Apply Blush According to Your Face Shape

The Savvy Girl's Guide
How to Apply Blush For Your Face Shape

It was not so long ago that I used to dip a powder brush into my blush and swirled the cerise shaded hue across my cheeks like I was casually dusting the mantlepiece...pretty much all over the place. I'd like to say my blush sweeping skills have evolved since then, as I have learnt how to apply the right coloured rouge to suit my square face shape. These are some simple tips on how to apply blush in a way that will perfectly compliment your face shape.

Image via Listotic.com

How To Apply Blush If You Have:

A Long Face - Allude to a wider face shape by dusting blush onto the apples of your cheek, then blend sidewards in (almost) a straight line towards the ears.

A Heart Shaped Face - Balance out a narrower chin by blending blush just below the apples of your cheek. Sweep in an upwards direction towards the hairline.

A Square Face - Soften sharp angles by circulating your blush onto the apples of your cheeks.

A Round Face - Create the illusion of a slimmer face by contouring a darker hued blush applied at a 45 degree angle in a V shape.

An Oval Face - Start at the apples of your cheeks and sweep blush upwards towards your temples. In the beauty world, an Oval shaped face is regarded as most perfect and versatile.

Take this quiz to find out what's your face shape. 

Blushing Celebrities

Top: Olivia Wilde highlights her exquisite cheekbones and square frame beautifully. Sarah Jessica Parker displays how to achieve width on a longer face shape. Mila Kunis uses artful contouring to give a more angular appearance to her round face.
Bottom: Reese Witherspoon's heart shaped face is given a defining rosy tint. Alexa Chung uses a coral colour to shade in her symmetrical oval shaped face. Scarlett Johansson sculpts her diamond/triangular shaped face with a peachy bronze hue.


Blush Up With These Great Compacts

Top Row: IMAN Luxury Blushing Duo in Posh $10. Too Faced Sweethearts Perfect Flush Blush $30. Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Nectar $42.
Middle Row: Urban Decay Naked Flushed Bronzer, Highlighter & Blush Trio $30. Benefit Posie Tint Cheek Stain $30. Clinique Cheek Pop in Plum Pop $21.
Bottom Row: Revlon PhotoReady Cream Blush in Pinched $13. L'Oreal Soufflé Cream Blush in Plume (Mauve) $13. Elf HD Cream Blush in Superstar $3. Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Candy Coral $7. Tarte Cheek Stain in Fearless $30.

 First & last image found via Jill Stuart.

What face shape are you and have you tried these blush tricks?

Models & Makeup - Bette Franke

Bette Franke
Makeup Inspiration

Possibly one of the best parts about being a model is having the opportunity to change your look at the blink of a smokey eye. Dutch beauty Bette Franke rates as one of my favourite runway models, for her captivating natural beauty, and her ability to wear any type of elaborate make up look with poise and femininity. The fact that she has the most striking blue eyes and glossy brown tresses is probably every hair and makeup artists' dream to work with. These are some of Bette's most recent and interesting runway makeup looks.

Flushing Pink

 Bette beautifully portrays a coy maiden with rosy flushed cheeks, a dewy complexion and subtle pink-tinged lips. This romantic type of mien requires a good skin-smoothing base or BB/CC cream, neutral eye-shadow, a multi-tonal pink blush, matte rose lipstick and a white highlighter applied on the bridge of the nose, forehead and the highest point of your cheeks.

Smouldering

 Bette is instantly transformed from a blushing belle to bombshell with just a flash of mascara, smudgy black kohl and bold eye-liner. Anna Sui presented an extended cat-eye, whilst at Emilio Pucci, Bette is pictured in a retro 60's doll-look. Both Lanvin and Versace accented the lower eye-lids with smokey charcoal. Anthony Vaccarello exaggerated the eye paint to below the brow bone and Gucci piled on fake separated lashes with layers of mascara.

Bronzed Beauty

All it takes to achieve that senational sun-kissed glow (without going on an island holiday) is a good bronzer or self-tanner. Brush a matte bronzing powder 2-3 shades lighter than your skin tone from your hairline (the point at the mid-section of your ear) downwards in an angle, to attain the illusion of more defined cheekbones. Don't forget to sweep some shimmering blush over your temples, chin and forehead as well. Keep the rest of your makeup palette - including eye shadow and lip stick - in warm brown to bronze tones for overall radiance.

