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PLANNING on wearing contact lenses with your costume this Halloween?
Fancy dress fans are being warned that eyewear available to purchase over the counter can cause eye infections and damage the cornea.
Experts have issued a warning that zero powered lenses, that are readily available in fancy dress shops, can even cause blindness.
Halloween partygoers have been warned that only prescription lenses should be worn ahead of the festive period.
One 21-year-old wearer told Daily Star that she nearly lost her vision.
She said: “It was horrible. I bought the lenses on eBay and didn't think about their safety as loads of my friends have used them."
Leeds resident Carrie-Anne Balloch added that she was left in agony after wearing a pair of £9.99 cat’s eyes contacts to a party in 2013.
"As soon as I put them in I felt like my eyes were being scraped. I didn't know what I was feeling was my eyes being damaged."
South West Wales contact lens practitioner, Loveleen Browes, appears in tonight's BBC Wales consumer rights programme X-Ray and warns of the dangers.

After Ms Browes spoke to presenter Lucy Owen on the show, she said: “Speaking on this programme will hopefully highlight the importance of using primary care contact lens practitioners for advice before purchasing over the counter and online zero powered lenses.
"We are seeing in practice an increasing number of acute eye care presentations where members of the public are not aware of the dangers of using these lenses without following proper advice."
The popular BBC Wales programme is doing a piece in the run up to Halloween about the increase in sales of unlicensed cosmetic contact lenses.
Chief executive of Optometry Wales, Sali Davis, added: "This was a great opportunity to educate the public about the dangers of wearing zero powered lenses and the role that the primary care community practitioner can play in raising awareness and helping to prevent bacterial and other eye infections."
The programme will air on BBC Wales today, Monday 27 October at 7.30pm and will be available on BBC iplayer.

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She's known to be an avid fan of vampires, but on Monday she was more White Walker than vampiric nightwalker. 
Trialing some looks ahead of Halloween, Gabi Grecko put on a pair of icy blue contacts for a series of topless Instagram shots.
With her almost luminescent pupils the 25-year-old resembled the White Walker race from the popular Game Of Throne series.  

Known for her controversial relationship with 71-year-old Geoffrey Edelsten, she used her hand to cover her modesty and wore collection of flashy gold and silver chains.
Alongside the topless snaps she uploaded selfies that saw her clad in a variety of wears.
She first slipped into a purple dress that showed off some side boob before adorning herself in a leather jacket - unzipped so as to display some cleavage. 

Gabi and Geoffrey have been together since January, and are currently spending some time apart as she tends to 'responsibilities' in New York.
Meanwhile, the businessman is in Melbourne embroiled in a legal battle as foreign creditors threaten to chase down his assets in Australia as part of his bankruptcy proceedings.
Gabi is preparing to see her beau again when she travels back Down Under for the racing season.
Known for her interesting choice of style, she is busy dreaming up an outfit for the season which will sure to catch a few eyes.

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The new series of Strictly Come Dancing is slowly reaching fever pitch.

But, for Craig Revel Horwood, his focus is not just on the celebrity contestants - but also on the future of the judging panel.  

The Australian-born choreographer has hinted that Anton Du Beke, one of the show’s professional dancers, may soon be taking over from Len Goodman.

Speaking in his regular Woman Magazine column, he said: 'My money’s on Anton du Beke joining the judging panel. 

'He could become the fifth judge, or he might take over from Len, if Len ever retires.'

The comments, which will surely raise eyebrows on the set of the dancing competition, come just weeks into the BBC show's first season without Bruce Forsyth. 

Not least because Goodman recently insisted that he would never quit the prime-time hit.

'Sometimes I read, 'Goodman isn’t going to do it any more’. That’s a load of nonsense,' he told The Telegraph. 'I’ll never not do it. I’d never not do Strictly, it’s fantastic. I love it.'  

Len, 70, is the oldest remaining member of the Strictly team.

Fortunately, if the prediction causes any awkwardness, Craig can take comfort in his new country mansion. 

The acerbic critic has lived in a terrace house in Camden since 1997, but has just bought a seven-bedroom, £1.6 million mansion in a picturesque Hampshire village.

