Laetitia Casta Harpers Bazaar cover

  Shot by:Sebastian Faena Hair Stylist Nicolas Jurnjack, Makeup Artist Carol Colombani

Another cover that just inspires me. I am a huge fan of Laetitia Casta, I think she has a beauty that is so enduring and rare. She has aged exquisitely and it is such a joy to see her looking like such a *siren*.

Kate Upton Italian Vogue cover- Steven Meisel!

Seductive indeed!

Model: Kate Upton, Shot by Steven Meisel, Hair by Oribe, Make up by Pat McGrath.- Vogue Italia

Make up by Sisley: Fundamental for this look is the make-up: that perfects the complexion with Phyto-Teint Éclat, soft beige, brightening foundation cream, and that highlights the lips with Phyto-Lip Gloss, rouge, a formula rich in pigments that plumps up the lips. On the eyes chiaro-scuro effect created by Phyto-Ombre Éclat, burgundy and ebony, and the intensity of Phyto-Mascara Ultra-Stretch, deep black.

With a nod to Helmut Newton-esque glamour  I love the hair and make up!!! Kate Upton looks beautiful in that all American girl kind of way. BUT and it is a huge But the coat is sheepskin with mongolian??? not sure what  type of Mongolian creature was used  by Fendi and I in no way condone that.

Blingtone-WOWSERS! Behind the scenes.

Hair: Peachystylist, Model: Lucy Cates- MOT Models, Styling: Stephanie Wedge
Photographer: Char Stone

These are my behind the scenes snaps and Char's images are un flipping believable and I will post as soon as I have access to them.

I kept the base flawless and very muted, cheeks were defined & contoured, lips juicy but the eyes were the main focus in shades that reflected the *Couture candy floss* hint of colour that Jodie the hairstylist applied to give a fashion forward element to the hair...........But the eyes, they were smoking and the Blingtones were used as an *overlay* to really pop the eyes and create *drama*.

Boots No7 Fanomenal Lashes mascara review

I made a trip to Boots to buy a new mascara to test for myself  and I decided to try a Boots No7 mascara. At £12.50 it is definitely not the most reasonable price wise but I chose it because the brush looked interesting and the texture was quite rich and creamy.

Definitely a *premium* look to the mascara.

What they say: " Our Unique *star* brush coats lashes from corner to corner whilst separating and adding volume to create a fuller lash fan" Hypoallergenic.

Detail of the brush.

 Pros:

• It definitely added volume to my mid length (fine lashes).
• It lengthened & separated lashes
• No flaking
• Lasted without smudging til the end of day
• No irritation
• Removes easily with a bi-phase remover (I used Pixi)
• Each lash is coated with a generous amount of mascara without *clumping*

Cons:

• Although *black* it was a soft black- would like a more intensely pigmented/darker option
• It feels quite *stiff* on lashes (would be great after curling to *hold* lashes in place) but on fragile lashes may be a little drying/dehydrating.
• The brush is fantastic but I did not necessarily see a *fan effect* on my lashes.

This mascara definitely compares favourably with the very high end mascaras but I would not say it is quite a *holy grail* but I would definitely purchase again.

Applied 1 coat of mascara with no other eye make up.

But let's face it no mascara will give me lashes like my 7 year old son- Meh :) but that's evolution I suppose ha ha.

Sensitive skin..........personally speaking.

There is a statistic where over 60% of women have sensitive skin, within that huge number like everything there will of course be varying degrees of sensitivity. There is also the issue of *sensitised* skin, this is a skin which has become irritated/reactive because of other factors: sunburn, acid peels, hormones etc it is essentially a skin that is not normally sensitive but because of contributing factors has become sensitive to certain things luckily this can be temporary where as if you have very sensitive skin, this can be something that occurs daily.

I don't want to sound too dramatic, but it is like a roulette game and I can react to *on paper* to the most innocuous of product, everything I recommend on this blog are things which I personally use/have tested I am not allergic to and will also use in my kit too. The things that have irritated my skin over the years is a list so vast and for every product that I am personally allergic to, I know legions of people that are soooooo happy with it, that it is unfair for me to say negative/disparaging things but it includes: Cleansers that come with muslin cloths white both white & green packaging, masks, eye cream, toners, moisturisers, serums, shampoos, conditioners, hair finishing products, cleansing waters, cleansing wipes, make up including mascara the list is literally endless and includes products that are hypoallergenic and specifically created for sensitive skin- you name it, even food.

To show you exactly what I mean, here are a couple of pictures from this morning after I have used an organic/hypoallergenic cleansing water that I know I react to. Just to show the extent that my skin flares up, I obviously never, ever use this product normally but I wanted to show exactly what happens when I have an allergy.

Skin instantly reacts to product, flares up across cheeks, chin & forehead, very sore.

Skin is visibly irritated, very *hot* and sore

After about half an hour and skin is calming down- still sore

 but I removed the cleansing water  and used moisturiser

.