Lip Sync

Bette is lucky enough to have those perfect pucker-me-up lips without the collagen. She wears bright high-gloss cherry red lipstick at Marc by Marc Jacobs and Barbara Bui, rich ruby at Dolce & Gabbana and unlined wine stained lips at Marni. At Oscar de la Renta, lips were berry-kissed with porcelain skin. Bette is pictured last in a hot pink opaque ombre look at Dior.

Fresh Faced

As stunning as she looks with defined eyes and bright lipstick, Bette's true beauty can be seen when she is styled with the least amount of makeup. Her luminous skin can be recreated with a tinted foundation and some concealer under the eyes. A nude eye-shadow, soft, peachy blush and clear lip balm is all is takes to create this engaging, fresh-faced look.

Eye of the Storm

Turning up the colour volume, Bette's stunningly blue eyes is highlighted by a blend of multi-hued pigments in exciting tones. A metallic theme at Ferré combined silver, pewter, black and gold for dramatic effect. Donna Karan went for a generous brush of magenta across the eyelids, whilst Jason Wu lined the models' eyes in an intense indigo. Green and blue glittery jewels decorated the eye-line at Christian Dior. I am currently obsessed with the gold dusted eye lashes at Dries van Noten, which would be easy to translate into real life. 

Which of these makeup looks best suit Bette Franke? 

Would you try any of them out?

Laying Your Foundation

The vast range of foundations available on beauty store shelves can sometimes be overwhelming. How do you know what type of foundation is right for you? I have always asked myself this question and decided to research all my options and find out the answer. Although I don't use foundation every day, I have experimented with every version over the years. 
This is a guide on how to find the best base to suit your skin type and coverage needs.

Concealers correct any minor and major imperfections you may have, from under-eye circles, blemishes, broken capillaries and redness. It is usually of a dense consistency and should ideally be a shade lighter than your foundation with a natural or yellowish undertone. Apply sparingly to the bridge and sides of your nose, under the eyes, and over any marks. If you are blessed with naturally flawless skin, you can skip out on this type of camouflage all together.

Good to Try: YSL Touche Eclat, Laura Mercier Secret Camouflauge, Benefit Boi~ing

Use a Tinted Moisturizer if you prefer very natural looking coverage. The sheer effect of a tinted moisturizer will even out your skin tone and provide just a hint of colour with a dewy glow. This lightweight formula lends hydration to dry and normal skin types and has the added benefit of a sunscreen. A tinted moisturizer is the perfect base for hot summer days, as it won't 'melt' off. Your CC (Colour Correcting) and BB (Beauty Balm) creams also fall into this category, which act as a multi-purpose, on-the-run, easy-to-apply makeup base.

Good to Try: Garnier Skin Renew BB Cream, Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm, The Balm BalmShelter Tinted Moisturizer, Lush Colour Supplement

 The most popular and versatile type of face paint is Liquid Foundation. Providing a radiant, smooth complexion, there is one available for every type of complexion. Liquid foundations revitalize tired skin and come in two varieties - a water based and an oil based formula. Chose an oil-rich moisturizing foundation if you have dry or mature skin, whereas a water-based matte fluid works better for oily and combination skin types. The creamy consistency is best applied with a makeup brush or a slightly damp sponge. Blend well to avoid any solid lines.

Good to Try: Smashbox Studio Skin Foundation, Chanel Vitalumiére Moisture Rich Fluid Makeup, Bobbi Brown Natural Finish Long Lasting Foundation.

 Mousse makeup is feathery light due to its velvety, whipped consistency. Essentially, mousse is liquid foundation that has been air-whipped and ideally suits normal, combination and drier skin types. This weightless formula imparts an air-brushed effect and blends in seamlessly for perfectly poreless skin. Found in a spray can or tub, mousse foundations can be applied in layers for better coverage and a smoother overall appearance.

