Tag: hair

Label.M Jean-Pierre Braganza Colour Stay Shampoo & Conditioner

As part of their Christmas collection, Label.M have teamed up with Jean-Pierre Braganza to release some specially designed products.

I’ve just finished up the Colour Stay Shampoo and Conditioner which comes in a lovely box with a Jean-Pierre Braganza design and festive ribbon at the top. The shampoo and conditioner come in gorgeous long, sleek bottles which are easy-squeezy (my pet hate is when you can’t get the product out!).

I have ombréd hair, and I’m aware that bleach can leave hair not looking all that great so I try my best to use moisturising products for it. The Colour Stay range is ideal, as it’s formulated for coloured and chemically treated hair to keep it strong, moisturised and shiny. The shampoo contains soy and wheat proteins which strengthen, Enviroshield Complex which protects against heat styling and UV rays, and amino acids to enhance shine and add moisture. The conditioner contains aloe, echinacea and currant extract which softens, detangles and hydrates your hair. I can say that everything it’s claimed it would do – it’s done! My hair has felt soft and manageable, and my ends haven’t looked straw-like!

The shampoo and conditioner and both fairly thin in consistency and smell of watermelon – I’ve really enjoyed using them. The set costs £18.50 (worth £23) at HQhair, and they have a special offer of a free Label.M clutch bag when you spend £25 too!

House of Rush

A hair cut had been long over-due for me…. until this weekend I committed one of the 7 blogger sins of not having scissors anywhere near my head for eight months (gulp). Having bleached ends really didn’t help the matter – they had become very dry and no amount of hair mask would save them. 

When I had an office job near the Covent Garden branch of Rush, it would be my regular salon – until my ultimate hair-colourist upped and left it for Australia, and I ended up moving jobs. I always loved the salon and would come out feeling a million dollars. House of Rush is part of the same family – but on a much bigger scale. I, in fact, have never seen a salon quite as big!
As well as the usual hair cutting, colouring, extensions and other hair related things you’d expect to find at a hair salon, House of Rush also has an essie nail bar, as well as offering IPL hair removal, massages, facials – basically a one stop shop for all your beauty needs. 
Ahmed was my stylist for the day – I felt he listened really well to exactly what I wanted, and although the salon was busy, it felt like he had all the time in the world for my hair – taking his time and doing everything thoroughly and carefully. I have a massive head of thick hair, so it always means more time for me in the salon than your average Joe. 
It was the little touches that also meant a lot – the fact they have a full-blown cafe there so the drinks are amazing, the fact the leg part of the chair goes up while you’re having your hair washed to stop that awful neck-ache… and the fact the chair massages you too, if you so wish!
When it came to my drying my hair, I explained I didn’t want a big bouncy blow-dry, but did want some movement in the ends of my hair. Ahmed told me to look down – which I did, and carried on reading my book. Once I looked up, I realised my whole head was covered in round brushes, with my hair curled round them. Once he took them out, the result was gorgeous, even if I do say so myself! My hair was ready for a night out for sure, and the movement held up not only until the early hours of the morning, but until the next time I washed my hair!

My hair feels in such better condition now – I am definitely going to try to keep up the regular cuts from now on! I loved my experience at House of Rush – plus they are offering 25% off to all new customers – check it out here! 

Macadamia No Tangle Brush

Move over Tangle Teezer – you have a competitor on the block!
New from Macadamia Oil is the NoTangle brush – a brush designed to glide through hair, getting rid of knots without causing damage and preventing breakage and split ends. 

The NoTangle brush is very lightweight and I like that it has a handle on it. My brush-o-phobe daughter is rather fond of it too, and it’s easy for her to brush her own hair with her, plus, with the NoTangle there are also NoTears (phew!).

The package comes with a sample of Macadamia Healing Oil and a sachet of the Deep Repair Masque – a fab way to try out their products, which I have always been intrigued about. For £9.99 I think it’s a really good deal.

You can find the Macadamia NoTangle Brush at Beauty Expert, who also have a deal on at the moment on Macadamia products – if you spend over £15 on the brand you get a free 50ml Macadamia Oil Shampoo.

Living Proof – Prime Style Extender

Primer for my make up has been an essential part of my routine for as long as I can remember, but something I have never considered for my hair. Until now.

Living Proof Prime is the first primer for hair, designed to extend your style.

