A Dent In The Shoe Fund *Unimpressed Face*

My receipts in a slightly more ordered state than when they lived in the shoe box. I say slightly...

Brollies at the ready, ladies for a dark cloud hangs above The Beauty Hall. January means one thing for this lipstick lover, and it ain't makeup related: yes, it's tax return time!

As a momentary break from the misery of calculating how much of the fashion fund has to be paid in tax (really, HMRC? Really?! Well, you better break it to Harvey Nicks, 'cos I'm not doing it), I thought I would share some of the happier memories that, until last night's epic accounting session, lurked in the groaning shoe box ominously marked 'receipts'. This proves that there is some joy in tax returns:

• The receipt from MAC, King's Road, where I bought an entirely new face after morphing from blonde to brunette. And I only went in for a brow pencil...


• My bargainous Theory black leather shorts - thank you, Selfridges


• 100+ receipts from Eat (note to self: prepare your own lunches!)


• A couple of obscene bar tabs from Refuel at the Soho Hotel. The passion fruit and ginger caipirihna is a clear winner *hic*

Ah, happy memories! HMRC, I hope that gives you some ideas of what I'd like you to spend my money on.

The Language of Flowers

As I write, I'm swaddled in blankets and have a steady flow of Lucozade to hand: yup, I have succumbed to the dreaded seasonal lurgy and am feeling completely vile.

To cheer me up, I've been watching one of my absolute favourite BBC period dramas, Cranford, which is based on a series of novels by Elizabeth Gaskell. The tale follows a formidable group of single and widowed women in Victorian England and is one of the most charming, funny things I've seen in years. Despite the early episodes being somewhat lacking in romance, one of the women receives anemones from an admirer, prompting her friends to consult The Language of Flowers, to decipher the meaning of this gesture. At a time when it was not proper to display emotion or speak freely of feelings held, each flower carried with it a secret meaning, so that messages could be quietly conveyed through the giving of a small bouquet.

I love the romance of this idea, and thought I'd look for the meanings of a few of my current favourite products:

Liz Earle Energising Body Scrub - Contains geranium which represents elegance and gentility

This scrub is one of my favourite recent finds. The grown up, herbal scent is complex, and the initial hit of pine and geranium soften to orange blossom for the perfect olfactory wake up call! What I like most about this product is that the consistency of the gel means that it stays where you put it until it's washed off. So many scrubs run away in the water flow as soon as they're applied, yet this one really grips. For this reason, and for those of you craving a bit of elegance in your life, it's definitely worth a look.

Jo Malone Red Roses Bath Oil - Contains red roses which represent true love

It comes as no surprise that red roses represent enduring love, which is perhaps why I will never get tired of this beautiful bath oil. The scent is so beautiful, and perfect for a long, relaxing bath complete with glass of wine and candlelight. No need to wait to receive red roses from an admirer, if you ask me: definitely one to treat yourself to!

Palmers Olive Hand and Foot Cream - Contains olive which represents peace

After a freezing few weeks, I have found myself utterly reliant on this cream which I first tried at my parents' house. For some reason, my Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Hand Cream just hasn't cut it this year, and it's been well and truly usurped by Palmers. And at a fraction of the price, who am I to argue?! It may not be able to bring peace to anything more than your tired winter-worn skin, but when the temperature plummets, that's more than enough for me.

So those are a few of my favourite floral products, and I'm keen to know about yours! Will you be consulting the Language of Flowers to find out their meanings?

Oh, and don't forget to enter my MAC giveaway here!

Image courtesy of joycetice.com

CLOSED: New Year Neutrals Giveaway!

At last, I'm finally getting round to posting my new year giveaway! This is my way of thanking all of you lovely people for reading and commenting on my blog, and generally making this a really enjoyable experience for me.

Yesterday, I did several laps of Selfridges Beauty Hall, looking for gorgeous things to include in my giveaway, and I couldn't help but come back to my two most repurchased makeup products, both from MAC: Painterly Paint Pot and Big Baby Plushglass. What better way to share my favourites with you that to give you a chance to win them?!


