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[tuesdaybeauty]

You mentioned using Effaclar Duo but never stated whether your skin cleared up or not after using it the second time? :)

Yes it did! This is a great product to use as a spot treatment, especially if you have oily skin (as it works at getting rid of pimples by drying them out.) I would only recommend using this if you actually HAVE pimples though as I found it to be very intensive (comparable to some prescription-only topical creams/gels even).

[tuesdaybeauty]

Review: Lush Ambrosia Shaving Cream

Lush claims that this cream will banish redness and razor rash and is designed for use on sensitive skin, but frankly I didn’t find that it did anything that my conditioner couldn’t do. It feels the same in consistency as a conditioner- perhaps a little more watery, and like a conditioner has no real lather. Maybe I should invest in a more expensive razor, (the one I was using was a cheapo Gillette- albeit a brand, new, never been used before cheapo Gillette) but I was definitely hoping for a closer, easier shave- which I did not get. The worst thing about Ambrosia, was above and beyond; it’s scent. I don’t know how I would describe the scent, but imagine flowers (in a vase) with a really sharp scent, and imagine that they’ve been sitting in water that hasn’t been changed in a week and you’re getting close.

**/*****

[tuesdaybeauty]

Review: Lush Roots Hair Treatment

I started Googling different vitamins I could take to try and promote hair growth, but it was a confusing rabbit hole of “take prenatal vitamins!” and “don’t take prenatal vitamins if you’re not pregnant!” so I steered clear of that route (for now… if you have any tried and tested rec’s I’d love to hear them!) Roots scalp treatment from Lush seemed like a safe, easy step and something I could do in addition with my ban on heat based styling tools to help my hair along. Lush advertises Roots as a treatment for thin and fine hair that will revitalise your hair by adding shine as well as strengthening and conditioning the hair. The cream is supposed to stimulate the scalp which encourages hair to grow to its full length giving the appearance of thicker hair.

I read some reviews online and they all had pretty decent things to say about Roots. The one thing that puzzled me though is how much other people were using. I was reading reviews where girls recommended using half the tub in one sitting, which seems excessive to say the least. I used about three almond-sized finger scoops and that was enough for my whole head (I told you I had a hair dilemma after all; there’s hardly any!) I didn’t work the product through my ends- I have super long hair and I’d be there all day, plus I have a Kerastase product for that anyway- I just concentrated on my roots.

You apply this on to dry hair and it’s a really gross process. You work it into your roots, massaging your scalp and it basically turns your hair to insta-grease. It just feels pretty grim massaging your roots/scalp when they feel so dirty. Lush recommends you do this (massaging) for fifteen minutes; this fifteen minute scalp massage is obvs the main part of the advertised ‘scalp stimulation’, though the product itself does offer up a bit of a tingly feeling when applied. It smells like crap- it’s that minty/ toothpaste-y smell again just like with the Nioxin.

I can usually only last for about five minutes of scalp massage before my arms get tired/ I get bored. At this point, I stick my half greasy/half dry hair under a shower cap and get in the shower, occupying myself by exfoliating or shaving my legs for ten minutes, then I take off the shower cap and wash the product out. You’ll need to use a shampoo to make sure all of the Roots treatment is gone, but you’ll find your hair feels so incredibly soft you may not need to use a conditioner. I always use conditioner anyway for good measure; that decade of bleaching my hair isn’t going to repair itself after all.

What’s great about this product is that you DO see results and the results are INSTANT- no waiting around for four weeks of continued use to come to an end before you see a difference. Of course, this product doesn’t change the actual texture of my hair; it’s still thin, but it does alter the appearance. The best way I can describe how my hair looks after using Roots, is that it looks like I’ve used a hairspray or texturizing spray that would give the appearance of thicker hair, except of course, the only product I’ve used is Roots, which I’ve since washed out, so your hair still feels natural and super soft.

