Currently Obsessed With #5 Bobbi Brown Rich Chocolate Eye Palette

Looking back at the eyeshadow shades I used to wear, it was all about the hot pinks, deep purples, emerald greens, and even cobalt blues. Now I'm a working girl in my mid-20s, and it's time for a change. I've completely fallen in love with Bobbi Brown's Rich Chocolate Eye Palette. 

Ranging from base colour 'bone' to 'rich chocolate', which can be used as an eyeliner, this palette is a dream for those who love doing a neutral, buildable everyday eye. The palette even offers two glittery night shades - Caramel Sparkle and Champagne Truffle Shimmer Wash - which can be brushed over a base colour to add some jazz to your base. It also comes with a double-ended shading and liner brush for application.

The look I've created above features 'bone' as a base, covered with 'frappe' and lined with 'rich chocolate' on my top and bottom lash lines. J'adore!

Have you tried this eye palette? xxx

Beauty Expert Launches 'Safety in Beauty' Campaign

Me with Antonia Mariconda at W London

Sophie Anderton with Antonia Mariconda

As the editor of a cosmetic medicine magazine, I was thrilled to attend the launch of beauty expert Antonia Mariconda's much-needed campaign - Safety in Beauty. Not only did I have my nails filed and jazzed up with a silver All That Jazz nail polish, but also I had a little chit chat with Sophie Anderton on the sofa while doing so. I can confirm she is lovely and super stylish.

Having seen and heard about many complications following non-surgical cosmetic procedures such as dermal fillers and lasers, I was so pleased to be part of the campaign launch last week and am a huge supporter of what Antonia's is doing. 

The campaign will run on Twitter with the hashtag #safetyinbeauty and is supported by several female celebrities, such as the Drs Pixie & Dawn from Channel 4's Embarassing Bodies, as well as lawyers and industry key opinion leaders.

Mariconda said: 'It’s all about people power now. It’s a hugely profitable industry for those that have a role within it, but as consumers we need to take a stand and say that we will no longer suffer nor tolerate sub standard or potentially harmful activity.'

Will you be supporting the Safety in Beauty campaign? xxx

Korres Christmas 2013 Gift Sets: Fruity Meets Festive

Korres Flower Power Gift Set, including Jasmine Body Milk,
Jasmine Shower Gel, Wild Rose 24-hour Moisturiser
and Mandarin Lip Butter Stick in Rose

Korres Rose & Shine Gift Set, including Wild Rose Mask,
Wild Rose 24-hour Moisturiser, Japanese Rose Shower Gel
and Japanese Rose Body Butter

Korres Indulgent Treats Gift Set, including Guava Body
Butter, Wild Rose 24-hour Moisturiser, Mandarin Lip Butter
Stick in Roseand Organic Almond Oil & Shea Butter Hand Cream

Korres Sleep Over Gift Set, including Wild Rose 24-hour Moisturiser,
White Tea Fluid Gel Cleanser, Basil Lemon Shower Gel,
and Mandarin Lip Butter Stick in Rose

Everyone loves a bath and body gift set, and the Christmas offering from Korres looks very promising for 2013.

There are four fabulous sets of festive, fruity products - Flower Power (£18), Rose & Shine (£12), Indulgent Treats (£18) and Sleep Over (£12). 

All of these bath and body gift sets are now available online from Debenhams, ASOS, Feel Unique and Bath & Unwind.

What is your favourite Korres product? xxx

Balmain Launches Nail Collection at BeautyMART

Luxury French fashion brand Balmain is already known for launching into the world of high-end hair care, but its latest venture is nails.

Its debut nail trio Paris Nail Couture Collection (£40) is equipped with three chic and classic shades - Rouge, Noir & Nude - and a matte top coat. Each nail polish comes with a wide, flat brush for even application.

For those who buy beauty products with their ingredients in mind, all of the nail polishes in the collection are free of toluene, formaldehyde and camphor.

The Balmain Paris Nail Couture Collection is available at BeautyMART from 20 October.