Revel Horwood, 49, who earns £110,000 from each series of Strictly, is coy about the purchase and will not reveal whether his partner of one year, 34-year-old Damon Scott — a runner-up on Britain’s Got Talent in 2007 with a puppeteering act — will be waltzing with him into the residence.

The property, built in 2008, includes a heated outdoor swimming pool, a seven-acre paddock and woodland. 

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Cheryl Fernandez Versini's chances of winning The X Factor were delivered a devastating blow on Sunday night after two of her girls were sent home.
Both Chloe-Jasmine Whichello and Stephanie Nala were in the bottom three when it came to the results.
Stephanie, who was also in the bottom three last week, was kicked off the programme immediately after it was revealed she received the lowest amount of public votes.

'She's very distinctive so she wasn't going to be everyone's cup of tea.. she was a gamble and it's one I'd be more than happy to take again.'
Chloe was then forced into a sing-off with Louis Walsh's eight-piece boy band Stereo Kicks. 

After being dubbed Kermit the frog last night on X-Factor eighties week, Cheryl came back fighting for the vote-off.
And while there were no frightful frogs in sight, it didn't bring any more luck to the star, whose group was halved this evening as we saw the exit of Stephanie Nala and Chloe Jasmine.
But at least Cheryl was looking tip-top to wave the girls off. Her dress is haute couture Nicolas Jebran and boy did she shine in it. Embellishments are key this season and our girl Chezza certainly knows how to work it. We are loving those metallic and black shoes too.
But we're eyeing up the Goddiva dress below, which is now in the sale too. It's bright and sassy and we know Cheryl would approve. Or if you fancy something a bit more 20 flappers girl-esque, then head to the Frock & Frill number.

The platinum blonde tackled The Shirelles' Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, while the lads went for Stand By You by The Pretenders.
Following a pitchy performance from Chloe, it was down to the four judges to choose the survivor.
Obviously, Louis opted to keep Stereo Kicks, while Cheryl voted for Chloe to stay.
Melanie Brown and Simon Cowell eventually sided with Louis, and gave Stero Kicks the chance to live another day.

An unfazed Chloe insisted she was fine with the decision, saying: 'Don't worry about it! Cheryl, you are absolutely wonderful, thank you for taking a chance on me.'
She Cheryl's double elimination comes amid reports she was furious with the backstage antics of her category.
According to reports, the four girls had been embroiled in a series of arguments due to clashes behind-the-scenes.

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When Amy Poehler and Will Arnett—arguably comedy's cutest duo—separated in 2012 after nine years of marriage, we were all a little sad (in the way you're bummed when something bad happens to someone you don't know, but feel like you do, because you watch a lot of Parks and Recreation). Though the two have been pretty mum about their split until now, Amy opened up about the separation in her forthcoming memoir, Yes Please (out October 28). She writes, "Imagine spreading everything you care about on a blanket and then tossing the whole thing up in the air. The process of divorce is about loading that blanket, throwing it up, watching it all spin, and worrying what stuff will break when it lands."

Although Amy describes her divorce as "too sad" and "too personal" to discuss in detail, in another excerpt snagged by Hello! magazine, she writes, "When you are a person going through a divorce you feel incredibly alone, yet you are constantly reminded by society of how frequently divorce happens and how common it has become. You aren't allowed to feel special, but no one knows the specific ways you are in pain."

Despite the sorrow that she so eloquently describes, Amy says, "I am proud of how my ex-husband Will and I have been taking care of our children." (They have two sons, ages four and nearly six.) "I am beyond grateful he is their father, and I don't think a 10-year marriage constitutes failure."

Amy even joked that fellow comedian Louis C.K. offered some comforting words. "Divorce is always good news because no good marriage has ever ended in divorce," he reportedly said. 

Though Amy pointedly says, "Getting a divorce really sucks," there is a new-ish love in her life. Since 2013, Amy has been dating Nick Kroll, another funnyman. "I have a boyfriend who knows how to settle me," she told E! "He puts his hand on my chest and tells me boring stories…. On one of our first nights together I woke up apologizing for my snoring and he pulled out two earplugs he had worn to bed so he could hear what I was saying. It was one of the most romantic gestures I have ever seen."

