Another Brush

This is one of the latest brushes by MAC; the 130. When it comes to brushes, I personally feel that MAC make too many. It's far too confusing and even makeup artists don't use or advocate the entire collection that they sell.

That said though, I have become very attached to this one since I was sent it a while ago. MAC say it can be used with creams or powders but I didn't like it for powder foundations or blushers...it was just ineffective. It's also too small a head to use for a liquid foundation...don't get me wrong; it applies it fine, it would just take far too long!

I think the 130's true calling is to apply and buff out cream blusher. It does this perfectly. If you ever find it a bit tricky to get cream blush just right or tend to put too much on and end up too rosy; this brush will remedy that. It gives a wash of colour over the cheek and you can buff it out towards the hairline with exceptional ease.

I love a tool that makes the job easy...this is one of those.

A Lovely Wedding

I totally love signs at weddings! As a writer myself and coming from a family where the written and spoken word is highly valued ( we are a clan of writers, broadcasters and musicians!) So I can really imagine using something like this at my wedding. Isn't it great?

Cute informal bridesmaids and cool groomsmen..love the converse!

I love this shot... look at the look in his eyes...intense!

I always like the shoe shot!

The ladies... great style...bet it was a fun wedding.

(see more of this wedding over on once wed)

Colour Pop

This is a great idea to showcase kid's art...isn't it lovely. Baby's first gallery space!

A blast of orange to warm up a white backround...

Doesn't this kitchen counter look so inviting... I could happily sit on those stools and chat, glass of wine in hand while someone else cooks!

(images via erin ever after and design sponge)

Wahooooo

It sure is a Happy Monday today my dears! You may remember my post last week about little Molly; my next door neighbours five year old daughter who fell out a window two weeks ago and suffered terrible brain injuries? Well, we've been enlisting as many people as we can to say prayers or send good vibes or to just think about her (whatever works for you!) and I am so glad and inspired to say that it's working!!

We heard this morning that she has come off life support, she can see, she can talk and she can move all her limbs! The doctors are astounded and can't say why she's recovering, she just is. One even mentioned the word 'miracle'.

All I know is that little Molly is coming back and I think it's down to the power of people delving deep into their hearts and souls to mentally pull her back from the brink.... That, and Mollys own strength and bravery and her parents sheer determination that they would not let their little girl go under any circumstances.

She's not out of the woods by any means yet, but it's not as dark as it was and she's in the woods with all the people who love her and she'll be running out into the sunlight soon we hope....

(P.S the winner of the Friday Freebie is Funny Face Beauty...email me your address!)

The Friday Freebie

Whew! It's been a pretty hectic week, so I do apologise for the light posting. I was at the Prudence Beauty Awards last night which was a glittering and fun event. The glamour was high and the giggles were many. I will share some of my winning products with you next week, but go and check out the mag...it's a great read and you can see all the other judges tips there.

Back to today though....I have a great powder to give to one of you! Revlon ColorStay powder is one of my kit essentials. It's superb for controlling shine without becoming cakey on the skin. It's light yet powerful so any of you who feel a bit combination or prone to getting shiney...this one's for you.

Leave me a comment below and check back on Monday.

Have a great weekend!

Back To Basics

They're back. Again. Of course ( they'll never go out of style)

Classic trench, blue denim and tan leather...yum.

Masculine tailoring for strong, beautiful femininity...love the simplicity.

Clear, clean lines with a detail on the shoulder, the essential cropped trouser and a leather belt (with everything!)

The minimalist in me is happy.

(Top two H&M, bottom Burberry)

Sorry for the Silence

The universe is conspiring against my posting this week! My broadband is tired and emotional and keeps dropping the signal. My daughter is a teething lunatic who will not let me put her down or leave her side for love nor money and I have had some writing deadlines so have had to look after those as a priority. So I do apologise for lack of normal service on Ellie loves...

I do not have to make excuses for this lovely brush however. This Kabuki brush by Ecotools is my new BBF (best brush friend!) The synthetic taklon bristles are 100% cruelty free and really soft on the skin. They are densely packed too so the product is applied very well; I'm using mine for bronzer, but it's also great for powder and minerals. All of the brushes handle and packaging are environmentally worthy, they are as cheap as chips in Boots and it performs fantastically....what's not to love!

