IMATS LONDON PHOTOS!

I'll just warn you straight off that I took a LOT of photos! There was so much to see and so many interesting looks to photograph that I had my camera pretty much glued to my hand.IMATS stands for "International Make Up Artist Trade Show". The official website describes it as:"Known simply as “The Show” to the make-up world, the International Make-Up Artist Trade Show (IMATS)is the only show

Art & Beauty: Estee Lauder

Not sure how much of an art fan you are, but Estee Lauder has teamed up with the Neue Galerie, New York Museum for German and Austrian Art to celebrate the works of German artist, Otto Dix. To celebrate the first showing of his work in America, Estee Lauder bring lovers of art and beauty a limited-edition collection of a Bauhaus-styled mirror and new shade of crimson red lipstick called Berlin Red housed in a gold bullet shaped lipstick case. This set may be worth the purchase. Could it be a collector's item in years to come?


Photo: Style.com

WHAT'S IN MY BAG - IMATS LONDON HAUL!

Today was the first day of IMATS at Alexandra Palace and what a turnout! It was so unbelievably busy.There were all kinds of stands, special fx, brushes, mineral make up, hair extensions, and tons and tons of MAKE UP!Here is what I got:OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE COSMETICS LIP TARS!!!!I was lucky to get all the colours I wanted (bar uber) as pretty much all of the reds & pinks sold out within the first

Glitter Cut Crease

This look was inspired by this picture, but I changed the colours and added some teal glitter as well!








Product List:
MAC Bare Study, Zoeva 88 Mattes palette, PL Surfer Girl, Maybelline Expression kohl in black, MAC Passionate, RdL Lashes, teal glitter

NOW CLOSED! PERRICONE M.D ADVANCED FACE FIRMING ACTIVATOR

I am really excited to announce that Perricone M.D have kindly offered one lucky Hell Candy Make Up reader the chance to win a bottle of Perricone MD's best selling "Advanced Face Firming Activator" (RRP $120 USD).According to the Perricone M.D website this face firming product transforms skin to appear firm, toned and absolutely glowing, while preventing further damage.Sounds promising no? :)All

DIY DITA VON TEESE HALF MOON MANICURE TUTORIAL

I have always been fascinated with the gorgeous 1940s half moon manicure which one of my style icons, Dita Von Teese, has made as her signature mani. It's just such a classic chic look but an ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE TO RECREATE!See...my problem is...I'm a bit of a perfectionist. Not in the neat freak sterile living way, but in a creative way. So yeah...this task was going to be a bit difficult to say

Lily Lolo: New Product Announcement – Natural Eye Liner

It has been confirmed that mineral and natural cosmetics brand Lily Lolo has found the perfect 100% natural eye liner formula.
Having spent several months perfecting the eye liner base, Lily Lolo is now delighted with the finished product and has announced 8th March as the official launch date.
After a product test giveaway, brand follower Vanessa said:
“The pencil texture is really nice, applied easily and looks great. The pencil is soft enough to go on smoothly but not too soft that it smudges off easily.”
The pencils are in fact beautifully soft and smudgy, with great staying power. They’ll glide onto your lids really easily and are great for smudging to achieve the smoky eye look.
Containing both vitamin E and C with antioxidant and protective properties, the eye liners are an absolute must have for your makeup bag at only £7 (trade £3.50), available from www.lilylolo.co.uk.
Available in four shades, black, brown, khaki and blue; the eye liners will officially launch alongside the new look Lily Lolo website in early March but are already available to salons and independent stockists across the UK.
The pencils add to an already highly sought after collection, as products initially designed for a niche market have become mainstream with the increased consumer demand and trend for natural products.

FOTD: THE ELEMENTS - EARTH

Tonight's FOTD (which is actually always an Eye of the Day with me!) is continuing my "Elements" theme.The Elements - "Earth"I'm really happy with this look as originally I was intending to do a good ol brown smokey eyes a la Kiera Knightley but then green looks so GOOD with brown!I hope you like it :)Products used:Gosh Effect Powder "Kiwi" all over top lidBarry M 51 in corners blending slightly

Latest Make-Up Trends From Paris Fashion Week - Jan 2010

The latest Spring/Summer season's Make-Up Trends at Paris Fashion Week has been all about eyes & lips with a 'Pale & Interesting' theme certainly a popular style! At Dior (John Galliano) with Make-Up Artist Pat McGrath it was all very 19th century inspired with big hair, perfect cupid bows & arched brows (Featured Above). All the shows from Givenchy to Chanel seemed to have the same thing in common - porcelain skin with a high matte finish & a rich colour to the eyes & lips. So if these trends are anything to go by, we'll all be tucking our bronzer away this summer!

