Top 3 Autumn Mud Masks
Today is 'Mud Pack' day (of course). Which - apart from giving us a reason to flaunt three of our filthiest skin (and scalp) saviours - is also an excuse for you to spend some time on YOU. So, if you haven't already planned your pre-weekend preening ritual to the minute ('paint nails' and 'sort 'tache' are on my 'to do' list), then block out an hour right now (like, at 8 tomorrow evening when The Bake Off's on). Cakes and face masks laydeez, cakes and face masks...
Cara Delevingne's Bleached Brows
Eyebrows maketh the woman. That's a saying, no? Or it certainly should be... if the (slightly scary) sight of Brow Queen Cara sans her slugs is anything to by...
Get the Look: Cheryl's Daytime Smoulder
Not only is wor Cheryl a 'natural, born entertainer', she's also a bonafide babe who knows the perfect formula for sexy, daytime smoulder. When she isn't delivering perfectly timed, heavily accented put downs to sidekick/nemesis SiCo, she's crying Dumbo-worthy drops of sympathy, or laughing so hard that the happiness shines from her beautiful face like a sunbeam - hypnotising a nation of X Factor aficionados, who're all delighted that the Geordie princess (and her dimples) have returned to TV screens.
Freckles as a Fashion Statement?
It seems strange that in a world obsessed with anti-ageing, freckles - outward indications of skin stressed by sun exposure - should be 'trending', but such is the famously fickle beauty industry. Perhaps it's because we live in the land of the Sun Screen King, that something so seemingly carefree seems special?
The Perfect Autumn Lip
Our favourite fall lip look comes courtesy of Spring - a blend of Topshop's 'just caught snogging' glossy red, and Dolce & Gabanna's classic blurred-out berry. At Topshop, the coolest young Brit models-of-the-moment - Cara Delevingne, Jourdan Dunn and Samantha Rollinson - all lined up to have their lipstick smudged with fluffy blending brushes to create the youthful (slightly naughty) slant on statement kissers; where as at Dolce, girls had sheer juicy lip stains patted onto pouts, which were then finished with a fingerprint of burgundy.
Spring Trends to Try Now: Purple Haze
SS15's take on 'smoky' is mauve-toned and muted - a sheer wash of all-over lilac, that brightens with minimal effort. At Derek Lam, the girls were big-of-brow and dewy-skinned, with just a hint of aubergine-y pigment on their upper lids. And at London's Matthew Williamson show, models looked like divas on their way home from the disco - with slightly sweat-look dancefloor skin and ombre lilac shadow swept from inner corners to their temples.
How To: Lit-from-Within Skin
The Spring/Summer catwalks were (quite literally) awash with flawless, dewy-skinned faces... but you needn't wait 'til the weather hots up to look... well, hot (in both senses). Sure, the beads of gel-sweat glued to girls at Teatum Jones' show seemed extreme (why fake it, when the real thing is only a tube ride away?), but the whole, slightly shiny-healthy-sporty-glossy-girl thing's here to stay, so start perfecting your 'lit-from-within' base like, NOW - and give fashionistas a sprint for their new season (Dolce & Gabbana) crowns.
AW14 Beauty Trends to Try Now
The crocuses are just signalling the new season but in 'fashion world', Spring/Summer is so over and every fashionista worth her Manolos has been there, done that and already donated her (Kenzo) t-shirt. But for us mere mortals, who aren't chauffeured around in a branded Bentley (sad), humdrum questions such as; 'Will I freeze to death?' and 'Might this stiletto get stuck in the escalator?' simply demand to be asked. It's also complete madness (not to mention a serious health hazard) to go bare-legged in British winter, or don a full fur in July - unless your names are Anna Dello and Russo.