Get Coco Chanel Chic!

With the release of the film 'Coco Before Chanel' the style world is going monochrome crazy so it's definitely a look to watch out for over the coming season. Audrey Tautou plays Coco Chanel & carries her iconic style with elegance as the film reaffirms the timeless classic beauty of Chanel..

Get the perfect Chanel chic make-up style in 3 simple steps -

1. Opt for smokey black/grey eyes, take a dark eyeshadow with a light shimmer (try Mac's Smoke & Diamonds-£11) & blend over the lid & into the socket line, apply a shimmer highlighter in white/pearl (try Mac's Phloof-£11) over the socket line to lighten it slightly & then up to your brow area to accentuate your brow bone. With an eye pencil line around the top & bottom lashes then with a cotton bud blend the dark shadow under the lashes to create a smokey effect, plenty of black eye liner is required for this look to keep it dramatic, also take it right into the inner corners of the eye to make them really stand out!
2. Choose a deep red wine lip colour (opt for Revlon's Super Lustrous Lipstick in Violet-£7.13), which was a Coco Chanel style trademark back in the day, this deep colour can easily bleed so apply some foundation to your lips first & apply two coats then blot & set light with a little translucent powder to keep it matt.
3.
Black nails are the way to go, they have been in style for quite some time & with this look are definitely here to stay, keep them short though, long talons really don't work with this look! (try out Barry M nail polish in Black (£2.85)

Then just match up with a tailored black & white number & your set to go!!!

Red Lipstick - The Hottest Look in Town!

Red is the colour on every body's lips right now & it's the hottest shade to be seen in this coming season! All the celebs are showing off their rouge pouts while on the red carpet or out on the town including Gwen Stefani who was snapped dining out in LA last night wearing a vibrant red lipstick - a perfect example of how it can give a glamorous edge to a very simple look.
Here are a few tips on wearing your red lippy to perfection -
First of all choose your colour wisely, there are a few types of red, the main ones being 'blue-toned' (vibrant crimson colours) & then 'warm-toned' (with a hint of orange or brown), pale skins should always opt for blue-tones & dark to olive skins should go for a warmer palate.
When going for this look opt for a subtle make-up, bright red lips & dark smokey eyes are usually a bit too much, go for a light matt foundation & use a light eyeshadow either a flesh-tone or a light beige. Lightly line the eyes & define the lashes with some volumising mascara to make them stand out, it will create definition but keeps it simple. Go for a light blusher to define your cheek bones, just a light beige-pink or subtle bronzer.
Make sure you prepare the lips before you apply the red, they need to be in good condition (dry cracked red isn't a good look!), use a lip balm to soften them first, after this apply a little foundation with your finger tips as this will provide a base for the colour to sit on & will create a longer finish as well as a matt appearance.
Take a lip liner but go for one the same colour as your lips rather than a red, it only needs to be a guide for your lip brush & this makes it easier if you want to fill out your lips as well.
Apply the lip stick with a lip brush along the lip line & then fill in, blot & go over them again then blot, do this a few times until the colour is as intense as you would like it to be.
Take your time over this, it's not a job to be done in a hurry (!!), practise makes perfect so try out your new look before a big night out & wear it in the house to get used to it if you don't normally go for such vibrant colours - get it right though & it's the perfect accessory to any little black dress!
Two of the best red lipsticks to look out for are Chanel's cult classic 'Red No5' & Mac's award winning 'Ruby Woo' Russian Red Lipstick which was created for Madonna.

Trend Setters - Latest Make-Up Looks!

