This Week’s Highlights: Smokey Eyes, Wedding Make-Up, and My Experimental Weekend

I have sat down to write with trepidation troubling my core; this weekend, I’m going to a festival and therefore camping for the first time in my life. Things of routine which have before never given me grief have suddenly become sources of consternation: what does one wear when heading outside to the loo in the middle of the night?; where can I source waterproof trousers; will I get any sleep? (I NEED SLEEP), and – most importantly of all – how the bleeding hell do I cleanse without running water?

This state of unrest has been somewhat mollified by the varied and slightly emotional week I’ve had. So I thought I’d look back on that in this post, in an attempt to process all the feels – and share some recommendations before I head into the unknown… //

Chelsee Lewis / A new facialist on my radar who’ll join the ranks of my favourites, Chelsee uses techniques and products I really rate, combining massage with machines, Neostrata with Yonka. She also is the most gentle and thorough extractor of spots I’ve come across in yonks, and as a result of her attention my skin is a happier place.

Elvis Presley / This accounts for most the emotional bit. This week marked the 40th anniversary of his death, and I found myself looking back through my favourite Elvis performances and feeling stupendously sad once more that he died so prematurely and in such a sad ebb of his life. Above is a cracking video interview of him that’s one of my all time favourites – shout if you want more, I have PLENTY to recommend.

Wedding Make-Up / I’ve started to do make-up tutorials on InStyle UK’s Facebook page. My inaugural one was a wedding make-up look, which fell at rather an auspicious time as I was booked to do a big wedding the following day, so in making the video I handily reminded myself of my favourite products. I did my own wedding make-up, and if you’d like some advice and also product recommendations if you’re doing yours, you’ll find them here.

… And a Smokey Eye / Totally different thing here, but I love the smokey eye HARD, so this video was a joy to make. It was quite hard to whittle it down to half an hour, tbh, as I had so much to say. Ha! Give it a go – it really does suit everyone and if you play with colours, it can be soft and hazy, or intense and punchy like the one I did in the video. I like to use dove grey on my mum, and purple on my sister, for example.

Losing fat at the Library Gym / I’ve started a new regime and am finding it very pleasing indeed for it is of the manageable variety comprising a mere 15 minutes of exercise around four times weekly. But my goodness is it HARDCORE, meaning that for the entire 15 minutes I swear and sweat as I shift weights that are just within my abilities. As a result, I’ve lost 6lb of pure fat in three weeks. That big fat rubber thing in the picture equates to 4lb of fat. I. Know. Curiously, I barely weigh less as I’ve packed on muscle, which is fantastic news for my overall health and has made a devotee out of me. This is just a bulletin, as it were, on the work outs – a whole write up will follow.

Blue lips galore / If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you’ll know that I’ve recently been sporting a whole lot of blue lipstick for a video I’m making for work. Over the weekend, I put on blue lipstick, a blue dress, and blue shoes, and headed to Oxfordshire to see a bunch of friends. The above pictures was taken that day. It was curious, going out wearing something so opposed to my usual aesthetic, though I’d ultimately recommend it: as a result I feel far less restricted and have rediscovered the fun of make-up. Let’s hope that experimental spirit sees me through this weekend…