Check out some more Pics from the Runways this week -

Givenchy - Going for stark gothic eyes matched with blood red lips, the pale base gives a ghostly effect on the runway.




Dior - Pale complexions with bold eyes & lips give the period style to the make-up



Stephane Rolland - Again similar to Givenchy the make-up gives a very intense gothic look on the eyes & lips.



Chanel - A much softer & wearable version of the porcelain look, the eyes are defined & lips perfectly painted to stand out Also nails are painted in metallic silver, definitely a shade to watch out for this year!



Megan Fox attends Paris Fashion Week & takes on the porcelain trend herself is classic Hollywood vintage style!

Cold Weather Beauty - Body Shop Hemp Face Protector

With the harsh weather set to batter the UK again by the end of the week, get prepared & protect your skin..! As we know cold wind as well as rain & snow can have harmful effects on the skin, such as drying, chapping & dehydrating, so that it looses it's soft supple appearance. Anyway take action with the Body Shop's fab 'Hemp Face Protector', it contains hemp seed oil which contains a high concentration of essential fatty acids that help to repair the skin's barriers to restore the skins moisture & smooth, soft appearance. As well as this it includes Shea Butter & Bees Wax to naturally sooth & protect the skin. Many fantastic reviews from happy purchasers which included 5 star ratings with many saying the cream beats even some the expensive high end brands such as Clarins! Also some say the moisturising & healing results were better than E45 & what's better is the cream also has a lovely light fragrance making it pleasant to use, as well as light on application without being greasy or sticky while soothing the skin instantly.
Available at The Body Shop - £8.00

I WON A LUSH GOODIE PRIZE! *YAY*

I never ever win anything...ever EVER. Hands up who's with me?BUT BUT BUT!I DID win something last month. ME! *dances*I entered one of the Lush re tweet prize draws they were doing on Twitter you see. Didn't think much of it till I got a reply from them saying I was one of the runners up. WOOO!My prize arrived over the weekend and I thought I would share it with you:Inside were the following Lush

Estee Lauder Michael Kors Very Hollywood Collection

It is only January and i'm already wondering who is going to top this collection.
The Michael Kors Very Hollywood Collection from Estee Lauder is possibly the most wearable collection I have ever seen.
Infact, I would wear every single product and whats more, they would all suit me.
It is comprised of neutrals, nudes, fleshtones, soft peaches and hot pinks. Check it out when it hits the counters in Feb as it is a sure sell out.

New Aveeno Discoverer Programme

Check out the new AVEENO® Discoverer programme has been created for fans of AVEENO®, so that they can share their thoughts and experiences of our brand and our products with other people and with us.

To join the programme you need to sign up via the website, and if you’re accepted you’ll be sent an AVEENO® Discoverers Welcome Pack filled with products, information and tips for sharing your experiences with people.
The website is available at www.discoveraveeno.co.uk

Accepted members will also receive samples of new AVEENO® products before they are available to buy, as well as having access to exclusive areas on www.discoveraveeno.co.uk and offers from AVEENO®

Members will be able to earn Buzz Report and Friends Points though which, if you become one of our top 10 active AVEENO® Discoverers, you may receive even more benefits.

There is also a new addition to the AVEENO® product range, AVEENO® Creamy Oil - which contains naturally active ingredients colloidal oatmeal and sweet almond oil, and moisturises like an oil but absorbs like a cream.

Courtney Love request

Those that follow us on Twitter may have noticed that Courtney Love has asked me to create a look from one of the first Illamasqua collections

 

I have finally found the time to film it. Hopefully, I will get it edited and uploaded tonight but in the meantime here is a preview picture. Obviously this look isn't an exact replica of Alex Box's but I hope that it has a similar vibe.

Sam .x

Iridescence

Recently, while cleaning up my Pure Luxe collection, I came across "Enchanted" and knew instantly that I would have to do a look with it again! It's a fabulous colour and I haven't used it for so long... So I decided to do something all with duochromes and iridescent colours: I applied PL Enchanted in the middle of the lid and framed it with Barry M. Aqua Gold. Then I defined the inner crease with Chartreuse and the outer corner with Orchid and All Girl:






Please excuse the fact that the lashes are all crooked - I only realised they had completely lost their shape when they were already sticking to my lids :S

Product List
MAC Bare Canvas, Pure Luxe Enchanted, Barry M. Aqua Gold, Pure Luxe Orchid, MAC Chartreuse, MAC All Girl, Manhattan JT, Maybelline Expression kohl in white, CG Lash Blast, wet 'n wild lashes, basic rhinestones

I also wanted to share a picture of my new necklace with you! I bought it on Etsy from Chic Baby Rose and I ♥ it! It's a pink cupcake and a silver crown with rhinestones:

IMATS - WHOS GOING & WHAT'S ON YOUR LIST?