Lush says that to see a permanent change you need to be using this continuously 3 times a week. Jury’s still out on that, I don’t think you could use this for 3 times a week and then once it’s all gone your hair will be fixed. It’s more a case of as long as you’re using Roots, your hair will look thicker, which is ok by me as I’ve been using it 2-3 times a week and I’m only using a couple finger-fulls at a time so I’m getting great value for money with this product.

****/*****

[tuesdaybeauty]

Chic is so important. For instance, if I go to a party and I wear makeup, I always think, Is this going to be chic enough? I’m going to do less because I don’t think it is going to be chic. Less is more is always on my mind. It’s better to be underdressed rather than overdressed.

Lili Barbery-Coulon

[tuesdaybeauty]

Review: Lush Brazened Honey Fresh Face Mask

For those of you that don’t know Lush Fresh Face Masks have a short shelf life, and they’re to be stored in the fridge. To use a mask, spread a nice even layer over your face avoiding the lip and eye area and then leave it to set. After 10-15 minutes, wash the mask off with warm water.

This isn’t the worst Fresh Face Mask in terms of application; Oatifix still takes the biscuit for me but it’s not super easy to spread either as it’s not particularly sticky/ doesn’t easily adhere to the skin. Don’t think you can build up a nice thick coating by thinly layering this mask either because when I tried that I ended up just rubbing it off my face. The best method I have found for application is to go in super thick and fast and hope for the best. It means that I probably won’t get very many uses out of my pot because I’m having to use so much more in a single application.

Once it’s finally on it sets very solidly and there are no dry pieces flaking off and falling everywhere, so that’s a bonus. And it also leaves you with that lovely tight feeling common with face masks; not as much as I’d prefer (I’m addicted to that feeling!) and not as much as some other Lush masks, but it’s there.

When I first smelt this mask at the Lush shop I loved it, the honey scent was very obvious to me, but after storing it in my fridge at home the scent was almost completely gone and I had to practically stick my nose in the tub to remind myself what it was like. I’m wondering if the honey got lost in translation while it was stored in the fridge because had it been there the honey would’ve helped it to be ‘stickier’ when it came to application, surely?

When you remove this mask, washing it away with warm water it turns into a granule exfoliant. So it’s great that you’re getting 2 products in one, but I actually despise granule exfoliators so it was an unwelcome surprise. My skin is super sensitive and this was a little scratchy, but luckily I wasn’t left with any red marks once it was all removed, and I did notice that the pores on my nose were almost completely cleaned out; which was a much more welcome surprise. Like Lush claims; it does make your skin brighter, but it also leaves it feeling tighter; I needed to use a moisturiser straight after this because while it doesn’t leave my skin feeling dry (which is actually a testament to the product, cause my skin is Outback levels of dry during the winter) it’s definitely not a moisturising or hydrating product.

I doubt I’d repurchase this; while I did love that it was able to scoop out the congestion from the pores on my nose, with little effort on my behalf, repurchasing it again for that small purpose when it has such a short shelf life unfortunately doesn’t seem worth it to me. Of course, this all falls down to the fact that I hate granule exfoliators, so this mask was kind of doomed from the get go for me.

***/*****

[tuesdaybeauty]

Review: Benefit Watt's Up! Highlighter

So that’s why Watt’s Up by Benefit didn’t particularly ‘wow’ me. The packaging; like all Benefit products it’s to die and I’m enamoured by the name of the product. It’s also practical, in theory you just drag the highlighter on the area of skin you want highlighted, and use your fingers, or a blending brush or sponge to work it into your skin.

The colour doesn’t really work for me though, to begin with it’s got a fair amount of reflective-ness/subtle shimmer going on and I think for a product that’s as reflective as this, it’s far too pale, it needs some more warmth to it. I’m fair skinned with red undertones and on me this just looks grey. It doesn’t sit well with other products at all well, on top of liquid foundation I find the stick to drag on the skin a fair bit too during application, and I can never seem to blend it properly; I don’t know if it’s because not enough comes out but it just adheres to the skin and doesn’t budge; which isn’t great when you’ve just drawn a line of it down the centre of your nose. Kind of obvious. It almost completely disappears if you put even the lightest dusting of powder over the top of it. And there’s a hint of that dreaded muddy look.