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It will go down in history as one of the most glamorous celebrity weddings of all time.

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But the honeymoon is over for Amal Clooney who jetted out to Greece today to advise the country’s government on how best to persuade Britain to return the Elgin Marbles.
Dressed in a simple white cardigan and khaki trousers, the new Mrs Clooney was spotted chatting happily to British Airways staff at the check-in gates at London's Heathrow airport. She later landed in Athens to a flurry of media attention.

The 36-year-old, and her boss, Geoffrey Robertson QC, of London’s Doughty Street chambers, will hold a series of meetings with government officials during their stay, relating to the return of the Parthenon sculptures that are presently on display in the British Museum.

She’s been wowing us in an array of incredible high fashion outfits from the likes of Giambattista Valli, Oscar de la Renta and Stella McCartney, but today Amal Alamuddin proved she’s also not Cloone-less when it comes to dressing for her job.

The Human Rights lawyer looked like she was back to business in a low key yet smart outfit comprising of a textured short sleeve ivory knit, brown tapered cigarette trousers and croc skin Mary Jane heels, and we feel inspired by the raven-haired beauty’s work outfit for our own office ensembles.

Amal’s chic pair of tapered trousers are ideal for winter and we’re loving the brown hue which would look great with chunky cream knits throughout the colder months, styled up with stilettos if you’ve got an important meeting or with brogues for an androgynous vibe.

So recreate Amal's look in a pair of sleek tapered trousers for yourself out of the options below; we can't get enough of New Look's khaki wide leg bargains at £17.99, whilst Christophe Lemaire's cotton versions from Net-A-Porter have shot up to the top of our AW14 wish list.

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When it comes to your lashes, mascara can be your best friend or your worst enemy. You know what we’re talking about. If done right, your peepers become captivating; if done wrong, you just end up in an unattractive, clumpy mess!

Avoid the mishap with these five mascara must-dos and you’ll be batting those gorgeous, sexy lashes in no time at all. Here is how to apply mascara perfectly in a few easy steps.

1) Prime Your Lashes: Before you even reach for the mascara, make sure your lashes are in good shape with an eyelash curler. The best curl is one that holds, so make sure you clamp at the base, center and tips of lashes to achieve the best base for your mascara. Some women swear by heated curlers — pick whichever one you prefer.

2) Clean It Up: Clumps usually happen when you have too much mascara on the brush. Wipe yours on a tissue to remove any excess before swiping it on the lashes. It’s a simple, but often skipped step in many women’s mascara routine.

3) Do the Wiggle: Starting at your lash base and working your way up, wiggle or zig-zag your brush as you apply the mascara. This prevents clumps by separating your lashes as you pull the brush through them. Starting at the very base also deposits the mascara close to the lash line, which gives the look of denser lashes.

4) Use a Lash Comb: Before your mascara dries, place a lash comb at the roots and gently pull up through the lashes. This also helps to separate your lashes and prevents them from sticking together. Make sure the mascara is still fresh– if it is dry, it will flake and fall.

5) Mix it Up: One trick-of-the-trade to really make your eyes pop is to use different mascaras. Try applying lengthening mascara as your first coat, and a thickening one for the second. Make sure you wait until the first one is dry though — applying while the first coat is still wet will clump up your lashes.

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Grammy Award-winning, singer-songwriter Colbie Caillat returns with a brand new EP, Gypsy Heart and a powerful new music video in which she makes a powerful statement about unfair beauty ideals by shunning hair and make-up. Here, we talk to Caillat about the man (yup!) who inspired the song, the impact of Photoshop, and why all women hate the way they look in photographs:
How did the idea for your brand new single and video, “Try,” come about?
I went into the recording studio with Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds and I told him that I was getting a lot of pressure to be someone I’m not, both musically and image-wise. Although I don’t want to do it, I’m just going to make these people happy. He started laughing, and said, we’re not going to do that. That’s not you, and that’s ridiculous of them to ask. That right there gave me the creative freedom. He said, “Let’s write about exactly what they’re asking you to do—to change yourself." We started checking off all these things that all of us girls do everyday to get ready to go out. I told him that before coming to the studio I wanted to look pretty so I had my nails done, I made sure I had the best outfit on, I had my hair and makeup artist come over and make me look all polished. And the thing is that I like myself when I’m not that way, but I feel like other people might not like me that way. And I know that most women go through that. When you have blemishes on your skin, gain weight, or my friend has crooked teeth, or my mom’s roots are going gray. And everyone is trying to hide their faults from each other when we all have it. So Babyface inspired me to write this and it’s all from a personal experience.