Painterly is a beautiful nude beige that is the most perfect 'slick and go' eye product I've ever found. It looks pretty, polished and brightens the eye beautifully. It's also a fabulous base product, and makes an amazing foundation for a neutral eye. It's a cream formula that dries to a lovely, smooth finish.

Big Baby Plushglass is one of my all time favourite lip products. It's a soft peach with a slightly pearly finish, and the gloss contains vitamin E and plumping ingredients that give you a moisturised, full lip. It's the kind of easy product that leaves you looking fresh, chic and is a holiday favourite for me.

Now, onto how you can get your hands on these lovely things! The prize for one lucky winner is 1 x Painterly Paint Pot and 1 x Big Baby Plushglass. To be in with a chance of winning you need to:

1. Be a follower of this blog
2. Post 'I'm in!' in the comments below along with your email address or your twitter username
   
3. To increase your chance of winning, tweeting or blogging about this giveaway will buy you an additional entry (make sure you post the link in your comment and include @TheBeautyHall in your tweet)

The giveaway is open internationally, and a winner will be drawn using random.org on Saturday 22nd Jan 2011 at 9pm, GMT.

Good luck!

Take Cover: My Favourite Concealers

Concealers. You name the brand, and I've tried it. Liquid, cream, drugstore or counter, I don't discriminate: if it's a great product, I'm all over it. Or more appropriately, it's all over me. Of all the contents of my many makeup bags, drawers and cupboards (I'd be a bag blogger if I only had one makeup bag...), it's probably the one I'd fight hardest to keep, as having skin that looks clear and even-toned is my biggest basic beauty goal.

Despite several months of blogging, this is my first comparison post, and given that I've owned just about every concealer on the market, I thought it would be a pretty good place to start!

I should point out that, although Estee Lauder Double Wear is in the photo, it's not reviewed here. I've only had it a couple of weeks and not sure it makes it into my 'favourites' list quite yet! Thanks to Holly for pointing out the potential confusion!

Affordable and effective: Maybelline's Pure Liquid Mineral Concealer, £6.19

This one is an old favourite of mine. Super affordable and long wearing, it gives great coverage and unsurprisingly, it works fantastically well with the Pure Mineral liquid and powder foundations, both of which I'm a fan of. It only comes in three shades, so you may not get a perfect match, but its definitely worth a swatch to see if this works for you. I tended to only use this under my eyes, but got great results with it.

MAC Select Cover-Up and Studio Finish, both £13.50

This is more a question of texture preference and purpose than anything else, as the Select Cover-Up is a liquid, and Studio Finish a cream. Studio Finish has the advantage of being water-resistant, so it's perfect for holidays, and Select Cover-Up has a nice, brightening effect yet gives good coverage. Invest in a brush for Studio Finish (Boots No. 7 concealer brush is great value)

Benefit LemonAid, £16.50

Although not strictly a concealer (it's an eyelid brightener/primer), I couldn't miss this one out. A sweep of this over lids leaves them looking bright and fresh, and it's also a great base for your eye makeup, so this is a good product to have anyway. It also has another use not mentioned on the box. This yellow-tinged product is fantastic at neutralising particularly dark circles on fair skins better than any concealer alone can. You need to add a layer of flesh-toned liquid concealer or foundation on top of it (it leaves the skin looking abnormally bright otherwise) but I guarantee it perks up even the sleepiest eyes!

And now for my holy grail concealer...

Giorgio Armani High Precision Retouch, around £27.50

This liquid is the daddy of all concealers for me, and having tried several other products since using it, I can't see myself straying. Dark circles are blasted with a hit of vitamin E and the product contains pearl which diffuses light and gives skin a radiant boost. It conceals brilliantly, and is just an all round fantastic product. Yes, it's pricey, but it lasts and lasts. Definitely my number one.

So, those are my favourites: what are yours?

A Random Collection of Thoughts

Hi everyone, and a warm welcome to my new followers!

For those of you in the UK, I hope you've all had a lovely bank holiday weekend. Mine has been so completely hectic that I'm not sure which way is up this morning! I have so much work to get on with that the blog may be a little neglected for the next few days, but I promise that I will be back on top of things at the weekend.

