Dr Vana Katsomitrou was boarding a flight to Spain on Christmas Eve but was told she wasn’t getting on after a baggage row – the doctor said she was only refunded £13

An NHS doctor has rowed with EasyJet and claimed the budget airline threw her off a flight over her baggage – despite her luggage fitting in the box.

Dr Vana Katsomitrou travelled to London Luton Airport for a four-night holiday in Alicante, Spain, with just hand luggage but her trip turned into chaos before it started. The doctor was due to fly on Christmas Eve and said she was asked to put her bag into the sizer. Vana claimed the worker thought the bag was too big but the flyer alleged it fit “comfortably” inside the box. The doctor said she tapped an employee’s shoulder to show her the bag in the sizer but claimed the staff member “loudly” warned Vana not to touch her.

The doctor claimed the EasyJet employee “shouted” at her and accused the traveller of harassment before saying the doctor could not board the flight to Spain.

Vana said she then apologised and offered to pay the £60 luggage charge but was still banned from getting on her £160 flight to Alicante, the day before Christmas.

EasyJet has since confirmed Vana removed items from her bag to enable it to fit in the measuring box. However they said she was then “disruptive” so not allowed to fly.

Vana, from Wembley Park, London, said: “I had booked a trip for a few days with some of my girlfriends to spend Christmas together in Spain. My friends were already there but I was working so I was going to find them in Spain. It was only for three days so I had a backpack with a few clothes.

“I went to the airport and there was this woman who was quite aggressive with the people boarding and she had an attitude. She was asking people to pay for their luggage because it was too big. She stopped me too and said my backpack was too big and didn’t fit in the box.

“I took out a denim jacket and put it on. The bag fit the box very comfortably. She turned her back on me and I touched her on her arm to show her the bag fits. At that moment she started shouting ‘don’t touch me.’ She told me that I harassed her.

“I begged them because it was Christmas Eve, I wanted to spend Christmas with friends. I said ‘if I did something that offended you, I apologise’, and she said she did not accept my apology. They didn’t let me on the plane.

“There were no more flights and I spent Christmas alone. They ruined my Christmas. She was so angry and annoyed at me. It’s like she was annoyed that she was working Christmas Eve and wanted to ruin everyone else’s time. I wasn’t aggressive at all.”

Vana complained to EasyJet and said they responded saying a member of staff had claimed to have “felt threatened”, so Vana was not allowed to board. They then said they were unable to disclose the outcome “for security reasons” – but told her to “rest assured” they took her feedback seriously. She was also given a £13 refund.

Vana has vowed to never fly with EasyJet again unless it is a matter of “life and death”. She said: “I’m really careful about how I speak to people, I work for the NHS and I’m always careful not to say something that will offend people. After that I complained online asking for compensation and they sent me an email explaining their policy.

“I said I would like to appeal and sent them photo evidence. There is no evidence I threatened a member of their team. Even the airport allocator said they didn’t see or hear me threaten anyone.

“They got back to me and refused. They said I was disruptive. I was in shock. I had paid for an Uber there and back. We had paid for the Airbnb, and I had booked a taxi from the airport. I felt awful and exhausted. I’d never fly with EasyJet again unless it is a matter of life and death.”

An EasyJet spokesperson said: “Our ground crew will check that bags are within the maximum dimensions to ensure they fit where they need to be stowed in the cabin and in fairness to customers who have booked to bring additional luggage. As Ms Katsomitrou behaved disruptively towards our team at the gate, she was refused travel. We do not tolerate abusive or threatening behaviour towards our staff.”

Gordon Ramsay has offered his version of events at Brooklyn Beckham’s infamous wedding, including whether Victoria ‘inappropriately’ danced.

Last month, Brooklyn Beckham launched a brutal takedown of his parents on social media, which came after over a year of reports there was tension in the family.

