Estee Lauder Blue Dahlia & Surreal Violet Eyeshadow Palette Review & Swatches

The second part of my look at the latest limited edition collection by Estee Lauder, this focuses on the 5 colour eyeshadow palettes.

Both palettes have received a lot of press attention in the recent months as this is the first major collection for the brand by makeup artist Tom Pecheux. He produced a stunning look with the Blue Dahlia palette in the promos for the collection and the Surreal Violet palette is a beauty must-have in the October UK edition of In Style magazine.

Estee Lauder Blue Dahlia Eyeshadow Palette - £34

Both the palettes come in a luxurious gold compact, complete with traditional sponge applicators, a fine tip for eyeliner and 1 brush head.

I was a little surprised with the Blue Dahlia palette that only 2 of the 5 shades could be considered blue, so if you are worried that the palette could make you look more Pat Butcher than supermodel, don't be. None of the shades are chalky, they have been expertly chosen to be used together to create a sophisticated, modern look.

Blue Dahlia Eyeshadow Palette Swatches - clockwise around the palette starting with the pale highlighter

There is a pale highlighter, a mid blue and a dark blue, a dark taupe and a deep navy in the centre that could be used for liner. All in all, it is everything you need for a subtle, smokey or statement eye.


The surreal Violet palette is my personal favourite as I love purples on my green eyes, the vivid violet shade in the lower right corner being the standout colour.

Estee Lauder Surreal Violet Eyeshadow Palette - £34

Once again, there is a pale highlighter, 2 lilac/purple shades, a grey/taupe and a darkened purple in the centre that could be used as liner. I tried creating a very strong eye with this palette the other night and although i started with some trepidation, the result was fantastic, just what I was aiming for. The palette contained all the shades I needed and so made application both easier and quicker. Great for a glamorous night out.

Estee Lauder Surreal Violet Eyeshadow Palette swatches - clockwise from the pale highlighter

The textures of all the eyeshadows are perfect, I think I prefer them to the recent Chanel quad that I bought, they seem slightly less dry and powdery. Although expense purchases, they represent could value compared to some as all of the shades are wearable. At a push I would say that the Blue Dahlia would suit darker skintones, would look great with a tan, and I love the Surreal Violet on my fair, cool toned skin.

In reality though, I think you should go for what you love. The expertise that has gone into creating both palettes should mean that anyone could wear them without a problem as there are so many different looks you can play around with.

For some inspiration, check out Lisa Eldridge's video tutorial on an evening look using the Surreal Violet palette at www.lisaeldridge.com

Estee Lauder Blue Dahlia Collection - Review & Swatches

As promised, here is a quick look at what I consider to be the key pieces from the limited edition Blue Dahlia Collection by Tom Pecheux for Esteee Lauder. The focus is the two 5 colour eyeshadow palettes and the 2 pure colour gloss sticks.

Estee Lauder Blue Dahlia Collection

I am a very late convert to Estee Lauder. When I was younger, I always considered it as a brand that was more suitable for my grandmother than me. I am not entirely sure where this impression came from but as I had had it for years, I knew it would take something special to convert me.

Estee Lauder Pure Colour Gloss Sticks in Orchid Dream & Rose Dusk

Sure enough, this season's Blue Dahlia Collection tempted me and now I cannot understand my reluctance to try the range the so many years. The products I have tried so far I am very impressed by.

Out of the 4 items I bought, my favourite has to be the Pure Colour Gloss Stick in Rose Dusk. It is the perfect natural lip colour but better with a modern glossy sheen and is so quick and easy to apply. I have worn it everyday since I purchased it and am considering stocking up on a second, something I have never done before with any makeup!

The range has been designed so that the Rose Dusk lip colour is paired with the Blue Dahlia eye palette and the brighter Orchid Dream lip colour goes with the Surreal Violet palette. Although Rose Dusk is my favourite, the Orchid Dream is a fab bright pink, and the finish makes it just wearable enough for day to day if you are on the brave side (I would not be able to carry this off if it was matte). The swatches really capture the gloss finish.