Here's a few sneaky peeks at the latest trends coming up this autumn...! Bright lips are still all the rage but rather than staying matte as pictured here they're sparkling with shiny gloss - patent all the way! Coral is still a huge hit since it appeared on the red carpet at the end of last year & Max Factor have a great shade out just now 'Bewitching Coral' (£6.99), match this up with some clear gloss to bring it right up to date, go for Mac's Clear LipGlass (£9.50) for a lasting perfect shine! For the brave fashionistas black is a very hot colour to sport, however I'd prefer to stick to the deep burgundies & plums to create this look, which will also be very high on the trend setter's lists! An important point to note with bold lips is definitely play it down with the eyeshadow, go for a wash of shimmer in a nude/neutral shade, try out Mac's Pigment in 'Naked' (£15) & line the inner rims of the bottom lash lines with white kohl to make them really stand out!! (pictured above as well)
Oriental themes have been making a splash on the catwalk of late & Geisha make-up looks are very in as well, go for a subtle take on this by concentrating the deeper colour on the centre part of your lips with the light on the outer edge, also accentuate the bow of the lip with some clear gloss.
Even though eyes are very nude & sheer this coming season Brows are bold & a little masculine as seen in this picture, not quite Frida Kahlo fortunately, but only with a slight boyish edge to make them stand out & frame the eyes.

Latest Trend - Grey EyeShadows

The latest look from the catwalks is all about soft shades of greys as well as warm washes of gold, Maybelline's Expertwear Eyeshadow Trio in Vintage Grey (£5.99) is pefect for creating this look. Their celebrity make-up artist Fiona Jolly recommends blending the medium shade into the socket with the lighter shade into the brow bone, then the darkest into the outer corner of the eyes & under the bottom lash line.
My tip for soft beachwear shadow with this look is is to mix the medium & lighest shades, then gently sweep across the full lid (focusing the lighter shade at the brow), it will give a wash of colour that looks fresh & simple with some added sparkle! Go for a grey eye pencil with this look as well to keep everything soft, try out their LineDefiner in Silver Dazzle (4.99), it's smudge free so is great for wearing on the beach!

Mac Summer Trends - Neon Colours

Just out from Mac are their new Neon Make-Up Bags, this season is going neon-shade crazy so why not have a bag to go with it!!!!! Out in Yellow, Orange & Blue the patent bags are perfect for this summer's trend, limited edition (£10.50)
Also why we're on the subject of Neon, try out Mac's new limited edition Neo Sci-Fi Sheertone Blush for some summer shimmer (£14)

Summer Colours - Bright & Neon.

With Summer here colours are going bright & neon with pink, orange & yellow at the top of the list!
Defintely go bright or neon on the Nails to give your look in instant up to the minute edge, try Nails Inc yellow polish in Carnaby Street (9.50) or for some neon energy try O.P.I's Atomic Orange.
Also clashing colours are very cool this season,
try a splash of orange on the eyes with a vibrant pink on the lips, best orange eyeshadows can be found at Mac & Shu Uemura, also Yves Saint Laurent lipstick in Fuchsia Pink gives a beautful luscious colour on the lips, if you want to go for a vibrant colour with a softer finish try the Bourjois Rouge Hi-Tech liptints.

Latest Summer Trend - Bright Orange!

Coral lips were all the rage in early spring which now seems to have evolved into a warm orange for summer 2008, wear either on the eyes or lips (certainly not on both!) & either pale or tanned skins can wear this trend. For pale skins go easy with the colour & only use a small flash of colour on the top lash line if opting for the eye make-up. Also it is best to go with a matte finish with the orange when using it for eyes or lips, it avoids an orange over load! Try out Mac's EyeShadow in Orange or YSL's Lipstick in Orange Sari (pictured above).

DIY Manicure & This Summer's Hottest Colour!

This summer's hottest nail colour is bright yellow, get O.P.I's yellow in 'Need Sunglasses' for the perfect trend this coming season!

