If you’re the type of person who lives life on the go and requires a phone that can keep pace with all that’s happening around you, then let me introduce you to the elegant new HTC Rhyme.

It’s a sleek, stylish handset that comes in two colors: Clearwater and Plum. With a 3.7-inch LCD display, stereo sound and advanced 5-megapixel camera that includes a powerful LED flash and all-important instant shutter so you don’t miss the moment waiting for your phone to catch up with you. It’s the perfect phone for capturing the best facebook profiler!

HTC Rhyme with accessories

The locked home screen can be customized to display the most important content to you, making it quick and easy to see social updates, photos, or the weather forecast. In addition to all that, it also comes with it’s own docking station that simultaneously recharges the phone while turning the Rhyme into an alarm clock and music center so you can wake to your favorite songs played directly from the built-in Bluetooth capable speakers….a very sweet feature!

If you’re the type of lady that’s forever missing calls because your phone is buried at the bottom of your bag, you’re going to love the ‘Charm’ that alerts you to new calls and messages. The charm plugs into the headphone jack, clips to a handbag, and then lights up for incoming calls or messages. It’s also handy to quickly pull the phone out of your bag.

The HTC Clearwater is available now in Meteor and O2 stores. The HTC Plum is available exclusively to O2.

By Ciara O’Shea

Last week I had a look at some of the best beauty buys and stocking fillers for under €40. Now for some gift ideas that any women would swoon over;

Illamasqua Nail Quils and Polish – This is for the daring, dramatic, unique individual in your life. Beautifully presented in a black gift box, 2 per set, designed to be worn on either thumb. These handmade designs are a true collectors item. Wear them with Illamasquas Nail Varnish in Scorn. Quills €42 and Varnish €16 approx

NARS Beautiful Life Lip and Cheek Palette – 2 Iconic Cheek creams, Copacabana, a glistening pearl and Orgasm, a peachy pink with shimmer. 4 Lip Colours in this purse portable pack. What a winner. €46 approx

Diptique Frankincense and Spicy Orange Candle – I am always more than happy to give or receive these beautiful candles. They are strong but not overpowering and look utterly magnificent in the process. This limited edition scent is warm and comforting yet exotic and mysterious. €55

Nude The Miracle Collection – My three favourite, no nonsense products from this hard working ethical brand, Cleansing oil, Hydrating water and Miracle mask. Give this to the organic lover in the family and you will be in their good books the whole year. €58

Dr Vranjes Home Fragrance – A chemist and artisan perfumer, Dr Vranjes makes hand crafted fragrances using traditional techniques. They make the perfect gift due to their exquisite presentation. My favourite for this time of year is “Fuoco” Patchouli, Sandalwood, Vetiver and hints of Nutmeg and Ginger mean it exudes warmth. €59 approx

Bumble and Bumble Flat Classic Hairbrush – This is the first-ever limited-edition Flat Classic Hairbrush. Looks great and is essential for daily smoothing, updos with polish and gentle detangling. €58

Bliss At Home Oxygen Blast - Give the gift of youth and vitality!
This radiance revving facial will repair any heavy duty damage due to late nights, lack of sleep and general misbehaving. I am a total devotee to this miracle worker. €60

Vani-T Tan Bronzed Goddess – Kylie loves this 100% Natural and Organic brand. Its free from artificial fragrance, preservatives and harsh chemicals. The set contains everything you need to get that perfect Californian tan no matter how miserable the weather. Loofah, Tanning Spray and Bronzing Custard, €60

REN Rose Bath Gift Set – Moroccan Rose Otto Bath Oil and Moroccan Rose Otto Sugar Body Polish in gift sets featuring de Gournay’s exquisite, hand-painted chinoiserie wallpaper designs. A super stylish gift. €60 approx

Smashbox Wish For The Perfect Palette – This is INCREDIBLE value. It speaks for itself really, packed to the brim with 49 eyeshadows, 10 cream liners, 6 brow powders, brow wax, 8 lip glosses, 2 blushers, bronzer, highlighter and 4 mini brushes. Genius. €75

