Oscars 2014: Our Best Beauty Looks

Images from Grazia

With the Oscars comes the most beautiful dresses and fabulous hair and make-up. Here in the Face Matters office, after many arguments, we've chosen our top three looks from the night.

Jessica Biel looks elegant with her make-up kept quite natural with a pale pink lip... but the best bit about this look is her hair! Elegantly swept to the side over the shoulder with a slight curl - not only was Jessica seen with this hair style, it was a firm favourite among other stars including Sandra Bullock and Kate Hudson.

Naomi Watts gives her look a slight edge with her straight locks swept back giving her hair a laid-back feel and the pop of colour on her lips. She works this well as everything is kept quite simple but the pop of red gives the look definition.

And finally, Cate Blanchett. She looks utterly flawless with her natural make-up - which is a huge beauty trend at the moment. Her hair side parted and styled perfectly in a classic wave. Her overall look gets a huge thumbs up from us here at the team... pure glamour!

What did you think of this years Oscars beauty looks? What were your top three favourite looks?

Better Skin While You Sleep!

On MSN UK, Victoria Joy recently wrote about products that give you better skin while you sleep. And guess what... our Evening Elixir was featured! 

Read the article for yourself online, we are on slide 8.

A Pop of Colour

One of the beauty trends this year is to keep your make-up natural and fresh with a pop of colour on the lips... definitely something everyone can work. 

Keeping your base make-up looking natural is key, the term less is more applies. Heavy foundations don't work for this look, as you don't want a 'cakey' look, choose a lightweight foundation or BB cream.

Your eyes will only need a brush of mascara to keep your lashes looking natural yet more defined. Choosing a brown mascara can create a softer look. 

It's all about the lips, whether you choose orange, purple, red or pink... it's about being bright! This flash of colour will brighten up your look and make it look like you've spent hours getting ready when it's only taken you a matter of minutes.

Will you be trying out this beauty trend?

The Ageing Habits

Some habits are just too hard to break, but when certain habits can actual age you I think they will make it a little easier to break them!

Over Exfoliation 
Exfoliating too much will only damage the skin leaving it feeling sore and red... simply exfoliate the skin once or twice a week!

Overloading 
The term less is more certainly applies to this habit. Too many products with an ingredients list a mile long is a huge turn off, all those extra ingredients can cause your skin to breakout and leave it feeling sensitive! Use products are different times across the day to avoid overloading your skin.

Cleanse Properly
Removing your make-up with only face wipes is a habit everyone needs to kick. Cleanse properly with water to prevent your skin from getting dry and irritated.

Top Tip : Maintaining Your Nails

Image, audubondermatology.com

Keeping your nails looking in tip-top condition can be a struggle, especially for those who lead a hectic lifestyle. And let's be honest, looking after your nails isn't at the front of everyone's mind.

The key to clean, polished nails is to simply keep them healthy, and we have a couple of tips and tricks on how to do so...

• Remove Nail Varnish
Painting your nails does leave them looking rather pretty, and it's a great way to create instant polished talons. The problem is that your nails don't get chance to breathe, and they need air to keep them healthy. A big mistake some people can make is to re-paint over already painted nails... this is a huge no-no. Break the habit and let your nails get some air.

• Wash Your Hands
Washing your hands is something we all do, as this helps to remove bacteria from the hands and nails and keep them clean. It's always good to give your hands a good wash after handling foods and also after eating, to help remove any grease and food that may have built up under your nails.

• A Little TLC
Everyone and everything need some TLC at some point. A cuticle oil is a must to help keep your nails maintained and the skin soft, our Evening Elixir can help do this job! It's also good to keep your hands moisturised, use a hand cream to help the skin stay soft and have a smoother appearance.

• Foods
If your nails a brittle and dry, then consuming foods rich in vitamin A and calcium can help make them healthy and strong.

VIP Club

Did you know that we have a VIP club?

Well we do, and if you join then you will be kept up to date with everything Face Matters, receive exclusive offers and much more!! What you waiting for... join today!!

Happy New Year!