Good to Try: Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse, L'Oreal Matte Morphose Foundation, 
Revlon PhotoReady Airbrush Makeup Mousse

 Cream and Cream-to-Powder Foundations are the ideal choice for normal to combination skin types. It allows for heavier coverage due to it's thicker, creamy texture, and hides flaws & conceals discoloration exceptionally well. Cream-to-powder foundations are applied as a liquid then settles into a matte powdery finish. Most cream foundations come in a compact form.

Good to Try: Guerlain Parure De Lumiére Cream Foundation, Elizabeth Arden Flawless Sponge-on Cream Makeup, Giorgio Armani Designer Shaping Cream Foundation

A Stick Foundation is a combination of a cream foundation and a concealer. Problem areas, scars & imperfections are easily camouflaged with its more solid , buildable consistency. This two-in-one wonder eliminates the need for a concealer. It provides a matte finish with full coverage. Due to its heavier appearance, it's not so suitable for everyday use. Steer clear of stick bases if you have oily skin, as it's thicker formula can lead to clogged pores. Blend well and apply in moderation, as stick foundations have a tendency to crease into lines.

Good to Try: Makeup Forever Pan Stick Foundation, Maybelline Fit Me Shine Free Foundation Stick, Shiseido Stick Foundation

Powder Foundation is the best option for those of us with oily skin. On dry skin, it can appear too flaky, as it doesn't have much moisture content. Powders keep grease at bay, absorbing excess oil and reducing shine. If you have sensitive skin, a mineral based product may work best for you. Pressed powders are quick and easy to apply. Use a powder brush for a lighter coverage. For a more medium mask, apply with a damp sponge. Loose powders are used to 'set' your foundation or concealer and relays a silky finish.

Good to Try: MAC Mineralize Powder Foundation , Benefit Hello Flawless Powder Foundation, Dior Diorskin Natural Glow Powder

Have you found your perfect foundation?

Which one do you use?

Models & Makeup - Cara Delevingne

Makeup & Hair Inspiration
Cara Delevingne

It's always fascinating to see how models are transformed from one fashion show to the next with the help of makeup artists and hairstyle hotshots. Cara Delevingne is one such model, who can effortlessly go from a smokey eye to a fresh face without batting an eyelid (mind the pun) - looking stunning on each occasion. And she has the eye brows everyone adores. 
Here are some hair and makeup ideas from the world's most sought after supermodel.


Retro

Cara wears a 50's style head bow with orange shaded lids and a wide-swept fringe at Louis Vuitton. She is 70's chic at Pucci, with a shaggy hairdo and kohl rimmed eyes. Moschino brings out the best of the 60's with a voluminous coif, icy-white lined inner rims and bold, separated lashes, along with a popsicle red lipstick. At Marc Jacobs, the sixties theme is reignited, with a side-swept beehive, smudged eyes and nude lips, with an emphasis on her famous brows.

Eye Candy

Brightly shaded lids are all the rage, as seen on the SS13 runways. The styling at Jeremy Scott was punk rock with green painted lids and an unruly dark cropped hairdo. At Fendi, yellow and blue collide in a tribal themed eye. The makeup artists at Topshop, Just Cavalli & Chanel Resort 2014 were inspired by blue eye shadow, making it a profound feature. Opulent gold leaf lined the inner rims of Cara's eyes at Marchesa. She showed off metallic silver lids at Chanel Spring 2013, and purple smoked eyes at Jason Wu. A nude lip makes this trend pop.

Au Naturel 

Barely there makeup displays the youthful side to Cara's beauty. To recreate her flawless, fresh faced look, first start with a makeup primer. Then lightly mix a few drops of your moisturizer with your liquid foundation to create a more natural and less cakey finish. Use a concealer to hide any imperfections. Dust with translucent powder to set your base. Try a beige eye shadow on your lids and if you like using a liner, try brown instead. Circle an illuminator or bronzer onto the apples of your cheeks and gloss with a clear lip glass. Voila!

Lip Service

Bright, bold and bubblelicious lip shades are an instant makeup pick-me-up. At Diane von Furstenburg, Cara wears a deep fuchsia matt lipstick, with blown out locks. A striking shade of cherry red is seen at Jason Wu SS13. Cara is volumized with a curly coif at Marc by Marc Jacobs, in a rich red lip and little other makeup. Fendi goes dark punk for FW13 with a violet toned lip colour. Cara is pretty in a cerise pink glossy pout at Issa, with a lovely floral decked high twisted bun. Neons are not for everyone, but this hot pink hue at Giles is radiant on Cara.