All in all I like this in theory, but not at all in practice. It’s OK if you’re in a pinch- like about to run out the door and you forgot highlighter and this is all you have available- then it’s better than nothing. But for every other occasion I suggest you stick to The Multiple sticks from NARS, for a similar package design and ease of use with a much better formula and more dynamic colour range.

**/*****

[tuesdaybeauty]

Lara Bingle: Fitness Notes

I train [in Sydney] with Michael Ryan twice a week because I need to be pushed. It’s always outdoors; you can’t beat the beach, sunshine and fresh air. I think that doing different activities and also mixing it up with outdoor sports is good as it’s a lot more stimulating than just running on a treadmill. I think it’s all about incorporating exercise into your life and not letting it be something you are forced into doing; so exercising with my friends and boyfriend always helps. I used to run a lot but I noticed that I became really hungry all the time, and was eating double what I eat now. I noticed once I started doing three to four sessions of Pilates and yoga a week, it calmed my crazy life down and I felt a lot more relaxed. I love doing yoga outside- when it comes to outdoor activities and sports I like snow-boarding, surfing, skate-boarding and wake-boarding. I also ride my bicycle everywhere and run or walk the Bondi to Bronte. I walk as often as I can, even while I’m working. My walks often become meetings! Of course I have days where I don’t want to train, but I like to indulge a bit when I eat, so I don’t feel as guilty if I’ve trained. I make sure I get at least 8-10 hours sleep a night. I can’t cope if I haven’t had enough sleep!

[tuesdaybeauty]

Review: MAC Lipstick in Flamingo

MAC’s Flamingo lipstick is very typical of all MAC lustre finishes; it’s more sheer than it is opaque, though the colour is very buildable, and while it feels soft and moisturising on the lips, the colour does not have great staying power. I would say you’re golden for only 3 hours (if you’re not eating/drinking/kissing etc.)

Flamingo is from MAC’s “All About Orange” collection. I won’t get into it, but suffice to say throwing this lipstick into a collection with “orange” in the title is a little misleading to say the least. While tonally it’s in the same family as Razzledazzler, (a collection mate), it’s definitely a true, creamy PINK, and all this nonsense where MAC describes it as a “light, milky, bright coral” is exactly that- nonsense. Hit up Coral Bliss if you’re after a pinky-coral. Flamingo applies lighter than it appears in the bullet, and it’s varying degrees of pink will depend on your natural lip colour. I like to wear mine over a light dusting of foundation to really make the pink tones stand out. You may or may not be aware that I like to categorize my lipsticks based on the moment they suggest rather than their shade. So Flamingo would be my lipstick of choice when I want to wear a pink that’s really inoffensive. So for example, when I want to wear light, bright pink lips to the office (without looking like Office Barbie) Flamingo is my go-to.  

****/*****

[tuesdaybeauty]

Do you have any recommendations for pores? I'm loving this blog!

Thanks! I suffer with open pores (on my nose) myself. Unfortunately there’s not a lot to be done about pores though. “They’re not doors,” (-Caroline Hirons) they don’t open and close. And all of the pore refining products that promise to banish pores actually just enlarge the areas around the pores to disguise them/make them appear smaller. Some things you can do, are use a purifying mask to remove all of the dirt and grime; QV Face Purifying Mask is a good, cheap option, though I prefer Kora Organics Clay Purifying Mask. Lush Brazened Honey Fresh Face Mask is more of an exfoliating mask, though it will also clean out your pores. The results of these masks sadly don’t stick around forever, so in conjunction with this you need to make sure you’re using a topical exfoliant. I like ASAP Clearskin Bodygel, but just look for one that contains glycolic and/or salicylic acid. Lastly, make sure you’re using non comedognic products- especially your moisturiser and foundation so you don’t continue to block your pores with product. Hope this helps!