Green and Spring Bath, Body and Home Gift Set – Indulging Shower & Bath Foam with chamomile, rose and jasmine, Revitalising Body Lotion with fennel for circulation, Relaxing Home Candle that burns for up to 60 hrs and Lip Balm rich in Olive oil, Shea butter and Vitamin E. All hand blended using natural, ethical ingredients. Looks beautiful too. €81 approx

Jo Malone Grapefruit Scented Dining Candles x 6 – Forget wine when visiting friends at Christmas. This gift is far more personal and much more elegant. The recipient can burn them while serving Christmas dinner and tell everyone what a wonderful friend you are in the process. €83 approx

Aqua Di Parma Colonia Christmas Gift – This trio of treats from this iconic fragrance house is sure to be a hit. It can be worn by both sexes (buy it for him, use it yourself!) and has a clean crisp expensive scent. €87

Laura Mercier Crème de Pistache Quad – Luscious, creamy pistachio, juicy fruit nectars, bittersweet chocolate, caramel and honey roasted almonds. The honey Bath includes a wooden honey dipper, Body Cream, Sugar scrub and Candle all complete this bath lovers dream set. €90

By Andrea Murray

In my previous two articles on skin and hair you will have noted the importance of water within our daily diets.

We are 70% water hence most functions require this cheap and thankfully, in Ireland, easily available substance. One of water’s key roles is the vital cleansing the body of toxins as generated through chemicals in our foods, stress, pollution and normal body functions. Our liver does the job of managing our toxic load with our lymphatic system – a great picture was described to me of the similarities between a dehydrated lymphatic system and a summer stream that is dry, sludgy, muddy and stagnant! If there is not enough water traveling through the body, toxins that need to be removed, stay within us causing further damage.

Headaches which are a common problem for many are primarily caused by dehydration so if you feel a headache coming on reach for a piece of juicy fruit and a large glass of water which should be drunk steadily until hopefully symptoms ease – let this be the first line of defence rather than a pill packet. Coffee which we will discuss further in later articles is also a demon for dehydrating our bodies as it is a diuretic (releases fluid from the body ie need to wee more!). A good tip is to always have a glass of water with your coffee to balance this water loss.

We need to be having 6-8 large glasses or 1.5-2 litres of good quality water a day. Don’t forget our 5-10 portions of fruit and vegetables also provide your body with good levels of water in the form that suits the body. The most effective way of knowing if your body is hydrated is by checking your urine; it should be colourless and odourless at all times, if it is other than that you need to take some water on board, if you check out the web for ‘urine colour charts’ it will give you a better pictorial.

Total Nutrition top tips;
• Drink 6-8 large glass of water or 1.5 – 2 litres a day.
• Eat 5-10 portions of fruit and vegetables.
• Keep tea and coffee to a minimum and explore green and herbal teas.
• Fizzy drinks do not replace water on a hydration level.

Got any questions or topics you’d like us to cover? Let us know and Andrea will get on the case!

Andrea runs a private practice in South Dublin and is totally passionate about the healing benefits of food and her motto is ‘eat well and feel great’. Her work includes those who wish to; support an illness naturally, lose weight without feeling hungry and want to increase their overall energy levels. Visit www.totalnutrition.ie to find out more.

With each new season, it becomes more and more apparent that the fashion industry is out to test me. It’s almost as if, prior to designing the collections, all the fashion designers get together, in one of their fabulously chic townhouses no doubt, and decide to re-invent some hideous monstrosity from seasons past and spin it into the most desirable item ever created. This season that item is the cape.

Yes, I said cape. The item of clothing that is most associated with the Batman’s and Superman’s of the world – has now become the most desirable item of Autumn/Winter 2010. You may laugh now, but trust me – come October EVERYONE will be wearing a cape and by the time you decide to jump on board…the best may be well gone.