I gave it a true test this weekend – camping at V Festival from Friday until today – and slathered it onto my damp hair after I’d washed it on Friday. It doesn’t have any stickiness to it and smells citrusey and fresh. Once I’d dried and straightened my hair it didn’t look or feel any different to normal, but over the course of the weekend is where the magic happened.

I really was at one with the elements over the weekend – with rain and wind to contend with, not to mention sleeping in a tent. After the first night of camping my hair was no longer straight, which I had hoped the Primer would have helped with – but I think this is due to me sleeping on it while it was curled up under my head, so it being straight when I woke would have been some kind of a miracle. It was still definitely able to be worn down, with just a slight bit of movement in it – which never normally would be the case, and, despite being rained on, drizzled on, and blown about all over the show by the wind, it was still showing no signs of frizziness, which again, is something I’ve never experienced before with my hair.

I had packed in my belongings a giant can of dry shampoo, always a festival staple of mine, but I didn’t need to reach for it once. Even by this morning – three days after washing, my hair still looks clean and fresh and if I had chosen to, I think I could have got away with not washing it on my return.

The back of the tube says that ‘Prime extends any style 2 x longer. Formulated with our advanced priming system containing OFPMA to create an exquisitely thin, weightless shield to perfect and smooth strands and repel dirt and oil. Worn alone or layered under your favourite styler, save time and forget the touch ups.’ – and it has done everything it’s promised.

Living Proof Prime costs £17 for 148ml and is available exclusively at Space NK

New Hair at BLEACH London

It was safe to say, once I’d dabbled with Fudge’s Paintbox colours, I got the colour bug. In that post I spoke about how much I wanted hair like My Little Pony, and I’d toyed with the idea of bleaching my whole hair in order to get a whole head of pink.

I loved the pink hair so much that I decided I was going to go for the kill and do my whole head. I knew I needed to go somewhere amazing who knew what they were doing – BLEACH London were the first people I thought of. All the session stylists I work with rave about it, and it’s well known that if you want a crazy colour in London, BLEACH is the place to go.

BLEACH has recently opened a concession in Topshop Oxford Circus, but I visited their original Dalston salon to get my pink-on. It’s based in the heart of East London, slotting in nicely with the local vibe.

The salon is lined with glass bottles, once holding soft drinks, now where the magic dye is kept. The colourists mix up their own potions and tones at the back from the nameless containers. Very mysterious and so very cool.

I spoke to Sapphire, the manager, and also the lovely lady that would be doing my hair, about what I wanted.  I have so much hair, that is very thick, and I use straigheners almost every time I wash my hair – all these factors were working against me in my quest for a full head of pink locks. She advised me that my hair would snap off, and would be very coarse… it was all of a sudden sounding less appealing! I was disappointed that I couldn’t have the hair I had envisioned, but at the same time I was grateful that Sapphire was professional enough to notice the warning signs to stop me from ending up with a rubbish head of hair!

She said she could take my blonde up a little further, giving me more area for the pink to work with – but when I thought about how that might look once I’d decided I had enough of the pink, I decided against it. Although now, I’m kind of wishing I did it!

In the end I went for, what they call, a ‘Super Cool Colour’, and boy, is it super cool! I had seen an image of a girl with pastel pink hair, with turquoise and purple running through the ends that I was using as hairspiration. I showed it to Sapphire who said that my hair probably wouldn’t go those tones as it wasn’t quite blonde enough, but she could make it quite strong, which would eventually fade down to a more pastel version of itself. I was sold. 
She took her time thoroughly coating all of my hair, and blending the purple and blue into the ends. It was a much better than what I’d managed when I did my own dye job a few weeks previously! It was left for 20 minutes before being rinsed and I actually said “wow” as I saw it being dried. I was in love.

The only problem is, now I really really want a whole head of it!

To find out more and to book an appointment, visit www.bleachlondon.co.uk

Things in my Bathroom

My bathroom is very much a zesty and moisturising place at the moment. Five things on the bathroom rota at the moment that I’m loving are these….

