Remove Snow Stains from Leather Shoes

I had a query from a client yesterday asking me how to remove ’snow stains’ from her leather shoes. Unfortunately she had to trudge through dirty snow yesterday and as a result the leather is stained.

Here are a few methods which may help to restore our reader’s shoes back to their former glory:

METHOD 1: WHITE VINEGAR & BEESWAX

• Step 1: Stuff your leather footwear with newspaper and let them dry out naturally. Don’t place them in front of a radiator or fire hearth.
• Step 2: Mix a cup of water with a tablespoon of white vinegar. Dip a clean cloth into the liquid, and then wring the excess out. Then, wipe the shoes/boots until the salt marks have completely disappeared. Let them dry out naturally.
• Step 3: Rub some beeswax into the shoes/boots with a clean, soft cloth which will condition and shine, and help to prevent future water / snow / salt damage.

METHOD 2: SHOE CLEANING PRODUCTS

• Step 1: As above, stuff your leather footwear with newspaper and let them dry out naturally. Don’t place them in front of a radiator or fire hearth.
• Step 2: Wipe the shoes with a clean damp cloth to remove any surface dirt.
• Step 3: Buff the shoes with a shoe cream or wax polish (in an appropriate colour), available from shoe shops. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

METHOD 3: STRANGE BUT TRUE?

• A recent texter to the Ray D’Arcy Radio Show suggested that buffing dry leather shoes with a peeled raw potato works wonders at removing ‘dried in dirty snow stains’! I have never tried this method so I can’t tell you whether it works or not.
• But, on the subject of strange, food-related cleaning methods, I know for a fact that rubbing leather shoes with the inside of a banana skin creates a blindingly good shine (albeit it can create weird banana-scented leather). Have you tried this?

Thank you to the team at Serendipity Shoe Boutique for their help in putting this feature together.

Yours in style,
Caroline

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Body Shop Eye Make-up Remover

inding a decent eye make-up remover has been something of an elusive quest for me over the years. I’ve tried many, with most either stinging my eyes or leaving half the make-up behind. In the end, more often than not, I tended to use baby oil or Vaseline to remove stubborn eyeliner or mascara.

Whilst hanging around waiting for a flight recently, I happened across the The Body Shop Camomile Gentle Eye Make-up Remover tucked away in the corner of the Duty Free. (Note: NOT the waterproof formula – word on the internet is that the waterproof formula stings a bit.) It worked out at about €7 for a 250ml bottle so I figured that I had little to lose by buying it.

I had all to gain as it turns out. This product suited my skin perfectly; extremely cool and soothing, it removes every trace of my eye make-up without stinging my sensitive eyes, and best of all, it doesn’t require half a litre of product and a packet of cotton pads per use either! Rose water is a main ingredient, which leaves my skin feeling fresh, and without any tightness or oiliness that I have experienced with other eye make-up removers. All in all, I’m very happy with it.

Body Shop Camomile Gentle Eye Make-up Remover

The one disclaimer I will put out is that the above review is based on my own experience of this product. Everyone’s eyes are different so a product that suits me may irritate you, and vice versa – so aways do a patch test before using any new product near your eyes.

Lastly, always use clean cotton pads on each eye to avoid cross contamination.

Yours in style,
Caroline

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Cure chapped Lips

The recent cold spell has not only had a perishing effect on our land, it has also resulted in many of us experiencing a painful condition called Cheilitis, commonly known as ‘chapped lips’. Our bodies become dehydrated when we are exposed to extreme conditions (cold, wind, sun, central heating, air-conditioning etc.), which can lead to dry, cracked and peeling lips. Thankfully there are a number of excellent products on the market which can alleviate and eradicate these symptoms:

Best for Outdoor Wear – Blistex Daily lip Conditioner (€3.57 for 7ml)

Soothing, conditioning and long-lasting, this lip balm is ideal for outdoors. It contains key moisturising ingredients including Vitamin A, Vitamin E, aloe vera and collagen, as well as an SPF15 which will protect your lips from the sun’s harmful rays.