So, here's a very quick round-up of things that have been buzzing around my head over the weekend!

Contouring: Since having my make up done at Giorgio Armani a couple of years ago, I have been trying to recreate the same incredible angles that the MUA managed to sculpt, but have been struggling with products that just aren't fit for the job. Too much sparkle, too dark, too light: you name it, and my contours have suffered for it. Yesterday, I decided to pop into MAC in Soho to remedy the problem, and was astonished when Tenderling was suggested as my perfect shade. I'd always opted for browner tones, but considering I am pink toned and pale, this makes perfect sense. Expect a long overdue FOTD soon!

Steaming: I haven't steamed at all this weekend and let's just say I will never be missing a day again! Considering my lapse, I will be reporting on my steaming project at the weekend, but I am missing the lovely clear skin that had started to emerge!

NARS: I have been invited to the NARS Pure Matte Lipstick launch on Thursday to be colour matched to my perfect lippie shade, which I am very excited about. I own about 30 lipsticks which are all variations on the same theme, so I'm secretly hoping that I've got it all wrong and that I'll be introduced to a whole new range of colours! I'll keep you posted on how that goes.

Liz Earle haircare launch: Regular readers will know that I am in love with this range, which launches in the Liz Earle stores and online on 2nd September, and in John Lewis stores nationwide on 6th. If you can't wait to get your hands on the gorgeous shampoo and conditioner, then you can pre-order online by clicking here. Please let me know if any of you try it as I would love to hear your feedback!

Holidays: I am going to Rome in just over two weeks, and then to southern Spain at the beginning of October and I really can't wait. Work has been so manic that I am just desperate for some downtime, involving delicious food, and I hope, lots of sun! Expect some holiday diet and beauty-related posts in the coming weeks (despite the fact that it's practically the end of the holiday season!)

Thanks for being patient with me, and normal service will resume very soon, I promise!

MAC giveaway: We have a winner...

And that winner is Luce! Thank you so much to everyone for all your lovely recommendations, as I've had so much fun looking through all the shades. Of the suggestions made, I decided to go for Gleam and Honesty eyeshadows and Faux lipstick, all of which were recommended by Luce, so I'm very pleased! I also got Bare Study Paint Pot and Strobe Cream which I am in love with, and consequently, I'm looking very glowy!

I didn't end up getting my make up done again over the weekend, and just chose colours online which my boyfriend then picked up for me - what a good boy he is. I am thinking of booking in to get my make up done for my cousin's wedding in September, so if I do, I will be sure to post pictures of that look. As for today, I am SO busy with work, hence no FOTD with these products, but I promise I will do one soon.

Luce, if you send me an email (address is in the 'email me' link - I know that's stating the obvious but just want to be sure!) we can arrange your prize! Well done on your top recommendations!

Image courtesy of dailydecorator.com

MAC moan!

My lovely birthday pud at Lounge 10, Manchester

Well, for starters, thank you for all your lovely birthday wishes, and especially for your MAC recommendations! I had a fantastic time yesterday which finished with dinner at one of my favourite Thai restaurants, Patara, and cocktails at the Soho Hotel - yum!

But onto the MAC situation! My boyfriend's friend has caught a nasty bug while on holiday, so she obviously couldn't do my make up. We decided to go to a different MAC store, closer to where I wanted to go shopping, and I can't tell you how disappointed I was with the 'make up' she did. The store was so quiet, and I asked if she had time to do my make up. She said 'yes' and that she could do a 'focused demo' so we agreed on an eye look. I told her I wanted to get Bare Study and a few other neutral shadows, and so she said she'd create something using Bare Study as a base. After two minutes of her trying to choose the eye shadows, I suggested Satin Taupe, Mulch etc and she came over with just Satin Taupe, and put that on over Bare Study. I mean, isn't the whole MAC experience about getting a good 3 or 4 shades built up to create something really striking? I was so surprised that she just went with one, but when I suggested more, she was really reluctant. To make matters worse, it was just swiped over my lid and looked like something anyone could've done. I asked if she would put some liner on to at least try and finish the look and again, it just seemed like such an effort. Needless to say, I bought Bare Study and left it at that! Phew, rant over!

