This new pore cleansing oil from DHC is seriously addictive. Unlike other cleansing oils it a bit thicker and has almost a gel-like texture. It still though, still works the same as the others where the oil melts make-up and debris and turns into a silky milk when washed with warm water. As we age, our pores get and become larger. Our skin makes less collagen as we age, and with all the UV damage we are exposed to plus unsightly enlarged pores can make the skin look old, dull and uneven. Now while we have to face the hard skin fact that pores can not physically be made smaller we can minimise their appearance. This new DHC pore cleansing oil does just this- helps make the skin healthy, refreshed and minimises the pores! When you cleanse with this the skin feels detoxed, but balanced due to the argan, coconut, evening primrose, olive grape seed, jojoba, avocado, and sesame oils. If you love and believe in cleansing oils as much as I do give this a try! It truly is one cleanser you will uhm pore again and again…£25 at www.dhcuk.co.uk

Can’t be bothered to scrub and then do a mask? Well now you can 2-steps-in-1 with Racinne’s Ultimate Hydra Perfection Gentle Refining Scrub Mask. What I really like about this product is the lightweight texture. It’s not too rich nor too light so that while you feel that it has done the trick the skin never feels too oily or sticky afterwards. Peach and ginkgo leaf stimulates circulation and it has anti-micro bacterial properties too that can minimise pores. (Yes, the theme this month is pore minimising!) I like to not use a cleanser at all, and directly put this on the skin and use circular motions to first scrub. Then I leave it on (as the mask) for another 10 minutes. The result is baby soft, and you wake to a more rejuvenated brighter appearance! Simple + lovely = Racinne! One of my new favourites and most recommended £23 at http://www.blowltd.com/brands/racinne

With all the long hours I’ve been putting into work at the computer my eyes have been suffering. I have to admit there were a few mornings where they were ever so slightly sore and uncomfortable. My eyes were definitely like an angry dragon’s. So where in the land of skincare do we find the magic ingredients to soothe angry eyes? Well one secret weapon worth keeping in every make-up bag, gym bag, suitcase when travelling abroad is Rodial’s Dragon’s Blood Eye Masks. They’re a super saviour as they have bio-cellulose technology meaning they go deep and instantly hydrate and plump. Don’t let your eye show your age, instead use them to attract. My new go-to when eyes need a 9-9-9! £38, 8 pairs/packs www.rodial.co.uk

Sultry eyes in winter are a definite asset to any look. Lovers of the smudged and smokey eye look should try out the pencils from Austrailian make-up experts Eye of Horus. The pencils are super soft and are so blendable they can be smudged and used as eye shadows too. My favourite colour and type is Sapphire in the Goddess pencils. The texture is a rich matte and slightly metallic. Did I also mention that they are waterproof and have all day staying power- which is a plus during wet winter weather. Check out other colours such as sexy bronze to emerald greens….£17 https://eyeofhorus.uk.com/

Eye Spy: This year it is not a gift guide you need. That is why I’m not writing one this year. Instead, this on-going list, leading up to Christmas, is just some gifts I’ve eyed up. No suggestions here….but who am I to say you’re not going to go and buy them for a loved one…or for yourself?

Dripping in luxurious chrome and pop colours, the latest Gwen Stefani Harajuku fragrance collection has so much energy and makes the sweetest gesture. Cashmere woods, creamy musks and bursts of juicy apple and pear make up the bottle LOVE. If you know someone who is soft and comforting why not pair them with a bottle of BABY? From crushed berries to delectable coconut in the other scents these are a simple must have for the season! Exclusively at The Perfume Shop from Oct 31, 15ml-50ml sizes £14.95-£34.95 www.theperfumeshop.com

Twisting & shouting are two things that often happen at Christmas. In terms of one receiving a gift we hope that whatever we give could make these two things happen too. Crabtree & Evelyn’s Hand Therapy musical tins do just that- giving all year around while playing 263 Sleighride by Leroy Anderson. It’s destined to be a top 10! 12x 25g hand creams £48 at www.crabtree-evelyn.co.uk

Now I’m not suggesting any candies here, as perhaps with the Christmas season upon us you’re already hyper enough. For the friend who is vegan, the vegetarian, the cruelty-free ambassador, American made Cute Cosmetics’ Sugar Pill palette just might fit the bill-not to mention a bit of sparkle too! Melt the heart of any ice queen here: £24.95 http://www.cutecosmetics.co.uk/

Move over cocktails, and any other drinks with fancy umbrellas! There’s a new bottle of Disarrono for Christmas, and it is wearing VERSACE. Yes, you heard me right! In collaboration with VERSACE, the new Disarrono bottle dons magnificence in its design. £18.99 at 

http://www.drinksupermarket.com/disaronno-wears-versace-special-edition-bottle-50cl?gclid=CO-Iqaqhz8ECFWrjwgod3ScAYg

