By Joely Walker

Four days, four nights, 3 pizzas, 4 bowls of pasta, 14 backstage passes, and lots of beauty inspiration later, I’ve got back from my first Milan Fashion Week. It was an incredible city, with delicious food, fabulously dressed inhabitants and too many tempting shops to count. I Instagrammed as I went along so I could share my Milan experience (WARNING: do not read on if you’re doing Atkins).

First stop Heathrow and I stumble across this ‘Beauty Studio’. From REN to Decleor and Philosophy it’s great to see some different brands in the airport...

Up at 7am to get to the backstage at Blugirl. This poster was 30ft tall and the entrance to the show space...

My trusty beauty kit for the weekend. I’m a sucker for anything miniature...

The incredible entrance to the Just Cavalli show. And in the snow too! Beautiful...

Some Mac goodies I spied backstage at Just Cavalli...

Metallic nails brought a punk edge to the look...

Georgia May Jagger backstage in hair and make-up. She took 5 mins to chat with us just before she went on the catwalk, click here to read...

The stage is set for Just Cavalli, and neon is on the agenda...

We stopped off at this amazing Italian restaurant just around the corner from our hotel...

It came with a wine wall...

The most delicious tomato and mozzarella salad ever...

And the best fruit tarts and lemon meringue!

We popped into an Ash store and saw these miniature trainers (heel included, not sure about that but still cute)...

A great beauty find - Inglot make-up. Check out all these fab false eyelashes...

The beauty desk love the niche fragrance brand Le Labo (available in Liberty’s) and I spied these laundry detergent in a boutique designer shop...

The beautiful Karlie Kloss backstage at Ports...

A rainbow of Mac pencils...

Joan Smalls smiling backstage at Ports...

Power ponies presentation backstage at DSquared2 ...

Chocolates galore! We found this authentic Italian chocolatiers...

The show space at Etro was a converted ice rink. Very cool.

And the iconic Etro cushions on each seat...

Hair and make-up model chart backstage at Etro...

Amazing champagne cocktails at the Principe (Karlie Kloss and David Gandy were staying there)...

Colourful Mac palette...

Pit stop for yummy croissants before the next show...

Corso Como – the place to go for fashion people watching at lunchtime...

Stopped at this amazing perfumery...

And spotted the fun Bond No.9 St fragrances...

Mac do these face charts to show you the look and products before the show...

Spaghetti with lots of shaved truffles on top and a glass of red wine. It was Saturday night after all...

We got after-dinner chocolates with quotes in the middle, Milan’s version of fortune cookies...

The show-stopping chandelier in Dolce & Gabbana headquarters...

We went backstage at Dolce & Gabbana to chat with Pat McGrath about the look. Here’s her beauty kit...

Before you leave Milan you have to have pizza. It’s a rule, and one I’m happy to abide by...

Thanks Milan, it was a pleasure...

Click here to see the best looks of MFW day 1...

Click here to see the best looks of MFW day 2...

Click here to see the best looks of MFW day 3...

Click here to see the best looks of MFW day 4...

Click here to see the best make-up and hair looks for LFW AW13...

Click here to see the best and for NYW AW 13...