Circle lenses are  special contact lenses  designed to give the wearer a wider,doe-eyed look , originally gaining popularity in Asian countries where girls often strive to achieve a Westernised look. The lenses have colour covering the majority of the lense,causing the colour to extend beyond the iris making it look bigger.

Lady Gaga is attributed to leading the Circle lense trend with her Bad Romance video, even though her own eyes were altered in post-production.

So where’s the controversy?

Circle lenses are widely available on the internet, from numerous retailers at a very inexpensive price, throwing the question of quality in the air.  Because the lenses are so inexpensive, US officials believe they are made from inferior materials.Many available on the US market haven’t been authorised by health officials .Opticians are worried that the lack of quality will lead to eye infections , damage to vision and even loss of vision altogether.There have been no reports of damage to eyes so far, but opticians say it could take as little as 24 hours following an infection.

One site, Circlelens2u.com sells the controversial lenses for as little as seventeen Singapore dollars (around eight pounds.)

What do you think? Would you give these lenses a try or do you think they are hazardous and should be made illegal?

Here’s a few that I’ve tried:

Johnson’s Holiday Skin (£4.99)

The original part moisturiser/part self-tan and possibly the best. Apply to your skin every day for 3 days for a slow, beautiful glow. I found it gave my naturally pale skin a realistic ,natural colour.The downside? To get a noticeable colour change quite a lot of the product has to be applied which left my skin sticky and uncomfortable to the touch and it took a long time to dry completely.

Garnier Ambre Solaire No-Streaks Bronzer. (£8.99)

The less said about this product the better. I scrubbed, applied carefully and did everything else possible to ensure a smooth even tan.However three hours later I was a streaky, orangey-brown mess.Eventually after scrubbing a bit more I was left with an ok colour but only after my brother had declared me “tangoed”.

Fake Bake Instant Self Tan Mousse (£24.99)

This fast drying tanner is my clear winner. Although a little fiddly to apply (making sure the mousse has covered everything being the most important) in this case, practise makes perfect.

Sally Hansen Salon Airbrush Legs (£6.63 from Boots)

This is the perfect product for on-the-spot colour. Advertised as “make- up for legs” it aims to cover imperfections and blemishes on the legs without the hassle of tanning. If you’re on your way out and need some colour fast then this is for you!

Here are some tips to avoid tan faux pas:

• Exfoliate. Applying self-tan to smooth skin means no embarassing patches or orange elbows.
• Use a glove. No orange palms and nice even coverage! Try Soltan Beautiful Bronze Self Tan Mitt, £1.74 from Boots
• Take your time! Start from your legs and work upwards, ensuring the product is applied evenly, and dont forget your back!
• Wear old, loose clothing while the colour develops , jogging bottoms and a vest is my choice.
• To avoid a tanning disaster,have a look in a mirror in a well lit room  before deciding whether to apply more product.Daylight is a lot more unforgiving than your bedroom mirror!
• Moisturise to lock in colour. After false tan is applied, you should only need to re- apply once a week. Between these times moisturise with your favourite body cream to sustain your colour.

Happy Tanning!

Whether you’re jetting off into the sunset or staying in Blighty, there are a ton of new buys to brighten up your wardrobe! Take this floral dress from Miso @ Republic. The print is perfect to take you from day to night and at only £26.99 from Republic will fit perfectly in your holiday suitcase!

I also love these denim hotpants,£25.00 from Topshop.The frayed edges and dark denim are bang on trend and are so versatile they’re sure to last me through the whole summer!

To me, summer is all about the shades,and getting the right pair can make or break your outfit, but I think I’ll be safe with these super stylish aviators from Warehouse, £16.00.The mirrored lenses are straight off the catwalk and very Top Gun!

Finally no holiday suitcase is complete without a bikini.Choosing the right one can be a struggle but I think I’ve found my fave in this Rainbow Stripe Bandeau Bikino from Topshop, only £28.00! 

Whilst your’e out shopping for a new wardrobe, why not pick up a Bentall’s Account Holder Card? As a regular spender on the card you’ll be entitled to benefits such as  theatre tickets, restaurant offers ,exclusive beauty gifts and invitations to sale previews and Christmas shopping events! Find out more and how to apply here.