From left to right: Orchid Dream, Rose Dusk

After taking the plunge, I can say hand on heart that I will definitely be buying more of the Estee Lauder Pure Gloss Sticks in the not to distant future. They are my new favourite lipstick.

The Blue Dahlia range by Estee lauder is available nationwide or online at http://www.garden.co.uk/. The Pure Gloss Sticks are £17 each.

A closer look at the eyeshadow palettes with swatches will follow in the next post.

Manicure Monday - Chanel Le Vernis in Pirate

No rest for the wicked, even though it is a Bank Holiday. Having spent most of the day watching Poirot and Miss Marple, I am feeling a great sense of nostalgia for the glamour and sophistication of the 1930s. The women of that time looked absolutely immaculate and so in a homage to that period, I have chosen classic red for my nails this week.

Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in Pirate - £16.50

I own many different reds, all with slight variations in shade or finish, but to get a real thirties feel, I chose Chanel's Pirate, what I would class as a true red.

It gives a gorgous finish in just 2 coat and I instantly feel more elegant having applied it, even as I sit here in my pyjamas!

1 coat OPI Nail Envy, 2 Coats Pirate & 1 coat Seche Vite

I am not a big fan of reds in summer, but with the gale force winds we had today in Kent, for me, summer has officially finished and I am fully embracing autumn and the colours that go with it. I have naturally very fair skin and I love the way the contrast of the bright red of Pirate sets this off. I would class this as a neutral to cool red as a more orange toned red would not produce this effect.

Chanel Le Vernis in Pirate is available nationwide or online at http://www.debenhams.com/, http://www.boots.com/ or http://www.garden.co.uk/ for £16.50.

Lulu Guinness Autumn Winter Collection: Handbags + Makeup = Heaven!

I have been silently longing for a statement Lulu Guinness handbag for years now but I have always managed to talk myself out of actually purchasing once (I prefer to spend all my money on makeup). However, the latest Autumn/Winter collection has provided me with a reason to part with my cash, it is centered around makeup!

The range features handbags in a range of sizes as well as good selection of smaller purses so there is something to fit a range of budgets.

Makeup Grid Purse £50

My favourite is the medium Cosmetic Shop Edith bag. Every season Lulu produces a statement bag in the style of a specific shop front, previous seasons have included a seafood shop, London souvenir shop and a florists. In keeping with the makeup theme, the latest is a cosmetic shop front. It is full of all the exquisite embroidered detailing that you would expect from the brand and at £250, it is going on the top of my birthday list (I'd better make sure I ask nicely).

Medium Edith Bag

I love the small satin purses that could be used for change or makeup, but I find the Black Cosmetic Shop Wallet, £125, the most practical. It combines the shop front and embroidery detail of the larger bags with all the features you would expect from a quality wallet or purse. If you want the iconic design but are not so keen on the handbags, this would be a great option. Combined with a smarter, more traditional leather bag, when you pay for your latest cosmetics purchase, this wallet will demonstrate both your personality and style.

The new Lulu Guinness Collection is available online at http://www.luluguinness.com/ and http://www.qvcuk.com/.

All photos from http://www.luluguinness.com/

Top 5 August Must-haves & Lust-haves

This will be a regular feature every month, where I list the top 5 beauty products I have been using and the top 5 beauty products I am desperate to get my hands on (it will be hard to restrict it to 5!).

