Beauty follower

It’s certainly been a busy year for me & certainly one I won’t forget. It’s fun to think about all of the changes that I want to make in the coming year (and of course think about all of the changes that will inevitably take place), but it’s also important to remember this year, 2009, which was full of so many amazing memories, travels, and special times with family & friends...

**I started planning my wedding with help from my fabulous fiancée M. and my super creative mother.

**I took a long road trip with M. to Mississippi to visit his grandparents and some of his other family members – while in Mississippi I enjoyed some of the best BBQ I’ve ever had with M.’s father’s father (phew! That was a doozy!)

**M. and I spent a super fun Valentine’s Day in Nashville!

**I saw Legally Blonde: The Musical with my brother, sister and mom – it was a fun night out with family and the show was fabulous!!

**I enjoyed my last sorority formal EVER!! I had so much fun with my sorority family and with M.!

**I graduated from EU and learned that even with three legit internships and a lot of hard work, finding a job was a CHALLENGE (thanks a lot, bad economy).

**I moved back home for a few months – not always the easiest, but I am thankful for the time I was able to spend with my family before moving away.

**I worked on some seriously fun DIY projects alone and with my mom. I made a shadow box of M. and my proposal night, my mom & I put together the most FABULOUS t-shirt quilt of all of my sorority and college t-shirts, I refinished a small table and a round kitchen table, my mom and I recovered a fabric headboard and I painted a fun painting for my apartment.

**My mom and I visited Atlanta for Gift Market. It was seriously SO fun – I loved seeing all of the new gift merchandise before it hit store shelves and I really loved spending time with my mom.

**M. was accepted to finish his final year of law school at Georgetown!

**I moved into my first REAL apartment with a fabulous view of our nation’s Capitol.

**I accepted a job (that I was less than thrilled about) in DC where I learned a lot about patience and working with many many many different types of personalities.

**I quit above job and began another job in DC where I continue to learn the in’s and out’s of government relations and lobbying.

**Me, M. and my little sister went to see the Nutcracker at the Kennedy Center. It was M.’s first time seeing the ballet!

**I spent Thanksgiving at home in North Carolina, attempted to help my mom with the meal, and ended up burning some onions….not my finest moment.

**I started an intense running/workout plan in October – I am so proud of myself for keeping with the program and losing weight!

**Our save-the-dates were sent out and our engagement party invitations!! So many exciting times to come!

**I spent my first Christmas away from my family. Instead, I visited M.’s family in Tennessee. It was really hard being away from home and I definitely missed my family.


2009 was filled with wonderful memories & I really look forward to making so many more wonderful memories in 2010!!

Earlier this year, I was sitting on the tube idly thumbing through a book when a couple got into the carriage, laden down with bags. Makeup antennae tingling, I watched as they produced palettes, eyeshadows, pans and brushes, comparing and admiring their hauls. They had of course been to the London leg of IMATS, the International Makeup Artist Trade show of 2009.

How time flies! It's now nearly time for 2010s IMATS, and I'm thrilled to say that this year, the London Beauty Review will be in attendance, enjoying all that the show has to offer. (We're not exhibiting I hasten to add, although Gemma's innovative makeup storage ideas could probably entrance a crowd.)

Highlights of this year's event, which is held on 30th and 31st January at Alexandra Palace, will include a talk from MAC's lead creative artist Terry Barber (pictured here in striking black and white), as well as professional film industry makeup artists Bill Corso (Oscar and Emmy winner) and Tom Savini. Tom worked on Day of the Dead and Friday 13th, so as an unabashed horror fan I'm especially looking forward to his talk.

As well as speakers, there's an exhibitor hall, with brands setting out their stalls to showcase and sell their products (hopefully with some good discounts!). We also hear tell of a Makeup Museum, where there will be live workshops and demonstrations. There is a makeup contest running on the day too, with students competing in Beauty and Character categories. The Beauty category is Alice in Wonderland themed - I wonder if Urban Decay and OPI's recent film tie-ins will show an influence? Grimm's Fairy Tales is the theme for the Character category, making the competitions similarly story-book oriented.

IMATS takes place in five locations worldwide throughout the year. Us lucky Londoners go first in January; then the show is held in Vancouver in April, Los Angeles in June, Sydney in September and Toronto in November. The show is produced by Make-Up Artist magazine, who have published some squee-worthy photos from the recent 2009 Toronto show online. (This/last year's competition theme was Gothic Beauty - the winning entry is also pictured above.)

If you are interested in attending the London dates, you can find out more at www.imatsshow.com The show runs from 8:30 am (ouch) to 5 pm on Saturday January 30 and from 10 a.m. to 5pm on Sunday January 31. Tickets cost between £28 - £65. Maybe see you there!

Photos are reproduced courtesy of Make-Up Artist magazine.

Hello all!! I hope that you had a wonderful holiday with friends and family!! I am still on vacation and will be until the 3rd so I have been busy spending time with my family and friends. I'll be back soon to update you all on our Christmas in Tennessee, our after-Christmas celebration in North Carolina, and my sister's BEAUTIFUL debutante ball evening.

See you soon! :)

***Positively Preppy in Pink***

SpaceNK are currently holding a sale, both online and in store. While perusing the array of products available at some seriously reduced prices, I noticed that most, if not all, of their Sonia Kashuk brushes are heavily marked down - maybe their high-end pricing didn't cut it with clued-up UK beauty lovers? Anyway, most of the brushes now fall between the £4.89 and £9.79 mark - much closer to their US prices. If you're looking to try these, the time is probably now!

Here we have Leighton Denny's "Up in the Air" polish, which is a cool toned, slightly lilac silver. Applies beautifully, as all Leighton Denny polishes do, and is fully opaque in two coats. It has a subtle metallic sheen which unfortunately means you do get a few brush marks on the nail if your final coat isn't applied quite thickly and quickly.

Incidentally, I didn't buy this polish myself. If you follow us on Twitter, you might recall that I received a HQHair order containing a smashed bottle of Seche Vite (sob), which I immediately reported to both HQHair and everyone on Twitter. BeautyBay.com, who seem to really have their proverbial finger on the social media pulse, replied to me with an offer of a free polish to cheer me up, as they were in a festive mood. Which was jolly nice of them, and virtually guarantees that next time I need any beauty goodies, I'll be heading towards their site. After all the crappy customer service I've had recently, it's lovely to have some that goes above and beyond, even for an as yet non-customer.

If you'd like to try this out for yourself, you can get it from BeautyBay for £10.