One of the best in the business when it comes to nail polish, Zoya has just launched its Vibe and Pulse Collections for Autumn/Winter 2008.

Yes, it's time to strip summer pinks and sunshine colours from your mitts and tootsies and lavish your nails intead with deep, autumnal dark and sexy colours.

Dark romance is the watchword for this season’s goth-inspired catwalk looks with black lace, skinny pvc trousers and Edwardian-inspired accessories - all key trends for the coming season. In line with this edgy, sensual look, Zoya's two new colour collections are designed to set pulses racing.

Vibe features six luscious opaque creams in rich, vampy shades. Choose from: Sam (blackened plum), Nina (cherry chocolate), Riley (dark cranberry), Alix (deep berry red), Dakota (rich claret red), Asia (deep redcurrant).

While Pulse features six new metallic shades. Sloane (blackberry plum metallic), Mikka (icy grape shimmer), Blair (full bodied burgundy), Colbie (russet bronze), Rihana (deep purple foil) and Jacey (mauve metallic).

It's enough to make the mouth water - and be assured that these colours are long-lasting and rarely chip as we've already put them to the test.

Zoya Professional Lacquers, £8.95, are available from leading professional salons and branches of The Organic Pharmacy. For stockist details call 0800 1116647 or buy online at www.zoyapolish.co.uk

*All Zoya nail lacquers are free of potentially harmful industrial chemicals including Toulene, Formaldehyde, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) and Camphor.

This week we are just loving the fab range of moisturisers from Udderly Smooth. Beautifully packaged in funky cow print tubs - and delivered as gifts in quirky cow print boxes, the collection also has a seriousy useful side.

Staffordshire pharmacist Andrew Magrath discovered the range in Boston, America, when he was on a round-the-world yacht race called the BT Global Challenge (which, incidentally, he won). He and his team found it to be fantastic on all of their skin complaints, including sun and wind burn, rope burns and salt sores. 'We found Udderly Smooth to be a wonderful greaseless, stainless all-round moisturiser and barrier cream,' says Andrew. 

He began importing Udderly Smooth® from the Kennedy family in Ohio (who manufacture the brand) when he returned from the race and hopes to bring it to the rest of the UK. 

A versatilve cream, it can be used to treat dry, chapped skin, sunburn, windburn, cracked heels, eczema and psoriasis. It has also been used as an effective treatment for nappy rash and is ideal for use after breast feeding and during Chemotherapy treatment, when the skin can become dry.

Sporting enthusiasts will also be pleased to learn it's ideal for protecting the skin while skiing and snowboarding, cycling, scuba diving, watersports, horse riding, hiking, swimming and even gardening.

Udderly Smooth offers four products; Hand Cream, Hand & Body Lotion, Foot Cream with Shea Butter and the new Chamois Cream for cyclists.

Visit www.udderlysmooth.co.uk to find out more, or find the range at The Garden Pharmacy in Covent Garden, London, or Fenwick of Bond Street, London. Prices range from from £3.20 to £7.99. Udderly Smooth will also be at this year’s Clothes Show Live in December.

If you need a little pick-me-up during the day, Starbucks has just introduced the Vivanno brand, a new line of healthy drinks made with fresh ingredients which are designed to give a real energy boost.

The Orange Mango Banana Blend contains one whole banana, whey protein and fibre power, a choice of milk, ice and fruit juices, while the Banana Chocolate Blend is made with bittersweet cocoa and a whole banana.

The drinks contain no artificial sweeteners and are reassuringly low in fat. We tried them out here on the Life & Style team and have to say they're rather refreshingly ice cold and delicious.

Starbucks Vivanno Nourishing Blends are £3.25 for a tall size.

One of London’s largest accessory sample sales, The London Accessory Sale, is set to take place from August 28 to 31.

Showcasing some of the UK’s hottest designers and brands, the event will feature footwear, jewellery, belts and bags from the big names such as Chloe, Balenciaga, D&G, YSL, Burberry, Gucci, Marc Jacobs, Jimmy Choo and many more.
 