[tuesdaybeauty]

We live in a world now where more and more people don’t want to be different, they want a uniform. They think, "If you have a face like this, you have to correct it and contour and make your eyebrows like this." For me, I just feel like makeup should be fun. When you approach it from the point of view of "My nose is too big; my face is too round," it seems less fun. You can’t leave the house unless you contour your cheek? That’s not fun.

Nick Barose

[tuesdaybeauty]

Chrissy Teigen's Skincare Essentials & Obsessions

I think it's important for people to know that you don't really have to do too much with everything. I think I just have genetically really good skin. I'm all about facials and extractions but I steer clear of peels and everything, I think “just keep it simple”. I don't over wash my face, my skin is really dry normally so I don't wash it too much. 

My shoots are very much about skin, so I’m an exfoliating and moisturising nut. I fly so much so I take my makeup off as soon as I get on the airplane. I look at my watch every half and hour and moisturise. I love Natura Bissa Diamond Cream- I like to invest in good products. I feel like I’ll save money in the long run because I won’t be botoxing as often in the future, but the worst is when John used it and left the cap open.

I am crazy about skincare. I have about eight different creams, gels and serums that my esthetician set me up with. I had her write down the exact order and when to use them, which I have to read every morning. My skin is very dry so I try to finish the night with a SK-II mask. After taking off the face mask I wipe it on my entire body because the serum is so great. I also love SK-II Essence. It’s my holy water! I had bad rosacea for two years and after a few weeks it was better- and they’re not paying me by the way! I just love them. 

[tuesdaybeauty]

Review: Lush Catastrophe Cosmetic Fresh Face Mask

Of all of the Lush Fresh Face Masks I have used, I found this to be the most calming and soothing. It removes any redness from the face- so great if you suffer from rosacea like myself.

It’s easy to work into the skin, it spreads thickly and evenly (if you have used Lush’s Cake Fresh Face Mask it has a similar application as that) and it dries quickly. Once it’s dry it doesn’t set quite so solidly as I would like. You do get little flakes of dry mask falling off your face if you’re up and about doing other things (as I commonly am.) It leaves you with that tight feeling common in face masks (which I happen to love!) and your facial mobility will be drastically reduced. Some people are into it, others aren’t.

I don’t particularly like the scent of this mask- it seems to have a floral-y, lavender undertone (and I hate lavender scents- though I know I’m in the minority) so if that’s more you’re thing, you’ll probably love this mask. It’s not unpleasant though, so I can definitely stand it.

While I found it to be soothing, it’s not particularly hydrating. My skin was super-dry at the time of use, and while it didn’t make my skin any worse, it certainly didn’t do anything to help give my skin some more moisture. I do think it’s good for acne-prone skin or pimples as it’s very gentle, and doesn’t have any lasting effects; it’s just a nice, relaxing treatment for the skin and will help to reduce any angry redness that can come with acne/pimples.

***/*****

[tuesdaybeauty]

Face Mapping with Chinese Facial Diagnosis

If you have breakouts between the eyebrows This is the “wine and dine” area. Any food intolerances, eating too late at night, alcohol consumption (and liver health) will affect this zone.

If you have hormonal pimples on the chin In Chinese face reading (unsurprisingly- given it’s that time of the month) the chin relates to the ovaries. You may notice that the breakouts occur on opposites sides of the chin each month in unison with the particular ovary that happens to be ovulating.

If you have dry lips Chinese face reading believes that lips become dry due to gastric stress, which makes sense as in winter we tend to change our diet to much richer, heavier foods that put stress on our digestive systems. The best solution is to use a gentle exfoliant once a week (like Lush’s Mint Julips lip scrub), which will delicately soften and smooth the lips. Then use a protective lip balm (like Lucas Papaw Ointment) that is rich in essential acids and wheat germ.