The cape exists within many of the trends for this season, as demonstrated by Alexander Wang and Celine, which means that it will easily fit into whichever trend you decide to embrace this autumn/ winter. Military is back yet again, and military inspired capes are all over the place. Topshop has a simplistic khaki version with buckle at neck online at the moment for £95, but ASOS has the most exquisite with its ‘Hooded Military Cape’ (€93, pictured centre) – with echoes of red riding hood and shoulder epaulettes, this cape will complete any outfit this season.

For a more relaxed take on the cape – look to the ‘Country Heritage’ trend that Ralph Lauren so frequently champions. As per usual, Whistles has fantastic stock – the cotton-gabardine cape is stunning (£195) and will look perfect teamed with black skinnies and platform boots. To get the cape look right this season, make sure its khaki, simple and has buttons – if it’s good enough for style muse Clemence Poesy (pictured left) its good enough for me!

By Siobhan Lam

Indulge your preppy side this May with the latest offerings from GANT. A mix of American East Coast casualness with a dollop of Italian elegance combines to create the ‘Mainline Collection’. All the GANT classics are represented – shirt dresses, sweaters, funky coloured polo tops and my current style favourite, chinos – in a vibrant colour palette with some nautical inspired twists. All in all a bold and rather glamorous collection, perfect for everyday casual chic.

The GANT store, with mens and womens collections, is located in Dundrum Town Centre. Menswear ranges also available in Louis Copeland Stores nationwide. More images after the cut

–

–

–

Ladies what do you consider the most attractive feature in a man? Is it a nice smile, full head of hair or even a hot body? Probably no great surprise that Brad Pitt tops the poll of who Irish women have in mind when they think of a strong and sensitive man closely followed by Mr X Factor himself, Dermot O’Leary with Irish Rugby star Paul O’Connell in third place.

It appears Irish women rank honesty as the most attractive quality in a man, followed closely by a sense of humour and sensitivity to their needs. According to the survey carried out by Listerine, Irish women are still looking for old fashioned romance and it appears that a surprise romantic dinner date or just breakfast in bed would impress them most. Surprisingly, taking out the bins doesn’t impress Irish women much!

Well the search is on to find Ireland’s ‘Mr Strong & Sensitive’ and now’s your chance to nominate your partner or friend for the title by visiting www.listerinestrongandsensitive.ie. The winner will receive a romantic, luxury rugby weekend away in Paris for two including tickets to the Heineken Cup Final. Not bad for an auld softy!

Would love to know what you think of these findings? What celeb comes to mind as your a strong and sensitive type?

To celebrate the arrival of spring and the approach of bikini weather (yes, we are forever hopeful here at HelpMyStyle.ie), we’re offering one lucky reader the chance to win the brand new Remington i-LIGHT, home IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) hair removal system worth €399.99!

The i-LIGHT is set to revolutionise home grooming by bringing traditionally salon based hair removal to your home meaning you can now become your very own beauty therapist.

Developed in association with leading dermatologists, the i-LIGHT is fast, painless and highly effective. Using cutting-edge technology – the same used in professional hair removal clinics – it safely removes hair for an ultra silky smooth feeling that can last for up to 12 weeks. To get your hands on the new Remington i-LIGHT, read below;

TO ENTER:
Simply answer the following question; What does IPL stand for?

To be eligible to enter you must be a registered user to this blog. If you are registered just email answers to win@helpmystyle.ie. If you’re not already registered, it’s quick, easy & free to do now by clicking REGISTER on the top righthand corner of this page. Once registered, email answers to win@helpmystyle.ie.

Closing date for entries is 5pm Monday 8 February.

THE RULES:
All prizes are non-transferable and to enter you must have an Irish postal address (on the island of Ireland). There is no cash alternative and our decision is final. We respect your privacy. Your personal information is safe, and will never be shared with any third party. Note: Your email address will be added to our email list. You may opt out at any time.

HERE’S THE SCIENCE
The i-LIGHT has a hand-held device which emits light energy. This light energy is absorbed by the melanin in the hair follicle below the skin’s surface. The energy stuns the follicle and suppresses hair’s re-growth to leave skin soft, smooth and hair free for up to 3 months. The i-LIGHT boasts a unique multi-flash mode for continuous movement this, together with the fact it can target larger areas than a laser, ensures it’s one of the fastest IPL systems available.