Origins Drink Up Mask


Now I am on Roaccutane, my skin is even more dehydrated than ever – Origins Drink Up Mask is the perfect remedy. It’s designed to be worn for 10 minutes then tissued off, but I have been wearing it as an overnight mask a couple of times a week. It feels instantly soothing to apply and the skin on my face is soft, plump and moisturised in the morning. It’s perfect for skin that needs a moisture boost – whether that be as a mask 10 minutes before you apply your make up for an evening out, or overnight. There is another, richer version of this, but because of my strange skin I thought this would be the safest option – and luckily it hasn’t caused me any breakouts. I’m so pleased that I will continue to use this product for ever. Amazing.

Trevor Sorbie Beautiful Curls – Shampoo & Conditioner


My hair is naturally wavy yet I’m for ever buying products to help to straighten it. I thought it was about time I embraced the movement – if I leave my hair to dry naturally, it does wave – but with a frizz – not wearable by any means. These products have definitely helped to tame the frizz and give me more of a defined curl. They have a fresh, clean, floral smell to them and lather up just the right amount. Since I started using Beautiful Curls my hair seems to hold a style more too – whether that is straight or tonged.

Organic Surge Fresh Ocean Light Body Lotion


This kind of weather means bare limbs may be on the cards soon – so preparation is key! No one wants to see crusty knees or elbows – and my Roaccutaney skin means body lotion is a must. This light body lotion is exactly that – it’s really lightweight yet moisturising and sinks into the skin straight away. It’s ideal for after a morning shower as by the time I’ve got to my clothes, it’s absorbed. My skin isn’t left feeling sticky or clammy so I know I’m not going to get London Grime stuck to me. Rich, heavy body creams definitely have a place in my routine, but they’re best left for bed time. The Fresh Ocean smell is very citrusey, with a hint of peppermint – every little helps in giving me my morning wake up.

ESPA Zesty Lemon, Ylang Ylang & Crushed Tonka Beans Hand Wash & Hand Lotion


Earlier this year, spa brand ESPA expanded their range to include some more every-day, affordable yet luxurious products, including hand wash and lotion. Again, my Roaccutaney skin means hand lotion after washing is preferable – and I feel oh so swish having both at my sink, especially when it looks and feels as luxurious as this. They are fragranced with 100% natural fragrance made from pure essential oils – the smell is delicious and is loved by me, the kids and even my boyfriend – we can be a pretty hard bunch to please as a foursome but these hit the spot.

Apivita Lip Care with Chamomile, Organic Beeswax & Olive Oil


I’m sure you’re sick of me telling you… but I’m on Roaccutane now! Lip balm is now my best friend – having one at arms reach at all times. The lip balms from Apivita are paraben free, mineral oil free, and silicone free and contain lots of lovely lip-loving ingredients. As a predominantly beeswax based balm, it isn’t greasy and doesn’t leave the lips glossy. I’ve found it’s slotted nicely into my morning routine before make up – lipstick goes over the top with ease, and doesn’t bleed which can be the case with other, more liquidy balms.

Daniel Galvin Jnr

There are nice areas of London, and there are nice areas of London. Daniel Galvin Jnr is nestled in among the gorgeous boutique designer shops in London’s Belgravia – a very nice area of London, and fits in perfectly. The salon is decorated in a classic style, with high ceilings, lots of windows letting in light (even on the downstairs level) and fresh white flowers at each station.


I paid them a visit last week for an Organic Detox Treatment and was pleasantly surprised to see Daniel Galvin Jnr himself working in the salon. I realise the photo below looks like a rather creepy stalker photo – but I was trying to get a photo of the stations and it just so happened that Daniel is in the reflection!

Despite the fact I’d gone on a Thursday day-time, the salon was very busy – everyone seemed to be doing something, and the hair that I saw looked gorgeous. It’s the kind of place I would go to for a classic cut or colour – think the most gorgeous shimmering, natural looking highlights, or fantastic auburn hair colour with cuts that just seemed to work.

The Organic Treatment I was having began with a shampoo – then the Oh! OrganicHead Detox Hair Masque being applied to my hair. It smelled delicious – a kind of ocean breezy smell that reminds me of one of my favourite perfumes (MAC Turquatic), I was pleased that the smell remained on my hair after drying – I could not stop sniffing my hair!