Me, on the other hand, should be performing more fantastically tomorrow (broadband allowing!)

Dress Hunting

I have a few events coming up...two weddings and the Prudence Magazine Beauty Awards night this Thursday, so I'm looking for a dress to impress.

These four are my favourite from Victoria Beckham's current collection... Unfortunately, me being a mere mortal, I won't be shopping from her line so hopefully there are some good copies out there!

I know people say she doesn't design them and they are a rip off of Roland Mouret and perhaps even he himself designs for her...who cares! They are fantastic no matter who designs them and I think I believe Victoria, she has a true fashion intuition and her dresses are damn sexy.

Full length fabulous...

I love the high waist and draping on the top.....mmmm

Little People

I'm late to post today because I stayed up late watching Stepmom on TV and crying my heart out! I'm not sure whether it's because I recently became one, but I find that my heartstrings get pulled very easily now that I am a parent; I empathise so much with all Mums and Dads. This movie is super sad but really quite beautiful and would resonate with anyone who is involved in the adventure of bringing up little people, be they natural or step parents.

I've so much on my mind to do with parenting and cherishing our little ones these days as my good friend's little girl had a terrible accident one week ago and is still critical... please send some good vibes to lovely little Molly if you can.

So, back to the movie...Susan Sarandon, Julia Roberts and Ed Harris each give a powerhouse performance that left me sobbing and with swollen eyes I had to sneak in to give Lu a kiss before I went to bed; I was bursting with love for her!

I'm so looking forward to her life and to her and me having fun, dressing up and dancing to Motown songs together!

So, here's to parenting; one of the hardest things you'll ever do, the most worrying, the most exhausting but definitely the best.

P.S. Happy Monday! and the winner of The Friday Freebie is Fiona.

The Friday Freebie

I have a lovely giveaway for one of you this week! Copper is such a big look this season and it's so flattering on all eyes but particularly baby blues and gorgeous greens. This pencil is the Glittering Eyeliner by Sisley in Copper Gold. The name says it all really...

It's a lovely liner pencil, I use the black one with silver glitter all the time. Use it to line the eyes above and below and smudge it in underneath the lower lashes for a coppery sparkle at night time.

Leave me a comment below to be in the draw.

Have a sparkling weekend darlings!

Chartreuse & Grey

I love these two colours together. A grey backdrop with a pop of chartreuse is so gorgeous. It's fresh and unusual and lively; I love it. We have a big canvas in our living room painted in varying tones of this shade with cushions to match on the leather couch. No grey though...hhmm, think it may be time for a re-paint!

Cool feature door...

I' m loving this chartreuse silk shirtdress with the grey socks from J Crew (couldn't find a pic without the text, sorry!)

(top image from Living etc)

My New Fave

I was with my very wonderful skin guru, Peggy Stringer, a few days ago. She owns the Monkstown Laser Skin Clinic and she is solely responsible for sorting out my skin after I got adult acne at 29 years old. I was miserable after having clear skin for my teens and twenties only to be sabotaged just before I turned 30! I tried lots of the pharmacy brands to try to help at the time but nothing seemed to really work. My skin might improve somewhat after trying new products but then inevitably regress back to badness.

When I went to Peggy, I immediately trusted her; she knows what she's doing and it's obvious from the first few minutes with her. When your skin has broken out and you can't understand why, you feel pretty low. Makeup doesn't improve the situation, it only adds to the bumpiness and you are crying out for someone to swoop in like a skin angel and help!

Peggy put me on a new regime with the fantastic Jan Marini products which I followed religiously and she treated my skin with glycolic peels and micro-dermabrasion. Honestly, after a few treatments, my skin started to glow again.

The glycolic system is excellent for acne sufferers or those with dull skin. It gets in deep and soothes and exfoliates but chemically, not physically. Don't freak out! It's an alpha-hydroxy acid which is derived from sugar cane and it is very soothing; it just kick starts your cell rejuvenation and allows your moisturiser to get in and do it's work without getting blocked by dead skin cells. It is much more gentle than using abrasive exfoliants which can scratch and irritate your poor inflamed skin.

