The perfect… Eyeliner
“This clever three-pronged brush makes applying a slick flick of liner so simple.”
Beth Neil, Celebrity Editor
Cheat sheet… Cotton buds – handy little dabbers, FYI
*When the zipper on your jeans gets stuck, dip a cotton bud in olive oil and run up and down the problem fastening. You’ll be slipping in or out of your skinnies in no time. Nifty!
*Dab a cotton bud in nail varnish remover and whizz round your fingertips post DIY mani to get rid of any stray bits of polish. Neat!
*Bet your computer keyboard is horribly dirty/dusty. Clean around the keys with a cotton bud. Or 10. Nice!
Social club
What was your most expensive single clothes purchase?
“A pair of Louboutins for £400. I love them!” Caroline, via Twitter
“£600 on my wedding dress. I donated it to my local college for the performing arts wardrobe. Kristina, via Facebook
“£100 on shoes, but they are just far too nice to wear out!” Jess, via Facebook
“I bought a dress for my daughter’s wedding – it was £500 – I love it!” Denise, via Facebook
Have your say Facebook us or tweet @Fabulousmag
F Phone
Amy, has London 2012 inspired you?
I’m a bit of a devil at table tennis. I was Essex County Under-14 Champion. I’m pretty competitive.
Do you still keep fit?
Absolutely. I run, go to the gym, and I’m going to be running a marathon next year. And I love doing my own fitness DVD – that’s great fun.
We hear you’re now worth £1.5million. Are you savvy with money?
Well I don’t know about that. I’ve bought a few houses and I really like to save, but I hate talking about money.
You are ambitious though?
Oh, of course. I’ve invested in my clothing collection and a salon. I’m opening another salon and a clothes shop in Brentwood High Street. Plus I’ve invested in my fake tan and own eyelashes range. It’s about investing money while you’re in the public eye.
You’ve had two boob jobs –will you have any more surgery?
I’m finished! I’m happy with myself.
What do you do on a bad hair day?
Everyone has days when they don’t feel great, but I just go and get my nails done and that usually cheers me up.
What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s happened to you?
The other day I was coming out of my salon and I fell over. It happens to me all the time.
● Amy Childs recently took part in the Nature Valley Games (Facebook.com/naturevalleyuk).
This week, we’re…
The eighth series of the best school drama since Grange Hill is back. Hoorah! And it’s now moved to Scotland, where new teachers and pupils are mingling with the old. Thursday, 8pm, BBC1.
2 Multiplexing Shadow Dancer (15)
Set in ’90s Belfast, Andrea Riseborough plays Colette, an IRA supporter who turns informant for MI5 to protect her son. Plus, it stars dishy Clive Owen. Doubly thrilling! Out Friday.
3 Downloading Bloc Party: Four
The indie-rock boys who brought us thumping tunes Banquet and Helicopter are back with album number four called, er, Four. Expect the usual infectious beats from the quartet. Out tomorrow.
Date for your diary… Viva Forever!
Don your Union Jack dress for the return of The Spice Girls. Well, their songs, at least. Comic genius Jennifer Saunders and musical maestro Judy Cramer are the brains behind the story of a girl named Viva. It’s about friendship and staying true to yourself – just like Victoria, Emma, Geri, Mel C and Mel B then! From November 27, The Piccadilly Theatre, London. Tickets are on sale now (Ticketmaster.co.uk).
Is it just us or…
Every time you tweet something funny you spend hours checking for retweets/favourites/replies from celebs?
Awkward!
The moment when your dress gets caught in your knickers. One final make-up check in the mirror as you leave the loos and everything looks in place. Sashaying out of the door and through the office, past the floor-to-ceiling windows, and you take another glance at yourself. You’re a modern businesswoman and nobody’s messing with… Argh! Your reflection appears to be er, reflecting, the fact your skirt is tucked into your knickers. A quick tug and you release it, but after a furtive look around, you realise it wasn’t quick enough. Everyone has seen your biggest pants and all that dignity and respect has left straight through those windows. If only the ladies room had full-length mirrors…
This week we want to be… Helen Glover
Helen’s our golden girl! Right: Winning with Heather Stanning
London 2012’s slogan was “Inspire a generation”. Before the Games started, we’ll admit we weren’t feeling particularly inspired (we were mainly worried about how we were going to get to work). But then the opening ceremony kicked off two weeks of jaw-dropping sporting moments.
And the most inspirational of all was someone we’d never even heard of before.
Step forward Olympic gold medallist Helen Glover. Along with her rowing partner Heather Stanning, 27, they were not only the first of Team GB to bag a gold, but the first British women in history to ever win a gold in rowing.
Even more amazingly, 26-year-old Hels trained as a PE teacher and only took up rowing four years ago. In 2008, her mum, Rachel, saw an advert in the paper looking for tall girls who fancied having a go wielding an oar. And Helen found she was quite good at it! Teaming up with army officer Heather for the coxless pairs, she trained six times a week, from 6am, even on cold, dark February mornings.
As they crossed the finishing line at Eton Dorney, it all seemed worth it. Especially as they also got an Olympic record on the way and have even been immortalised on a postage stamp. Now that surely must have been what Seb Coe meant by inspiring a generation. It’s certainly worked on team Fabulous. Watch out Rio 2016, here we come!
