When it comes to seductive make-up I've always believed in the saying "It's all in the eyes". There's nothing quicker that can change your look, add drama or go from day to night than simply adding some oomph to your lashes and lids.
Ever since I watched Brigitte Bardot - all smouldering curves and dark eyes that could render any man powerless - I've loved the smoky-eyed look. I'm in love with the new range of jewel-toned eye shadows - precious-looking teals, emerald greens and sparkly golds, proving that smoky doesn't have to be all black and heavy.
Dior Blue Tie Palette, in Smoking Blue, is my favourite go-to. It's a gorgeous compact that offers silver, navy and greyish-blue tones that guarantee to suit all and make your eyes "pop" with colour. Rimmel London Glam'Eyes, in Speeding, defies its affordable price tag as its silky, creamy texture looks seriously expensive. Its deep emerald hues also have maximum colour impact. But tread carefully, because if you apply too much you could look more panda-eyed then smoky-eyed. To achieve perfection, make sure colours are blended together flawlessly, and pair light base colours with rich dark ones. If this all sounds like too much faff, then a safe option for novices is Benefit Smokin' Eyes Sexy Eye and Brow Makeover Kit. This little gem contains everything you need for that smouldering look in one go. Easy!
Next, to ensure those eyes really do take centre stage, brighten them up with eyeliner. Black can be too dark and dreary for this time of year, so again, go for a splash of colour or shine. Those clever people at bareMinerals have developed a fabulous trio of long-wearing, dazzling eyeliners. Aptly called Light Show Eyeliners, they come in shades Orbit, Galaxy and Comet. The mineral-infused formula glides on smoothly and delivers a metallic finish. Smashbox Soft Focus Powder Eyeliners in Heather and Gun Metal are another great option for those who find gel eyeliner too crisp and stark. Quick and easy, the soft powder base gives you a smoky look in 30 seconds.
Finally, showstopping lashes require some serious mascara. The ultimate one and my find for 2012 has to be the latest launch from Guerlain. I have not stopped drenching my lashes in this smudge-proof beauty since I was given a sneak preview. I am so enamoured with it - as you will be - it deserves tribute on its own. See M Loves below.
M Loves
Michael Kors Gold
As the Michael Kors brand turns 30, the fashion house celebrates with the release of this limited edition fragrance. We were always huge fans of the original Michael Kors perfume - the combination of tuberose, orange blossom and woody notes always took us back to playing around with the trinkets on our mum's dressing table. The "Gold" version has more subtlety than the signature fragrance, lasts for hours and works for day or night.
Dh305, Harvey Nichols, Mall of the Emirates, 04 409 8888
Three of the best
ESTÉE LAUDER DOUBLE WEAR STAY-IN-PLACE FLAWLESS WEAR CONCEALER SPF10, DH129 A beauty classic. This cream concealer reduces the appearance of lines and imperfections, plus it's long-lasting without cakiness.
MAC IRIDESCENT POWDER/LOOSE IN SILVER DUSK, DH121 The finishing touch before slipping on your cocktail dress. A finely milled powder filled with silver shimmer that sets to a pink-nude colour. Perfect for face and décolletage.
CLINIQUE UP-LIFTING LIQUID ILLUMINATOR, DH146 A few drops is all you need of this sheer, light-weight liquid. It instantly highlights and contours cheek and brow bones to give your face an all-over dewy glow.
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
The specs
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder
Transmission: CVT auto
Power: 181bhp
Torque: 244Nm
Price: Dh122,900
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
