Karl for Shu

No humble HBs for Karl Lagerfeld - the designer uses Shu Uemura eyeshadows to colour his fashion sketches. Which is what's led to him creating a beauty collection together with the Japanese brand. It launches on October 14 in Selfridges, Harrods and Brown Thomas Dublin before going nationwide in November. Harrods, incidentally, will stock the only pair of false eyelashes made with real rubies. So if you have a spare £900 you're in luck.

The little manga comic-style motif of the collection, Mon Shu, dressed in Lagerfeld's own trademark black and white, is cutesy (though also a little sinister), but the make-up colours are as sophisticated as you'd expect from Shu. 

The eye colours are really silky with great strong colours, while the four lipsticks (including a fab pinky-red) are creamy and luxurious. I like the reinvented eyelash curlers – still the best in the business – and the fact the prices haven't been hiked up to cash in on the Karl link. It's a fun and collectable collection (we'd love the make-up box – which is pricey, but will last for ever – and the mini make-up brushes).

Shu are always so visual about their packaging – here's the Mamechiyo collaboration they did earlier this year:

And don't forget their brilliant Cleansing Oil, in a mini sample you can sometimes get from counters if they're in stock – if you've never tried it, you'll find it's the most lovely, gentle, pleasurable way of cleaning your skin. There are different varieties to suit your skin type.