I’ve been enjoying the benefits of a healthy lifestyle of late including regular gym sessions and Pilates classes. Regular exercise means frequent showering, oftentimes two or three times a day. This can play havoc with the skin’s natural balance so using the right combination of products is vital. Kiehl’s Musk shower gel is a sumptuous all over body cleanser that’s gentle enough to use throughout the day. A’Kin’s Visibly Fit 24 hour moisturiser is a light, oil-free formula with anti-oxidants that really freshens up the skin. For sensitive skin, Nivea for Men’s Hydro Gel contains calming chamomile and aloe vera. If training outdoors an SPF is essential. Trilogy for Men includes a moisturiser with SPF 15 as does Kiehl’s energizing Facial Fuel. For that sensitive eye area, L’Oreal’s Hydra Energetic Ice Cool roll-on is very easy to apply and extremely refreshing. A firm believer your choice of aftershave says a lot about your style my current favourites include Armani Code Sport for its freshness. The newly released YSL Gingembre is a zingy scent with notes of ginger, bergamot and white pepper. For a real statement scent try Bleu de Chanel, it will have you smelling great all day long.

Metallics are always expected to make a resurgence when autumn/winter comes around, but this year they are taking center stage as a glimmering rebuttal to the bare faced trends seen on most runways. Silver in particular has really become the colour de jour with Chanel and designer Derek Lam leading the fashion pack. Chanel’s new Illusion D’Ombre eye shadows are a unique formulation that feel and blend like a cream shadow but have the intensity of a powder shadow. The collection features 6 new metallic shades that are long wearing and highly pigmented creating a high impact, lasting result for sultry nighttime eyes.

Quick Tip: If you’re thinking of going for silver tones on blue, grey or green eyes, be sure to off set it with black along the lash line as this will stop you from looking washed out.

For extra tips, check out Sarah’s feature on Mega Metallics using Maybelline for TV3′s Xposé

By Sarah Jane Langan

By Top International Make-up Artist Ciara O’Shea

With the weekend fast approaching (yay!) here’s my top tips on how to get the most from your make-up the morning after. Inspired by a great friend over Sunday lunch who was expressing her upset at being unable to get her skin and make up looking radiant after one too many Cosmo’s the night before. This can be especially frustrating on the day of a big event. Even if you feel like death you can look like you have been drinking litres of water and attending early morning yoga sessions. So here’s how to fake it until you make it.
with our 10-minute-how-to.

You absolutely have to start with a quick hydrating mask. It takes 5 minutes and it will single handily make the biggest difference to your skin. I am totally obsessed with Sue Devitt’s “Microquatic™ Oxygen Infusion Masque”. It foams up on the face and is blue in colour (helping to calm any redness). The reason I love it is because, no matter what I have put my skin through, it restores it to order and leaves it feeling velvety.

If eyes are puffy and dark reach out for Origins “No Puffery” cooling eye mask. It takes only 5 mins so you can double duty your masks and be a picture of perfection within minutes.

After, I immediately reach for Laura Merciers “Oil free tinted moisturizer” I go to the oil-free version no matter what the skin type, even if your skin is like sandpaper! This product will hydrate but at the same time gives you more hold and coverage that regular versions.

A good concealer is vital. I love The Balm’s “Time Balm – anti ageing concealer”. This product is so good for your skin that you can even sleep in it. I find it brightens as well so there’s no need for an additional product.

Blush is essential. No one wants to look like a corpse and blush is the only way to safe guard against this. I highly recommend Armani’s “Blending Blush Duo”. A genius two-for-one product that allows you to layer, blend and sculpt. The only problem is trying to pick your favourite shade!

On the eyes I use a quick product that goes on wet but dries to a powder therefore taking the thought process out of application. Chanel’s “Ombre d’Eau” liquid shadows are perfect for this. They include a handy applicator and come in a beautiful range of colours.

Mascara will add definition and open the eyes, but is wasted on flat lacklustre lashes. To avoid this, curl lashes first (MAC do a great pair) then add a volumising formula. Too Faced “Lash Injection” does the trick in an instant.

Lips need attention so give them a little love with “Korres Lip Butter” – Plum or Mango are the best shades for the season. With lips complete, you’re ready to take on the world!

By International Makeup Artist (& gorgeous gal) Ciara O’Shea

As you know, I’m just back from working the couture show in Paris and whom should I see backstage? None other than Jessica Alba. I would love to tell you that she does not live up to her sexy siren image in real life but nothing could be further from the truth. She maintains her girl next-door charm while at the same time oozing sex appeal. Approachable yet highly desirable. What a combination. If you fancy emulating Jessica’s look, here’s how.