Dark Optics

Coal-black dusky lids beautifully highlight Cara's blue eyes. The ideal version of a 'smokey eye' is perfectly portrayed at DSquared and Michael Kors, while Lanvin takes it one step further. Cara wears an extreme smeared and smokey look at Chanel Couture, which is only okay if you're on the runway. Do not try this at home folks, unless you're in a goth band. What you can try, is the glamourous cat-eye as seen at Anna Sui and Dolce & Gabbana. If you have an unsteady hand, just line your upper and lower rims with a black pencil, or in the case of Rag & Bone, you can completely miss the mark and draw outside the lines. Not really.

With the wave of a makeup brush, Cara Delevingne impressively conveys any type of look, from an after-dark party princess, a classic beauty, retro chick and modern colour maiden.

Which of Cara's beauty looks is your favourite? Would you try it out?

*Images via glamour.com, style.com and Tumblr.

Holiday Makeup Ideas 2012

Holiday Makeup Trends
Fall Winter 2012/2013

The best time for experimenting with new makeup looks - the Holidays offer many great opportunities where you can apply more than just a swipe of gloss-and-go. Taking beauty notes from the designer collections of Fall 2012, these are a few striking makeup trends which we can achieve from runway-to-reality without much effort or artistry. It will, however, require a little bit of boldness and a summons for supermodel confidence.

Lip Service

Berry shaded lips are an ideal and easy way of adding vivacious colour to your makeup look. Gucci and Viktor & Rolf displayed rich mulberry tones and Jil Sander showed off a pretty rose lip. Michael Kors went glossy cherry red with pink flushed cheeks. Victoria Beckham sold scarlet lips and Nina Ricci played with ruby ombre. All you need a freshly made-up face with foundation or tinted moisturizer and a neutral eyeshadow. Apply your favourite red rouge, a brush of mascara and Voila - gorgeous-to-go in 5 minutes.

Blue Hues

A guaranteed way of grabbing attention, intense electric blue eyes created a stir at Prabal Gurung, Anna Sui & Christian Dior Couture. The bold shade beautifully brings out both blue & brown eyes. If you find it too severe, try out a cobalt coloured mascara a la Stella McCartney.

Walk the Line

The geometric definition of a winged liner draws all focus to the shape of the eye. A perfectly precisioned wide black line requires a very steady hand and some practice, seen at Lanvin, Kenzo and Rachel Zoe. Altuzarra modeled a newfangled double liner. If the strictness of a straight line is not your thing, try smudging black shadow with a cotton bud. Derek Lam makes panda eyes somehow look stylish while Armani takes a duotone approach.

Subtle Metallics

Unlike the Disco era, an entire pot of glitter is thankfully not needed to get a glamourous party look. Alexandre Herchcovitch shares in the holiday flair with twinkling gold-lined eyes. The makeup maestros at Chanel created subtle silver smoked lids, which is a subdued alternative to the usual smokey eye. Valentino and Christian Dior confirm that metallic simplicity with a hint of shimmer is always elegant. 

Vivid Lids

Dive into your 80's archive with one of Winter's biggest runway makeup trends - Bright Eyes. Find inspiration in the plum-toned eyelids of Donna Karan, the sweeps of purple at Moschino Cheap & Chic, or perhaps blend both shades as romantically seen at Rebecca Minkoff. Jason Wu channeled the holidays with green jewel tones and Roberto Cavalli painted peacock colours onto lids with pizazz. 

Wishing You All A Joyous Christmas and Happy Holidays!

*P.S. If I don't update this blog too often in the next week, please know that the relaxing holiday spirit has gotten the best of me :)

Tuesday Thrills - Soap & Glory

Show me anything prettily packaged in pink with a quirky title, and I'm sold. I recently fell head over heels for Soap & Glory's gorgeous and glossylicious range of bath, body and skincare products. The British brand was initiated in 2006 by cosmetic chemist and NYC's 'Bliss Spa' entrepreneur, Marcia Kilgore. It has flourished into a successful beauty empire ever since, winning several beauty awards and being featured in British Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Look Magazine & Grazia.

