The Goddess of Make Up

NYX cosmetics, NYX Make Up, beauty, eye make up

NYX; A  figure of such exceptional power and beauty that she is feared by Zeus himself.

I’ll have me some of that.

Beauty savvy, surprisingly money conscious teenage daughters are my spy satellites. We have a symbiotic relationship. The Esmeralda Violet child seeks and finds make up newbies whilst Zenobia Crimson non too altruistically devotes herself to pursuing edgy new designers also stalking trendy vintage and charity clothing caverns. I pull my weight (and lots of times my rank) by housing, feeding and sustaining an entirely not very shabby wardrobe lending library for their chaotic pleasure. Lately I have been prancing about for your benefit in  NYX a range of cosmetics previously released just for the perusal of make up professionals… and Esmeralda Violet.  NYX Cosmetics started small in 1999 by founder Toni Ko. The brand was initially only available to professionals through trade shows. “We really grew by word of mouth,” said Joyce Kim, NYX’s global director of product development. This word of mouth strategy was also the mega successful ethos of body con pioneer Azzedine Alaia who gifted, loaned and discounted his clothes to the modelling sorority. We knew a good thing when it squished us, and were not afraid to talk about it, which is totally what bloggers do, via the internet. The rest of this good marketing procedure is history. It’s clear to Mrs V that sliding in the shocker of a fairly ‘off piste’ bright, yet sort of gentle purple violet eyeliner and matching mascara should not represent the sum total of my make up spend for the following 6 months. Price is not an issue here as quite cleverly NYX has positioned themselves smack bang on the middle shelf, totally within our reach. Quality is also not an issue.  I give you non slippy, non smudgey eyeliner and mascara that clings to my lashes not my wrinkles. How nice is that? The shades shown above are those which excite me. There are many more in this eyeliner mascara dynamic that are less shouty. But, if shouty and pouty is what you’d like, they’ve got you covered here too. Velvety matte or glossy glistening. Brilliantly they have a lipstick colour spectrum of nudes and naturals labelled Lip Lingerie. Sort yourselves out girls.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream, lipstick, NYX Cosmetics, NYX Beauty, beauty, make up.
NYX cosmetics, NYX lipsticks, lipsticks, cosmetics, beauty
NYX Vivid Brights eyeliner, NYX Cosmetics, NYX Make Up, eyeliner, cosmetics, beauty products, beauty

 All you need is the spirit of adventure. I’ve been going places ever since daughter #1 pointed out this liberating little brand.

Friend Blends

Ille de Cocos, cashmere, designer cashmere, Zara, Zara bomber jacket, Topshop sunglasses, Brandy Melville t shirt, red beads,

 

It’s totally time for the pre-fall pretend it’s still a little bit warm, but actually need a sweater moment. Where to turn for warmth without bulk? That would be a call to action for cashmere/wool or thermal fleece type stuff. My style spotlight alights on the cashmere and/or wool option, a mighty fine pair of fabric friends. Look what I’ve found, a very succinct treat that is the Ille de Cocos collection. The range is not huge but it is focused. All bases and limbs are covered.

 

Ille de Cocos side zip sweater, colour block cashmere, Mrs V, www.themodeledit.com, Vanessa Voegele-Downing
Ille de Cocos cashmere sweater, colour block sweater, cashmere, designer cashmere

This boxy sweater salutes sweatpants, pencil trousers, skirts and skinny jeans. It was quite a trauma to take it off as it was so incredibly comfortable, warm and bloody gorgeous to wear. Also, look at my hat, it’s properly cosy, in control of my hair, and really pretty. Utterly right for this, ‘darling I’m off to get the croissants but I might meet a casting director’ look. Nah, jokes, I’d love to think my down time was spent looking like this. Most of my friends would run a book on how very unlikely I am to wear such an strong colour in such a large block. Well look at me now girls. Side zip sexy and shape changing . I like.

