Geography - it's not just colouring in...

It is though, isn't it?

Anyway, I thought it might be fun to learn about igneous rock formations... sorry, I almost bored myself to sleep there. What I actually meant was, I thought it might be fun to look at where to bag the best swag, on the high street and on holiday.



My favourite shops in the UK are Space NK for premium beauty porn and Boots for everything else. You can more or less satisfy every basic beauty urge in Boots and you get points. Hurrah.
The joy of Space NK comes from its fabulous, fabulous brands like Eve Lom, Nars and Frederic Fekkai... I just end up mooning over everything for so long, I don't buy anything.



If you're ever in London, you have to head to Selfridges. The beauty hall can be a little bit overwhelming but just grit your teeth and stick with it. There are a million make up artists who will help you find what you're after or even just give you a quick lesson, no purchase necessary. If I've got ten minutes spare, you'll find me hovering around the MAC counter. Love. It.

Since you're not a weirdo like me, you might not be thinking about buying make up constantly, even when you're on holiday but if you are taking a trip, keep these brands in mind.

France: Look for big savings on top brands like Avene and Caudalie. Lovely products for sensitive skins and much cheaper En France. And remember, Paris is the home of Chanel, so it would be rude not to buy something from Coco.


Spain: Who doesn't have happy memories of wandering around a perfume store in a Spanish tourist resort as a child? Oh, really? It was always a highlight for me, mainly because there seemed to be a lot of crap aimed at kids, especially particularly potent perfumes. Wow, they were offensive. You can still pick up a duty free bargain in Spain, try and check out the Antonio Banderas aftershaves and PERFUMES... I can only imagine. Alternatively, head to El Cortes Ingles and pick up some top brands at great prices - as long as the exchange rate is right.


USA: Obviously, I'm biased since I would rather be in New York than ANYWHERE ELSE ON EARTH but you really can pick up some great products. First port of call has to be Sephora (hit the Sephora on the Champs Elysee if you go to Paris too) where you can pick up anything and everything at dirt cheap US prices. Nars? Check. Smashbox? Check. id Bare Minerals? Check. Stila, Benefot, Urban Decay, Paul&Joe, Fekkai, Bliss, Anthony Logistics, every perfume known to man? Check, check, check.
Love it and it's nationwide.


If you're going to New York and want something special, Check out Bond No.9. Recently migrating to the UK, Bond No.9's famous perfumes are only currently available at Harrods and Selfridges and at extortionate mark ups, so head out to Bleecker Street and pick up your very own scent of New York. The bottles are a work of art and each scent is inspired by a different area of New York. This piece of gorgeousness is Chinatown.
But if you're really looking for something individual, (off the rack perfume? How common!) you can even have your own scent mixed in store.
Plus the wee, beautiful shop is a stone's throw from both Marc Jacobs and Magnolia Bakery.
You're able to go wrong here how?