Top 5 Christmas Make Up Palettes

Palettes are a great idea for a gift, they look great and combine enough make up products to get a full look into a relatively small area. This Christmas the major players have really stepped up their game, coming up with eye catching original palette design with striking colours perfect for the party season.

1 - Nars Andy Warhol Collection - £39.50

www.narscosmetics.com

I nearly clapped and jumped in the air when I saw this in Space NK. The Silver Factory collection includes the self portrait eye shadow palette below (a collectors item - surely - £39.50) printed with Warhol’s silhouette. Even the product names evoke his unique world - Soup Can and Chelsea Girls to name a few. The full product range includes special edition tins featuring Edie Sedgwick’s face and mini nail polishes.

2 - Karl Lagerfeld for Shu Uemera - £45

http://www.shuuemura.co.uk/collections/karl-lagerfeld-for-shu-uemura/karl-lagerfeld-for-shu-uemura-smoky-velvet-palette.aspx



The eagerly awaited KL collection does not disappoint - quirky kitsch cartoon logo meets great quality and amazing colours. The eyeshadow palette (£45) is a must have and has velvety smooth textures inspired by luxurious fabrics. It comes in two sets - Smoky Velvet (above) with khaki green, sparkly black and crimson red shadows, or Prestigious Bordeaux with more gold and rust tones. The eyelash curlers, brush set and false eyelashes are gorgeous as well and would certainly make my day at Christmas!

3 - Guerlain Liu Eye and Lip Calligraphy Palette - £48.60

www.guerlain.com

The stunning palette is inspired by traditional Asian beauty rituals and calligraphy, and features molten metal eye shades (bronze, copper and white), which look amazing with the intense pigment of the pink red and the blue red for that special occasion. The Liu perfumed shimmer powder spray is worth a mention as well - it looks like fairy dust when you spray it and looks wonderful with your christmas outfit on hair and the decolletage.

4 - Bobbi Brown Atomic Pink Lip & Eye Palette £36.00

www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com


With on trend colours perfect for Christmas parties and an affordable price tag, this palette guarantees quality, brights and sparkle all in one. The Atomic Pink lip gloss is perfect with the quad eye palette in gold, silver, bronze and grey which creates the quintessential smoky eye. The mini lip gloss clips handily into the palette and is great for touch ups.

5  - Topshop Eye Palette in Prism - £16

www.topshop.com


For the “budget” option this is very futuristic and directional with silver, pink and black shades with raised prism surfaces. This can be used wet to intensify the colour. The packaging is cool  - prism lines over the sleek black surface.

Merry Xmas and enjoy perfecting your perfect party look!

Top 5 Christmas Jewellery brands

Top 5 Jewellery for Christmas

With Christmas just four weeks away, jewellery is sure to be top of the christmas list for most discerning ladies. With record jewellery sales expected, the variety currently available is amazing with statement necklaces and popular charm bracelet brands Although most guys are pointed in the direction of jewellery, being left with the decision of which brand and what type is enough to stress out even the most experienced gift buyer. Jewellery buying between female friends is becoming more and more popular.

Is she a bracelet, necklace or earrings kind of girl? Gold or Silver? Costume or more expensive? This is easier if she obsesses about the next Pandora charm, but what about the women who are bored of the over saturated charm market? Read on for ideas!

Alex Monroe

www.alexmonroe.com

My current favourite and top of my wish list, the very talented Alex Monroe designs stunning gold and silver jewellery and also does commissions if something more personal is needed.

His work is quirky, wearable and very affordable. He was inspired by his Suffolk upbringing, surrounded by nature, to design his distinctive, signature insect necklaces - the Bumblebee necklace is a permanent feature in Vogue, Marie Claire and Elle. All the pieces are handmade and beautifully crafted. Alongside the bumblebee, other necklace designs include hummingbirds, hedgehogs, acorns, feathers and birds. Rings and bracelets are also intricately designed with unique detail. I would be very happy to wake up to this on christmas morning!

Alex Monroe Bumblebee necklace - £132


Monica Vinader

www.monicavinader.com

My sister introduced me to this designer, popular for her friendship bracelets in many colours. The combination of the gold vermeil on sterling silver with the vividly coloured cord is visually stunning and very feminine. The designs and simple and striking, using precious gemstones and metals which are surprisingly affordable. The bracelet pictured retails at £115.  The engraveable pendants are also stunning and you can combine pendants to create a personalised piece. A chain plus three pendants combined costs just over £200. You can find the brand in Liberty, Selfridges and Harrods, as well as in department stores nationwide.

Daisy

www.daisyjewellery.com

I have been coveting the Daisy initial rings for some time - they are simple yet very effective (£37). Daisy’s signature piece is the chakra bracelet which incorporates buddhist chakra symbols with cord in the colours of the chakras (£86). The Zodiac bracelets are also a great gift idea - made from 24ct Gold Vermeil and Sterling Silver, with 100% nylon cord.

Tatty Devine

www.tattydevine.com

I’ve loved Tatty ever since I got an acrylic pink name necklace with a little heart attached - the laser cut jewellery is cool and bright, perfect if you’re looking for something quirky or themed. Name necklaces are around £35 depending on length of name. They even collaborated with the Baltic Gallery in my neck of the woods, Newcastle, to create an Angel of the North necklace. The How to Make Jewellery book is also popular at Christmas for creative types who fancy having a go at it themselves.

Vivienne Westwood

www.viviennewestwood.com

Everyone is quite surprised when they realise how affordable some Westwood pieces are, the stud earrings are around the £50 mark and charm bracelets are also not as expensive as you might think. Think ultimately quirky and original - statement pieces which are a talking point at parties. Look closely at the earrings below - the hand detail is so original and perfectly in keeping with the theme of Imperial China from one of her collections this year.

Ivory Imperial Court Earrings £155

I hope this reduces stress for some people who are confused and are desperate to get it right!