MAC’s colour corrector, in radiant rose, can be used as undereye concealer. Alona, MAC make-up artist in Brown Thomas Galway, taught me this. If you are naturally very pale and have a tendency to get blue bags under your eyes as I do, this is the dream product. If you have yellow undertones, and your under eye area looks red, use the Light Boost in yellow. I love when a product is clever and you can use it for a purpose other than what it was originally intended. I have had a love affair with concealer for over three years, and ditched it in a heartbeat for this product, never looking back. Alona is a genius make-up artist who gives great individual tips; she told me to bring my corrector further down my eye area than I think, and my blush higher up than I think , and this made a huge difference. March into the Mac counter and ask her anything about your make-up routine. It’s like she has taken the Hippocratic oath, except for make-up artists, first doing no harm — she assesses what needs correcting and sets about doing that while explaining what she is fixing. She is amazing.
The sunglasses cleaning kit. I’m serious; I’m not just saying that in a moustache-twirling, trying-to-get-you-to-spend-your-money kind of way. You worship at the altar of Tom Ford, you spend all that money on an amazing pair of shades, why balk at spending an extra €10 on a cleaning kit? It comes with a mini screwdriver to tighten the frames, a washable cloth, and a silicone based spray that puts a protective coat on your glasses to prevent nicks and scratches. At Brown Thomas we even refill the spray for free.
A red, gold lame, and black coloured winter coat. You know you want it. Combining colour block cool with evening glamour, this three quarter length sleeve showstopper is Dianne Von Furstenburg at her finest. The Westen is that rare thing — a sexy coat. It fits like a glove, has a glamorous old world movie star vibe, and to be honest when you try it on you instantly start calculating what bills could go without paying that month in order to buy it.
And finally, another MAC product, this time the future length eyelash serum in the prep and prime range. Containing all natural ingredients, it promises up to six per cent more lashes and 78 per cent better condition of lashes. If you use mascara regularly you should be protecting your lashes with this serum. MAC promises you will see a difference in eight weeks if you apply as per instructions.
