Binky beats the winter blues with a pamper evening and shows YOU exactly what you'll need for your own luxury night in

We've had a freezing past few days in London and I've come to accept the fact that winter is now here to stay.

Although I love a good night out, with the colder weather it's so much more tempting to stay in with a cup of tea and a DVD.

Every once in a while it's nice to sit back, relax and have some well-deserved 'me time', as well as pampering my face, body and hair with all my favourite beauty bits.

So this week I thought I'd share with you how I'd spend a perfect relaxing evening in during the winter.

For me, there's no better way to start a relaxing evening in than a hot bubble bath. I love the sensuous indulgent aroma of the Tisserand Signature Blend Luxury Bath Soak, which is made up of natural ingredients to relax the body and mind.

If I'm feeling particularly stressed I also add in a few drops of the ultra-calming lavender and mandarin scented Tisserand De-Stress Blend Luxury Bath Oil.

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While relaxing in the bath I'll usually apply a cream face mask to rejuvenate my skin. As I wear a lot of make-up during the week, it's important for me to keep my skin fresh and hydrated so it doesn't end up looking sallow.

The La Roche-Posay Hydraphase Intense Masque has a velvety gel-cream texture which is super-soothing on the skin and leaves it looking glowing.

As I use a lot of heated appliances on my hair during the week, when I'm having a pamper evening I also take the opportunity to treat and repair my locks with an intensive conditioning mask such as DHC Rich & Moisturising Care Treatment.

Moisturising your body after bathing can sometimes be a tedious task, but not when you're using a gorgeous smelling body butter like L'Occitane Shea Butter Ultra Rich Body Cream.

The thick, comforting formula leaves skin feeling nourished and supple without leaving any greasy residue – plus the cream's marshmallow and sweet almond extract means your body will be smelling divine for hours.

Long baths can sometimes dry your hands out, so I always use the luxurious rose-scented Paul Edmonds Cashmere, Rose de Mai and Patchouli Hand Lotion after bathing – its light, nourishing texture leaves my hands feeling amazingly soft.

Once I've slipped on a fluffy dressing gown and settled myself in front of the TV, I like to relax with a cooling gel face mask like the DHC Bio Cellulose Mask to keep my skin feeling plumped and refreshed, as well as reducing any redness or agitation on my face. Simply leave on and chill out for 20 minutes to reveal a thoroughly more radiant complexion.

If you suffer from under eye bags, I thoroughly recommend the DHC Revitalising Moisture Strips for Eyes. Place the cooling gel patches under your eyes for around half an hour for visibly brighter and more awake-looking peepers. Perfect if you've had a heavy weekend!

To round off my pamper evening, I love lighting a scented candle like Yankee Candle in Clean Cotton – which fills my whole bedroom with a beautifully crisp, fresh aroma – and painting my nails a new shade ready for the week ahead.

I tend to opt for deep, dark and mysterious tones on my talons during the colder months; my current favourites are Michael Kors Glam Nail Lacquer in the shimmering indigo blue hue Femme Fatale and my very own Binky London Gel Nail Polish in Beaufort Burgundy.

Hope you enjoyed reading about my perfect relaxing evening in – you can get all the products I mentioned from Escentual.com. Will you be planning something similar soon? I'd love to hear what pampering products you'd go for!

Love Binky xxx

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So just how much money does it take to get Mariah Carey ready for a photo shoot? Hint: A LOT

Mariah Carey has developed a reputation as something of a diva over the course of her 25 year career.

And a new lawsuit brought by a photographer against the singer's record label does nothing to dispel the image, shedding some light on the enormous amount of expense required to get her ready for a photoshoot.

According to a report in TMZ, the 45-year-old singer needs a whopping $85,000 worth of glamming up before she even starts to strike a pose in front of the camera.

The legal documents state that Mariah requires the services of a top notch stylist, which costs a whopping $65,391. Then there's $9,600 for a hair stylist and $7,200 for a make-up artist.

Even the bill for the manicurist runs to five figures, costing $2,400 for Mariah's fingernails to look perfect.

The lawsuit has been brought by a photographer who claims he prepared a photoshoot for the singer's album cover only for it to be cancelled for 'no reason'.

The photographer is suing for his $150,000 fee, but Mariah's record label is claiming 'they never fully agreed on the terms of the contract... so there's no breach,' according to TMZ.

Meanwhile, the star has not escaped controversy during her Australian tour, with recent reports suggesting one of her local support acts was axed from her Perth show allegedly for being female.

Singer Natalia claimed she was told at the last minute that she would no longer be required to perform as her support act.

Sounding devastated she told 2Day FM’s Jules Lund, Merrick Watts and Sophie Monk that she was 'crushed.'

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'It was an absolute dream to be put forward. I came home on Thursday to an email from the promoter saying call me ASAP they want you on the main stage. I got bumped up and I think I vomited.

'I couldn't believe it, she’s such an idol and to be the local support act before Nathaniel [Willemse]...and then on Saturday I was told: "Sorry Nat, she doesn't want a female".

'So you can imagine the emotional roller coaster, it was heartbreaking.'

She added: ‘To be told from management that your music is good enough to bump you up to that stage, to then be told you can’t because you’re female.

'People said, "She’s threatened". She’s not threatened she was unbelievable last night but if she could have just looked me in the eyes and seen how devastated I have been, I was crushed.

But a spokesman for Mariah Carey has denied the singer was involved in the decision to axe Natalia.

Issuing a statement on the singer's Australian tour Facebook page on Monday following the first date of Mariah's Elusive Chanteuse Show tour in Perth, it deigned to 'clear up' some of the post show speculation.

