There are Easter Eggs and then there are Prestat Easter Eggs. Founded by Antoine Dufour, who created the first truffle in 1895, the uber-luxe traditional confectioner have hatched five fabulously exquisite eggs in time for Easter.
The Easter Parade Collection has been packaged in the most beautiful array of boxes, with illustrations by renowned artist Kitty Arden. The brand's trademark gold and bright pink swirls dominate, with each ribbon wrapped, gold-foiled egg nestling on a luxurious bed of fuchsia tissue.
Cadbury's this is not! And at a mere £25 per egg, this delectable offering effortlessly fuses high style, exceptional quality and, in my opinion, value for money. It's worth purchasing the eggs for the boxes alone, which double as a fabulously chic vessel in which one may house jewellery, trinkets, personal letters and the like. For the collectors amongst you, I'd recommend purchasing all five flavours as an investment (if you can resist indulging in the contents that is).
Pictured at the top, is the Rose & Violet Creme egg. Crafted from the finest dark chocolate (71%) and filled with Prestat's legendary Rose & Violet Cremes (beloved of both my father and my late grandmother), which it has been producing for more than a 100 years.
Billy Tallon, the late Queen Mother's steward, intimated that Her Majesty was a lifelong ardent fan of these particular delights: "They travelled everywhere with her, even aboard the Royal Yacht". It was this very fondness that led Her Majesty to award Prestat her Royal Warrant.
I've tested the Milk Chocolate egg (in the name of journalism naturally), and I have to say it got me through a recent case of bronchitis. House bound for five days, I was feeling terribly under the weather, and this gem was the source of immense gastronomic pleasure. More than just a feast for the palate, the very act of unwrapping the egg, which in the manner of a Russian doll, revealed treasure after treasure, was in fact a complete sensory treat.
Opening the vividly patterned box, revealed a gold foiled egg, wrapped in the prettiest turquoise grosgrain ribbon seen outside of VV Rouleaux. While the exquisitely stylised packaging is a delight in itself, the egg housed two assortments of Ganache truffles, white chocolate and milk chocolate, the final surprise in this chocolate treasure trove.
The Dark Chocolate egg also houses an assortment of Ganache truffles, ideal for ardent fans of traditional rich chocolate. I'd say this is the perfect option for the chocolate purist.
For the modern chocolate fans, the Sea Salt Caramel egg provides something a little bit different, along the lines of Montezuma's and Lindt's chilli chocolate or Lindt's and Green & Black's ginger chocolate.
A new recipe taking chocolate fans by storm, the softest sweet caramel infused with a hint of sea salt fills the finest dark chocolate (71%).
If you prefer your chocolate especially grand (and with an added kick), the Marc de Champagne egg should be your go-to option. Crafted from velvety milk chocolate and packed with Marc de Champagne truffles, this is, without doubt, the perfect option for the man or woman who appears to have it all. Among the most popular truffles sold in Britain, the are ubiquitous at state banquets and first nights, where they are served to monarchs, dignitaries and stars of stage and screen.
All five eggs are crafted from a selection of cocoa beans from Sao Thome, Tanzania and Ghana, all of which are part of Prestat's Trading Fairly ESOKO initiative.
The Prestat Easter Parade Collection eggs are priced at £25 each, available from:
Good things come in threes, so the old adage goes. This is certainly the case with LaitSensoriel Aux 3 Fleurs (Sensory Lotion With 3 Flowers) from Lierac Paris. I've always been a die hard fan of French beauty brands. Darphin, Decleor, Carita, Nuxe and Yon-Ka are all regulars in my bathroom cabinet (now joined happily by Lierac).
For me, moisturising is less of a beauty habit and more of a necessity. Together with regular exfoliation, it is the key to maintaining supple, hydrated skin. Through winter, I tend to favour richer body butters and oils, which I like to massage into my skin after a shower or bath to seal in essential moisture. But through spring and summer, as the weather gets warmer, I tend to swap my richer body and face products for lighter formulations.