There are glycolics abounding on the mass market nowadays such as Neostrata but they are a much weaker concentration than the professional treatments so therefore they are fine if your skin is relatively ok but if your skin is in need of a serious overhaul, you need to find your skin angel too.

Anyway, I still go to Peggy every couple of months for a glycolic peel (and just to chat; she is a fountain of knowledge about skin!). My skin is so much improved with no acne at all for the past few years other than the occasional minor eruption which is always due to me not following my regime properly and testing too many new makeup products on myself!

So when I was with her this week I was complaining about the fine lines that are increasing on my cheeks when I smile. She told me it's because I used to smoke ( I know, my bad) and she gave me a new serum to add to my arsenal. It is the Jan Marini C-Esta Serum which I am using once a day on clean skin and under my moisturiser. I can't praise this enough... I adore it. It is chock full of stable vitamin C in a lipid formula, which means that 'it is able to create conditions in the skin that enable dramatic rejuvenation'.

Now, I kid you not... I swear that I can see the difference after only three days use! My skin looks brighter and firmer. It actually looks younger! I totally don't stand over ludicrous claims that the skincare industry makes...I think they are ridiculous and unfair as they play on women's insecurities. So please believe me when I tell you that this works.

Obviously, I will have to see how it works over time, and I will certainly keep you posted, but for the moment, I am happily amazed.

Wedding Heaven

I haven't been to New York for about 5 years and the clock is ticking; I'm dying to go back again. You know that urge to go somewhere when you can't stop thinking about it?...the pull is so strong. Well as soon as I do manage to get there (NYC with a toddler? hhmm...why not!) one of my first stops will be the new J Crew Bridal store. It's their first store dedicated to all things wedding related and it showcases the fabulous J Crew signature styling overseen by the so, so talented Jenna Lyons.

The interior alone has a wow factor. It's designed to look like a French salon but with endless quirky details to get your ideas flowing (and to loosen the purse strings no doubt!) The brides and bridesmaid dresses are mixed in with items from the main J Crew line to show how to accessorize to perfection.

I love the nuetral colour palette with pops of strong colours like tangerine and peacock blue...

So much inspiration...not just for weddings but home too!

Talk about making your wedding dress shopping easy! Stunning, roomy changing areas with flattering light..unlike some of the bridal shops I've been into where you're shoved behind a curtain with barely any room to get the damn dress on...and then you have to come out to the shop floor to look in the mirror where everyone can see you as you deliberate in public about the most important dress decision you'll ever have to make. Privacy please!

J Crew have it sussed with this stunning boutique...

And in case you're wondering; this is my current fave from their collection. So whenever I manage to get there, you know this will be the first one I try on...

...but I'll be my lovely changing area where no-one can see!

Looks Good Naked

I saw a preview of the new Naked palette from Urban Decay and it sure is lovely. Now, they are all shimmery and some of them really are quite shiny but the pigments are strong and the slip is great which means that they glide on to the skin very easily and the colours last very well.

This is perfect for young eyes but if you are concerned about crepey lids, stay away.

The shade collection spans the spectrum of nudes and neutrals with a couple of smoky shades.

It's a good addition to any makeup bag if you don't have a lot of these shades already....perhaps it may be best for the younger makeup junkies among you, but it's a winner for sure and it will sell out so get your name down!

Emma does Mia

I've previously posted about how I think Emma Watson is one-to-seriously-watch in the style stakes and now she's really proved it. It's a brave things to tackle a pixie cut as it's so damn drastic but she's rocking this look for sure!

Isn't she the image of Mia Farrow now?

Beautiful.

(image from happenstance)

All or Nothing

There are two things going on with eyebrows at the moment; strong definition or bleached out nothingness. It's pretty polarising among makeup artists and I know which camp I'm in. I just love a strong brow; I think it gives the face a beautiful power and it enlarges the eyes so well by making the entire eye space look bigger. In my view there are two types of defined brow; the natural and the unnatural. The shot above shows the unnatural...so called as it is an obvious mis-match for the hair colour but it looks great with the smudgy smokey eye.