So, I am waiting until the boy's friend is back from sick leave and THEN going to get it all done properly! Consequently, the decision is on hold about who wins as I didn't want to stick around and look at shades given the crap customer service!! Stay tuned, ladies!

Best of the blogs!

Wow, the pre-birthday weekend has left me feeling exhausted! I've spent the morning in the garden with my folks, soaking up this very welcome sunshine - a rarity in Manchester. It's been a brilliant weekend and I'm really sad to be heading back to London so soon (although I know there's plenty of fun in store for me when I get there!) Happily, I've managed to catch up on all my blog reading today, so here's my round-up of things I'll be doing this week:

Using a toner: I have just discovered The Beauty Mouth blog, and am devouring (excuse the pun) the advice dished out by the lovely Caroline. She's written a fantastic post on the importance of using toners, and I am heading straight out to buy one of her recommendations. Since I've been using Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish and Bliss Steep Clean, I have been getting a few breakouts, which is a little unusual for me. I'd previously put this down to my skin purging all the badness, but having read Caroline's advice, I think it may be down to the fact that I am not redressing the balance of my skin after using some fairly heavy duty cleansing products! Check out her advice here.

Eating!: I think you'll all have realised by now that I love food, and these peanut butter crispy bars from the Smitten Kitchen look like such a naughty but amazing treat. I am sure that I'll make them and quickly devour the entire tray, but surely indulgence is a key component of any birthday celebration?!

Adopting 'the claw': No, this is not a foray into wild animal care but a technique I've observed on two great blogs, involving massage with a rather witchy-looking hand! Ruth of A Model Recommends has recorded a brilliant series on general body gorgeousness, and shows off a great technique for reducing the appearance of pesky cellulite. A similar claw is demonstrated as a 'tool' for facial massage at The Beauty Mouth, so I will hopefully be pummeling myself towards a better body and brighter face this week!

Getting creative: Fee at Makeup Savvy is a wonder at creating amazing nail looks, and she's inspired me to think a little more imaginatively about my weekly at-home manicures. I love her version of the YSL French manicures and will keep you posted on what I manage to create. You should expect a lot less precision from me than you see in Fee's work!!

Finally, don't forget that I still need your recommendations for best MAC lip and eye neutrals for my shopping trip tomorrow. All you need to do is sign up to become a follower and then post your comment here for a chance to win a MAC treat! Hurry, though: only 24 hours to go!

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em

After last night's winter-themed post, I have decided that I need to shut up and put up: as the saying goes, 'you can't fight City Hall'. Yes, I felt like the only way to go with my makeup today was forth into the sunshine, hence I am a walking pallette of gold and bronze. See below: hello, sunshine girl!
I looked in the mirror this morning and saw that the freckle party has well and truly begun, and that there's no point in having a face full of cool-coloured makeup when I've got the ginger brigade running rampant on my face. I started thinking about 'summer chic' and as I'm not quite the natural, surfy, boho babe who always looks so effortless in the warm weather, there seemed only one way to go: Riviera Glam. The photo has washed my brows and eyes out slightly, but they're both quite strong today. The lipstick is Chanel's Bali, which is where I'd like to be for the rest of the month: guess the lipstick is the best some of us can do!

To create this warming, sunny look, I used:

-Maybelline Pure Liquid Mineral foundation in Cameo
-Body Shop Tinted Glow Enhancer in 2
- MAC eyeshadow in Era
-Bourjois eyeshadow in Marron Glace
- Jemma Kidd I-Silk in Vintage
- Rimmel kohl pencil in Brown
-MAC Blush Creme in Lillicent
-Maybelline The Falsies mascara in Black
- MAC brow pencil
- Chanel lipstick in Bali

What are your favourite summer products?