The best part about Soap & Glory (besides the vintage containers, quaint names, delightful pink designs, heavenly butters and foams) is the price. All this charm comes at an affordable rate. Here are my Top Picks.

1. Clean On Me Shower Gel. This is a Company Magazine beauty award winning product, made with deliciously scented mandarin peel. £5.11 / $14 / R61.50

2. The Righteous Butter. An award winning body butter that moisturizes with shea butter and aloe vera. £10.21 / $18 / R123

3. Peaches & Clean 4-in-one Cleansing Milk. Made with peaches, naturally, this face wash shrinks pores and deeply cleanses skin. £7 / R84

4. Bright Here, Bright Now Instance Radiance Energy Balm. The words 'energy' and 'balm' are soothing to my ears. Apricot & aloe combine to rejuvenate dull skin. £11 / R132

5. Glad Hair Day Ultra-Shine Shampoo. Strengthens and repairs hair using the magic of raspberry vinegar and glycerin. £5.22/ R63. A mini travel size is available at £2.35/ R28

6. Easy Glistening Dry Oil Body Gloss. Nourishes skin with sweet almond oil, leaving an all over glow. £5.11 / R61.50

7. Scrub 'Em & Leave 'Em Body Exfoliator. Jojoba, mandarin, sea salt & basbassu oil merge to create this brilliant body buffer. £7.40 / $18 /R89

8. Scrub, Actually Body Scrub. A scrub thats good enough to eat, featuring white and brown sugar, apricot kernel oil and mango butter. £6.89 / R83

9. Kick Ass Concealer. A three piece eye-brightening and camouflage kit voted as top notch by Vogue UK. £10 / R120
10. Love At First Blush. A shimmery multi-shaded blush powder that gives cheeks a rosy lift. £11 / R132
11. A Great Kisser in Cherry Chocolate. A pouty pink lip balm that saturates dry lips with the power of mango and apricot butter, lingonberry oil and pomegranate extract. £5 / R60
12. Super-Colour Fabulipstick. A collagen boosting lipstick that even Mary Poppins would approve of. Comes in 3 shades. £9 / R108
13. Mist You Madly Body Spray. A fruity floral fragrance scented with freesia, bergamot, blackcurrant, vanilla, musk and magnolia. £6.13 / $18 / R74
14. Solar Powder Bronzer. A mix and match bronzer brick that illuminates skin. £11 / R132


Soap & Glory products are available from Boots.com in the UK and their international branches, selected items are available at Sephora in the US, Kit Cosmetics in Australia, as well as in Germany and Canada. Visit the Soap & Glory website for more information on products and find a perfectly pink bottle to fill up your vanity bag.


Happy Shopping!


*All pictures and product names are trademarked to Soap & Glory.

A Lipstick Collection by Kate Moss

Kate Moss Lipstick Collection

by Rimmel

Arguably one of the world's most recognizable and bankable supermodels, Kate Moss has widened her range of talents to creating cosmetics. To celebrate ten years of being the 'face' of Rimmel London, the British model has launched her own line of signature lipsticks for the beauty brand. 

The newest range from Rimmel features high-shine, long lasting lip colour in seven versatile shades. The specialized 'Black Diamond' formula is designed to produce highly pigmented and brilliantly reflective lip colour.

I had forgotten how well Kate wears a red lip, (pictured above), since she's always spotted with low-key makeup off camera. I like that this collection features only 7 colours, compared to others which can have up to 30. It makes it easier to try each one on, then decide which colour suits you best. The shades include a soft nude, candy pink, dusky rose, plum, fuchsia, cherry red and tangerine. The lipstick comes in a chic matt black tube with Kate's name signed in red.

My experience with Rimmel lipsticks is that they are intensely pigmented and sweetly scented with a smooth finish and creamy texture. And very affordable too. The Kate Moss lipstick collection is available in the UK for around £5.49 (R69.20) and will soon be making it's way here to SA. I've got my eye on the cover girl's colour - I just need to find the nerve to wear it. What about you?

