By Amy Lawrenson
I called it a night in Milan after a Martini in the garden at the Bulgari Hotel in Milan, where I stocked up on pick 'n' mix (I knew I'd need the sugar to get me through).
I was up three hours later an en route to Linate - Milan's airport to fly home this morning. Back on UK soil I hot-footed it home, unpacked then headed back central to Somerset House where I was hosting a Beauty Trends Talk at London Fashion Weekend, with Irish presenter and journalist Angela Scanlon. With us was Elizabeth Arden's International Make-up Artist Joseph Hernandez and Chloe, a hairstylist from Toni & Guy.
We were there to talk the audience through the six biggest beauty trends of the season - Romantic Goth (think vampy lips and smoky eyes), A Space Odyssey (bold colourful make-up with futuristic finishes) and Sunset Shades (bringing some sunshine colours to your winter make-up bag) were covered off in make-up. For hair we talked English Rose (wispy textures and pretty pleats), Ponytails and Straight Story (how to make sleek hair modern once again).
The idea was to show the audience how to make the trends wearable off the catwalk and into real life; for instance if you want to try a vampy lip use your ring finger to dab a wine red lipstick from the bullet onto your lips to create a more wearable stain, but if you're feeling daring use a lip brush for a more precise look.
We'll be covering these six trends in detail online over the coming months, so don't worry if you weren't there today. Plus, you know you can always put your beauty questions to the team, whether it's a skin problem you're having, you just want to know what shade of lipstick you or you need to find a great hairdresser, we're here to help. All you need to do is head to the Ask ELLE section of the site and submit your question in the box at the bottom of the page.
Before I get an early night, I'll leave you with some of the tips we shared today:
'Use a toothbrush sprayed with hairspray to groom brows, or that fluffy baby hair that oftens shows when you tie you hair back in a ponytail,' I told the audience earlier today.
Chloe said, 'If you want to try the straight hair trend make sure you have a trim to neaten up your ends and use moisturising treatments. After straightening mist with plenty Label.m Shine Spray to give your hair a glass-like shine'.
The best quote of the afternoon came from Joseph who said, 'don't test foundation on the back of your hand. You wouldn't go into a shoe shop, slip the pair of shoes you like on your hands and say, 'yes I'll take them'. Always test foundation on your jawline'. Brilliant!
See all the street style looks from London Fashion Weekend...
