Clinique All about Shadow Neutral Territory palette

Clinique limited edition Neutral Territory palette*, £32
8 shades of beige - available online

It would be fair to say that the mere mention of a neutral eyeshadow palette sends people running to their beloved Urban Decay Naked palettes but with the love of neutral shades here to stay, there has been quite a few recent releases that could rival Naked 1, 2 and 3. This 8-pan palette from Clinique has been my eyeshadow saviour over the past few weeks because of its slim, oh-so-travel-friendly profile and its gorgeous range of shades and finishes. You have everything you need from a frosty cream highlight colour, a couple of very neutral base colours with a matte finish and some richer, shimmery shades to define and intensify your look. 

I always gravitate towards warm, copper and brown shades when it comes to my eye makeup so it is really refreshing to see some of those red-toned additions in this palette and the brush it comes with isn’t half bad either if you are on the go and want to quickly slip this palette in your makeup bag. In the look above I took the furthest left-hand shade all over my lid and up to my brow bone followed by the cooler grey shade over the top. In the crease I took the darkest shade from the right and gently buffed it in to add a smoky finish but you could just leave this step and enjoy a softer effect. All the shades have great pigmentation and are smooth to apply, making it a really handy little palette. If you find your Naked palette just that little bit cumbersome to lug around with you when travelling or for touch-ups during the day then this could be the next best thing!

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One night in Paris with Clarins

My outfit: all H&M

Lipstick: Revlon Red

Last night I returned from a whistle-stop tour of Paris with the French beauty giants Clarins and a trio of fabulous bloggers who were the best company a girl could ask for to share the amazing trip with. I felt extremely fortunate to be invited along to le chic Paris by Clarins to visit the laboratory and factory just outside Paris where the magic happens and all those skincare and makeup favourites are produced. Lily, Ruth, Ree and I arrived in France in style yesterday and headed straight to the Clarins laboratory for a behind-the-scenes tour involving everything from witnessing a conveyor belt of double serum being boxed up to meeting the scientists who head up the research and bring you the skin-loving formulations we know and love!

Following the tour we indulged in some canapés and champagne and chatted all things cosmetics before heading back to our beautiful, Parisian abode for the night - Hotel Costes which was completely opulent and sultry in its decor and ambience. After an evening of laughter by candlelight and the best darn French fries I have ever tasted, we took to our sumptuous boudoirs to energise for the day ahead. Pastries and fresh juice devoured, Lily and I decided to take advantage of our awaiting chauffeur and the beautiful city on our doorstep and spent a couple of hours soaking up the culture and cosmetics of Paris whilst the rest of our party indulged in some treatments and a massage back at the hotel. It was such a treat to be driven around Paris, along the secret cobbled streets and passed the iconic sights, stopping at the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame cathedral to soak up the grandeur of these places. But of course a trip to Paris, especially when in the company of beauty bloggers, would not be complete without a visit to a French pharmacy and Sephora for some last-minute beauty buying. I may have purchased a few French favourites and look forward to sharing my purchases with you very soon!

I had an absolutely wonderful time with Clarins and felt extremely privileged to be given such an insight into the company and witness all the love and logistics that goes on behind closed doors to bring us some of my favourite skincare and makeup must-haves. And Paris? Well it was a dream and I definitely have the bug now to return and explore this stunning city some more!

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Monochrome jumpsuit

Jumpsuit* | RARE London

Heels | Primark

Lipstick | MAC Show Orchid

My jumpsuit obsession continues with this monochrome beauty from Rare London which gives you black, slimline tapered legs combined with a gorgeous, white bardot top. I love the uniqueness and contrast of colours of this jumpsuit and the concealed zip at the back really cinches you in and creates a flattering silhouette. To keep the neckline clean and simple I opted for a twisted up-do for my hair and a slick of hot pink lipstick in place of any jewels or accessories and grabbed a hot pink clutch to match. My patent heels were an absolute steal from Primark but seemed to complete the outfit perfectly and made me date-night-ready in an instance!

Are you a fan of jumpsuits for nights out like me?

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MAC Sketch eyeshadow

wearing MAC Show Orchid lipstick | Jumpsuit from RARE London

MAC Sketch eyeshadow £12.50
available online and in stores

Described as a burgundy with red shimmer, Sketch is a velvet eyeshadow from MAC and is absolutely perfect to create an all over smokey eye with a twist or buffed into the crease to add definition. Sketch is such a versatile shade and can be applied quite lightly all over the lid or pressed into the crease for a more intense look. I personally don't see the red shimmer in this eyeshadow but it does have a lovely, luxe finish with a beautiful blackened-plum tone to it. I used Sketch above blended all across my lid with a little powder of MAC Nylon in the corner of my eyes to brighten the look. Ultimately I think this shade would work best as a duo, placed in the crease to contrast with a lighter, shimmery shade all over the lid, so I took to twitter and was recommended MAC All That Glitters to work as the perfect companion to Sketch. So I now think a little beauty trip to MAC is in order!