The Avocado Face Mask

As the weather is rather wild outside, adding extra moisture to your skin is a complete must! This is where a DIY avocado face mask comes in... it will hydrate your skin, leaving it feeling fresh and soft.

 All you need a half of an avocado, a teaspoon of honey and another teaspoon of natural yogurt.

Simply add the contents into a bowl and mix well, until you get a paste like consistency, apply this all over the face and the neck with a brush or fingers. Once this is applied all over, leave on for around 15 minutes, then rinse off with warm water. Finish off by applying a moisturiser, and you skin will appear healthy, soft and glowing!

This is the perfect way to achieve smooth skin at home!

Christmas Time

It's time to fake it

As we get older, our eyelashes begin to break easily and can leave your lash line looking rather sparse... and as the festive season is upon is, full, voluminous looking lashes are a must!

Eyelash extensions are a great way to achieve this look at the salon. This will involve individual false lashes being bonded onto your own, to create longer and fuller lashes that look natural. The lashes will last up to six weeks depending in the quality of them, but your beautician will tell you all this before hand.

For a quick way to give your lashes a boost, try using false eyelashes. These can be quite fiddly and difficult to start with... but practice does make perfect. When purchasing the lashes make sure you get a style that will suit the look you are going for, starting with a more natural pair of lashes if the great way to make your natural lashes look fuller, without an over-the-top look.

Have you ever tried fake eyelashes? What do you think?

VeggieVision Review

A great review about our products over on veggievision.tv ... have you seen it? If not, then head over and take a look at what they have had to say about our brand new range.

P.s, did you know that two of our products are suitable for Vegans?

The Hair Wonder

Keeping your skin healthy and youthful is one thing, but your hair is another.

Not looking after your hair can lead to it looking dull and lifeless... but it can also age you, which is something no-one wants! I have a homemade hair treatment that is perfect for all hair types, and uses only one ingredient.

The 'must-have' ingredients is... eggs! This may sound rather horrible as raw eggs are slimy and gooey, but it really does work wonders. The yolk is great for moisturising, while the white, removes unwanted oils.

For normal hair, use the whole egg to condition the hair; use only the egg whites to treat oily hair and egg yolks are fabulous to moisturise dry, brittle hair. Apply to your hair and leave on for 20 minutes, rinse with cool water as you don't want the egg to cook, plus this helps add shine back to your hair.

Doing this once a month while help revitalise your hair, leaving it feeling soft and smooth!

Last Chance!

Don't forget you can get our fabulous multi-purpose balm for just £30, (normally £45). Be quick though as this really is your last chance on this fantastic offer. 

Simply head to the Face Matters website and enter code BALM30 at the checkout.

Skincare made simple!

Some people love spending time on their skincare/beauty routines, but for those ladies who feel like time is not on their side, I have some tips to help make those routines simple and keep your skin in top condition!

• Cleanse twice a day. Doing this will help to remove dirts and oils that get trapped in the pores... do this first thing in the morning, to remove access oils produced overnight, and in the evening to remove pollution and dirt your skin has had to tackle throughout the day.

• Moisturise twice a day. Ideally, do this after cleansing to help hydrate your skin. Choosing one with anti-ageing ingredients and properties, will help reduce fine lines.

• Remember to take your skincare down to your neck. It's the area that everyone forgets about, but it's also the area that is usually exposed to sunlight, resulting in the area becoming delicate to ageing. Take your cleanser and moisturiser down your neck to help fight signs of ageing.

A Fabulous Offer

If you love our Balm, you are going to love this offer because, for a limited time only, we are reducing the price on our gorgeous multi-purpose Balm.

Use it as a makeup cleanser, or an overnight mask for wonderfully soft skin; or massage into cuticles or heels to soften stubborn hard skin. And just a quick slick makes lips kissable soft.

Normal price is £45, but just because your face matters to us, we are offering it at £30 for a 50g pot.

But you had better be quick because the offer is only available in November... while stocks last.

Head over to our website not facematters-skincare.com and enter BALM30 at the checkout!

Don't say we don't spoil you!