Must-haves

1. Estee Lauder Pure Gloss Stick in Rose Dusk £17 - the perfect everyday colour with a great finish
2. Alpha H Daily Essential Moisturiser with SPF 50 £25.50 - essential to protect against aging sun damage
3. By Terry Rose de Rose Sheer Liquid Blush £38 - the secret to subtle, glowy pink cheeks
4. Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in Mont Blanc -£29 gives a stunning natural finish, your skin but better
5. Tom Ford Private Blend Lipstick in Pure Pink £35 - crazy price but fantastic pigment & texture

Lust-haves

1. Urban Decay Naked Eye Palette £27 - 12 of the best neutral, everyday shades
2. Dior Misty Mauve Eyeshadow Quint £39- I'm on a lifetime mission to collect all the Dior quints in existence, but sadly at this point my collection exists of 1
3. Burrberry Light Glow Blush in Peony £28 - am under the delusion that it will magically turn me into one of the Burberry models!
4. Nars Soft Touch Eye Pencil in Palladium (I could add the whole Nars Fall Collection) £17 - used as a base will add a new dimension to all my existing shadows
5. By Terry Touche Veloutee £29 - I am always on the quest for the perfect under eye concealer and maybe this is it?

So here is my list, what products did you find indispensable this summer and which items are on your wish lists?

Although not in my top 5, my quest for September is to find the ultimate lip balm to soothe my very chapped lips which will only get worse one the central heating comes on. I have tried various different brands but find that most only provide relief for the first 5 minutes and then they promptly disappear. If anyone has any recommendations do let me know, I'm currently considering splashing out on either the Creme de la mer lip balm or By Terry Baume de Rose so if anyone has tried these I'd love to hear how you found them. However, suggestions of cheaper alternatives would be greatly received!

Picture: Burberry Beauty Advertising Campaign by Mario Testino

The Monday Manicure - OPI's Wing It! & Catch Me In Your Net

Yes, I know that it is technically Tuesday, but every Monday I will be doing the Monday Manicure (I painted my nails yesterday but the light wasn't good enough to photograph them then).

Let me know if there are any particular brands or colours or finishes that you would like to see in future weeks and I will try my best to oblige.

This week I have chosen colours from OPI's Summer Flutter Collection as I refuse to wave goodbye to summer until after the Bank Holiday weekend. I had difficulty restricting myself to just 1 so I have painted my toes as well so I can show you 2 different, yet spectacular shades.

I have used Wing It! on my fingers and it is an eye catching mix of red, orange and pink shimmer with a fine sprinkling of glitter. It is quite difficult to accurately describe but it reminds me of how petrol can sometimes look when the sun hits it (not the most glamorous analogy). This shade would look fantastic with a tan, alas my hands are deathly pale even in August, and is a must if you have plans for this Bank Holiday. It screams summer even if the UK weather disappoints. It applies like a dream, but the main drawback is that even with 3 coats, the nail line is still quite evident. If this bothers you, then it might be better to just use on the toes.

For my toes, I chose Catch Me In Your Net, which has a similar finish to Wing It!. Again it is a mix of colours with fine glitter, blue, turquoise and light green. It is my favourite out of the 2, mainly because I feel it is the more unique shade and it looks great on both warm and cool skin tones. It applies like a dream and I only needed 2 coats for an opaque finish (however it can be a pain to remove!).

The perfect manicure & pedicure ingredients:

2 coats of OPI Nail Envy (base)

3 coats of Wing It! for fingers

2 coats of Catch me In Your Net for toes

1 coat of Seche Vite top coat

Leighton Denny Corrector Liquid as required

1 application of OPI Avoplex Cuticle Oil

1 pump of Decleor Nourishing Comforting Hand Cream

1 pump of Margaret Dabbs Intensive Hydrating Foot Lotion

Overall, OPI is my favourite nail brand as I find it the easiest to apply and for me, it lasts the longest. The Summer Flutter Collection doesn't disappoint and these colours are sure to catch anyone's eye. If you don't really like to be noticed, then you can still carry off these shades, just restrict them to the toes.

Chanel Eyeshadow Quad in Enigma - Review & swatches

I couldn't resist this beautiful eyeshadow quad by Chanel last week when I made the trip to my local Chanel counter (which is not that local!) to get my hands on Paradoxal. So here is a closer look at it.