In his explosive 800-word statement, Brooklyn accused his parents of trying to ‘control’ him and ‘ruin’ his relationship with wife Nicola Peltz, 31.

He went on to write that he ‘did not want to reconcile’ with his family, with it emerging he’d also blocked his brothers Romeo, 23, and Cruz, 20, on social media.

Among these claims, Brooklyn also alleged that Victoria ‘hijacked’ his wedding and danced ‘inappropriately’ in front of everyone, ‘humiliating’ him.

However, discussing the wedding which he attended along with his family, Michelin-starred chef Gordon gave his version events.

Speaking to The Sun ahead of his new Netflix documentary Being Gordon Ramsay, Gordon said: ‘We were there at the wedding. There was nothing salacious. There was nothing inappropriate. Everyone was having fun, having a dance.’

Asked whether Victoria ‘grinded’ on Brooklyn, he added: ‘No! Nothing of the sort. It was fun.’

The chef went on to say that the former Spice Girl has a ‘great sense of humour’, but she would be ‘right to upset’ about the wedding.

The 59-year-old Kitchen Nightmares star also said that he is still in contact with the eldest Beckham child, Brooklyn.

Explaining how they have ‘messaged a little bit’ and have a ‘solid relationship’, Gordon said he loves Brooklyn and his ‘heart is incredible’ but warned that it’s hard ‘when you’re infatuated’.

‘I’ve seen first hand just how good parents they are. David as a dad is just incredible. They have both put so much energy into their kids, and I know just how many times they have got Brooklyn out of the s***.’

‘I think it’s going to be a matter of time before Brooklyn takes a good look at himself and understands just what his parents mean to him.

‘He’s desperate to forge his own way, and I respect that from Brooklyn. It’s such a good thing to do. But remember where you came from. And honestly, one day you’re not going to have your mum and dad, and you need to understand that. That penny will drop.’

‘I just want Brooklyn to take a moment to himself. And remember: You’re half mum, half dad. And you’re an amazing young man. But, boy, they’ve done more for you than anyone did in your entire life. Time’s going to be the best healer, and David will absolutely get that relationship back on track.’

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All you need to know ahead of Ireland vs Italy in the Six Nations on Saturday – kick-off time, TV channel, live stream, team news, head-to-head, odds

Ireland are set to face Italy at the Aviva this afternoon, hoping to bounce back from a disappointing start against France in Paris last week.

Andy Farrell has made six changes to the team that lost to France, with Robert Baloucoune, James Lowe, James Ryan, Cormac Izuchukwu and Jack Conan joining the line-up, whilst Caelan Doris moves from no8 to no7.

In contrast, Italy arrive in Dublin on a high after defeating Scotland in Rome last Saturday.

Five of their starting XV play for clubs outside Italy – Monty Ioane (Lyon), Paolo Garbisi (Toulon), Danilo Fischetti (Northampton), Giacomo Notera (Stade Francais) and Andrea Zambonin (Exeter).

Here’s what you need to know about the match:, reports the Irish Mirror.

Who: Ireland vs Italy.

What: 2026 Six Nations Championship.

Where: Aviva Stadium, Dublin.

When: Saturday, Feb 14th.

Kick-off time? 2.10pm.

Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland), who is set to become the first woman to referee a men’s Six Nations game.

Did you know?

Ireland and Italy have faced off 73 times; Ireland have won 69 times, whilst Italy have claimed victory four times.

Other second round matches include: Scotland vs England at Murrayfield, and Wales vs France on Sunday at 3.10pm.

First round results were: France 36-14 Ireland; Italy 18-15 Scotland; England 48-7 Wales.

Quotes corner.

Andy Farrell (Ireland coach): “We just happen to have lost a lot of experience and people are coming in. We have a lot of new caps and certainly a lot of players under 10 caps particularly

“They have to go through this and they have to go through Paris to learn, along with the players that we have not got that are injured and the players who we are giving this experience to down the track. You always have to go through a little bit of pain to get to that point in all generations.”