The Savvy Girls Guide To Purple Shaded Eyes

I noticed the gorgeous Katerina Graham wearing bright purple eyeshadow at the Teen Choice Awards earlier this month. It's a very bold look, definitely not one for shrinking violets. But Kat carried it off beautifully. The striking violet colour complimented her green eyes. She wisely kept the rest of her make-up very subtle, with dusky rose blush and nude lips.

Recreating this look can be quite tricky; you don't want people to stare at you and wonder if you've done your makeup in the dark. 

Choose a matt eye shadow for daywear and a shimmery one for night time. Try a pale lavender to start, if you like the effect, you can experiment with darker shades like plum or mauve. 

Here are some tips on how to keep it classy and pull it off as well as Kat.

Get The Look

1. Use an eye primer or concealer to hide any dark circles under the eyes & brighten up lids.

2. Sweep a light lilac shade over your entire lid, stopping just under the brow bone.

3. Layer with a darker shade of purple, starting at the outer corner of your eye, blending inwards to the middle.

4. Add a shimmer or highlighter to the inner corners of your eyelid. Gold or silver works well. 

5. For more definition, line eyes with a dark grey or black eye pencil.

6. To get Kat's complete look, use a purple eye pencil or the same shade of purple eye shadow to line your bottom eyelids. Alternatively, you can use a silver-grey liner. 

7. Finish off with a good coating of black mascara. 

8. Keep the rest of your make-up toned down with lightly blushed cheeks and clear lipgloss.

Nice To Try

Top Row
Kanebo Eyeshadow palette ES04. Four blendable shades including a shimmery aubergine and soft pink highlighter.
Stila eyeshadow duo in Orchid. Two complementary shades of purple.
Yves Saint Laurent Ombres 5 Lumiéres in Lilac Sky. Five harmonious colours in brighter and lighter highly pigmented purple shades.
Middle Row
Make Up Forever eyeshadow in Deep Plum. A matt texture with a satin finish and a hint of shimmer.
Maybelline Expertwear eyeshadow quad in Amethyst Smokes. A crease proof quad that instructs you where to place each colour.
The Body Shop Baked to Last eyeshadow in Amethyst. An iridescent indigo eyeshadow duo.
Last Row 
Dior 5 Colour Eyeshadow in Petal Shine. Pastel shades for a more subtle look.
Clinique Colour Surge eyeshadow quad in Plum Seduction. Pretty purple powder shadows that can be used separately or all together.
Lancomé Colour Design 5 Shadow & Liner Palette in Mauve Cherie. Long wearing shades to create a seamless, smokey look.

These eyeshadow palettes are available in department stores like Edgars or Stuttafords, and at Sephora, SAKS and Harrods overseas.


Celebrity Inspired Looks

These looks show that purple shaded eyes suit all skin tones, hair and eye colours. Notice that the rest of their make up is left soft and natural, with a dash of pale pink lip gloss.

Top Row
Rachel McAdams' orchid shaded eyelids work wonderfully with her blonde hair and blue-green eyes.
Redhead Emma Stone wears a shimmery lilac highlighter that extends up unto her eyebrows.
Keri Hilson's hazel eyes are brightened by a vivid violet colour.
Scarlett Johansson combined pink and purple to create a pretty and eye catching look.

Bottom Row
Emily Browning wears a smokey aubergine look that accentuates her green eyes.
Katy Perry, who is always one for the bold and unusual, mixed bright violet and lime.
Model Frida Gustavsson shows off dramatic purple smeared eyes at Jason Wu's Spring 2011 fashion show.
Eva Longoria bats her false lashes under a richly pigmented violet shade.


This is not a look for everyday, but instead for an occasion where you would really like to stand out. It's also projects a youthful, playful image. I have yet to find the courage to wear it out in society. What are your thoughts on this beauty trend? 

A Romantic Makeup Collection by Chanel

Les Aquarelles de Chanel
Makeup Collection

Chanel's new makeup collection is an ode to vintage romanticism; doe-eyed beauties fluttering their delicate lashes, with flushed cheeks and rose-tinted lips. During Paris Couture Fashion Week, Chanel awed audiences, not only with their delightful dresses, but also by the ballerina-inspired makeup worn by the models. 

