Le Métier de Beauté

You know your makeup must look good if more than one person comments on it (including your boyfriend).

This week I had the pleasure of meeting Mikey Castillo, Director of Makeup and one half of beauty-brand magnifique, Le Métier de Beauté to launch their new counter at Selfridges. I have never walked away from such a lesson brimming with more tips than I could remember. My beauty brain was working overtime. I have also never been so impressed at the thought and care that had been put in to each product, I mean, who consults one of the engineers of Montblanc when making a new eyeliner. Le Métier de Beauté, that's who.

I found three tips that will be make up the first of my beauty commandments from now on:

ONE: If you want the appearance of full, thick black lashes, there is one vital step that you simply cannot miss: line the top of the inside of your eye. "The bald patch of your eye," as Mikey called it. It works to give the appearance of thicker lashes immediately.

TWO: You should apply your blush to the top of the apples of your cheeks and not sweep across. Children blush much higher on their cheeks than adults, so it will appear much more youthful to apply the blush about an inch away from your eye on the cheek. And whaddya know, it works.

THREE: When applying eyeshadow, always balance cool and warm tones. Applying just brown on its own will make the eye look flat and uninteresting. Applying brown with a blue on top will give it a three-dimensional feel and make your eyes pop. Mikey applied four different shades on my eyes, including a fluorescent orange, but whaddya know, it works. 

Each tip will bring your makeup to life and you will be guaranteed more than one compliment. 

Le Métier de Beauté is available at Liberty and Selfridges. 

New Winter (Beauty) Wardrobe

This autumn, if you want to make a fast and dramatic change to the appearance of your skin, a new beauty regime is the answer.


Decleor's AROMESSENCE™ ROSE D’ORIENT Soothing Serum is a wonderful all-rounder. It will help calm any breakouts and restore softness back to sensitive skin. While Dermalogica's Skin Smoothing Cream with its velvety-mixture of botanicals and extracts of Cucumber and Arnica will soothe and hydrate.

A good cleanser is a sure-fire way to a brighter skin and ultimately this season's most persistent trend: a perfect complexion. Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser is a classic for a reason. Containing Rosemary and Eucalyptus for purifying and brightening, it is gentle enough to use every day. For an extra moisture-kick and an all-together super-deep cleanse, I have written about Omorovicza's Thermal Cleansing Balm before and it works wonders. Its high mineral contents from the Hungarian Moor Mud act as a magnet for impurities leaving the skin with almost an iridescent quality.

For bright eyes, I just can't get enough of Shiffa's Rejuvinating Eye Remedy. It is a one-stop-shop for puffy bags and dehydrated delicate under-eye skin.
 
Lisa Hoffman's collection of pulse point oils called Variations is divine. Each set comes with four roller-ball oils, of which the French Clary Sage Evening scent is the most sensuous and feminine.
Update your beauty wardrobe as you update your fashion wardrobe to keep your skin in check.

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, from £7.50
Decleor AROMESSENCE™ ROSE D’ORIENT, £42.00
Omorovicza Thermal Cleansing Balm, £45.00
Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream, £28.00
Shiffa Rejuvinating Eye Remedy, $88.00
Lisa Hoffman Variations French Clary Sage, $95.00

Doctor Doctor...

They say don't judge a book by its cover. But, sometimes, you discover something so beautiful that you can't help but fall in love. Before you open that cover. 
I had a moment just like this when I clapped eyes on Dr Bragi's Age Management Gel.
So beautiful and yet so clever. The unique formula is unscented and it's not like me to fall in love without so much as a tiny whiff of fragrance, but this is worth it. You only use a tiny amount, so a little goes a long way. Trust Dr Bragi, who has dedicated his life to the study and research of marine enzymes, the core ingredient in this product.
I think they call it love at first sight. 

Dr Bragi, Age Management Gel, £120

Mellow Marshmallow

Who knew that marshmallows could actually be good for you? My friend gave me a little lesson over dinner. It sounded too good to be true.
Although, following my initial excitement, this does not include the soft and yummy sweets, I am talking about the root of the Marshmallow plant that has been traditionally used in medicine since Ancient Egyptian times.

Marshmallow root is a very soothing herb that calms irritations and boasts extraordinary anti-inflammatory qualities. In shampoos it will calm your tresses and tame your flyaways for sleek and shiny hair. Plus, in herbal teas it will help and ease digestion.

Look out for the magic jack-of-all-trades ingredient

Scented Memories

I am very inspired by scent. I get very excited in fragrance halls and no where more so than in Liberty in London. I find their Fragrance Hall an absolute treasure chest of undiscovered brands, beautiful bottles and delicious perfumes from all over the world. I find myself smelling dozens of different scents (much to the disdain of the sales associates who probably think I am a nutcase) and guessing their ingredients.

On one of my recent visits, I found myself drawn to Frederic Malle's collection of fragrances, in particular En Passant, which was created by Olivia Giacobetti. It reminded me of my childhood in Russia and that particular moment when spring was turning in to summer and there was so much blossom on the trees that I would shake the tree branches and pretend I was getting married. It was spring in a bottle. And it's mine by the time spring rolls around.

Frederic Malle, En Passant, from €95

Feeling Rusty

These colours are beautiful! I absolutely love pumpkins. Bring on Halloween!

Wild Nails

Following on the Autumn theme, my nails are really becoming a kaleidoscope of colour. Today, I have gone rusty with NARS's King Kong polish. Part of the new Vintage Nails collection, I love the connotation with the old-fangled beast from the 1930s. The juicy colour has just the right amount of sparkle. In other words it lives up to the glamour it eludes to.

NARS, King Kong Nail Polish, £13.00

PS: How amazing would this look with O.P.I's Bring on the Bling on top??