Used on dry, clean skin post shave, hair will begin to fall out after 7-14 days. Hair that was treated in it’s active phase of growth will not produce new hair for up to 12 weeks, leaving you with the confidence of beautifully, touchable, silky smooth skin, for much longer than other hair removal methods. After 12-16 weeks some hair will start to re-grow, but this hair is often lighter and finer than before. You then begin the process again. It’s effective, simple, fast and long lasting. What’s more the i-Light can be used on legs, underarms, bikini lines, chests, backs, shoulders and arms.

The Remington i-LIGHT will be available with an introductory price of €299.99 (regular €399.99) from Sam McCauley Chemists nationwide from February 2010 and through stockists from March 2010.

Anyone who’s been there will know what I mean when I say I can’t think of anything worse than the feeling you experience when you drop, and subsequently step on, your favourite pair of glasses.

That’s exactly what I did a couple of months back when I broke my beloved frames clean in two. I even attempted a DIY glue job (I’d had them over 5 years) but it wasn’t to be.

Trawling the highstreet for a suitable replacement pair, I couldn’t find anything I liked with a semi-reasonable price tag. Luckily for me, I’d a trip planned to New York shortly afterwards and I happened upon the most amazing little offbeat optician’s in Greenwich Village (run by the most adorable Lithuanian couple). There I found a pair of clear-framed Alain Mikli glasses which I instantly fell in love with!

Why am I telling you this?

Well I’m happy to report the tide is turning on the eyewear front.
‘Claim the Frame’ is Ireland’s first Irish-owned online eyewear emporium bringing a range of fashionable specs, sunglasses and contact lenses all at cut prices…so you can frame your face with fabulous frames for less.

The site stocks a wide range of designer labels including Guess, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, and Robert Cavalli as well as their own range of in-house frames. You can even pick up a pair of classic Ray Ban Aviators from as low as €124, and Wayfarers for just €105.

The site also includes a simple guide on choosing glasses to suit your face shape but if you’re not convinced when they arrive, they offer a ten day full refund money back guarantee. What’s not to love!

* Keep an eye out over the coming weeks as we’ll be giving you the chance to win some cool glasses from ‘Claim The Frame’.

One of the most beautiful things about the female form is that it comes in such a variety of different shapes and sizes. Definitely something to be celebrated, it’s also something that can cause a lot of headache when shopping.

Ask yourself, how many people do you know with the same body shape as you? Most stores manufacture sizes for a mass market, essentially creating garments made to fit millions of women. In reality this just doesn’t cut it.

If like so many women, you sometimes have trouble finding clothes that fit perfectly off the hangar, don’t despair! Here are a couple tips you should bear in mind when dressing for your body shape…and you should have the number of a good tailor on speed dial.

1) No matter what your body shape use cuts, colours & patterns that accentuate the positive aspects of your figure and draw the eye away from any problem areas.

2) If you’ve a long torso and short legs, you should put together outfits with the focus on your legs. By wearing clothes that make your legs look longer, you’ll look longer overall and therefore leaner. High-waisted skirts & trousers are great for this. Also by matching the colour of your belt, trousers/skirt, tights and shoes you create the illusion of a longer line.

3) Most women would kill for long legs so I say if you’ve got them flaunt them! Wear slim fitting pants or skirts that show off your legs.

4) If you’re wider at the waist than you’d rather be, start by drawing attention elsewhere such as your neckline, face or legs. V-necks or empire lines are ideal for this as they draw the eye upward. Avoid trousers that cover your entire tummy as they’ll only make it look larger than it is.

5) Lastly, If you’re problem area is your bum and bottom half then you’ll want to make it appear smaller. Choose tops that hit at the top of the hip and choose silhouettes such as A-line skirts that flow away from the body. Avoid skirts with a lot of embellishments or a large pattern as they will only draw attention to your problem area.

These are just a couple of tips to help get you started on dressing for your body shape. Feel free to drop me a line if you have any more individual queries. Happy shopping!