Best for Repairing Extreme Damage– La Roche Posay Ceralip Lip Repair Cream (€15 for 15ml)

Especially formulated for severely dry or sensitive lips, this soothing ointment will gently restore your lips back to full health.

Best Natural Product – Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm (€3.95 for 8.5g)

Made purely from natural products (including lanolin, sunflower oil and coconut oil) this non-greasy formula offers instant relief to damaged lips. It also contains peppermint oil which gives a refreshing minty scent and tingling feeling!

Best for Preventing Damage – Vaseline Lip Therapy Petroleum Jelly (€1.09 for 20g)

Vaseline Lip Therapy has been used for donkeys’ years as a barrier against harsh elements and is still a market favourite today. With four variations now available – Original, Aloe Vera, Sun Protection and Rosy Lips – you’re bound to find a favourite.

Best All-Rounder – Elizabeth Arden 8-Hour Cream (€30 for 50ml)

Not only does 8-Hour Cream act as an excellent lip salve, it also gives rapid and effective relief to dry skin, abrasions, rashes and burns. Furthermore, it has many cosmetic uses, serving equally well as a lip gloss, highlighting cream, brow gel and lash-thickener!

Yours in style,
Caroline

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Christmas 2010 Gift Ideas: Make-up

I feel quite proud of myself – I’m almost finished my Christmas shopping. I’m sure this is quite a surprise to many of those who know me as Caroline’s last-minute-Christmas-present-shopping-shouty-frenzy is almost routine at this stage. Nonetheless, I’ve turned over a new leaf, and in order to help others avoid the last-minute-Christmas-present-shopping-shouty-frenzy, I’ve put together a few nice gift ideas for the make-up fan in your life.

1. Wish for the Perfect Palette from Smashbox (€75)

What an aptly-named collection. This self-contained kit contains (deep breath): 9 eyeshadows, 10 cream liners, six brow powders, brow wax, eight glosses, two blushers, a bronzer, highlighter and four mini brushes. Available in Debenhams and selected pharmacies nationwide. Note that this is a limited edition product and will sell out in nanoseconds (if last year’s similar collection is anything to go by).

Smashbox “Wish for the Perfect Palette”

2. E.L.F. 100-piece Eyeshadow Palette(£15stg)

This would make a fantastic gift for any make-up enthusiast. Containing 100 shades in a variety of textures, this palette offers superb value for money. Also available in a smaller 32-piece collection (£9). E.L.F. is available in selected outlets nationwide, and is also available to purchase on-line. Their Facebook page offers regular discounts.

E.L.F. 100 Shadow Palette

3. Laura Mercier Travel Brush Set ($85usd)

Laura Mercier brushes are the creme de la creme of cosmetic utensils. Gorgeous as they are – they are lightening dear. Or should I say, they are usually lightening dear, but, in tune with the economic times, Laura Mercier has created a travel brush set for Christmas 2010 which offers great value for money. The collection contains five brushes, 4 of which are double-ended, giving you a total of 9 brush heads for eyes, lips and face. Laura Mercier products are available at Brown Thomas stores.

Laura Mercier Travel Brush Set

4. Sigma Brush Kit ($99usd)

SigmaBeauty.com offers a complete brush kit with 15 full-sized brushes and a brush roll, offering great value for money. Sigma brushes are blatant copies of MAC brushes both in terms of appearance and their brush numbering system. The quality isn’t quite on a par with MAC (not all the brushes are as soft, some shed bristles), but they are still good brushes. In fact, I use them regularly, having purchased this same kit a year ago – click here to read my review. A word of caution to Irish buyers – you may have to pay tax and/or duty if you are importing products from the US (the Irish Revenue website has more information).

