Collection 2000 Extreme 24hr Felt Tip Liner

Eyeliner lovers, rejoice!

I am always super excited when I come across a true beauty bargain. These Collection 2000 felt tip liners as exactly that. At £2.99, they come in 4 great colours, including black, packed with pigment, easy to apply and very long lasting. I bought the blue, teal and purple ones as they make a nice difference to the classic black colour. All 3 shades are very flattering and easy to wear and give just enough pop of colour to liven up your make up look. They have a slightly glossy finish which looks elegant and understated. The felt tips are a lovely elongated shape that makes for an effortless application and perfect for drawing a flick. 

If you are an eyeliner novice, try and apply the pen as closely to the eye lashes as possible and let it glide over them. Worry less about drawing a perfect line and more about filling in all the gaps between the eye lashes. Short strokes work best if you find it hard to control the line. The pen will do the rest for you. For youthful eye lift effect, end the line a centimetre above the outside corner of your eye and draw a flick upwards. Ladies with hooded, deep set eyes or small eyelids should aim at drawing a thin line to avoid making their eyes appear smaller. The larger the visible part of your eyelids is when your eyes are open- the thicker the line you can get away with. For elongated feline looking eyes, start the line 2/3rds from the inner eye socket and make it thicker towards the outer corner.

Lastly, the Collection 2000 Extreme 24hr Felt Tip Liners are very long lasting and you may struggle to remove them with some make up removers. I use Bioderma Crealine H2O to take them off and it works well. Another great alternative would be an oil-based eye make up remover. 

Feed Your Skin Healthy

You have probably heard this already, but there is no skincare or make up product in the world that could give you the glow that well nourished skin has naturally. If you are unhappy with how your skin looks, it is worth exploring whether there are underlying medical conditions you need to get checked out. Healthy people need to consider the following when thinking about how to improve the look of their skin:

More of: 

Water- I cannot stress highly enough the importance of water for supple healthy looking skin. 2-3 litres daily of water, green or herbal tea is a great daily target to aim for. 

Vegetables- Pick them in variety of colours and have them with most meals. Most vitamins contained in vegetables need good fats to allow for their absorption, so don't skimp on the olive oil on your salad or the butter in your meal.

Fruit- All types of berries are packed full of antioxidants and low on natural sugars. Make sure you eat some fruit every day, just be mindful of the quantities of sweeter fruit (such as exotic ones) consumed. A bowl of natural yoghurt, topped with berries and some almond flakes is a great way to start the day.

Protein- Whether you are a meat lover, pescatarian, vegetarian or vegan, protein should form a large proportion of your diet. Eggs, fresh meats, fish, seafood, pulses and nuts, cheese, as well as leafy vegetables are all great sources of protein.

Fats- Despite their bad reputation, fats are our friends. There is an overwhelming research about the importance of good fats for the functioning of our bodies. Fats keep us slim, they make our skin, hair, nails and eyes sparkle and also make everything taste so much better. The foodie that I am, I  cannot get enough of full fat diet, after years of eating low fat boring meals. Aim for natural fats such as olive and vegetable oil, butter, lard, nut based oils, avocado oil and the truly amazing and versatile coconut oil.

Keeping active- whatever exercise you prefer, keeping active will help your skin look its best. Ideally you want to spend at least 20 mins outside every day and reap the full benefits, both for your body and mind, of staying connected with nature.

Sleep- Regular sleep for at least 7 hours will make your skin look as young as it can possibly can be. You simply cannot fake the effect of a good night's sleep even with the best skincare or make up available. If you are a new mum or a busy professional who doesn't have the luxury of regular uninterrupted sleep (I have been there myself), please make sure you slot in as many daytime naps you possibly can.

Kindness- Be kind to yourself and others. It will make you feel good and your skin will glow from within.

Less of:

Sugar - You will hate me for saying this, but it has to be said. Sugar is bad not only for 

your waistline, but for your skin too.  Simple carbohydrates, like refined sugar, white bread and cakes, cause your insulin levels to spike, which causes inflammation throughout the body. Inflammation produces enzymes that break down collagen and elastin, resulting in sagging skin and wrinkles. Digested sugar permanently attaches to the collagen in your skin through a process known as glycation. Aside from increasing the effects of aging, glycation can also exacerbate skin conditions like acne and rosacea. Plus, the more sugar you eat, the more likely it is you'll develop insulin resistance, which can manifest as excess hair growth (hirsutism) and dark patches on the neck and in body creases. Sugar is contained in many foods, from simple carbs such as cakes and biscuits, to low fat foods and natural fruit. It is worth making an informed choice about the foods you put in your body. Do not assume that just because something is natural or appears healthy, it necessarily is good for your skin and weight. Generally a high in protein and fats diet, with lots of vegetables, full fat natural yoghurt and small amounts of fruit should alleviate existing sugar cravings and help with keeping your body and skin healthy.

Alcohol, Tobacco, Processed Food- Nothing new here, we all know these are not great for us and should be used with caution. 

Stress- It ages you, and it is not good for your heart and mind. Whether it is something you can actively avoid or need to manage long-term, there are a plenty of ways to do so. Please do not delay dealing with stress.

Supercharge your skincare routine

Winter is by far the hardest season for our skin to cope with. The constant change between hot and cold environments causes irritation, dehydration and exaggerates underlying skin problems. As a rule of thumb using more intensive moisturisers and treatments for specific skin concerns should help keep your skin in good condition.