Inspired by a 1920's watercolour painting of Coco Chanel, Les Aquarelles de Chanel reveals a softer, feminine side to makeup. Created by Chanel's makeup genius, Peter Phillips, this beautiful collection features 6 limited edition pieces. 

The Look
Eyelids shimmer with an iridescent tinge of ivory, gold and grey. Cheeks are abloom with misty pink blush, blended to create a natural rosy flush. Lips are tinted in pastel pink. I love the addition and precision of the black winged eyeliner, which perfectly balances out the soft opalescent shades. The final look is dreamy and striking at the same time. If I were to have a signature makeup look, this would be it.

Top Row

Le Vernis. A sugary pink nail varnish that duly corresponds with this feminine look. The formula is strengthening and nourishing, giving you colour that is resistant to chipping.

Ombrés Tissées. The star of the collection is this scintillating eye shadow palette in a woven tweed design. With luminous shades of pink and beige that beautifully reflect off the light, it bestows a youthful glow upon eyes and cheeks.

Stylo Yeux Waterproof. Add drama to eyes with a soft-textured, silicone-enhanced and smudgeproof pencil that is easy to manoeuvre, creating smooth lines. It comes with a built-in sharpener.

Bottom Row

Jouse Contraste. A silky powered blush for natural looking cheeks, providing seamless colour that can built up to achieve the rosy hue thats right for you. There are two shades available, Rose Pétale and Pink Cloud.

Rouge Coco Shine. The Hydrating Sheer Lipshine glides on easily, and has a lightweight, moisturizing formula. Royallieu is a cherub pink lip-tint with a hint of shimmer.

Ombrés Essentielle Gris Exquis. A dove grey eye shadow that defines eyes and adds an air of mystery to your romantic look.

If I had these few products in my makeup box, I wouldn't really need much else. You can create a versatile day-to-night look that is timeless, understated and enhances your natural beauty. The products range from about R203 to R503 ($28.50 to $75), and can be purchased from the Chanel website.

Flushed Pink

Pretty Pink Blushes

One of my makeup must-haves is a rosy pink blush. Even if you don't put anything else on, a sweet pink blush will give you a healthy, peaches-and-cream glow. These are my picks of the best pink blushes that are currently in stores.

Top Row

Rimmel London blush in Spring Fever. A trio of berry pinks that can be used alone or combined to create a multi-tonal look. A great budget buy.

Clarins Blush Prodige Illuminating Cheek Colour in Rose Wood. Two complementary shades in an elegant gold compact. There's a matte shade for sculpting and an shimmering powder that highlights.

Bobby Brown Shimmer Brick in Rose. Five iridescent rows of colour from frosty pink to deep sandalwood. It's better suited for a night out, due to the glimmering effect it creates. It can also be used as eye-shadow.

Middle Row

L'oréal Paris True Match Blush in Rosewood. This warm tinged, jigsaw-print blush is designed to naturally blend into your skin tone. It makes a good handbag companion, as it comes with it's own brush and mirror.

Clinique Fresh Bloom Allover in Plum Poppy. The beautiful floral design is not the only alluring factor about this blush. It is a long-wearing powder that's subtle and multi-tonal. It can be applied all over the face to create a radiant glow or just on your cheeks for a rosy hue.

Yves Saint Laurent Touche Blush in Rose. Pack away your make-up brush, this innovative little pink pot comes with it's own built-in sponge applicator. Lightly dab on for naturally flushed cheeks.

Bottom Row

Dior Shimmer Star Pressed Powder in Rose Diamond. Several stars of gleaming colour make up this stylish compact. It is enriched with Jeweled Microdust that give cheeks the ultimate sweep of luminosity.

Givenchy Le Prisme Blush in Blooming Fuchsia. Swirl your brush around four blocks of colour to get a sheer, multi-dimensional look. The blush is made using Givenchy's cutting edge particle atomization technique.

Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush in Rose Écrin. This spiced pink blush is from Chanel's Fall 2011 Collection. It has a shimmery, rather than frosty finish and the colour can be built up towards an intensity that you prefer.

Get tickled pink with one of these pretty pink blushes, available at selected Edgars and Red Square stores.