Sigma Brush Set

5. Her Name was Glowla by Benefit ($36)

I always look forward to seeing what goodies Benefit will come up with for Christmas, and once again they have come up trumps for Christmas 2010 with this limited edition palette. It contains; 1 blush, 2 highlighters, 5 eyeshadows, mascara, lipgloss and a double-ended brush in extremely natural shades that will suit all skin tones. In fact the only negative thing I can find about it is that I now have Barry Manilow stuck in my head! “At the Copa, Copacabana…”

Benefit Her Name Was Glowla

6. Naked Eyeshadow Palette by Urban Decay (€32)

This limited-edition is another one of my kit favourites. No doubt inspired by Bobbi Brown’s “nude” palettes which were a huge hit a few years back, this palette contains 12 earthy shadows in a variety of colours and textures including matte and shimmery. The palette also contains two eyeliners and a mini bottle of primer potion. Available in Debenhams.

Urban Decay Naked Palette

As I come across more present ideas I’ll post them here. Happy shopping!

Yours in style,
Caroline

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How to Apply Eyeliner

In my last post, I briefly outlined the various types of eyeliners on the market. In this follow-up post, I will impart a few tips that I’ve learned over the years, which will hopefully make eyeliner application a little bit earlier for you.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT EYELINER COLOUR

• What to consider: There are two things to consider when choosing your perfect shade of eyeliner; AGE and HAIR COLOUR.
• Hair (light): If you have blonde, red or medium brown hair, opt for lighter shades of eyeliner such as brown or grey.
• Hair (dark): If you have dark brown or black hair, then you should opt for darker shades.
• Age (young): Youth is a time for experimentation, so feel free to try out coloured eyeliners! As you grow older, tone down the colours a bit.
• Age (mature): The older you are, the more conservative you should be with your eyeliner colour. Darker shades will actually look quite harsh against your skin so choose soft browns and greys for a more flattering look.

LINING YOUR UPPER LASHES

• Keep as close to the last line as possible. There should be no gaps between the eyeliner and your lash line.
• The line should be thinnest at the inner corner, graduating in thickness outwards to the outer corner.
• Don’t pull stretch the eyelid outwards when applying liner as it will distort the lash-line and will make your liner look messy. Instead, gently press the skin on your brow-bone upwards, which will make it easier to see and do your eyeliner.
• It may help to look downwards into a mirror when applying your eyeliner.
• If you’re hand is a bit wobbly, rest your elbow on a table. You may also like to rest your baby finger on your cheekbone (see image below) to steady your hand as you line your eye.
• Clean up any smudges with a clean cotton bud soaked in eye-liner remover.

Lining your upper lashes

LINING YOUR LOWER LASHES

• For a SOFT look, dip a slim angled brush (e.g. MAC #266) into your chosen eye-shadow colour. Then, starting at the outer corner of your eye, place the brush immediately underneath the lash line and work inwards to the halfway point of the lash line. Stop here. Be sure to keep the colour as close to the lash-line as possible.
• For a DRAMATIC look, use a waterproof eyeliner on the waterline (kohl pencil or gel pencil is best).
• For a more AWAKE and alert look, line the waterline with a flesh toned pencil.
• Clean up any smudges with a clean cotton bud soaked in eye-liner remover.

Lining your lower lashes

CAROLINE’S DAYTIME LOOK

• Easy peasy: I only line the outer half of the upper eyelid for day-time. This creates the illusion of full, soft lashes, yet it looks extremely natural. To achieve this I use a waterproof pencil or a gel liner.

My favourite daytime look

CREATING A CAT-EYE / FLICK

• First, line your upper lashes: Apply eyeliner to the upper lash line as normal using a gel or liquid eyeliner. Keep the line thin in the inner corner and gradually make it thicker towards the outer corner.
• Getting the flick: Line a credit card or folded piece of paper against your face, connecting your nostril, the outer corner of your eye and the end of your eyebrow. Using the credit card or paper as a ruler, create an upward flick on the outer corner of your eye with your eyeliner.
• Clean & tidy: Clean up any smudges with a cotton bud soaked in eye-liner remover.
• Conceal: Apply concealer underneath the eye when you’re finished, for a crisp and clean look.

