Beauty Says: Ever known for being whimsical and in good spirits in fashion, Moschino, has launched their capsule collection this season with loads of teddy bears. I personally am rather partial to a scarf or an i-phone case. The piece d’resistance in this collection has to be the full-fur head cross-body bag-which has been featured all over instagram, and apps since its reveal at fashion week. My suggestion is that this look is better for the weekend than the office. Wear with jeans or denim fabrics to give it more of a grown-up or juxta-posing edge (as to not make it too cute or immature.)

Pieces in this capsule collection is incredibly affordable ranging from £105-£588., available on www.monnierfreres.co.uk

 Are you ready to Bear It? 

Beauty Says: Spring beauty often is about being minimalistic, and new lips colours coming back onto the market and in stock will often be pale. Where is the wow factor in that? Upon flipping through the instagram feed one day I discovered some incredibly sparkly lips withBeauty Boulevard and their product: Glitter Lips.

My first reaction was the concern about ending up eating the sparkle despite the lip product looked aesthetically amazing. Investigating further into this matter I am happy to report that the sparkle is applied on top of a lip gloss bond-sealing in the sparkles. I think this product is a great asset to Spring’s fashion bring the BOLD back into it! To apply, you will have to do the upper and bottom lip separately. Apply the bond and then carefully dust the sparkles on top. 

To remove: use an oil-based make-up remover and rub gently so that you do not hurt or damage the skin on the lips. The top tip is to also moisturise the lips after you remove all the glitter. My favourite colour is the classic red-Ruby Slippers. It will make you want to go toKansasagain! 

Binky Felstead is a fan….and I think you can also stand out and glow this season. Think of how amazing it can look with tan bronzed skin in the summer too! Now are you going to put your mouth where the sparkle is? £6.50 for lip bond, £12.50 for sparkles at: www.beautyboulevard.co.uk

Beauty Says: There can’t be just one undying love when it comes to handbags for any girl. One brand, I particularly esteem besides the bigger names I collect such as Louis Vuitton and FENDI is Furla. Italian crafted leathers this brand for handbags is anything but just another handbag house. In 2011, the house of FURLA made waves with the launch of a plastic handbag collection known as the Candy Collection. The house of FURLA has a long standing history since 1927 when it was founded by the Furlanetto family. Since then, the business has been passed on from generation to generation within the family, and today has an international global presence known for its true Italian design and craftsmanship. 

 Style it with scarves around the handles, or key rings to add more colour. I’m thinking something a bit more sweet…how about a candy bear key chain to seal the deal?

For heads turning to you and approving true style remember FURLA- #ForeverFurla.

Beauty Says: What’s new in fashion? Well, it seems a major movement is on the rise of mixing fashion and technology. The last few seasons has seen some nifty apps and technological advances showcased at Westfields London with many fashion brands and partners. This season, from March 27-29 at Westfield London, and April 2-4 at Westfield Stratford, will partner with Inition to host an event called Future Fashion.

Future Fashion is described to ‘an immersive pop-up experience’-which is a new way to experience the season’s trends through technology. I hear that you can see trends such as denim, floral and future modern through virtual reality and avatars. In the virtual reality world you can fly through fashion using Virtual Reality headsets with gesture tracking technology you can see your own hands in a virtual world. There, you can mix and match different trends with fantastical space, and direct your own conceptual fashion journey. I am most excited to try out the fashion avatars, as on a large screen you can be represented through your own fashion avatar. There you can see the avatar appear, as if woven from threads, and create sweeping shapes and movements with the newest trends of floral or denim. After creating these shapes and designs you will be able to curate your own fashion pieces and discover the new looks that can be found with the retailers within the centre. The giant touch screens let you go into the Edit Me app of the Westfield Centre to discover all the looks for you without leaving the event space. There is only one way to discover this…and that is to make sure not to miss this super cool event and be there! I’m looking forward and to go have a play myself….

