Candy Yum Yum by Mac

I think winter is the most wonderful time of the year for make-up. You have longer to spend doing it (the weather’s shite, who wants to be out there?) and there are more parties than you can drunkenly shake a cocktail sausage at. Although it feels wrong to transition from cocktail sausages, here goes.

When you’re tired of your usual wintry crimson lip, why not buck the expected colour palette and go neon pink?

I’ve long-loved the eye-hurting brightness of Mac’s Candy Yum Yum shade – the lipstick is matte and so pigmented that reapplication doesn’t feel like an endless chore. My only gripe is that it can sometimes feel a bit dry. I recently tried the gloss version which feels great on the lips and is a bit more wearable for daytime. I also like mixing pure Candy Yum Yum lipstick with the Cyan Lipmix to create a surprisingly flattering bright violet hue.

I’ll post some good Mac combinations soon, but in the meantime here are some pics of a look with the Candy Yum Yum Tinted Lipglass.

With such a bold lipcolour, I like keeping the rest of the face quite neutral. In this case I prepped my skin with a primer, used a light foundation with some pink contouring and filled my brows in with a combination of Mac Lingering and a mid-brown powder.

Smile Brighter this Summer

After many glorious, fun-filled years of drinking tea, coffee, wine and (eek) smoking, my smile was less ‘Brilliant White’ and more ‘Filthy Magnolia.’ I recently started using BlanX toothpaste to rectify the situation.

I’ve been wary of whitening toothpastes in the past – my teeth can be very sensitive – but decided to push on through in the name of beauty. The unique BlanX formula contains naturally whitening products such as Arctic Lichen and Bamboo Micro Powder.

After using BlanX Advance Whitening Toothpaste (RRP £7.89) and BlanX Intensive Stain Removal (RRP £6.30) for about a month, I have definitely started to notice a difference. BlanX packaging comes with a handy tester strip so you can see how the colour of your teeth changes through using the products. I found it very satisfying to track the progress and have moved from a decidedly yellowy ‘4’ to a more palatable ‘x.’ I haven’t noticed any increased sensitivity in my teeth so far either so I’m planning to continue using the products until my teeth are pearly white once more. You can buy BlanX products in major chemists and supermarkets.

If, like me, you also enjoy a quick-fire cosmetic solution, here are my top three tips for an instantly brighter smile:

1.     Tan your face, and tan it hard. A healthy smothering of something like Sleep Mask by James Read works wonders. It’s the contrast between face and teeth that makes them look whiter

2.     Use a blue-based lip product like ‘Hello Sailor’ by Lipstick Queen 

3.     Or try a blue-based red lipstick. I like LadyDanger by Mac or my ‘Monica’ red lipstick by Dolce & Gabbana

www.blanx.co.uk  

Before

After

Mac Makeover

There are two amazing things you might not already know about Mac:

1.       Collect six ‘empties’ (the actual container your Mac make-up came in) into your nearest Mac and you get A FREE LIPSTICK. Yes, that’s right, a free lipstick. This recycling initiative makes me get through Mac cosmetics like you would not believe. You wouldn't believe the number of lipsticks in my collection.

2.       If you book a Mac make-up lesson (just £30) the cost of the booking is redeemable against products. I was given a booking as a gift and decided to head to Mac in Covent Garden.

The lovely Mischa took care of my transformation, taking me from haggard, hungover, overworked mess to something much, much better! I couldn't believe how much Mischa’s skills and Mac’s amazing products changed the shape of my face and features (Mac’s ‘Harmony’ is great for contouring, I learnt). I’ll definitely go back the next time I have a special occasion - or just fancy a splurge. Thanks Mischa, thanks Mac!

Mac has recently relocated from Neal Street to just outside Covent Garden tube station and there’s a Mac Pro downstairs which makes me very. Excited. Indeed.

www.maccosmetics.co.uk