A little vintage YSL inspired look.......

I decided to create somthing a little smokey with this look but it is a base of deep bronze with a flat anthraciter grey in the outer corner and close to the lash line. Ines (the model)has a face that I just find so inspiring, such amazing definition/cheekbones and such a unique look with strong, beautiful features. I Colour clashed with a little pink on the cheeks and lips to give it a slight *twist*, but this look, it is all about the eyes xxx

Random I know.........but........If you ever get the chance go to Bewilderwood!

Situated in Norfolk (near the Norfolk Broads) lies nestled in trees is............Bewilderwood, an amazing place for children and adults alike. Based on the books and characters of local author Tom Blofield it is an *Adventure Park* with a difference, it centres around good old fashioned fun......clambering up ladders and tootling through the tree tops, zip slides, drop slides, tree houses and a jaunt around the *bogs* in a slow meandering boat. Activities that blow the cobwebs away and give you a little endorphin rush and nothing too hi-tech or scary, just great fun. NB: The food is high quality and not too expensive (great coffee) and in the summer the local ice cream is so delish. If you don't have a kid, borrow one, if you do take them, they'll LOVE it! xxx http://www.bewilderwood.co.uk/

A little perfect skin and red lip action...............

It is not a *Screaming* red lip, but a rich berry red, I used it as a stain on the cheeks and lips (it is a lab sample) and has not been released yet................. so I can't tell you what it is, but I love it!!!

Skin was myface and again, it photographed beautifully with a little myface concealer action, I am so impressed with the seamless quality to these bases how the foundation and concealer just blend beautifully together.

xxx

Hair Nirvana.............

Ok, hair long, slight wave, fine texture, scalp sensitive  pretty much always *air dry* hair rather than blow dry. Can get frizzy and knotty, I dye my hair with a vegetable semi permanent about every 3 months to fend off those grey hairs.
I have been mixing up my routine and trying a few different products and some of them I have to say have been amazing and wanted to share..................
1stly- Jo Hansford- I have been using a shampoo and conditioner and I am smitten, the shampoo effectively cleans without over stripping, the every day conditioner is light but nourishing and is quite simply brilliant!!!!  If you want to try decent deluxe sizes before you buy a large size, order from Latest in Beauty....www.latestinbeauty.com

Another product which is a flipping great pro quality masque is: Louise Galvin Sacred locks, I am not a fan of the shampoo, it actually irritated my scalp a little but the masque really, really has made a huge difference as a weekly treat to the texture of my hair, I try and stretch out the visit to the sheep shearer :) for a cut for as long as possible and the ends can end up like shredded wheat- yuk! But this has really smoothed the texture and given a great shine.

The best leave in conditioner I have used in forever.............since Kiehl's discontinued their one is.... Rusk Brilliance- Leave in, a fantastic smoother and detangler and does not weigh hair down at all.

Hair Nirvana xxx

Vitalumiere Aqua by Chanel.....how it shoots and review!

This is from a shoot that I did with the photographer Andrea Vechiatto and the model was Sylvia.
It is a soft beautiful look where the idea was you see the model not the make up. The skin had to be flawless but barely there, so my base of choice was Vitalumiere Aqua, it is very light weight but buildable and is such a gorgeous texture and shoots so well, like a 2nd skin xxx

Myface Blingtone haul....why I Love....!

A little *Gemstone* action, beautiful polished vivid colours!

The Make up equivalent- guess what?? Beautiful polished vivid colours.

Detail of Blingtone-Limelight- an amazing lustrous effect true colours shot with a mother of pearl effect.

Me- the same tastes as this rather natty magpie http://thisisjonturner.blogspot.co.uk/

A smokey eye created using: Black ice

Not all sparkly, glittery things are equal and some products with a high shimmer/glimmer content are down right tacky. But...the Blingones would be able to *turn* even the most seasoned matte texture obsessive as these little babies give a flattering, effect on the lid and some of the lighter ones as a general highlighter. I have used these so many times in my kit and just love the effect. To dip your toe in the Blingtone rich water you should try the shade Morococo xxx                                       

Complexion Perfection..........the secret of a beautiful base.