Be bronzed for summer with the upcoming event in the cosmetics floor of the Bentall’s on Thursday 26th April, to include special guest make up artists and exclusive cosmetics offers! Find out more on the Bentall’s site.

Summer is peak wedding season,and the perfect excuse to get dressed u! If you’ve got upcoming nuptials why not consider this gorgeous dress from Coast, £85.00 teamed with this Paradise-themed clutch from French Connection, £55.00?

If you’re still stuck for something to wear,why not try out the Personal Shopping Suite? You’ll get your very own style advisor to help you decide what look you’re going for and help you plan your outift,right down to accessories! Call 020 8541 6821 for more info or to book an appointment.

Happy Shopping!

The multi-million pound haul included  highly sought after brands such as Nike, Ugg, Gucci, Coach,Cartier, Ralph Lauren and GHD.A record haul of more than 50,000 counterfeit designer goods, including clothing,trainers, handbags and hair straighteners, was confiscated during raids on 30 premises in London

About £350,000 in cash was also discovered and six people were arrested for conspiracy to defraud.

Police believe that the goods were imported from manufacturers in the Far East before being imported and stored in commercial storage facilities and exported as far abroad as America.

Brodie Clark, of the UK Border Agency, said fake goods rip off the public.

He said: ”People who make the mistake of buying cheap copies might think they are getting a bargain, but they don’t realise these goods are often dangerous and that the proceeds are often used to fuel serious organised crime.”

City of London Police said counterfeit crime cost legitimate British businesses £3.5 billion

Fake goods often try to imitate a popular brand(with varying levels of success) by copying styles cheaply at the cost of quality. E.g clothes that will only last one wash or those Ugg boots that make the wearer walk like a newly born duck.

I myself came close to buying some fake GHD’s over eBay not too long ago, I was all set to click ‘pay’ until I checked the seller’s feedback profile and found some very unflattering comments from ripped off buyers. “THESE ARE FAKE FAKE FAKE DO NOT BUY FROM THIS SELLER HE WILL RIP U OFF AND NOT REPLY TO UR EMAILS” being one of the more printable remarks.

So what is your opinion of fake goods? Do you see them as a harmless and cheap way to stay in fashion or do you think it damages brand credibility and just looks a bit trashy?

‘Too Faced New Mood Swing Emotionally Activated Lip Gloss’, priced at 12 pounds, works with your body chemistry to  change from clear to deep crimson depending on how us girls are feeling and comes with a colour guide so your bloke knows when to stay away!

A press release on the Too Faced website says: Are you in love ,jealous, angry, happy or hot and bothered? Your lips will tell the tale and allow you to express yourself like never before, Mood Swing’s secret blend of essential oils allowing the colour s to change depending on your emotional state.”

Celeb fans include singer Katy Perry, engaged to randy funnyman Russell Brand.The lipgloss can be bought at Boots or ASOS.com

Do you think this new mood revealing lip gloss is a bit of fun or complete nonsense?Whilst I think it’s a bit of fun, I don’t think I’d want my mum to know if  I was feeling frisky! However I may buy it and test it out for your benefit!

Diane Kruger in Chanel                              Cameron Diaz in Oscar de la Renta

Up in the Air star Anna Kendrick      Double Winner,director Kathryn Bigelow

Miley Cyrus in Jenny Packham             Rachel McAdams in Elie Saab

Special Mentions go to Brit  actress Carey Mulligan and Twilight star Kristin Stewart.Best Supporting Actress nominee Carey  wore a quirky Prada dress embroidered with tiny knives,forks and scissors on the bodice.The star said of her dress :”I didn’t wear it to make a statement,I just thought it was cool.”

Whilst socially awkward Stewart  gets my ‘Most Improved’ award for looking amazing ,managing to not embarass herself for a whole evening, and actually cracking a SMILE for once!Maybe it had something to do with presenting an award with her absolutely gorgeous co-star Taylor Lautner!

I also feel I should mention Ben stiller who decided that simply turning up in a tuxedo and presenting the Best Make Up award wasn’t good enough for him, the comedian had to go  one step further  by spoofing 2009′s most popular film Avatar. Turning up in head to toe blue make up  (complete with tail!) in honour of the films blue stars.In my opinion it just made him seem like an attention seeking idiot,and does anyone else think that it makes his teeth look really yellow?

