These last few months of winter always drag, and with the chilly temperatures sticking around here a few tips to keep your skin looking and feel it’s best.

1. To remedy dry itchy skin use a gentle cream body wash that won’t strip your skins natural moisture.

2. Slough off dead skin on arms and legs with a body scrub

3. Finish with a rich body cream that contains super moisturizers like shea butter, and jojoba. Apply to damp skin to lock in the moisture.

1.Kiehl’s Creme De Corps Soy Milk & Honey Whipped Body Butter  2.Balenciaga Paris Black Caviar Scrub 3. Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash

Without a doubt the Louis Vuitton show for SS12 had to be one of the prettiest of the entire season. Everything from the sorbet shades, to the giant carousel, the headbands and umbrellas, to the gorgeous Pat McGrath designed makeup look.

It goes without saying that you cannot achieve the makeup look without some major fluttery lashes. The density of the lashes is important too, so you are going to need more than one pair. You could probably achieve a wearable version with just two sets, though I would be inclined to got for three. A long not overly thick pair, and a shorter more dense pair will stack nicely together. If you go for three sets I’d do two pairs of long and one thick.

A glowy complexion from head to toe is also required. Apply MAC Strobe Cream underneath an illuminating foundation. Mix strobe cream into body moisturizer so arms and legs have a similar effect.

1. MAC #12 Eyelash 2. YSL Tient Radiance Foundation 3. Dior 5 Colour Eyeshadow in Earth Reflection 4. Dior Addict Lipstick in Basic 253 5. MAC Strobe Cream

There is nothing more annoying than lips that refuse to stay moist. Dry, chapped, peeling lips are unsightly and uncomfortable here are a few quick tips to help keep this situation at bay:

1. Just like applying moisturizer on top of dead skin on the face is not very effective, so is putting lip balm on top of flaky skin on the lips. Use a lip exfoliator to remove dead skin and minimize the appearance of lines, before applying your lip balm.

2. Don’t be hit and miss with your lip balm. Consistency is the key to smooth soft lips. Especially before you go to sleep–it’s like a night cream for your lips.

3. Look for ingredients in lip balm such as vitamin E and jojoba oil for maximum moisture.

Shimmers and frosts are probably the most popular texture at any cosmetic counter. Who can resist those sparkly colours, they just look too good to not walk away with.

Here are 5 tips on how to wear shimmer well:

1. Use subtle shimmer or frost eyeshadow to highlight the tops of your cheekbones, and inner corner of the eye.

2. When using a frost to highlight the brow bone do it before you fill in your brows and blend the shadow right over the eyebrow with a soft brush.

3. Tap your brush off before applying to avoid fall out on your cheeks. Or place a tissue just under your eye to catch the fall out.

4. For maximum shine apply a cream base first then press your frost eyeshadow on top. Or apply the shadow with a wet brush.

5. Use a matte colour through the crease of your eye to create definition.

For tips on using glitter click here

Image from models.com 

These 4 looks are key elements to look fabulous for a night out. They work well alone or in conjunction with one another. False lashes or loads of mascara instantly make your eyes look bigger. Sculpted cheeks bring added dimension to the face, which is essential for looking your best in low lit rooms and for taking photos. Dark lips or crimson lips are obviously a huge trend this season, and always look glamorous. A vampy manicure will complete any party outfit.

Get the look this A/W11 season of pretty flushed cheeks. Seen at Marc Jacobs, Oscar, and Prada this is a look that can be best achieved with a cream or gel blush, for a translucent look on the face. Try a shade that is pink or rosy for fair skin, and for deeper skin tones a wine or plum shade will give you the same effect. Apply the blush on the apples of the cheeks not too close to the nose. A buffing brush works well in a circular motion. Or use your finger tips in a patting motion for a really blended look.

1. MAC #130 brush 2. YSL Creme de Blush  3. Becca Beach Tint 4. Hour Glass Aura Sheer Cheek Stain

Pringle of Scotland Rope Cable Sweater /  Rag and Bone Brent Zip Jacket / Friis & Company Knit Headband / Shearling Mini Backpack / Chloe Ankle Boots / Anna Kula Knit Hat / Karl Donoghue Shearling Mittens / Bajra Ombre Wool Scarf

Half the trouble with getting liquid eyeliner to go on straight is having a steady hand.  Try holding the liner horizontally and press the length of the tip against the eye, and pull from the inner to outer corner. This gives you alot more control than trying to draw the line with just the tip.

Love the dramatic eyes at Roberto Cavalli. The matte black with the metallic shadow is gorgeous. The trick to recreating the look is to encase the metallic colour with the black. The inner and outer corners need to be dark and well blended and the centre of the lid should be shimmery. Smudge a metallic shade under the eyes also, along with black eyeliner.

When working with very dark and frosty shadows I recommend doing your eye makeup before your base. That way any fall out can be easily cleaned up without removing your foundation. Finish the look with a few coats of mascara, and dab on a matte nude lip.

