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?

Skin Care For Autumn

Seasons change and so does our skin care routines.

Transitioning your summer skin care routine to make it fit for autumn may seem like a chore but to keep your skin in top condition, no matter the weather, is something that needs to be done. We give you some easy tips and tricks on how to do this...

• Exfoliate with an oil-based scrub. The summer sun may have left you skin feeling dry. Simply switch your scrubs to oil-based ones as these will exfoliate and hydrate you skin. 

• Switch the lotions to creams. As it becomes cooler, the air also gets drier meaning your skin needs a thicker moisturiser. Creams provide a barrier to reduce water loss from the outer later of the skin but also provides hydration at the same time.

• Protect your lips. Investing in a lip balm is a must - as no-one wants dry, cracked lips.

• Goodbye soap. Soapy scrubs do feel and smell wonderful but can leave your skin rather dry. Switch to a soap-free hydrating cleanser. Say good-bye to those shower gels and ring out the creamy body wash. 

Summer Refreshments

Whether you are on holiday or at home it can be quite a struggle to stay cool and refreshed during the summer's sun. When the day's are hot turning to facial spritzers are the perfect way to cool you down in an instant! 

Here are a few that are on the market now:

Face Matters Collagen Spritz - £39

Thalgo Reviving Marina Mist - £19

The Body Shop Vitamin C Face Mist - £8

Top Tip: Keep in your handbag or beach bag throughout the day for a quick and easy way to beat the heat.

Heavy-browed beauty

Chanel Haute Couture autumn/winter 2013 Photo: Isadore Montag

Last year's boy brow becomes this year's man brow at Chanel's Haute Couture autumn/winter 2013 show. Longer, thicker, darker, heavier - Chanel introduces the power brow.

Sheer size and width aside, these brows dictate a new shape. Straight (there was little or no arch) and angular (pulling the eyes up and out) is, say Chanel, how we'll be wearing them next season.

To get the high brow look our advice is to start using a lash boosting gel now; try RapidBrow Eyebrow Enhancing Serum , £37 or good old fashioned almond oil nightly. And get your eye in for some real brow grooming (after all, these models had them drawn on too).

Finish off the look with minimal eye-makeup, as the real statement are the brows. Go for rose cheek bones and finish off with a Face Matters Collagen Spritz , £39, to set the look. (you can now win one on Twitter too!)

Chanel's super brow at the Haute Couture autumn/winter 2013 show. 

Pop of Neon - What's yo' fave?

This summer brings punchy, vibrant shades that really make an impact. Make your own sunshine with fruity, colour pop shades. L'Oréal Parisí new Color Riche nail collection is perfs whatever the weather, style it up and clash your jolly neons with a pattern mix. Absolutely love this feature, these L'Oréal nails are the epitome of summertime! (via ASOS.com)

What's yo' fave?

Anything but girly, this season pink packs a punch with vibrant, all-over colour. Flamingoes, Miami Beach houses and cheesy sunsets capture the fun and vibrance of this pink shade. Wear it.

These quirky and absolutely lovely designs go hand-in-hand (pun intended) with beautiful and smooth skin so I would recommend spraying some of our Collagen Spritz shortly after you have finished with the intricate design. Its light texture will help set the nail varnish quicker and make your skin appear visibly softer and moisturised.

This clean shade will keep you on your tic-tac-toes.

So, are you giving these designs a try? I know I am... I'll let you know how it goes.

What To Do When… You Have A Sunburn

Sunburns are the wet blanket of island vacations, three-day weekends, and pool parties everywhere. And becoming a red-hot tamale can happen to even the most SPF-equipped among us after extended exposure to the great outdoors. So what to do when your skin adopts the searing hue of Elmo (minus the whole TickleGate)? With help from Into The Gloss, here's my round up of the best over-the-counter and homeopathic remedies to target peeling, redness, inflammation, and to soothe the burn of that mean, blaring sun.

Creams & Moisturisers:

Clinique After Sun Rescue Balm with Aloe Aloe is the most oft-recommended reliever for the sting of your new skin tone, but it can be drying and sticky in a way that’s almost as unpleasant as the burn itself. This balm offers the same benefits as aloe, with an added moisturizer to simultaneously reduce inflammation, calm skin, and diminish the chances and/or severity of peeling.

Face Matters Collagen Spritz Once the intensity of your burn has subsided, a moisturising spritz with botanical oils and collagen can help prevent peeling and cool off the skin. For those with aversions to the heavy and slightly gooey consistency of creams on sensitive burnt skin, a lighter product, like our Collagen Spritz, with a quicker absorption rate is the way to go.

Merle Norman Anti Redness Cream Believe us when we say this product works. Many therapies that claim to reduce redness still leave your skin noticeably rosy. But Merle Norman’s cream dramatically delivers on its name—wear it for the course of one night’s sleep to return fuchsia skin to a normal shade.

Natural/At-Home Remedies:

Cold Bath
Submerging your body in just-cooler-than-lukewarm water will help ease pain and reduce irritation. If you don’t have access to a bath or don’t relish the opportunity to “soak in a basin of your own filth” (as some may say), a gentle-stream cold shower will serve the same purpose. Avoid using soap when you're still newly burnt, as the detergent will only exacerbate your burn by further drying and irritating your skin.

