Beauty Mecca

John Frieda's California Waves

2012-01-31T00:18:00.003Z

I love getting my hair did. It's probably up there in my top ten things to do along with shopping, sleeping, petting kittens and sitting in the sun by Barton Springs with a good book. But who has the time or financial wherewithal to get their hair did or go to Austin, Texas, whenever they want to feel better about life?

Happily, the lovely people at John Frieda have put a shit ton of videos up on YouTube to show us how to make our hair pretty at home. Bless 'em. I like the California Waves because I'm growing my hair out a bit at the moment and I've been having an arse of a time getting any texture into it - straight, straight, straight. But now, wavy, wavy, wavy.
Awesome.

There are heaps more on YouTube, let me know if you try any of these out!

My 2011 Favourites

2011-12-26T23:29:00.002Z

I can't believe it's two weeks since I've blogged.
For shame.
Well, at least I'm back and ready to bother you with my favourite beauty finds of 2011...
I want to clarify, these aren't necessarily 2011 launches because quite frankly, I'm not nearly as up on launches as I used to be and I don't read all the press releases I should (more shame) but they are things I found and loved over the last twelve months. I'm posting the list now, before I forget but I'll update each item on the list with a little bit about why I love them when a) I've got more than a minute to do it b) I'm not writing a book and c) I'm not watching Boxing Day Match of the Day.

Benfit Cha Cha Tint - gorgeous coral stain that lasts and lasts and lasts

Benefit They're Real mascara - This year's killer mascara. I like to layer over BadGal because I'm wasteful but still lovely on its own

Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill shadows - Amazing foiled eyes. Everyone always asks what I'm wearing

Dr Dennis Grossman Alpha Beta Daily Peel Pads - CHANGED MY LIFE. Seriously.

Juliette Has a Gun Not a Perfume - Most delicious perfume in forever and has tempted me away from Coco Mademoiselle...

Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer - Cheap, cheerful and (whisper) better than Touche Eclat

EOS lip balms - Love the packaging, love the product

Fresh lip balms - Um, love the packaging, love the product - pricey though

Estee Lauder Idealist Illuminator - I've converted so many people to this. Love.

Dr Jart+ BB Cream - I will talk about this later but OH MY GOD. BUY.

Sally Hansen Nail Effects Strips - I like the patterned and glitter effects strips SO MUCH. Thanks Sally.

Shellac Gel Polishes - Long-lasting polishes that have changed my life - no chips = people think I'm a grown up, yeah!

Laura Mercier Baked Shadows - SO pretty, use them dry for a nice subtle effect, wet for drama

MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack - Late to this party but totally converted

The millions of Nars lipsticks I have bought during the year - special mentions to Manhunt and Mayflower

Obviously these aren't the only things I've tried and loved this year but they are the things that I've rebought or have found their way into my every day kit. Impressive. I'd love to hear what as found a home in your make-up bag in 2011 - email me at lindsey@lindseykelk.com or tweet @lindseykelk

Skin Art Temporary Tattoos

2011-12-11T22:20:00.004Z

Now, I'm the first to admit that I'm a glitter fiend. At least sixty percent of my wardrobe is glittered or sequinned and all my favourite eyeshadows are at the very least, shimmertastic. I actually had to be physically removed from the glitter spray counter in Sephora on Wednesday...

So you can imagine how excited I was to receive the press release from Skin Art about their Glitter Tattoo Kit. How perfect for Christmas? The kit comes with stencils, glue and glitters so you can use the kit as is or come up with your own design and the tattoos last for up to five days! I would hope you shower enough not to make it to five days... If you're not glitter-inclined, you could go for the regular Tattoo Kit that has 99 easy to apply tats.

Since I've already got my own ink, I'm definitely erring towards the glitter but that will surprise no one...

The Temproary Tattoo Kit retails at £8.00 and Glitter Tattoo Kit £14.00, both from Boots and Boots.com

A Few of My Favourite Things...

2011-12-10T04:18:00.002Z

OK, I promise to pull up my blogging socks from now on. I've been terrible. But the good news is, I'm procrastinating on the new book like a mofo so prepare thyselves for a lot of new posts...
Starting right now with the things I can't get enough of right now.

First things first, I've got a couple of new obsessions that you can get in on and I think they've made a huge difference to my make up. At least, they've had a lot of compliments and I think that's always a telling thing, right?

I've been pretty ill of late and quite frankly, suffering a lot of self-inflicted rough mornings so my eyes have been a big focus for me. Happily, I've also been on a bunch of photoshoots for my Marie Claire column (have you read it? Have you?) and learned lots of new tricks from my make up artist, Steph. Having been a dedicated Touche Eclat fan for so long, I was amazed to find I could get more or less the exact same result from Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Concealer. I like the 'Brightener' shade for under my eyes and really, I'm totally smitten. Can't get enough of this one.

Then, on my lower inner rims, I've been using a bright, slight silver pencil. This was a tip straight from Steph and it makes a huge difference. It has to be a light silver though, too dark and you're closing the area up. After going through my epic silver pencil collection (I'm a metallic freak) the best option for me was a 17 chunk pencil. I have no idea if it's still available, I hope so. The consistency is so soft and the shade is perfect. Lots of shimmer but no glitter. after lining the lower inner rim, I take a black pencil (I've been using my Estee Lauder Double Wear in Black) and line the inner upper rims, just flicking out at the very edges to create some shape and definition but mostly leaving the upper lid clear. Then I've been using Benefit's RSVP on the upper lid and tons of Estee Lauder Double Wear mascara in black. Super, super cute look. Very low maintenance and very effective as a day to night look - just add black liner to the top lash line before you head out and you're done!

OK, I have to go and write another book. Back tomorrow (hopefully!).
Oh, and did I mention I Heart Vegas is out now? You could totally buy that. I'm just saying.

Maaaan I'm lazy

2011-11-01T18:12:00.002Z

Sorry to have vanished, it's been a busy old month.
1. I had a birthday (not relevant really but it could be)
2. I've moved into my own apartment
3. I've been building a lot of flatpack furniture
4. I've been unpacking a lot of boxes
5. I've been dressing up as a Pan Am stewardess and a Care Bear.

It was Halloween. It happened. Get over it.
I have to say, my Pan Am costume was made by my L'Oreal Infallible Never Fail Lipcolour in Beyonce's Red. No, really, me and Bey. We're practically one being.

Now I'm settled(ish) into the new place, I expect life to return to something vaguely normal so there will be lots of lovely posting and lots of nonsense. You can expect to hear a lot about the Temptu foundation system and Juliette has a Gun perfume because I'm in love with them both right now. And Shellac manicures because they're awesome. And probably Twilight because it's on FX ALL THE TIME and I can't seem to turn it off.

Bliss Fabulous Skin-Reviving Rubberizing Mask

2011-10-05T19:11:00.003Z

So, I've been ever so slightly rubbish lately - sorry. There's no excuse but really, lots going on, most of it good, some of it not so good, some of it downright rubbish and the arse end of it is that I look shit. Really, really shit. Turning 31 on Monday didn't help...

Anyway, what did help was the amazing Bliss Fabulous Skin Reviving Rubberizing Mask.
I've had this in my testing drawer for the longest time and just haven't had half an hour to give it a shot but, wow, I'm so glad I did. Aside from the fact that it's super awesome fun times for your skin (full of seaweed, bilberry and vitamin C) it's the most fun you can have at home with a face mask. And that's a lot of fun.

It's easy, really. You mix the powder with water and then slather the cool sticky goo on your face then lay your ass down for twenty minutes while the whole thing rubberizes. Once it's solid, you get the extreme pleasure of peeling the tick layer of rubber off your chops, taking all sorts of dead skin and bad times with it. Brilliant. Each box includes six masks, six mixing sticks, a measuring cup and joy. The joy isn't listed on the ingredients but it's there.

I have decided it is as good for the soul as it is for the complexion and that I'm peeling away all life's shitty shit along with the mask.
But you can probably just use it as a face mask and it will be fine.

Clinique Mascaras

2011-09-17T18:21:00.005Z

I've posted a lot about mascaras here, I know, but quite frankly that's because they're amazing.
And so Ms Keren has a wonderful post for us all about the fabulous mascaras from our friends at Clinique... BEHOLD!

I have troubles choosing which mascara from all the millions out there...

Luckily for me, and now you lovely readers, Clinique have grouped all theirs together so you can decide from either a daytime natural look, special occasion or all out glamour... As modelled by the cutest dolls posing in their mini sets!

The one with the teeny tiny disco won me over, and I chose the High Definition Lashes*. I am very happy with my choice! I had already fallen in love with lash power and was wearing it for all occasions. But I now have different looks for day and evening, I rocked my new more full-on lash look on Saturday night with Lash Building Primer*, High Definition Lashes and Bottom Lash*, and felt more 'done' .... my friends commented on how long and thick my lashes looked. So all in all – Clinique have managed to completely win me over with 3 products. Now I also have the High Impact Lash Curling Mascara* to try... Will this be another winner?

Here’s a run down of all the mascara’s on offer...

Bottom Lash Mascara – you probably think you don’t need this baby, but I’ve found it super easy to apply, as unlike normal size mascara wands it defines even the wispiest lashes. And it’s the same formula as Lash power so does NOT smudge. RRP £10.00.

High Lengths – I haven’t tried this one, but Clinique say it their most lengthening and lifting mascara yet, with a special curved wand applicator that follows the natural curvature of the eyes... RRP £15.00

High Impact Curling Mascara – I’ll be reviewing this soon, but Clinique say it lasts 24 hours without running or smudging. RRP £15.00

Lash Power - As previously discovered, it does not smudge or smear. Yet the formula removes easily with warm water. RRP £15.00

High Definition Lashes – features the double-sided brush and comb wand, which lengthens AND volumises for a really glam look. Love it! RRP £15.00

Lash Doubling - I haven’t tried this one, but Clinique say it’s the ideal all-rounder that thickens, lengthens and curls. RRP £15.00

Naturally Glossy – this is the one that Clinique say looks very natural, and has virtually no clumping, flaking or smudging. RRP 15.00

High Impact – creates lashes with dramatic volume, length and intense colour without having to build up layers of mascara.

And lastly,
Lash Building Primer – I haven’t used lash primer before, but I like the fact that it dries really quickly so you don’t have to wait long to apply your mascara after, and helps it last longer and slick on more smoothly! RRP £10.00

Phew! Which one are you going to try?

*press samples

Fashion's Night Out

2011-09-07T23:17:00.002Z

Tomorrow is one of my favourite nights of the year, when all of New York turns out in their best togs, listens to bands and picks up some uber bargains. Yup, it's Fashion's Night Out. Already. Bloody hell.

Anyway, here's what I'll be up to*

Bands
Just like Natalie Imbruglia before me, I'm totally torn. Beach Fossils, one of my favourite bands, are playing at Bloomingdales, one of my favourite stores. But Best Coast, who I still haven't seen, are playing at Helmut Lang. And my friends, Bear Hands are playing with White Rabbits at Rockefeller Center. ARGH.

Sephora Soho
Stila’s iconic “Stila Girl” illustrationsare super cute but for the first time ever, Stila is bringing them to life and giving fans the chance to have their very own “Stila Girl” illustration created while receiving a makeover from a Stila Pro Artist. The first 50 people to stop by Stila’s touch-up booth at Sephora’s SoHo location will leave with a gorgeous glow and their personalized sketch. What are the chances of me being one of those 50 people?

Sephora Columbus Circle
Ooh, Peter Thomas Roth! My brother loves his skincare prods and i'm very excited about his new lash-enhancing liner, Lashes to Die For Liner. And there's a mini Lashes to Die For mascara for people who show. Hmm.

Sephora Times Square
GHD will be recreating iconic looks from Katy Perry's campaign and the lucky ladies getting their hair did, will also get their pics shot celeb photog Phillip Angert and there's lots of loot to be had. Ooh.

Sephora Herald Square
I'm also pretty tempted to hit the Herald Square store to try out Temptu airbrush make up.

Ricard Rojas Salon
For $40, fashionistas will receive a goodie bag packed with products from Oribe and Sebastian, a blow out and an express manicure at his Upper East Side salon. Sounds prettttttty good.

Marc Jacobs
No one will be surprised that a trip to the Marc Jacobs store on Mercer Street is on my to-do list. Dakota Fanning will be signing bottles of Oh, Lola! and answering my questions about the Twilight movies. Probably.

Vera Wang
Love Vera Wang? Love ice cream? Hunt down her ice cream truck, because Vera will be giving away samples of her new scent, Lovestruck, and ice cream treats all over the city, starting at her Mercer Street store at six pm.

Voli Vodka
And after all of this, I'll be hitting up each and every venue serving Voli Skinny Vodka cocktails - Spanx at Bloomingdales, the Allure lounge and Judith Ripka boutique.

Phew. I'm knackered.
Early night, I think.

*disclaimer: I will probs make one, maybe two of these events. I'm lazy.

Clinique Black Honey

2011-08-12T15:01:00.003Z

I am am getting so excited about autumn.

Now I know everyone loves summer (except me) and they want the sunshine (except me) and the long light nights (except me) but autumn is my favourite. It's not too cold, not too hot and my make up doesn't melt. Seriously, you can't even wear make up in NYC right now. It's heartbreaking.

But it's going to be OK. Soon I'll be able to launch into all of the wonderful Fall collections and smother my porcelain visage with all the slap Sephora has to offer. For starters, I'll be playing with Clinique's awesome new collection, The New Black. Inspired by their classic Black Honey gloss, the collection is So Pretty.

I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek at this and have been all over the double ended lipgloss/almost lipstick - the only thing you can wear without fear of a meltdown right now - and I can't wait to start playing with the eye palette, perfect for a pretty smokey eye, on any eye colour but I think especially on blue eyes.
Which I happen to have.
Everything's coming up Millhouse!

Check it out at Clinique.co.uk

Benefit Cha Cha Tint

2011-08-06T15:46:00.003Z

My love affair with Benefit Cosmetics goes back a Very Long Way. It was the heady days of the early 2000s and I was a student. A poor poverty stricken student. So what did I do with my days? Obviously I wasn't in university because I was a poor, poverty stricken English student so I only had about six hours of lectures and seminars a week (score). And I wasn't reading the books I was supposed to be reading because who does that? So I pretty much spent every waking hour, wandering around Boots and Debenhams in Nottingham, fiddling about with the make up counters. And my favourite? Benefit.

I'd read about Bad Gal and BeneTint of course but there were so may other wonderful things. The Bathina range, the Eye Bright pencil, Playsticks foundation, my beloved It Stick, not to mention High Beam, FY EYE (which I ended up bulk buying in Las Vegas two years later), Kitten body powder and You Rebel - the list goes on a bit, as you can see. And that's before Dandelion, Georgia and all the other wonderful powder boxes. The products were cute and quirky (as I wished to believe I was) and above all else, they were actually good. That's what I love about Benefit, its not style over substance, it's style and substance. Awesome.

That said, I was a bit wary when I saw the neon orange Cha Cha Tint bottle. I always have a bottle of BeneTint around (especially in the New York summer when a stain is an essential) and I've dabbled with PosieTint but a coral version? Really? But my concerns have been put well and truly to rest. I'm obsessed. As with the other tints in the Benefit range, you need to move quickly when applying so I like to do one cheek and then the other. Just two or three little dots, rubbed in to the apple of the cheek, blending up and back. Obviously, you should pop it wherever works best for you. For the lips, I love this way more than BeneTint. Cha Cha Tint has a more opaque formula and leaves such a fantastic colour on lips and obvs, if you've used it as your cheek colour, you've got perfect coordination right there but, because your natural lip colour comes into play, there's a subtle change, so you're not too matchy matchy.

Yes, it is a coral but it's a beautiful pinkish coral that looks fantastic in my pale skin as a cheek tint and lip colour and, while we were on the Marie Claire Inspire & Mentor tour, my agent - olive skin, brown hair - also picked up a bottle and looked amazing in it. Just so fresh and summery. So hurrah Benefit, you've done it again.

And you have also succeeded in reminding me of the time my grandad tried to teach me the cha cha cha and it was disaster.

The Eyes Have It

2011-08-03T15:12:00.003Z

I've heard it's a wee bit warm in England today.
Right. Get over it.
I've been back in NYC almost a week and it's really, really bloody warm. Almost 100 degrees warm, OK? Do you have any idea what this does to a girl's make up? Nothing good, let me tell you.

Happily, after much testing, I can confirm I have the perfect sunny day eye combo so that's one less thing for you to worry about. Prepare thyself...

Start with a primer if you have one (never hurts, I love Urban Decay's Primer Potion) then slick on a lid full of TopShop's longlasting eye crayon in Equinox. It's a beautiful pale gold that can be layered up for a more intense metallic finish or played down for a summery shimmer. Love. Now, the crayon lasts well on it's own but to really kick its arse, add a light brushing of Armani's Eyes to Kill Noka powder over the top. Somehow, this amazing product looks and feels like silk but gives the most intense metallic finish when layered. I mean, for reals the pay off here is intense.

For day, keep things light and just add a slick of your favourite waterproof mascara, then you're good to go. The metallic elements pick up the light and make your eyes sparkle but not in an overdone way, and they don't run or disappear halfway down your face. For night time, add a charcoal grey liner close to the lashline for definition or go a little crazier with a deep espresso brown, then add a couple more layers of the Armani powder for a really intense, sexy, smudgy smokey eye. And obviously, several thousand more coats of mascara.
I'm in love.

*Not an original post title I know, but I'm on a book deadline here, what more do you want?

Festival Must Haves

2011-07-18T20:49:00.002Z

This weekend I braved my first festival in four years and I can’t actually believe I did it. The last time I went to a music festival (Reading, 2007) someone threw a bottle of wee at my head on the way into the arena on the first day and on the second night, someone came into our tent to ask if we had something I could use as drumsticks. At four in the morning. He got a kick in the face for his trouble. And I got my tent weed on in retaliation.

But alas, alack, I returned to the festival circuit but this time as an actual act! Someone people allegedly want to see! I don’t know that it’s true but someone at Latitude apparently believed it was. Still, at least I was better prepared than I was in 2007... Disposable contact lenses and pop-up tents can change your life.

As well as the wee-themed 2007 trip to Reading, I’ve got a few other festivals under my belt and I’m well aware of their beauty shortcomings. In fact, who are we kidding, beauty? I’m well aware of their hygiene shortcoming. I consider myself lucky not to have home stinking and diseased. As I was trying to carry as little as possible and yet achieve some sort of ‘I’m not a skank, honest’ effect*, this is what I had in my (shudder) backpack.