Beauty Says: Winter is here and that means the shoe of choice: BOOTS! What boot tribe are you? Over The Knee- OTK? Knee? Ankle? My choice is obvious with my styln'- #Ankle Tribe and this is how I would wear it. And from season to season DUO BOOTS has me covered! Check out this DUO's freshest inspiration to complete all your outfits and personalities whatever tribe of boot you are. Once you join a tribe you're ready to go to fight the uhm...cold war with winter! www.duoboots.com

VICHY Liftactiv Serum 10 is one of my top season’s beauty secrets. Lash serum was a product that was much raved about and saw much coverage last year. With so many different brands launching their own version many were going ‘blind’ trying to find the right one for their lashes. Lashes often take a daily toll with many of us applying and removing eyeliner, mascara, and eye shadows on a daily basis. You may find your lashes grown weak over time and may fall out more or faster if you’re a heavy duty mascara wearer. This is why finding a product that will feed the lashes is so important. May I introduce and suggest VICHY’s Liftactiv Serum 10. The top reason I am suggesting this lash serum is because it contains ceramides-the glue that hold surface skin cells together. With ceramides the lashes are able to actually be fortified and simply put stay stronger.

This serum though is not just for the lashes as it also illuminates and lifts the eye contours and truly makes eyes look younger and healthier. If you ever find yourself tired in the afternoon and have to still go to a meeting or see someone after work do put some of this on and you’ll be amazed by the compliments you will get. (Of course, whether you lie about how much sleep you really are getting is up to you). My tip for putting on this product is to use your fingertips and start from the inner corners on the eyes and swipe across the lashes and eyes outwards. After about three swiping movements slowly change to the regular ring finger circular motion technique and massage the eye product around the orbital bone. You will amazed at how refreshed the eyes look! You’ll have a whole new outlook! Another fab product that won’t break the bank: £24.50www.boots.com

Beauty Says: No one likes to admit that they are aging-when in fact, we all are no matter our age. I suppose past the two numbers 3-0 most of us do take skincare a bit more seriously. However, how serious is the skincare you are using taking or fighting off age aggressors such as sun spots and fine lines? I’ve been using for the most part for the last fifteen years a concoction of anti-aging skincare from top tier lines or brands. Lately though, I’ve felt that perhaps part of my cocktail are either not giving enough or perhaps have been less effective than in the past. This can often happen, and hence that is why many skincare experts do suggest swapping products from time to time. It’s not so much that the skin stops responding- but that it responds to other changes such as environment, or lifestyle changes (such as stress etc).

As of late, I’ve had a new concern in the skin department as I was suspecting age spots around the eye area. Had my recent love for the sun abroad finally caught up with my face? Never resting with such a pressing issue to do with my skin I found myself having a face mapping session done down at Dermalogica at Liberty of London. Dermalogica is well-known in the industry for their no nonsense approach to skin care that delivers results-full stop.

To my relief, I was told that I was not getting age spots around my eyes, but that I should take some extra care precautions with the Age Smart Series: Super Rich Repair Mosturiser + Ultasmoothing Eye Serum + Multivitamin Power Serum. After using it for about a month I have noticed a certain ‘bounce’ that has come back to the texture of the skin (that I haven’t felt since my twenties). I think this is perhaps down to the Super Rich Repair that contains peptides which encourage collagen production. The acid free complex in this moisturiser also helps skin gain elasticity and a better tone.

Lazy with eye creams? The ultrasmoothing eye serum it is not heavy and will soon become an addiction rather than a chore. With fortifying brown and red algae, and golden chamomile to fight puffiness it truly puts your eyes at rest. There’s a super secret too that is not commonly found in other creams too called the ultacalming complex- this helps to minimize sensitivity. So use this eye product with ease and perfection!

The Multivitamin Power Serum has exactly what it is on the label- a cocktail of vitamin A + C + E that is microencapsulated to decrease fine lines and fight off age spots. With no fragrance and colours or nasties this line of skincare is not only pleasurable to use but you know that it is working hard on all your concerns!

So the next time age is on your mind think smart, think age smart! Products £36.90-£62.20, get mapped and then get your products here: http://www.dermalogica.co.uk/uk/

Beauty Says: In my blogging adventures so far, one topic that I have never delved into is the technology avenue. I’m not sure what has made me turn my attention towards this area as of recent late. Perhaps it is my recent appointment with a developing fashion app in my marketing and PR work, or perhaps it is in my downtime I’ve been downloading new apps on my iphone. While fluttering on Twitter one afternoon I came across an enticing tweet to download some app called Vinted. Within minutes of opening this app I had discovered a world that was much to be described an amalgamation of Instagram + Ebay. My initial thoughts were what’s app with this?

Further research on Google, informed me that Vinted was first developed in 2008 as a place where young girls could swap and sell their used and unused high street fashion. It soon took off in the European market with further investment from a Lithuanian investor, and by 2014 has had more than 3 million members/users worldwide.

