Look Out NYC, Here I Come

I'm hoping to head to NYC next month - if I can persuade His Lordship to part with some of the BA airmiles he's been enthusiastically accumulating over the past year - LA, NY, Brazil, Australia - you name it, he's been there. And while he's been 'busy working' I've been slaving away at home making the place look and smell pretty, so I feel it's only fair that I get to spend some of those lovely little points on a trip to my favourite place in the world. (I won't mention the fact that I want to fly First to LA for our honeymoon in July - mum's the word...)

Anyway, with all this American stuff in mind I thought I'd hop on to the Sephora website to see what lovely beauty buys await my (His) Amex...

In no particular order, here's what I'm after:

1. Too Faced Fun in the Dark Light-Up Mirror Make-Up Palette $32.50
A cute, limited-edition collection of the brand's best sellers—plus, two exclusive eyeshadows. The light up mirror is an added bonus for getting your look right when you're on the go.

2. Bare Escentuals Expert Picks $98
Three members of the Sephora team picked the best, most-wearable shades and products for this eyes, lips and cheek trio - think moisturiser, face colour, primer, eye colour, mascara and gloss. Everything a girl could need.

3. Sephora By OPI Too Good For Him Nail Colour $9
A delicious, sparkly and vampy purple number which will work well against the cold, grey sidewalks of Manhattan (and my fab faux fur grey knee-length shaggy coat) - grrrr.

4. Strivectin Got Wrinkles? $99 (worth $150)
Er, not yet but if I keep going the way I am then I definitely will soon. This antiageing kit for eyes and hands (SJP I will not become) should keep the pesky skin folds at bay for a few more years' yet.

5. Philosophy's Flirty Girl Lip Shine Duo $20
I don't know what it is about NYC but I suddenly become invincible, cheeky and incredibly flirty almost as soon as I land back in Manhattan. Hid Lordship needn't worry, I'm a one-man kind of gal but there's nothing wrong with a wink and a smile here and there, right?! To help in my misbehaving mission I'll definitely be applying Flirty Girl lip shine (or Bubble Gum Blow Out, for that matter) to make my lips look and feel fabulous.

Now, where is that man so we can get booking?

I'm in love with Harajuku

Yum, how much to a want one of these Gwen Stefani Harajuku Lovers I Love Ice Cream cosmetic accessories (that was a mouthful!)?

Sadly, living in London I can't get my mitts on them because they're, and I quote, "A sweet, Sephora-exclusive ensemble of makeup bags for anyone with a "fatal attraction to cuteness."

Darn it!

Now where's my diary - I need to schedule in a visit to NYC...

Prices start at $20 for a clutch.
www.sephora.com

Crazylibellule and the Poppies

Just been looking on the Sephora website - it's a great place to find out about new brands on the beauty market. One that I've fallen in love with is Crazylibellule And The Poppies. The cult Parisian perfumer is known for its deliciously addicting scent solids encased in pretty lipstick-like tubes. Easy to apply and layer, the purse-sized scents allow you to dabble in fragrance mixing whenever your pulse points need some aromatherapy. With its wide range of addictive scents, this collection allows you to change fragrances as often as you change outfits. In other words, go crazy.

The Crazy Stick I love the most is the Poule de Luxe Vanilla Fruit Sorbet - the packaging is so cute and vintage and is said to smell like an orchard. How perfect for this time of year. Think crushed iris leaves and plump raspberries - delicious.

Can't wait for my next NYC trip - I know what my first stop is going to be.

$18
www.sephora.com

Beauty Scoop is Back

Did you miss me? Well, I sure missed you and boy do I have a ton of beauty bits to give you today...all the way from the Big Apple. That's right, I've gone to the beauty capital of the world to bring you the best 'bites' from across the pond.

Are you ready? Let's go...

1. First up is a divine range called Sabon. I hopped into their store on Prince Street in the heart of Soho and was treated to a gorgeous, revitalising hand and arm scrub in their signature Patchouli Lavender Vanilla scent, followed by a layer of their deliciously creamy body lotion in the same scent. Aside from that and the amazing service, I also fell in love with their Relaxing Massage Oil - it's great for a moisture boost before bedtime and contains grapeseed, neroli and lavender oil to soothe. Slather it on and wake up smooth and silky skinned. Or, if you like to share, why not treat the man in your life to a back massage? If that doesn't get him in the mood, I don't know what will. http://www.sabonnyc.com/

Ehem, back to the beauty!

2. Next up is The Balm. I discovered this 'cute as a button' brand whilst perusing the many aisles of Sephora. This brand was founded by beauty lover (aren't we all?) Marissa Shipman, who'd had enough of the corporate world and wanted to make products that not only smelled delicious but also made people look and feel fabulous. Eh voila, The Balm was born! In a similar vein to Benefit, The Balm seeks to take a cheeky spin on each product but never comprises on workability. My personal favourite is their lipstick Read My Lips (in the 'Scoop' shade of course!) Another must have is Bahama Mama - no, not the low rent nightclub in Hoboken, NJ but their amazingly flattering bronzing powder! Check it out at http://www.thebalm.com/

3. Who's next, I hear you cry? Why it's Bath Junkie. I stumbled across this sleek sanctuary on my way to Lupa (the best Italian in NYC) I opened the door and was transported into a world of high end spa 'paraphernalia' - what is not to love about that? BJ is great because it provides great, friendly service while offering us consumers hard working, amazing products. Their concept is pretty simple, but totally unique. You decide how you want your product to smell (they have over 200 fragrances to choose from) and, say you want everything to smell of strawberries but you have a blue bathroom, they'll turn the strawberry smelling product blue! No more worrying about colour matching and just think, you can adapt your favourite fragrance to match every bathroom in your house. Super, super cool. My favourite is the Chanel # 5 type...FYI present buyers!!! http://www.bathjunkie.com/

4. To finish, perhaps one of my favourite beauty discoveries thus far - Red Flower. An exquisite, darkly lit shop on Prince Street, I was almost frightened to go in but I'm so glad that I did. Nestled within its dark interior lies the secret to true beauty contentment. Ok, that might be pushing it slightly but I have definitely discovered a thoughtful, fragrance focused product line that could melt the coldest of hearts. Aside from the beautiful fragrances (icelandic moonflower, north american lilac and himalayan larch to name but a few) the candles are a must buy. Perhaps the cutest are the 'Little Candles' which are accompanied by matches that could fit in Tom Thumb's pocket. A lovely gift for that someone special in your life (you!) http://www.redflower.com/

Ok, that's it for now but I'll be back asap for more scooping fun! NYC forever.