- Neutrogena Face Wipes

- Elemis Lavender Toner

- La Mer SPF 30 Fluid

- Clarins Beauty Flash Balm

- Crappy shower gel from Duane Reade

- Neutrogena SPF 100 Spray

- Avon SSS Bug Spray

- Nars The Multiple mini in Orgasm

- Estee Lauder Double Wear Mascara in Black

- MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack

- Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill in Noka

- Dior Lip Glow

- Jurlique Anti-Bacterial Gel

I’ve always been a big fan of big, dark eyes at festivals. If ever there was a place where you can get away with the ‘yeah, I slept in my eyeliner and it looks awesome’ look, it’s at a festival. Of course, while slept in is a good look, it’s not an ideal scenario for your skin so the wipes are essential. Granted I think the shower gel is a bit of a stretch, in ten years I haven’t seen running water at a festival that hasn’t reduced me to tears. This year wasn't that different. So. Much. Mud.

*I was supposed to be reading with Helen Fielding. She didn't show. I think that's because Bridget v. v. hates camping. It's not a mini break, is it?

Elemis Fresh Skin + Signed Book Giveaway Take 2

2011-07-09T22:39:00.002Z

It's been an odd old Saturday so here's some good news.
The winner of our second Elemis Fresh Skin giveaway and signed book (as pulled out of a hat by our cat*) is...

Lindsay Rogers!

Back to proper blogging next week. It's too hot to live right now. Well, not live but you know what what I mean. Wah, wah, etc, etc.

*I'm thinking Riddley needs her own column - she is very particular in her make up preferences and only chews on my best brushes. The cow.

Colour Xtreme Summer Hair Winner

2011-07-05T13:36:00.002Z

Hurrah! We have a winner! What a lovely way (for me because I'm lazy) to start a Tuesday!

The winner, as pulled out of an Urban Outfitters straw trilby I bought in TExas and never wore because it look awful is... CATH BORE!
Congrats, Cath, I'll email for your details.

Sorry if you didn't win, don't be sad, lots more competitions to come.
Might just try to finish this book first...

Elemis Fresh Skin + Signed Book Giveaway

2011-07-01T13:09:00.003Z

So, you remember when we did the Elemis Fresh Skin giveaway a couple of weeks ago?
Well, to celebrate the 4th of July weekend here in the US and Canada Day in my beloved Canadialand, we're doing the SAME THING AGAIN but here in North America!

So email me at lindsey@lindseykelk.com with the subject 'I want awesome skin' for your chance to win a full set of Elemis Fresh Skin goodies and a signed copy of The Single Girl's To-Do List.

I managed to sneak ten minutes into my London trip to have a look at the new Elemis ranges that are coming up and sweet Jebus, they're delicious. Am obsessed with the new Revive shower gel but I'll tell you all abut that later...

Colour Xtreme Summer Hair + Giveaway

2011-06-26T19:27:00.004Z

Well, Glasto is almost over except because it's Glasto, we're waiting for Beyonce, not the fat lady, to sing. Much more glamorous. If you, like me, would rather cut off your right arm than hole up in a filthy mud hole for nigh on a week, just to get a glimpse of Bono being, well, Bono (or another word that also has four letters but starts with a 'c') there's a way to experience festival chic* without leaving the comfort of your own home.

I've always been a massive fan of colouring my hair and have sported many, many different hues in my day. Including pink. At the moment, I'm having kittens over the fact that my fiery red locks won't allow for the awesomeness that is ombre hair. You know all those super cool girls whose hair looks like it's been dip-dyed? Yeah, that. In fact, my amazingly hip hairdresser has her hair like it, a mid-brown fading down into sun-kissed blonde. In fact, half of Williamsburg has their hair like it. And so did half of Glasto.

Happily, thanks to the awesomeness of Colour Xtreme colour sprays, you don't have to a) commit to a very strong look that you might go off after a few days or b) the expense of a very strong look you might go off after a few days. For less than a fiver you can get yourself down to Boots, buy a can of Colour Extreme and do it yourself. Either buy a darker shade and spray into your roots to darken the top or buy a fun colour and dip dye the ends. Blonde hair looks very summery with pink tips... Just spray in, let it settle then brush it through. When you're bored, wash it out. Amaze. For some actual useful tips, they've got a Facebook page. Have a look.

And because the people at Colour Xtreme know we like to try new things, they've given me a FULL SET of colour sprays to give away. Email me at lindsey@lindseykelk.com and say I WANT AWESOME HAIR to be entered into the draw. You've got ONE WEEK!

*let's be honest, who looks chic after a festival? Disgusting. Just get the Colour Xtreme and don't worry about the rest of it.

Clinique Lash Power Mascara

2011-06-18T18:08:00.002Z

I'm a bad BeautyLover.
Miss Keren sent me this an age ago and I forgot to post. Because I'm shit. Anyway, not shit, is Clinique's Lash Power mascara. I've long been a fan (see?) but here's a reminder as to why it's awesome:

Seeing as BeautyMecca is all about lashes this week, I have another mascara to throw into the mix. I got a press sample of Clinique’s Lash Power a few weeks ago and I am seriously loving it. It lengthens and separates without any clumps, for very pretty lashes.

BUT the best bit... it does NOT budge... at all. Until you want it to, that is. You don't need eye make-up remover to take it off. Just a little bit of warm water, some gentle massaging and it comes off, without panda eyes. It is just brilliant.

I have tried the Blinc mascara that has the same removable qualities and I loved that too, but sorry Blinc, Clinique has bettered your wand – it is just a better size and shape for lengthening.

When this sample has run out I will be off to Clinique for another. And as I generally change my mascara brand every time I buy a new mascara, this is a big compliment. And it’s only £15.

They say: Vows to look pretty for 24 hours without a smudge or smear. One stroke and these pretty lashes last through rain, sweat, humidity, tears. Yet the formula removes easily with warm water. Unique brush reaches and beautifully lengthens even the tiniest of lashes. Ophthalmologist tested, too.

I'm all over Clinique at the moment. Between the Chubby Sticks and the Long Last Glosswear (in Juicy Apple in case you were wondering) I'm having a bit of a love in.

What are you wearing right now?

Elemis FreshSkin Competition + TSGTDL Giveaway!

2011-06-13T13:54:00.004Z

My love of Elemis is well documented here and so you can imagine how bloody excited I was to hear that they were launching a line for younger skins. It's a brilliant range for skins that have graduated from the teen skincare lines but aren't quite ready for the regular Elemis line... plus it's a more affordable way to get into the range. And the packaging is pink, which is nice.

The products are all formulated with active raw ingredients like elderflower, rosehip seed oil, goji berry and apple specially chosen to care for young skin. I've been a devotee of the big sister range for the longest time but I've given several of the products a run out and I'm impressed. I forgot my Collagen Marine cream on my last trip to London and the lovely ladies at Elemis gave me the FreshSkin moisturiser to try and bugger me, if my skin wasn't just as soft and glowing as ever. I also loved the lip balm and as much as I detest cleansing wipe, the FreshSkin wipes did a bloody good job of trying to change my mind. There wasn't that nasty residue you often get with them and I'll be packing them for my festival appearances this summer. Check out the rest of the line here.

To celebrate the FreshSkin launch, we have a full set of products PLUS a signed copy of my new book, The Single Girl's To-Do List to give away - it's Monday, we need cheering up... To enter, just leave a comment on this post. You can just say hi or ask a question or just say something lovely. My roommate's cat will be picking a winner on the 16th. YAY!

Estee Lauder Idealist

2011-06-07T00:51:00.005Z

As I've mentioned, it's bloody warm here in NYC right now and my skin is suffering. Happily, I have been extraordinarily lucky over the last couple of months to be testing out a brand new product from Estee Lauder which lands on UK counters June 7th! That's tomorrow! Or today! Depending on when you're reading!

A few years ago, I went cray cray for the Idealist Skin Refinisher. I loved the scent, I loved the feel of my skin afterwards and, well, quite frankly I liked the shiny green bottle. So you can imagine how delighted I was when I was invited to the launch of the new Idealist Even Skintone serum and Cooling Eye Illuminator (I was very excited - Martha Stewart was there).

Basically, the products are both amazing. There aren't that many skincare products that deliver instant results and long term benefits but the Even Skintone Serum is one of them. Once I've applied the golden creamy product to my skin, I barely even need foundation. That is amazing. I do need a moisturiser with sunscreen (of course) but foundation? Fugedabowdit. As you can imagine, it's chock full of awesome ingredients (I talked to a scientist about them but I was a bit drunk so I can't really remember what she said. She was lovely though.) but all you really need to know is that it works. To the point where, when my sample runs out, I will be spending hard earned cash on more.

The only thing that concerns me is that there's a fine chance that it's actually made with witchcraft - which would explain why I don't remember the science bit - because the one product works across all ethnicities and skintones. OK, it's probably not witchcraft but your skin will look instantly brighter and more radiant and over time, it helps even skintone because - and I quote - it includes 'Highly-effective anti-spot ingredients including an optimized Glucosamine-DP molecule blend, Vitamin C and Botanical Extracts that work together gently and quickly to help reduce the look of dark spots due to excess accumulations of pigment. Anti-oxidants including Rice Bran Extract and Vitamin E help skin remain looking free of imperfections and unevenness. Soothing anti-irritants including Liquorice and Gentian minimise the visible irritation that can cause a look of redness and blotchiness.'

OK? OK.

And as for the Cooling Eye Illuminator, it's pretty much a similar deal but combined with a lovely, lovely ceramic applicator which cools the eye area, making the results more immediate. And it comes in two shades because Estee Lauder are awesome. I was discussing eye creams with friends a couple of weeks ago and it turned out this one (particularly pretty) friend of a friend worked on the design team for Lauder packaging and had already tried the Cooling Eye Illuminator. Needless to say, our friends went away with very clear instructions on what they should be purchasing.

Clinique Chubby Sticks

2011-06-06T14:56:00.004Z

New York, my beloved New York, decided not to bother with spring this year and has rolled over into full on sweaty, steamy summer. This hurts me inside but more importantly, it also hurts me outside. I'm smothered in SPF 100 (not smothered actually as I have a delightful Neutrogena spray) and my make up is melting off my face. I've already switched from foundation to tinted moisturiser and my mascara is officially of the waterproof variety. But what to do for that pop of colour on the lips?

I've been a lip balm addict for as long as I can remember so it's not like I'm short on options. However, since receiving several samples of the new Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm, I've been smitten. I love a chunky pencil product, no really, you'll find all sorts of shit in my make-up bag just because someone made it into a pencil, so this is a dream come true. And on top of the 'made for Lindsey' packaging, they're actually really good. Just the right balance of colour saturation and moisturising product. They don't overdo it, you know how coloured balms sometimes build up and look gross? Not the case. They're subtle but definitely there. I'm all about Super Strawberry and Chunky Cherry but there are eight shades to choose from in total - got to be one for everyone, right?

Also, side note, but I'm loving Clinique's ads right now.
I'm loving everything.
I'll be quiet.

Elemis Anti-Ageing Super Duo

2011-06-06T02:05:00.003Z

You know I loves me some Elemis and you know I love to share my loves with you (I'm all love, all the time) so it's good news all round today.

Throughout June, you can pick up the limited edition Anti-Ageing Duo, containing a her-yow-age 100ml supersize vat of the amazing Pro-Collagen Marine Cream and my beloved Cellular Recovery Skin Bliss capsules, top of my travel must-haves list. And it's in a pretty silver box. And yes it's £127.66 but you'd be saving more than £59. So that's good, right? Right.

Love it.

Bobbi Brown Concealer

2011-05-24T14:58:00.002Z

That lovely Ms Keren has been at it again, here she is with her review of Bobbi Brown's awesome new concealer...

As Ms Kelk is sharing some of her fave products with you this week, I thought I would jump on the bandwagon and share with you some new goodies I have been trying out too...

First up is Bobbi Brown’s Creamy Concealer Kit... according to Bobbi, concealer is the secret of the universe. She says the right concealer will make you look fresh and well-rested. I had my colour matched for this at a recent launch and as I feel like I always look tired these days, I was excited and hoping not to be disappointed. All the ladies who tried it left the room looking fresh, wide awake and minus eye bags! It is available in 14 shades and it comes in a dinky package for re-touches – on one side is the creamy concealer and the other side is a finishing powder. My only complaint is that the lights were pretty bright at both events and it started to separate after a while under the extreme heat. I don’t know if any one else experienced this. However I have been using it for a couple of weeks in a more normal environment, for example, tube-office-tube-home and even the recent sunny and hot days and it has faired much better... So it’s not much of a gripe as it does remove the purple tones better than the other under eye concealers I have tried over the years and looks very natural. One thing to note, it is really only for under eyes as the consistency isn’t suitable for other blemishes. Bobbi also recommends using a lightweight eye cream before you apply, but you can check out a video of how to apply it properly on their website too.

Creamy Concealer Kit is priced at £23.50

www.bobbibrown.co.uk

These are a few of my favourite things... L'Oreal Mascara

2011-05-17T21:03:00.003Z

One of the reasons I started writing BeautyMecca was to fulfill my quest for the ultimate mascara. Over time I have discovered that no one mascara can satisfy the needs of a woman, it's just too much to ask. But thanks to my tireless dedication to buying up the entire mascara stocks of every shop I pass by, I have found several that between them, just about do every job I could ask for.

Given that mascara needs changing pretty often, I've found cheaper brands to be just as good as the designer labels and my top go to mazzy for thick, fluttery lashes is L'Oreal's Voluminous Million Lashes. It's cheap, it's effective, the brush is great, it doesn't make my lashes clump together and I like the shiny gold tube.

As someone who has fun chipmunk cheeks, I have a problem with mascara smudging under my eyes at the first sign of wear and tear but this bad boy tends to last a little longer than most others. It's not waterproof by any stretch of the imagination but it really lasts. And seriously, the longest, flutteriest lashes you ever did see.

Apparently J Lo and Jennifer Hudson are fans, so, you know... 'tis the shit.

Ardell Lashes

2011-05-17T15:07:00.001Z

There are many things I love about being in New York. Missing out on awesome events like this is not one of them. Happily, Miss Catherine was my woman on a mission and reports from Ardell's lash masterclass...

There's nothing that makes a girl feel more fancypants than fluttery eyelashes. But I always end up with them half-way down my cheeks by the end of the evening. So hurrah! I was lucky enough to go to a lash masterclass with super-nice make-up maestro Louise Page using Ardell lashes, which are available in a dizzying array of styles.

First top tip from Lou is to carefully remove the eyelashes from the tray and then flex/bend them gently. This softens up the edges of the lash, so when they're applied you avoid that annoying curling-at-the-corners problem. Then hold the edge of the lash against the outer edge of the eye so you can judge the size against your lid. If it's a bit too long, snip a little off the end. Then take the lash glue, squeeze some out and apply to the edge of your lash using a toothpick. Starting from the outer edge of the eye, gently press them against your lashline. Et voila! Flittery fluttery eyelashes!

I wore style 109 in demi black. They were super fluttery but still realistic. If you wanted to, you could always apply 2 pairs - the lovely Claudia from the Lou Page Academy, who gave me a personal lash lesson, said that often they'll apply 2 sets when applying make up for celebs. And at only around £5 for a pair at Boots, totes affordable too. Apparently Katie Price wears 3 sets at a time. Even with my new-found lash addiction, maybe a step too far for me...

www.ardelllashes.com
www.louisepageacademy.com

Royal Wedding Make Up Special - Bobbi Brown

2011-05-04T00:16:00.005Z

Now, I mostly avoided the royal wedding as just looking at wedding dresses make me come out in hives but I must admit to ogling everyone's beautiful make up after the event. I wasn't surprised to hear that most of the main looks were courtesy of Bobbi Brown, Bobbi is the master of natural looking prettification and I will happily say everyone looked stunning.

If you want to replicate the looks yourself, try these royal wedding inspired looks...

Bride

1. Start with clean, fresh skin. Even out skin tone with Corrector (£17.00), Concealer (£17.00) and Foundation.

2. Sweep Ivory Eye Shadow (£15.00) all over the lid.

3. Apply Rockstar Metallic Eye Shadow (£15.00) on the lower lid.

4. Blend Slate Eye Shadow (£15.00) into the crease.

5. Line upper and lower lash lines with Black Ink Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner (£15.50), making sure that the top line is thicker than the bottom.

6. Brush on two coats of Black No Smudge Mascara (£18.00).

7. Smile and sweep Pale Pink Blush (£17.00) on the apples of the cheeks.

8. Dust Pink Quartz Shimmer Brick (£30.50) high on the cheekbones.

9. Apply Sandwash Pink Lip Color (£16.00) on lips, followed by Crystal Gloss.

Maid of Honour

1. Begin by applying Corrector (£17.00), Concealer (£17.00) and a little bit of Foundation for beautifully even skin.

2. Warm up the face with a skin-tone-correct Bronzer (£24.00).

3. Sweep Bone Eye Shadow (£15.00) across the entire lid.

4. Apply Long Wear Cream Shadow in Ash (£16.50) on the lower lid only.

5. Perfectly define the eyes with Long Wear Gel Eye Liner in Black Ink (£15.50) on the top and bottom lash lines.

6. Open and curl the lashes with two coats of Lash Glamour Extreme Lengthening Mascara (£18.00).

7. Play up the cheeks with Blush in Sand Pink (£17.00).

8. Softly brush a Highlighter Pen (£25.00) high onto the cheek bones for added definition and shimmer.

9. Apply Blondie Pink Lip Color (£16.00) on the lips, followed by Confetti Lip Gloss (£14.50).

I Want... Urban Decay Urban Bride

2011-05-03T02:29:00.004Z

I'm a huge fan of Urban Decay and am rarely without one of their 24/7 eyeliners or shadow pencils, it's a weakness. Seriously, I've tried to write it off as a 'collection' like how one might collect stickers or Polly Pocket figures (which I did when I was like, nine) but it's just wanton greed and vanity really. Two sins in one, yay!

Anyway, I'm super excited about their new Urban Bride box. Chock full of awesome products that will guarantee every bride looks her best on her big day, I'll be picking this bad boy up for the two brides I'll be hanging with this summer (as well as one for myself because, sod it, why shouldn't we single girls have some fun too?). UD have the market cornered on cool, long-lasting products and this kit is a great starting point for any blushing bride. And once the products have all come out to play, the new missus can use the beautiful box to save her wedding mementos.

The box has been released to tie-in with the new movie, Bridesmaids, something else I can't wait for. John Hamm and Chris O'Dowd in one movie? Did they make this movie for me? I think yes. And I feel similarly about the UD kit. Despite the fact I'm single.
Please see above comment re: sod it.

These are a few of my favourite things... Davines

2011-05-03T01:59:00.005Z

Since I went red in December (best. decisions. ever) I've spent rather a lot of time worrying* about fade out, something that never really bothered me when I was brunette. Luckily for me, the salon where I get my colour did - Woodley & Bunny - carries an amazing range for coloured hair by Davines. I've never been a massive fan of colour depositing shampoos and conditioners as I've always found them a bit drying but the Davines Alchemic system is amaze. I use the Red shampoo and conditioner a couple of times a week and seriously, I get next to no fade out plus my hair is super soft and manageable.