The treatment is sold as one you can do in the comfort of your own home, but at the salon it’s much more of an intense masque as you are placed under a steam hood for half an hour which opens up all of the hair follicles and allows the product to really penetrate your hair. 
The Organic Treatment is designed to detoxify the hair and remove any impurities and pollution. I knew the moment it had been washed off and the brush went through my hair for the first time that it had definitely done some magic. My hair is normally a mass of knots post-wash, but this time the brush glided through. My hair was super-soft and knot free – amazing. 
Joe dried my hair to perfection – my bouncy curls were still in full force after two nights of sleeping on them – it seemed such a shame that I had to eventually wash my hair and wash them out!

My hair has definitely felt so much healthier since having the treatment – since bleaching the ends of my hair, they have been rather dry, but now they feel a little more like they should do! I’m looking forward to topping up the treatment myself at home, which I was given some tips for – leave it to work it’s magic while you’re in a steamy bath, or place a dampened towel in the microwave for 30 seconds then wrap your hair in to create some steam.

All in all, a very pleasant experience!

You can find out more info about Daniel Galvin Jnr by visiting www.danielgalvinjunior.com

Moroccanoil Shampoo, Conditioner & Treatment

I recently realised that there a lot of things that I consider to be my ‘favourites’, which I have never blogged about. I want to try and rectify that, so here I begin with my favourite range of hair care products to date – Moroccanoil Moisture Repair Shampoo and Conditioner, and the Treatment Oil.
I mentioned them in my Shine On feature in ELLE Canada last December – saying that the Treatment Oil is an essential of mine, and when teamed with the Shampoo & Conditioner they come together perfectly to create my ultimate dream team!
The Oil is something that I have continued to use ever since my first bottle – I’ve been using it continuously for the past 3 years – as soon as one bottle is nearly empty, another has to be bought (it can often be found on Buyapowa so when I see it there I stock up as I know I will end up using it). I apply it into damp hair, then brush it through – firstly it smells absolutely amazing, and secondly it seems to magically and massively reduce frizz. It can also be used as a pre-wash treatment, or on dry hair as a serum, although I stick to using it before I dry my hair. If I choose to let my hair dry naturally, it is extremely wavy – the Moroccanoil really makes the waves much more defined than the big frizzball mess I would otherwise be left with.
The Shampoo & Conditioner are products I love using, but I rarely buy as I have so much hair, I get through so much product that I just can’t afford it (they are each £15.85 for 250ml)! I was given these ones at the recent Handpicked Media London Fashion Week Suite, and using them for the first time again reminded me just how much I love them. Again, the smell – yumtastic (ya, ya) if you haven’t seen that episode of Undateables then you must! They really lather up well but not too much – I hate overly foamy products – with these you can feel exactly where you have cleaned which is great. My hair is left soft and smooth and this trio together make my hair dry quicker, straightening is quicker and much much easier using the Shampoo & Conditioner too. I’ve recently discovered they do giant salon sized bottles so I must investigate as these seem to be the perfect products for my thick, massive head of hair!
All of the Moroccanoil products I’ve tried have left my hair feeling smooth, shiny, healthy and nourished. I would love to try their Hair Mask and Glimmer Spray next as I’m fairly confident those too, would become favourites.

LFW Day 3: Lucas Nascimento, Toni & Guy, Haizhen Wang

My final day of London Fashion Week was Tuesday, and boy, what a day! My alarm went off at 4:15am ready for the 6am call time for the Lucas Nascimento show at the Topshop Showspace at the Tate Modern where I was working as part of the AOFM Pro Team. It was a case of make up on the train, cab from the train station, coffee where possible! 

The Tanks at Tate Modern is an absolutely amazing venue, what a fab location for a designer such as Lucas Nascimento.

The key make up artist was Janeen Witherspoon, who I worked with a couple of seasons ago, she’s so lovely and it was a pleasure to work with her again.

My model

For this look we cleansed the skin then gave them an oil massage for a couple of minutes to start their circulation going and wake up the skin, then followed with a little bit of Embryolisse so they weren’t too shiny and lip balm to get to work on softening the lip ready for us to work on it later.

