Proud Pout

The loud mouth triumphed on the A/W10 catwalks, puckering up proudly from Gucci to Miu Miu in a range of reds from berry to pillar box bright. Finish-wise there was a clear winner though - according to top makeup artist and Max Factor creative design director Pat McGrath, 'This season's high voltage lips look best in matte.'




Precision is certainly the key to rocking a loud lip look, so it's lucky for us girls that Max Factor has just launched another killer product in the form of Lipfinity Lip Tint.

This cunning new lip pen makes creating a killer pout easy peasy: Via a precision felt tipped applicator, lips can be drawn, defined and coloured in a range of fashion-forward, this season shades.

While traditional lipsticks can sometimes feel heavy, Lipfinity Lip Tint has a lightweight, barely there feel. Its water-based formula absorbs into the top layer of the lips rather than simply sitting on top of them. You're left with a colour-popping pucker that is kiss- and drink-proof and best of all that lasts for hours.

Follow these easy steps and you'll be working this high impact look with ease:

A loud lip looks loveliest when the rest of the face is kept pared down, so keep skin looking fresh and dewy by applying an illuminating primer. Then apply Max Factor's new Xperience Foundation in broad sweeps across the skin. This nifty new foundation offers great coverage, but has a super-lightweight feel.

Apply a dab of a highlighter such as Benefit's High Beam to your brow bone, cheek bones and cupid's bow to add extra luminescence to the skin.

Next give cheeks a subtle glow working in a dab of Max Factor's Miracle Touch Creamy Blush in Soft Copper.

Define eyes with Kohl Pencil in Black before lining the upper lids as close to the lash line as you can get in a fine sweep of Masterpiece Glide and Define Liquid Eyeliner. Add feline flicks at the outer edge if you're looking to up the glam factor.

Finish with two volumising sweeps of Masterpiece Max Mascara in Black.

Now for the lips: Choose from Lipfinity Lip Tint's three deep and fruity shades: Berry Burst, Royal Plum or Pink Princess.Use the applicator pen to precisely sketch your desired lip shape. Remember not to draw over your natural lip line. Ensure that you perfectly define your cupid's bow.Then, using the flat side of the applicator, colour the full lip.

And voila: a subtley understated face with a colour popping boost of brightness that's effortless and lasts for hours.

My Sugarland Turns Two

If you're looking for a fashion fix that's as sweet as candy, Islington's My Sugarland is a must visit.

The delightful boutique stocks a candyfloss confection of vintage and designer goodies and last week it opened its doors, inviting the press and fashion world to celebrate its second birthday at a seriously stylish soiree.

The owner, celebrity stylist Zoe Lem, has created something in My Sugarland which feels reminicent of the loveliest of dreams - the shops deliciously refined edit of beauiful vintage pieces, dazzling designer wares and fairytale jewellery has been curated in such a thoughtful way that you feel as though someone has offered you a key to a fashion Narnia.

Rather than stocking items by designer, each rail is lined by theme, so pre-loved thrift nestles happily next to sparkling new high-fashion, everything has the space to breathe and you can't help but feel an elevated sense of excitement as you thumb through the heady mix of eras and styles, in search of a piece of fashion perfection.

Perhaps unsurprsingly then, My Sugarland's 2nd birthday drew a discerning crowd of style savvy fashionistas including the queen of sartorial blogging Susie Bubble.

As the rails were rifled, the coiffed and coutured sipped on strawberry vodka or rum and passionfruit cocktails, nibbled on fondant iced cupcakes from Bea's of Bloomsbury and listened to a delightful jamboree from one man band Dollar Bill.

Typewriter artist Keira Rathbone sat, cocktail in hand and styled to Forties perfection, rustling up quirkly and curious works of art on an old typewriter. Around the sugared space, cool and quirky models donned dresses by the likes of Anna Quansah - think simple shifts transformed by uber embellished bibs and Jasper Garvida - whose ruffled structured cocktail dresses couldn't fail to make the cut on any fashionista’s fantasy wishlist.

The beauty look, whilst retro, nodded towards this season's trends. Faces remained alabaster, eyes were discreetly defined using liquid eyeliner and lashings of mascara and lips were painted to matte perfection in A/W10's must have dark berry shade.

Sugar and spice and all things nice were expected from this sweet soiree and it delivered on every level.

Queen of Fashion: Susie Bubble

Keira Rathbone's typewriter art and vintage styling.

Anna Quansah's designs

Jasper Garvida's must have cocktail dresses

 

 

A serious accolade

Owner Zoe Lem right, with PR and Event Coordinator Holly Barder