I've been using the Lierac Sensory Lotion with 3 Flowers for a few weeks now, and I have to say, its light, easily absorbed and non-greasy texture (together with its heavenly scent), make it an absolute joy to use. London can be terribly humid in the warmer weather, and there's nothing worse than the clingy feeling of one's shirt sticking to one's back after slathering one's self in too rich a body cream. Thankfully, this wonder doesn't leave a greasy film or residue on the skin, it just does what it promises, ie provide lasting hydration.
This is definitely a product I'd recommend, and would be ideal for holidays. The hypnotic exotic floral aroma leaves skin sensually scented, delighting the olfactory senses. On the design front, the product's tube is an aesthetic dream, chic and pleasingly minimalist in design, sporting a floral motif that Gabrielle Chanel no doubt would have approved of. A welcome addition to any bathroom / handbag / suitcase.
The Active Ingredients
Moroccan Argan Oil, rich in Essential Fatty Acids, anti-oxidant Vitamin E, polyphenols and carotenes, conditions the skin and protects against environmental aggressors.
Grapeseed Oil is a potent anti-oxidant, protecting against environmental aggressors. Rich in Essential Fatty Acids, it has a conditioning and restorative effect on the skin. Its lightweight texture makes it a popular carrier oil in aromatherapy massage formulations, as it penetrates easily into the skin.
Sweet Almond Oil is especially rich in Essential Fatty Acids. Another favourite for aromatherapy and facial oil blends, it has a softening and hydrating effect on the skin, while anti-oxidant Vitamin A and Vitamin E protect from environmental damage.
Hazelnut Oil is packed with a host of skin-friendly vitamins, including anti-oxidant Vitamin A and Vitamin E. Highly nutritive, there's nothing like it for soothing and softening the skin.
Gardenias were a favourite with Jazz icon Billie Holliday, she adorned her hair with them, and they became as iconic as her voice. A key note in many a classic perfume, gardenias hale from the tropical forests of southern Japan and are noted for their subtle fragrance and toning and relaxing properties.
The camellia was Gabrielle Chanel's signature flower, and remain as much a Chanel icon as their tweed boucle jackets, quilted leather 2.55 bag, gilt chains and pearls. Originating from China, its Essential Fatty Acid rich oil makes it superbly nourishing, soothing, softening and protecting for the skin. Dual-purpose, it also restores shine, softness and vitality to the hair.
Another staple fragrance note, Jasmine is native to the Indies and Egypt. Rich in anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory flavonols, Jasmine Absolute is a key ingredient in many anti-ageing skin preparations. Delightfully fragrant, it has a relaxing and harmonising effect on the mind and body, while also strengthening and beautifying the hair.
Last week I had the immense pleasure of meeting Lisa Eldridge, one of my biggest beauty heroines, at a Chanel make-up and fashion preview. Even more alluring in person (if that's possible) than she is on camera in her oh-so-fabulous make-up tutorials, meeting her literally made my day. If you're not already familiar with her fabulous website/blog, then I highly recommend checking it out (www.lisaeldridge.com)
The big buzz on the Chanel beauty front is the launch of their fabulous new Chanel Make-Up Confidential website (http://chanel-makeup-confidential.chanel.com)
Solely dedicated to Chanel make-up, this online multi-media destination has been created to satiate our appetites for every aspect of Chanel beauty. From interviews with Peter Philips, Creative Director of Chanel Make-Up, to fabulous tutorials from Lisa Eldridge. The content will change regularly, to showcase the very latest launches and news from the brand, ensuring we all have our fingers on the pulse.
I wasn't sure what to wear, it being my maiden voyage into the hallowed corridors above Chanel's New Bond Street boutique. Given the brand's Parisian origins, I thought I'd channel Gallic chic and opted for a vintage Lanvin dress shirt (acquired from my father - thanks dad), an Ungaro waistcoat (catwalk sample), Westwood harem trousers (catwalk sample), limited edition Lacoste shades (press gift) and some Zara plimsolls (picked up before my holiday in Barbados last Summer), accessorised with a chocolate suede Chris&Tibor bag (press gift).
Getting ready was a bit of a crisis, I felt like one of those flustered women in the movies who try on four outfits before settling on the perfect one for their big date (men have wardrobe issues too, even former stylists). So when I settled on the winning look, it was something of a relief. Having found my fashion mojo and with the sun shining gloriously in the sky, I was ready to pop my Chanel cherry.