Italy’s Coach, Gonzalo Quesada, commented on the victory over Scotland: “It’s yet another demonstration of our maturity. The players who had been used less often performed very well. We showed great character. We never let the expectations placed on us influence us.

“It’s nice to raise expectations ahead of Ireland, to make calculations, to think about future results. This happens when you sense that great results are possible, but we know where we still need to improve and we must keep our feet on the ground.”

Ireland’s number 8, Jack Conan, reflected: “I don’t know if fallout is the right word, but yeah, look, we weren’t at the level at all, were we? I think physically more than anything else with our intent, I think we allowed them 18 offloads or something like that. And with a team like that, when they get in behind you, they’re really hard to stop. So I think our probably physical intent was the area that let us down the most.”

Did you know?

The last three encounters saw Ireland triumph 22-17 in Rome 2025, 36-0 in Dublin 2024 and 33-17 in Rome in 2023.

Betting odds: Ireland 1/12. Draw 40/1.

Italy 15/2.

Handicap: Ireland -16 points.

Six Nations outright odds: France 1/2, England 21/10, Ireland 30/1, Scotland 35/1, Italy 75/1, Wales 500/1.

Popular Bets include: Dan Sheehan as first try-scorer at 6/1, anytime try-scorer at 4/6; Craig Casey as Man of the Match at 11/1; Tommaso Menoncello as Man of the Match at 33/1; Each team to score seven or more points in each half at 9/4.

The match on Saturday will be broadcast live on Virgin Media One and ITV. Live radio commentary will be available on RTE Radio 1.

Team Line-Ups:.

Ireland: Jamie Osborne; Robert Baloucoune, Garry Ringrose, Stuart McCloskey, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Dan Sheehan, Thomas Clarkson, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Cormac Izuchukwu, Caelan Doris (capt), Jack Conan.

Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Tom O’Toole, Tadhg Furlong, Edwin Edogbo, Tadhg Beirne, Nick Timoney, Jamison Gibson-Park, Jack Crowley.

Italy: Lorenzo Pani; Louis Lynagh, Tommaso Menoncello, Leonardo Marin, Monty Ioane; Paolo Garbisi, Alessandro Fusco; Danilo Fischetti, Giacomo Nicotera, Simone Ferrari, Niccolò Cannone, Andrea Zambonin, Michele Lamaro (capt), Manuel Zuliani, Lorenzo Cannone,.

Replacements: Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, Mirco Spagnolo, Muhamed Hasa, Federico Ruzza, Riccardo Favretto, David Odiase, Alessandro Garbisi, Paolo Odogwu.

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Because England’s winning streak started with some streaky wins.

Victory over France in round two of last year’s Six Nations was delivered, in part, by Gallic butterfingers.

The one-point win over Scotland a fortnight later would have been defeat had Russell nailed a final-play conversion shot.

After closing out that Six Nations campaign with wins over Italy and Wales, England, without 14 British and Irish Lions, impressed by beating Argentina twice on a two-Test tour.

But the Pumas, run ragged by the 12-month demands on their star players, were also at less than full strength.

Victory over New Zealand was the centrepiece of England’s autumn, but the subsequent sacking of Scott Robertson suggested that the All Blacks were not taking up tools with their usual gusto.

England’s current run has been built around Twickenham. Can they go on the road and break the hex that Scotland have held over them in recent years?

If not, back-to-back away trips to the Stade de France and Ellis Park to play France and South Africa in March and July respectively suddenly look a whole lot more daunting.

There are some relative Test rookies in their line-up. Henry Arundell is much improved in defence, but was barely tested against Wales last week. Tommy Freeman is learning on the job at centre, a potential opening that Sione Tuipulotu and Jones will attempt to exploit. Guy Pepper, eight caps deep, will be a target for wily opposite number Jamie Ritchie.

