Eye eye, Cap'n

I knew when I put that darned mascara on this morning that it irritates my eyes. I just couldn't bring myself to throw it out...until now. So here I am sitting in work, eyes-an-itching, and I grab the first thing to hand to wipe that mascara off, and it happens to be a bottle of Decleor Eye Make-up Remover Gel, which had been knocking around under my desk for several months now. Why I waited so long I don't know, but it got that mascara off quickly, cleanly, using only tissue and left my eyes refreshed. Wahoo. I never want to use anything else.

Packing pretty

Ooooh who cares what it does when it looks this good! Well if you really want to know it's the Face Boutique body kit - inky dinky travel-sized pretties, available now from www.asos.com. They've just expanded their beauty offering with some great new brands including Face, Cowshed and Becca. Hurrah, more 'pretending to work but really secretly buying lovely things online' all around then.

Turquoise Turnaround

I never thought I'd say this but I think turquoise eyeliner has finally gotten to me. All summer long I've been privately judging people who've been sporting it along their lower lashes. And today, I think the new Bourjois autumn-winter collection might have swung me. It's definitely the divine Brun sompteux eyeshadow they've paired it with that got me interested. But damn it, that eyeliner (in Vert pepite) does bring out the ould peepers. It's just so 1980s bridesmaid though. Dilemma. Maybe just for the beach?

Copy that!

If you're looking for inspiration for a new make-up look, get thee down to maccosmetics.com and check out the 'Looks' section where you can see make-up artist's guides for the latest fashion looks, along with instructions on how to recreate it exactly - using MAC cosmetics, but of course.

If you don't believe me, I'll save you a trip across the world wide web, by reproducing a look created for Dita von Teese's Viva Glam campaign. Anyone brave enough to try it, take a pic and post it wins a very special prize from my beauty bounty!

EYES
Groom brows with Stud Eye Brows and Espresso Eye Shadow. Add a touch of Vanilla Eye Shadow to highlight the browbone. Apply Espresso Eye Shadow with a 213 Brush all over eyelid, sweeping slightly up and outwards. Blend Brun Eye Shadow over Espresso to intensify the shadow. Using a 219 Brush, deepen the crease with Charcoal Brown Eye Shadow. Line the upper lashline with Fluidline in Blacktrack and a 266 Brush. On the outer edge of the lashline, wing upwards and create a slightly thicker line for a cat eye effect. Line the bottom lashline with Fascinating Eye Kohl. Then smudge a touch of Espresso Eye Shadow beneath the Fascinating Eye Kohl with a 219 Brush. The white line will create an eye opening look. Coat lashes in Zoomblack Zoom Lash.
CHEEKS
Apply the lightest touch of Mineralize Skinfinish/Natural in Medium along the hollows of the cheeks to create contour against fair skin.
LIPS
Line lip with Mahogany Lip Pencil and fill in with Brick Lip Pencil. Apply Viva Glam VI Lipstick over lips for this matte look.

Lash-tastic

I may have a bit of a bee in my bonnet about eyelashes, ever since a nasty girl in college told me mine were particularly freakishly short. Extra coats of mascara just don't do it for me, my tiny dwarf lashes not being able to carry them. So I love this tip from Shiseido make-up guru Dick Page: "If you have thin eyelashes , you can use black or brown mascara and apply a dot of kohl between the eyelashes. This trompe l'oeil effect really fills them out." Just don't go overboard...