I was thrilled to see Glamour magazine's Beauty Director Alessandra Steinherr when I arrived. Always brimming with warmth, she gave me a kiss when she saw me, and we had a quick catch up. On noticing my ensemble, she was quick to remark that she wished she'd made more of an effort, but quite frankly when you're as naturally beautiful and effervescent as she is, you could wear a bin bag and still steal peoples' hearts.
Alessandra and I have history, as we worked together in my first magazine role, back when I was a freelancer at Cosmopolitan magazine and she was the magazine's Beauty Director. I sat opposite her on the fashion/beauty desk, and we bonded one day when she asked me where she could source Venetian masks from and I solved her shoot crisis by sharing that Angels Fancy Dress on Shaftesbury Avenue was her go-to destination, and so a friendship was born. Ever since that conversation, we chatted about everything from make-up and skincare to Balenciaga, and it was clear we had much in common. In fact she, along with make-up artist Daniel Sandler, are the two people I credit for inspiring me to move into the beauty world and become a make-up artist, after a two year stint as the Style & Grooming Editor for GT Magazine.
History aside, once we'd caught up (and I'd recovered from super stylist Katie Grand tripping over my foot), I had the opportunity to briefly quiz Lisa about Chanel's Summer 2011 make-up collection, specifically what she loved most, together with application tips. But before we touch on that, she introduced me to the world of Chanel Make-Up Confidential and her genius make-up tutorials for the website (which are exclusive to the website and won't be appearing on her website or You Tube channels).
In one of the videos, she demonstrates how to apply the "better than skin" Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation. This cult product is something I have used on many of my own clients, many of whom have gone on to snap it up, as it is so delightfully sheer in consistency, yet somehow manages to make the skin look flawless without feeling like you're wearing foundation at all. In the second video she creates a fabulous look using the exquisite Ombres Perlees De Chanel 5-colour eye shadow palette, together with other products from the Les Perles De Chanel Spring 2011 collection (including my other die hard favourite, the Black Pearl nail varnish).
Current uber-model Monika Jac Jagaciak, is the face of the Les Perles De Chanel Spring 2011 make-up collection. Peter Philips chose pearls as a theme as one of the things Mademoiselle Chanel loved most about pearls, was their power to really illuminate the face. All of the products in the collection have pearlescent qualities, in various hues and nuances reflecting the variety of natural pearls.
Chanel think of everything, notice the Chanel pearls, flanked by the Chanel Le Vernis in Black Pearl on the left (just seen) and Pearl Drop on the right (just seen). This was the backdrop to Lisa Eldridges' tutorial on how create the new season face using the Les Perles De Chanel Spring 2011 collection.
The three pearlescent nail shades from the Les Perles De Chanel collection, Black Pearl, Pearl Drop and Peche Nacree.
A model from the Chanel SS11 ready to wear show sporting the super chic and edgy Les Perles De Chanel smokey eye. Notice the eyeliner drawn down the hair parting - trend alert!
I'm obsessed with the Ombres Perlees De Chanel eye shadow palette, the creamy consistency of these shades is divine, experiment by layering the colours on top of each other to create multi-tonal, dimensional effects that truly illuminate the eyes like nothing else. The paler shades on the left double as fabulous highlighters for the cheekbones, brow bones, inner corners of the eyes and cupid's bow.
French national treasure and Chanel muse Vanessa Paradis is the face of the Rouge Coco Shine lipstick collection. She wears the Boy shade, a subtle nude pink that is an effortless everyday option. The cocoa butter in this lipstick makes is delightfully nourishing on the lips.
With so many shades to choose from, there really is something for everyone. My personal favourite is Rebelle, a fabulously punchy coral red that will look divine with a tan come summer. If you want to try red lipstick but are scared of a densely pigmented formulation, this is definitely one to try.
Forever innovative, Chanel debuted a photo booth service when launching the Rouge Coco Shine lipsticks. Having purchased the shade(s) of their choice, customers were treated to a fabulously fun photo booth experience. The machine took four shots, I've posted my favourite above. I liked the play on the word "Boy", above my head, which of course was the shade worn by Vanessa Paradis in the campaign, and sported by some of the models on the Chanel ready to wear SS11 runway.
