{a guide to : smokey eyes}

This seasons new beauty take on 'gothic drama' can be interpreted in one of many ways; today I'm focusing on creating a stunning dramatic, dark eye.

My fail-safe route to re-create this look would include a radiance-giving primer, and a glowy yet high coverage foundation; NARS Sheer Glow would probably be the ultimate in this category - to prevent skin looking chalky and veering on the wrong side of gothic! - followed by a ton of highlighter and pinky/peachy blush (my favourite would be NARS Orgasm). A flattering yet fuss free lip (try MAC Lipstick in Hue or Angel) leaves the face looking polished and ready to start on the eyes.

I find a simple, smokey eye is best achieved with (all eye shadows by MAC) a slick of Patina all over the lid, with Satin Taupe blended from the outer corner to about three quarters of the way through your lid, before adding a slick of gel liner covered with Black Tied and a little in the outer corner to add depth. Lashings of mascara and some dramatic lashes (My current favourites are MAC 7 or 8s) and you're good to go. You could of course take things up a notch...

A Guide To: Your Best-Ever Red Lip

Its impossible to sport a red lip and not feel festive; with upcoming Christmas parties, dinner invitations and some very merry days - a simple slick of lippy works wonderfully.

If we're doing things properly, and by the book, we should start with a quick exfoliation with a lip scrub (or simply gently brush your lips with your toothbrush, apply your favourite lip balm and allow to sink in nicely before applying your lipstick.

I've rounded up some of the best red lipsticks before, but my all time favourite and fail-safe combination is a careful lining of the lips with Mac Lip Pencil in Cherry. Take a lip-brush and fill in your lips, following the shape you created with your pencil with the Mac Matte Lipstick in Ruby Woo, a highly pigmented and glamorous red that really will suit all skin tones. I love a matte red lip, but should you want to add a little gloss, Mac Pro Longwear Lipglass in Driven by Love complements Ruby Woo perfectly.

The Rachelle Lust List: 15th October 2012

1. Knitwear is such huge essential in my wardrobe from October to April (and often into the summer in the fantastic British weather..) so I'm always on the look out for amazing jumpers. This J Brand knitted top (£300) has fine golden flecks running through the wool as well as an incredible leather back. 2. I've raved about my love for the new season All Saints collection before, but cannot get these particular boots off my  mind! Everything about them is perfection; and I think they'll stand the test of time at £225. 3. My gold Michael Kors Chronograph watch has graced my wrist pretty much each day for the last three years, I think its about time a new sister for her was justified. With more than a little Chanel, this black beauty is the object of my desires. 4. When shopping at the weekend, the boy and I of course found ourselves in Selfridges food hall, and then, wandering into the alcohol shop... It was love at first sight for this cute little skull and I, full of Crystal Head Vodka (£45), I couldn't resist.. Especially for the imminent Halloween  Not that I can resist a skull at any time of year, I'll be decanting my Goose into this in future! 5. I missed out on this coat £135 (or a very similar style) in Topshop last winter, and I'm not leaving anything to chance this time! This little beauty is on order, I love an alternative to the plain black winter coat. And I'm a self-confessed-faux-fur-aholic. 6. Simple, stylish and timeless shoes are part of what Zara does best, I need these pointed toe courts (£59.99) for winter days where boots aren't totally necessary  7. If anyone happens to be stuck on what clutch to buy me for Christmas, Hanukkah, Halloween, Guy Fawkes... the list can go on... this Givenchy quilted leather clutch (£1,100) will do nicely. Ta! 8. The lip colour of this week is a re-discovered old favourite, a pinky/plumy shade from MAC with a lustre finish, Syrup. Its so wearable for any occasion with any makeup so I've found myself reaching for it each day last week. 9. Although I am a religious body moisturiser, I like to pamper my skin even more on lazy nights in, nothing beats any Laura Mercier body butter, my current bottle in use is the Almond & Coconut Milk variation (£22). rachelle xo