So with IMATS just a few days away I thought it would be a good idea to find out who's actually going!I will be attending on Saturday so leave a comments and let me know if you'll be going too!Since booking my ticket I have been compiling a mental "wish list" of all the things I hope to get with my main shopping list for Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics. I really want to get a few of their Lip Tars

NOTD: GOLD SPARKLES & HOLOGRAPHIC GLITTER!

Quick post...NOTD = China Glaze's "Medallion"! It's INCREDIBLE!!! But a witch to get off...But oh so pretty!Photos do not do it any justice at all...Sorry about that :P

Neutrals!

Styrch suggested that I should do something "atypical" - a truly neutral look! Now, I used to do a lot of neutrals actually, but then got bored of them after some time and started experimenting with colours, shapes and textures. I haven't done many neutral looks since then, so I actually enjoyed revisiting those neutral shades I have been necleting :) To spice this look up a bit, I tried a really catty liner shape:










Product List
Face: MAC Studio Fix Fluid NC15, MAC Studio Finish NC15, Pure Luxe You Glow Girl!, light blush (can't remember what I used exactly, sorry!)
Eyes: MAC Bare Study, Zoeva 88 Mattes Palette, Manhattan JT, Maybelline Expression kohl in white
Lips: Shiseido S2

REVIEW: SONIA KASHUK BRUSHES & BLENDING SPONGE

I've been meaning to write this review for an AGE now! So much to blog about and only two hands!So I purchased these brushes from Space NK on the Kings Road at the beginning of the year. They had quite an impressive sale if you were into Shu Uemura, Naked, Eve Lom and of course Sonia Kashuk!The first thing my mitts honed in on was the Blending Sponge. I didn't even realise Space NK stocked it so

Red Carpet Glamour At The National Television Awards

Last night saw thew national Television Awards being held at the O2 in London, all our favourite TV Stars were out on force for their very own Oscars & of course the best bit for us - the red carpet!
I my opinion, XFactor girls Dannii & Cheryl stole the night with their impeccable dress sense as well as flawless make-up (as always!!). Danni opted for a very vintage chic look to match her striking dress choice with Cheryl sporting her trade mark smokey eyes while going for a high impact Stephanie Rolland gown!
An extra celebration for the Xfactor team as well as some added sparkle & glow for Danni, as she announced officially that she is 3 months pregnant - receiving a lot of pats on her tummy throughout the evening!



Glamour all the way for BFF's Katie Price & Michelle Heaton who accompanied one another along the red carpet, as usual it's full on eyelashes for Katie (who is said to wear about 3 sets of lashes in one go!).



A small faux pas perhaps with Loose Women as Sherrie Hewson opts for a see-through black top, although at 59 you have to take your hat off to her for still upping the glamour stakes, also her make-up is fab! Plus I have to say Carol Griffen, at 49, has a figure to die for!



A few other red carpet favourites from the evening are below - Davina McCall, Holly Willoughby & Amanda Holden.

HOLOGRAPHIC NAIL HAUL - China Glaze & Color Club!

If you follow me on Twitter you will know that I have been slightly obsessive over holographic nail polish lately. I just absolutely LOVED China Glaze's Fairy Dust and Golden Enchantment which I bought before Xmas.I've since spent an absolute AGE pouring over Lextard's Flickr albums, compiling a list of all the holos that I wanted.And yes I wanted them bad!Holographic nail polish is unfortunately

Bridal Beauty- Getting Blusher Right

For your big day a nice natural blush effect is best, you do not need to apply a great deal more than you would normally feel comfortable wearing as at the end of the day you are creating a natural day make-up. Using a light highlighter along with your blusher just above the cheekbone, working towards the brow bone will give a nice subtle glow & will add more definition to your cheek bones. Cream blushers give a nice natural effect & can create a barely there make-up look but still give you a 'flush' of colour on your cheeks. If you decide to opt for this wear a primer underneath & apply to an un-powdered finish then lightly powder afterwards to set, this will make the blusher last longer. If opting for a powder use a large brush & sweepgently across the cheek. For a youthful & natural look, apply blusher to the apples of the cheeks, these are the fleshy part of your cheeks when you smile. Remember that you only need to take the colour up slightly in order to see it in the photos, the flash of the camera can strip some of the colour away, but if you opt for a high quality blusher such as Mac then the pigments will still show through & give you a nice finish for the photos.

REVIEW: NATURTINT NUTRIDEEP MULTIPLIER - ONE FAB CONDITIONER!