I love that the theme music for the Rouge Coco Shine video on the Chanel Make-Up Confidential website is Boys and Girls by Blur. Again, referencing the Boy lipstick shade from the collection. Chanel are so rock n' roll.
A shot of the Chanel Make-Up Confidential opening page.
The divine Lisa Eldridge, rocking a Chanel cuff.
A shot of Lisa's "How To Do The New Season Face" video.
A shot of Peter Philips' inspired robot Chanel make-up video. Here it is in all its glory if you haven't already caught it on You Tube:
Lisa's Summer 2011 Favourites
Lisa waxed lyrical about the new blush/bronze compacts. She suggests using the three bronzer shades as a contour, blending the blush shade across the apples of the cheeks to enliven the complexion. The compact is available in two shades, one light, one dark.
Light
Dark
The new nail colours in Beige Petale (nude pink), and Lisa's hot tip for summer, Magnolia (canary yellow).
Lisa was incredibly sweet and offered to model the Magnolia shade for me - what a lady!
The Morning Rose nail shade (candy pink), flanked by a new eye shadow duo (loving the metallic khaki green shade).
Register on the Chanel Make-Up Confidential website to be alerted of all Chanel Make-Up news. Just be careful, or like me, your Chanel addiction will spiral out of control. I blame Coco!
I know I posted about Kabuki and myface.cosmetics not so long ago, but the legendary make-up artist (and Artistic Director for myface) has been wizarding up so much Kabuki magic of late, that I couldn't help but be inspired.
Not only is he the official make-up artist for Kylie's incredibly well received Aphrodite tour, he also created three "out of this world" looks for Katy Perry's E.T. music video.
The video is directed by one of my favourite image makers of all time, Floria Sigismondi. Floria has been responsible for a host of memorable music imagery, having directed Christina Aguilera's "Fighter" video, The White Stripes' "Blue Orchid" video (starring possibly my favourite supermodel Karen Elson), not to mention shooting the stunning artwork for the divine Siobhan Donaghy's "Ghosts" album. She also directed last year's cult film The Runaways, about legendary female rocker Joan Jett and the eponymous band, starring Kristen Stewart as Joan.
Sadly, the E.T. video features Kanye West, who despite his musical genius, really ought to be issued with a restraining order when it comes making any sort of public commentary, be it at high profile awards ceremonies or on Twitter. The artist formerly known as "nut job" has kept the world's Press (and no doubt his poor PR team) busy with memorable acts of lunacy, such as storming the stage at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards to interrupt Taylor Swift's acceptance speech for the award of Best Female Video, to proclaim:
"Yo Taylor, I'm really happy for you, I'm gonna let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time."
Wow Kanye, how gracious of you..
More recently, on the subject of abortion, he ranted on Twitter:
"An abortion can cost a ballin' n*gga up to 50gs maybe a 100. Gold diggin b*tches be getting pregnant on purpose. STRAPUP my n*ggas!"
Hmm, "getting pregnant on purpose"? Is it just me or is contraception as much the responsibility of the male as it is of the female? And as for his use of the "N" word, for an African American, he seems to be painfully unaware of the slave trade origins of that hideous word. I think he ought to spend some time with US Vogue's Andre Leon Talley, a man so cultured and eloquent, he could start his own finishing school for rappers.
Katy Perry is smart, amusing and has a charming coquettish streak a mile wide, so why collaborate with an unsavoury chap like Kanye? Katy, next time the record label suggests you collaborate again, please say no. On the plus side, in the E.T. video, Kanye is seen floating through space. If we're lucky, Katy left him there (without Twitter access).
Mass-censorship of Kanye aside, let's get back to the glory of Kabuki, and his fabulous looks for the E.T. music video.
Pictured above are Kabuki's sketches for the Alien and Faun looks. A quick Google search online led me to some fabulous tips from Kabuki himself on how to re-create these looks at home (though maybe best saved for Halloween or fancy dress parties).
The Faun Look
"Create graphic eyebrows with a flat angle brush (try the Illamasqua Eye Brow Brush) dipped in dark brown powder (try Illamasqua Powder Eye Shadow in Wolf). Fill in the inner brow and extend the line straight out into a thin spike."