If you have dark circles under your eyes In Chinese mythology the under eye area is linked to our kidneys and liver and they believe if these organs are overloaded or stressed this can appear as dark circles under the eyes. To reverse the stress, reduce (or better yet, eliminate) caffeine, alcohol, smoking, processed foods and refined sugars from your diet/lifestyle.

If you have irritation on the neck The sides of the neck is an area that related to adrenal stress. A relaxing skin treatment once a month will be the perfect solution, as will yoga and meditation. And remember to cleanse all the way down to your neck morning and night.

If you have breakouts on the cheek The cheek zone relates to the lungs; you may have had a recent cold or flu, or have inhaled something disagreeable. The lower cheek relates to the gums and back teeth. The breakouts in this area may be due to dental problems such as tooth decay, gum disease, gingivitis or possibly irritated wisdom teeth.

If you have breakouts on the forehead The upper region of the forehead is linked to the bladder, the middle with the stomach and the lower with the small intestines. Breakouts could related to poor diet or sluggish digestion (often caused by eating too late at night.)

[tuesdaybeauty]

Review: MAC Razzledazzler Lipstick

MAC’s Razzledazzler lipstick has quickly become a new favourite. I tend to categorize my lipsticks into different groups based on the kind of moment they evoke rather than their colour. For example, when I want to have a ‘no lipstick moment’ I might go for MAC’s Shy Girl (you didn’t actually think I meant no lipstick, right?) or when I want to have a ‘pink, when I don’t feel like pink moment’ I’ll use MAC’s Flamingo.

Razzledazzler falls into two categories; it’s a great step up from ‘no lipstick moment’ as while it’s on the barely-there side, it does provide some colour (it’s one of MAC’s lustre finishes, and gives a semi-opaque coverage) and it’s also great for an ‘orange when I don’t feel like orange moment’ because it’s a pale, soft, pretty coral-peach that definitely belongs to the ‘orange family’ rather than the ‘pink family.’ I love this lipstick for so many reasons; the first is probably how easy it is to apply, it’s a very forgiving colour so you can be a bit haphazard with the application, (straight from the bullet, no brushes or mirror required), it’s incredibly buildable, you can get a lot of colour out of it by layering it. Razzledazzler looks great with tan skin and pale skin, and it’s very neutral in terms of what kind of makeup looks you can pair it with. One of my favourite combinations is a twist on the classic sixties ‘black smokey eyes and pale pink lips look’; I’ll do a brown smokey eye and really pale my lips up with foundation, before using Razzledazzler over the top. Razzledazzler isn’t particularly long lasting (lustre finishes never are), you can get a solid three hours of colour and moisture (it’s actually very moisturising! It feels lovely on) without eating or drinking before you need to reapply.

****/*****

[tuesdaybeauty]

Review: Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

It comes out looking like liquid foundation; so already straight off the bat it’s a great base for your eyes. And then you apply your eye shadow like normal and it doesn’t have any effect either way; good or bad there. It wasn’t until halfway through the evening that I really noticed the effect of the eye primer for the first time. My eye shadow lewk for the evening (comprised mainly of Urban Decay shadows- which are good in terms of staying power anyway) was #flawless. Like literally, the blending was as if I’d just done it. I have deep set eyes so I’m forever getting crease lines in my eye shadow where my eyelid overlaps or whatever, but not tonight.

You know how everyone raves about this product and you just kind of think “eh, my eye shadow game is fine without this product”? (or at least you do if you’re me) well I couldn’t have been more wrong. Urban Decay’s Primer Potion takes my eye shadow to another, previously unheard of, level. This is one of those products that I will now, never be without. And I feel stupid for not having tried it out much sooner. The only thing I don’t like about it is the packaging. The next time I purchase this I will have to get the bigger, tube version because there’s no way the wand is going to be able to reach all the product in this container and it’s plastic, so breaking it open to get the rest of the product out (waste not, want not) is going to require more than just a pair of scissors.