We applied Face & Body by MAC, with our hands, to take down any redness in the cheeks, chin and nose, using it in thin layers as the base wasn’t to look too visible – it needed to look fresh.
This was to create definition on the eye we used MAC Black Cream eyeliner to get in between the upper lashes making sure it didn’t go on the lids.  
We used concealer directly on any blemishes or redness then fanned it out using a fluffy brush, and also colour corrected under the eyes. 
MAC Groundwork was softly worked through the contour of the eye crease and blending out the edges to create definition without hard lines, then curled the lashes.
We filled in any holes in eyebrow hairs softly, just along the hair line so they still looked natural, then set the brows up using brow gel.
We contoured using MAC Sculpt and used a soft perfect cheek colour for blush.
We used MAC Pearl Cream Colour Base as a highlight on the temple, cheekbones, chin, nose and a little pat on the lid to create nice luminous skin, then applied Ben Nye Shimmer Powder over the top of that, patting it on with the brush so as to be sure it didn’t go on too strongly.
The lip was a blue toned blushed burgundy which was a Kryolan Super Colour Greasepaint. It wanted to look like the had been in water and were a bit chilly. We started by concealing on the edges of the lips, then pushed the lipstick on tho the inner lip with a brush then pushed it in and along with the fingers, again, building it up in layers.

Photo from Vogue
We ended up leaving the Tate about 9.30am – me and 3 others of the Pro Team were on the Haizhen Wang show together, which meant we needed to be back at Somerset House for 3.45pm… we had the day to kill, but when you are tired and all lugging kit around, the last thing you want to do is go on an adventure, so we kept it pretty local.
We ended up on the Southbank for a while, admiring the view and people watching, when we bumped into a group of paparazzi outside the TV studio. They told us they were waiting for the Jackson 5, who were appearing on Loose Women. One of the girls with us is a mad Jacksons fan, so we sat and waited for them, then once she’d papped them and had her hand signed, we made our way to Somerset House where I popped into the Toni & Guy Blowout Bar for my bi-annual London Fashion Week cut and blow dry!
before
during
after

Although I love my ombre, my bleached ends have been really dry so I had a couple of inches taken off but think I want to grow out my layers so left them long. It was so lovely to be pampered in amongst the hecticness of London Fashion Week – although the hair dryer nearly sent me off to sleep! Thank you Ellie (who’s usually based in the Teddington branch) for a lovely job!
We made a refueling stop at Cafe Rouge, then back to Somerset House for the London Fashion Week closing show, Haizhen Wang!
Yin Lee was the key make up artist, who had created a stunning look which complimented the tribal hair and the collection perfectly. 
It was a clean base, Groundwork on the lid, nude pencil in the waterline, mascara and then…. a blue line down the nose, and the stencil. It got so hectic that I didn’t take any more photos backstage, so upset I didn’t get a stencil in there! Jai’me from Boy Meets Fashion was backstage, so keep checking his blog to see the photos!

Photo courtesy of London MUA Connect

The photo above shows Jade, Yin’s assistant, working on the stencil. Yin had cut out lots of the stencils which were stuck onto the models faces then held by another make up artist while we painted over it in blue. This was the finished effect.

Photo from theupcoming.co.uk

Photo courtesy of London MUA Connect
Photo from Vogue
It was such a buzz, I love working in faced paced environments like that show – it was an absolute pleasure to work on all five LFW shows I did this season and can’t wait until the next!

My Day at the BAFTA EE Style Suites

A few weeks ago I posted this image on my Instagram account….

Yes, that’s me, dripping in ridiculously expensive diamonds, hair and makeover done, wearing a designer gown, holding a BAFTA. Y’know, just a normal day for me…. ha, I wish! 
I am finally allowed to spill the beans on my day at the BAFTA EE Style Suites – and what an exciting day it was!
BAFTA invited me along to experience the EE Style Suites, which are open to all of the BAFTA nominees before the awards. They can choose outfits, gifts, have their hair and make up done, and relax and indulge before the ceremony. Which girl in her right mind would say no to an offer like that?!
I arrived at the gorgeously decadent Savoy Hotel mid morning, and was taken to the Style Suite. When they say ‘Suite’, this is no exaggeration – the space they had taken over was about three times the size of my home! On the actual day they take over an even larger space to make sure there’s enough room for everyone visiting the suites. Everything about The Savoy oozes luxury, mirroring the brands the Suites have to offer, which makes it a perfect location.
On arrival I was given a glass of Tattinger, offloaded all my junk and was told to have a seat for a minute. In the room, which was the living area of the suite – Edith Bowman was being filmed. I sat sipping champers watching the action unfold, and a handful of other journalists from the likes of Glamour and OK arriving to experience the EE Style Suites too.