The quad is number 19 and is called Enigma, part of the Chanel Fall Collection 2010 that was released on Friday 13th August. Perfect for creating a smokey looks, it consists of a shimmery peach, a dark taupe, a blackened plum and a charcoal grey. All 4 shades have a shimmer to them. For the swatches, the shadows were applied dry but obviously they could be applied wet for more intensity. Unfortunately, the peach shade doesn't show up that well in the photo because it is very similar to my natural skin tone.

From left to right the colours are:

Charcoal Grey
Blackened Plum
Dark Taupe
Shimmery Peach









Although the colours are not groundbreaking, I adore this palette because they are just the shades I have been looking for to create an easy yet sophisticated look as Autumn draws near. I have been wearing the lightest colour all over the eye and then the plum colour as a liner for day. For the evening, I have used the grey and taupe on the lid and crease with the plum applied wet as liner. The peach colour makes a great highlighter for underneath the brow bone and in the inner corners of the eye.

The great thing about the palette is that the colours are fairly neutral, they would be hard to class as either warm or cool. Although I feel that the Collection as a whole is probably more suited to those with cooler undertones, I think that this palette would suit everyone.

However, I would recommend before buying that you dig out your exisiting eyeshadows because it is quite possible that you may already have a few of these shades, in which case it is probably not worth spending £34 for maybe one unique colour. I have a lot of Bobbi Brown neutrals but the Chanel quad is deeper in tone than these, but I think if you own a lot of Dior quints then you may be at risk of duplicating.

If, like me, you have fallen hook, line and sinker for the whole Chanel Fall look, then this palette is worth the money as it will tie in with any other products you buy from the collection. When my bank balance has recovered from from my latest haul, I look forward to trying the shadows with the eyeliner in Cassis, the new blushers and the latest Rouge Coco in Chintz.

No.7 Colour Rebellion Eye Palette Review & Swatches

Here are photos and swatches of the new No.7 Colour Rebellion Eye palette, part of the limited edition Autumn Collection created by makeup artist Lisa Eldridge, available from Boots. The palette costs £10.50 and consists of 4 vivid eyeshadows, all with a slight shimmer to them. The outside of the palette is faux snakeskin with a gold No.7 embossed on the centre. The colours are described as:

Indigo Blue
Purple haze
Red lead
Chrome Green

Each of the four eyeshadows has the same snakeskin embossed detail as the outside of the palette which is a nice touch. But now for the colours:

They look incredibly vivid at first sight and although many might think they are pretty jewel tones, their brightness could put some people off. However, when I applied them for swatches, they were less pigmented than they appear. In this instance I would say it is a bonus because if you are feeling timid, it is easy to be more restrained in application and get a pretty wash of colour. Then, when you want to vamp it up a bit you can make the colours more intense. The first swatches are of the colours applied dry but the second is of the colours applied wet. You should be able to see the difference in intensity.

Applied dry

Applied Wet

All 4 colours are stunning and I think would look great used wet as eyeliners if you aren't keen to use them all over the eye. My favourites are the purple and the bronze as I have green eyes and I know that these shades really make my eye colour come to life. 

Both the hues of the azure blue and the bronze applied wet  reminded me of couple of the Estee Lauder Liquid Eyeshadows from the Summer Bronze Goddess Collection, so if you missed out on those, this could be a cheaper option, albeit without the phenomenal EL staying power. 

Compared to some of the more muted smokey colours released this season by brands such as Dior and Chanel, this palette stands out as something original (and less than a third of the price!) and is well worth a place in anyone's makeup bag.

If you want more inspiration on how to use the colours together, Lisa Eldridge wore the bronze on the lid and the lilac just under the eye, paired with a nude lip, in a giveaway video on her website http://www.lisaeldridge.com/. It is well worth a look as she looks stunning and is a testament to the versatility of the palette.