Start with the eyes, that way you can take your time and get it right first time. It is vital to use a base for this look to provide hold and stop any creasing later on in the evening. I find that Benefits “Birthday Suit” creaseless cream eyeshadow does a great job, it acts as a base and an eyeshadow. It is super longwearing and complements all eye colours. A total must have. Just pat a light layer all over the eyelid and blend out to the socket bone. Next take a very black eyeliner, kohl preferably and line all along the top lid. Blend it gently with an eyeshadow brush, something like 239 Eye Shader brush from MAC. One of the best investments you will make this summer. Just go easy with the force and pressure you apply when blending and you will get the result you want first time, everytime. I am currently loving Givenchy ‘s “Magic Kohl” black pencil, it has a beautiful silky texture and is super easy to apply. If you can’t get hold of that then try Bourjois’s black kohl eyeliner, it goes on easy and looks elegantly matte on the finish.

False eyelashes are a must. I am addicted to Eyelures individuals. They are so easy to apply and if one falls off it is no big deal. Not like the strip lashes that can be high maintenance. Apply 2 coats of high impact mascara, something like YSL’s “False Lash” or Two Faced ” Lash injection”

Keep eyebrows in place with Givenchy Mister Brow wax pencil.

Foundation needs to be light, flawless and dewy. Chanel’s “Pro Lumiere“ will achieve all this and more. If you need a concealer then keep it in the family with Chanel’s concealer pens, I CANNOT live without these. They hide a multitude of sins. I am staying with Chanel for Bronzer. Anyone who knows me will know of my love for Bronze Universal, a gel bronzer I apply all over with a brush to give a naturally radiant sun kissed feel to the skin. Bring it to life with a little blush. A pale mauve pink works beautifully with this look. Again Givenchy has the best blushes in terms of shades and textures. I am currently carrying around a kit full of them and I can tell you first hand they look amazing on everyone. Well worth hunting down.

Lips are low maintenance, just pop a soft shiny lipstick in a berry shade all over and away you go. The Lipstick Queen does the best on the market; she even has liners and gloss to match every shade should you fancy it.

Shop it…
Lipstick Queen is available at Space NK
Givenchy is available at Dublin Airport and Debenhams
Benefit is available at Brown Thomas and all major retailers
Mac is at Brown Thomas
Two faced is at Boots
Chanel is at Brown Thomas and most major retailers.

ABOUT Ciara O’Shea

London based Irish girl Ciara O’Shea is fast becoming one of the most sought after young artists working in the fashion & beauty realm. Ciara has established an impressive portfolio working across the editorial, catwalk and music industries. She is a regular backstage at fashion weeks in London, New York, Milan and Paris. Ciara’s work has been featured in the pages of Vogue US, InStyle, The Sunday Times Style and RED magazine. She has worked with a range of talent from faces such as Emma Watson, Yasmin Le Bon, Jodie & Jemma Kidd and artists such as The Pussycat Dolls and Little Boots.

Ciara is a partner in the Zoë Clark Make-Up School, for more information on the courses available, visit ZoeClark.com.

By International Makeup Artist Ciara O’Shea
(fresh from working on the Dior Couture show in Paris if you don’t mind!)

I see a trend in old school glamour this season. Lace, beading, intricate designs and couture tailoring. I see a return to sleeves, shoulders, and straps, more so than ever before. The vibe is Grace Kelly; the mood is late 1940’s. I am thinking velvety lips, shimmery lids and expensive lashes. This is the time to indulge your inner goddess. Grooms, a return to Cary Grants’ sense of style is in vogue this season. Dapper, sophisticated, extremely groomed and debonair. Sleek side partings, luxurious textures and dinner jackets is what it is all about. Brides, for you it is all about texture, from your hair to the dress, to your bespoke accessories.

Whatever you decide on for the big day, here are some of my TRIED & TESTED favorites. Many years, tears and mistakes have led me to this trusty lot:

Base Lumiere by Chanel; a great primer for dull dry skin.

Oil free primer by Laura Mercier; a must for oily skin

Lip Primer by Urban Decay; the absolute best for holding colour

Foundations by Bobbi Brown; they cater for all skin tones, types and textures.

Concealer by Laura Mercier; Secret Camouflage is my favourite regardless of skin type. It is dry enough to hold but can be warmed up to work for dryer skins.

Blot powders by MAC; great for excess shine

Powder; Poudre Cristalline; by Chanel; a perfect powder for dry types as it adds matte radiance

Blushers by Bobbi Brown; the best range of textures on the market.

Eyeliners and shadows by MAC; who does it better?

Mascara by Dior – Diorshow is my absolute go to for envious lashes.

Ellis Faas for Lip products; any colour, any texture, she has thought of it! Failing that try Bourjois, from tints to lipsticks they have a fantastic range.