'Reports are floating around regarding a Perth singer who was cut from a supporting act role at the last minute,' it read, referring to a Western Australian artist who was initially lined-up to perform on the show.

'She has expressly made it her mission on Twitter to get as many media-outlets as possible to blame Mariah for this.

'We can confirm unequivocally that Mariah did not know anything about this decision, nor was she responsible for it.'

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Welcome to the latest edition of Looks from Books, which aims to prove that you can look smart, while still being book-smart, too. Fashion inspiration can be found between the pages of your favorite stories, on well-designed book covers, and in your favorite characters… if you read closely enough.

This week, we’re taking a break from the summer heat to get lost in our bookshelves with a very vintage “Looks from Books” inspired by Carolyn Keene’s Nancy Drew mystery series!

Inside Cover

The Nancy Drew Mystery Series are an iconic series of children’s novels published under the pseudonym of Carolyn Keene, beginning in 1930.

The series was actually constructed via an outline-method, with the Stratemeyer Syndicate publishing head Harriet Stratemeyer Adams creating outlines for the novels, while ghostwriters from around the country, including prominent Nancy writer Mildred Wirt Benson, fleshed out the novels themselves, and were paid a blanket sum for the work.

This unusual construction method, coupled with the extensive editing the Nancy Drew series underwent beginning in 1959, as well as the original genesis of Nancy having been in a proposal created by Harriet’s father – and Syndicate founder – Edward Stratemeyer, there is much debate over who actually carries the credit for “creating” Nancy.

The series follows intrepid teenage sleuth Nancy Drew as she solves mysteries, usually in her hometown of River Heights, with the help of her friends Bess and George, not to mention the always-understanding Ned Nickerson. Created to compete with Adams’ other high-selling mystery series, The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew novels soon outsold their competition. To this date, over 80 million copies have been sold worldwide, and the books have been translated into over 45 languages.

Nancy was most recently adapted for screen in the 2007 movie adaptation, which starred Emma Roberts as the titular teen heroine. The film received a generally positive audience response, but received criticism from hardcore fans, who argued that their teen heroine had been toned-down. (For instance, at one pivotal point of the movie, Nancy comments on how she must obey the speed limit, while fans of the novels know that kind of an issue hasn’t stopped the sleuth in the past.) Even the very first Nancy adaptations, four films starring Bonita Granville in the late 1930s, were panned by fans for their significant changes to their heroine and her world.

However, this never lost Nancy any followers. Besides being a great series for developing readers, Nancy Drew books have been lauded by many as an early icon of the feminist movement in the ’60s. In fact, some of her fans include women in high positions of political power, including famous first ladies Hillary Rodham Clinton and Laura Bush, as well as Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O’Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Sonia Sotomayor.

How to Add Nancy to Your Wardrobe

By integrating key elements from the series, you, too, can have a classic look that pays homage to the iconic heroine without looking like you’re stuck in the past. College Fashion is here to solve the case!

Sleek Sleuth

Whether it’s the original Nancy, written into the fifty-cent novels of the 1930s, the refined and rewritten Nancy of the yellow-covered 1960s, the fashion-centric “new” Nancy of the 1980s, or even the Emma Roberts retro-supergirl Nancy of the 2007 remake, Nancy’s legacy is always adapting to fit the styles of new generations of leaders. However, there are some aspects of the teenage sleuth that have lasted through the extensive rewrites, court battles, transitions to new media, spin-off series, and more. For what kind of girl would our fearless heroine be, without her magnifying glass and sturdy roadster?

Channel the iconic hallmarks that made up Nancy’s world, like her favorite color (blue) and some super-sleuth classics, like a trench coat, for a look that hearkens back to the style of the original Nancy, yet is still perfect for today’s fashions. A drop waist blue dress looks similar to the one on the original “Old Clock” cover, while t-strap wedges elevate an old style. A classic trench always looks good, while a leather crossbody holds all your clues on a good case. Sunglasses and a cloche hat help when you need to go incognito, while the whole look is pulled together with a magnifying glass necklace.

Girl on the Go

Nancy finds her origins in the groundbreaking format of fifty-cent novels, coping with the competition of the rough-and-tumble heroes of the boys books listed alongside her titles, so she is no stranger to action. From climbing in trees to thrilling car chases, facing down fearsome foes in crumbling castles and haunted halls alike, Nancy has always been a girl on the go, originally written with a spunk and flair far from the shy and rule-following girlishness she is sometimes known for today. Either way though, she has always demonstrated the same sense of adventure.

Inspired by Nancy’s own harrowing adventures, pull together a put-together look that allows for some action of your own. Tailored jeans and a crewneck cardigan are a stylishly prim means of keeping it casual, while a silky blouse and patent belt look ultra-polished. Penny loafers are a perfectly retro way to crack the case, while embellished hair pins help you keep your hair tucked back while writing field notes.

Timelessly Trendy

Though times have changed a lot over the years, Nancy continues to inspire young women. Despite the changing styles alongside those changing times and changing covers, her series also serves as a solid source of quintessential sartorial inspiration. From the carefully-painted cover illustrations to the iconic Nancy logo, her quintessential Drew style will always be a hallmark for the classic character.

Classic silhouettes and updated accessories prove Nancy still can keep up with these modern times while maintaining her nostalgic ties to the past. A bright yellow dress in a classic shape takes on the color the current generation of Nancy lovers know best, while lace loafers, stud earrings, a prim mint purse, bright nail polish, and a tortoiseshell cuff watch are all new versions of classic pieces. The look is finished with a necklace featuring a working flashlight pendant, which is definitely an accessory Nancy would love!

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