I often get asked anywhere and everywhere I go, as soon as someone discovers that I am a beauty blogger or skin care expert: ‘What is the one product everyone should use? Or worse, ‘What is your favourite product? My answer is firm (like my skin), but fair (also like my skin): You should use what is ‘right’ for your skin and not what is right for mine. Truth lies in my statement because it is a fact that your skin is the largest organ of your body, and what you do to it, such as sun bathing, or other lifestyle choices such as sleeping too late, smoking, drinking, and food choices are none other than your own. These choices, ultimately, affect your skin and hence, needs to be helped or nourished by skincare.

At this point, I want to be clear, that there is no one miracle product on the market. There are those that cover a wide range of skin types, and in general, could benefit most of them, which brings me the topic of this feature: HEALGEL.

I’ve wanted to try this product for quite some time, but never have had the opportunity until of recent late; I was offered a small sample by the company. I saved the precious little vial as I was deciding when would be a good time to use it. One late night I made a terrible decision of putting on some depilatory cream on my upper lip as I had run out of wax strips. The depilatory cream burned my skin and left it raw and dry. Fearing that I had damaged my skin I contemplated which of my moisturisers would sooth and heal this ‘boo boo’. It was then, that the HEALGEL caught my eye and taking a deep breath I smothered it on hoping to put out the fire that had caught ablaze on my face.

The HEALGEL instantly calmed the sore skin, and upon inspecting the area in the morning found it to be rehydrated and not raw. I was dubious that this product could actually do what it said on the bottle. Most of the comments and from what I read about it was that it was a well-balanced moisturiser for day and night, and an advanced formula for the face and neck that counters the visible signs of aging. I am impressed to also find that this HEALGEL for the face has a triple phase hyaluronic acid complex- meaning that it gives an instant firming and plumping effect. It also has a unique blend of omega and seed oils to hydrate and improve elasticity. These oils was what was probably the defining factor in helping to regenerate the skin so fast over night after my accident. (The other factor for the instant cooling of the skin is that HEALGEL is an aquaeous based gel cream.)

So the next time I get asked the unbearable skincare questions, I think I might opt to suggest HEALGEL for the face, as my face does in fact owe it more than just praise for being a skin care wonder indeed! All hail HEALGEL!

For HEALGEL face £48, or other HEALGEL products for face and body go to www.healgel.co.uk

Beauty Says: Well Spring is here now and that means we’re looking for fresh and vibrant inspirations within both beauty and fashion. Spring’s palette for colour is all about pastels, and softer colours that were inspired by rays of sunshine (soon on their way). While I like the softer, more minimalistic approach, I often think that wearing too little in the make-up department makes us look washed out. That is why I’ve chosen some of these key products for my SPRING Make-up Lesson to keep it well-defined while updating to paler colours and a less is more look….

VLM Mascara: I discovered this product by mistake as it was given to me in a gift bag during London Fashion Week. Unlike all other mascaras that can clump, flake or smudge, this mascara is tear proof and can be built up from day to night. As like all mascaras, the secret is in the brush. VLM’s brush is great for adding length, thickness, volume and can separate lashes while curling them too. There is definitely no need to curl with the curlers. Their formula also has added vitamins and waxes that encourage the growth of lashes, and is paraben-free. You can do many looks with just the one mascara depending on how you apply it. VLM calls this THE CODE. 

Here is an example of CODE FELINE where besides a natural look you can take a more feline approach by popping the brush as close as the lashes as you can and wriggling it several times backwards and forwards. Roll the brush out from root to tip at a 45 degree angle.

I recommend this mascara for Spring’s look purely because it such a versatile product to have handy in the bag to definite the eyes, and bring them out rather than being washed out by pale eye shadows. If you’ve got the VLM mascara + lipstick, you’re good to go Spring Forward!