Sue Devitt for Lip pencils; fat enough that they can even be used as an all over lip colour.

Must haves extras:

Givenchy lip tints; a handy long-wear lip pen

Dior Skinflash; the best anti-aging quick fix on the market.

Benefit Eyebright; I adore this pencil; it completely eradicates any signs of late nights or excess wine!

Eyebrow pencils by Revlon; a duo wand that whips even the most unruly brows in to shape

Highlighters by NARS; choose from the ever popular; Multiple; range or try the new; Orgasm Illuminator; a fabulous peach pink shade that looks great on any skin tone.

Body Scrub by Philosophy; Amazing Grace; hot salt scrub; gets you smelling great and squeaky clean in seconds.

Body spritz by Origins; Gloomaway; body mist; a heavenly body hydrator

Body illuminator by Benefit – Bathina; take a picture it last longer; is a great golden pink shade that works on all skin types to give you picture perfect pins.

ABOUT Ciara O’Shea

London based Irish girl Ciara O’Shea is fast becoming one of the most sought after young artists working in the fashion & beauty realm. Ciara has established an impressive portfolio working across the editorial, catwalk and music industries. She is a regular backstage at fashion weeks in London, New York, Milan and Paris. Ciara’s work has been featured in the pages of Vogue US, InStyle, The Sunday Times Style and RED magazine. She has worked with a range of talent from faces such as Emma Watson, Yasmin Le Bon, Jodie & Jemma Kidd and artists such as The Pussycat Dolls and Little Boots.

Ciara is a partner in the Zoë Clark Make-Up School, for more information on the courses available, visit ZoeClark.com.

By Top International Makeup Artist Ciara O’Shea

Fluffy brushes, soft textures and colours are the best way to achieve the catwalk trends this season. Invest in the latest textures and technologies and bring your make up bag right up-to-date.

Skin is the most important – we saw lots of raw naked skin, which means its time to get your skincare working overtime. I am loving NUDE Skincare for its “Advanced Smoothing Complex” and its “Miracle Mask”. Both godsends and both products you can add in to your routine without having to totally overhaul it. Try switching your foundation to a lighter formula (the same way you change your wardrobe from winter coats to summer jackets). I love Ellis Faas for her silky smooth radiant Skin Veil pens. They give the right amount of invisible coverage. I use the concealer strategically, in areas prone to redness, normally this is through the middle panel of the face, i.e the nose, middle of the chin, under eyes, centre of the forehead. The application should be little and light. Other products that work well for this are Dior’s Skinflash or Bourjois’s purse friendly Illuminating Touch (€9.99).

Pair this perfectly naked skin with a coral pink lip and eyeliner. I love Bobbi Browns range of “Pot Rouges” which can be used on both lip and cheeks. They also have a great range of gel eyeliners which are perfect as they are smudge proof and longlasting, pick a seasonal shade and go with your gut as to its shape and size. Invest in a great eyelining brush – i love MAC as they have such a wide range that you get to pick whats best for you, personally i love a small skinny pointed brush.

To bring this look in to reality team your now beautifully radiant skin and individual statement eye and lip with a light coat of brown mascara and groomed brows. Use MAC “Clear Brow Gel”, super simple and quick. A dusting of Chanels new highlighting compact “Empreinte de Chanel Radiant Glow Highlighting Powder” with a soft fluffy brush (this method will give you a seamless blend) on the high points of the face (cheekbones, bridge of the nose, cupids bow) and you are good to go.

For more on this season’s spring summer make up trends click here.

ABOUT Ciara O’Shea

London based Irish girl Ciara O’Shea is fast becoming one of the most sought after young artists working in the fashion & beauty realm. Ciara has established an impressive portfolio working across the editorial, catwalk and music industries. She is a regular backstage at fashion weeks in London, New York, Milan and Paris. Ciara’s work has been featured in the pages of Vogue US, InStyle, The Sunday Times Style and RED magazine. She has worked with a range of talent from faces such as Emma Watson, Yasmin Le Bon, Jodie & Jemma Kidd and artists such as The Pussycat Dolls and Little Boots.

Ciara is a partner in the Zoë Clark Make-Up School, for more information on the courses available, visit ZoeClark.com.

Clogs have been given the high-fashion treatment this season with models at Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Céline strutting down the catwalks in the revamped industrial shoe. Enter Alexa Chung sporting a pair on the cover of Vogue UK and other celeb trendsetters such as Rachel Bilson follow. At first I wasn’t overly impressed but I’ve since warmed to them somewhat. Here’s my pick of the best;

1) Slingback Clog £75, Asos.com
2) Kurt Geiger £200
3) Hobbs fringed clog, €119
4) Wooden clog with bow detail, £150 Feud London
5) Clog sandal with lace up, £245 Stella McCartney

Pastels are one of the big trends in colour this year with delicious ice-cream shades on all kinds of fabric featuring heavily on spring summer catwalks including Burberry, Christopher Kane, Chanel and Marc Jacobs to name just a few.

