Pearly Beauty Queens

Ooooh, speaking of pearls, I love some of the pearlised cosmetics that feature in this year’s Christmas collections, especially Dior’s Grand Bal range (pictured right).

Not only are there two beautiful pearl shades of nail varnish – the white Dior Vernis in Lady and the pale gold Dior Vernis in Diorling  (£20) – and even Dior False Eye Lashes with pearl drops (£19), but there are also two extremely versatile, pearly, palettes of Dior 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow (£40). The two lower shades in the Night Golds colourway (pictured left) – a gorgeous, golden-toned palette – have already had a few outings on my eyelids – and we’re not even into party season (when I’ll give the gold leaf shade a whirl).

I didn’t get sent any of the lipsticks from the Grand Bal collection but have found the perfect partner for the eye make-up in the form of the gorgeous, warm and intense pink Rouge G de Guerlain L’Extrait in Paresse (£29.50)  – one of a quartet of rich lip lacquers which the Parisian beauty company brought out for autumn-winter 2012 – for a glamorous but not overly dramatic look. Those of you in search of more drama might prefer to team the golden eye shadows with a glossy red lip for the full Addicted to Love effect. My favourites are Reckless from the new collection of reds
by Tom Ford Beauty (£TBC) or the single (lonely) lipstick in Lancome’s Christmas collection – Lancome L’Absolu Rouge in Ruby Exquis (£21), presumably the only red Lancome reckons any woman needs this festive season.

And Lancome is where you’ll find the pearly polish that gets my vote: Lancome Vernis in Love in Ginger Swing (£12; pictured right), a champagne shade inspired by a ginger cocktail. I don’t think she ever suggested it, but I can just imagine style guru Diana Vreeland advising readers of her Why Don’t You column to match their nail polish to their favourite cocktail.  Chin-chin!