****/*****

[tuesdaybeauty]

IS THIN IN? BY JESSICA GOMES

Tuesday Beauty favourite; model Jessica Gomes is part of a new crop of models who (along with fellow Sports Illustrated girls Kate Upton and Chrissy Teigen) are redefining what it means to be a model in today’s world. These girls are all super healthy and have beautiful soft bodies with curves, and guess what?- one look at a SI swimsuit issue will show you they’re sexier than any piece of gristle traipsing down the Victoria’s Secret runway. They work in high fashion; Gomes is a Harper’s Bazaar regular AND they’re quietly building their own empires; Gomes recently signed a lucrative deal as the face of David Jones taking over from Miranda Kerr no less. In her personal essay Gomes discusses body image and the importance of being comfortable and confident in your own skin.

Like everyone, I’m definitely conscious of my weight and how I look. I’m always watching my weight because as a model because I’m always looked at under a microscope, so I’m always thinking about what I can and can’t eat. But it’s important to keep your eating balanced and not to get too crazy about it and stress out. You can’t let it overtake you because that’s when it gets really dangerous. I love food and I’ve never sacrificed too much for this industry because I like being curvy, it’s attractive and beautiful.

Every client has a different view. Some people have said to me, “no, sorry your boobs are too big.” So I’ve learnt to be thick skinned because you have to love yourself and you can’t worry about what everyone says about you. As long as you’re confident in who you are, that’s all that matters because people will feed off that confidence. It’s important for women to stay true to themselves, so it’s not worth hanging out with pretentious people. It’s inner beauty that counts and that’s what my friends and family are always reminding me.

I’m lucky because I have two older sisters and a mother and father who are really good role models. My father is Portuguese and my mother is Chinese and they always keep me grounded and bring me back to reality. I’m really lucky to have such a great family who support me in everything I do and are honest with me, which always helps.

People think that being ultra thin is cool and it’s not creating a good image for women. You should always be comfortable in your own skin and I think that clothes look great on those models that are shapely and more womanly. Look at beautiful women like Cindy Crawford, Heidi Klum and Tyra Banks- they’re great examples of women who are promoting a good and healthy body image.

Models, including me, are airbrushed all the time. Most young girls probably don’t realise this but our photos are played around with, nothing is really what you see. Sometimes I look at pictures of myself and I think, I’ve never been that skinny! Advertising is an illusion, so all of those magazines that you’re buying are just trying to sell a product so there’s a lot that goes on in the background to make this happen. The front covers of magazines with all of those beautiful actresses and models are a fantasy and it’s dangerous for women to think otherwise.

I’ve seen some pretty crazy things that go on at fashion shoots and behind the stage during fashion week, which show just how dangerous the trend of being ultra thin really is. There are some models who don’t eat for days before a shoot and some of them just stick to a diet of almonds and green apples to get them through. We all know what’s going on and some girls faint because they haven’t eaten but no-one bothers to say anything about it because we don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings and that is really dangerous.

If I can pass on any advice, it’s important for women to stay true to themselves and being happy in their own skin. There’s no point worrying about your weight to the point that it makes you sick because it’s inner beauty that counts and it's inner beauty that lasts well beyond your looks. 

[tuesdaybeauty]

Beauty Notes: Alexa Chung

English television presenter, model and (despite her love/hate relationship with the label) it-girl Alexa Chung recently released a book; a scrapbook of things that inspire her entitled "it" (there's that word again.) In our exclusive exert Alexa shares her beginnings with makeup and her signature looks.

My first interaction with make-up was, I imagine, a universal one. I used to watch my mother painting her nails and applying lipstick and mimic her as she was getting ready. By the age of eleven I had progressed to experimenting with silver eye shadow and dark brown lipstick. I blame these colour choices on the nineties: watching endless episodes of My So Called Life and obsessing over a space-themed Levi's advert. By the time I was a teenager I was struggling to understand the correct way to apply foundation and felt like I was supposed to wear it when I definitely didn't need to and probably looked like a pageant child (no photos of this era exist- presumably my parents had the foresight and compassion not to capture it on film.) And then I started modelling at the age of sixteen and was subjected to all sorts of glittery. smoky, sticky, sexy, oily, unpolished experiments with my face.