Oil Rush

Oil isn't just for your body and hair... it's for your face too! You might instantly think that using an oil will create a shiny complexion and may even cause spots to surface, but trust me, face oils are everywhere at the moment. Choosing the right one can help revitalise your skin and play a part in keeping it looking youthful. These can help tackle ageing, hydrate the skin and brighten up a dull complexion - it really is great skincare product to have in your routine.  

Many people are worried that these oils can be quite heavy and cause spots - think again! Most oils now are very lightweight meaning they absorb quickly into the skin and don't clog up pores. You can still use a facial oil with your skin is oily, many people tend to turn away from them but don't, using an oil based cleansing product on this skin type is perfect as oil attracts oil, meaning all the pore-blocking excess sebum produced will be picked up like a magnet. 

Don't just save your facial oil as an overnight treatment, although this is a fab way to use it, you can apply a small amount to the skin for an instant dewy glow, which is something that we all want! 

TOP TIP: Warm a few drops of oil into the palms of your hand, apply to your face sweeping outwards and upwards, and don't forget your neck and chest. Gently massage into the skin, being delicate and gentle around the eyes, leave this to sink in fully for 20 minutes and your skin will feel hydrated and leave you with a glow. 

Beauty Sleep

It's a little known fact that we all need our beauty sleep! Having a good nights sleep not only effects our mood and the way we may act, but is also has an impact in the way we look.

While you are sleeping your skin and body goes into repair mode, this is when new skin cells grow and replace the older ones, it's all about restoring, repairing and rebalancing! Lack of sleep will disrupt these processes, as well as leaving an effect on your skin such as dark circles around your eyes and a dull complexion.

Ideally, around seven to nine hours sleep a night is needed... of course this varies depending on your age. Getting the right amount will leave you feeling more alert and ready for the day, your skin will also appear healthier and more refreshed!

Dealing with face redness

Facial redness is not a great look for anyone and can knock your confidence, leaving you feeling down. Well, I can help... here are a few tips and tricks on how to help cover and heal the redness in your skin.

1. Instant Fix
If you are looking for a quick and easy fix then using a green tinted concealer or primer base will help hide and cover up any redness. The reason behind using a green based make-up product is that it will help to cover and cancel out the redness that is on your skin, use a foundation on top of this to achieve a healthy, flawless finish.

2. Splash of Cold Water
Splashing your face with ice cold water is a quick way to constrict the blood vessels, as well as tightening the pores.

3. Don't Over-Exfoliate
Exfoliating too much can contribute towards skin redness. Choose a scrub that has small beads or use a cleanser/balm with a muslin cloth.

4. Test It
Skin-care and beauty products can contain many products, some which may irritate sensitive skin. I suggest doing a small patch test on your wrist, this will allow you to see if the product is right for you.

Our 24/7 Balm

Our Anti-Ageing Collagen Boosting 24/7 Balm, is a multifunctional balm which includes our powerful collagen boost to give a super restorative treatment.

This luxury balm can be left on overnight as a treatment mask or used to exfoliate the skin, (simply massage onto dry skin and leave for a couple of minutes, remove with a warm, damp muslin cloth), it will leave your skin feeling incredibly soft and radiant. It can also be used on the lips to leave them kissable soft and also on stubborn, dry skin to help leave it feeling smooth.

We would love to know how else do you use the 24/7 balm? 

Want to try our fabulous products?

Flawless skin... it's what we all want and to achieve it we need collagen. 

Collagen is responsible for the skin's elasticity and youthfulness, as we age our collagen levels decline resulting in wrinkles and imperfections.

Why not let Face Matters help? 

All of our products contain organic silicon to help stimulate the production of collagen and elastin - this is what makes Face Matters brilliant!

And not only does your face matter, your opinion does too.

That's why we are looking for 100 ladies to take part in our Skin Trials as we want to hear what you think of our brand new products and our brand new look! 

If you want to test our terrific new skincare regime then send us a message on Facebook or Twitter, or an email to info@facematters-skincare.com, with your name, age, location and the reason as to why you want to take part.

You will then receive a confirmation email and be sent a goody box of our new products and information to guide you through the process.