Ok, the below, the only make up I am wearing is: liquid base, a touch of concealer and mascara, nothing else.

Close up after *treating* skin, using base/concealer & mascara.

Close up, different light.

I am lucky....... I am a make up artist so I can cover up if I do have a *flare up*, I also know the kind of products that irritate my skin and have some miracle products to soothe and take the heat out of my skin if I do have a flare up but here is my guide to living with sensitive skin:
Patch test- behind the ear & crook of elbow wait 24 hours to see if allergy occurs
If a severe allergy happens, remove immediately with mineral water on cotton wool
Take an anti-histamine- to calm down the skin
Don't use a foaming cleanser as the foaming agent can irritate a sensitive skin
Treat the skin with respect & kindness, stick to basic hydrating/soothing products rather than super *active* products.
Try samples, so you don't waste money on skincare/foundations that you end up throwing away.

Here are my *miracles* that I use when my skin is in a complete *mess*and I want to soothe, calm and cover with minimal product.

Thisis my *personal* go-to kit when my skin flares up.
Sophyto- Silken cleanser- to remove irritant
Sisley- Floral toning lotion  dry/sensitive skin
Sisley-Confort Extreme (night cream) very dry/sensitive skin (I use anytime) not just at night.
Liz Earle-Sheer Skin Tint
Bobbi Brown-Face touch up stick

Skin on a good day without any *drama* and absolute minimal make up.

Glossy make up without Vaseline with Alba Un-petroleum Jelly.

Vaseline is used by many people to give a *gloss* effect on: lips, across lids, at the highest point of the cheekbone, but Vaseline is petroleum jelly and I personally use an alternative which is Alba Un-petroleum jelly, which gives all of the *glossing benefits* but is more nourishing and kinder to the skin and 100% natural and vegetarian. I came across it originally when my son was a baby as I was sourcing alternatives to Vaseline and it was so amazing at giving that coveted *sheen* that it made it into my kit. A rich unguent that is fantastic on any patch dryness, dry skin condition, sensitivity (of course nappy rash) but also looks amazing as a *gloss* on eyes, cheekbones & lips.

It is about £5.00 for 100g  from Wholefoods and Green baby

Ingredients
Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil , Cocos Nucifera Oil (Coconut) , Beeswax , Hydrogenated Castor Oil , Tocopheryl Acetate , Tocopherol (Vitamin E)

• Moisturizes, soothes, and softens dry skin
• Gently removes eye make-up
• Helps prevent chafing and windburn
• Minimizes nappy rash
• Made without petrolatum, paraffin, and mineral oil
• No artificial fragrances or parabens
• No animal testing, hypo-allergenic

Colour Crush.....Midnight Blue, Dior eyeshadow Trio.

Pantone in deep, intense blues.

I have been so inspired by Midnight Blue lately, a colour that has amazing intensity, can be smokey but with a twist and not so stark or severe as black. The look below was about creating a feline shape that elongates the eyes, created *drama* but look gorgeous paired with muted shades and lips. If you need to be cajoled into trying it, start with a beautiful midnight blue eye pencil and a midnight blue mascara to *tip* the lashes. The secret about midnight blue is that it *pops* the whites of the eyes and makes you look bright eyed (albeit with a slightly goth undertone :)

 Midnight blue

Detail of the intense midnight blue look

This look can of course be pared down, just keep the dark pigment close to the lash line and blend upward towards the crease of the eye.

Dior Trio- Harmonie Bleue

This trio from Dior is incredible as it has everything tone-wise to create the perfect smokey midnight blue with a lustre that gives an overlay of sheen almost like layering fabric.

Chanel - Blue Satin

Looks incredible on shorter, neat nails, so simple but such a *statement* colour rich and sumptuous.

Rupert Evans in a deep blue Paul Smith shirt- Grooming (myself) Photographer: Andrea Vecchiato

A vintage style bathroom with touches of Midnight Blue- Just beautiful.

Midnight Blue in the truest form.

Suggested eye pencil & mascara shades:

Pixi Lash Booster Mascara in-Blackest Blue

Estee Lauder Double wear pencil in-Midnight blue.

Bella Pierre Mineral make up. LOVE!

Bronzed shadow and nude lips & cheeks

Natural look

Smokey green eyes with apricot cheeks & lips

Colour clash

Lavender and lime colour clash

Metallic brown on the eyes with nude cheeks and lips

Barely there with rose lips.

Bella Pierre is a mineral brand that appeals to me because of the vast array of pigment colours, from barely there to very bright/intense. You can create so many diverse looks and everything blends seamlessly. You can mix with moisturiser to create a sheer base or add more pigment to create a liquid foundation.

Here are some of my favourite looks that I have created using Bella Pierre that  range from very natural to sultry, the skin with all of these looks is fresh and glowing, which makes the colour literally just like gilding the lily.