Freak Deluxe – Page 148

BEAUTY: TIPS FOR DRY LIPS

Are dry lips bothering you right now? As the effects of chilly winds outside and drying central heating inside conspire to whisk moisture from our skin, our lips are often the first to show signs of suffering. Liz Earle, creator of the award-winning Liz Earle Beauty Co., mother of five, organic farmer and more recently founder of Liz Earle Wellbeing, reveals her top tips on combating dry lips this winter.

· Drink plenty of water and up your intake of B vitamins as low levels can lead to dry, cracked skin.

· Resist the urge to lick your lips – this only makes them sorer.

· Buff away dead skin cells away using a soft toothbrush to help reduce chapping.

· Read the labels! Not all lip balms are the same. Balms or sticks made with mineral oil or petroleum jelly don’t moisturise as such, they simply sit on the lips’ surface, and may even dry the lips out. Flavoured lip balms may taste nice but they might encourage you to lick your lips even more. More natural ingredients, such as plain plant oils and purified lanolin are by far the best choices for keeping lips soft and comfortable.

· Very sensitive lips respond best to a fragrance-free, natural emollient. Most nipple creams, especially those that contain purified medical grade lanolin, can actually be the best balms for very sore lips.

· You don’t have to forego the glamour! Lip gloss can help protect against the drying wintry elements, or try a tinted lip balm containing vitamin E, shea or cocoa butter.

For more advice and tips on wellbeing from Liz Earle, head over to www.lizearlewellbeing.com.

FASHION: MULBERRY’S FESTIVE FAIRY TALE

This December Mulberry is celebrating the magic of Christmas and the joy of fairy tales. Inspired by the beauty of winter woodlands and Mulberry’s roots in the English countryside, British art director and set designer Shona Heath transformed five windows in iconic department store Harrods into a Mulberry fairy tale, with a snow-covered woodland, frozen lake, woodland creatures and a mysterious and magical Mulberry tree…

To celebrate the launch of the festive fairy tale at Harrods Mulberry enlisted the help of Downton Abbey’s Allen Leech to read an excerpt from a favourite fairy tale. Visit mulberry.com from 4pm on Monday 2 December to enter a fairy tale competition: watch an exclusive video clip and guess which fairy tale Allen is reading for a chance to win a beautiful Mulberry bag as a festive treat.

Fairy tale storytelling will continue in the Mulberry pop up space on each Saturday until Christmas. Visitors to the pop up space in the run-up to Christmas will have the opportunity to place an order for Mulberry Monogramming to get their initials embossed onto a selection of leather accessories, and can also enjoy bespoke fairy tale tags and stickers to personalise gift-wrapping.

All products featured in the Mulberry fairy tale campaign, including the iconic Bayswater and Lily bags in festive red, can be bought on mulberry.com and in Mulberry stores

FASHION: FOREVER 21 HOLIDAY

The Forever 21 Holiday collection has dropped people, we had the pleasure of a sneak peak before an adventure trip to Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, London. Expect cool printed separates, sparkly sequinned pieces, faux fur, and full on metallics! There are also some fun gift items, perfect for a chic Secret Santa. The Forever 21 Holiday Collection is in store now.

FD LOVES: A PINK SUEDE CROP!

Perusing through the net on this grey Cyber Monday, I came across this special little gal! A muted pink suede cropped biker jacket from Oasis, so on trend for now and so perfect for spring also. What’s not to love?!

Buy it today and get 20% using the code DECTREAT

FASHION: BANANA REPUBLIC X L’WREN SCOTT HOLIDAY COLLECTION

A global fashion retailer and luxury fashion brand have come together this holiday season to bring you the Banana Republic x L’Wren Scott Holiday Collection. The ‘duo’ have collaborated on a limited-edition capsule collection, designed to inspire glamorous holiday parties out on the town or at home.

The more than 50-piece collection includes clothing and accessories for women, ranging from sequin party dresses and bejewelled cardigans, feminine, tailored jeans, lace dresses and pencil skirts. Three original prints, created exclusively for the collection, are featured prominently throughout the capsule.

A dramatic lip print in bold hues of Lipstick Red and Ultra Violet plays across skirts, blouses, handbags, scarves and pyjama sets.

A print of romantic peonies – inspired by Scott’s love of lush flowers and gardening – reveals itself on blouses, scarves and jeans in varied shades of bold red and pink.

The third – a candy stripe of black, ultra Violet, poster red and lipstick red – can be seen on blouses, pyjama sets and accessories including a beret, socks, and a cashmere blanket, fun for seasonal gifting.

“A partnership of this scale was a first for me, and I was very excited to find a true partner in Banana Republic,” says L’Wren Scott, founder and designer of her namesake label. “Through this collection, we were able to bring our shared vision to life and the end result is a capsule we’re both so proud to call our own. It beautifully combines the ultra-feminine with wearable polish and will bring a sexy confidence to our consumers.”

The capsule launches at select Banana Republic retail locations worldwide and online December 5, 2013.