The shampoo takes a bit of getting used to as it needs a minute's massage to 'give' - make sure your hair is completely saturated before you begin - and the conditioner looks terrifying, just like red putty, but it really is fantastic stuff. I won't lie, it's an investment but if you're going to the trouble of colouring your hair red, you're kind of committing yourself to a hell of a lot of up keep from the outset. If you offset the cost of the shampoo and conditioner against how regularly you'll need touch ups, I'm pretty sure they'll pay for themselves within a year. I've been a redhead for nearly six months now and I've just opened my second bottle/jar of product. It lasts aaaaages.

For non-redheads hair, I loved the Davines Nourishing hair pack in days of old, it's ridiculously moisturising if you've got very dry or very long hair that needs a bit of TLC. Plus it's green and looks like something out of Ghostbusters. Score.

*I am spending way too much time worrying about things at the moment, aren't I? And this is just my beauty routine, don't even get me started on work or boys, you'll never hear the end of it...

These are a few of my favourite things... Elemis Cleansers

2011-05-03T00:07:00.004Z

I realised the other day it's been an age since I shared some of my new favourite products with you so that's what you're going to get this week. Hope that's OK.

For the last few months, my skin has been awful dry and for someone who has only ever had combination skin at best, this has been extra distressing. Mainly because it means I'm old. Well, I am (whisper) thirty but still, it hurts. My lovely Philosophy Purity cleanser just wasn't cutting it and so I turned back to my Liz Earle Cream Cleanser but still, it just wasn't working out. And so I dug into the BeautyMecca box to see what I could see and lo and behold, hidden away was the Elemis Melting Cleansing Gel and Rosepetal Cleanser.

I immediately stuck the cleansing gel in the shower and started using it in place of the Purity in a morning. The Rosepetal cleanser took over from the Liz Earle as a cream cleanser at bedtime, massaged into dry skin and removed with a hot cloth. I LOVED it. And more importantly, so did my skin. The consistency is a lot looser than the Liz Earle and it melted all my make up and daily grime right away. It also sorted my eye make up right out.

The next morning, I busted out the gel cleanser. This is a really nice product, transforming from a pearlised gel to a creamy cleansing milk once on wet skin. It felt like I was getting a really great deep cleanse but my skin didn't feel like it was stripped at all.

It's been about two weeks since I switched up my routine and I have to say, my skin does look a lot better however, the real test will be at my facial appointment tomorrow. The last time I was looked at (during the wonder of spa week) I was told my skin was very dehydrated, the death knell of ageing skin. Fingers crossed I'll get better news in the morning...

Beauty.com goodness

2011-04-27T01:45:00.003Z

I have been meaning to get hold of a Clarisonic cleanser for the longest time. And at last, I think I've found my motivation.

This week, Beauty.com is offering the limited edition lavender Clarisonic-Mia with a Jurlique Skin Brightening set. Now, I'm new to Jurlique but I'm a huge fan of everything I've tried so far. For $149, you get the Clarisonic Mia and full-size Jurlique Purely White Skin Brightening Cleanser and deluxe sample of the Jurlique Purely White Skin Brightening Essence. Sounds good, right? As well as being able to purchase here, you can also enter to win the package on Beauty.com Facebook page.

Obviously the Clarisonic Mia isn't a cheap but of kit so to make it a bargain in anyway delights me. Colour me delighted.

Actually, colour me sunburned because I went to the beach today and the wind ripped my sunscreen right off. Sonofa...

Lush's Japan Aid Soap

2011-04-11T15:05:00.004Z

Just a quickie because I'm super rushed today but please, please, please check out Lush's Japan Aid soap. For just £5.00, you get a really rather wonderful soap from Lush and all proceeds go to help relief efforts in Japan, via a charity called Peace Boat. The soap is available in all Lush shops nationwide and online.

TIGI Bedhead Colour Combat

2011-04-07T16:19:00.003Z

As I may have mentioned several million times, I recently went red (in the head department) and keeping hold of that cover once I've paid a bazillion dollars* for it, is now one of my constant torments.

Happily, I've been giving a few products a go and they're all working out. Whee. Next time I get the roots done, I'll do some before and after shots for you. Honest. If I remember. Anyway, first up on the block is Tigi Bedhead's Colour Combat shampoo and conditioner.
I wasn't sure about this at first as I've been very much leaning towards colour depositing options but I stuck this in the shower, looked at it for a few days and then, one shiny morning, I stepped into the shower to find it smelling of the most delicious toffee-chocolate-candy goodness. Seriously, I wanted to lick the walls. And I clean our shower so I know that wouldn't be a good idea. Turned out, my brunette-coloured roommate had popped open the Colour Combat and that was where the amazing scent was coming from. I immediately caved and washed, rinsed and repeated. It was delicious. Any no colour loss!

I have to admit that I've still been including my colour depositing deep conditioner once a week or so but in between treatments, this is a great, great, great option. Love. My roommate also vouches for it's wonder. The main evidence of this is that we've already gone through one set of the shampoo and conditioner and are currently fighting over the leave-in conditioner.

We used the Colour Goddess version (kindly provided by ABPR) for redheads and brunettes but I'd love to hear from anyone who's tried the Dumb Blonde version. Check out the entire range at www.bedhead.com I'm also a long-term lover of After Party if you're putting an order in. And when I had shorter hair, I lived and died by Hard to Get. Love.

*This is an approximate cost, submitted to my bank manager on a six weekly-basis.

Headmasters Blow Out Collection

2011-04-05T18:21:00.004Z

Now, I realise that if you read any other blogs on the entire internet, you've already read about the new Headmasters Blow Dry collection but quite frankly, it's so pretty, I don't care. So you can read on and listen to me prattle on about the pretty or you can scroll down and enter the June Jacobs competition, OK?
OK.

So, let me start by explaining that I was supposed to attend the press day at HM when I was in London back in March but sadly, I was otherwise engaged (damnable ill relatives who are now PERFECTLY HEALTHY) so I a) missed out on pretty hair and b) missed out on my beautiful London hairdressing boyfriend, Jonathan. Rowr*. Regardless, I got the press release and died a little bit inside because OMG, these are some fine looking hairstyles.

Dreamy Grunge might be my dream hair. Seriously. I love it but they're all pretty wonderful. Manhattan Curl makes me wish I could pull off that 'together' look (I can't) and Bergdorf Belle, well, firstly it makes me want to go to Bergdorfs but secondly, it makes me want to grow out my hair instead of lopping it off. And I am about to lop it off. Prepare yourselves for that bombshell.

So head on over to Headmasters and take a look at the collection for yourself. I defy you not to find something you love. I'm getting palpitations just checking it out.
But then I'm not healthy, we all know that.

*It's a long story. A friend of mine works for HM and set me up with a blow out with Jonathan a year or so ago, I immediately assumed that he was gay, spent an hour regaling him and my friend with horrifying dating stories and then found out afterwards that he was in fact very straight. For shame. He's bloody lovely and does a damn fine job on your hair. Works out of the Mayfair salon, go and touch him.

June Jacobs & The Single Girl's To-Do List Goodness

2011-04-04T15:13:00.004Z

I can't begin to tell you how much I love the people at June Jacobs Spa Collections and apparently, they love us too. Which is always nice... Anyway, to demonstrate that love, they want to give one lucky BeautyMecca reader a hamper full of joy (well, a hamper full of their products which as far as I'm concerned, equals joy) worth $1000. Seriously. FOR REALSIES.

And all you have to do to win such wonders is visit their page at QVC.com - my hangover TV channel of choice - and tell me which product you'd most like to try. All the entries will be chucked in a giant hat, I'm thinking a top hat, and one winner will get the hamper. How awesome is that? And since June Jacobs Spa is being so lovely, the least I can do is throw in a copy of the NOT YET PUBLISHED The Single Girl's To-Do List. Because a home spa night is definitely something that would be on my to-do list.

So here's how to enter. Click here and peruse the June Jacobs goodies and then click on the June Jacobs Facebook page and post on the wall which product you'd love to try. You have until Friday to throw your hat in the ring...

Personally, I'm all about trying the gorgeous hydrating products like the Cranberry Pomegranate Moisture Masque as my skin as been as dry as a nun's chuff lately. Sorry mum.

Nars Manhunt

2011-04-02T14:11:00.002Z

Just a quickie as I'm in a mad rush (for a change) but I've recently become slightly obsessed with all things ladylike - right on schedule for fashion to take a boho 70s turn of course - and aside from this Marc Jacobs satchel that I need, I cannot step away from slightly 40s style make up.

It's been all black liquid liner and red lipstick for me of late, odd when you think I've gone red with the hair, but it doesn't clash, it just looks polished and put together. Well, until you get to my hair. Messssssy. But I digress, Nars Manhunt, a sheer poppy red, is perfect for this day look. It's not a scary red because it's so sheer and buildable but the colour is true and beautiful. It looks great against my pale skin and goes with pretty much everything. And thanks to the texture, you can even smudge a little into the apples of your cheeks for a coordinating flush which is a real bonus since it can be so hard to get the right blush with a red lip.

And now we've got the sensible reasons to buy it out of the way, let's deal with the fact that it's Nars and therefore epically desirable, amazing tactile packaging, perfectly shaped bullet and worth every penny. Nars gives me a lady boner. Rowr.

Sorry, despite the word usage there, that was incredibly unladylike, wasn't it?
Well, I tried.

The Vitality Show

2011-03-26T16:37:00.002Z

I hear it's delightful in the UK right now. That's nice. It's freezing in New York.
So while I sit here, slaving away over my new book WITH THE HEATING ON, why don't you skip on down to the Vitality Show in the sunshine. I don't mind. Honest. You bastards.

5 Reasons to skip over to the Vitality Show this weekend

I was supposed to have some professional photos for this post but at the last minute my photographer ditched me for a better offer – tsk! I took my sister instead and she bought a super gadget she is going to test out for you lovely people. More on that later...

Anyway here are my top 5 reasons for heading over to the Vitality Show this weekend.

1. Freebies – the free goody bag has lots of samples which are always handy for the gym bag, or nights away (if you’re a gym dodger). And there are tons more minis to pick up on the way round. I am a fan of try before you buy. Just head towards the back of the show to pick up your goody bag.

2. Nibbling – no need to get peckish when wandering around, you can sample all kinds of weird and wonderful snacks... Mostly of the hemp and carob and carrot variety, but also did spy some less than healthy cheese related snacks.

3. Photo opportunities – I honestly thought I could get my picture with a little fluffy Andrex puppy, but it turned out to be of the person in a costume variety. My sister found it very amusing that everyone was carrying around a free roll of toilet paper in a little bag.

4. Gadget-tastic – my fave of the show is the Epicare, which my sister is going to try out, a dinky little gadget for hair removal (not exactly glamorama, but I hope you agree, a necessity) which mimics the action of threading but can be mastered in minute (hopefully). More on this soon!

5. Foot treats – we managed to wangle a lovely foot massage to relieve our tired feet at the end of the show, from the ladies at Delightful Footnotes. Our feet were super soft and citrus fresh by the end. More details below...

There are tons more reasons, the one I am kicking myself about today is 15% off at the Benefit stand and a free £45 gift if you buy 3 products. I foolishly decided to avoid the stand because I bought 3 products on pay day last week. But as soon as I got home I realised I could have easily found 3 more things I wanted, I mean needed.

More beauty bargains to be had...

UNE natural beauty
Stand: B521
Any 2 products £14 + receive a FREE Limited Edition UNE make-up bag
Spend over £20 + receive a FREE Green Beauty Bible (rrp £14.99)

Benefit Cosmetics
Stand: B500
15% OFF Benefit Cosmetics

Jelly Pong Pong Cosmetics
Stand: B650
Exclusive and super-cute show-only gift bags at just £8. I especially loved the super-size lip balms in the Tea Party set.

Delightful Footnotes Ltd
Section: Beauty
B610
Relax on beautiful High Heel Shoe Chairs and enjoy our soothing Pedi-care Treatment. Show Offer price of £25 includes a Delightful Footnotes Travel Set and Nail File worth over £30.

And everything else you need to know at www.vitalitylive.co.uk

An Apple a Day Keeps the Wrinkles Away...

2011-03-21T15:57:00.005Z

Ooh, you lucky people you. It's another report fresh from London courtesy of that lovely Miss Keren... She spoils us. Which is lucky since I'm so bloody manically busy, I just let you down (Yes, I am fishing for reassurance).

I do love a bit of a story behind a product, maybe it’s because I work in book publishing, but even Michelle Obama likes this story. Once upon a time, some scientist-types noticed that when the Swiss apple fell from the tree it did not wrinkle for a long, long time. Hmmm, they thought, can we extract something from said apple to make a miracle cream. For a while the miracle cream was only available to those with a husband in the white house... But thanks to the lovely people at Superdrug we can all afford to have a go.

Superdrug Optimum Swiss Apple Skin Renewal Day Cream is the latest addition to Superdrug’s Optimum apple stem cell anti-aging skincare range, the first being their best-selling Overnight renewal serum. Both products claim to contain the same miracle ingredient as the expensive versions, but for a lot less pennies... one example being Clark’s Botanicals Cellular Lifting serum is £284 at Space.NK (I digress... but the packaging is so pretty)

I have been using them both* for a few weeks now, and the first thing I noticed was the smell – fresh and (unsurprisingly) apple-y, as I find most miracle creams can smell a bit, well... Plain, if you know what I mean.

I have to admit, even if this is a bit annoying, I don’t have massive amount of wrinkles apart from a mahoosive frown line acquired from 10 years of glaring at people who crush me on the tube. But I do have a tendency to fine dehydration lines around my eyes, and I can say it has rehydrated my tired looking skin and my face feels super-smooth.

Superdrug Optimum Swiss Apple Skin Renewal Day Cream is £9.99
Superdrug Optimum Swiss Apple Overnight renewal serum is £11.99

*press samples

AMBI Skincare

2011-03-18T14:54:00.002Z

I don't get sent that much info on products specifically formulated for women of colour and when I do, they tend to be extraordinarily expensive, so I was pretty pleased when I received a press release about AMBI skincare. Obviously, it's not something I know masses about, given that I'm the whitest white girl in the world but I know getting the right skincare without having to spend a billion dollars is a major concern of my friends. Black skin does have different needs to white skin or Asian skin and making sure it's cared for properly is paramount.

Not only is AMBI a total bargain (the essential cleanser and daily moisturiser both come in at just $4.99) but the products are chock full of goodies to hydrate and cleanse skin at the same time. Plus the moisturiser has an SPF of 15. I don't need to remind you how important that is, regardless of the colour of your skin, do I? Especially since SPRING IS TOTALLY SPRUNG.
YAY SPRING! Sorry, off topic there.

Check out the rest of the range here. There's a product solution for every potential skincare issue at a really great price. Also, did I mention YAY, it's SPRING!

London Calling: Stocking Up En Angleterre

2011-03-16T12:44:00.004Z

Sigh, back in NYC after a whirlwind trip to London/Home/London/Loughborough*/Home/London and oh my am I sleepy. I have taken care of all the important business though (got a neon orange manicure, watched Glee and eaten an entire giant bag of Milky Way Magic Stars) so don't despair of me completely.

While I was pretending to unpack last night - a process which usually takes several days of moving piles of things from one part of my room to another and then often back into the suitcase again - I remembered why my bag was so heavy. It was because I'd brought back three huge tubs of The Sanctuary's Hot Sugar Scrub. Aside from the fact that this wonderful stuff is currently on a 3 for 2 promotion at Boots, you really should be stocking up. It's spring people, it's almost time to throw away your tights and, gasp, get out your legs. And for my money, there isn't a better body scrub out there for the price, the effects and the lovely, lovely scent. I love that it leaves my skin feeling soft and moisturised, even though it does a really great job on sloughing away any dry patches. And all for about a tenner! Cannot recommend it highly enough.

The other item I couldn't leave without was something that had totally slipped my mind. While in Lahndahn, I usually stay with my big gay bestie and as well as holding the honour that title bestows, he's also still holding a lot of my stuff from when I moved. I was pootling around in the bathroom when I found a refugee from my beloved penthouse salle de bains, Elemis Exotic Frangipani Monoi Moisture Melt. For the want of bubble bath (bad gay, imagine not having bubble bath) I chucked a bit of the Elemis in and dear god, if I'm not still smooth as a baby's bottom. Granted this stuff isn't as cheap as the Sanctuary scrub but it is bloody effective and you can use it in loads of different ways. Love.

Obviously I stocked up on lots of other important things, like Creme Eggs, M&S undies and Boots tights (it's not summer yet, kids) but these are the things raided from Boots. Go forth and stockpile my friends, and rejoice in the fact that when my Sanctuary body scrub runs out, I'll have to pay an absolute shit ton for Bliss hot salt scrub. Sob.

*Blogger's spellcheck doesn't recognise Loughborough. How very rude.

NARS at Marc Jacobs

2011-02-28T18:51:00.003Z

There are few things I love in this life more than Nars and Marc Jacobs* so imagine how excited I was when the face chart from this month's Marc Jacobs NY Fashion Week show arrived in my inbox.

LEAD ARTIST: François Nars, Founder & Creative Director of NARS Cosmetics

TREND: Blushed cheeks and defined upper eyes

INSPIRATION & LOOK: “The look started with a picture that Marc had of Christy Turlington with really fresh skin and rosy cheeks,” said François Nars, Founder & Creative Director of NARS Cosmetics. “Marc wanted ‘icy cold cheeks’ and so the blush is drawn down in such a way that’s unusual...unusual, but decadent. Like a Renaissance painting.”

As is usually the case with fashion week, most of the products used are from future A/W collections but you can achieve similar results with current products.

FACE

EYES

Fall 11 Grand Palais Duo Eyeshadow - for now, try using Lokoum Cream Blush
Fall 11 Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner in Via Veneto - for now try Black Moon Eyeliner Pencil
Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara

LIPS

Greta Pure Sheer SPF Lip Treatment

Please excuse me. I must pop to the new Nars boutique on Bleeker Street - mere DOORS away from the Marc Jacobs store aka, my happy place. Sigh.

*I don't care what that says about me. I like things.

Topshop Sandstorm Collection

2011-02-26T01:20:00.002Z

Man alive am I behind. I have so much stuff to share from NY Fashion Week, London Fashion Week, general life, etc... I'm sorry. I have the flu, I'm mega busy and I'm coming over to the UK next week so things are all manic. But when are things ever different, right? So, here you go... the latest report from Ms Keren, UK correspondent and all round pretty lady.

Sandstorm Collection has launched on the Topshop website!