Falling for FriendYour story is perfect for a lighthearted romantic comedy. The formerly chubby, sloppy guy (Chris Pratt) is the protagonist and hero, of course, and you're the super-pretty dream girl (Rachel McAdams) who would never date him. He rolls back into town all fit and successful, you swoon, and the two of you look set to live happily ever after. Except that there's another lady in the picture, a down-to-earth librarian with a great sense of humor (Emma Stone in ugly glasses). He and she have always palled around together, and she has secretly loved him from afar this whole time. In the second-to-last scene, you two are bickering over something stupid in your car when your formerly chubby fiancé spots his librarian love in a nearby car, stopped at a traffic light. He realizes suddenly that she's his true love. So he jumps out of your car and runs across six lanes of traffic, Frogger-style, to declare his love for her. You're FURIOUS. You chase him down, wobbling on your eight-inch leopard-print heels and coughing on exhaust. You scream at him, but he just kisses you on the forehead and says, "I'm sorry; it just wasn't right between you and me." You tell him he's a jerk and stumble away and one of your heels breaks off. Hot lawyer and secretly hot librarian kiss, smile warmly at each other, giggle. Roll credits.

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Let's never underestimate how dramatically our opinions are shaped by moronic pop-culture tropes. Because not only were you and your ladyfriends all swept up in this notion of the lovable, true-blue ugly duckling who suddenly transformed into a manicured Provider Swan, but you allowed that fairy tale to cloud your vision completely. All of your competitive ladyfriends (who don't like you to be prettier than them) started gushing over your buddy being "the total package," and you just couldn't resist laying claim to him. "Hey, that’s MY guy! He's always loved ME and now everyone wants him!" So you ignore his "Not interested" text, deliver some high-quality booty straight to his door, and then you were stunned that, instead of being awash in gratitude at your generosity in finally loving him, he wasn't interested in living happily ever after.

Even though my first impulse might have been to say, "No big deal. You were indifferent, and then you were hot for him. Men are congratulated for their depth of feeling when they make that transition. Why should you be punished?", there's more to this picture. Your response to his turnaround was a little crowd-sourced. Your ideas about him shifted completely, just because he got in shape, looked destined for success, and started blowing cash on his looks. You can pretend that it was JUST the magic of attraction that was missing from the picture, but everything else you write suggests that you were influenced very dramatically not only by your own fickle tastes, but by also by the fickle tastes of your herd.

And let me be frank: The fact that you couldn't tell whether he was genuinely upset when he "became upset, near tears" or was just manipulating you suggests that you're not the right woman for him regardless. I think he recognizes that, even if you don't. He was obviously attracted to you and saw you as someone he could never "get" before, but now he can see clearly that you two aren't a real match. (Also: What happened to your jerk boyfriend? Have you been dating him this whole time?)

So it's pretty easy to call this one, right? Shallow Hot Girl Gets Her Comeuppance, While Former Sloppy Fun Guy With a Heart of Gold Gets His Revenge, Then Rides Off Into the Sunset. He's the hero driving away in a sporty convertible, you're the bitch in the mud puddle with muddy leopard-print heels in your hands.

But if that's where I land, then I'm just as susceptible to having my pea brain molded by a shitty rom-com plot as you are. Shallow girl bad! Lovable chubby guy good!

There's more to examine here. I'll admit that my heart IS mostly with your friend, because those were real tears he was crying — anyone who's lost weight and been welcomed into a whole different world of love and attention (that they found haunting and upsetting) can attest to that. But I think we still need to ask more tough questions.