My first explorations with this app included going through the forum, and chatting to a couple of people who instantly added me and asked me to join them. My initial approach was all pretty much: Hello, I’m a newbie at this, what can you tell me about your experiences? Among other more obvious questions like how do you find selling versus buying here on this platform? The direct communication among members is definitely an asset to this app- as it enables direct interaction of the buying and selling to take place. For instance, my first purchase was solicited by a member who saw that I had favourite a few of her unworn COS items. Within minutes she had messaged me directly and made a deal and discount for the two items. Temptation was an understatement. After mulling it over the weekend, I found myself making my first and very satisfying purchase. The other interesting thing about the Vinted app is that it holds the funds from the seller until the item has been sent and received (being verified by the buyer). Not until the buyer verifies the receipt of the items does the seller receive their funds.

I’ve only been on Vinted now for about a fortnight, and while my buying appetite has been satisfied, I am not finding the same being said for my selling side. In the forum there seems to be a lot of advice from members to members about photo quality and a decent price point being a priority if one wants to be successful at selling. Some members say that it is best to wear and model the items you are selling in pictures rather than taking them on a hanger. I’m not shy but neither am I a poser of sorts. So I think for the time being I’ll be sticking to selling a few bits of accessories, and perhaps still selling my fashion items on the good ol’ Ebay. Did I also mention that in some circumstances (where marked on the item/post) you are able to swap items, instead of just buying or selling. I found this aspect of the platform most fascinating as the aspect of swapping solidifies this community of fashionistas. Surely, those who can swap, have the same tastes, and perhaps have more than that in common?!

I would rate the Vinted app as being a rather fair trading ground/platform versus more classical sites such as Ebay. There is a definite sense of community among its members, and there’s seemingly an unspoken sense of ethics and fairness in every sense of the word ‘fair trade’. Members are incredibly savvy of retail price points, and seem to know when items are only posing as ‘deals’. I’ve found more high street items within its categories and less of the high end that I’m usually into. Having said that, there are a few gems you can find within it if you do take the time to look. All in all, an app worthy of downloading and giving a go if you’re a clothes horse like me!

Download VINTED in the Apple App store or for more information go to www.vinted.com

Beauty Says: The temperature has certainly dropped since the last days of summer, and as winter creeps its way in what can we wear that will make our temperatures rise? I’m partial to a bit of animal print during the winter months as there is something about it that keeps the dreariness of Winter’s dark at bay. One thing you have to be careful of when you do wear animal prints like leopard print is not to overkill-as you risk looking a bit cheap. There has to be a careful balance and formula to how you wear it. This is why I often suggest it only in the form of accessories like shoes or handbags. If you do wear it in a piece of fashion make sure you’re pairing it with something plain and not too contrasting. Here are my season’s suggestions (and a wee lesson to you all on how to wear it) that are just hitting the shops and online retailers now:

The K Leopard Print Bag-Karl Lagerfeld

This bag was exclusively designed for my one-stop destination for bags and accessories: Monnier Freres. The combination of the contrasts in leopard print and red leather makes this bag incredibly tasteful. Notice the detailing and accents of the golden rivets on the strap and also the gold chain across the bag that seemingly has a note of equestrian style. The bag is available in November £540, but be quick as this could be a quick must-have and sell out! The ‘puurfect’ touch to any outfit or wardrobe!www.monnierfreres.co.uk

A/W Leopard Prints- Kate Spade

Leopard prints have leapt back into action at Kate Spade this season, and no one knows how to get it more together than Kate! In her A/W lookbook it is clear that Kate Spade gives us the valuable lesson of how to wear leopard prints by colour matching and contrasting.

Take the sweatshirt. As this is already rather busy on the front there is no need to wear any added jewellery as it risks it being too busy. Pair it down a bit to make it work with a pair of jeans or trousers in black or navy.

If the print is on a pair of trousers then the top must be plain and not printed. Varied textures are important in making it work. Note, that Kate has paired these blue leopard trousers with a navy raw silk top with beaded collar. Define that roar!

If the leopard print is grey the spots are often white or light pink. While wearing more light pink will work it is actually more advantageous to wear bright pink to make it pop. Pair it with bright pink shoes or a top. Kate has paired it with this bubblegum shade bag. 

Finally, if it is traditional leopard print the key is to wear red. Having said that, do be careful as too much of it can bring down the image of a look that s suppose to be divine. The secret to the success of wearing this combination is to use the red to only accent and bring a highlight to the leopard print piece. Kate has matched her leopard print coat with a pair of red shoes or a red skirt.

Kate Spade’s leopard print pieces are available now and online £148 and up www.katespade.com

The Leopard Print Heel

To wear a leopard print heel is true fashion sophistication. I believe there is a real knack for this-this is especially true when finding the right tights to go with them if you are wearing a skirt or dress. For starters, the dress or skirt must be plain in colour. Then you have to correctly match the colour of the skirt with the tights that compliments the shoes. Usually the no brainer of choice would be black. My suggestion is to also try an aqua blue or an aubergine colour in the stocking department. (Patterned tights by the way, is a big no-no.) If you’re wearing trousers make sure the shape is pencil or slouchy and never wear socks with the shoes. Pointed toes is also a key feature when looking at leopard printed heels. My top choice of the season are the Elsie Calf Pumps available at J.Crew, £358 www.jcrew.com