I was lucky enough to go to the launch of the Spring/Summer 2011 collection, at the Sanderson Hotel in London a few weeks ago, in a room filled to bursting with very excited ladies. It was so full it was quite tricky to get close to the make-up without getting elbowed.

I have to say when I first saw the range it didn’t shout Spring/Summer to me, but having read their description I saw where they were coming from... the idea behind it is the colourful and spiritual 'Burning Man' festival based in the Nevada desert. The packaging instead of being the trademark black and white has accents of gold, and desert hues. From the swipes on the back of my hand my faves were the Metallic Mousse Eyeshadow in Glint, perfect for layering to get a foil finish.

And the 3 shades of metallic liquid eyeliner. Topshop say 'it's so efficient an oil based cleanser should be used to ensure full removal.' And it was pretty hard to remove from the back of my hand.

I also got a press sample of the eye crayon in Zephyr. Which would be very handy at a festival for creating a quick smoky eye with added sparkle.

Looks like it's not all on the website yet so keep your eyes peeled for updates...

www.topshop.com

I had a good look at their core collection while I was there too (not so many people elbowing around that stand!) They have some really vivid shades of lippy, and I think I’ll be purchasing Oh La La, if I can ever find it on the website, it’s a summery coral.

And their Solid Gel eyeliner is only £8 and it has has serious staying power, so if you want an alternative to MAC’s Fluidline (£13.50) or Bobbi Brown’s Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner (£15.50) but for a lot less pennies I’d recommend the Toppers version.

June Jacobs and I Heart New York Giveaway!

2011-02-19T20:14:00.002Z

Congrats to Cath Joyce, Eliza-Beth Pennell, Jenni McKechnie, Melanie Penglase and Nicole Soyza! You've won a June Jacobs lip kit and a signed book! Please let me know what book you'd like sent. Oh, and an address would be handy... email me at lindsey@lindseykelk.com

June Jacobs and I Heart New York Giveaway!

2011-02-15T15:44:00.003Z

Did you have a wonderful Valentines? No? You hate all men and want them to die? Hmm. Well, I can't help you out with the mass destruction of half the species but I can offer you a super fun competition? Yay, we have a deal!

The lovely people at June Jacobs want you to be all kissable, all the time and so they've given me a Lip Kit to give away. Each kit contains a scrub, mask and their fabulous mango butter, shea butter packed lip renewal, Amaze. And because it's (practically Valentines) I'm throwing in a signed I Heart book - your choice of New York, Hollywood or Paris. Oh yes, a $60 lip kit and a signed book. Happy Tuesday!

All you have to do to get your mitts and lips on this wonderful prize is to head over to Facebook, 'like' June Jacobs and write 'BeautyMecca sent me' on the wall. The Facebook link is here
Easy, right? I don't like to make things hard for you.
Especially since I was supposed to do this yesterday but my computer was broken...

You can also check out the entire lovely June Jacobs range at www.junejacobs.com and www.skinstore.com Please excuse me, I must go away and suffer from a hideous cold now.
New York Fashion Week updates coming soon!

M.A.C. Wonder Woman

2011-02-11T01:46:00.005Z

I have no words.
Happily I have lots of pictures.

I don't think I've ever wanted anything more.
Not the Disney collection, not the Barbie collection, not even the Hello Kitty collection.
Wonder Woman has already launched here in the US, I'm going out tomorrow to BUY ALL OF IT. Credit card and tax bill be damned.

L'Oreal Love

2011-02-07T19:54:00.004Z

A couple of weeks ago, I braved the frozen New York wasteland to attend the launch of L’Oreal’s spring/summer 2011 collections. Sounds fancy, doesn’t it? WELL IT WAS. Honestly, it was amazing. The event took place at the Andaz on Fifth Avenue: a gorgeous, gorgeous hotel created to make people happy. This was achieved primarily through liberal application of booze and food. Yum.

Unfortunately booze and food does not guarantee great results from good products. Happily, the name L’Oreal apparently does. In all honesty, it’s never been a brand that’s front of mind for me but when I delved into my make up bag while trying to make myself decent for the event (you should see the girls at these things out here) I found myself using Voluminous Millionize Mascara, my trusty True Match pressed powder and my newest favourite thing ever, Infallible Never Fail lip colour in Beyonce Red. No, really. It’s taken becoming a redhead to give me the balls to start wearing red lipstick and this bad boy Does Not Move. So, with a face smothered in L’Oreal products I didn’t realise I already loved, I went to see what I could find.

The first big thing they wanted to tell us about was a foam new hair colour. At first I was a wee bit confused. Colour Mousse was an epic part of my teenage years but here they were, telling me that this was a brand new breakthrough. Turns out they’re right, this new product is permanent as opposed to Wella’s wonderful paint-the-bathroom temporary paintbox colours of my youth. Well, temporary on my hair, permanent on my mum’s bathroom carpet (sorry mum).

After that, we moved into a new smoothing hair system, EverSleek, that claims to smooth frizzy hair without the use of parabens, silicone and all the usual baddies. I’ve passed this over to someone who actually suffers the frizzies and will be reporting back soon. Early indications suggest it’s good shit.

And finally we entered my happy place. Make up. First up, a fab new Magic Smooth ‘souffle’ foundation which, HURRAH, comes in a shade pale enough for my deathly pallor. I’ve been adding it into rotation for the last week or so and I have to say, I quite like it. I’m usually a bit of a snob about foundations but this is nice. The texture really is beautiful and the medium coverage is pretty even and nice. Win one for L’Oreal. After that, we looked at the new addition to the Double Extend mascara range. I love the original so this new version, with eye colour enhancing pigments (aka sparkly bits) was another win for me. I've never really been sold on coloured mascaras but this is pretty subtle. And you know, sparkly.

The final product was the new Infallible Le Rouge, a traditional lipstick style product rather than a paint on stain. Now, just like Ms Keren in the previous post, I've always struggled with lipsticks. I'm a gloss girl, a tinted balm preferably so lipstick is a struggle for me. The Beyonce Red Infallible Never Fail was such a big deal, my friends thought it was a turning 30 crisis. Well, no more because O to the M to the G, this lipstick is amazing. It's not quite as long lasting as the Never Fail but it is sort of wonderful. Less drying than other long wear colours, tons of pigment and here in the US, only $9.99.
Amaze.

So in summary - L'Oreal* = good. Snow = bad. Moving house = bloody awful.

*I also want to say, the lovely ladies of L'Oreal totally gave me a memory stick with images for all these products on it but I lost it mid-move. When I find it, I'll repost.
Sorry L'Oreal but you know, excellent work.

Max Factor Lipfinity Lip Tint Pen

2011-02-03T21:09:00.003Z

Since I am an appalling beauty blogger letdown (I WAS WRITING A BOOK), it's left to the wonderful Ms Keren to tell you all about her adventures in lipstick today... She's very good though, so we'll let it go.
Here you go!

According to an article I read a few weeks ago in Stylist, in my 30's to 40's (cough, splutter!) I should be ditching the girly lip-gloss and embracing much more grown-up lipsticks. So it got me thinking about my very glam grandma and her penchant for orange lippy, and my mum painting her lovely bow-shaped bouche in wide spectrum of reds.... And I’ve decided it’s time for me to grow up!

I am rubbish at re-applying lippy and it has usually disappeared by lunchtime to be replaced with a bit of lip balm. So imagine my joy at receiving a Max Factor Lipfinity Lip Tint Pen in Berry Burst for Chrimbo.

It does do exactly what is says on the tin... Well the Max Factor website:
Lipfinity Lip Tint Pen has a non-transferable water based formula that doesn't just sit on top of your lips but permeates the upper layers for a stunning kiss-proof effect. And its nifty pen applicator is perfect for precise application so you can build up the colour as much as you dare or keep it light and simple – you're in control!

I say:
OK, so it’s not technically lipstick but I am sold on this, it has serious staying power. Even after I have scoffed my lunch. And there are two more shades just released to add to the four it launched with. And lucky me, I got my mitts on the Nice n Nude shade to try out from a PR event. I am now using this shade for daytime and t’other to look glam in the evening. They are a very affordable £7.99.

http://www.boots.com/en/Max-Factor-Lasting-Lip-Tint_1129234/
Next, I am thinking about trying a proper coral lippy in a homage to my grandma Ruby, anyone got any good coral suggestions?

PS. I did not apply the make-up or do my own hair in this picture! The hair is thanks to Liz Taw, Aussie Hair Ambassador and the make-up by a lovely Max Factor Make up artist whose name I didn’t catch. I’ll be posting about the hair products and Liz’s tips for styling very soon . . .

Happy New Year and The Importance of Elemis

2011-01-25T22:18:00.002Z

Really, January has completely passed me by and if you could see the state of me, you'd know that was true. I look a mess. Happily, I'm trying to get my shit together, mani-pedi yesterday, bikini wax and a facial tomorrow and next week, I'm getting the mop done. Blonde roots on red hair are not attractive. I know that sounds like an incredibly wasteful waste of money but really, I need these things. I'm thirty now. Shit's getting real.

Pretty much the only thing that's keeping me together is my dedication to Elemis skincare. I've preached and preached before so I'm not going to shove it down your throat (USE IT!) but if you were thinking about giving it a go, you could do a lot worse than the limited edition Anti-Ageing Detox Regime on elemis.com. It includes all my favourites, including the amazing Skin Bliss capsules. I'm not sure what is in these bad boys (mostly because I haven't read the packaging properly) but I can see their effects immediately. I love them. I'm down to my last two. I need to get some more. It's possible you'll see me scouring the streets of Brooklyn tomorrow, looking for a dealer to hook me up.
Anyway, have a look on the website, check it out.

I'm also trying L'Age de The's Herbal Detox tea. It's chock full of milk thistle, dandelion roots, calendula and vanilla roobios to detox your skin and cleanse your system.
Can't hurt can it?
And it is tea after all.
Heart.

The Beautiful You - QVC

2011-01-20T16:22:00.002Z

Sweet jebus, I haven't posted in the longest time. Honestly though, I have really good reasons.
There was Christmas and then the new book needed finishing and I'm moving house and ugh, a million other things you don't want to know about (at least three of them have a penis and shall never be spoken of again) plus I had the flu forever - remind me to tell you the funny story about my Sudafed overdose in Bloomingdales on Christmas eve. Happily, before I went completely mad, I got an email from the lovely people at QVC this week and it began with this headline: December was for everyone else, January is for you.
I liked the sound of it.

Anyway, they were mostly pimping their beauty day here in the USA, tomorrow January 21st but it's a great theory right? And if nothing else, it's brought a couple of great new products to my attention. The It Cosmetics Power Universal Brown Pencil Duo that will be making an appearance (QVC item #A212333) is a new favourite of mine. I have a bit of a shameful secret with brows. When I get stressed, I go a bit Girl, Interrupted and rub my eyebrows. The problem here is that my eyebrows then break and I walk around browless. It's not a good look. This pencil not only fills in my fuck ups but also includes brow conditioning ingredients that actually repairs my follicle self-harm. Brilliant.

As a new redhead (blog to follow on that factoid) I'm also super aware of everything I'm using on my hair right now as I'm terrified of fade out. The Chaz Dean Pomegranate Cleansing Conditioner (QVC item #A212497) appeals as it claims to replace shampoo, conditioner, detangler, leave-in conditioner and doubles up as shaving cream. Got to be worth a go at $28 surely? The fewer times I wash my hair with the fewer chemicals, the less fading I will suffer. I think. I'll let you know once I've given it a go.

So whether you're in the US and can enjoy The Beautiful You on QVC tomorrow (I love zoning out to shopping channels so I'll be there for a while) or you're elsewhere and just need to remember to take five minutes for yourself, remember: December was for everyone else, JANUARY IS FOR YOU*.

*management reserves the right to claim this every month until December.

Calvin Klein Euphora

2010-12-20T04:08:00.003Z

As I've mentioned many, many times before, I love me some Christmas and one of my favourite parts is buying presents for everyone. Love giving presents and thanks to Snowmageddon, my UK present shopping has been somewhat buggered (sidenote, do you think the UK high street actually prayed for the snow so everyone shopping online got shafted? The things that cross my mind...) so I'm stuck with my minimal US shopping. And you know, making sure I'm fully furnished with self-gifting. Important.

Anyway, lots of people ask me what makes a good beauty gift and a really popular choice is always fragrance BUT I think it's really, really hard to buy perfume or aftershave for someone what with it being so dependent on personal taste. However, if you're going to go with scent, there are good options. This season (in the US only I think, sozza) if you buy Euphoria by Calvin Klein, you get a free swanky tin of chocolate. Who wouldn't love that? And I really do like the fragrance, I forced the men's scent on the former Mr BeautyLover too and he was a huge fan.
I want to say it's a pretty scent that I liked to wear to go out but according to Calvin Klein, it's 'an addictive oriental fragrance that contrasts exotic fruits, seductive florals and a rich cream signature.' Probably more accurate than 'pretty'. Nice bottle too.

And if nothing else, this post gives me an excuse to publish pictures of these gorgeous ladies at the IFP's 20th Annual Gotham Film Awards at Cipriani on Wall Street, sponsored by Calvin Klein. Aren't they sickening? I think I might want to be Leighton Meester.

Natalie Portman is totes wearing Lanvin for H&M. Interesting...

Can't deal with Hathaway after Love & Other Drugs. Not because it was bad (she was great but it was a bad movie) but because man alive, all I can see when I look at her now is boobs. I'm such a child.

Winter Warmers

2010-12-07T21:06:00.002Z

A couple of weeks ago I had a request for an update on my favourite winter products and yay, I've finally got off my arse to put it together for youuuu.

Body scrubs
Without question, my favourite body scrub in the world is The Sanctuary Hot Sugar Scrub. I love the way it warms up on contact with the skin, I love the signature scent and I love the way it leaves my skin soft and smooth. Whenever I'm back in the UK, I stock up and it's top of the list of things I ask friends to bring over. When, oh when will they bring it to the US? Selfish really.
Other than that, I do like the Clarins body scrubs but they're way more expensive and I think the results are the same.

Body Lotions
I'm sort of OCD when it comes to body lotions and try to moisturise my body as often I do my face. Yep, twice a day. Once after the morning shower and once before bed. I know it sounds like hard work but you just get used to it... unfortunately, it also means you get through a lot of body lotion. If I could only use one lotion for the rest of my life, it would be Bliss Lemon + Sage body butter but since that would mean I would be homeless, I have to look further afield. I like the Jergens body products for every day as well as Johnson & Johnson's Baby Bedtime cream. I realise that sounds wrong but I'm a lavender addict and this has a lovely consistency. Elemis and Clarins both do a lovely body lotion but the tube doesn't seem to last that long and as you might assume, it's pricey. I also picked up the Coco Mademoiselle body oil spray the last time I was in duty free and while it's not cheap, a little goes a really long way and it scents your skin at the same time as softening it. Double duty products are my favourites.

Lip Balms
Oh this is a tough one... now, I have a million lip balms on the go at all times. Nivea in my make up bag, Smith's Rosebud Balm tube in my handbag and the Dior Color Revive around somewhere but the one product I really, really rate and have repurchased more than once is the Creme de la Mer The Lip Balm. I know this isn't cheap and I hate recommending the pricey stuff all the time because often, it's not necessary. My general rule is - conditioner, moisturiser, foundation, eye cream and lip balm - you're going to get what you pay for. I don't think I've ever felt so strongly about a product as I do this lip balm, (aside from Pro-Collagen Marine Cream, obvs). It's soft, it absorbs right away but maintains a protective barrier and it tastes and smells amazing. I kow it's £36 for lip balm but honestly, splash out once and you'll never, ever go back.
Apologies in advance.

On a side note, if I was literally hemorrhaging money, I would write an entirely different post entitled - buy all of your body products at Bliss and never worry about dry skin again. But I'm not. So I won't. But yeah... not the face products but Bliss body scrubs, lotions and washes.
Ah. Mazing.

All I want for Christmas...

2010-12-07T19:17:00.005Z

It's the most wonderful time of the year...
No really, it is. I love Christmas SO MUCH. I didn't get a tree until the THIRD this year and you can ask anyone, I was having palpitations by the second. Usually, I have it up on the 1st. At midnight but hands down, one of the best things about living in the US is that a lot of people put their trees up immediately after Thanksgiving. THAT'S AN EXTRA WEEK OF TREE!Amaze.

Anyway, in the midst of buying gifts for everyone else, I just wanted to point you (cough, my mother) in the direction of some of the beauty buys I'd love to find in my stocking:
Elemis Revealing Radiance
I have been very sad to miss Snowmageddon in the UK over the last few weeks (well, in theory. I'm sure in practice my shitty old Freeview box would have given out and I would be sobbing by now) but I have to say, I'm not sad about missing the effect snow has on my skin. As a delicate paley, my complexion hates the cold. Actually, it just hates weather but the cold is not its friend. This awesome kit from Elemis includes the Tri-Enzyme gel, resurfacing night cream, face wash and my super awesome favourite hero moisturiser of all time, Pro-Collagen Marine Cream. And it comes in a purdy bag. Oh, and if you buy from www.timetospa.co.uk this week there's 20% off Christmas gifts and full sized products! And if you enter the code CHRISTMAS at the checkout, you get free delivery ALL MONTH.

Bobbi Brown Modern Classic Eye & Lip Palette

Tell me this isn't beautiful?
Ten gorgeous greys, bronzes and sultry plums create the most amazing eye looks, perfect for Christmas time. And because it's Bobbi, you know you can go from sheer washes for daytime, right through super smoky night looks. And there are four exclusive glitter lip glosses included to compliment your look. A little bit of glitter is legally required at Christmas and while it's subtle in Bobbi Brown glosses, it's totes there. Yay.

Benefit Bathina Touch Me Then Try to Leave Body Cream
This has such a long title, it nearly got bumped but alas, I really do love it and I really am all out.
Not OK. This is my favourite body cream, pretty much the only thing I keep reserved only for special occasions of um, well, you know. It's the Ronseal of body lotions. Does exactly what it says on the tin.

To wake up looking like Christina Hendricks

Mad Men is one of my all-time favourite shows and there hasn't been a single episode this season that hasn't made me want to wake up looking like Joan Holloway. I don't think I've ever been so happy in my life as when I interviewed the costume designer, Janie Bryant, for Grazia earlier this year and she promptly declared me a 'Joan' over a 'Betty'. Her awesome new book, The Fashion Files, is on my non-beauty product Christmas wishlist (ie, I'm going to Barnes & Noble to buy it tonight) and you can get it in the UK here. But, in my blind desire to get my Joan on, I have, against all my better judgement, booked in with my lovely colorist, Whitney to go Red. Oh yes, you heard it here first. Not that I don't love my brunette, I do, but given that I'm naturally blonde in the first place, can't hurt to give it a go, can it?
Can it? Oh well, I can always change it back and it feel festive...