Cold Milk Compress
Combine cold milk and ice cubes in a bowl. Dampen a washcloth in the mixture and hold against your burn. Rinse after to avoid a 'I live on a farm' smell. Added bonus: milk fat is anti-inflammatory and moisturising, and the cold temperature soothes the heat.

Green Tea Compress
A word-of-mouth fix: boil water and pour over one teaspoon of loose green-tea leaves. Cover and let sit until it cools. Then, soak a cloth and place on skin for 10 minutes to reduce swelling and sting.

Thin Potato Slices
In one of the lesser-known, perhaps stranger at-home remedies, some sources suggest blending raw potatoes until spreadable and applying to your skin to draw out the heat of the burn.

Your Other, Basic Options:  

Ibuprofen - Pop one or two after you realise what you've done (this usually happens after we get out of the shower following a day in the sun, but can also happen right there on the beach), to bring down inflammation and ease your discomfort. Those weary of swallowing pills can grind one up and add a bit of water to form a paste, which you can apply directly onto affected areas.

Water - Drink, drink, and drink some more. Your burn can leave you dehydrated, so on top of the eight glasses of water you are drinking daily (we all listen to our doctors, yes), keep on chugging.

And, as always, if you have any other remedies up your sleeve, share away!

Holiday Ready!

Be holiday ready this summer.

Keeping your skin looking nourished, soft and alive can be quite tricky on holiday especially when the sun is beaming down on your face all day resulting in your skin becoming dry and dull, which is something no-one wants. Using the perfect face products is a must to keep your skin in the best condition, even better one the product is an ‘all in one’.

The Cleansing Balm is the perfect product to be beach ready. Not only is it a facial cleanser it includes Shea Butter which will leave your skin incredibly soft and smooth. Using this product will leave your skin looking radiant and refreshed perfect before hitting the beach. 

Of course apply a layer of sun cream to protect yourself from any skin damage. And now you're ready to hit the beach.

Summer Beauty Guide for Lazy Girls

gregsorensenphoto.com

I can admit, summer brings out a case of the beauty laziness in me. Who wants to spend countless hours blow drying their hair and applying a full face of makeup?

Summer is supposed to be carefree, fun and somewhat wild. You shouldn’t feel imprisoned each morning or night with hours of getting ready to do.  Here are some absolutely great summer beauty products for those of you who are like me and want to spend less hours getting ready and more hours poolside!

Hair

Okay, first things first, dry shampoo - you just got to have it! Whether you’re looking to make your style last another day or you’re simply trying to avoid the whole washing process, dry shampoo is your answer! Spray this little gem at the roots of your hair to absorb access oils and to give your hair a fresh scent. (There is nothing worse than dirty smelling hair!)

A salt spray is another lazy girl beauty must for the summer! Simply spray B&B’s Surf Spray into your hair while wet and let it dry naturally.  Can it get any easier than that? I’ve found the seaweed extract in this spray makes it less drying for your hair than most other salt sprays. This one also gives really beautiful waves and has great hold. With this spray it’s safe to say you can put away the blow dryer until fall!

Eyes

Just a coat or two of mascara can make your eyes pop enough to make you look presentable even when you’re not really trying. The brilliant thing about this Lash Accelerator Mascara by Rimmel is that it doubles as a mascara and a lash treatment in one.

These 'chubby' eye pencils are perfect to add a touch of color to your eyelids without the fuss of using eye shadows and brushes. Just a swipe or two of the pencil over your lid and you’re set. Try the Clinique Chubby Stick Shadow Tint - it glides on so effortlessly and makes getting ready so much quicker!

Face

A beauty elixir cream is perfect for the laziest of girls. You can literally put our Face Matters Anti-Ageing Elixir on your face in the morning and be done for the day. Simple as that! You would be moisturised enough to hit the beach until sunset, it would even out skin tone and make your complexion glow. (and you can win one on Twitter too!)

What are your Lazy Girl beauty secrets? Share in the comments.

JESSICA HARLOW’S ‘Get sexy summer skin! Self-tanning tips and tricks!'

These early days of warm weather mean a frightening display of pasty, pale legs and arms not yet primed by the summer sun..  

Yes, we all look better with a tan (to a certain extent), but no, not all of us are capable of (/interested in) achieving such a beautiful glow at the beach. The good news is that’s not the only way to garner a sun-kissed look: the somewhat terrifying self-tanner is always an option. Leave it to YouTube beauty-application guru Miss Jessica Harlow to make a DIY neon-orange disaster seem an altogether unlikely possibility.

Step 1: Exfoliate! It will create a smooth surface for your self-tanner. We recommend lightly applying our Collagen Spritz on area before tanning - it will create a moisturised base for the self-tanner and help it set better. (see Twitter if you'd like to win one)

Step 2: Dry Off! “Wet skin and self-tanner do not mix!”