An easy ‘cat eye’ flick

I hope these tips helped you. There are a few excellent videos on YouTube which might also be of assistance:

• PIXIWOO: Eyeliner and brow shapes
• PIXIWOO: Basics – Liquid Liner
• PIXIWOO: Basics Everyday Liner Tutorial
• NURBERXO: The Perfect Eyeliner Every Time
• (Irish make-up artist) LITTLE KIVA: How to Apply Eyeliner, Its Uses, Its Types…

Yours in style,
Caroline

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Types of Eyeliners

In the past week, I have received a number of enquires from people regarding eyeliners – everything from how to choose the right one, to how to apply it without looking like a panda! With this in mind, I have put together a guide which will hopefully be of assistance to you. I have split it into two parts; this post (part 1) deals with the different types of eyeliners on the market today, and part 2 outlines some of my favourite eyeliner application techniques.

1. EYESHADOW OR CAKE EYELINER

• Difficulty level: Easy
• Pros: Soft finish / suitable for mature skin / variety of colours.
• Cons: Fades the fastest / can smudge and become displaced easily / not water resistant.
• Caroline’s top tip: Apply your chosen eyeshadow colour using a small angled brush (like a MAC #266). Dip the brush in water beforehand for a more intense colour.

Soft browns, greys and khakis look great as eyeliners

2. PENCIL EYELINER

• Difficulty level: Easy.
• Pros: Easy/ versatile (you can do a sharp line or a soft smoky blended line) / variety of colours.
• Cons: Can fade, smudge and become displaced / not entirely water-resistant (even the waterproof ones).
• Caroline’s top tip: Sharpen the eyeliner pencil after every use.

3. GEL OR CREAM EYELINER

• Difficulty level: Medium.
• Pros: Clean, crisp finish / waterproof / doesn’t move or fade.
• Cons: Practice required / product can dry out quite quickly / expensive (good cream liners can cost €20, with a good brush costing nearly as much).
• Caroline’s top tip: Coat the bristles of the brush from root to tip with the product and then wipe the excess off on the rim of the gel pot/jar. This will enable maximum precision on application.

MAC Fluidline Gel Liner

MAC #266 Angled Liner Brush

4. LIQUID EYELINER

• Difficulty level: Hard.
  
• Pros: Clean, crisp finish / great for creating dramatic looks.
• Cons: Hard to master / unsuitable for mature skin.
• Caroline’s Top Tip: Instead of using the wand that comes with the liner, use an angled liner brush (example pictured above), which I find is much easier to control. Make sure that you coat the brush hairs from root to tip for better results.

Caroline’s favourite liquid eyeliner: Benefit Magic Ink

In my next post, I will discuss my favourite eyeliner application techniques.

Yours in style,
Caroline

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Dannii's Turquoise Earrings

There’s a right ole row on the Internet today over various X-Factor sagas which happened this weekend. However, there was only one X-Factor topic on my mind when I switched on my laptop this morning and that was where to find Dannii Minogue’s gorgeous turquoise earrings, which she sported onthe show last Satuday (13th November 2010).

I’m afraid to post any images from ITV in case I get sued, but click here to have a gawk. See, aren’t they gorgeous! They’re designed by a covetable brand called Annoushka, to whom Dannii has been extremely loyal this series. As gorgeous as they are though, they’re a little beyond my budget; so, I did some digging to find some more affordable versions:

CAROLINE’S FINDS:

Galway jewellery designer, Frank Murphy, hand-crafted these turquoise teardrop earrings (€15):

Etsy designer JooJooland designed these beautiful Persian earrings in gold and turquoise ($24usd):

American retailer, National Jeans Company, has a really nice variation of the look ($45usd):

I’m obsessed with Stella and Dot and I already own the necklace version of these fabulous turquoise resin teardrop earrings ($34). Note that Stella & Dot’s official website only ships to the US and Canada; however, there are plenty of retailers on Ebay who ship to Ireland.

Finally, Astley Clarke London turns up the glamour gauge with this pretty pair (£395):

Yours in style,
Caroline

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