Elsewhere Luke Cowan-Dickie can wobble on the oche at line-out time, while England’s replacements did not accelerate away from Wales as Borthwick might have hoped, with the hosts shading the second half by a relatively narrow 19-7.

They are minor quibbles. Certainly in comparison to Scotland’s.

Gregor Townsend’s men were stung by a defeat by Italy that might signal the beginning of the end for both a coach and a generation of stellar players.

But, those happier, more distant memories are also still resident in their line-up.

Two names remain from the 23 who beat England eight years ago – Russell, who threw the pass, and Jones, who caught it.

England must break that link to the past.

Petrol prices recorded a new five year low last week

The price of petrol in Northern Ireland remains low after reaching its cheapest price in five years last week.

Forecourt fuel pumps were recording an average of 124.2p per litre for petrol last week, the lowest level since May 2021. Prices this week are up very slightly, but remain low at an average of 124.3p per litre.

Petrol prices vary depending on location around Northern Ireland and even between retailers. The price is made up of several factors, including when fuel was purchased by retailers and the volume bought at a given price.

READ MORE: Minister announces above-inflation rise in regional domestic rates as Cost of Living crisis continuesREAD MORE: How to find cheapest petrol near you as Northern Ireland prices reach new five year low

This week, the Consumer Council’s Fuel Price Checker shows Newtownabbey is the cheapest place to fill up at the pumps, for both petrol and diesel. Petrol prices here are an average of 122.4p per litre (1.9p below the regional average). Diesel prices in the area are an average of 128.4p per litre (3.6p below average).

The most expensive place in Northern Ireland for petrol this week is Strabane, where the average is 126.9p per litre (2.6p above the Northern Ireland average). For diesel, Newry has the most expensive prices, with the average price of one litre coming in at 135.9p (3.9p above average).

The highest recorded average prices for fuel were in June 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, at 189.9 per litre for petrol and 197.5 per litre for diesel.

On February 2, the UK Government launched their Fuel Finder Scheme which means that forecourts across the UK must submit their pricing information and notify within 30 minutes of any price change at the pump.

Commenting on the Fuel Finder Scheme, Head of Transport Policy at the Consumer Council, Michelle Kelly, said: “We welcome this open data scheme which is a significant extension of the type of transparency the Consumer Council has sought to create for Northern Ireland consumers through our Fuel Price Checker.”

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King Charles removed Andrew from public duties – but a new tell-all book says William has been at odds with his uncle for some time

A blistering new book reveals the truth behind the difficult relationship between Prince William and his uncle, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

‘William & Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story’ has been wrriten by The Mirror‘s royal editor Russell Myers, drawing on his many years of experience following the royal couple. Set to be published on February 26, it’s the first joint biography of the Prince and Princess of Wales in more a decade.

The book reveals the blistering rows which have taken place behind closed doors as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor’s exile from the royal family has been years in the making. Following his ascension to the throne in September 2022, King Charles removed Andrew from public duties and stripped him of his HRH.

In October 2025 he delivered the final blow, evicting his disgraced younger brother and revoking his prince title, before unceremoniously kicking him out under the cover of darkness earlier this month. Now, he’s just a commoner, reports The Mirror.

Given the level of public outrage directed at Andrew through his association with Jeffrey Epstein, Charles was left with little option but to take decisive action. But it’s a decision his eldest son, Prince William, would have taken far earlier.

According to the author, William’s negative view of his uncle long predated his very public fall from grace. The prince saw Andrew as a ‘bit of an ignoramus’ and questioned what he actually did. “But it was more than that.

He’d seen how Andrew behaved in front of staff, ordering people about, the aggressive or dismissive manner, they’d never seen eye to eye,” Myers writes.

But it was the ex-duke’s association with convicted paedophile Epstein that proved insurmountable. William strongly believed that immediate action should be taken following Andrew’s now-infamous Newsnight interview in 2019. While, unbelievably, Andrew believed the interview had ‘gone well’, it was widely seen as a disaster – not just for the then-prince, but for the monarchy at large.