1. MAC Kohl Power in feline 2. Gosh lipstick in 134 darling 3. Lorac little black palette 4. Laura Mercier matte eyeshadow in noir 5. Giorgio Armani eyes to kill stretch mascara

When it comes to statement lipstick for AW/11, you have to wear red. However, keeping it looking perfect without bleeding can be a challenge for some. I recommend starting with a Lip primer especially along the edges of the lips. Primers often help prevent your lipstick from feathering into any little creases around the lips. Line your lips with a pencil this can also really help. Applying lipstick with a lip brush puts on less, making it less likely to move. If you are using lipgloss to finish, keep it away from the edges.

With these tips in mind you should have gorgeous looking red lips that stay put.

Winter is fast approaching, and colder climates can mean that our skin can take a beating if we aren’t prepared with a good routine and a few key products.

1. Wash your face and remove makeup with a cleanser that doesn’t strip the skin of it’s natural oils. I love the Shu Uemura cleansing oils because they remove all your makeup and leave your skin feeling amazingly soft and smooth.

2. One of the most important things to avoid during the cold weather is dehydration. A hydrating mist  like MAC Fix + spritzed on the face before moisturizer is like a glass of water for your skin.

3. When it comes to moisturizer Embryolisse is fabulous. It’s nourishing to the skin, lightweight, and can be used during the day under foundation or at night to help skin repair itself while you sleep.

4. Removing dead skin cells will help prevent your complexion from looking dull, which is a direct result of dry skin. Try Beauticontrol Multi-Acid Peel for spa results at home.

5. Don’t forget about your lips. Protect the skin on your lips from chapping and cracking with a soothing lip balm such as Kiehls

1. Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil 2. Kiehls Lip Balm #1 3. BeautiControl Multi-Acid Peel 4. MAC Fix+ 5. Embryolisse 

The look for Dolce and Gabbana AW11 is totally wearable straight from the runway. Everything from the modern up-do, to the taupe shaded eyes makes for a gorgeous day or night look. Start with a perfect canvas then gently sculpt the cheeks. Apply a tan eyeshadow colour on the lids and smudge under the eyes too. Run a beige eye pencil along the inner rim. A couple of coats of black mascara, and a swipe of nude lipstick. Like the show wear this makeup style with feminine dresses or the men’s wear inspired trend.

1. Boots No.7 Nude Stay Perfect Lipstick 2. MAC Chromagraphic Pencils 3. Tom Ford Shade & Illuminate  4. Maybelline Fit Foundation 5. Cover Girl Liner Exact  6. Kevyn Aucoin Essential Eye Shadow Palette 7. Rimmel Extra Wow Lash 

For fall 2011 the bigger the brows the better. This look works on every face and is guaranteed to give you a youthful look–always a bonus! Since we are not all blessed with naturally full and fabulous eye brows here are a few techniques to help you achieve the look:

1. Try a brow serum to help grow eye brow hair.

2. Choose a fairly firm eye brow pencil or shadow in a cool shade unless your hair has a very warm undertone.

3. Start at the front of the eyebrow and use short upward strokes, follow the shape of your brow to define through the arch, and down to the end of your eye.

4. Filling in the gaps between the hair with 2 shades of brown will create a more naturally defined look

5. If your brows are quite skinny over draw them a little above and below the hair line to get a fuller look

6. Use a brow wax or gel to help keep the shape all day.

Click here for brow basics 

1. Anastasia brow enhancing serum 2.Benefit brow shaper brow shaper kit  3. Tom Ford brow sculptor

Images from style.com

Brit singing sensation Adele covers the October issue of Vogue UK, and she looks better than ever. The soft shade of taupe shadow on her lids and the smudgy eye liner under her eyes is so pretty. I am and will always be a super fan of the nude lip. The shade that she is wearing is perfect.

Here are a few ways you could recreate the look:

1. Create flawless looking skin with a natural matte finish foundation.

2. Blend a matte taupe eyeshadow through the socket of the eye using a soft tapered brush.

3. Use gel eyeliner along the upper lash line for defined cat eyeliner

4. Smudge eye kohl under the eye for a soft smoky look.

5. Complete the look with false eye lashes and a nude lipstick.

1. Bobbi Brown sand tortoise shell eye palette 2. Smoke and Mirrors chicago lash 3. Smashbox jet set waterproof eyeliner 4. Makeup Forever eye kohl in matte mocha brown 5. YSL long wear transfer resistant foundation  6. MAC lipstick in myth

I’ve been in love with the half moon nail for some time but couldn’t figure out an easy way to create it. After a bit of trial and error I thought I’d share a few tips that make this runway trend a lot easier to pull off.

1. Make sure your base coat is completely dry. I made the mistake of putting on the sticker before it was bone dry and it left a textured imprint on my nail. A more convenient way to pull this off is to paint your nails a colour you like, wear it for a couple days and turn it into a half-moon manicure once your nails start to chip.

2. Use 3-ring binder reinforcements to create the half moon. Rub some of the stickiness off the stickers by applying it to the back of your hand before placing on the nail. This will save you from getting sticker residue on the nails.