So whether you're looking for the latest IT bag or something quirky and original, then this is one not to be missed. As the organisers say, it doesn’t matter what size you are, handbags always fit! 

The London Accessory Sale will take place at the The Old Truman Brewery, 87 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QR and admission is £1. Visit londonaccessorysale.co.uk to find out more.

Check out this new website, myfashions.co.uk, which has more than 100,000 products from 50 different stores and nearly 5,000 users.

Brainchild for the site David Chapman has come up with a unique combination of fashion, shopping and social networking - think MySpace meets eBay or a fashion Facebook. The site consists of a comprehensive online shop including many exclusive products, users and stores varying from small local boutiques and businesses such as Luxe Jesmond, Me Me Me and Selah Boutique to big high street brands such as Burton, Dorothy Perkins and Miss Selfridge.

Sales Manager Jess Berg says: "Normally when you shop online, you can only look at one store's clothes at a time. Not only does this limit your choice, it also makes it difficult to compare prices. As MyFashions brings the biggest and most exclusive names in fashion together in one marketplace, you have unbelievable choice and you can make sure you get the best price."

Similar to social networking sites, users and stores can upload profiles. These include graphics, personal or company information, videos, photos and much more. Most importantly, stores upload products to the shop making the site a huge marketplace for fashion.

You can buy from the shop by viewing a product and clicking on the relevant link to go to the store's website. Also last month MyFashions added a checkout system which enables stores without websites to sell online. This gives users the opportunity to buy thousands of exclusive products previously only available in store.

Also like other social networking sites, you can become 'friends' with other users and stores. Becoming friends with a store has many advantages, but the main benefit is that you are one of the first to hear about new products, offers/sales or events. Stores may also send you exclusive offers not advertised on their profile or website.

To register, log on to www.myfashions.co.uk. For more information on getting your store on MyFashions, please call Jess Berg on (0191) 255 8887.

It's time for the July monthly mailbag round-up and first up, the new Manscara and Guyliner range launched at Superdrug got lots of you talking on this blog in July.

Many of you were of the opinion that 'Guyliner is Awesome. Men + Mascara = HOT!!!!!!!!!' as one anonymous reader succinctly put it.

Claire added: "I think it's fine that men wear make-up, my bf wears a bit when we go out, only eye liner and a bit of black shadow though. I think what's stupid is making make-up that is specifically for men. Why not just have male models modelling the stuff that women wear? It's all just a money making thing really, because they know guys will buy it because it will make them feel better about buying make-up that's actually made for men, rather than being embarrassed about their secret collection of Maxfactor haha!'

While Abigail commented: 'Speaking as a female who has quite a thing for men in a bit of make up I'm all in favour!!! Bring it on :o)'
 
So it seems most of our female readers out there are well up for the idea of the fellas enhancing their peepers. Men, you have been told!

Meanwhile, many of you (like me) have been glued to the latest series of Ten Years Younger, which I personally think is one of the best adverts for the beauty industry I've seen in a long time.

Frances, who is a fifty-something, commented: 'I have yet to dye my hair, have Botox or surgery and when I cannot love my reflection, I will find the money to improve what I see in the mirror. Shallow people think appearances don't matter, inexperience and ignorance will believe we don't judge what we see. We are here to be happy and experience the joy of human existence and we have all have experienced rejection pain. So whatever reasons affect our perception of ourselves, whether we are young, old male or female, it is entirely ok to adjust and change, whether it is our opinion, view or appearance. And when a wonderful group of experts come together to produce something beautiful, I am there encouraging them on!'

Sian, however, begged to differ. 'Leave women alone', she said. 'Some of us are glad to look our age as it means no longer getting unwanted attention. Why is it always assumed women need and want improving all the time, I am sick of it. True beauty comes from within.'

So it seems not everyone is a fan, but whatever you think of Ten Years Younger, it's certainly eye-catching television indeed!

Thanks for all your posts and messages throughout July. Do keep them coming!

All the best,

Nic x