Once the cameras had stopped rolling, I started my tour of the Suites.

First up was the mens bit which began with 88 Rue du Rhone – a Swiss watch brand who is the first watch partner to come on board for BAFTA. They launched in the UK last summer in Selfridges and John Lewis and always feature 8 or 88 diamonds in the watches (sounds like my kind of watch!)

The nominees visiting the Style Suites will be offered a selection of watches for them to choose from. Dustin Hoffman and Anthony Hopkins have already been gifted the gorgeous rose gold watch which is big and masculine (but I still think would look great on my wrist!).

For the second year running, Hackett is the menswear partner for the 2013 BAFTA Style Suites. This year they are offering classic suits either single or double breasted. The trousers are formal and black with piping.

They had some gorgeous velvet suits in jewel colours with peaked and grosgrain lapels, finished off with a pleat front or marcella shirt.

The accessories are big – it’s all about the bow tie which they also offer in velvets, dress scarves in silk or velvet, pocket squares, tie pins, and dress studs replace the buttons to lift the shirt more.

On offer to the nominees is a selection of 12-15 dinner jackets and 3-5 options of dinner suits. Stephen Fry has already confirmed he will be dressed by Hackett, but sometimes they won’t know until hours before that a nominee wants to wear one of their suits, so it’s all hands on deck to get the alterations completed within a couple of hours!

Now the men’s stuff is all rather interesting and gorgeous, but the girlie bit of the story now begins…

I was taken into one of the bedrooms where Lancome had set up their make up stations. They are the official make up sponsor for the BAFTA Style Suites and provide a team of make up artists (and this year, skincare experts to prep the skin) on site to make the stars beautiful before they head out onto the red carpet.

Maja Rickner, one of the team that will be working on the big day, was in charge of giving me the red carpet look. The products she used were: 

Skincare Preparation
  • Lancôme Eau Micellaire Douceur Express Cleansing Solution
  • Lancôme Bi-Facil Non Oily Instant Cleanser
  • Lancôme Génifique Youth Activating Concentrate – this is their award winning lightweight serum which makes skin glowy – this is a red carpet must!
  • Lancôme Hydra Zen Neurocalm Extrême Cream-Gel

Red Carpet Make-up
  • Lancôme Eclat Miracle Complexion lluminator in 01
  • Lancôme La Base Pro Perfecting Make-up Primer – this is a lovely oil free primer – it felt gorgeous, and left my skin mattified and radiant at the same time!
  • Lancôme Effacernes Concealer in shade 02
  • Lancôme Teint Idôle 24H foundation in shade 010 – this foundation is perfect for the red carpet as it’s long lasting and feels so light on the skin.
  • Lancôme Poudre Majeur Loose Powder in shade 01
  • Lancôme BAFTA Limited Edition Blush Subtil in their best-selling shade Rose Sable (exclusive to Selfridges) Full review of this here
  • Lancôme Ombre Hypnôse Mono eye shadows in P102 (Sable Enchanté) and M204 (Très Chocolat)
  • Lancôme Crayon Khôl in Noir 01
  • Lancôme Artliner felt eyeliner in black
  • Lancôme Rouge in Love lipstick in 240M (Rose en Deshabillé)
  • Lancôme Contour Pro lip liner in 303 (Rose Boisé)
  • Lancôme Hypnôse Drama mascara in black 

The smokey eye is a red carpet favourite with nude lips, or the Hollywood classic of red lips with a more subtle eye. I loved the smokey eye that Maja gave me, it’s really intense and made me fall in love with lining my waterline again. Maja told me she always lines the upper lid too – this is to avoid seeing any skin between the lashes in red carpet close-ups. Another trick she uses is when she has lined the lips, she also fills in the corners of the lips with liner to help it last longer and to withstand canape nibbling and champagne sipping.
The make up artists will speak to the nominee before starting their make up, to see how they will be dressed and how they are styling their hair, to work together to create a complete look that compliments each different part, and make each nominees’ look as individual as possible.
To ensure there isn’t a mad rush just before the ceremony, the nominees book in a slot to have their make up done – or some of the nominees have the service in the luxury of their own home! Each make over normally takes around 35-45 minutes depending on the schedule. Each person they make over gets given the lipstick they are wearing and a powder for quick touchups, but Lancome provide a special service where they will provide touchups on the night too!