3. Cut the 3-ring binder reinforcement in half so you can get the sticker to wrap around your nail more securely.

4. Pair like colours together for less contrast on the nails. I’m not a professional manicurist and I find that the less contrasty colours are much more forgiving and hides any flaws.

5. Don’t be too heavy-handed with the 2nd colour of polish as it can create a not-so-pretty half-moon ridge.

Happy half mooning!

Images from Style.com and WAH Nails

It’s just about that time again — when our short lived summer is coming to an end. But the end of summer always means one good thing— new outfits. And as for the makeup, when it comes to getting ready for school, the simpler the better. A quick application of eyeliner, swipe of rouge on the cheeks, tinted moisturizer and some mascara is all you really need. Plus a moisturizing lipstick like the Dior Addict adds just that bit of colour without looking done up. On days when I am in a rush I often throw my hair in a pony or bun and give it a spray of Kevin Murphy’s Fresh Hair – a life saver in between washes.

1. Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips and Cheeks 2. Dior Addict Lipstick 3. Kevin Murphy Fresh Hair 4. NARS Larger than Life Long Wear Eyeliner 5. Lancome Hypnose Doll Mascara 6. Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20

ASOS Cambridge Satchel Company 15″ Vintage Leather Bachel Backpack /Rika Jaime Shirt /  Madewell Courier Boot / Current Elliot The Roller High Rise Jeans / Topshop Flannel Shorts / Marc by Marc Classic Q Backpack /3.1 Philip Lim Raglan Pullover / Comme des Garcon Play Emblem Print Tee /

I love the look Charlotte Tilbury designed for the Donna Karan show. The warm glossy eye lids, matte pink lip, and luminous skin was so perfect. Here are a few tips for how to create the look:

1. Start by prepping the skin with a moisturizer that adds a sheen to the skin. MAC strobe cream was used on the models.

2. Even out skin tone with a dewy finish foundation. Don’t use anything too matte in order to keep the skin looking glowy.

3. On the cheeks hush cream colour base adds subtle dimension.

4. Mid tone sepia cream colour base was wrapped  around the eyes and gloss was put on top for a high shine finish.

5. Finish the look with a pale pink lipstick that has a cool undertone.

1.Giorgio Armani Designer Shaping Cream Foundation SPF 20  2. MAC strobe cream  3.MAC gloss texture 4.Smashbox Photo Finish Lipstick in baby doll pink  5.MAC Cream Colour Base in hush  6.MAC Cream Colour Base in mid tone sepia

It’s time to update your makeup bag for the new season. The glossy bright lips, and pop coloured eye shadows can take the next few months off. This fall it’s all about the red lip, lined eyes, and spidery lashes. You’ll also want to invest in eye shadows in caramel and toffee shades, and of course a few sooty greys and blacks for the smokey eye. Finish your look with perfectly groomed brows, and flawless skin and you are set for A/W 11.

1. Nars Duo Eyeshadow in surabaya 2. Nars Duo Eyeshadow in paris 3. YSL Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils 4. MAC Cremestick Liner in red enriched  5. Giorgio Armani Maestro Liquid Eyeliner  6. MAC Mineralized Blush in pressed amber 7. Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick in la rouge  8. Chloe cosmetics pouch 9. Shu Uemura Hard Formula BrowPencil

Get silky smooth skin that never looks dry by adding a few drops of oil into your body lotion. I love the Ultra Glow Body Moisturizing Oil. It’s very inexpensive, and gives your lotion the extra boost to not only hydrate but leaves skin with a sexy sheen.

It’s summer and a face full of makeup is neither practical or necessary. Here are a few quick tips to get a fresh face fast:

1. Skin is the most important. In lieu of foundation, concealer and powder go for a tinted moisturizer to even out your skin tone. Applied with your fingers it will take literally seconds. Dab a bit of touche under the eyes and your done.

2. I like to use bronzing powder instead of blush to add colour and dimension to the face. Sweep under the cheekbones and on the high planes of the face with a brush.

3. Skip eyeshadow and define the eyes with kohl. Apply along the upper and lower lash line, and then smudge to soften the line. Then apply a few coats of black mascara.

4. Multi-purpose products are the best for quick makeup looks. A cream shadow can be dabbed onto the lips as a lipstick, and on the apples of the cheeks if you like to wear a blush.

1. Topshop Kohl 2. MAC Cream Colour Base 3. NARS Bronzing Powder 4. Cover FX Skin Tint 5. YSL Touche Eclat 6. Rimmel Glam Eyes Mascara

There’s nothing like a flawless golden complexion. Bronzer in all it’s forms whether powder, liquid, or gel can deepen, and warm up any skin tone. Here are 6 Tips to get sun-kissed skin:

1. Use a medium size dome shape brush to apply bronzing powder to the face.
2. A soft brush will pick up and deposit less colour than a more dense brush. Decide how dark you want to be before choosing your brush.
3. A duo fibre buffing brush works well with a liquid or gel bronzer.
4. Apply bronzer to forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin for all over colour.
5. Drop a bit of liquid bronzer into your foundation to give skin more colour, and glow.
6. Try shading under cheekbones with a matte bronzing powder.