Best Under Eye Concealers

Covering those dark circles can sometimes feel like a near impossible task, however I have found the top 3 under eye concealers that are used daily to cover up those tell tale sign circles!!!!
Topping the popularity Poll is YSL's 'Touche Eclat', it's been a favourite for many years & is still the most trusted cover up, it's light reflecting particles really lift the under eye area & detract any darkness, making those circles disappear!! Secondly is Benefit's 'Boi-ing' concealer to camouflage dark circles as well as their 'Ooh La Lift' which is a pink colour corrector which can go under or over your concealer, saying good bye to any darkness! Last but not least is Dior's Skinflash, again similar to Touche Eclat it has highly pigmented light reflecting particles that will bounce the light back creating a flawless finish.

Tips on how to Apply Under Eye Concealer

Apply your under eye concealer after your foundation, as applying foundation after wards can wipe away the concealer.
Take 3 dots from the inner corner to the outer & pat gently with your finger tips to blend.
Once initial concealer applied is evenly blended, apply a little more to your problem area & blend as above.
I like to use a Pink Colour Corrector mixed with a little cream concealer, pink counter acts grey & will disguise dark circles.
Finally ensure that the concealer is blended up to the lash line as well as with your foundation & set lightly with a little powder.

Have a look at the clip below, Tyra Banks carries out a Make-Up Lesson with her audience on how to apply concealer under your eyes.


Shop StrawberryNET.com

Happy Easter from Clinique!!!!

For the Easter Weekend only Clinique are offering free delivery on any online purchases as well as your choice of 2 free samples at the check out, offer ends at 11:59 on Mon 24/03!!! (Enter the offer code 'easter08' at the check out - www.clinique.co.uk)

Also check out their new 24 hour mascara 'Lash Power Mascara Long Wearing Formula', a waterproof solution that will stand up to rain, sweat & even tears, but with one huge difference, it removes easily with warm water (!!!) - no more clumpy residue left on our lashes for days!!! Set to be a huge hit at the counters this spring, available now for £12.50

Spring Has Sprung - Fresh Cheeks With Mac!

Great for spring flushed cheeks, Mac's new Limited Edition 'Beauty Powder Blush' (£14), it has a very light shimmering effect on the skin with soft colour & a glowing sheen!
Also to add to this look, use their 'Strobe Cream' (£19.50), it looks amazing under your make-up giving an iridescent finish, it livens up your complexion & has a powerful blend of vitamins & green tea. I use this with clients all the time & it works wonders on all skin types giving a fantastic base for foundation & cheek colours.
A new addition to this range is the 'Strobe Liquid', which is their lighter weight version of the cream, again it helps to promote that radiant glow!

Finally another addition that is impossible to resist is the new Strobe Lip Conditioners (£10.50), they have the pearl finish qualities of the cream but with a flash of colour for the lips, great for moisture & also has SPF.

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!

Early Summer Glow - Benefit's 'Talk To The Tan'

Just out in the US is Benefit's brand new facial instant self-tanning product 'Talk To The Tan', just like it's sister product 'Jiffy Tan' it is a temporary tint that gives an even & natural sun kissed glow to the skin. Easy to apply & streak free, it stays on until you wash it off & remove with cleanser, not available in the Uk yet, but if you can't wait you can bag one of these over the web at www.benefitcosmetics.com!

Bridal Beauty - Make-Up Tips From Chanel

I came across this very useful Video from Conde Nast & Chanel on Bridal make-up, for those of you who are going it alone make-wise for the big day it has some essential tips - defintely worth a peek!!!

Snake Venom Is The New Botox

Move over Botox, Snake Venom is the new anti-aging craze to sweep America & now available in the UK it is set to become just as popular. The main ingrediant is 'Syn-ake' which mimics the paralysing effects of snake venom in order to smooth out wrinkles, similar to Botox it blocks the neuromuscular contractions that cause tension in the facial muscles, when these are frozen the wrinkles are then reduced. The best thing about this formula is that it is a cream so no needles required!!!! There are a few products on the market here in the UK, firstly there is 'Syence Skin Venom - Memory Cream', this one was a sell out in the US, although it has quite a hefty price tag at £180! Another cream that is availalble in the UK now is Planet SkinCare at £44.95, picture above. (www.planetskincare.co.uk).