Next stop was Asprey, the official jewellery partner, who hosted the nominees party for the 5th year running. They dress the nominees and presenters of the awards, by sending them a selection for them to choose from, or they come to the Style Suite and pick something out (oh, how the other half live!)

Some of the pieces on display at the Style Suites, and on offer on to the nominees and presenters were the Daisy Collection – this is an iconic and classic collection, boasting coloured diamonds and big earrings.

The Lattice Collection is typical red carpet jewellery – the lattice necklace costs a whopping £120,000, with the matching bracelet ringing in at £78,000 (no wonder there was also a guard in the Asprey room!). These kind of pieces will go with anything, which makes the style a big favourite for the nominees. My personal favourites were the feather earrings, which when they are worn, are super duper sparkly as they have so much movement and are constantly catching the light.

The Whimsical Woodland Collection is a fun, quirky collection designed by Brit, Shaune Leane, which has a main icon of the oak leaf. The pieces are less traditional and perfect for anyone wanting something a bit different. The oak leaf necklace is simply stunning, as was the intricate detail on the charm bracelet.

When I was asked if I’d like to try any of it on, of course, I said yes!
It seemed such a shame to take them off…. but that wasn’t the end of my foray into Asprey’s world of diamonds for the day…

Onto the dressing room of the suite, where I got to meet the legend himself, Mr Charles Worthington who personally styled my hair.


He gave me a gorgeous halo braid, which took him all of five minutes. He told me it was very easy to do yourself, the trick being not to look in the mirror, although I have since tried, unsuccessfully, at home! 

Like the Lancome Team, Charles’ team also discusses with the nominee what they will be wearing to try to achieve a complete overall look. There will always be the classics like Hollywood curls and dolly buns on the tops of the head, but this year there is more of a 60s vibe going on, and a lot of the styles will be looking not too “done”.

Once one look has been done on one person, the team ensures that nothing remotely similar is done on another of them – that is a complete no-no. Even things like a simple plait would have to be totally different to ensure each person looks completely individual.

The unpredictable February weather can cause havoc with freshly styled hair, but the team of experts is on hand, and standing backstage with brushes, pins and products ready to make sure the nominees’ hair is perfect the minute before they step onto the stage.

My last stop before the final surprise was the bedroom that had turned itself into a giant Escada-dress-filled walk in wardrobe. There were short dresses, long dresses, bright dresses, dark dresses…. oh so many dresses!

Manequins were dressed in some of their iconic pieces, with photos of stars wearing their dresses at previous awards.

I was invited to try on anything that took my fancy (squee!) and I went for this gorgeous Grecian number – I thought it tied in with my hair rather well. It was amazing – the top part was made of chain mail which draped over the shoulder… I felt a million dollars wearing it, apart from the fact it was tiny and I couldn’t do the zip fully up, it was perfect.

Feeling on a high at my wonderful day, but also a little deflated that it had come to an end, I got undressed and started putting my clothes back on, when one of the BAFTA team came to get me for my photo shoot. Photo shoot? What photo shoot!? I felt like Cinderella with all these luxury dresses at my disposal… as much as I loved the Grecian dress, I didn’t fancy exposing myself in the shoot, so when I tried the grey dress on and it fitted like Cinders’ glass slipper, I knew this had to be the one. 
I popped back to Asprey who picked out the feather earrings, latice bracelet and daisy ring to compliment my outfit – then off we went (accompanied by the Asprey guard) to the room which had had a photo studio set up in it!
It was then that I was presented with an actual real-life BAFTA. It was surprisingly heavier and smellier (it has a distinct metallic smell) than I imagined, then it was photo shoot time! For some reason I could only pull comedy faces, but they are still lovely mementos of my day.

So then my time at the Style Suites really had come to and end. I enjoyed myself so much, and found it really interesting to experience the lives of the nominees before the awards ceremony. I will be thinking of them in the run up to BAFTA, in their cosy little haven in The Savoy, getting beautified, with fond memories.
The Film Awards take place on Sunday 10th February. Keep up to date with BAFTA by following @BAFTA on Twitter and follow #BAFTAstyle for all the latest BAFTA style updates. 
Oh, and one more thing – I’m going to be there on the night!!!! Make sure you are following me on Twitter @Super_Gorgeous for live updates from the BAFTA red carpet.