Myers reveals that in the aftermath, William spoke to his father to implore him and the late Queen to take action – fearing not only the public backlash but for his own future. Both William and Kate were angered by Andrew’s failure to apologise for his connection to Epstein, or acknowledge the victims of sexual abuse, the new book reveals. They are both said to be wholly aligned on the subject of Andrew.

A source told the author that William thought Andrew should be removed from the picture immediately ‘before the rot set in further’. “William’s view was that he [Andrew] got himself into the whole mess, so he should be left to his own devices to sort it out away from the family,” they said.

Then, in August 2021, more humiliation came for the monarchy. Virginia Giuffre, a victim of Epstein who died by suicide last year, filed a civil lawsuit against Andrew in New York, alleging sexual assault when she was 17. The case, filed under the Child Victims Act, proceeded despite attempts to dismiss it. As a result, in January 2022, the late Queen stripped her second son of his honorary military titles, royal patronages, and the use of the “His Royal Highness” (HRH) style. The case was ultimately settled out of court the following month, with the Queen, Prince Philip and the then-Prince Charles reportedly loaning Andrew £12million to pay Giuffre off.

Issues once again arose at Christmas time in 2023. The King extended an olive branch to Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson and invited them both to Sandringham (it was Sarah’s first invite in 32 years).

Charles’s decision to bring his brother back into the family fold was something William fundamentally disagreed with and he challenged his father directly- however, a source with knowledge of the conversation said that William was “very much put in his place”.

But, as the prince predicted, the harmony was short-lived. The start of 2024 saw renewed and intense scrutiny following the unsealing of US court documents brought in 2015 by Andrew’s accuser Giuffre, against Ghislaine Maxwell, who procured underage girls for Jeffrey Epstein to abuse. It was claimed that then-Duke of York had indulged in ‘daily massages’ during frequent visits to Epstein’s Florida mansion. Allegations that he had taken part in an ‘underage orgy’ also resurfaced.

Outraged, William again implored the King to act, by stripping Andrew of his remaining titles and ‘banishing’ him from the family for good in order to protect the reputation of the institution. Charles, meanwhile, was believed to be attempting to honour the wishes of his late mother, the Queen, who believed that her second son would one day be exonerated. As such, he stopped short of pushing for his banishment. “By contrast, William made it clear that once he became king there would be no such mercy.”

One palace source told Myers: “His view was crystal clear, Andrew shouldn’t be anywhere near the family under any circumstances, not by association, not at family functions, anywhere. Every single time there was a new revelation, which no one knew when it was coming or what the next one would be, it was a stain on all of the family.”

Then, in October 2025, a newly leaked email showed that Andrew told Epstein ‘we are in this together’ after a picture of the royal with his arm around a teenage Virginia Giuffre was first published in 2011. The email appeared to contradict his previous claim on BBC Newsnight that he had ceased contact with the convicted child sex offender by that point.

Days later, Andrew announced he was giving up his titles, including the Duke of York, following “discussion with the King”. In a statement, he said that the “continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family “.

Then, at the end of that same month, came the final blow. Buckingham Palace confirmed that Andrew was losing his ‘Prince’ title, now becoming known as simply Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. The palace also said Andrew has been served formal notice to surrender his lease on Royal Lodge, his 30-room Windsor mansion.

Nevertheless, the ‘Andrew problem’ continues to haunt the royals. While he has now been whisked away to live in Sandringham, away from the public gaze, scandal continues to follow Andrew with the release of the most recent Epstein files. There are now calls for him to give evidence before the US Congress, while police have said they are investigating Andrew over reports he shared confidential reports from his role as the UK’s trade envoy with sex offender Epstein.

On 9 February, William and Kate broke their public silence over Andrew’s involvement in the Epstein files. A Kensington Palace spokesperson said: “I can confirm that the Prince and Princess of Wales have been deeply concerned by the continued revelations. Their thoughts remain focused on the victims.”