Prep skin with a primer, I used Pixi Brightening primer for a soft mother of pearl lustre.

2 shades of of Stila Illuminating foundation blended together

 

 

 

 

• Contouring: Under the hairline on the forehead, under the cheekbone, across the crease of the eye and down the side of the nose, under the chin & along the jawline.

•  I Highlighted with Benefit Hollywood liquid highlighter in the centre of the forehead, down the bridge of the nose, just under the eyebrow, above the cupids bow and at the highest point of the cheekbone.

 

Blended out, the finished result, perfect skin.

With a little added colour for a beautiful *fresh look*.

 

Model Shots......Spring Summer trends.

Gorgeous and glowing- Pastel Peach and pastel yellow gold.

Smoked up bronze and khaki.

 

 

Rainbow bright!

Complexion Perfection.

4 really key 2012 trends, skin is king, so the more flawless the base the better the colour blends and *pops*so seamlessly.

The key trends this season means that there is literally something for everyone, you can take the looks and interpret them in your own individual style and adapt them to your skin tone.

Just a little food for thought xxx

The Athenaeum......a little London secret.

The hotel has a *living wall* with lush green foliage.

Beautiful design features inside.

Pared down elegance

A fantastic afternoon tea with a mind blowing cake selection- ooh err!

This is a small boutique hotel literally just opposite green park, I have stayed here about 4 times (frankly I wish that I could move in) service is attentive but not invasive. The rooms are comfortable and not too chintzy or over-done. The best bit for me is........in the rooms there is a mini bar packed with juices, snacks, soft drinks, a nespresso machine and everything is complimentary, you can slurp and munch your way through the whole lot and not be charged a penny extra-result! There are dvds, and they even bring fresh popcorn from the kitchens for you with the dvd all free and just part of the service. This place is amazing! Perfect for a treat check out places like hotels.com, bookings.com to see if it is listed at a reduced price for a room- or call up and ask for the best rate possible- why not??

Just sucks going back to reality and checking out (meh)!

http://www.athenaeumhotel.com

BB cream- Embroylisse......review.

BB creams- done to death- no?  Just like a band that is a little under the radar and then become MASSIVE- Meh!
Well, I have kept my trap-ola shut about BB creams thus far but I thought that I would introduce you to this version.
Embryolisse is a cult French moisturiser, rich nourishing, not the most *natural* of products but a great no nonsense non perfumed, no colour added kind of cream- great for sensitive and acute dryness.
They have launched their version of a BB cream and it is really rather good- it is effectively a tinted moisturiser with a few whistles and bells.
Shade- neutral- transparent so adaptive to your own skin tone
Points of difference: Slightly more *sophisticated* ingredients than the traditional Embryolisse, tinted with mineral pigments, gently light diffusing, high quality SPF 20.

Notes- packed with hyaluronic acid- sounds scary but it is naturally occurring in the skin- this is a humectant that stops the skin from dehydrating and it *blurs* fine lines and temporarily fills in open pores.

Finish- surprisingly a creme to powder kind of finish- slightly velvety and definitely a little matte.

A great multi purpose product that bridges skincare and make up.

Dislikes; Smell- kind of slightly perfumed- not needed in my opinion & I am one of the tweaks that would like a slightly dewy version too- ha ha xxx

Make up Forever the agony and the ecstacy........