Question 1: If your lawyer buddy is far less shallow than you are, why did he follow you around and bask in your hot-girl attentions when he was overweight? Why was he always hoping to get into your shallow pants? Couldn't he have turned his gaze toward the many underappreciated plus-size women in the world, instead of showering you with praise and reassuring you about your tragic extra-short haircut? And was that really the most passionate thing he ever said to you? "NEVER, EVER COVER UP YOUR GORGEOUS FACE?" Maybe you're the one who should be weeping into your hands, that all anyone really cares about is your supreme hotness.

Question 2: If he knew you had a crush on his manicured ass and he knew he flat-out wasn't interested (he texted you to this effect), WHY did he let you come over and hang out until you two fucked like crazy? Why did he do this not just once, but three different times? If he's so pure and good inside, what's with heartlessly revenge-fucking one of his closest friends? And for that matter ...

Question 3: If he's the salt of the fucking earth, why is he fucking a 19-year-old cocktail waitress and texting "Of course not" when you ask him if it's serious? And how do you think the TEENAGER IN THIS PICTURE feels about being treated like a girlfriend just so a callous late-twentysomething can keep fucking her?

I'm not saying people of all ages shouldn't have the sex they want with the people they want. I'm not saying guys are bad news if they merely date younger ladies or attempt to sleep with former crushes who once wouldn't give them the time of day. And I'm certainly not saying your buddy is a BAD GUY. He sounds like a smart, sensitive guy who's kicked his whole life into high gear and now he's wondering how to draw a line from the life he had before to the life he has now. He's wondering how to process his current popularity, given how dipped in shit he used to feel. I feel for him. I think he's got a lot of work to do, to come to grips with his confusion over how fickle and fucked this world can be. I really hope he doesn't run out and marry some empty Über-hottie who matches his $700 suit, just because his ego is running the show these days and he doesn't know where to put all of the sadness at having to straddle two different realities.

You know what gives me hope? The fact that he resisted the urge to keep torturing you, and resisted the urge to yell at you, and resisted the urge to dismantle your value system, just to make himself feel better. I'm reassured by the fact that he opened up and almost cried to you and showed you how hard it is for him. And you know what? If you had recognized that this was real sadness he was expressing, if you were focused on him as a human being, and not focused on WHAT YOU WANTED TO WIN (the hot, total-package provider-man of your friends' dreams), he might've given you a chance. I don't mean to cast him as some kind of valiant good guy when I say that. I'm just saying, you didn't love him for who he was. If you did, you would've gotten very quiet and shown him your empathy and acknowledged how hard it's been for him, instead of thinking about your own disappointment at not getting the hot-best-friend-lover-hero-husband of your crappy-rom-com-shaped fantasies. You write, "I'm absolutely smitten, and want to prove to him that my intentions are genuine. But are they?" If you have to ask, your intentions probably aren't genuine. You're in lust with your friend, and you're all worked up over this idea that he could be your prince charming, but you don't really love him. You may recognize many of his good qualities, but until you're also enraptured by his vulnerability and his disappointment — the heartbroken chubby boy hiding inside that slick exterior — you're not ready to love him for exactly who he is.

And maybe he isn't ready to love himself for who he really is, either. Maybe he's fixed up his exterior, but his insides still feel messy and shabby, and he's ashamed. Maybe he's trying to keep himself happy with shallow rewards — hot teenagers and expensive suits — but he's not all that happy. Maybe he doesn't recognize how much you two have in common: You're both young and ego-driven and bewildered and lost, following the dipshit herd, taking cues from our skin-deep culture instead of looking hard at what you really want and who you really want to become.

Here's what I wish for both of you: a way to reconcile the injustices around you enough that you can give generously to the people who deserve it; a way to block out the idiotic tropes and insipid plotlines that make you ignore the richness and complexity of the real world and the real human beings in it. My wish is that you'll learn to be vulnerable, learn to come in second or third, or better yet, not to compete at all. My wish is that you'll learn to question your first impulse — to own, to conquer, to have more and more and more — and feel your way through life instead. When you feel your way through your life with vulnerability, without defensiveness, without grabby anxious greed over what you're NOT getting — an embarrassment of real riches unfolds before your eyes.