Is Sketch eyeshadow part of your makeup collection? What shade do you think will go well with it?

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Fluffy bunny phone cover

Fluffy rabbit iPhone cover from Etsy

So I may have ordered yet another phone case for my new toy. Ridiculously impractical and well, ridiculous full stop but it is kind of sweet and should make hunting for my phone in the depths of my handbag that little bit easier! Please don't judge me...

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Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser Lightweight Primer

Maybelline Baby Skin Primer £7.99 for "smooth, pore less looking skin"
available from Boots and Superdrug

Last Summer the beauty world went wild as we welcomed the US cult product, Maybelline Baby Lips, onto our shores and into our makeup aisles. Following the huge success of these cute-coloured, fruity-flavoured lip balms, it was only a matter of time before there would be another addition to the Maybelline "baby" family. This latest release comes in the form of a pore-minimising primer to prep the skin before foundation for a smooth, even application.

Maybelline's Baby Skin Primer is a clear, gel-like formula and provides a matte finish to the skin whilst keeping shine at bay and giving you a smooth surface to apply your foundation on to. You simply need to apply a small amount over cleansed skin with your fingertips and then continue with your favourite liquid or cream foundation. The gel primer sits on your skin creating a surreal, smooth-feeling finish and means your base product will glide over the top and avoid sitting obviously in your pores or fine lines. As a silicone-based primer, this product may not be everyone's cup of tea but I personally don't mind it and think it does the job nicely. It is very similar in texture and finish to Benefit's POREfessional primer and Smashbox's Photo Finish primer but for considerably less pennies. Benefit POREfessional will always be one of my favourite primers as it is tinted as well so corrects your skin before your foundation and can be worn alone but the Maybelline Baby Skin Primer is definitely a close contender and keeps my makeup looking matte and fresh for hours.

Have you tried this new primer?

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Aerin Winter Color Palette

Dress - LOVE | Lipstick - Illamasqua Shard

Aerin Winter Color eyeshadow and cheek palette* £45
available online

This Autumn Winter, Aerin launched their Midnight Color beauty collection which features a gorgeous ensemble of eye and cheek palettes in cream and powder finishes and a flourish of beautiful red and nude toned lip products. The Winter Color palette was definitely the standout product for me promising a quartet of luxe shades, three for your eyes and one cheek colour, encased in their signature, simple yet stunning, golden packaging.

For your eyes there is a trio of soft golds and edited pops of colour to help complete a soft smokey eye or simple sweep of metallic shimmer for a delicate look. On my eyes above I use Brocade, the golden shimmer all over my lids and in the corner of my eyes. I then took Emerald, a deep teal, and buffed this into the crease to add depth and definition. I also ran the enchanting emerald shade along my bottom lash line to finish the look. On my cheeks I swept on the soft rose shade, Quartz, which has a matte finish and creates a really natural, flushed appearance. All the colours in this palette are wonderfully pigmented and are easy to blend and use to help create a multitude of makeup looks. The only colour I didn't use today is Lace which is a rich brown cream shadow and would make a great base product for a heavier mocha-toned shadow to be layered on top for an intense finish.

Have you tried anything from the Aerin range recently?

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Blue Jumpsuit

Jumpsuit* | LOVE

Statement necklace* | Astrid & Miyu

Shoes - New Look

Lipstick - MAC Victorian

Happy Sunday everyone! After a couple of busy weeks at work in the post-Christmas chaos, Rob and I needed a date night stat to catch up, relax and consume a ridiculous quantity of pizza and mozarella-ladened garlic bread! I decided to wear my new jumpsuit from In Love With Fashion which is a gorgeous cobalt blue hue and has a flattering corseted bodice top flowing into billowing legs with tapered ankles. I always like wearing jumpsuits as an alternative to dresses when going out and love that this style and colour is a perfect option for Autumn Winter but could also be worn with sandals and a floaty kimono in the Summer. To complete the outfit I added a flourish of sparkles with the stunning statement necklace from Astrid & Miyu. I love the layers of bright shades in this piece and trust it is one of those items that can instantly transform an outfit from simple to striking in a moment., working perfectly for the most glamorous occasion or simply worn with a plain tee and jeans to add an extra dimension.