Step 3: Apply Self-Tanner—Apply a little at a time, moving hands in the same general direction for a more even finish

Step 4: Wash Your Hands—Wash after finishing each you part of your body (after each leg, arm, etc.), to prevent stained palms

Step 5: Apply Lotion—Using a lotion will help the product blend in with your skin as well as boost the longevity of your tan

Jessica’s quick tutorial only lasts two-and-a-half minutes, but she spends another four-and-a-half to address potential questions and concerns from her audience, plus to review the products she's recommending. And she certainly doesn’t seem like she would blend in with Snooki and co., so we’ll be taking her advice for this little (tan) lie to help us glow in our cut-offs.

Apply perfect make up with your hands?

A make-up artist gets hands-on backstage at Alexander Wang  

For years, beauty experts have extolled brushes as the only way to achieve a flawless finish. But with s/s 2013 comes a new dawn in make-up application - make-up artists use their hands to buff, pat, tap and smear. But surely this defiant act can only result in misplaced, daubs in all the wrong places?

Instead, by warming it between their fingers, make-up literally melted into the skin, creating a lit-fromwithin radiance. At Alexander Wang, DKNY and Valentino, lips were stained, eyes shining and cheeks flushed with the kind of glow usually provided by 90 minutes of Bikram yoga. Luckily, Stylist Magazine is here to give us all the tips on how to get handsy.

DOWN TOOLS

Get hands on to create a fresh, natural daytime look. Feel your face as you read this...    

INDEX FINGER: This finger is directly linked to the brain and the most responsive to temperature changes (according to Melita Ryan, hand specialist in the neuro-physiologist department at the London Brain Centre). It heats up fast — good for blending — and exerts the most strength. Smudge Double-Wear Pencil, £16, Estée Lauder, into the lash line or press on eyeshadow (minimising the ‘pigment drop’ on cheeks that brushes can cause).  

THUMB: The fleshy part of the thumb is perfect for applying blusher, as it’s exactly the same size as the cheek area you want to cover with blush. After foundation, press the pad of the thumb into a cream blush (try Crème Cheek Colour in Rosebud, £20.50, Laura Mercier) and gently pat onto the cheekbone.  

HEEL OF THE HAND: Use the chubby part that hinges with the thumb (a bit like a chicken fillet shape) to contour. Apply Shade & Illuminate, £55, Tom Ford, into the hollow of your cheeks, then push and roll, ‘smooshing’ it to smooth out any visible lines.  

PALM: For the perfect face primer rub Face Matters Anti-Ageing Elixir, £85, between your palms to warm the product and sweep from the middle of the face outwards, working into the skin. Follow the same technique with a foundation.

MIDDLE FINGER: This long digit is perfect for dabbing on a lipstick stain without the others smudging it. Use also to pat liquid or cream highlighters like Face Sculpting Palette in Kick Start, £12.50, Topshop Make-Up, onto cheekbones, brow bones and the bridge of the nose. This motion helps reflective particles lie flat.  

LITTLE FINGER: The pinky works with creams or powders. “Use it to dab pale shadow into the inner corner,” says Andrew Gallimore. “I call it a fingerprint of eyeshadow.” Try Color Tattoo 24Hr in Eternal Gold, £4.99, Maybelline New York.  

RING FINGER: This finger has the softest touch — ideal for this delicate eye area. Charlotte Tilbury advises tapping around the eyes and temples “in a pitterpatter motion” to stimulate blood flow, plumping up the skin for an airbrushed effect. Try Hydra Life BB Eye Crème, £29, Dior.  

Let me know if you tried it and what you think. Are you sticking to your brush collection?

Can you holiday-proof your face?

Image by Michael David Adams

Hot summer holiday sun and heat is not always kind to your favourite make-up. Your holiday beauty bag needs to be like a capsule wardrobe for your face and hair - multi-tasking products that make the most of your sun-kissed skin and ocean-swept hair.   

So here is my checklist of base products you need to stay beach-beautiful throughout your summer holiday. Let me know if you have a favourite that you simply don't jet off without.

Base Tech

So for beautful beach-ready morning skin I start from the night before by applying the Face Matters Anti-Ageing Elixir, £85, - just the right amount of natural oils to retain the much-needed moisture in your skin and smooth imperfections. 

If going barefaced is more of a concern than braving a bikini, pack your daily skin perfectors alongside your beach cover-ups. Keeping your face in place is tricky enough in an office environment, let alone a sweaty, sunny one.

Bobbie Brown's Long Wear Even Finish compact foundation, £32, has combined technology that will last for 12 hours, so you'll no longer have to watch your perfect base slip away throughout the day. And it's not just foundation - LA brand Hourglass has created Superficial, £30 - a waterproof bronzer for those who can't bear to go without a bit of colour. The formula is also tough enough to withstand tropical and humid climates! Blusher, too, has had a makeover. Smashbox Halo Long Wear Blush, £23, has been formulated to work hard all day.

  

Finally, avoid dodgy streaks and flaking by using a setting spray to fix your make up in place. Our Collagen Spritz, £39, is perfect for this job - light and refreshing, it's a favourite among our holiday shoppers and always good to keep in your bag at all times! (psst.. we're giving 2 away on our Twitter page too!)

And now it's time to enjoy the sun sipping on a cocktail or two by the pool... perfection!