"Use myface mymix foundation in medium 01 (also used for the base), applied with a flat brush to perfect the outline and to mask the real brows (try the Illamasqua Foundation Brush)."
"Fill in the lower inside eye with a soft black pencil (try the myface high def eye pencil in black). Blend into the lashes and taper off into points at the inner corners. Line the upper lash line with black liquid liner (try the Illamasqua Precision Ink in Abyss) and extend the line outward to mimic the line of the new brow."
"Use medium and dark brown powder as a shadow (try myface eyetouch/soulful shade trio in a whole latte love), sculpting the eyelid into the inner brow, and blend the lower line down in a graceful curve, following the bridge of the nose. Use myface r&b rouge blusher in sweet escape to soften the edges and the black liquid liner to sharpen the inner point (try the Illamasqua Precision Ink in Abyss). The lashes are curled (try Shu Uemura eyelash curlers), coated with black mascara (try the myface upload lashes mascara in black), with winged false lashes applied to the top lashes (try the "Nicola" lashes from the Eyelure Girls Aloud lash collection)."
"Create the faun-inspired spots on the forehead and cheekbones with a medium brown concealer, a dry consistency works the best (try the Illamasqua Concealer in CC 320). Start with the larger shapes and work outward to the smaller ones. With a myface high def eye pencil in brown (pictured above), outline the shapes. Use a white pencil (try the Illamasqua Medium Pencil in Elate) to continue the shapes under the outer eyebrow."
If all these written tips leave you confused, why not watch this hilarious You Tube tutorial from AndreasChoice (as posted on Twitter by Katy Perry). I'll post each of her tutorials after every corresponding set of tips from Kabuki:
A shot of a faun-hoofed Katy, hand in hand with her albino alien lover (of the moment male model Shaun Ross) in the closing scene of the video.
These hoof shoes from the late Alexander McQueen's final Darwin show could have been a great accessory choice for the final scene, saving on a lot of CGI expenses (had Lady Gaga's stylist Nicola Formichetti not already used them in her Bad Romance video).
The Alien Look
"Take a bright pink cream foundation (if you can't find one, try a matte lipstick such as Illamasqua's Lipstick in Atomic) and begin to fill in the temples, jaw line, cheekbone to under eye, and in between the inner eyebrow and eye lid. Use a fluffy foundation brush to blend the pink into the white cream (try the Illamasqua Highlighter Brush and white Cream Foundation in CF 100)."
"With a royal blue cream make-up (try the Illamasqua Lipstick in Disciple) define the upper crease of the eyelid and blend outwards and upwards until it wings out the eye in a kind of Egyptian style. Set with powder as you did with the pink (try the pink Illamasqua Powder Eyeshadow in Virus and the blue Illamasqua Powder Eyeshadow in Sadist). Using the same cream, paint a blue border framing the face, making it look like a mask."
"Apply the myface diamonds&pearls blingtone to the upper lid and line the lower water line with white pencil liner (try the Illamasqua Medium Pencil in Elate), extending the line all the way to the edge of the brow. Paint a tapering line of electric blue liquid liner (try mixing the Illamasqua Powder Eyeshadow in Sadist with the Illamasqua Sealing Gel, painting on the with the Illamasqua Angled Eye Liner Brush) under the lower lashes and give it time to dry. Use the myface upload lashes mascara in black on the top and blue mascara on the lower lashes (try the Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara in Violet). Apply 3/4 of a false lash to the middle of the lash line (try the Shu Uemura Partial Soft Cross False Eyelashes)."
"Fill in the lips with a dark violet eyeliner pencil and matching lipstick (or just use the Illamasqua Lipstick in Disciple again). Highlight the centre with metallic violet eye shadow, such as the myface blingtone in purple haze)."
Here is the AndreasChoice video tutorial from YouTube:
Loving the Chinese Ming Dynasty style nails.
Why not coordinate the diamonds&pearls blingtone Kabuki used on Katy's eyes for this look with the the corresponding nail colour shade, lil'bling in diamonds&pearls.
Perhaps Lady Deathstrike from X-Men 2 inspired the nail look from the video?