I've mentioned a few times how much I love the Naturtint hair dye which I was introduced to by my hairdresser last year. It's just much more gentler on my long hair and I've felt like my hair is all the more healthier since using it.Read my review hereIn my review I mentioned the conditioner that comes it with and said that it's "it is really moisturing too."Anyway!I have since found out that

NEW EGO Styling Tools - Review

For so long GHD's stylers were the way to go & every girl was holding on to her precious set for dear life (!!), well not any more, there are now many more options to look at to get that professional finish to your hair each day.
Newly launched on the market are Ego Hair Straighteners - a professional product that gives you excellent results. I have been lucky enough to try out a set over the last week & I have to say that any iron that can tame my frizzy hair to a sleek finish has certainly accomplished a difficult task! I have been delighted with the results, as a regular GHD user/addict, I have found these are in fact easier to use, they glide effortlessly through my hair leaving smooth shiny locks. This is due to a new mineral rich technology (HW2) which gives powerful results removing toxins & static from the hair whilst retaining moisture & cushioning the hair from any heat damage as well as reducing styling time. The best part about these is you can also adjust the heat setting, I find one thing with GHD's & certain other ceramic irons is that they get too hot & almost 'frazzle' your hair straight so you have that over straightened appearance - not a good look! You can get a much softer finish with these while still maintaining sleek shiny hair, they are also brilliant at creating soft curls, I love the effect straightening irons can have when curling hair & these can create beautiful soft waves as well, as they are easy to control with the heat settings giving even more flexibilty on the style. So in my opinion definitely the latest rival on the market!! Here's some more detailed info from Ego themselves on the products available -

In Their Own Words -

Our busy lives are fragmented into a myriad of roles and these days ‘one size fits all’ styling just won’t do. We demand versatility, variety and the right to express the person we are at that moment. EGO liberates our look and lets us say ‘I am who I am’ with style.
The polished exterior of each tool embraces superb functionality and some brand new nature inspired technology that detoxes, de-frizzes and de-stresses every strand, leaving it healthy and sleek. EGO is about SELF expression and putting the ‘I’ in personal IDENTITY. Two irons, one tong and a dryer are the first releases in this ‘tools for life’ range that is shaped around modern needs.

Get involved with your full style potential and be an EGOTIST, choose from:

BIG EGO
Big on style, power and performance
Broad irons for statement styling with a polished exterior and ribbed outer body that inspires curl too.
The plates heat fast with fully adjustable settings and an ergonomic shape and weight that’s a dream to use.
RRP £109.99

LITTLE EGO
The mini styler that’s big on features
Just perfect for shorter styles but is also versatile and precise. You can straighten, wave or curl with one nifty and capable tool.
RRP £89.99

ALTER EGO
Don’t just make an entrance, blow them away No less than 8 heat and speed settings define this ergonomic dryer as the ultimate in efficiency and usability.
The generous 10 foot swivel cord is pure freedom plus it’s lightweight but powerful with a full 2000 watt motor. The dryer is packed with HW2 technology to improve hair quality and manageability that’s all achieved in next to no time.
RRP £109.99

TWISTED EGO
The art of getting noticed, with a twist
No hair disobeys the iron will of this tong that includes fully adjustable temperature control for frizz free curls.
The evenly distributed heat and HW2 technology guarantees an even and lasting curl.
RRP £89.99

Check Out their Website - www.ego-haircare.com

MY ANCIENT MAC NAIL POLISHES!

Whilst I was reorganising my nail polish stash I thought it might be fun to show you some of the old Mac nail polishes in my collection. Some of them are ANCIENT...but funny enough, still going strong. I kept them in a good old metal box...no fridge storage for me..uh uh *shakes head*Left to Right: Mint Julep (chrome green), Silver O' (chrome silver), Coral Gable (chrome copper)Left to right:

Butterfly

As most of you probably noticed, the blog has been revamped and now has a pretty new layout! I really like the colours and patterns - it just feels very "me", that's why I picked it mostly. The only thing I'm not so sure about are the double columns to the right - I'd have preferred to have one on each side!

This week's look was a request from Sofia via the Chatbox - she wanted a butterfly look involving lime green, turquoise, pink and purple. I'm sorry I did not really use purple - but I'm sure you could find a way of adding some to this look :)







Product List
Face: MAC Studio Fix Fluid NC15, MAC Studio Finish NC15, Pure Luxe You Glow Girl!,CG Cheekers blush (shade name unknown)
Eyes: MAC Bare Canvas, Zoeva 88 Mattes palette, MAC Plumage, MAC Chartreuse, essence rhinestones, essence Glamour lashes, CG Lash Blast, Maybelline Expression kohl in white, wet 'n wild lilac Glitter
Lips: MAC Cockatease, MAC Phosphorelle