MyFitnessPal. Or what should be called MyNewestBestEverPal.

Occasionally, I find something so good that I just have to tell everyone about it. A few years ago, I told everyone in a 5 mile radius about the only television series I've ever enjoyed enough to watch religiously - do you remember FlashForward? Well, I'm not surprised you don't after they discontinued it after leaving the series on a cliffhanger and I realised I had wasted hours of my life. But I digress... What I actually want to write about is my latest obsession and new best friend - MyFitnessPal.

Basically, it's a calorie counter which I have been able to install on my Blackberry. It is also an online website and you can sync the two. As I go about my day, I simply input what I'm eating and it adds up the calories. It has everything you could think of - it even knew the number of calories in my Morrison's venison meat balls. The best thing about it is that it also shows you your calorie intake in reverse. So instead of just showing how many calories you have eaten, it shows you how many calories you have left in your daily allowance.

Yesterday, I was rather happy to discover that I  had just over 200 calories "to spare" from my daily limit and was able to have a bar of chocolate. YAY. Although I eat 3 healthy balanced meals, I always worry about anything naughty but MyFitnessPal is showing me that I can have a little bit of the food I like, in moderation.

I'm sure it's quite easy to become obsessed (and to cheat the system - you're only fooling yourself if you don't write down all your calories!) but in terms of maintaining a healthy weight, this is perfect!

CJG. CJ... what?

Chloe Green has an upcoming shoe collection for Topshop. Chloe who? Chloe Green, the daughter of billionaire Arcadia owner, Sir Philip Green.

Source: http://www.topshop.com/

Oh.

It's all too easy to be scathing about Chloe's credibility as a fashion icon, never mind as a designer.  She's 21. Her father owns Topshop. But unfortunately for Miss Green, unlimited access to Topshop clothing and a love of Christian Louboutins does not a fashion icon make. It certainly does not call for a shoe collection.

The range is imaginatively named after Chloe’s initials, CJG (Chloe Jade Green, incase you were wondering) and the shoes will have a green sole. Chloe Green. Get it? Yeah, like I said, imaginative.

Chloe's recent (and brief) stint on reality drama, Made in Chelsea (where she incidentally wore a pair of wedge heels which will feature in her upcoming collection), makes me suspect that Chloe is aspiring to become a ‘personality.'

But think back to the excitement and more importantly, the sheer demand, for Kate Moss' first collection for Topshop. Kate had earned her status, not only as a designer, but as a fashion icon. Chloe has been impatient, which gives her range limited credibility.

The collection itself is nothing special which is a shame because Chloe has a good opportunity. She is the daughter of Topshop's CEO and she is often photographed wearing the brand. If she had taken the time to really establishe herself as the unofficial 'covergirl' for Topshop, she could have produced a collection which would epitomise what Topshop is about. This would have allowed her collection to appeal to Topshop fans, rather than a few Chloe Green fans.

I haven't even touched the subject of Chloe's talent as a shoe designer. All I will say is that I certainly don't think Christian Louboutin or in fact, any brand sold in Topshop, will be too concerned.

Brad Pitt for Chanel N°5

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What do you think of when I say Chanel N°5? An image of the honey coloured perfume in an iconic bottle? Or the connotation of old Hollywood glamour perhaps? Mr Brad Pitt?

Source: www.twitter.com/chanel

The French fashion house, Chanel, has unexpectedly revealed that male actor, Brad Pitt, will be the face of their new advertising campaign for Chanel N°5. It has created a buzz, shaking up standard perfume advertising by using a male celebrity (although Chanel opted for the phrase “world renowned actor” when they announced the decision on Twitter).

I’m excited to see the upcoming advertisement. But I’m expecting the predictable: Pitt will no doubt be clean shaven and suited, there will be a bedroom scenario and a beautiful but elusive female.  I do wonder if George Clooney would have been a potential candidate, had he not opted to be the face of coffee machines…

Established in the 1920s, Chanel N°5 is iconic and sophisticated, but it is for the 'older' women – I associate it with women in their thirties upwards. The choice of 48 year old Pitt suggests that Chanel will continue to target the same market. And they have a range other perfumes, including Coco Mademoiselle which is advertised by 27 year old Keira Knightley, to appeal to younger women. 

If nothing else, the announcement alone has secured Chanel N°5 a few extra column inches. Which is good for a perfume which, although iconic, is no longer new and exciting.

Very few women are immune to the allure of the Beauty Industry!

At any time of the year, you can ask me what is 'on trend' in the world of make-up and I can tell you, no problem.

Has anyone ever asked me? Well, no.

Why? Well, apart from the small minority of us who scour the beauty blogs, pore over the beauty sections of magazines and would rather have a full make up bag than a full fridge, nobody cares.



Source: http://www.rimmellondon.com/

If you are a woman and you are more interested in beauty than simply applying a bit of mascara in the morning, you are subjected to a social stigma. Being interested in beauty has negative connotations. It is associated with being vain, unintelligent and having no interest in things that matter. This is especially irritating if, in the rest of your life, you aim to appear intelligent and aware of matters which extend outside of the latest product launch from Estee Lauder.


Think about it, not every woman who buys the new 'it' lipstick is a vain beauty fanatic. No, she is just one of millions of intelligent women who are influenced by the glossy marketing campaign, the celebrity endorsement and the promise of a fuller, glossier pout.


She will have bought a lipstick last season, used it, felt good and then been hit by the allure of brighter colours, creative technology and the elusive idea of a lipstick which will be 'even better' than what she had before. Then, bang, another sale.

Take the current Rimmel television advertisements which are oh-so-conveniently  situated around Made in Chelsea. Although I'm hypersensitive to the tactics used in beauty campaigns, even I found that their promise of the "London Look" was more influential when associated with the glossy girls of Chelsea. And I now own their Scandaleyes mascara to prove it.

The endless production of new beauty products contribute to the seasonal make up trends - the launch of new products each season simply shows the allure of an industry which has the collective aim of making a woman, any woman, think she can look and feel like a better version of herself by using their latest product.

So, do make up trends matter? No.

But will the majority of UK women be affected by them at some point in their life? Yes.

Well, assuming she can be enticed by dewy, luminous skin, a raspberry or cherry coloured lip (using a lip butter) or a metallic smoky eye - which are the make up trends for this summer, by the way!