Chanel Fall Collection has arrived at www.garden.co.uk

Just a quick heads up to everyone that the latest Chanel Fall Makeup Collection has now arrived online at www.garden.co.uk. The collection hit the stores last Friday so it is a week late at the Garden Pharmacy. However, the good news is that products that might have already sold out in store last week are available to buy online. In particular, the Nail Vernis in Paradoxal is still showing as in stock on the website.

Having already bought Paradoxal myself last week, I was looking through my nail polish collection to see if there were any dupes and yesterday I think I found one! Nails Inc Fulham Road looks almost exactly the same in the bottle (I haven't tried it on the nails yet). I think that it may be veering more on the lilac side as opposed to the Chanel that is more dove grey, but if you either can't get hold of Paradoxal or want a cheaper alternative, Fulham Road could be for you.

It is available for jut £5 at www.bathandunwind.com/brands/Nails-Inc-Fulham-Road-Nail-Polish.htm

Leighton Denny Nail Varnish TSV on QVC

Here is the actual Leighton Denny Today's Special Value that is available just for today on QVC.

It is a 12 piece set and costs £29.92 plus £4.95 P&P. It contains 8 mini versions of Leighton's nail colours (the full sizes retail at £11 each) along with a full size Slick Tips (nail and cuticle oil), Undercover Base Coat, Crystal Finish Top Coat and 50ml of Essential Nail Polish Remover. The colours feature 4 of the most popular colours from the range, including bestseller Supermodel, a classic nude, along with 4 colours available only on QVC.

I have a number of the full size varnishes but I am not so keen on the mini versions as I find it harder to get a good finish. However, if you are new to the range or want to experiment with a wide variety of colours without the expense of full sizes, this could be the kit for you.

I am still undecided on this collection as my colour collection is already into 3 figures, I don't think I can possibly justify anymore! If I end up watching the live presentations throughout the day though I'm sure my resolve will weaken, especially with the auto delivery option (you can order so that you receive a different colour collection for the same price every 60 days).

Let me know if you do decide to go for it or if anything else catches your eye today,

English Rose

       X

Leighton Denny on QVC

This is just a quick post to let all those who, like me, are somewhat nail obsessed, that UK nail supremo Leighton Denny will be launching a Today's Special Value on the shopping channel QVC at midnight tomorrow (Monday).

For those of you who are unfamiliar with QVC and perhaps who would never dream of buying something off the TV, let me explain a few of the benefits.

1. Each day QVC has a Today's Special Value, one carefully picked and designed product that launches at midnight for a special reduced price. That price holds for 24 hours or until it sells out.

2. QVC stocks some fabulous brands that can be difficult in some places to get hold of. These include: Sarah Chapman. Perricone, Elemis, Decleor, Gatineau, Philosophy, Bobbi Brown, Duwop, Nails Inc, OPI and Smashbox.

3. You actually get to see the products being demonstrated (although some demonstrations are definitely better than others) so for nail varnish, on a website it can be difficult to see how a product looks on the nails, but on the TV, you get a more accurate picture of what the product will look like when you get it home. Also, with skincare and makeup, you can learn some great tips from the experts as to how they should be used.

4. You don't need to have access to or to watch QVC to take advantage of the great deals on their products. You can do all your shopping online at www.qvcuk.com.

4, Finally, and I''ve saved the best till last, QVC has a thirty day money back guarantee on all products. I found this unbelievable at first but it means you can buy anything, face creams, mascara, earrings etc, and use them for a full 30 days, and if you change your mind, you pay for the postage back but you get a full refund. I don't know of any other way of shopping where you can return used products that aren't faulty. This policy has made me a lot braver about trying more expensive skincare as I know that I only need to keep it and pay for it if I really think the product is worth it. No more expensive mistakes!