When wearing bright colours on your nails it is really important to ensure your nails are in top condition, here are some great tips on getting your nails in perfect shape for summer -

DIY Home Manicure

1 - To begin with, remove all traces of your nail polish, even if you don't have any on clean the nail plate first anyway.
2 - Use a nail file to shape your nails. File in one direction only & do not use a seesaw motion. To shorten the nail, use the course side of the emery board first and finish with the finely textured side.
3 - Apply cuticle remover cream and gently push back the cuticles using a cotton bud. Don't cut your cuticles, leave that to the professionals, massage away dead skin using circular movements.
4 - Apply a rich hand lotion & massage the palm of your hand with the thumb of your other hand to improve blood circulation, then repeat with your other hand. For an extra moisturising treatment if you feel your hands are dry wear plastic base gloves after applying a generous amount of hand cream (marigolds are great for this)
5 - Before you paint your nails, go over them with an orange stick that has been wrapped with cotton wool and dipped in nail polish remover and rub over the surface of the nail & into the sides as well. This will clean the nail plate & allow a smooth application of polish.
6 - Begin by applying a Base Coat first, this will give a professional finish to your polish.
7 - When applying the colour begin in the centre of your nail, the best way is to paint one stroke down the centre and then one at either side of the nail, three strokes in total. Let it dry completely before applying the second coat.
8 - Apply a topcoat to give extra protection and help your nail color to last longer without chipping.

For healthy nails eat foods that are rich in Vit A, B & C plus Calcium as well as protien rich foods as deficiencies in these areas can cause nail conditions such as - Dry Brittle Nails, Hang Nails, White Bands & Spots Across the Nail Plate, Split Nails as well as inflamed Cuticles. One excellent way to ensure strong healthy nails is to drink plenty of Carrot Juice, a quick fix to perfect nails!

Also another little tip, to keep your favourite polish in top condition, store it in the fridge!

Latest Make-Up Trends - Dark Lips

Rumoured to be the latest trend for our luscious lips is 'Black', a colour said to suit all, however I'm not too sure about it in this particular area of our face (Marilyn Manson may disagree of course!). Featured at the latest Giles Deacon show during London Fashion week, his models showed off the new Autumn/Winter Collection sporting this bold make-up look, set to be huge come Autumn this year.. If you're brave enough the best way to get this look is to opt for your favourite black eye shadow, firstly apply a lip balm to soften the lips, then using your black eye pencil (sounds scary I know!) line the lips as you would with your lip liner, fill in the lips by patting the shadow over the top with your lip brush, finish with some clear gloss to give it some sparkle!
Another version of this look was shown during the YSL show as well, which was a deep purple stain, for a more wearable version of this try Mac's Lip Tint in 'Plum Perfect'.
Also on the more 'wearable' subject, Chloe's latest collection for the new season is back to very girlie 'boho chic' which is making a huge comeback on the highstreet, the make-up to tie in with this had a natural finish but with a contoured edge to it as well, soft brown eyeshadow but well defined on the lash lines & lightly bronzed cheeks to shape the face with deep plum lips to finish, Try Mac's Lipstick 'Sheer Plum'.
Dark lips are defintely on the up this year & it's a trend to watch out for, of course not many people are bold enough to take to the streets with black lips, but it's all about adapting it for yourself & making it a wearable look, my tip is to defintely opt for the deep plums!

Latest Looks - Bold Eyebrows, Coral Lipstick & Orange Nail Varnish

Bold Eyebrows, Coral Lips & Orange Nails are three of the hottest looks of the moment, firstly bold eyebrows - Sienna Miller 'boldly' sported this look back in September last year which caused quite a stir, even making it to the front cover of Vogue. To get this look ensure your brows are well shaped with no stray hairs (bold does not mean bushy, nor does it mean monobrow!!), one way to give yourself an instant bolder look is to take some eyeshadow closest to your own natural colour & with a slanted eye brush (Try Mac's Small Angled Brow Brush - £13) define & deepen your brows, then take a brow comb through them afterwards to soften the finish.

Coral lips have featured a lot this week & it is most definitely the colour of the moment, the buzz started after it featured during London Fashion Week, Revlon's 'Kiss Me' Coral shade was brought out from the archives for the Roksanda Ilincic show & was such a hit Revlon have now brought it back out for sale!! (Limited Edition - £7.49)

Dark nails have been all the rage for quite some time but this season lighten up with Orange nail polish which is the latest lacquer obsession, neon colours are set to dominate for quite some time to come! Try Nails Inc -'Hans Place' (£9.50)