A short time later, Charles also issued a statement. “The King has made clear, in words and through unprecedented actions, his profound concern at allegations which continue to come to light in respect of Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct,” a Palace spokesman said. “While the specific claims in question are for Mr Mountbatten-Windsor to address, if we are approached by Thames Valley Police we stand ready to support them as you would expect.”

It’s clear there is no way back for Andrew, with both the King and his heir now aligned on the matter. The decision to evict him from Royal Lodge under the cover of darkness earlier this month reportedly came after an “urgent meeting” held between Charles and William at Sandringham. The final straw, according to royal sources, was the sight of Andrew trotting around the Windsor estate on his horse, and waving at members of the public.

The disgraced former Prince made his last appearance with the royal family when he attended the funeral of the Duchess of Kent at Westminster Cathedral on 16 September 2025, accompanied by his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson. It was an extraordinary gathering. Andrew, laughing and smiling at times, was seen trying to strike up a conversation with William – to no avail.

Andrew, 65, continues to deny any wrongdoing. He is also said to be in complete denial about his dramatic fall from grace.

Extracted from WILLIAM AND CATHERINE by RUSSELL MYERS, published by Ebury Spotlight on February 26 at £22. Copyright © Russell Myers 2025.

The two separate power cuts were reported just before 9.30pm on the evening of Friday February 13 towards the north of Horwich and in Astley Bridge.

Electricity North West says 55 homes and business have been left without power in Horwich and 13 in Astley Bridge.

The company said: “This power cut has been caused by an unexpected incident with the underground cable that provides electricity to your home or business.

“We didn’t know before your electricity went off that this was going to happen but now we know, rest assured we will get your power back on safely and as quickly as possible.”

“Please note that all our timescales are estimated based on previous experience and may change if new information becomes available while our engineers are fixing the issue.

“With underground power cuts, we may need to dig to repair the cable and this can sometime extend the length of time you are without power.”

On Friday night a member of the public reported that the Green Lane area in Horwich had been in “darkness and unsafe for pedestrians”.

Electricity North West say the expected time for power to be restored at the Astley Bridge properties is around 11.23am on Saturday morning.

In Horwich the expected time is “under receive”.

The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for large parts of the country as Arctic maritime air sweeps across the country, bringing the risk of heavy snow in some regions.

The forecaster has warned of difficult travel conditions and urged people to take “extra care” on the roads.

Met Office warns of heavy snow in UK amid weather warnings

A yellow warning for ice has been issued across Wales and central and southern England.

This alert came into effect at 5pm on Friday and will remain in place until 10am on Saturday.

The Met Office said icy surfaces might lead to difficult travel conditions with potential for “some injuries” from slips and falls.

Parts of the north east of England and northern Scotland are also covered with a warning for snow and ice, which came into force at 4pm on Friday and runs until 10am on Saturday.

A further yellow warning for snow and ice stretching from Derby to Scotland will begin on Saturday evening and continue into Sunday morning.

The Met Office said snow in these areas could be “heavy at times” and cause “some disruption to travel”.

Forecasters said: “Accumulations of 1-3cm (of snow) will be possible at low levels, with 3-7cm possible above about 150m elevation, and perhaps 10-15cm above 400m.”

Rebekah Hicks, chief forecaster at the Met Office, said: “Snow is likely ahead of the rain across northern England and Scotland and could reach lower levels at times on Saturday night into Sunday.

“The snow will gradually turn to rain as the front moves east across the country on Sunday.

“The rain may be heavy at times and it will be windy in coastal areas.

“Additional warnings may be required.

“We encourage the public to keep up to date with the latest forecasts and any warnings that may be issued.”

Meanwhile, the Environment Agency has urged the public to remain “vigilant” amid the ongoing flood risk.

