I meet the PR and a few beauty editor friends outside, and half of us are given wristbands to enter the venue, which is seriously swanky – can I live here? Halfway up the marble stairs, I bump into the legendary Pat McGrath but there's no time to waste and she shoos me up to get the models ready. Contrary to Pat's signature style, the makeup is minimal, save for some bronzer, highlighter and gloss on the lids. The backstage area is absolutely rammed and all the journalists feel awkward, standing in the way of the professional hairstylists and makeup artists. One pro comments that we're a nuisance but the lovely Marian Newman, manicurist and CND brand ambassador, sticks up for us. We're doing our job, too! It looks like the models have already raided the free food table, so I settle on a packet of pineapple chips (gross) and take a few pictures of the half-finished look before being ushered out. The rest of the group are still outside and managed to spot VB herself walking in. I'm a bit gutted.