The Rachelle Lust List: 8th October 2012

its been a while. a long while. such a while that I'm surprised that I was able to condense my ever-growing 'lust' folder to just 9 items in 550 pixels. 1. I've been desperate for a pair of feather-light, tight fitting yet pyjama comfortable leather leggings for a while, yet besides these horrifically expensive pair from The Olsens  horrifically expensive label, The Row. Cashing in at a scary £1,200, I may settle for these faux-leather Topshop version for a moderate £18. 2. These Valentino beauties (£695) have also been the object of my desire for some time, but as I'm (attempting) to save money and resist high-end pieces, I'll try my luck scouring Zara for a looky-likey over the next few weeks. 3. I have no words for this Illamasqua eye-shadow quad. Perfect autumnal smokey eye(£34). Coordinates incredibly with.. 6. - my newest lipstick addition, Diva by Mac (£14). The perfect matte dark lip. Should be a staple in every ladies makeup bag. A suit all dark lip in a perfect matte finish that lasts forever. 4. The Kooples is one of my favourite chic Parisienne brands, when browsing their online shop (it is bloody hard to find a shop outside of the French capital) and I've fallen in love with all of this seasons leather jackets, especially this one (£400).... 5. The only good thing about the darker nights is snuggling up tons of candles burning, I like one scented and a million tealights or vanilla escence ones lit. The Tom Ford Tuscan Leather candle was a total splurge at £50, but I love it. 7. The hype around Millie Mackintosh's new lash range has been pretty incredible, but I must say that after trying the 'Soho' lashes (£8.95) I can see why. Perfect for daytime, or for when you dont want a too full-on lash-look. 8. On holiday, I discovered that Essie may just fulfill the one-week manicure title. Whatever time of year I favour a dark, glossy nail and this shade, Wicked (£7.99), is right up my street. I applied this last Wednesday and its still wearing really, really well now. 9. I couldnt live without my Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum. Really. My love over the last few (sun soaked) weeks has been reaffirmed, I must do a full review soon, so wont keep you any longer. From £39.

What are you lusting after this week? rachelle xo

Lust List - 27th August 2012

A highly beauty(iful)-based Lust List this week beauties, the autumn/winter collections are really starting to conqeur the high street now we're almost in September, but I still have beach holiday in the pipeline (in fifteen little days, eeeeek) so am reluctant to indulge too much in winter wear just yet! 1. Chanels iconic Coco scent goes dark and moody with new Coco Noir (£75 for ml) to capture the gothic feel of the upcoming season. With heady sandalwood and jasmine, you wont smell anything like this anywhere else - I cannot wait to get my mitts on a bottle. 2. Groomed brows are essential for a groomed face. I'd die without my old-faithful Brow Pencil by Mac in Spiked (£12.50). 3. Another old favourite I'll never tire of is the highly-acclaimed Mac 217 blender (£17). More often than not, this is the only tool I use to apply eye-shadow. 4. Tanned skin is a year-round essential for me; I've raved about Nars bronzing powder in Laguna (£25) many times, but after reverting back to Mac Mineralise Skinfinish Natural for a week following an incident with a shattered compact (ahem) I was searching for a fix of my beloved Laguna. Never let us again be parted. 5. The first designer collaboration for Topshop makeup comes from British designer Louise Gray, my favourite piece is the glitter nail varnish in Pink Punch (£6.50). 6. The Nars Multiples (£29) are amazingly versatile, my new favourite shade is Maldives which I've been using as a highlight and eye-shadow base pretty much all summer. 7. One autumn/winter purchase I haven't managed to resist is this perfect black fur gilet from Topshop, at only £55 its exactly what I've been looking for over the last three years, but never managed to find!  8. I'm literally dreaming about these Acne Tess booties (£430). The perfect ankle boot, I need these in my life. 9. I'm a sucker for all things natural, and great tasting, and these Firefly drinks are the best of both worlds. My three favourite flavours; Lemon & Lime, Orange & Passionfruit and Raspberry & Pomegranate are all now widely available for £1.75 each, or you can bulk-buy at Harvey Nicholls. 100% natural, nothing artificial. rachel xo

Beauty Icon: Audrey Hepburn

I feel almost a little cliché writing this post, as it has become almost clichéd to love Audrey Hepburn, yet it's almost impossible not to. One of the biggest icons in film history, she's still often cited as one of the world's most beautiful women — even though she didn't always view herself that way. She disliked her crooked teeth, large feet, and flat chest — "I never thought I'd land in pictures with a face like mine," she once said — but those so-called flaws made her even more likeable.