This is the natural, strong brow and I think this is my favourite. The brow itself is left at it's true shape and thickness with just the minimal grooming to define the arch. It has been defined with some colour; most probably powder and wax, but very softly...no colour blocking as there is in the first picture. This is a great day to day brow that looks amazing.

I have two favourite products that I use to define brows. The Brow Zing by Benefit is fantastic as it's a complete kit with tweezers, brushes, powder and wax. It comes in a variety of shades so match the colour to your brows or as close as you can get. I've used these kits for years. Apply the colour through the hairs with the slanted brush using light feathery strokes. Concentrate the colour from the arch outwards following the shape of your brows. Don't try to draw in a new shape; it always looks bad. Apply a tiny amount of the wax on top to set the hairs and take care of any of those little hairs that always seem to grow out at a 90 degree angle!

For the darker brow I like to use one of the brow pencils by MAC. They are fantastic for building up density but do take it easy; you are looking for sexy strong eyes not Groucho Marx's sister.

On the other side is Lara Stone. She became famous and got so much more work after she bleached her brows away. Now, I get it, I just don't love it. I think she looks amazing and almost other-worldy but is that what you want?

It's a great high fashion look and as it puts the focus directly on the eyes, it's a good way to showcase interesting eye makeup designs. All you need to copy Lara is a pot of Jolen cream bleach and brush it through the hairs for about five minutes and you'll be whited out...but would you?

Seriously, would you? Which camp are you in?

(first two images via Jennifer Behr and Happenstance)

Home Thoughts

I've just been having a peek at Elle Decor, it's one of my favourite wastes of time!

I love the style of the homes they feature. The kitchen above is more minimal than my usual taste but I like the details; the brushed steel cabinets, huge flower display and artwork on the counters are fabulous.

Great table and oversized vase display (hmm, a theme today methinks!)

Nice display for a lot of crockery...these people must entertain a lot!

I really like the idea of using an old table as a prep surface, perfect for storing nice looking pots and casserole dishes beneath...

The Chanel Paradox

I'm sure a lot of you have seen this by now; it's been blogged about for a while but I just got my mitts on it the other day. It is Paradoxal; the new hot nail polish by Chanel.

I tried it out and I have to say I like it a lot, I'm not going crazy about it but I think that's because I'm still dragging out the summer looks and it feels a little wintery to me...I won't give in to the dark shades just yet!

That said, it's a really interesting mix of tones. It's a metallic aubergine with a hint of mink underneath so fans of last seasons ubiquitous Particuliere will be happy with the colour connect.

Chanel are used to creating a wave of hysteria with their fashion forward nails each season and this one will cause as much fuss and frenzy so if you love it, get your name down at a counter!

Good Morning!

Happy Monday my dears. Did you have a good weekend? We had glorious weather here which is a little unusual to say the least; our summer seems to have peaked in June and left us with grey skies for all of July and so far into August. So the nation took to the beaches and fired up the BBQs over the past few days and we're a happier bunch today by far!

We're having a sneaky day off today; Ivan isn't working as the restaurant is closed on Mondays and we're going to hang out by the sea after I cook us up a big breakfast...I love days off when the masses have gone back to their routines... smug, I know, but lovely nonetheless!

*The winner of The Friday Freebie is Nicoletta...send me your email and it's on the way, and you have a lovely name by the way!*

(images via the lovely happenstance)

The Friday Freebie

Get ready to Flutter my friends! Today I have a Big and Curvy mascara from The Body Shop to give to one of you. I tried this recently for myself and thought it was very nice...good brush for getting in to all the lashes, not too wet and therefore not smudgy. It's not as volumising as some of the products I've been trying on my lashes lately but it is what I class as a nice everyday mascara.

You know what to do...leave me comment below to be in the draw and check back on Monday to see who will be batting their lashes coquette-ishly next week!

Have a lovely weekend full of good things

Fireplace Gallery

This just caught my eye...isn't it a lovely way to show photos or polaroids that would be lost in a frame all on their own. Shown together they have such impact....love it.