Will you be buying this debut nail collection? xxx

Bumble & Bumble Creme de Coco Masque

When you're hair is as dry as the desert and you've got split ends galore, you are more than willing to try the plethora of intensive hair masks and conditioners on the market, no matter what price you have to pay for it. But I really regret falling for the trap of a tropical, coconut mask from Bumble & Bumble and paying over £20 for a product that has made no difference to my hair at all.

The first time I used this mask, I had to use half of the product to even cover my hair to give it a chance to start working. The second time I used it, I had to squeeze out the contents and nearly finished it all. In essence, I was spending £10 per wash just for the pleasure of conditioning my hair, and I didn't even see the benefits.

If you want my advice, stick to highstreet brands like Herbal Essences. You'll get many more applications, much better effects and you'll save about £15.

Have you tried this hair mask? What do you think? xxx

Currently Obsessed With #5 Wet N Wild Juicy Lip Balm

 If you're looking for a subtle wash of colour, soft lips and a dupe for Revlon's lip butter in Candy Apple, the Wet N Wild Juicy Lip Balm in Cherry is the one for you.

I love this balm because it combines one of my favourite lip shades (red) with one of my favourite fruity scents (cherry) and leaves my lips glossy and moisturised. 

It also comes with SPF 15, which is always a bonus, especially when we don't protect our lips from the sun as much as we look after our faces and bodies.

If I had to say one negative thing about it, the colour doesn't last very long. However, for about 2 or 3 quid, I really can't complain. For me, the colour is a bonus. If it leaves my lips soft and smells good, that's all I need.

What's your favourite lip balm? xxx  

Alpha-H Absolute Eye Complex

Just like the facial skin care sector is saturated, so is the eye rejuvenation market. You could literally spend hours searching for the best of the best - ones that reduce puffiness, ones that remove dark circles, and ones that minimise fine lines and wrinkles - so the best thing to do is search for reviews or go with trial and error. After all, everyone's different.

My first ever eye cream purchase was Origins GinZing, which was good to start with but disappointing after a few uses. Then I came across a sample of the Alpha-H Absolute Eye Complex in a package from QVC and decided to give it a go. 

I've heard a lot of great things about Alpha-H skin care, but I've never really been sold on it. I wasn't desperate to get my hands on Liquid Gold, thinking a lot of the hype was down to the use of the word 'gold' and nothing more. But after trying the brand's eye product, I have changed my mind.

In terms of its texture, it's a clear gel that is easily absorbed around the eye area. You don't need too much per eye and you will feel a slight tingle for a few seconds - this is the Eye Complex working with ingredients such as peptides (reduce loss of elasticity), hibiscus flower (reduce dark circles) and cucumber (reduce puffiness).

The reason why I love this eye product is purely because of the results I have seen. After 3 or 4 days, the dark circles around my eyes were significantly less visible and my skin looked tight and refreshed. If you're looking for an eye cream that really does work, give this one a try.

What is your favourite eye cream? xxx

Mary Kay At Play Baked Eye Trios in Ocean View & Tuxedo

You know what it's like when your make-up stash feels like Mount Everest and you dig in and find a hidden gem? After swatching these Mary Kay Baked Eye Trios, that's exactly what happened to me.

There's four trios in the collection - Ocean View (blue and silver), Earth Bound (gorgeous green, brown and gold), On The Horizon (plum and brow) and Tuxedo (pearl, grey and black shimmer).

THE SWATCHES

As you can see, the shades are so shimmery, pigmented and buildable. All of them work really well to mix and match and blend together, and the finish is lovely.

What's your favourite baked eyeshadow? xxx

New Kid On The Block: Indie Lee

Say hello to new skin care brand Indie Lee, which has just launched today in the UK and is exclusive to abeautifulworld.co.uk.

Natural skin care lovers will be thrilled to know that the brand is all about using natural ingredients. Its motto is 'what you put on your body is just as important as what you put in it'.

The brand's standout product is said to be the Squalane Facial Oil, which is 100% pure and derived from olives. Its main benefits are cell regeneration, oxygenation and boosting the skin's elasticity.

Although it's not a greasy formula, I've been advised to try one or two drops at first, rather than two or three as recommended, just to see how my skin absorbs it. I've managed to get my hands on a sample, so watch this space for my review!

Will you be trying Indie Lee? xxx