So, you know, Dear Santa, I've been a very good girl this year, really. Well, I've been a girl and I didn't slaughter any puppies or anything so I should get something, right?

London Calling: Eyelash Extensions

2010-12-07T18:33:00.006Z

I should prepare you before I even begin that this is a post related to nothing other than horrifying, shameful vanity - yay!

There were a lot of things I should have been doing in the precious couple of hours I had in London before I flew back to New York last month. Unfortunately, they were all buggered because instead of cleaning my friend's flat, going to see my friends or getting any of the many things I had not got done, done, I went and had eyelash extensions.
Yeah. I know. And they're amazing.

I tried to find a good picture but really, all photos of me are taken under the influence and usually telling someone how much I love them. I'm a very happy drunk. The best I could do was this one - random friend cropped out. Gangsta sign, left in. Apologies if it means something I'm not aware of in Kuala Lumpur or something. But really, check them OUT.

My favourite thing about eyelash extensions was best verbalised by a friend who also indulges. We were trying to defend the appalling waste of money when she got to the point 'When I have them in, I wake up and I'm pretty.' I can't argue with it. Seriously, it feels like you wake up with bluebirds singing instead of your alarm clock ringing and then you blink yourself awake like a Disney Princess. Tralalalalala.

I've had the extensions done three times in the last two years, with Natalie at LondonEyelashExtensions and I've never had a bad result. Plus Natalie is sort of wonderful and very wise. My lashes last a good three weeks before they start falling out, the only sad thing then being that I'm usually in New York and I haven't found anywhere particularly reasonable to get them filled here yet. Happily, one of my favourite friends (and fabulous make-up artist - she did the make up for my leaving London party, check out the pics here) has just qualified so I hope she's ready for me to take advantage of that fact horribly the next time I'm back home. You can contact her here on 07855 798 806 or at

Amymilesmakeup@live.com. She's ever so lovely.

Sadly, I took out the last of my extensions at four am on Monday morning when I was sat trying to finish the second draft of my next book. Incredibly satisfying but not recommended as part of the aftercare. Anyway, if you have cash burning a hole in your pocket (and I realise very few people do at this time of year in particular) eyelash extensions are a great idea for all the Christmas parties you have coming up. Or in general. Or if you want to wake up feeling pretty. I especially enjoy the game where people stare at you and repeatedly ask 'What have you done? What have you done?'
But then I'm very easily amused.

MAC A Tartan Tale

2010-12-03T17:05:00.002Z

I know I'm hardly busting your door down with hot news right now but I have to tell you about this for fear of you not having nabbed it already. I am In Love with the MAC A Tartan Tale collection. It's ridiculous. It's gorgeous. It's incredibly wearable. It's genuinely, as far as I'm concerned, one of their best ever collections and if anyone was looking for Christmas presents (for me, cough) there isn't a single piece here that wouldn't be received with absolute joy.

I'm pretty much obsessively rocking the Dashing Lassie eye palette which gives so many great options. Can't begin to tell you how happy I am that I feverishly handed over my cash in Duty Free the other week without really paying attention to what I was doing (how could I go wrong, it was MAC?). I like the pale colours for a sparkly day look and then you smoke the whole thing out with the Buckwheat shade, use the Showstopper to line your eyes and then add drama with Magical Mist.

Aside from the eye palettes, I l-o-v-e the lip, eye and brush bags. Mostly because I want the actual bags. I'm thinking Noble Knights with teal pigment will be my first pick.
In case you were wondering. Mum.

London Calling: Elemis Day Spa

2010-11-22T23:24:00.002Z

Now, I hate to make you feel bad (no, really, I do) but your life is lacking something.
That something is the Elemis day spa. Now, if manicures are an indulgence, fannying around in a day spa is, I realise, an appalling waste of money. Except it really isn't. Especially if you can get someone else to pay for you and it is nearly Christmas.

Should a visit to a spa be on your Christmas list or if your credit card has a bit of extra room on it right now, I cannot recommend the new Elemis Winter Warmer experience strongly enough. A comb of their ginger and lime salt scrub, hot stone massage, anti-ageing facial and to finish off, a shape and polish. It's an amazing sampler of the Elemis treatments and honestly, my skin was beautiful afterwards. Because Elemis don't perform extractions as part of their facials, you don't have to worry about going out blotchy and since the salt scrub is followed up by a massage, lubricated with the amazing Frangipani Monoi Melt, your entire being smells and feels incredible.

My love for Elemis has been well documented, I know but really, I can't tell you how many people have commented on how amazing my skin looks since I started using Pro-Collagen Marine Cream again and the Eye and Lip Complex is just amazeballs.
That's right amazeballs. Look it up.
Well, you can't actually, it's really not a word.

I'm tired.

London Calling: Nail Girls

2010-11-21T19:16:00.003Z

I just got back to New York after a very, very loooong three weeks in London (there will be more about that on lindseykelk.com very soon, we're here to talk about actual important stuff) and I did my bit for you, dear reader. SO many amazing things to tell you about - so let's start at the beginning... the all-important manicure.

Since living in New York, I've become sort of obsessed with manicures. I've always been a nail fan, ever since I sat painting every finger a different colour with my mini Miss Selfridge paint pots in the early nineties. But manicures? They always seemed like such an indulgence and far, far too expensive. Happily, the US has nail bars on every single corner which is a) sort of amazing and b) means that manicures are substantially cheaper than they are in the UK. I can't begin to tell you how much better I feel with a good manicure. It looks pretty and makes me feel like a grown up lay-dee and so, it was with UBER-delight that I mosied on over to Islington last week to meet the Nail Girls

Not only was it a lovely salon in one of my favourite parts of Londinium but the girls behind the salon. Lynda and Jo, were awesome. Lynda explained that she had spent time in NYC working as a fashion ed so she understood my pain. Thankfully for all of us, she's done something about it. Nail Girls is so, so, so good. Not only did I come away feeling totally chilled out but I also had a fab manicure (I opted for the new jet black polish, shot through with really fine silver glitter, one of the Nail Girls' own range) and felt generally lovely. The mani lasted for ages and I cannot wait for their fab chem free colours to come over to the States. My heart called for the Jet Black but I also have a filthy great crush on the Navy Blue. And the super soft pale Gold.
Lucky you can order them in the UK right now. Sob. Check out their website for more info on all the treatments, special offers and nail colours. Loving the offer of an iPod silent disco... Sometimes I'm not up to chatting. Not often but still, it happens.

Anyway, I urge you to take a festive trip before you shove your hand up the end of a turkey.
Nail Girls rock.

Tara Smith = Awesome

2010-11-10T16:36:00.003Z

Slightly off topic but this includes lots of important things like nice people, one of my fave labels and charity so here goes.

Celeb hairstylist, Tara Smith ran the New York marathon this weekend to raise money for the Leukemia and LOROS, The Leicestershire and Rutland Hospice. Check her out here with friends Stacy Igel, founder of Boy Meets Girl and Rosario Dawson. I wish I looked that good after I'd run 26 miles/for a bus.

I had the pleasure of watching Tara work recently (on my Janie Bryant interview for Grazia) and she's incredible - what that woman can't do with a pair of tongs. She's got a great haircare range too. Multitaskers rock... (she says procrastinating wildly)

REN Gift Sets

2010-11-08T16:08:00.004Z

Miss Keren has been at it again... Boo.
LOVE REN.

Every year REN package their gorgeous products in Christmas box sets, they have done all sorts of pretty boxes over the years. And this year they asked the very exclusive wallpaper company, de Gournay if they could use some of their exquisite, hand-painted chinoiserie designs.

Apparently, de Gournay produce their wallpaper with the aim of bringing colour and happiness to your home, I’d like to bring some of that to my home (which currently has no walls, bathroom or kitchen to put wallpaper on – but that’s not really relevant). And with the wallpaper being hand painted I don’t think I could even afford half of a roll. So these sets are much more achievable.
I’d like the yellow one please. Not just because it’s pretty but because I also need some zesty Grapefruit to wake me up on the cold winter mornings.

Or maybe the green one...

You can see the whole range of gift boxes at http://www.renskincare.com/c/gifts_gift-sets They are also available at Selfridges, Space NK and John Lewis.

I like the Green. Super pretty.
Just in case anyone was wondering...

The Benefit of Benefit

2010-10-27T14:14:00.003Z

There was once a time when every third item in my make up bag was Benefit. Seriously, I was obsessed... from the Dear John moisturiser through Playsticks foundation, Get Even powder, Bad Gal liner and mascara, Georgia blush and everything in between (including Maybe Baby perfume and the entire Bathina body line) but somewhere along the way, I started using different products and Benefit sort of fell out of favour (aside from Bad Gal Waterproof which is amazing and on my daily must-have list), relegated to the back of a drawer.

That was until I happened by the Benefit counter in Bloomingdales last week... Oh My.
There are so many new products! They're all amazing! I'm now broke! Seriously, I thought I was going to have a little cry. It always begins with 'hey, why don't I refresh your make-up?' and ends in 'that will be $2oo' and I never, ever learn.

We started out using the Pore-Fect primer which is fantastic, so far, I have to say I even prefer it to Smashbox Photofinish. After that, the lovely, lovely make-up artist showed me how to use the Hello, Flawless mineral foundation which now comes in a variety of shades and even goes pale enough for my mug. Scary, right? Obviously, I handed my credit card over for both, as well as the Her Name Was Glowia kit because it had the RSVP lip gloss and Coralista powder in there. And because I am gullible and easily upsold. But there was so much more! The Girl Meets Pearl highlighter was beautiful, all the eyeshadows were soon-worthy and it reminded me just how much I love my Miss Priss gloss, Bad Gal liner and lash, my BeneTint and even my Maybe Baby.

So, I'm just saying... Christmas is on its way people/mother...
Lots of gift sets around. Looooots of gift sets.

Breast Cancer Awareness month - Boy Meets Girl

2010-10-17T23:13:00.003Z

Not technically a beauty product this time but still something worth shouting about, Boy Meets Girl and Urban Outfitters have collaborated on this really rather purdy tote bag to raise funds for the Young Survival Coalition.

The bag is dedicated to Kristen Martinez, a member of the Urban Outfitters family who lost a five year battle to breast cancer at the age of 36. It's always scary to think about breast cancer affecting someone so young but please, please, please don't think you're immune just because you feel invincible. Always check yourself every month and never miss scheduled check ups with your nurse, same goes for cervical cancer while we're here, OK?

Learn more at www.youngsurvival.org or just suck it up and purchase the bag here.

Breast Cancer Awareness month - Elemis

2010-10-17T22:42:00.002Z

As per, one of my favourite brands in the whole wide world, Elemis, has stepped up to raise awareness and cashola for Breast Cancer Care, pledging £10,000 to the charity. Amaze.

You can show your support by picking up the Sparkling Beauty Collection for just £50 (and it's £143 - woah) and get your mitts on a gorgeous pink vanity case packed with Pro-Collagen Lifting Treatment Neck and Bust, Pro-Collagen Marine Cream, Cellular Recovery Skin Bliss capsules, Visible Brilliance and the new Elemis eau de parfum. I believe I'm what's commonly referred to as a vocal supporter of Elemis (also known as a gobby cow) and when I'm out of Pro-Collagen Marine Cream, I know it. My skin just isn't the same. Sob.

So do your bit for Breast Cancer Care and bag some seriously cheapity cheap prods into the bargain.
Result.

Breast Cancer Awareness month - The Sanctuary

2010-10-13T16:10:00.002Z

I have been unbelievably slack in promoting Breast Cancer Awareness Month this year which is absolutely unforgivable, so basically prepare yourself for a barrage of wonderful things to get involved in for a very, very good cause...

Starting with something I'll definitely be booking when I get back to the UK at the end of the month, The Sanctuary is offering a Pink Pamper Day throughout October to help raise awareness. For every £99 booking, £5 will be donated directly to Breast Cancer Care.

The Pink Pamper Day will include:
Full use of the spa facilities with day admission
A rejuvenating 25 minute treatment
Pink Prosecco and cupcake
Complimentary Pink Jessica nail polish worth £8.95

And you can upgrade your treatment to 50 minutes for £20 - amaze.
So you can fight stress and cancer all in one go, what are you waiting for*?

*Don't say payday, this is what credit cards were made for. No buyer's remorse, it's CHARITY.

MAC Venomous Villains

2010-10-11T04:46:00.004Z

I don't have word for how jealous I am of Ms Keren for this one so I'm not going to try.
Wah. I love Disney and I love MAC... I've been dying to get my mitts on this collection for the longest time. I'm off to MAC in Soho tomorrow to grab whatever I can.
So do your worse Keren, DO YOUR WORST.

Mwah ha ha! This evil cackle is brought to you courtesy of the MAC Venomous Villains range. Beautylover is turning green with envy, because I got my Evil Queen talons on the fiendishly fabulous collection last night at MACs first blogger’s preview.

Venomous Villains is a collaboration with Disney and is based on 3 of Disney’s most infamous femme fatales; Cruella de Vil, Snow White’s Evil Queen, Sleeping Beauty’s Maleficent, and also The Princess and the Frog’s Dr Facilier, those three ladies terrified me as a child, but also massively impressed me with their dark take on glamour. (I have to admit I haven’t seen The Princess and the Frog, yet.) I love the packaging, the illustrations really stand out against MAC's signature black. I am a children's book designer so I guess it's up my street, and I know Beautylover is a Disney lover too, but I can imagine it's a bit childish for some more grown-up 30 somethings (sorry Beautylover you are now part of the gang...)
Just so you all know, I hate her. SHE'S IN HER THIRTIES TOO - BL

At the preview there was a demo of the Cruella de Vil look... So I’ll start with that. (BTW I can't take credit for this photo, I only had my phone, so I asked MAC to send it!)

Cruella is known for her super arched eyebrows, chiselled cheekbones and red lipstick. I thought it was actually a completely wearable look, and there are plenty of products in the range that could be toned down for daytime. The make-up artist made it look super easy, I was amazed at how quickly she stuck on the eyelashes, there is no way a normal person could put them on that quickly, and also without sticking them to their finger instead of their eye!

One of the lovely MAC ladies from the High Street Kensington store, Tabby, helped me choose some items because I was suffering from major indecision, and also did me some Maleficent eyes which I did contemplate sleeping in, but thought the better of!

And in the end I went home with...

CRUELLA’S Wicked Ways Lipglass, well you never have too many lipglosses and this one is a lovely nude colourEVIL QUEEN’S Beauty Powder in Oh So FairMALEFICENT’S Mineralize Eye Shadow duo in My Dark Magic, Tabby used this on me - you like? Sorry for the dodgy self-portrait.
DR.FACILIER’S M·A·C Magically Cool Liquid Powder in Truth & Light which I am the most curious to see how it looks. As I tried a bit on my hand and it was completely shimmery and smooth to touch.

I felt a bit of shoppers remorse for a few minutes, but when I got home and had another look I think these will be well loved and wished I'd bought more!

Available October 2010 at all M·A·C locations on 0870 034 2676 andwww.maccosmetics.co.uk
images courtesy of M.A.C cosmetics (except for my dodgy self-portrait)

Elemis Pro-Intense Eye and Lip Contour Cream

2010-09-29T02:47:00.003Z

I am someone who is incredibly easily impressed.
Mostly by things and hardly ever by people.

Today's impressive thing is Elemis' new Pro-Intense Eye and Lip Contour Cream. I think I might have casually mentioned my forthcoming thirtieth birthday and while I'm perfectly happy with the state of my skin, I have become incredibly paranoid over the last couple of years. When I was seventeen, I got contact lenses. The optician fitting them said it might be tricky at first because my eyelids were really tight. 'They'll get looser as you get older,' he assured me. 'And you know, contact lenses tend to get lines around their eyes earlier because they're always messing with the skin.'

This scared me shitless.

But no fear... for the last two months, I've been using the latest Elemis eye cream and I have to say, it's not just preventing lines, it seems to be improving the texture of the lines that are already there. Apparently the cream has new 'chaperone technology' with 'scientifically proven plant stem cells to help redensify aging skin' and defends against lifestyle influences.

I believe this means I can continue to wear a ridiculous amount of eyeliner, stay up late and get drunk far too often and this wonder cream will continue to reverse the effects of my thirty years.
Result.

Calvin Klein X Underwear: Elements

2010-09-22T19:20:00.003Z

This has nothing to do with BeautyMecca whatsoever but a PR just sent it to me and I'm working really hard at the moment so the distraction was more than welcome.

The PR says:

Be sure to head to http://www.cku.com to check out Calvin Klein X Underwear: Elements now.
If you like what you’ve seen so far, be sure to check out how men around the world are using their webcams to show off their X at http://xmarkyourspot.com/xmarkstheworld

I feel like me and Kellan Lutz would get along at a really deep, psychological level. We'd totally talk all day long about politics and religion and, I don't know, books? He's in films based on books.

MAC Cream Colour Base

2010-09-17T17:27:00.002Z

As my thirtieth rolls ever closer I am becoming increasingly obsessed with make up that looks fresh and fun (e.g. young). Clear skin, colour pop lips, healthy cheeks and sparkling eyes. SO far, my greatest ally in this quest has been MAC's Colour Cream Base in Pearl.

It's a gorgeous, gorgeous product. Originally presented to me as a highlighter, I've also found it makes a wonderful cream shadow on its own a a great base. For a super fresh look, swipe it on alone, to make it last a little longer, add MAC shadow in Retrospeck to set it and for a beautiful shimmer smokey eye, add Satin Taupe over the Retrospeck, line your eyes with a dark chocolate brown pencil (I like Urban Decay 24/7 pencil in Bourbon) and smudge a black pencil into the inner and outer lashline (Benefit Bad Gal Waterproof is my fave). To really add drama, I whack some Club into the mix and smoke the shit out of it all. Amaze. The pearl base adds depth and shimmer to the whole shebang and also helps hold it all night long.

Just don't get it in your crows feet. Not that I have any crows feet.
*throws self across the sofa sobbing 'I don't want to be thirty' over and over and over*

Fashion's Night Out

2010-09-09T16:43:00.002Z

So tomorrow is one of the most exciting days in the calendar for anyone into fashion and beauty - it's Fashion's Night Out time ladies! And gents, of course. I can't believe it's come around again so quickly. It only seems like two minutes since I was choking on a Diet Pepsi in a cab, watching Anna Wintour hanging out in Queens. Looking like she might die.

Regardless, I'm looking forward to hitting a billion different thinks in New York, Susan Miller from AstrologyZone will be at Bendels giving readings for a 25 dollar donation to , Asos is holding a block party with Vogue, awesome band, Bearhands is playing at Rockefeller Center, Vinny from the Jersey Shore is DJing at CO Bigelows (which is a pharmacy weirdly) and pretty much everyone else is having a party. Wella has teamed up with Cynthia Rowley, Molton Brown with Hanky Panky and Stila with Betsey Johnson (that might be my favourite pairing).