Or maybe they owe their origins to Lo Pan from Big Trouble in Little China?
Katy Perry's stylist for the video Carol Beadle, created the ensembles for the Alien and Tribal looks (the Alien look is pictured above).
She referenced jellyfish and amoebas as inspiration.
The late Alexander McQueen's Darwin collection also paid homage to the beauty of aquatic life.
The Tribal Look
"To create the bold red/orange rectangle around the eyes, I used tape to help mark off straight edges and a broad flat square brush (try the Illamasqua Lipstick in Flare and the Illamasqua Foundation Brush)."
"The eyes are decisively outlined with the myface high def eye pencil in black and black cream eyeliner (try the Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Liner in Black). The inner and outer corners are extended a little and squared off for a digital effect. Large orange Swarovski crystals (try the Sunset Hotfix Rhinestones from amourrocks.com) are used in the centre of the forehead and on the edges of the rectangle around the eyes, like bookends. Lash glue is the best way to apply them (try Duo false eye lash glue). I glued them ahead of time onto a fine orange mesh (try the "Tulor" orange tulle from cheapfabrics.co.uk) and applied it as one piece rather than individually."
"With a flesh coloured pencil (try the Illamasqua Medium Pencil in Hex), lightly sketch a geometric design onto the face. I made stencils ahead of time when I did it on Katy. However, they simply served as a guide; they were all done freehand. Using a light pencil will help cut down on mistakes. Then go over with a navy blue eye pencil (try the Illamasqua Medium Pencil in Please)."
"The lips are nude with a slight lavender tint (try filling in lips with the Illamasqua Medium Pencil in Hex and following with a dot of MAC Lustreglass in Flashmode applied to the centre of lips)."
Here's the AndreasChoice YouTube tutorial for this look:
Here's Madonna sporting a similar look in her "Nothing Really Matters" music video in the late 90's. I call this her Geisha phase, as it is well documented that at the time, she was lobbying to get the lead role in the film adaption of Arthur Golden's best-selling novel Memoirs of a Geisha. The lead role of Sayuri was eventually won by Chinese actress Ziyi Zhang, who was supported by leading Chinese star Gong Li and Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh. The lack of Japanese actresses cast in lead roles created quite a storm, given that the story is set in Japan, focusing on its legendary Geisha heritage.
The second clothing look stylist Carol Beadle created for the E.T. video, again, inspired by jellyfish and amoebas. Loving the Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon pose.
See the resemblance?
A shot of Katy cosying up to hot albino male model du jour Shaun Ross. Albino models are quite the trend of late, as Illamasqua featured a stunning female albino model in the campaign for their Spring/Summer 2011 Toxic Nature make-up collection.
Shaun doing his thing on the cover of Vogue Africa. This shot reminds me of a famous Diana Vreeland quote. Legend has it, that on first meeting Somali supermodel Iman, she remarked "now that's a neck".
myface.cosmetics
mymix foundation in medium 01 - £12.99
high def eye pencil in black - £6.99
high def eye pencil in brown - £6.99
upload lashes mascara in Black - £10.49
eyetouch/soulful shade trio in a whole latte love - £9.99
Ian Brown is a leading British Fashion & Beauty Expert with over a decade's worth of industry experience. Having cut his journalistic teeth as a freelancer at British Cosmopolitan, he was appointed Style and Grooming Editor at GT Magazine, launching and editing the Style and Skin Deep sections.
After two years, he went freelance, contributing to various publications including; The Daily Telegraph, Harper's Bazaar, The Daily Mail and Red Magazine.
He has created make-up looks for actresses such as MyAnna Buring, Oona Chaplin, Lily James and Sadie Frost, supermodel Portia Freeman and pop stars Alexandra Burke, Sunday Girl and Fractures.
His successful fashion and beauty blog, Diary Of A Fashion Mister, has earned cult status amongst fashion and beauty insiders, with Cult Beauty's Alexia Inge describing it as a "brilliantly sharp style blog".
Ian recently made his TV debut as a guest host on QVC and joined celebrity hairdresser Daniel Galvin and the world's No.1 tanning expert James Read as a judge for the Lookmantastic Hair and Grooming Awards 2011.