Misha Barton's new collection of bags, along with Nica's A/W 09 bags had their press release in May, so i can imagine they are going to be out in the very near future. Nica have already started to discount some bags on their website, including the willow pattern purse you can see in the picture. [Bottom left]. Nica still have some of A/W '08 bags on their site for discount prices. Although i can imagine that both line's are going to start a sale soon, so keep checking their websites.

Both brands can be considered quite similar, yet they are also quite different. I'm a massive fan of Nica bags, as they are so beautifully made, all with a soft printed lining, and made from really durable fabrics and materials, with the added touch of charms and bangles. I have two Nica bags and a purse and i'll post them in an outfit in the next few posts. Misha's bags i feel look quite similar, although i've never bought one so i can't comment on how well their made etc. However they do look so nice, and not that expensive for a really cool bag.

Watch this space for pictures of their new collections!

These are hopefully the first of many artbeauty photoshoots, Let me know what you think! x

I recentley noticed it was clinique bonus time at house of fraser a few weeks ago, so after decieding i needed some new mascara and make up for holiday, i trotted off down there and went to the counter, and asked the lady what would be good for holiday as i wanted some long wear foundation. She proceeded to try some shades out on my face, and then noticed i had a few dry patches on my skin where i had not properly moisturised. She then asked what moisturiser i used.

Why did i find this such a hard question?

Because i actually didn't know. I fleet between so many different moisturisers i don't know which ones i'm using. I'm constantley on a different budget, and trying out free samples of this and that, so it tends to differ. Then i said i was using palmers coco butter as a moisturiser. Okay, apart from making me feel like a complete idiot, she then proceeded to tell me how i shouldn't be using that on my face, and how because its an emoilent, it just sticks to my face and thats why i've been getting clumpy like foundation patches. I'm grateful for the information though. She then tried to sell me some clinique three step system, and dramatically different moisturiser. I've been on the blemish solutions three-step system before and i think its amazing, so i can imagine all the others are great too, if you have the money. Although i completely don't at the minute. Although i have learn't something i'm going to try and stick to;

try and find a skincare routine which works and stick with it!

This is harder said than done though, and can take up much money and effort trying to find things that work, especially with combination and changing skin types. Most skin care types are either for dry, oily, blemished, combination, etc. But my skin is so intechangable i find it difficult to find the perfect fit. I get blemishes every now and again, so should i go for blemished? But then it does get a bit dry, but then anti-blemish moisturisers are quite drying, and also i find hard to put make up on after them, (while trying to avoid a make-up base) although moisturisers for dry skin are quite greasy and shiny, which can then lead to oily skin and more blemishes. Combination products are also a bit of pot-luck, as the lines of moisturisers are also quite drying and tend to not help that much. Because of this, its really hard to find the money and the products which really fit right with your skin. Its hard to tell if anythings wrong with your skincare, or if its some other problem with eating too much greasy food that week, or a problem with a make-up product. After thinking about all of this, i've been looking at the ranges which the body shop have of skincare products. They do lines which i have mentioned, combination, natural radience, whitening, blemish/oily, dry etc. So after reading many reviews, i deceided to go with a tea tree foaming facial wash, a seaweed combination toner, and a vitamin C natural radience moisturiser which is an apparant excellent make up base. These all contain natural ingredients, and have had quite good experience with the body shop products which seem to always help my skin and make it glow. I've started today, so i'll definatley keep an update, and i'm going to stick with these ones.

The advice i give though, is if a skincare regime works for you, stick with it. If it doesn't then try your hardest to ask for testers and trials of products to see if your skin matches, to find the right products for your skin, as no skin is ever the same, even if they are labelled as 'dry' 'combination' or 'oily'.

Whats your experience with skincare regimes?

There are many powder foundation on the market now, especially with the trend of 'natural but flawless' skin, and so mineral make up was established. Of corse there are many powder foundations which arn't mineral, and have been quite a while, although i can imagine it has shed new light on people taking more care of there skin with the promise of mineral make up doing just that. These kind of products include Nature's Mineral range from the bodyshop, L'oreal, Max Factor, and many other brands, including the premium brands such as Elizibeth Arden and Lacome.
We've established powder foundation doesn't have to be mineral, and nor does it have to be powder. There are many cream-to-powder foundations also out now, including ranges from the body shop. [add more] More products included here are other powder based make up, including many mineral blushes and eyeshadows, or even normal blushes and in light of summer, bronzers. All these have the potentential to dry out the skin, and make dry skin look even worse. But there is no reason to fear, if you treat your skin right, you can look just as radiant with a powder, as a liquid foundation and make up, with no grease and no shine, but look as natural as ever.

1. The key is to moisturise correctley. Moisturise moisturise moisturse! If you don't moisturise at all, then not only are you damaging your skin by not giving it the moisture it needs, and wearing make up can irrtate it.

2. The next step is to look at what moisturiser your using. Stay away from emolient moisturisers. These include palmers coco butter etc. This is because the moisturiser can stay on your skin and pores, and when powder make up is applyed, it tends to stick there and make your skin look more dry and pebbely. I am also a fan of Cliniques anti-blemish solutions, although i found the moisturiser isn't that moisturising. This is also another thing to look at. You need to assess how dry your skin is, and find a moisturiser to suit that, although be careful not to go so moisturising your skin looks greasy and becomes blemish prone. Good moisturisers for dry skin include No7 Moisture for Dry skin, which is really nice and lasts ages. I'm using Simple matte moisturiser which is quite cheap at approx £3, and works well with keeping my skin moisturised when using the body shop cream -to-powder foundation.

3. Apply your powder right. What ever foundation your using, don't continuatley apply it to a certain area, as you are likley to get dry patches throughout the day as your skin gets dryer and dryer and your powder evaporates, leaving dry scaley skin. Brush it lightley all over your face to get a nice even base. If you suffer from redness or blemishes, try putting a light concealer on beforehand. Try and remember mineral make up doesn't cure spots, it's much kinder to skin and tends not to cause as many blemishes, and contains less chemicals.


I hope these tips have helped! Please let me know how you get on with any powder foundations and make up you use! :)