Back in London, there is just as much stuff going on - check out the Fashion's Night Out website for more info. Super sad to be missing any of it anywhere but you should definitely get involved. So. Much. Fun.

Crushing on QVC

2010-08-31T18:32:00.002Z

There are few things in life I like more than hanging out on the sofa, semi-comatose for the entire weekend, especially if I happen to have spent Saturday night dressed as Disco Superman and been drinking red kryptonite punch until four am (don't ask).

Happily, this weekend presented me with a multitude of options i.e. when My Fair Wedding with David Tutera wasn't on, I could indulge in my other hangover favourite, QVC. Seriously, you can learn a lot! The main thing I learned this weekend was a) that red kryptonite punch is very dangerous b) that David Tutera is a GOD and c) that I want a Clarisonic cleansing system.

QVC showcased the Clarisonic Mia this weekend, a compact version of the hero product (and a favourite of my traveller friends). I know $120 seems like a lot but really, I hear nothing but amazing things about Clarisonic. Everyone I know who uses it has beautiful clear skin and they tell me you get used to dropping it into your routine super quickly.
Possibly a thirtieth birthday present to myself?

Elemis Modern Skin Facial

2010-08-30T19:38:00.003Z

Inspired by the suck up/my new best friend who just told me I look twenty-six on Facebook, I wanted to tell you all about this awesome facial I got the last time I was in London.

I've told you a million times how much I love Elemis, right? Seriously,I know it's not cheap but my skin loves their products so much, I can't even begin to tell you, and I have such a crush on their salon in London, if I could propose to a place, then I would. I'd always be faithful and I'd love it so much... OK, I've crossed a line. But you get the picture. Anyway, my skincare routine has been incredibly heavy on Elemis products for the last couple of years and I have nothing but good things to say. I'm obsessed with the Ginseng toner, I'm using the new Pro-Intense Eye and Lip Contour Cream every night and since I visited the lovely and amazing Tibor at the London spa in July, I've also been adding Visible Brilliance Serum every day and it's really perking up my skin. Oh, and when I ran out of Pro-Collagen Marine Cream last week, I actually let out a little sob. My flatmate will vouch for this, she thought I'd just heard that my cat had died. My cat hasn't died, she's fine.

Sorry, I was telling you about the new Modern Facial, wasn't I? Basically, it's just bloody great. The idea behind the treatment is to help skin overcome all the stresses and damage brought about by modern life - we're exposed to so many toxins and general bad things, that our skin needs rebalancing, remineralising and generally looking after. The Modern Facial does just this. For one blissful hour, your facialist will identify your mail skin issues then treat with a appropriate masks, light facial massage and fabulous cleansing that leaves your skin soft and squeaky clean - except not squeaky. Just really clean. Purified, let's go with purified.

I felt so incredibly relaxed when I left the spa that a) I did not put on ANY foundation and b) I left a bottle of champagne and my J Brand denim jacket in the cloak room. I was that blissed out.
That and I'm an idiot.

Oh Elemis, how I love thee...

I Heart Marc Jacobs

2010-08-26T17:50:00.005Z

Now it won't come as a surprise to anyone who has read one of my books or, I don't know, glanced at this blog for more than three seconds, to find out that I am a huge Marc Jacobs fan.

It all started winter 2007. I was in New York for the weekend under the guise of visiting friends and buying a cheapo iPod for the former Mr BeautyLover's thirtieth birthday (we talked yesterday, he sends you all his love, FYI) when lo and behold, I just so happened to be popping by Bloomingdales when my life changed forever.

There, in the Marc by Marc Jacobs display case was a silver leather bowling bag, its beauty only enhanced by star pattern quilting. It was then that I realised I'd never truly been in love* before. There was a tense moment when my credit card didn't want to go through but it didn't matter. It was love at first sight. Nothing was going to keep us apart.

Ever since that day, I've never looked back, although if my bank manager asks, that was my first and last MJ bag purchase. An altogether more affordable way to fall in love with my favourite designer, is to indulge in his fragrance line. Which I do. Regularly. It takes a hell of a perfume to tear me away from Coco Mademoiselle but Lola seduced me last autumn and as summer starts to fade away, I've been spritzing it more and more often of late. I gave Mummy BeautyLover Daisy, my GBF James and my brother both wear Marc Jacobs for Men and I recently gave my BF, Erin the Pomegranate splash for her birthday. My name is Lindsey and I am a Marc Jacobs-a-holic. Worse. I'm a Marc Jacobs enabler.

And MJ is determined to make it easier for me. This autumn, Daisy is getting a limited edition makeover and becomes an eau de parfum, Daisy Pop Art. Look at the cool bottle! LOOK AT THE COOL BOTTLE! At the same time, my fave Marc scent, Lola, celebrates her first anniversary by reinventing herself as Lola Velvet. Another fab, longer lasting eau de parfum in a gorgeous violet frosted glass bottle. Divoon.

I was super, super lucky and was sent samples from Attention USA but you'll be able to find these gorgeous additions to the Marc Jacobs fragrance collection at Bloomingdales and other speciality perfume retailers e.g. we're not just hoarding them all in Noo Yoik, although if you needed a reason to come over, this is a pretty good one, non? If you don't fancy popping over, you can connect with both scents on Facebook. I'm going to do it. I want to read their status updates.

*to clarify, first time I fell in love never been in love with a bag. We'll get to my crushing inability to form healthy romantic attachments another time. Or not. Bags are better than boys anyway.

Laura Mercier: What is Flawless?

2010-08-25T14:46:00.003Z

Lots of beauty brands are looking at new ways to win fans at the moment, the key seems to be offering more than just a great product but also a way to feel good about yourself as a person*. I loved Bobbi Brown's Pretty Powerful campaign earlier this year and Laura Mercier's 'What is Flawless?' looks just as great.

The idea behind the campaign is that we all submit our ideas what we consider to be a personal definition of flawless, and for each answer submitted to Laura Mercier website, the company will make a donation to the Gulf Relief Foundation. So not only do you get to challenge the conventional ideals of beauty, you help clean up the wetland preservation in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana (that's a good thing).

There's no wrong or right answer, so please take a minute to click on the site and suggest something. For me, flawless would be a good night's sleep, I've had insomnia for days now. A quick canvas of my coworkers suggests a sunny Sunday afternoon, the perfect red lipstick and (hmm) kittens. See? It really can be anything...

*I'm more interested in looking pretty but hey, I'm shallow. Good on these beauty peeps for trying to make me a better individual.

BeautyMecca on Facebook

2010-08-17T14:32:00.002Z

So one of you love people suggested creating a BeautyMecca page on Facebook and you know what, that was a REALLY good idea. As much as I love writing about products and all that gubbins, I never really get to hear about the stuff that you love so as of right now, you can click here and go to the new BeautyMecca page on Facebook.

There's sod all there right now so pleeeeeeeeease take a minute to tell me about your favourite products. I really want to know what other people are using and loving.

OK, back to the grind...

Exclusive QVC launch! DECLÉOR HYDRA-RADIANCE SMOOTHING CLEANSING MOUSSE

2010-08-13T14:23:00.003Z

The lovely Keren has been out and about, slaving away as our roving reporter in London town. She is SUCH a giver, isn't she?

When Fiona Brackenbury (Head of Training at Decleor and QVC presenter) was asked by QVC to create an exclusive product with the DECLÉOR laboratories team she made it her two year mission to create a miracle cleanser.
Why a cleanser? Because, apparently this is where most women make beauty crimes. We all spend fortunes on moisturiser but when it comes to cleanser we’re using either the wrong product or using them incorrectly. Some need to be used with a toner to be effective, some are too harsh - containing too much alcohol that can be damaging to the skin. I use whichever face wash is on offer in Boots that week! They tend to be either of the anti-shine variety or black-head removing... So exfoliating. You should have seen the look of horror on Fiona’s face, this is a major crime, I am causing my skin to produce more oil and then more prone to black-heads. Yes, I am a novice. And yes, at 33 some lessons need to be learned.

Fiona wanted a product that would gently remove daily grime and make-up but also contain skin-caring ingredients and be quick and easy too.

So what makes it so special...

HYDRA-RADIANCE SMOOTHING CLEANSING MOUSSE provides three key actions in one to leave the skin rejuvenated and deeply cleansed:

Deep cleansing

When it comes into contact with water the rich, concentrated cream quickly lathers to a gorgeous mousse-like texture, creating tiny bubbles to swiftly deep cleanse and soften the skin leaving it clean and velvety soft. The inclusion of two cotton cloths with each pump dispenser also provides a further delicate exfoliating action and helps to ensure skin is left free of residue post-cleanse.

Skin Polishing and Perfecting

Grapefruit, Papaya extract and Japanese White Mulberry exfoliate and gently slough away dull dead skin cells to leave the skin crystal clear with visible clarity and luminosity after just one use.

Moisturising and Plumping

With nourishing Neroli essential oil – also known for it’s decongesting and calming properties – and Hyaluronic acid, a potent protein that occurs naturally in the skin and can hold up to 1000 times it’s own weight in moisture, immediate results on the skin are outstanding. The skin has renewed plumpness due to the injection and retention of moisture, which gives it an extreme feeling of firmness, while wrinkles appear reduced and skin feels intensely soft and balanced too.

Right, I am going to use this twice daily for the next few weeks to see what results I get. So I won’t be using a toner whilst I’m testing it and I am quite addicted to the fresh, squeaky clean feeling of toner. And it has very gentle exfoliating properties so I can give my skin a rest from my criminal face washes and try to just to do a ‘proper’ exfoliation once a week.

Why am I keen to try this out, and so determined to follow Fiona’s advice? Well, it’s difficult not to believe in Fiona because her skin is perfectly smooth and glowing... Either she practices what she preaches or she's made a pact with the devil.

I’ll let you know how it works for me...

DECLÉOR’s EXCLUSIVE LAUNCH of the NEW HYDRA-RADIANCE SMOOTHING CLEANSING MOUSSE is on QVC tonight at midnight and is already available on the website. It goes worldwide from May 2011.

Given that the standard joke between me and my friends is that Keren has a Dorian Gray-esque pact with the devil herself, I am intrigued to see what the results of this cleaner will be. If it makes her even prettier, a) Decleor will have won a lifelong fan and b) I will not be able to spend any time with her ever again.

Over and over and over and over

2010-08-12T17:56:00.003Z

Inspired by one of my awesome Twitter buddies, I just got to thinking about the items in my make-up bag that I've bought more than once. Without wanting to sound fickle, wasteful or hateful, it's SO rare that I buy anything more than once, often because I'm distracted by something new and pretty before it's all done or I trade it in for something more effective or I lose it. Me + make up = kitten with a ping pong ball.

Anyway, the following have all stood to a repeat purchase which pretty much makes them INCREDS as far as I am concerned. I'll have a nosy around the bathroom tomorrow and let you know I've been investing in there.

OK, so obvious things out of the way first, Touch Eclat. You have it, right? You must have it. And then you must learn to apply it correctly, which I totally wasn't doing until a make up artist taught me better. Dot it under your eyes, smudge the dots together and then LEAVE IT TO REST FOR A MINUTE. Seriously, just leaving it to settle for a second before you pat it into your skin with your ring finger will make all the different. If you swipe it on and then rub, rub, rub at it, you just lift the product off and it's pointless. Try it, you might like it.

There has been a Benefit It Stick in my bag for years now. Not the same one, ew, but I find it a really convenient product. Love the pencil stylee delivery and it's the perfect shade for my fair skin. And the pencil is shiny. Nice.

Dior Lip Glow is a relatively new addition to my bag but in the last four months, I've bought two of these and I know for a fact I'll buy more. Sadly, they do get used up pretty quickly but I love the texture of the balm and it just seems to set off every look. I've gone through two tubes of Smashbox O-Plump gloss for the same reason. These colour adjusting lip products really work on me. I think it's because ultimately, they all turn a sort of blue-ish bright pink and that's a great shade for my pale skin/dark hair combo. And I'm a complete sucker for anything even faintly gadgety. Yes, yes I did own many yellow lipsticks that turned purple as a small child.

Clarins Everlasting Foundation is actually freaking me out it's so good. Seriously, foundation is my biggest problem product since I'm so bloody pale and my skin type changes daily but this is great. The 103 Ivory shade is perfect on me and the finish stays velvetty and matte all day with just a tiny touch up needed at night. I like to apply with a sponge but you can get just as good a job done with your fingers. I'm on my second bottle and I already bought my third in preparation for it running out. This is a new record, taking over from Bobbi Brown's oil free foundation in Porcelain. Good work, Clarins!

Happily, my favourite pressed powder is L'Oreal True Match. It's cheap as chips, super fine and again, they make a perfect shade for me. I've gone through dozens (mostly because I lose them on nights out ALL THE TIME).

Umm, that's all I can think of so far. Well, that and my perfume which I've probably mentioned before but I'm SO keeping that to myself because I need all the secret weapons in my man capturing arsenal I can get and apparently, it's one of the more powerful ones.
My appalling, appalling sense of humour and refusal to be impressed by anything - not so much. To illustrate, please behold this exchange from a recent date:

Date: Do you like puppies?
Me: Not especially. They're always getting in your face.
Date: Rainbows? Kittens? Flowers? Sunsets?
Me: Are you getting at something?
Date: No one is as cynical as you. It's not possible.
Me: Hmm.
Date: You know a cynic is just a wounded romantic?
Me: HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAAAAAHAHHAA, yeah.
Date: OK, maybe you're just fucked up.
Me: Sigh...
(intro to 'Another One Bites the Dust' plays in my head)

Off topic, but still, thought I'd share.

Clarins Rouge Prodige

2010-08-11T17:36:00.003Z

Hey hey USA!

Clarins have a fabu new long-lasting lipstick out this summer and to celebrate, they're giving away 5000 samples from their Facebook page. Click here to register and get your hands on it.

I'm definitely going to be trying more lipstick this autumn/winter, all part of my 'I'm turning 30 and therefore MUST do something grown up because all I eat is Lucky Charms and I'm constantly drunk*' plan.

*Hey mum, I'm not really drunk all the time. Just sometimes. And occasionally, I'm tipsy. Or hungover. So it's really only half the time at most. Love you!

What I'm Wearing Now

2010-08-05T20:00:00.004Z

For the want of ploughing through press releases and samples and everything else that I should be doing, I figured I'd just whack out a post about the products I'm using right now because quite frankly, it's been aaaaaaaaages.

This is a pic from a couple of Saturday nights ago and for some reason, despite being applied inside ten minutes flat, my make up looked exactly right i.e. I was wearing a shit ton of slap but it really didn't look like I was.

So, starting with a base of Beauty Flash Balm (I'd been traveling and looked a wee bit sallow) and Origins GinZing eye cream, I started with my beloved Clarins Everlasting Foundation in Ivory, Touche Eclat in 1 under the eyes and BeneFit It Stick wherever it was needed. On top of that went a light brushing of Nars Orgasm all over my cheeks to perk up my complexion (normal people might use bronzer, I'm not normal. I'm paler than death) followed by a pop of MAC's (discontinued, sob) Hello Kitty blue-pink blush on the apples of the cheeks. To blend it altogether, I used MAC Strobe Cream on my cheekbones and set my T-zone with L'Oreal True Match pressed powder which I LOVE.

On to the eyes, I lined with Urban Decay 24/7 pencils in Bourbon and Underground then defined the inside lids with Bad Gal Waterproof. Blend the whole lot down with MAC Retrospeck and then tease out the smokiness with Club. Love MAC eyeshadows. LOVE. Several thousand coats of L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes mascara and a slick of Dior Lip Glow and I was good to go.

Sadly, I don't know what Emma was rocking but I'd go out on a limb and say those well-lined eyes are courtesy of MAC.

Seriously, ten minutes.
I'm too well practiced, aren't I?

Operation: Glam

2010-07-30T16:33:00.004Z

So, I'm trying to get caught up with sharing everything I'm using right now because I'm so hopelessly in love with so many products and you need to have them in your life.

As you know, I'm super slutty when it comes to haircare products. There are few things I love and always have around, Lee Stafford Spray Wax, tigi Bedhead After Party and Ojon are the first three that come to mind but just lately, I've gone all out insane for Operation: Glam Thickening Elixir.

My hair, if you were to look at it right now, is thick, dark brown and very shiny. My hair, if you were to look at it when I was sixteen was fine, blonde and flat as a pancake (but still pretty shiny). Ever since I forked over my pocket money for Wella's Liquid Hair in the mid-nineties, I've been looking for something that will thicken up my locks. Obviously, the best solution is a great cut, which, thanks to Simon at Bloww in London, I currently have. However, products are a must and I CANNOT emphasise enough how much I love this thickening lotion*.

It's a clear serum type formula, non-sticky and it pumps up every single strand without leaving a tangled mess. It leaves your hair perfectly soft and touchable while still boosting the volume and it's still good the next day if, like me, you're way too lazy to wash it.

Hat's off to Lulu on this one, (no really, that Lulu) because it's amazing.
My mum loves the Time Bomb range as well which is nice. I'm glad Lulu is keeping busy although if I were her, I'd pretty much just be wandering around a park, barefoot in a binbag singing 'Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll, you know you make me wanna shout' for shits and giggles.

*Have to confess, my friends did laugh at the packaging when I brought this on a weekend away. Pink and black zebra print? Really? But as we all know, it's what's inside that counts.**

**It's not at all. I'm totally shallow.

Dior Addict Lip Glow

2010-07-22T19:37:00.003Z

Oh my, there seems to have been some sort of epic oversight in my posting.
For the last three months, I have been completely obsessed with one product - it is never out of my handbag and I find myself applying it at least once a day and yes, I haven't even told you about it.

This wonder prod is the Dior Addict Lip Glow. It's a gorgeous silky, pale pink balm (which comes in awesome packaging btw) that leaves lips soft, silky and subtly pinkened. Is pinkened a word? Well, it is now. Take THAT, Victoria Coren. Everyone I've shown it to has had a go and hands down loved it, it's that good. Worryingly, I'm actually getting near the bottom of the tube (which NEVER happens to me given that I go through so many different products ALL FOR YOU) and I'm totally going to have to stock up.

That is all.
Mistake rectified.
Off to pay $50 for someone to abuse me*

*this common form of toture is known in some circles as a bikini wax

Bare Escentuals

2010-07-21T15:37:00.003Z

I'm going to stop Keren from doing stuff. A) she's too pretty and B) she's too good.
What? Selfish and spiteful? Me? Noooooo.
Well, yeah.
Anyway, read on, dear, um, readers...

My second assignment for Miss BeautyLover and I’m already asking forgiveness, but I’m new at this blogging malarkey, so I confess I had the most amazing make-under on the 30th June ... Sorry I know that is aaages ago in the blogging world.