Continue Reading…

Balmy About This

High grove Baby, Highgrove, Prince Charles,Organic Balm, Organic, balm, skincare, beauty

Balm;

  • : an oily substance that has a pleasant smell and that is used for healing, smoothing, or protecting the skin

  • : something that gives comfort or support (that could include big girl knickers, Spanx and your best girlfriends though)

My ‘press send’ this week is, that second pot of this most delicious ( yet to find Muesli with ingredients that makes me salivate as much as those listed on this tub of delight ), skincare Balm. Highgrove Baby Organic Balm is part of an  unique range created by Daniel Galvin Jr, in collaboration with Alexandra Soveral. Daniel Galvin Jr has pioneered and developed organic products for hair and beauty over the last decade and Alexandra Soveral renowned and highly respected aromatherapist and facialist, was Daniel’s first choice in helping develop this special range. The relationship Daniel has with Highgrove came through the development of the Duchy personal care range, for over a decade and the various visits to Highgrove as an Ambassador to The Prince’s Trust, and so it has continued. Alexandra Soveral is a facialist with more than average scientific, physiological and homeopathic understanding – she also spent two years studying anatomy, physiology remedial massage and the chemistry of essential oils.

Continue Reading…

Beauty and My Beasts.

Lipstick, Illamasqua, MAC, Topshop, beauty, blusher, Mrs V, www.themodeledit.com, Vanessa Voegele-Downing, Muji, make up bag, cosmetics

Left to right; Illamasqua Growl, Illamasqua Sangers, Topshop Infrared, Illamasqua Liv, Illamasqua Posture, Mac Stone, Mac Brave, Mac Pink Plaid

Lipsticks, hands, fingers, Mac, Illamasqua, Topshop, cosmetics, beauty, Make-up

Fingertips are a more similar skin tone to your lips than any other exposed dermal surface, better the the back of your hand. Which is why I’ve daubed my digits with the appropriate (left to right ) lipsticks in order to give you a realistic idea of their actual hue. Genius idea and I’m so happy with my blog helpfulness and all would be well in my blogosphere if I hadn’t pitched in and helped clean out the Chickens first. It occurs to moi that my hands look like badly made-up Chipolatas. These featured lipsticks are mine and in daily use. They are on little outings all the time e.g. the gym makes me stretch into my make up bag for Mac’s Pink Plaid or Brave. God knows how others cope with the multifaceted mirror environment at the gym. I do a risky lipstick reboot and Mac lipsticks can slide on all sneaky and silky, but stay put through a sweaty work out. London means Illamasqua Growl or Posture (huge favourite) depending on who, where, and what. Got to tell you how much I love the matte but not dry formula, that this brand has perfected.  Topshop’s Infrared is so much fun to wear it counteracts any matchy  matchy thoughts that you may have had. this Rio carnival of a lip colour doesn’t want to match anything which is so powerful. It’s a signal that you’re self confident enough to just put it out there. It should have been called Defiance. I don’t expect you all to wear it but some of you may have an occasion. Mrs V has a beauty secret.

Continue Reading…

Fun Adds Up

Buckham Fair
buckhamfair

Left to right, back to front (lol)

Mrs V, Philippa Clunes, Martin Clunes, Rosemary Young,

Caroline Godwin, Bhavani Hogarty, Caroline Nicholson

Little update on this year’s Buckham Fair.

We have raised, with your support,

£90,000

This will all go to Dorset charity, The Weldmar Hospicecare Trust.

Thank you everyone and please come again next year…and bring a friend.

This Will Suit You.

Valentino , Brocade skirt suit, Italian womenswear designer, Vanessa Voegele-Downing,

The Model Edit(or) wears Valentino

Max Mara, SS17, white skirt suit, baseball cap, yellow handbag
Adeline Lee white skirt suit, LFW, SS2017, White, Mrs V, www.themodeledit.com, Vanessa Voegele-Downing
Sid Neigum SS17, LFW, London Fashion Week, Brewer Street Car Park Show Space, white dress suit, white

Left to right; Max Mara Edeline Lee Sid Neigum

Truly this blog’s message is that suits aren’t  just pinstripe trousers and a briefcase. Skirt suits ‘a la’Max Mara, dress suits as predicted by Sid Neigum, or a T Shirt and skirt as shown by Edeline Lee, are all legal tender on next season’s shop floor. Mrs V  translates the word ‘Suit’ by suggesting that a suit can be anything at all comprising of an outfit of more than one matching piece ie. design and/or material but not limited to Mad Men tailored office wear concepts. How exciting is that? Every designer has sent out some form of suit for next season

Continue Reading…