GANT has gotten in on the pastel action and has drawn inspiration from Italy & the zestful Italian way of life. The result is a collection of modern casual wear with a European flare, reminiscent of the effortless glamour of an Italian ‘60’s movies – think the narrow streets of romantic Rome to the breathtakingly beautiful scenery of the Amalfi Coast.

‘Sporty elegance’ is the essence of the ‘New Nautical’ range which I must admit I’m quite drawn to for summer.

I caught up with my friend Edel during the week who I hadn’t seen for over a month. She was super excited telling me about her recent treat to herself – a Chanel 2.55 handbag.

It’s a classic and oh so stunning. She’s wanted one for as long as I remember and I was delighted for her. It got me thinking about handbags and the real difference they can make to an outfit.

If you fancy treating yourself to a nice bag, something a little different, but haven’t quite got the budget for a Chanel then a Santi handbag might be the perfect choice.

Santi handbags are handmade in India by craftsmen who have mastered their skills over centuries using materials such as fine silk, sequins, crystals, shells, beads, embroidery, leather and stones in all different shades and intricate designs with clear inspiration from contemporary fashions to vintage looks.

The result is a handbag that is truly unique, perfect for adding a touch of glam to the most simple of outfits. Given the craftsmanship that goes into each bag, the price point is spot on (and your unlikely to bump into anyone else sporting the same bag on a night out!).

Santi multi bag €390

Santi black decorated bag €175

Santi Bag €390

The SANTI range of handbags is exclusively available in BT2 Dundrum.

The new beauty hall at Arnotts on Henry Street opened last night to the delight to fashion fans across the city. The department store now boasts the largest cosmetic hall in Ireland, with just about everything you could possible need under one roof. To celebrate the opening of the new hall, which has more than doubled in size, ice sculptures, a string quartet and champagne were among the delights that greeting guests on arrival.

The real treats were yet to come however.

The new hall is a fabulous emporium of must-have beauty products featuring brands such as Neelu, Benefit and Chanel to name but a few. One of the most exciting and eagerly awaited new additions is Swedish brand Make Up Store, which is available exclusively in Ireland in Arnotts. With a massive range of colour cosmetics, (1600 lines to be exact!) there’s plenty to keep you busy.

Award-winning Australian brand, BECCA (adored by some of the world’s most famous faces, including Kate Winslet, Naomi Watts and Beyonce Knowles) is now also available exclusively at Arnotts. That’s just a taster of what lies in store and I haven’t even mentioned the beautiful wide open spaces, new white limestone floor, windows now open to view on Henry St., handbags and shoes…Pop in soon, I promise you’ll be impressed!

The 24-year-old actress was signed as the face of Coco Mademoiselle in 2007 and her latest images for the brand see her posing practically naked (with a good pair of suspenders & a bowler hat) to advertise the perfume. The Oscar-nominated star will be seen next in Never Let Me Go, an adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel. She has also been cast as Eliza Doolittle in a forthcoming screen version of My Fair Lady.

I have to admit I really like the imagery. What do you think? Go on, leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts…!

Mixing photography with animation doesn’t seem quite right but the results are very eye catching. Shot by photographer Ryan McGinley, here’s a taster…

And because I mentioned them!

There’s a real sense of fun and creativity to the collection with the designs demonstrating a great focus on individuality. It encompasses most of this seasons trends including; nudes, pastels brassy gold, pearls, charcoal grey, metallic silver, comet black, layering and vintage designs.

One of my favourites is the gold ring encrusted with a fusion of crystal and pearl stones as seen here.

The layered gold chain necklace with black stone (below) has a certain Chanel-like quality to it. With the movie ‘Coco Avant Chanel’ currently in cinema’s there’s no time like the present. But if you’re budget doesn’t stretch to Chanel proportions perhaps Miss Chic is for you. With prices ranging from just €40 it’s perfect for these credit crunching times.

Available from a variety of stockists in Ireland and online at Miss Chic.

Apart from tweed, there’s also a strong emphasis on big, bold, statement shoulders. Inspired by Christophe Decarnin’s Balmain catwalk for spring/summer 2009, the exaggerated shoulder power dressing look on dresses and jackets is a trend that is continuing into autumn winter. With this look the emphasis is on the top half of the body so the silhouette of the waist down should be short or narrow to maintain a feminine shape. Dolce & Gabbana and Stella McCartney have gone for a more toned down shoulder look.