Well apologies over, and onto business, Bare Escentuals have been around a fair while, but they launched a new product exclusively on QVC last Saturday. So, if you are a QVC addict you probably already know by now. But anyway they were launching a Matte version of their mineral foundation...

I had a behind-the-scenes tour of QVC, before the actual make-up preview, in which we went into two live studios and I had a moment where I thought I might sneeze. It would have been most embarrassing to be turfed out of the building before I even got to see any make-up.
Anyway onto the actual make-under... The very knowledgeable SJ worked her magic on me, she used ‘Light’ for my skin tone, which I was quite surprised by, but apparently it is for yellowy skin tones. I prefer to think of myself as olive-skinned, I’m obviously deluded.

The Matte foundation looks like a powder, but actually feels quite creamy. She showed me how to apply it with their swirl, tap, buff technique and also explained it’s made with pure, crushed minerals from the earth, is free of preservatives, talc, oil, waxes, fragrances, and other chemicals that can irritate skin and cause breakouts, making it ideal for all skin types and conditions. Plus, it provides natural SPF 15 broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection.

I was quite keen to see if it really was Matte as I have an oily T-zone and struggle to not look shiny on a daily basis. I have to say it did give a pretty flawless look once she was done, without being old-lady powdery (as I hope you’ll agree by the pics!). She also used a few other gorgeous Bare Minerals products and now I want them all (I can add a list of those if anyone wants to try to achieve the same look). But I wasn’t convinced I’d be able to get it looking so perfect myself at home. And was quite keen to see how long it would last, especially after a very icky, sticky tube journey. When I got home even the boyfriend said my make-up looked nice and he hates the smell/look of mostly everything I put on my face and is always trying to rub it of with his stubble. I haven’t tried the original foundation but apparently the packaging used to a bit messy, so now they also have a lockable sifter, meaning you can take it in your handbag without covering everything you own in a fine film of powder.

I have since applied it myself (geekily) following all SJ’s advice, I wore it to a wedding on the hottest day of the year on Saturday and can confirm it lasted the majority of the night with just a few extra buffs. SJ give me a little tip that if you feel as if you need another application you can just re-buff your face and the minerals will ‘recharge’!

Bare Escentuals Matte SPF15 Foundation launched on 10th July exclusively on QVC priced at £19.50. As I said... SWIRL, TAP, BUFF!
http://www.bareescentuals.co.uk/

And don’t forget it’s It’s Beauty Month on QVC all July! http://www.qvcuk.com/
PS A big thank you to Charlotte at http://www.lipglossiping.com/ for the amazing photos!

Origins Ginzing Eye Cream

2010-07-14T18:10:00.002Z

For the last few months I've been getting increasingly tetchy about the teeny, tiny beginnings of fine lines around my eyes. I don't know if it's the traveling I've been doing, crying about stupid boys, late nights and early mornings or just the heinous fact that I turn, sob, thirty in October but they're there and I can't deny it any longer.

I've tried tons of different things but nothing really seemed to be attacking the problem, no matter how long I stuck with it until, as recommended by the lovely lady at Origins (and the rather wonderful author, Sarra Manning) I tried their new Ginzing eye cream.

FUCK. ME.
It's amazing.

Sorry if that was a bit intense but seriously, I dotted it on after a flight last week and immediately my tired eyes looked better and the not-so-fine dehydrated lines softened a little. I've now been using it for a week and I cannot say enough good things about this product. I'm completely smitten. Now, I've read the press release and looked at the ingredients but really, all you want to know id that it works, right? Well it does. It's a lovely cream/gel texture that absorbs right away and the goldish peach tone perks up the look of your skin right away. If that wasn't enough, this wonder cream only costs twenty English squid.

I know that isn't exactly free but in the world of wonder creams, it's definitely a bargain. I've hovered around the Creme de la Mer counter with my credit card burning up my hand so many times in the last few months, seriously, this stuff is so great.
And I totally don't look thirty. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Sniff.

Radox Shower Smoothies

2010-07-12T17:54:00.003Z

Now I know I'm usually waxing lyrical about a mascara or a lipgloss or some wonder cream or (please please please please let this happen again soon) some spa but today I have one of life's simpler pleasures for you. Radox Shower Smoothies.

We used to have the green Radox bubble bath when I was little and even now when I'm in a really shitty mood, there's no point in reaching for the pricey shiz (there is of course a time and a place for this), all I want is Radox. Given that my mind has been All Over The Place lately - traveling, boy nonsense, book joy, work stress, friend dramarama - I needed something to bring my back and combined with the general DISGUSTING weather London put on especially for my visit this weekend, deep, relaxing baths weren't really an option so PRAISE BE for the new Radox Shower Smoothies.

Jetlagged out of my mind, sweaty, sticky and generally gross, I reached for the Energy Therapy variant with ginseng and lemongrass and lathered up. Sweet jebus, it was lovely. I could have stood under that shower all day long (instead of for the twenty minutes I did stand there for while my best friend stood outside the door dying for a wee. Serves him right for being a boy). The consistency really is smoothie-like, not really a cream, not really a gel just. lovely and I made a special trip to Superdrug to go and sniff all the others - the coconut one is delish too.

I just hope I can get them back here in the states because man alive, it's 102 degrees already and I'm meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelting.

The Sanctuary Day Spa

2010-07-06T13:58:00.003Z

Sometimes, just sometimes, being in New York is shit.

No, really, let me explain. Sometimes, it's 101 degrees outside and by sitting here, sweltering in air conditioning, I'm missing events like The Sanctuary's first ever blogger event, held in their Covent Garden Day Spa last week. OK, you're with me now, right? Anyway, since I didn't want you to miss out, I sent along my BeautyBuddy, Ms Keren, to hear what The Sanctuary had to tell us and sob, to get a free bloody facial.

Live! From London! It's Keeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeren!

Well, what with BeautyLover being in New York these days (lucky thing) she needed a girl on the ground in London last week to keep her UK readers happy! I was extremely excited to step into her shoes, unfortunately not literally - as I don't think she would let me anywhere near her Louboutins (note from BL - I wouldn't).

So anyway, onto business, my very first assignment was to pop over to The Sanctuary for their very first ever bloggers event. And thankfully I work just around the corner, so didn't have to turn up all shiny/glowing from the tube. They had not two, but three gems to impart...

News Flash One!
After years of pampering lucky London ladies The Sanctuary is coming to the rescue of ladies in need of relaxation and luxury around the UK.They are opening in Bristol, Richmond and Cambridge, OK so they haven't quite moved up North yet, but it's a start.

News Flash Two!
You don't have to have big money to treat yourself to their facials anymore, you can now do a Sanctuary DIY facial for the bargainous price of £16! There are two different ‘facials in a box’ which match the facials at the spa...The Brightening Facial and The Youth Boosting Facial

And finally News Flash Three!
They now also have a skin spa which is accessed separately from the day spa, so you just walk-in. They do everything from Microdermabrasion to Chemical Peels and the usual eye-brow shapes and facials. They will be adding more to the list of treatments, some of the more extreme ones to be administered by a qualified doctor (why oh why am I foolishly imagining an early ER George Clooney?).

And if that wasn't enough I got to try their skin brightening facial... Alice the therapist carefully decided which of the facials would suit my skin type best and then I drifted off into bliss for the next 50 minutes while she applied all kinds of delicious smelling products and my fave part the cold stones. I really don’t know why having icy cold pebbles rolled on my face was so amazing, but it just was, take my word for it. My skin did look brighter the next day, but part of me wonders whether it was just because I was so relaxed when I got home, I fell into the deepest sleep ever!

Thank you BeautyLover!

We're not jealous of Keren, are we?
No. Not at all. Not one little teeny tiny bit.
Sob.

The Importance of SPF

2010-07-05T17:00:00.003Z

Hey party people. Sorry I've been an absentee blogger of late but I've been traveling so much, working super hard, sulking about boys (that took up loads of last week) and getting ready for the release of I Heart Paris which is out on THURSDAY! Mew. So soon.

But I had to stop for a moment to remind you that it's SUMMER and the sun is SHINING which means it's more important than EVER to make sure your products have a high SPF. It'll be a shock to no-one who's ever read this blog even once before that I'm a pale, pale lady and after several years of liberal applications of The Body Shop's Watermelon Self-Tanner, I gave in and embraced my lily-white skin. I'm fine with it. I look weird with a tan. So what if the waxing technician at Bliss routinely compares me to the vampires in Twilight? It's not like I actually sparkle (although if I don't get laid soon, I might).

So I don't leave the house without a minimum of SPF 30 all over, higher if I'm going to exposing any sort of skin or going near water - remember, the sun's rays bounce off the water which intensifies them big time. I Love Love Love Creme de la Mer The SPF Protecting Fluid and Elemis Liquid Layer for my face but a) they're super pricey (but worth it) and b) sometimes, I have to go higher and opt for an Aveeno SPF 100 that I picked up at a local Duane Reade. Given how high the SPF is, it doesn't clog my pores and make me break out.

Trust me, you might want a tan now but health issues aside, do you want to look like a handbag in ten years? There's no point asking what anti-ageing creams are the best when the most effective thing you can do is avoid sun damage in the first place.

Wow, that wasn't a very fun post, was it?
Umm... take a look at this:http://www.buzzfeed.com/melismashable/cat-purs-like-gremlin

Back tomorrow, promise.

L'Oreal Double Extend Lash Boosting Mascara

2010-06-22T15:57:00.002Z

Ladies and the occasionally in the wrong place, gentelman...

I started this blog for a number of reasons. To spite my then boyfriend* who insisted I find a reason to litter the flat with my make up and beauty crap or get rid of it. Because a sick part of me missed my days working in beauty PR**. Because I could never find the right mascara...
Well, I'm so very, very excited to announce that my quest is over. I have found the World's Best Mascara Ever. And yes, I know I've been excited before but I have never, ever been so impressed with a mascara as I am with L'Oreal's Double Extend Lash Boosting mascara. You might remember that about this time last year, I got lash extensions (I miss you, Natalie) and it was pretty much life changing but unfortunately, lash extensions Stateside are considerably more expensive than Natalie's awesome, bargainous service and so I had to go back to au naturel. Now, I have pretty good lashes, they're relatively long but they're very fair - I'm a natural blonde masquerading as a brunette, remember.

But with the help of L'Oreal's wonder mascara, I have thick, full, fluttery lashes that don't go a day without a compliment. It's amazing. Honestly, I've never been a big fan of lash primers but this is just fantastic. And the rich black mascara goes on over it so perfectly, all that is left are big, fat lush lashes that don't flake and don't smudge even in NEW YORK IN SUMMER. I cannot begin to tell you what a test the humidity has been for every other mascara I've tried out here but this? Loves it.

I'm using it in conjunction with the Lash Serum at night and my lashes do seem stronger and they're hanging on in there for longer but I haven't really seen any amazing changes yet. I'm giving it a full course though, given that the mascara is so very miraculous.

Excellent work, L'Oreal, excellent work...

* remember the former Mr BeautyLover? Ahh, bless. We're still friends and now he has a new girlfriend who doesn't understand the meaning of the word mascara, lovely a girl though she is, so everyone's happy! Does that sound bitchy? Hmmm.

**as a side note, one of the brands I used to work for when I was in PR was owned by L'Oreal and sadly, the people there were so increidbly hateful and potentially possessed by demons, I swore I would never ever use their products again. So thank GOD, I was sent this by a lovely, less ruined-by-L'Oreal-than-I-PR to test or I would never have found it.

In which I apologise for being crap again

2010-06-09T19:39:00.003Z

Lord, I have so many awesome things to tell you about - L'Oreal's Go 360 Clean and their 24 hour Lash Boosting System (both awesome), an update on my Clarins foundation (also The Shit), how badly I need new shampoo and conditioner recommendations, the importance of smotherinf yourself in high SPF now the sun has sort of come out to play, all the fragrances I've been testing for 'Fragrance Week', my renewed love for Origins A Perfect World moisturizer...

And that's without me getting all overexcited about next week's Melissa Nathan Awards (I Heart New York is nominated!) all my boy nonsense, I Heart Paris' impending release date and my weekend away in The Hamptons, which is all I've been doing with the people I know in real life (possibly why they're not talking to me).
It's all a bit much.
I think I might go and have a bit of a sit down and update you tomorrow.
Sound fair? I promise to keep all my smug shit to myself. Or at least try to.

Clarins Skin Spa Take Two

2010-06-04T16:09:00.002Z

Sod Fragrance week, I'll come back to it, honest. Between being manically busy and spending most of yesterday with a bucket on my head to block out the light (migraine) the past five days haven't felt especially beautiful or fragrant.

So instead of whining and bitching, let me take you back. Back to a time when the sun was shining, children romped gaily and I skipped happily through the streets of Manhattan. That was the summer we went to Kellerman's. I mean, that was last Friday when I went back to the Clarins Skin Spa for my Maximum Moisture treatment.

For some reason, I decided to walk from my 53rd street office up to Clarins' 81st street spa. In 90 degree heat. At midday. But as soon as I heaved my sweaty mess of a self inside, I felt better almost immediately, and by the time I was being led upstairs by serenity personified (aka Elaina) I was this close to having a little nap on the treatment table. As with the awesome radiance boosting facial I had a couple of weeks ago, Elaina explained exactly what she would be doing, what products she would be using and how the treatment would benefit my skin. Then she turned down the lights, turned up the music and somewhere inbetween, I zoned out for a straight hour.

By the time my treatment was done, my head was fuzzy, my skin was soft and I'd somehow lost the use of my legs. Honestly, it made me consider getting a prescription drug habit - I imagine I felt the same as all those fifties housewives we've all enjoyed so much on the teevs.

Anyway, to wrap this up - Everything Clarins = awesome. My skin was softer than a baby's. It was like you taken the softness from ten babies, half a dozen kittens and a very expensive cashmere sweater, squeezed it all out and smothered it all over my body. Of course, I went straight out with a bunch of girls and giggled at sailors (Fleet Week!) so no one got to enjoy the benefit of my said silky soft skin but me. But sometimes dear hearts, that's enough.
And sometimes it's not. WHERE ARE THE BOYS?
Cough. Sorry.

Fragrance Week! SJP NYC

2010-06-02T19:48:00.004Z

Ok, so I know it's Wednesday so Fragrance Week is coming a little bit late in the day but that's just tough luck. I have a bunch of new perfumes I love and you're just going to have to sit there and listen. Ha. No! Don't go! Sorry. Thanks. Now, where was I? Oh yeah, Fragrance (half) Week.

Now that I'm over my Sex and the City 2 shock (check out my review in this week's Grazia, no, really. Someone cares what I think, sniff) I feel that I can fairly judge SJP's newest venture into the world of fragrance, SJP NYC. According to Ms Parker, this scent was supposed to have 'a sense of fun and whimsy' and according to the press release that accompanied it, it was inspired by our beloved Carrie Bradshaw walking for her favourite New York streets. Happily, I am pleased to report that it is far more Sex and the City seasons one through six than SATC: The Movie Years. Against all the odds, I LOVE this.

I'm not sure what I was trying to achieve with this picture. It is a New York city skyline but yeah, the perfume is perched on a cardboard box. I never said I was a photographer.

Mummy BeautyMecca was given SJP's Lovely scent for Christmas a couple of years ago and we did not get along (not me and Mummy BeautyMecca, we get along famously. Ish. Most of the time. Now I live in another country.) too sweet and cloying for me, but this bad boy is something altogether different. It's a fruity floral, as is my preference, but it dries down into something altogether rounder and richer and almost hot. I'm not a perfume expert so I'm not going to pretend to understand the notes but it reminds me of summer holidays when I was wee and wandering around markets in Spain in the midsummer sun.

I can't say I'm totally bowled over by the packaging but given that my favourite is the Coco Mademoiselle Chanel eau de parfum bottle, you can probably tell I'm a little more low key in my design aesthetics. And I'm devastated that the solid scent is hidden this cuff as it's just something I wouldn't wear. I'm not big with the wrist adornment but I'm huge with solid scents. Mummy BeautyMecca maybe. And I think she'll love this scent too so I'll be picking up a bottle to go on her birthday present pile.

So I'll be happily stashing this away in my handbag for summer spritzes, while I waltz around New York City, pretending to be Carrie Bradshaw (seasons one through six).

Sex and the City 2

2010-05-27T17:48:00.005Z

OK, I saw the movie at a preview last night and basically, I'm heartbroken.
I LOVE Sex and the City, you know that. I watched the TV show religiously, I own the shoe box DVD set. I have the Kiss & tell book even. But what they've put on screen this time, that's not Sex and the City. That's four really rich, over-privileged women complaining about how hard their fabulous lives are in a $22,000 a night hotel suite in Abu Dhabi. It's not Sex and the City if there is no sex and it's not in the city!

Anyway, my broken black heart aside, the movie has at least spawned some inspired beauty treats. Here are some of my favourites:

I love these Orly nail colours, especially the Red Carpet Samantha shade. I've been looking for the perfect red for summer tootsies forever, maybe this is the one.

The lovely people at e.l.f. have gone one step further and given us a guide to achieving the make up looks of each of the ladies. Take a look (confession - I blatantly didn't write these directions):

If you’re a Carrie… Think gorgeous sun-kissed skin with a touch of sparkle to shimmer throughout the day. e.l.f.’s Mineral Glow in Bronzed (£5.00) will highlight your cheekbones and ensure you light up any room you walk into. Create gorgeous smoky eyes with Studio Single Eyeshadow in Charcoal (£3.50) and complete your look with Mineral Lip Gloss in Trendsetter (£3.00).

Samantha oozes glamour and sophistication at every turn, and her make up matches just that. Her skin is positively glowing, and you can achieve the same look by using the Mineral Booster (£3.50) to ensure skin is matte and smooth all day long. Use the Cream Eyeliner in Coffee (£3.50) to smoulder with smoky eyes. Keep colour from fading from your lips by using the Studio Lip Lock Pencil (£3.50).

Ever the professional, Miranda exudes a stylish yet subtle air, and her make up perfectly reflects this. Her alabaster skin shows you don’t need to be tanned to be sexy. Add a touch of colour to cheeks with the Studio Blush in Candid Coral (£3.50), and spice up lips with a splash of Mineral Lipstick in Royal Red (£3.50). Keep your cool in the boardroom with the Mineral Infused Mascara in Black (£3.50) to complete the look.

Charlotte always looks young, fresh and downright pretty. Use the Studio Concealer and Highlighter (£3.50) to keep eyes looking bright. Achieve Charlotte’s flawless complexion with the Mineral Blemish Kit (£6.00). The Studio Lip Stain in Heartbreaker (£3.50) will perfect your pout.

Right, I'm off to watch the episode where Charlotte boffs the gardener because even an episode featuring Bunny McDougall will have a more positive, empowering feminist message that than shit show from last night.