In all honesty, a few years ago I would never have dreamt of buying from or even viewing a shopping channel, but when I fell ill and my shopping activities were severely restricted, I accidentally found it and after some trepidation, realised what a great discovery it was! (and for those of you wondering, I do not work for a shopping channel!)

Now, back to Leighton Denny.

He has won a ton of awards for both his skill as a nail technician and for his product range. His wide range of colours retail for £10.50 a bottle and they are regularly featured in all the top fashion magazines. Aside from the colours, his range features some great treatments as well as the must have nail corrector which makes French manicures quick and easy to achieve. You can check out his website and see his product range at

www.leightondenny.com

To give you an idea, his previous TSVs on QVC have retailed around the £25 mark and the last one featured 4 colours as well as nail & cuticle oil, top coat etc. Whatever Tuesday's is, it is sure to be great value.

If you do tune in, beware not to get sucked into the constant pressurised selling. Be sure that what you are buying is something you really want and will really use, otherwise you can end up being swayed into spending a lot more than anticipated. Although, at least if you get a sudden guilty conscience when face to face with your purchases you can send them all back!

Chanel Paradoxal - Worth the hype?

In the words of Jane Austen, 'It is a truth universally acknowledged that ............ every season Chanel will design the must-have nail colour of the season'. It started with Jade, then came Particuliere, Nouvelle Vague was this summer and now Paradoxal has hit the shelves.

I managed to pick up a bottle of Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in Paradoxal first thing this morning and the sales assistant said they were expecting it to sell out by lunchtime. Previous must-have colours by Chanel have ended up on eBay for 2,3,4 and even 5 times the RRP of £16.50 so the lesson is if you want it, buy it now!

The question is, is it worth all the hype?

Before I answer, I must confess to being a bit of a nail junkie. I adore colour and am like a human magpie for all things shiny, so nail varnish is the perfect way for me to express this. As you can see from the photo above, I have the most recent Chanel sell outs but I was a little hesitant over this latest as I had thought it could be a little too similar to Vendetta. For this reason, I have taken some photos of this shade on my nails so that if you were thinking the same thing, you can compare the two.

Vendetta is a very dark purple that can almost look black in certain lights. It has a metallic edge to it and is best described as black with a hint of purple.

When I saw Paradoxal in person and tried it out, I was surprised at how light it is. It is almost more similar to Particuliere than Vendetta. It is a cool mushroom colour with subtle metallic lilac running through it. At first glance it looks like a slate grey, but the lilac that is shot through it gives it that modern edge. It has proved quite difficult to photograph, despite my best efforts, but at least it gives you an idea how it looks on the nails.

I love purple and this shade was not what I expected, but I think it is a fantastic colour for Autumn/Winter. Neutral enough to be worn everyday to work, but the added twist gives it that extra air of sophistication. There are many colours on the market that may appear similar, for example Nails Inc have some great greys and OPI do fabulous metallics and shimmers, but I haven't seen anything that combines this dove grey base with cool lilac in such a natural way.

So, to answer the original question, yes, Chanel have done it again and Paradoxal is worth the hype. I think it would look fantastic on any ages and is the perfect shade for any woman looking for a bit of Parisian Chic. If you prefer bold, statement colours, this may not be for you, but if effortless elegance is what you are after, Paradoxal can't be beaten.

If this post has whetted your appetite and you can't get to a Chanel counter pronto, there are 3 online retailers that I know of that haven't yet launched the Fall Collection so they should have stock tomorrow. These are :

http://www.garden.co.uk/,

http://www.debenhams.com/

http://www.boots.com/

I had a quick look at the rest of the Chanel Fall Collection and it is stunning. I think it would probably suit cooler skintones as there are a lot of deep purples and smokey greys but there is something for everyone. There are 3 new blushers, a bright pink, deep plum and neutral rose, a smokey eye shadow quad, 3 new shades of the Rouge Coco lipstick, 2 eyeliners and 2 single eye shadows in khaki and grey.