Despite all of that playing around I still think make-up is a difficult thing to get right. In a perfect world we wouldn't need to wear it at all, but unless you want to deal with that make-up tattoo situation, that's not an option for most women. For me, if I don't want to look like Dave Grohl past 11am, it's sort of a must. Personally for a daytime look I like to keep things natural. Often for photo shoots or TV I have stronger make-up on so on off days I just tend to moisturise, add concealer, mascara, blusher and lip balm.

Something I've learnt from being lucky enough to have my make-up done professionally; a little eyelash curl goes a long way, especially if, like me you have what could pass as a row of iron filings for eyelashes. With lip balm it's best to stick to Australian pawpaw cream or natural products to avoid a massive lip peel which can happen when you use glosses or overly fragranced products. Your mouth should always look kissable and to that end I will occasionally exfoliate my lips (sounds disgusting, sort of is). An impromptu exfoliation kit I have used in the past is some Vaseline and brown sugar, which I rub onto my mouth and rinse off with warm water. In the winter this can restore your wind chapped lips to dewy summer status. With blusher it took me awhile to perfect the art of application without going overboard and coming over all Aunt Sal. A dot of cream blush on each cheek blended with my fingertips is the approach I now take for that slightly flushed but not overly embarrassed look. I prefer cream blushers to powders because I'm weird and have this aversion to anything dry on my face. I am obsessed with moisturising. I am also obsessed with cigarettes so I like to think the two balance each other out.

So that's a classic crawl-out-of-bed face overhaul but if I know I'm going out for the day and potentially into the night I add a cat-eye eyeliner. I stole this look from Cleopatra and Ronnie Spector from The Ronettes and I think it's pretty much the most flattering make-up of all time. The two problems you'll encounter if you're trying to line the top of your lid are fnding an eyeliner that doesn't smudge all over your face and being able to draw in a straight line. I cannot help you with either of these things over than to say practice makes perfect and always think "up and out." The thing you're trying to fake is making your eyes look wider and more cat-like. Now study a cat's face. Yeah, that.

Liquid liners in a pen form are best for control and staying power. I find the pot with the wand with the brush on the end of it was probably invented for the sole purpose of causing pre-leaving the house meltdowns. Someone evil designed it.

My addiction to cat-eyeliner started long before I knew who I was referencing. My first TV job meant that I had a professional make-up artist applying professional make-up to my unprofessional (hungover) face. We decided that all things considered we should play up my eyes as on TV eye contact is imperative. Once I had the black line traced on my top lid for the first time it was game over and no other make-up choices got a look in. It's sexy and classic without seeming too much. (Apparently Cleopatra may have lined her eyes with kohl liner not just to look rad but also to help ward off disease.)

Eyeliner aside, sometimes I go crazy and add a red lip to my make-up look, but it has to be a very special occasion. That's a lie actually, because one top tip I have is if I'm looking tired I wear a red lip to detract from my heavy eye bags. *WARNING* this can make you look as though you haven't been to bed but came to work straight from a very special occasion. Also, a red lip is great to wear in airports. I don't know why but it makes me feel very glamorous to have bothered to apply lipstick when I'm travelling. To pack for flying: red lipstick, moisturiser, concealer, hand sanitizer, a can of dry shampoo and a mirror, because queuing for the loo and managing to do a beauty overhaul before they turn the seat belt sign on is nigh-on impossible.

Obviously different make-up suits different faces and it's best to work out which features you'd like to play up and then experiment (in the house). Also work out which things don't suit you, e.g.: I look odd when I'm overly tanned and so bronzer has never been my thing because I don't like anything false as I feel like I'm lying to myself. In winter when things start getting very pale I just go with it and try and get into a gothic mood. Eyeliner inside my eye makes me look like I'm giving people evils so I try and avoid that, whereas it really looks brilliant on my friend Lizzy, who has rounder eyes than me.