Sex and the City Week: Cowshed

2010-05-25T17:52:00.003Z

Day two of our Sex and the City inspired extravaganza and today I have a HUGE treat for fashionistas in the UK.

From Monday 24th May through Friday 4th June, the lovely people at Cowshed will be indulging your Carrie & Co habit in the best way: with freebies, discounts and competitions! There's a 20% discount on products online and in store on the 27th of May to celebrate the release date, treat yourself to an SATC mani or pedi along with a cocktail in the spas - are you a Crazy Carrie or a Sensible Charlotte? - and episodes will be running back-to-back for you to get your fix while you're prettying up.

And if that wasn't enough, when you spend over £20 on products in store or online, you'll automatically be entered into a competition to win the Ultimate Sex and the City experience. Oooh. The winner and a friend will get some 'Social Grooming' at Cowshed's uber cool Shoreditch House location before being sent off to a London Fashion Week Show, before followed by poolside cocktails, dinner and an overnight stay back at Shoreditch House. Wowsers. Even Samantha couldn't blag that.

What's that? Me? Jealous? In New York, thousands and thousands and miles away from this amazing opportunity? Um, maybe. Yeah. Arses.

Sex and the City 2

2010-05-24T19:14:00.002Z

Picture this.
It's ten am on a glorious NYC Saturday morning. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, you're at the swanky 230 Fifth Avenue roof terrace for a photo shoot in which you're playing 'the Brit Carrie Bradshaw'. Sounds good, right? OK, now pop on five in Louboutins... And a tiny little silk dress. And a big fuck off stupid bow for your hair. Now climb up a FIRE ESCAPE until you're perched on the top of the gas vent for the entire building and you, three other teetering girls in high heels and the photographer have about twenty square feet to play with before you plummet twenty-one floors to your death.

Fun enough yet? Ok, throw in food poisoning. Oh yes, in between smizing your ass off, you're also throwing up over the edge of the 'roof' you're standing on which plays havoc with your lip gloss. The make up artist was not happy.

The things we do for publicity. Anyway, those fabulous pictures will be coming to you soon in Look magazine, I imagine we will also make the cover... Sob. On a sidenote, the photographer and make up artist were amazing and I will love them forever.

I'd like to thank the patron saint of girls-who-type-staring-out-the-window-saying-I-Couldn't-Help-But-Wonder?, Miss Carrie Bradshaw for making all this possible for me. And also for the deluge of Sex and the City-related press releases I've received this week. You will be seeing the best of the bunch. I'm going to a screening of the movie on Wednesday night and will be irritatingly tweeting throughout at the PR's request. No spoilers though, promise.
I bet you can't wait, right?

Avon Glazewear Lip Gloss

2010-05-20T00:06:00.006Z

After a quick look, my handbag currently holds a wallet, two phones, my Kindle, an iPod, seventeen receipts, three half-empty packets of chewing gum, perfume and shockingly, right now, only one lip gloss. I know you won't believe me but it's true and my camera's broken so you're just going to have to suck it up and trust me.
Lately, given my black mood, I've been doing a lot of black eyeliner with MAC's Retrospeck eyeshadow over the top to soften the smokey black smudges so all I can add to the overall look is a punch of pink blush, lashings of mascara and a neutral lip. My chosen gloss? Avon Glazewear. Now, I know we've had this conversation about Avon before and I won't preach to you again but listen! It's not lame and made for your mum, it's really, really good. Take a look at avon.com and check it out. It's not tacky, it lasts and it doesn't taste like ass. What more could you want? Well, if you're in the US right now, you can pick up a Glazewear gloss for $1.99 right now which is amazeballs. And since Avon sells the equivalent of eight of these glosses every minute, they must have something going for them, right? I mean, it's not just me, it's looooooooads of people.

I love the Clear shade as it has an SPF 15 in it but really, they're all lovely. I loaned my roommate one of the berry shades a couple of nights ago and she couldn't rave about it enough - apparently, everyone had complimented her on it over dinner but did she actually tell them it was Avon? No. Honestly... but do you know what? Fine, let Avon's awesomeness be our secret but make sure you try it out.

Clarins Skin Spa

2010-05-19T14:00:00.002Z

For the want of being in another country to visit the Royal Day Spa in Tunbridge Wells (which is according to all of you, amazeballs - thanks for making me feel worse), I popped along to the Clarins Skin Spa on Madison Avenue on Saturday. Because I CAN, because I LIVE IN NEW YORK. Sorry, didn't mean to shout.

To cut a long story short, the lovely facialist, Vivian, recommended the Radiance facial as my skin needed hydration then went on to explain that Clarins don't use any mechanical implements in their facials or extractions, just lymphatic massage and highly concentrated formulas of their regular products. Since I've been semi-obsessed with Clarins products for the last couple of months and I hate extractions (too harsh on my sensitive, lily-white skin) this made me super happy.

We went through what products I was using and Vivian was super happy with my choices - this was the first time a facialist hasn't tried to hawk me anything. Shocker - and then we started on the facial. It was amazing. I'd say it was bliss but then it would sound like I was taking the piss (I liked it better than Bliss anyway). I came away an hour later with smooth, evenly-toned skin and didn't even bother with foundation to hit my friend's birthday picnic. Madness. I've kept up the good work with the Multi-Active Skin Renewal serum, Multi-Active Day lotion and the Eye Contour balm. Aside from a red and blotchy run in with a particularly allergen-happy cat on Sunday, my skin has been looking great all week.

So well done Clarins for pulling a fab facial out of the bag after I got all pissy with the woman on the phone the other day. Well, there was mutual pissiness but we're fine now. I'll be back.

Royal Day Spa - Tunbridge Wells

2010-05-13T16:04:00.002Z

Dearest Readers,

I have had what are commonly known in the business, as a properly shitty couple of days. All I can think about is booking a massage and maybe a blow out and pretending none of it is happening. Sadly, this is apparently not possible because I have to Go to Work. Arses.

Anyway, I should explain that my daydreams were set off by an email from a London buddy, raving about this spa in Tunbridge Wells*, the Royal Day Spa. Now, a spa's a spa, right? Well, maybe not. Having spent ten minutes this morning on the phone with a very rude lady from a certain international chain trying to book a facial with a gift card I was given at said brand's recent beauty blogger event, I'm not even looking forward to the appointment anymore. The Royal Day Spa however, has become the spa of my fantasies.

All the treatments (which sound divine - check them out online) are complemented by reiki, treatments take place on Tempur mattresses in rooms lit by lanterns, infused with essential oils. I am currently sat in a whirly chair, in a room lit by fluorescents and infused with the scent of tuna baguettes from across the hall. The Royal Day Spa is forty minutes out of London by train. I am forty minutes away from the bloody deli across the street because we only have one elevator working.

It is now my life's goal to visit the Royal Day Spa.
If you make it before me, will you please tell me how heavenly it is? And you know, book me in?

*I went to Tunbridge Wells once before to see Easyworld (dearly departed indie rock trio of my uni days joy) in a venue that used to be a public toilet. True fact.

Jouer Cosmetics for Mother's Day - Competition results!

2010-05-07T17:31:00.003Z

Well shucks, how much do you love your mums? It's enough to bring a tear to my eye... easily done given my allergies to be fair.

Anyways, WE HAVE A WINNER!

The first person to email, was Ms Erin Stein, pictured above (presumably some time ago, otherwise your command of English is amazeballs for a nipper) and Erin says...

'My mum is the best because she taught me everything there is to know about bargain shopping. 'Dress your best for less' is her motto!

Also, she is an absolute beauty maven... you can ask her for some advice on skin care and beauty products and she will send you a four-page email listing all the various formulations that would work best for you. She has tried it all!

She also has a lot of skin sensitivies and is up on all the details of which companies have (or don't have) which ingredients. She's a true guru!'

Maybe your mum should have a guest column on here?
Jouer goodies on their way to you soon.

Don't forget that the rest of you can enjoy Mothers' Day treats at Henri Bendel today through Sunday. Yay for mums!

Jouer Cosmetics for Mother's Day!

2010-05-05T15:57:00.002Z

This Sunday is mother's day over here in the US and I would like to confirm that it is a Big Deal. Everyone is busy booking brunch plans, getting haircuts, ironing outfits and generally trying to project an air of 'see mom? I can look after myself!' even though the reason they're doing it now and not on Sunday morning is because they'll be out until 4am and in no fit state to go do anything other than meet mommy dearest with the finest bunch of deli-bought flowers drinking change can buy.

Anyway, if you are looking for something lovely to do in NYC with your mum/mom/grandma/aunt/mother-figure/whatever, I am super excited to suggest that you venture up to Henri Bendel on Fifth Avenue and get a personalised mother/daughter make up application lesson at the Jouer counter. Not only will you get some quality time with your beloved parental, there are terribly classy petit fours and (non-alcoholic - sad face) mimosas as a special treat. And while stocks last, you'll also receive a Jouer mini moisturizing lip gloss set!

To celebrate, the lovely people at Jouer have given us their complete Spring 2010 collection to give away to one very lucky BeautyMecca reader. All you have to do is email me at beautymecca@gmail.com and tell me why your mom is the BEST. First person to email back gets the loot - and why not throw me a pic of you and your mum? I'll post the winner on Friday!

Call 1-800-HBendel or 310-312-0557 to book your appointment on the Jouer counter at Henri Bendel this Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

Aww, makes me sad for MummyBeautyMecca... until I remember she's off on holiday to Crete for a fortnight next week and then I don't feel half as bad for her.

Creme de la Mer treatments

2010-04-30T15:38:00.002Z

Ok, so can you please tell me why you're sat here reading this* when you could be enjoying one of the new complimentary (fancy talk for free) treatments at your closest Creme de la Mer counter?

Seriously, those super lovely folks with the super lovely stuff (and my favourite all time ever lip balm) are offering twenty minute introductions to the Creme de la Mer range - choose from Discover the Moisture Collection, The Essentials Treatment, The Skincare Consultation, The Eye Treatment (my roommate swears by their eye cream), The Luxury Hand and Arm Treatment and The Skincolour Consultation.

I'd be all over the Eye Treatment and the Skincolour Consultation as I'm a huge fan of the La Mer tinted moisturiser and my eyes have been subjected to a significant amount of burning the candle at both ends activities of late. Check out www.cremedelamer.co.uk for your nearest counter and book an appointment.

*Double smartarse points to you if you're reading this on a mobile device on the way to a Creme de la Mer counter. Slow. Clap.

Elemis 'Best British Brand'

2010-04-28T17:14:00.003Z

Just a quick one today but at least it's beauty related...

One of my all-time favourite brands, Elemis was named 'Best British Brand' at the CEW Beauty Awards in London last week and I'm so pleased. Really, I've never had a product from Elemis that I've been disappointed in, their spa treatments are heavenly and really, I've only ever dealt with the nicest people there.

My love of their Pro-Collagen Marine cream is well documented, I know, but there's so much more. The Skin Buff exfoliator, Tri-Enzyme cleanser and mask, the Pro-Collagen Quartz Lift mask, Skin Bliss capsules. Papaya Enzyme Peel and probably my favouritest bath product EVS, the Frangipani & Monoi Moisture Melt, ooh and the bath & shower cream in the same fragrance actually. This is one of my absolute favourite post-bath treats. Honestly, there's something so incredibly luxurious about the whole ritual of using the product. It's pretty much as clsoe as I get to a religion. Other people pray, I lay in a hot bath for an hour and then slather myself in fragranced oils. Then, more often than not, put on massive pjs and attempt to write a book but still, for at least five minutes, I feel like a goddess.

Oh sweet Jebus, now I'm jonesing for a bath. Stupid New York* and it's stupid lack of a tub... sulk, moan, grump...
And uh, yeah, where was I? Oh yeah, congratulations Elemis!

*only kidding NYC, I love you.

The Carrie Diaries

2010-04-22T18:44:00.003Z

Hmm, I'm like a kitten with a ping pong ball at the moment, my brain so going 'Lip gloss! Shoes! Books! Cookies! thunder storm! Lip gloss! Back to books!' so I hope you'll indulge me while I pimp out a book I'm excited about.

Now, I don't know about you but I'm a twenty-something that likes kissing boys (you'll notice I didn't say girl. This part is relevant*) and as such, I was a huge fan of Sex and the City. Carrie writes books, I wanted to write books! Carrie lives in New York, I wanted to live in New York! Carrie likes shoes, I like shoes! Carrie likes a drink, I - OK, you get the picture. Anyway, after being horribly disappointed with the first movie (the message seemed to shift from 'hold out for what you want' to 'settle! settle now or die alone!') but I won't lie, I'm excited to see the new movie** and in anticipation, I'm even more excited to read The Carrie Diaries.

The book gives us an insight into Carrie's life as a senior in high school in the eighties and I'm promised there are vintage go-go boots in the very first chapter. Excitation, non? Once you've read it, I'd love to get your opinions. I have been plugging away at the million things I have to finish before I let myself start it but as soon as I do, I'll update you with my take.
Because obvies, my opinion matters to the likes of Candace Bushnell. Cough.

*The gays totes love it too. And I love the gays. And the gays love me. And that's why I'm single.
*I'm also excited to see Eclipse - whatcha gonna do? Also file under 'and that's why I'm single'

Viva Las Vegas

2010-04-21T17:47:00.003Z

So I went to Vegas. I survived. And now I'm back from Vegas - not married, without a new tattoo and no infection I know of. What I do have, is this delightful new lipgloss from Nars that I purchased in Sephora and then pretty much wore every night.

Named for Phil Collins (I assume), Nars' Easy Lover lip gloss is a gorgeous sheer hot pink, feels divine, lasts really well and generally rocks my socks. I think I'm going to digging out my Orgasm gloss a lot over summer for daywear and do a switcheroo to this for night-time. Loves it.

Also spotted in the 'made for Vegas' section (I made that up, I think you can get it everywhere, it was just super appropriate for that place...) was the Too Faced Walk of Shame kit.

Stay classy, Las Vegas.

Vivienne Westwood for Melissa

2010-04-16T00:45:00.003Z

Firstly, I just want to say, I'M ON A FREAKING PLANE. ON THE INTERWEBS. IN THE AIR. Truly, this is the future my friends... They even mixed me a fresh margarita but that could have more to do with the fact that we're en route to Vegas to research the fabulous I Heart Vegas - coming to a bookshop near you in 2011/2012/whenever I stop going to Vegas for research and write it.
Anyway, I digress. So this is absolutely a beauty blog and I have many wonderful things to tell you about once I get my arse back into gear next week but honestly, the last few weeks have been madness between London, Montreal, DC and now VEGAS BABY and you know, work, I haven't really known if I've been coming or going. (Weirdly, I appear to have been doing my best work ever which doesn't really make any sense but I think it a good reason as to why my bosses should have me travel a lot, drink a lot and have me hang out with cute boys on regular occasion - it clearly ups my productivity).

Anyway, as I say, this is a beauty blog but once in a blue moon mine eyes are torn away from the Sephora mailer and drawn toward the shoe shops. I think you probably already know this about me... and how can anyone be expected to remain faithful to one topic when such wonderful things as THESE are in the world?
These, my loves, are the new Vivienne Westwood for Melissa jellies.

These are £102 from spartoo.co.uk, these are my reason for being. I managed to pick up the glitter Mary Jane jellies in black and clear on sale last summer and have lived and died in them ever since. They're SO comfy, look great with everything and always elicit compliments (which I am a big fan of - suck it, I'm a Libra, I constantly need to be told how awesome I am). Most importantly, they make my heart sing a little song of gladness whenever I see them and when I slip them on, I do a little dance of joy. Don't you want that in your life? Don't you? No? Then what the *bleeped expletive* (pardon my French) is wrong with you? Go to Spartoo.co.uk, buy the shoes and get a happy.
If buying cute shoes isn't what makes you happy, you're in the wrong place and we can't be friends.
I'm not kidding.
That unfriendliness aside, I can't decide which of the new range are my favourites. Maybe the pink? Or the grey? But the blue is nice too... What do you think?

And also FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER BITCHES!
@LindseyKelk
Thanks everso.

Lee Stafford Fake My Tan

2010-04-09T15:46:00.002Z

As I may or may not have posted a THOUSAND EFFING TIMES, I am a somewhat pale individual who does not have a lot of luck with the sun or its faux-tanning replacements.

Well, hallelujah and praise baby jebus, because I have in my sweaty paws, Lee Stafford's new Fake My Tan line. Firstly, we'll address the fact that a hairdresser (albeit one of the most awesome ones ever) is putting out a tanning line. Well, it turns out ladies, Lee is a giver. The lovely Mr Stafford, he himself not afraid of a little fake tan, wanted us to look awesome from head to toe so he took it upon himself to create this really rather superb line of wash off tanners, along with his good friend and tanner-to-the-stars, James Harknett. Who is also awesome.

The line really is pretty comprehensive, with something for everyone - a lotion (with or without sparkly bits, whee!), a tanning mousse and a spritz, which, as recommended by James, I've taken to spritzing over my make up in the middle of the afternoon just to perk me up a bit. And it totally works. Most importantly for me, there's a light and a dark variant in each product, making your colour selection easy-peasy. And since the product is temporary, a good scrub down in the shower will see it all come off anyway, so any mistakes are easily remedied. That said, it doesn't transfer easily so unless you're wearing white (in which case I'd probably recommend that you avoid any tanning products anyway) you can head on out rest assured that your tan is there to stay.

If that wasn't enough recommendation for you how about this:
- The line is exclusive to Boots and prices start at 8.99
- All the products have Lee's signature Pink fragrance and so you won't smell like off biscuits when you go out. In fact, you will smell divine
- The different formulas include different skin-saving ingredients like Maca, Raspberry and Mallow to leave your skin soft and touchable, not dry and itchy like the self-tans that develop over time
- Because the formulas are instant, you can see the colour you're getting right away and they also dry ridiculously quickly so there's no wandering around nekkid waiting for it to dry. Shut up, we've alllllllllllll done it.

Anyway, I'm taking my Magic Potion Tanning Lotion with added Bling to VEGAS this weekend to see what we can find. If I don't come back married to an eighty year old oil baron, I'll be wanting words with Mr Stafford...

Urban Decay Summer of Love collection

2010-04-05T02:26:00.006Z

I have not posted in the longest time! My bad. Sorry kids, I was in Canada and well, drunk, for quite a lot of the last couple of weeks. They were biggies.

Anyway, what better way to celebrate the sunshine and spring in NYC than with the new Urban Decay summer collection?

Pretty nail colours...

Pocket Rocket lipgloss! I miss the Pocket Rocket pencils (sad face)...

Eyeshadow collection plus pencil PLUS primer. This shizz is awesome sauce.

Want. Bad.
And yes, that is lipgloss with a man in his underpants on it.
Problems?