I hope you all had lovely evenings. Let me know if you are sharing my love for  jumpsuits and statement jewellery too.

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Starbucks Frappuccino iphone cover

Personalised strawberry frappuccino iPhone cover £15
ordered from Hello Floral on Etsy

Last month, following the sad demise of my ancient iPhone 4, I treated myself to the new iPhone 5s and subsequently went on a mission to track down the most perfectly girlie iPhone cover for my new toy. I thoroughly enjoy shopping on Etsy and think it is really nice to support small brands and businesses on there so headed straight to the site and stumbled upon Hello Floral and her host of super cute, individually designed phone cases for various phone models. After much deliberation I ordered the sweet Starbucks frappuccino case which is personalised with your name on the take-out cup (actually spelt correctly for a change!) set against a floral background. My cover arrived yesterday and it is lovely - it fits my phone perfectly and I love the fact it is hand printed to order and is a little bit different to all the other cases I found...apart from this one which I may have also ordered...ahem! Well who doesn't want a fluffy purple bunny attached to their phone!

What do you think of my new phone cover?

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Michael Kors Fuchsia Lips

Michael Kors Lip Luster in Siren and Lip Lacquer in Bombshell*
available from House of Fraser

Never one to shy away from a bright lip, I was really excited to try these two punchy lip products from the swish Michael Kors beauty range - a decadent lipstick and a glitter-laced lipgloss, both offering a burst of fuchsia pink.

The Michael Kors Lip Lacquer in Bombshell (pictured left) is a beautiful, rich fuchsia shade with a lovely moisturising formula consisting of Shea butter and vitamin E. It glides on with a luxurious feel and gives your lips a strong shot of electric-pink pigmentation and a satiny sheen. The luscious Lip Luster in Siren (pictured right) in its signature sleek gold packaging is my favourite product from this duo and delivers a ultra-glossy wash of vibrant fuchsia to your lips with a subtle, blue-toned iridescent sheen. Despite its glossy finish it isn't too sticky which is one of my pet-hates when it comes to lip glosses and smells absolutely incredible with a scent of blood orange, lemon and rose. It is such a pretty addition to my makeup bag and is perfect paired with smokey eyes and beautifully bronzed skin.

Have you tried any of the Michael Kors beauty products?

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YSL Party Makeup Look

wearing Petals & Peacocks from MAC on my lips

A few weeks before Christmas I was invited along to the mecca of all makeup dreams, Selfridges beauty hall in London to meet with YSL's international makeup artist Fred Letailleur to talk all things glitz and glam for Christmas. I am sure everyone has seen the latest YSL beauty campaign with Cara Delevingne looking devilishly gorgeous and so it was Fred's mission to give me the tips and tricks to help me recreate a party look with a host of YSL products and some clever contouring.

After applying my base I reached for that cult classic product, the Touche Eclat complexion highlighter but in a much darker shade to my natural colouring (no.6) to help me contour (and hopefully look like) the stunning Cara herself. If you thought Touche Eclat was just for covering those dark circles then you are wrong my friend! By running this darker highlighter in the areas you would naturally bronze or contour, it can give you amazing definition with ease by buffing the dark colour in with a fine brush or your fingertips. I then took the original Touche Eclat highlighter in no.1 to contrast and add radiance to my cheek and brow bones, down the bridge of my nose and along my cupid's bow.

For my eyes I had a trio of party-ready products to define, colour and add insane volume and length to my lashes. To begin with I used the YSL Pure Chromatics eyeshadow palette (no.6) which can be used wet or dry and contains a quad of beautiful shimmering shades - a khaki green, a warm gold, a pretty pink and a grungy purple all packed full of pearl pigments for a soft, metallic finish. I used the gold powder in the corner of my eyes and half way along my bottom lashes whilst sweeping the pink shade all over my lids. I defined my crease with the rich purple and finished off with a little bit of the khaki green on the outer corners to add definition to my waterline without using kohl eyeliner. For my cateye flick I opted for the YSL Shocking Ink Eyeliner which is probably one of the nicest and easiest felt-tip liner I have ever used. I really struggle with applying liner to my top lashes but this was smooth and precise and gave me a sleek finish first time! And finally for the lashes and it had to be the new Baby Doll mascara for that "eyes wide open" lash look. The micro-faceted brush really grabs and separates each lash and gives them a thick, full look with plenty of volume! An absolute essential for party-perfect makeup.

Have you tried any of these new products from YSL?

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