Your friend told you, "You should never, ever hide your face." But are you hiding? Are you hiding behind a bad boyfriend, or a career path you're indifferent about, or a gaggle of competitive girlfriends who don't genuinely listen or support who you really are? Are you hiding from what you truly want, which is much more soaring and special and might bring you far more satisfaction than being a lawyer's hot housewife? What do you really want? Maybe you were furious about your tragic haircut not because your actual hotness matters that much to you, but because it matters so goddamn much to everyone around you. Maybe you're sick of feeling like a pretty girl whose insides no one seems to see or care about. Maybe you don't want to compete with your shallow herd anymore. Maybe you're tired of feeling like a failure just because you aren't on the fast track to pumping out babies to fill a big empty house in the suburbs.

I'm extrapolating, of course. Only you know what you truly love and what's best for you. But I don't think you really want to be with your friend. I think you want to be him: strong, smart, selfless, and surprisingly charismatic. What kind of a career, what kinds of friends, what kind of a life, what state of grace could you achieve that might make you feel that way about yourself?

For now, tell your friend you're sorry for making him feel small, and give him your blessing to follow his own path. Then find YOUR path. Figure out what will make you feel strong and smart. Figure out how you can be selfless. This is your wake-up call. What do you want for yourself, so badly that it's embarrassing to even say it? What dream breaks your heart just to think of it? Stop chasing mythical Provider Swans, and chase that dream instead.

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“I HAVE nothing to wear,” is a well-worn phrase uttered by many frustrated women every day. But for a huge number of ladies, this statement isn’t just a throwaway line — it’s painfully accurate.

A staggering 85 per cent of Australian women say they have left a clothing store feeling ashamed about their body, according to online retailer Fame & Partners. 98 per cent of women size 16 or over say they find it hard to find clothing that fits and flatters their body shape.

The average Australian woman is 162cm tall and weighs 71kg, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, and the average dress size is 14-16. Most Australian clothing stores stop at size 16, if they stock it at all.

Liz Black is a US fashion blogger and self-described plus size advocate who wants to change this. She’s in Australia to launch her new plus-size formal clothing range, X collection, and is calling on retailers to stock bigger sizes.

“I went to Pitt Street Mall [in Sydney] and I didn’t see any plus size stores,” Ms Black told news.com.au. “Every store I went into they didn’t really have a large size range.

“I bought some nice necklaces and trinkets but I didn’t bother trying any clothes on, because I knew they wouldn’t fit. I saw some beautiful pieces but I couldn’t buy anything,” she said.

“It’s so disappointing,” Ms Black said. “It makes you feel like you’re being excluded.

“I love fashion. It’s an art form. Clothing is so transformational and it can do so much for your confidence.

“But when you go into a shop and see these beautiful things and you want to buy them it kind of breaks your heart and you feel like you’re being ostracised.”

Sadly, Liz’s experience isn’t unique.

Tash*, a 34-year-old Sydney woman, was browsing in a popular local chain store with a friend recently. Tash says she’s a size 16-18 and her friend is a size 10.

“The sales girl stared at me with this look on her face like, ‘Honey, we don’t stock things for you here’

“I was so uncomfortable that I stepped outside. It made me feel pretty bad. It’s not like I was going to buy anything but I’m allowed to look!” she said.

Tash says she mainly shops online and avoids most stores.

“I’ve just stopped going. No one wants to go into a clothing store and feel ashamed.

“You ask for help from the assistant and they give you think something that looks like a sack.

“A lot of plus size clothes are designed for more mature women. It’s a lot easier to buy shoes and handbags than clothes!”

Ms Black says if she does find clothing in her size, it’s usually frumpy or “matronly”.

“Retailers just make everything bigger and it becomes shapeless and unflattering. They don’t adapt the clothing to be more flattering for bigger figures.”

She says the struggle to find a nice evening gown inspired her to create her collection of formal wear, which features ten dresses and an on-trend crop top-skirt combo.

“Plus-size evening wear doesn’t even exist in most places and the options you have are so dowdy you end up looking like the grandmother of the bride.

“It’s very disappointing. Nothing makes someone feel worse about your body. You think, ‘How could I possibly look beautiful in this?’

__________________________

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