Recommended reading:

There are currently 75 flood warnings and 151 flood alerts in place across the country.

Jonathan Day, flood duty manager at the Environment Agency, said: “With another band of rain on its way, we need the public to remain vigilant to the risk of flooding.

“So far, more than 24,000 homes and business have been protected but sadly around 330 have suffered flooding and our thoughts are with those communities affected.”

Is your area due to be affected by snow this weekend? Let us know in the comments.

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When it comes to makeup, we’ve all pretty much got our routines down, right? We mostly know the products that work best for us.

However, there is one key step that you might be missing that will take your look from everyday to pure glam, and that is blush.

Of course, you’ve got the icons of blushers, such as Benefit’s Benetint, Milk Makeup

Cooling Water Jelly Tint, and Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wand, but if you’re a complete novice to the product, how do you go about finding the right one for you? How do you know if there is a better shade match than the one you have? Blusher can completely transform a look, so we’ve spoken to Professional Makeup Artist for over 30 years, Kate Hughes, to dive into all that there is to know.

‘When it comes to blushers, the goal is to mimic a natural flush. A classic trick is to look at the colour of your cheeks after a workout or a brisk walk.’

‘For fair skin: look for soft pinks, peaches, or light lilacs. Anything too dark can look like a bruise; sheer is your friend. Medium/olive skin tones can handle richer pigments like rosy pinks, warm ambers, and bright corals. Olive undertones look incredible in warm berry shades.

Then, for deeper skin shades, go bold. High pigment terracotta, deep berries, and bright oranges show up beautifully. Don’t be afraid of colours that look scary in the pan, they melt into deep skin tones for a natural glow.’

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Merit’s Flush Balms, £26, are one of our top recommended blushers. They come available in over 12 shades, so if you’re following Kate’s advice, you will be able to find a suitable shade for yourself. ‘It’s a great product for beginners to effectively build up coverage without overdoing it. Just swipe and blend with either your finger or a brush.’ It’s also a great size to pop in your bag in case you need a little reapply throughout the day.

Another excellent lightweight option is Saie Dew Blush Liquid Cheek Flush, £22. The brand combines skin-loving ingredients such as evening primrose and mulberry extract with their formulas to create an overall seamless look. This will leave a more dewy, wet-look whilst appearing natural. Follow Kate’s advice and go bold with their Hottie shade.

e.l.f Primer-Infused Matte Blush is an affordable powder alternative. This 2-in-1 long-wear blush is infused with Vitamin E and jojoba seed oil and has a primer formula to minimize shine, leave a smooth, matte finish and works to boost its staying powder. 

When it comes to where to place your blush, Kate suggests ‘To lift, apply to the high points of the cheekbones and blend upward toward your temples. This gives a snatched, fresh look. For a sun-kissed look, apply across the bridge of your nose and the apples of your cheeks. This mimics where the sun naturally hits. If you want fullness, apply directly to the apples (the fleshy part when you smile) for a soft, rounded look.

The golden rule: start with a tiny amount. You can always add more, but it’s much harder to take it off once it’s there.’

‘If you’re a complete novice, start with a cream or liquid formula. They are much more forgiving than powders because you can blend them out with your fingers if you accidentally apply too much. Powders are best for oily skin or a matte finish. It can last a long time, but it can sometimes look chalky on dry skin. 

Whereas creams are best for a dewy, lit-from-within look. Great for dry or mature skin. Then, liquid/gels are very lightweight and usually give a watercolour-like transparency. Stains dry almost instantly, so if you’re confident with placement and blending, they do last all day.’

Kate’s go-to blushers that she loves are ‘My favourite inexpensive option is Collection Cosmetics Duo Blush, as it has both cream and powder blush in seeing double (great for layering), and it’s only £4.99. Whereas a more expensive option I always reach for is Hourglass’s Ambient Lightning Blush in Sublime Flush, which costs £46. It’s such a great colour that suits almost everyone.’

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