VLM is available at Harvey Nichols £20  http://www.harveynichols.com/483741-code-beautiful-vlm-mascara/

 Nail Kale By Nails Inc: Feed the nails this spring with Nail Kale by Nails Inc. It essentially is a superfood to feed the nails. Nail Kale this Spring is coming in vibrant sorbet colours from pink to oranges. My favourite and most recommended shade is Abbey Road, a lilac purple. While soft, it’s a bit different than your typical pinks and oranges, and looks great with any outfit for added attention. £14 at www.nailsinc.com

Limited Edition Paul & Joe Face & Eye Colour Palette: This palette a four piece wonder put into one little box. When I first opened it I was in awe of how pretty and sweet it was with all the animals in it. (Such a shame to put a brush to it), but even more of a wonder was when I went to use it. 

You can mix and match using the colours from eyes to face (as blusher) to transferring some of these to eyes. Look at , the look I’ve created below. I used the lighter pink colour to highlight the darker pink blusher, and layered the other colours for the eyes blending them all together. Pale needn't be a 70s frosted look...as you can see here. It can be simple, fresh, while well-defined.

The box comes in 3 colour sets, and is great for travel as all the essentials are there. Without looking too pale, there is a colour in each box that will add more fun to the mix such as turquoise, yellow or sea green (the hippo colour). Try using the colours on top of one another too as I have with the paler pink shade on top of the darker pink shade as a blusher…..amazing….Available £25 at www.asos.com

Vichy NORMADERM Night Detox: For a real skin refresher you might want to try VICHYs new Normaderm. Smooth this over the skin at night before you sleep. I woke the next mornings, after putting this product on, and could feel that there was less oil on areas such as the nose and upper lips, and the skin had this clean feeling to it. After a week, I also noticed that pores seem to be less visible and some of the dullness in my skin was reduced. This is a great product to use this time of year, as the skin can be a bit fussy, with all the weather changes. The skin sometimes gets confused and can produce more or less oils-creating imbalances-this product corrects those imbalances so that you don’t wake with blemishes, or unhealthy looking skin. It’s your skin’s secret weapon to looking flawless and feeling fresh as a daisy! £15 at www.boots.com (product is on offer at time of publishing this piece)

Snob Says: Easter needn’t be a festivity that you get yourself all in a huff and fight someone down at the super market for the last leg of lamb. No. Relax and just do a booking for your table and enjoy, but if you’re going to do this, then do it now rather than later. To get your table you’ve got to hop to it to not wait in line. I’ve got a few suggestions here for Easter feasting that is just fabulous….consider these….

Why not do something a bit different this Easter and celebrate it with a Russian twist? The Rabbit & The Shed, will be offering their diners a traditional Easter delicacy called Paskha. Paskha is made with egg custard and will be enjoyed at this particular meal with The Gladwin’s home-made hot cross buns. Originating from Eastern Orthodox countries, Paskha was made form forbidden foods during Lent such as eggs, vanilla, almonds and raisins. If that sounds naughty to you would like an egg-stra naughty ending to the meal then definitely book this!

EASTER at Rabbit & The Shed
3rd-6th April 2015

Rabbit
172 Kings Road
London, SW3 4UP
Website: www.rabbit-restaurant.com 
Tel: 020 3750 0172
Twitter: @RabbitResto

Opening hours – Monday from 6pm, Tuesday-Saturday lunch and dinner, Sunday from 12pm

The Shed
112 Palace Gardens Terrace,
London,
W84RT
http://theshed-restaurant.com/

Twitter: @theshed_resto

What’s the top favourite for Easter meals? Well, as the weather warms up it has to be celebrations with lamb! Just in time for Easter, Randall & Aubin have created a lunch offer with the most beautiful vibrant salads accompanied by flavoursome cannon leg of lamb and a glass of Pinor Noir all at a low cost of £10.50. This exclusive offer is part of the seasonal menu which changes from month to month in celebration of the fresh ingredients that pop up during certain times of the year!  I’m loving this offer and there are no dishes that will be left behind…..I’m a few hops ahead of you for the booking! Book Now:

Randall & Aubin
14- 16 Brewer St, London W1F 0SG
T: 020 7287 4447
Facebook: Randall & Aubin
T & IG: @Randallandaubin

Opening hours
Monday – Wednesday 12pm – 11pm
Thursday – Saturday 12pm – 12am
Sunday 12pm – 10pm