I couldn't resist the eyeshadow quad and rose blush, but I could easily have bought everything if my budget had allowed! Although I really enjoyed the Summer pop up collection of nail varnishes and lip products, this new collection is my favourite from the last few years. When my bank balance has fully recovered, I will undoubtedly be back for more.

I will try and post some photos of the eyeshadow quad and blush tomorrow but a word of warning if considering entering a department store this weekend, there are so many beautiful Fall Collections out now, particularly at Dior and Estee Lauder, not to mention Nars and No.7, that your wallet could take a beating!

Happy Shopping

         X

Welcome to English Rose Beauty

Hi everyone,
Welcome to my blog. I hope to be able to share with you anything and everything in the beauty world, likes and dislikes, product reviews, trends and maybe the odd makeup look if I am brave enough to post photos of myself (maybe in time!). Let me know if there is anything specific you would like me to blog about. I have no idea if anyone will read this and I may well end up talking just to myself but I will remain eternally hopeful that at some stage in the future someone might talk back to me!

Firstly, i'll say a little about myself and why I love the world of beauty so much. I grew up playing with dolls since I can remember and used to cut their hair and try and apply my mother's lipstick to them, doesn't really work on a Barbie Doll, had slightly more success with Girls World. However, I soon realised that applying it to plastic was futile and that putting it on me was far more exciting, so the dolls ended up in the attic and my first foray into real makeup began.

Apart from stealing or as I like to say, borrowing, makeup from my mother's dressing table, the first item I remember buying was a trio of nail varnishes from Miss Selfridge. I was feeling very grown up and chose some hideously garish metallic blue, turquoise and pinky/lilac shades, although I like to think that one of them was not too different to Chanel's Nouvelle Vague, so maybe I was just ahead of my time!

A few years later I upgraded from Miss Selfridge to my local department store and my love affair with Chanel began. A very kind sales assistant applied the limited edition gouache collection - a set of eye, cheek and lip products in artists tubes which came with a mini palette, and that became my first purchase. I still have it today and sadly, most of the products have been hardly touched. I don't think I had the necessary skills at that young age to really do it justice. However, that product started something, the shiny black packaging, the interlocking C's of the logo, not to mention the quality of the products and I haven't looked back since. If this has stirred any memories of your first makeup purchases, feel free to share and comment.

So there we have a very brief history of my romance with makeup. I have already described it as a love affair and although some might consider that melodramatic, I really consider it as such. I am constantly amazed by the transformative properties of cosmetics, how a touch of the right lipstick can give you a much needed boost on a bad day and how beauty is constantly evolving. I remember an old boyfriend once said that although most guys say they prefer girls natural, he would never knock makeup as he has seen the difference it can make to a woman. I'm not too sure if that was aimed at me, there is a reason he is an old boyfriend, but he had a point. I can look in the mirror in a morning and do a good impression of the waking dead, but some foundation, blush, mascara and lipstick and I look almost human, even if I don't feel it, and I am ready to face the day.

I hope that this blog will be a celebration of makeup of all shapes and sizes, prices and brands from the UK and beyond. My priority this week is to hit the Chanel counter first thing on Friday to get my hands on the new Chanel 2010 Fall Collection as I have been desperate to buy it since I saw the previews about 6 weeks ago. So, if you are a fellow Chanel devotee put Friday 13th August in you diary, especially if you want to pick up what is set to be the nail colour of the season, Paradoxal (RRP £16.50), a stunning deep grey that is shot through with metallic lilac. That description really doesn't do it justice but if it is not sold out by the time I get to the counter, I will take some pictures of it on my nails so you can judge for yourselves whether it is worth the hype.

Well that's it for my first ever post, Chanel updates will be on the way this week as well as a look at the new No.7 Autumn Collection, created by top makeup artist Lisa Eldridge. It looks fantastic.

Bye for now,

English Rose x