I have combination skin with oily T-zone which is also mildly sensitive. Generally I use serums as my moisturisers as I find creams to be way too rich for my skin. In the last month or so I have been using La Roche Posay Hydraphase UV Intense Light as my daytime moisturiser. It is aimed at dehydrated, normal to combination sensitive skins and contains a broad spectrum SPF 20. I find it to be very absorbent, leaving my skin soft and hydrated throughout the day, without looking shiny.  I used it as my eye cream too. The hydrator's main ingredient is Hyaluronic Acid which helps keep water in the skin. It is an excellent base for make up too.

If you  suffer with redness and find it becomes more problematic during the winter months, I can thoroughly recommend La Roche Posay Rosaliac AR Intense Localised Anti-Redness Care. It is a soothing serum designed to calm the skin, reduce signs of rosacea, and also prevents its reappearance. You can apply it day and night over the areas of concern. A little bit goes a long way and once sunk in, the serum leaves no residue. You should see an improvement in your skin condition after a month or so of using it.

People with dry and mature skin would love Avene Eluage Cream, which is formulated to tackle loss of firmness, wrinkles and dryness. It feels rich, yet light and leaves a lovely dewy finish on the skin. I use it over drier areas on the face and find it does not cause any breakouts and nourishes my skin very well.

Another great budget-friendly serum that most skin types would love is the Boots Botanics Super Serum Radiant Youth. Packed with antioxidants, it helps protect skin from environmental damages and keep it healthy. It is gentle, non-greasy and suitable for most skin types. 

Big Glossy Hair

I am pretty useless at styling my hair and rely on products that make the process as easy as possible. My hair is thin, wavy and below the shoulders and I most often use my beloved BaByliss Big Hair to style it. Now, there are two Big Hair stylers- the original 50mm one and the 42mm one. I have tried them both and would recommend the bigger one for people with thicker and longer hair, and the smaller one- for people with thinner or shorter hair. 

Here is what I do when I want a quick blow dry that leaves my hair big and bouncy. I wash and towel dry my hair. Then I liberally apply TIGI Catwalk Your Highness Root Boost Spray onto the roots and massage it in. I also apply either Organix Moroccan Argan Oil or Kerastase Resistance Ciment Thermique to the middle and ends of the hair. I use a hair dryer to dry my hair whilst tipped forward until almost dry. Then I use BaByliss Big Hair, still with my hair tipped forward and slowly run it through all sections, by pumping the volume into the roots and creating loose flicks at the ends. When my hair is dry, I tip is back and use the styler to finish off any stray hairs before letting it cool down for a minute or so. Styled this way, my hair looks great for up to 2 days.

On days between washes I prefer to use Urban Fudge Texture Blaster, which is a cross between a dry shampoo and a hair spray. Applied to the roots of the hair, it is amazing at giving extra body and texture to hair that is limp and in need of volume. It mattifies the hair and smells faintly of coconut. The great thing about the Texture Blaster is that by massaging the roots occasionally throughout the day, it produces more volume, whilst keeping the hair movement and without a sticky residue. An added bonus is that is leaves no colour or white cast, unlike most dry shampoos.

• TIGI Catwalk Your Highness Root Boost Spray- both Amazon and HQ Hair tend to have great offers on it. It's fairly economical and a bottle should last you several months. 

• Organix Moroccan Argan Oil- available in Boots and Superdrug, it is times cheaper than other brands and just as good. It makes hair feel soft, strong and shiny. A drop or two is all I need for my hair.

• Kerastase Ciment Thermique- HQ Hair often have it on offer. A walnut sized blob is all I need to cover my hair. It melts instantly into the hair and works to strengthen and give volume to processed, weak hair. It is activated by heat and acts as heat protectant too, so people who style their hair regularly would love the practicality of it. I have noticed that my ends are a lot less frizzy and splitting less since I have been using it.

• Urban Fudge Texture Blaster- available in Superdrug. Great, as it is in effect two products in one, and thus great if you are travelling or, if like me, you dislike the cast that dry shampoos leave on your hair.

Winter Nail Colours

 From left to right: L'Oreal ColorRiche in Parisian Rooftops; No7 Stay Perfect in Salsa;   Essie in Carry On; Essie in Size Matters

From left to right: Essie in Bobbing for Baubles; Nails Inc in Motcomb Street; L'Oreal ColorRiche in Luxembourg Garden; Look Beauty in Mink

Winter nail colours are all about gorgeous greys, burgundies, blues, mossy greens and minks. There are some wonderful collections of colours this year available in your local Boots or Superdrug. All of the ones I have picked apply easily and have great staying power. 

Personally I use Essie's Good to Go Topcoat which is by far the best I have found. It makes any nail varnish last at least 5-7 days chip free and leaves a gel like shine on your painted nails.

•  L'Oreal ColorRiche in Parisian Rooftops is a beautiful grey nail varnish with hints of purple.

• No7 Stay Perfect in Salsa- a festive blue based red infused with tiny golden specks.

• Essie in Carry On is a stunning burgundy nail colour with a rock chic edge.

• Essie in Size Matters- the name makes me smile every time. This is a dark fuscia nail colour that is universally flattering.

• Essie in Bobbing for Baubles- I can't get enough of this nail varnish. It's an understated blue-grey colour that reminds me of a stormy seaside.

• Nails Inc in Motcomb Street is a deep blue shade that makes a great alternative to black nail varnish.

•  L'Oreal ColorRiche in Luxembourg Garden- mossy pale green that people with cooler complexion will love.

• Look Beauty in Mink- your perfect nude nail varnish that makes fingers look long and elegant.