Of course with every rule there are a few exceptions.I said above that there weren’t any fashion errors at this years Oscar’s.Well I lied.Zoe Saldana what were you thinking?  SJP? And of course you can always count on Pricey to lower the tone of any occasion!          

What did you think of this years Red Carpet ?See even more red carpet gowns here on the Oscar’s website as well as who won what, Sandra Bullock’s rambling speech and Kathryn Bigelow beating ex-husband James Cameron in every major catergory.

What with uni work load curtailing any glimpse of social activity, I’ve been reduced to that old faithful past time-online shopping.My new fave site is Modcloth ,which I discovered on another blogger’s page and needless to say, I’m completely hooked.Kitsch and indie is the name of this sites game and it seems to me that it has inspired lines in other shops such as Accessorize and Topshop.

Here’s a glimpse of what ModCloth has to offer :

Also don’t forget to check out the Vintage section for some retro clothes from fashion trends gone by.Be quick though as each item is a one of a kind!

Love Amy

xoxo

Prices (from top to bottom)

Greatest Show on Earth necklace $24.99 (£16.00)

Crabby Abby tee $29.99 (£19.00)

Jolene handbag $42.99 (£27.00)

Brunch with Miss America dress $74.99 (£47.00)

Taste for Luxury heels $67.99 (£42.00)

Night in Dream City tunic £54.99 (£34.00)

Racing Time necklace $14.99 (£9.00)

Winter Semester socks in Marshmallow $24.99 (£16.00)

Also don’t forget to check out the Vintage section for some retro clothes from fashion trends gone by.Be quick though as each item is a one of a kind!

Coinciding with the release of the film (coming out on the 5th of March) the range features pieces t shirts emblazoned with slogans and characters from Tim Burton’s reworking of the famous book, while other pieces are  more ”Alice inspired”,like this Lace Insert Dress, £38,polka dot shorts and frilly tiered skirts.

I personally cannot wait for this collection to drop,and have already pre-ordered the ”I’m Late For A Very Important Date” tee,£20, shown here on the right.My other favourite pieces are denim shorts covered in white love hearts, £25,a red velvet bow headband,£6 and a clock and cupcake necklace,£18.The range starts from just £4 for a ring and goes up to £40.

Pre shop the collection here and if like me you’re really keen, sign up to the newsletter that lets you know the minute the collection becomes available!

Happy Shopping!

Supermodels Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss joined other stars  at the private funeral of  designer Alexander McQueen yesterday.

They were joined by his five siblings and his father, along with Stella McCartney and artist Sam Taylor Wood.

Kate arrived outside St Pauls church in Knightsbridge yesterday in a black dress and fur stole, along with five inch Christian Louboutin shoes,whilst socialite Daphne Guinness turned up in a billowing cape from the designers 2002 collection.

The service ends a week of mourning for the designer, which saw a minutes silence at London Fashion Week in his honour, and Lady Gaga dedicating her performance at the Brit Awards to him.

McQueen hung himself at his Mayfair home earlier this month,following the death of his much-loved mother Joyce.

The singer,24, has admitted that she won’t be making another album, instead concentrating on opening a trendy ‘rent-a-frock’ shop with her sister Sarah Owen.

Speaking backstage at the NME Awards Lily said: “I’m not making another album.  It’s a really big commitment to do an album these days.

“People don’t buy music anymore and I don’t want to tie myself to being on the road for three years.”

Lily has some exciting ventures for her progression into fashion. First of all she has started a project with designer Wayne Hemingway, her Lucy In Disguise fashion line and the opening of a clothes rental shop in central London.

Speaking about the clothing line/shop,she said: I’m in the office everyday sourcing clothes and getting really excited. We’ll have loads of amazing stuff that would be really expensive to buy, but girls can come in, hire something for one night and have a laugh’’

The singer will launch her Lucy In Disguise range at the Vintage at Goodwood Festival in August

Lily’s music career has taken a bit of a nosedive of late, with lukewarm reactions to her latest album and sales figures not doing as well as they could. I personally remember her line a few years ago at New Look and not being overly impressed.

So do you think this is a good idea? Is this a natural progression for the star or do you think she should just stick to her day job?