Smoky Lash Mascara from Make up Forever is hands down my all time favourite mascara, it is ultra pigmented, so lashes are coated with an intensity of colour that really is impressive, it lengthens and thickens in equal measure, it does not drop, budge or smudge and it has buildable coverage that can go from 1 coat defined - to 3 coats truly false lash effect. It performs beyond expectation and as I said is my favourite mascara but and it is a huge but..................it dries out (in the tube) quicker than any other mascara I have ever used - I know that you should replace mascaras after max 3 months (I do) but I find that this mascara dries up after about 5 weeks and when it does dry it is impossible to use- thick gloopy and it flakes- I just wish it was dry at the 3 month mark- then it really would be PERFECT :)......now it is almost perfect xxx

I am a fan of Make up Forever and use their concealer kits, the HD Primer and also the aqua colour (pictured in my favourite shade) as well as many other bits- but the mascara- would love for it to be tweaked slightly.
xxxx

Model shots from yesterday .....Cheeks and Pouts!

The beautiful model before....amazing bone structure.

Fresh Faced and gorgeous.

A little blusher-centric look

Detail of red lips.

Beautiful final look

The flawless skin was created using myface foundation and concealer, I am so happy with the way it performs and *shoots*. The Juicy red lip was Pixi succulent Lip Twin in Poppy Red. I really enjoyed working with this model, she has a face that *transforms* and the most amazing bone structure xxx

Lou Lou had to go to the V.E.T........

Lou Lou in her basket going to the V....E...T

She is fine, it was just a check up and she was weighed, she is 2 kilos heavier than last time, so Lou Lou is going to have to cut down. That means we have to be strict with her.....but how can she be overweight look at that little face.

Aha, she is actually a bit chubby, just a little and it means that there is more of her to love, but we will put her on a diet......poor Lou Lou xxx

Coachella look- Rock it myface style !

Hot Hot Heat!

Rouge, a bright, vibrant colour that looks beautifully *vintage*, rouge the hot pinky red on cheeks and a juicy slick of gloss for a transparent touch of hot colour

The combination of the hot cheeks with metallic Emerald green eyes is so beautiful and reminds me of some of the manicured foliage of Palm Springs/Palm Desert. Coachella festival is almost upon us and this exotic colour combination is perfect to rock out So Cal style. The Festival that is based out of the desert just outside of Palm Springs. This year The Black Keys, RadioHead, Pulp, Arctic Monkeys etc etc are there- Jealous much?? I blimmin well am...........

I am loving myface right now and will do a separate post about some of the amazing other shades, but right now it's all about Coachella colours xxxx

If you buy 3 things to update your make up bag for Spring- make it these 3 things

My *Rouge* vintage style cardigan with: Blingtone shadow: limelight, Lip Pop #336, Blusher: Costa Del Soul

Swatches of Blusher & Lip Pop gloss.

Flowers in the perfect *rouge shade* Palm Springs.

Manicured perfection and emerald green foliage in the middle of the desert.

http://www.coachella.com/#    just in case you want to check it out.

If you ever get the chance...................go to Taormina in Sicily.

All of the thoughts about Teal and inspiration from that amazing colour, has led me to a place called Taormina in Sicily on the East coast of the island. I had one of the happiest holidays of my life there with my wonderful friend Jodie. Jodie is an ex-personal trainer and seriously kudos to her, she had me up Mount Etna, walking kilometres each day and going up and down 100's and 100's of steep steps to the beach each day to the point where honestly I was like *Dude, if we go down to the beach once more today- we are sleeping there* :) Yes, I was I think the only person who went on holiday to Sicily and lost weight,courtesy of Jodie's boot camp, surprisingly this did not put her off holidaying with me again- despite the fact I think she thought that I was a lazy troll at times ha ha. We flew budget to Catania airport and stayed budget but we ate magnificently xxx

The Inspiration for the trip *The Big Blue*

Taormina is a place of astonishing natural beauty, of sweeping bays and beautiful beaches.

Taormina is nestled in a *cough, cough* steep hillside.

Lush gardens and beautiful flowers are everywhere.

The Magical Grotto Azzura with water that is the most incredible shade of blue-green.

 

 

 

 

Where we ate at the amazing Capo Taormina

The approach to the restaurant through the tunnels in the rock.

The Swimming pool and private beach at this amazing hotel.

 http://www.atahotels.it/capotaormina

http://www.taormina.it/