Bitten lips and winter berries

Source: vogue.co.uk

The weather forecast predicts a high of 30C in London tomorrow, and yet I am thinking about one thing: the cool months of autumn and winter! You see, every year on the 1st July, a strange thing happens to me. I go shopping to find that the sales have started, and as I look beyond the messy rails and frantic shoppers, I am drawn to the cool colours and perfect order of the cruise collections. The fashion mags are publishing their A/W catwalk reports and my mind wanders to crisp and bright autumn days that are cold enough for luxe layers but still light enough for sunglasses - to me, nothing looks more chic.

Yes, this pale skinned gal is most at home in the cooler months, although I could probably get down with this hot summer if we had a siesta! Anyway, I digress.

What I am most captivated by for the coming season is the berry lips I've seen all over the catwalks. I've only recently fallen in love with lipsticks, and so this will be the first season that I can head out there and find my perfect berry shade, and I have to say, it's a challenge I'm really looking forward to. The above shot is from the Proenza Schouler show, and I love the pared down face and strong brows, finished with a pout that looks like its owner has spent a couple of hours snacking on a hedgerow!

As for the perfect shade, I have been in complete lust with the Tom Ford lipstick range since it launched a few months ago, but at £35, I'm not sure I can justify it. I may be too weak to resist the pull of Moroccan Rouge which just looks too perfect for words. Instead, it's more likely that this weekend will see me headed to MAC for an afternoon of contented swatching!

Will you be rocking the berry lips trend when the nights draw in, or are you still enjoying the sun too much to care?!

Looking fierce while yawning...A 'How To' guide!

After the makeup and the products used. Still looking sleepy, but it's an improvement!

*Inserts match sticks under eyelids and stifles a yawn*

Good morning, all. I hope you're feeling a bit brighter than me today. I got about four hours sleep last night and my Bliss-face has been replaced by something altogether less desirable. Make up application on days like today feels extra special, as it's sole purpose is to hide and disguise what lies beneath, so I always let myself go a little more experimental with colour than I would do on a normal day. I also like to treat myself very nicely when I'm tired: so a large sushi lunch is already on the cards. This all makes being tired a lot easier (and actually maybe incentivises it somewhat!)

Now, I must point out that a dedicated blogger would probably post a 'before' makeup shot, but I am not going to do that. Why? Because my tired, pre-makeup visage is something that MI5 and the CIA are probably looking for to aid them in extracting top secret information during interrogation. Maybe not that bad, but I don't want to risk you seeing this before you've had your Cornflakes.

So what's my tiredness makeup routine? Your key words should be; conceal, brighten, define. Your base should provide coverage, but must still have a sheer/radiance enhancing component. Greyness should be covered, and your face needs definition today like no other day! Also, look to warm shades - anything that can make you look a little more healthy is always a plus.

I started with Bliss Triple Oxygen energising mask. Before I found this product, I'd never do a pre-work mask, but as this only takes five minutes, it seems crazy not to. It's also the first time I've used it when I've really needed it, and I am pleased to say, my skin looks so much brighter.

Now onto the products. I prep my skin with my usual moisturiser (at the moment Crema Nera by Armani), and then start with my number one brightening product, Benefit's Lemon-aid,a yellow concealer which is perfect for covering grey. I mix Clinique's City Block Sheer SPF 25 with the Body Shop's Tinted Glow Enhancer in 2 and apply this as my base (you can add some foundation if more coverage is needed). I top with a MAC cream concealer where needed (under eyes, around nose and chin) and we're starting to look human.

Eyes can often look heavy so it's essential that you open them up as much as possible. I use an eyelash curler, and if needed, you can line your waterline (inside your lower eyelid) with a flesh toned pencil (don't use white: it's too harsh and looks unnatural). I apply Jemma Kidd's I-Silk in Vintage and then Maybelline's The Falsies to boost my lashes.

Now for colour! MAC's Blankety lipstick topped with their Big Baby lip gloss. MAC's Mineralize Warm Soul blush on the cheeks and their brow liner in the lightest shade to bring out my very fair brows and that's it! Now you should be able to tolerate the pic, although the eyes are still a little heavy!

Hope this helps you on your sleepy days! Do you have any brightening beauty tips, and what are your favourite 'comfort' products when you're not feeling quite yourself?