Lust List - 13th August 2012

1. Alexander McQueen is not a brand to shy away from statement-making. It was love at first sight when I set my eyes upon this Unicorn Skull Embroidered Box Clutch, which will most probably, always be a lust at an impressive £1,435... 2. Behold, my daily go-to lip colour - Mac Angel in satin, I finished my fourth tube yesterday and the realisation has hit, I may be slightly obsessed... 3. As you probably already know, as I haven't shut up about it, I'm off for a fortnight in Phuket in a mere thirty sleeps (!!!) and I'm swimwear-searching and currently swooning over these Zimmerman styles. 4. I've previously raved about my love for  the highly-acclaimed Moroccan Oil, I cannot stop using it! I've been putting a little extra in my hair when drying it & smoothing a tiny little blob through the ends which has resulted in verrrry smooth & glossy hair. 5.   Winter buys are filtering into stores, I've fallen for this Cos coat (£175) the pastel hue is so refreshing for the winter. 6. As a gold jewellery fanatic, Alexander McQueen ring wins every time, this ring is 100% me. 7. These Christian Louboutin Just Picks need no further description. LOVE. 8. Love the idea of these surprises in the post each month, a non-beauty Glossybox! 9. Feeling incredibly sporty following the closing ceremony of the Olympics, this gold Stella McCartney necklace is as near to sporting as I get... rachel xo

Inside Her Handbag: Alice Ripman

Alice Ripman, the beauty director at InStyle magazine, originally started work at Smash Hits, shadowing makeup artists on their shoots. She knew the world of magazines was for her & spent the early years of her career at More, Company & New Woman before spending the last seven years at InStyle.

 i n s i d e  a l i c e ' s  h a n d b a g  . . .

Laura Mercier Creme de Pistache Hand Creme (£13) - I love having something to smell when I'm suffering from writers block, and this smells good enough to eat! I like to think it stops me from eating all the macaroons and cupcakes that arrive in our office but sadly that’s not the case.

L'oreal Caresse Lipstick (£7.99) - This collection just landed on my desk and is so beautiful. This shade (Lovely Rose) is the perfect soft pink with no shimmer or glitter. The colour is very subtle so you can apply it without a mirror as you run into a meeting - always helpful!

Byredo La Tulipe Eau De Parfum (£130) - I discovered this perfume wandering through Liberty one day. Someone sprayed it and it completely stopped me in my tracks. Fresh and light, with slightly sweet dry down, after 10 years and over 1,000 sprays I’ve finally found my signature scent.

Essie Nail Varnish in Sexy Divide (£8.50) - This must be on my nails for 50 weeks of the year! I’ve bought my favourite colour, Sexy Divide, in bulk in case they ever discontinue it.

Clarins Hand & Nail Treatment Cream (£19) - This is such a beautiful hand cream and isn't sticky or sickly-smelling. The PR for Clarins taught me to add a few drops of their Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil into it for really dry emergencies and it works wonders.

Lust List - 25th June 2012

I parted with a mere £5 for this Models Own nail varnish after seeing it on the beautiful Charlottes nails and the inner magpie in me fell in love. So sparkly & pretty - if you follow me on twitter you'll have already heard me declaring my infatuation. When scouring the internet for the perfect shades for the What to Wear: Summer Holiday | Miami feature I stumbles across these amazing Valentino shades. Not cheap at £175, but the shape is too perfect. I adored the floral Dolce & Gabanna jeans released earlier this year & these Zara TRF version are amazing value at £29.99. This Jil Sander leather tote has been massively reduced in the Net a Porter sale from £1370 to £685, a little bird tells me they're selling out quick, so act fast! I bought this Topshop lace back peplum top (£28) last weekend to wear for drinks that evening, and received SO many compliments. The shape is so sexy and feminine, and I'm a sucker for anything with a lace back. Perfection. I've been dabbling around in a few new bronzers, but always find myself coming back to Laguna by NARS (£25). Another old favourite I'll always come back to, is MAC frosted lipstick in Angel (£13.50), my favourite pink shade - especially in the summer months on a bronzed face. Zara has done it again - made me fall for yet another pair of shoes (£59.99). My bank balance is really beginning to suffer...

What have you been loving/lusting after this week?

Rachel x