. Decor is very rustic, luxury and beautiful....as you can imagine.

You will be assigned a 'farmhand' with your stay, basically someone who chauffeurs you to your cabin in a shiny Black BMW X5 , will show you around, leave his number if you need.....literally anything. At your cabin, you will have a pair of wellies (in your size....how do they even know?) and one of *those* green Foffa bicycles with your name tag on it (with the seat adjusted to your height....sorcery) to make your stay just that little bit more country.

You are now basically a tweed jacket away from becoming landed gentry.

Your fridge will be stocked with pre-made cocktails, drinks, milk...you get jams, peanut butter (whole/unopened tubs) , freshly baked loaves of bed that is likely to be sourdough coz...trendy, granola & other frilly fancies. I always wonder what they do with every peanut butter tub after it has been used just once?! Thoughts?

FOOD & DINING /
The two main places to eat is the Main Barn and PEN YEN by the pool/lake which is a wonderful Japanese ; think Nobu/Roka style. The main barn is the bigger area, in the main courtyard which serves up traditional english fodder such as flat iron chicken, plaice, triple-cooked chips & fancy salads. Breakfast/brunch is the absolute winner here where they do a buffet which compromises of a pancake and waffle station, all different types of fancy breads and jams, smoked salmon and other picky bits. You can also go A La Carte and get baked eggs, full english and all the usual. If you go, you must order a Bloody Mary no matter what time of the day ; they are sublime.

OK so how do you book? Probably with a little difficulty if you are not a member as I heard that are pretty booked up until Christmas. Priority goes to members when booking rooms, and then they open the bookings to mere mortals AKA non members I think maybe a month before and there is often not much available. Prices start from around £250 per night for a 1-bed cabin. This will change seasonally and if in the week or weekend also.

It's not cheap, it was never going to be (I think they spent in excess of £100 million on this gaff), but it is 100% worth it for a special occasion/ staycation in the country. You'd be hard-pressed to find a better place to stay in the UK country of you like 'country' but with the comfort..just makes sure you get at least 2 nights in so you can make the most of everything that this posh butlins' has to offer.

sohofarmouse.com

I mentioned it on social media a while ago and here is the in's and out's of my lip filler/ augmentaion experience with the all important before & after shots. So I am always one for being open & honest about any cosmetic procedures I have and I do like sharing it with you. I am not ashamed about having anything done (I've only ever had Botox before...you can read about that here) ...plus also I know my readers like reading about the HONEST experience as they are always very popular posts. I don't think I exaggerate the truth or make it sound more or less glamourous than the reality, so read about my first lip filler experience...

Why I wanted my lips done.

Now my lips are definitely not small in anyway. I have always had relatively full lips...but my bottom lip is quite a bit bigger than the top. It's actually 'normal'& apparently ? to have a bit of a bigger bottom lip but I wanted my top lip to be a little more voluptious and plump. So I decided to do something about it. I am relatively confident about having things like this done as I guess in some respects I am not overly bothered if it doesn't look amazing ?? plus it really does not last more than a good few months. If I didn't like my fuller lips, they wouldn'r be with me for that long. That's just the way I look at it.

I went to La Belle Forme (Brentwood) which is my local clinic. The consultant ran me throught the procedure, asked me lots of questions about the shape and results I wanted. She was really knowledable, had been doing it a LONG time and was super efficient. We went straight into the procedure thereafter.

I am seeing a lot of people going to *cheap* places to have lip injections such as local beauty and even nail salons (my local high street nail salon do it every saturday now!!) Anyone without any medical background or medical quals can train to do injectables...hence why the recent surge of people offering it for very low prices (if it's costing £100, I would ask questions).... GO to somewhere that is a professional clinic & who use medical professionals, doctors, nurses & surgeons...if you want to be on the safe side, which you should want to be on.

Type of Filler.

Like anti-wrinkle injections, there are many different types of filler that can be used for lips. I was given a choice at the clinic of different ones based on the results I wanted and the shape, structure & volume, and in the end we chose a brand called 'Volbella'. This is part of the well-known Juvaderm family, and as with most filler types, it is Hyaluronic Acid based which is regarded as the best & most natural. Volbella is widely regarded as one of the most advanced types of lip fillers available, although it is slightly pricier than some of the other Juvaderm formulas. It can last up to a year once injected.

The Amount : 1ml

One thing I am really thankful for is that my physician persuaded me to go with a full 1ml of filler. A lot of time they will suggest just 1/2ml on your first time (like every girl I know has 1/2 initially....and then regrets it & wants more!) and the results are perfect. I honestly think if I had been *safe* and gone for 1/2 ml I would have been straight there the next week getting the next half put in, and spending more money.

The Procedure + Pain

I had numbing cream slathered on.....and really slathered on! This was so my lip area was numbed to the max and the pain would be minimal. This was then wiped off, the area cleaned and then the injections into my lips began with the syringe. It was a little eye-watering, but bearable and nothing that would put me off having the procedure again. Some areas were more tender than others (I think under the top lip was sensitive for me) but it was all over in around 2 minutes. I had maybe 8 injection sites mainly on my upper lip but just a touch in the bottom.

Your lips are lightly massaged immediately after to ensure the filler is dispersed evenly and there are no lumps or bumps in any areas. The numbing cream wears off after an hour or so so don't try and eat a KFC meal immediately after like I did = It's tricky. You are then free to carry on your day as normal. I felt a little sore on the lip area immediately after but it didn't stop me from doing anything as usual. Obviously avoid slathering on lipstick & keep the lips makeup free for the rest of the day.

Results : Before + After

I was really and am really happy at the result. It's not a huge or overly noticeable difference, and no one I have seen has actually noticed anything different. My lips are simply a little more full on the top and plumper.

I remember I had a big shoot the next day, and I was terrified about having huge 'I've-just-had-my-lips-done-lips'...however I had literally zero side effects aside from a tiny bit of tenderness on my upper lip. After the procedure I went home to my unsuspecting worse half and he *did* say 'what's happened to your face' but he couldn't tell what or where. So yeah, it must have looked a little swollen immediately after but nothing horrendous or that would prevent me from carrying on as normal.

I do know of people who have had terrible swelling & bruising though so everyone IS different in how you will react. Maybe I am just one of those ~~annoying~~ lucky ones. I believe the better the doctor/nurse is at injecting, the less your side effects will be ; so make sure you go to a reputable clinic!

It's quite a weird thing to say but I look at myself in the mirror now and I don't see much difference, I think it's just because I am used to it and also it doesn't look stupidly fake AKA the dreaded Instagram lips I keep seeing everywhere. I think if you are considering it, start with 1ml and go from there. I can only imagine some of these girls & boys are having 2-3ml's put in a time as they look very fake and full. If you like that kinda thang, then go for it...it's each to their own and it's your own body.

Lip fillers last up to one year in and prices start from usually £250 for the Juvaderm Volbella 1ml. More information about where I had it done & clinics can be found here.

What do you think of my *new* lips? Is it something you would consider?

Illamasqua Vanitas Rose Gold Palette | 3 Ways.

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The Estee Edit Skin Glowing Balm Makeup | Review.

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NEW LAUNCH // Bareminerals barePRO Performance Wear Foundation : Full Review.

September Birchbox | Review & Thoughts.

Sephora is opening in the UK and people are losing their shit.

Chanel Les Rouges Collection No.1 / LOVE + HATE.

Care for Colour : L'Oreal Professionel Vitamino Color A-OX

Soho Farmhouse | A Country Playground.

Lip Fillers : My Experience & Before / After.