Posts Tagged ‘Beauty’

27 January 2011: 10:37

Winter TLC from L’Occitane

While our livers and waistlines are quite enjoying January, our skin absolutely hates it.   The central heating is making it dry while the lack of sunlight also means our make up has got that little bit heavier, something our pores are not too happy about. Too cold outside, too hot inside: our skin is confused and craving a little love. Thankfully, L’Occitane has come up with something which goes along way to appeasing it. 

One of our favourite products has always been the Ultra Rich Face Cream from L’Occitane. With its silky smooth texture and pleasant, not overpowering, scent it keeps skin moisturised for hours thanks to the high concentration of shea butter. Now L’Occitane are including a scrub with it as as part of a Magical Face Care Duo which makes it the perfect combo for confused skin at winter at a very reasonable £35.

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8 December 2010: 10:09

Get the Look: Frozen Diamond

The wintry weather means we’ve certainly got the whole “frozen” look down to a T but red noses and chapped lips are not exactly the way forward.  So when we saw The Make Up Store’s Frozen Diamond collection we thought, ooh, that’s a bit more like it.

The collection - which consists of glosses, shimmers, turquoise and green eyeshadows and eye dusts, glittering shimmers for face and lips – makes for a look which is all pale ice queen with frosted eyes and pink wind-bitten lips and cheeks.


The look calls for porcelain skin with delicate rosy cheeks (so step away from the bronzer).  Mineral microshadows and eye dusts can be used dry or wet for either a subtle or more striking look, combined with the sheen for temples, cheeks and lips.

But the icing on the cake is the Sparkling Diamond, a multifunctional shimmer for lips, eyes and cheeks.  For lips,  finish this look with the lipgloss in ‘frozen’ adding an understated sheen.    Finally, if you want to acheive a real ‘Narnia’ look add their false eyelashes with crystals.

Left to right:  Eyedust in Brilliance and Paragon, £11; High tech lighter, £15; Microshadow in Vertigo, £11

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7 December 2010: 09:00

How to create a statement red lip look

The red lip is having a bit of a comeback with Cheryl Cole matching her lips to her AIDS ribbon on Saturday’s X Factor and Kylie Minogue letting her lips do all the talking at the Jingle Bell Ball this weekend.

Done right, it’s uber chic, but done wrong, it can look cheap.  So we’ve enlisted the help of MAC’s senior make-up artist Caroline Donnelly to show us how to create the perfect red lipstick look.

Caroline shows that it’s not all about the lip but the whole face.  She’s used Rockers and Rollers Eye Shadows which are part of MAC‘s new Tartan Tale collection.  Aside from gorgeous colours, we’re absolutely loving the packaging which make these perfect stocking fillers.

Reelers and Rockers Eye Shadows, A Tartan Tale Collection, £29.50 from MAC Westfield

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4 November 2010: 11:30

How to wear Rihanna’s vibrant make-up look

Rihanna does strong make-up so well. She’s not one to go for the natural look with a nude palette. She likes to make a statement. We asked the experts at the Make Up Store for some tips on how to make Rihanna’s look work for you.

Emmelie, Make Up Store Westfield London Make Up Artist says:

To get a vibrant look with strong red lips and a dash of colour on the eye, start off by preparing the lips with  a lip exfoliater, moisturiser and primer. I recommend Make Up Store’s Lip Care Mix. Next, even out any redness on and around the lip area with a dash of foundation or concealer applied with a sponge. Follow with a little bit of powder.

Pick a matching lip liner to your lipstick. I’d pair Make Up Store’s Russian red lip pencil together with our China Red lipstick. It’s a perfect combination for vibrant red lips. To achieve that important definition, start lining from the Cupid’s bow and down to the corner of the mouth. Follow your natural lipline, unless you want to add some extra pout. Fill the whole lip with the lippencil for lasting colour. Finally, apply your lipstick with a fine lipbrush.

To recreate her stunning eye look, apply eye primer thinly all over the lid. Follow by dabbing Make Up Store’s eye dust in Bamboo on the middle of the lid and around the globe line. Define with eyepencil between the lashes in the outer corner of the eye. I use Wooden Metal. Use a soft brush to smudge the pencil up and out.

Under the eyebrow and in the corner of the eye, use High Tech Lighter in Magma. This way you get the full depth of your eye shape. Finish by curling your lashes and apply two coats of mascara for a full on evening look.

Sweep Make Up Store’s blusher in Mission onto the apple of the cheeks for added warmth and colour to complete this Rihanna-inspired look.

Your essential make up kit for this look

Left to right: Lipstick in China Red, lipcare mix pot, lippencil in Russian red, mascara in Drama. All available from Make Up Store

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27 October 2010: 09:00

Autumn nails: spend or save?

When Chanel launched their new khaki-coloured trio of nail polishes last month, people went crazy for them. The three camouflage shades – khaki brun, khaki rose and khaki vert – tone in perfectly with the A/W 10 colour palette. The super stylish, neutral matte polish is swiftly becoming a classic.

But, do you want to pay around £16 for a nail polish? Well, you don’t have to. Our lovely friends at Topshop have a great range of nail colours available from £5 each. We are big fans of Topshop nail polish here. The quality is great, it applies well and it stays chip-free for a decent amount of time too. Plus, the fabulous names really make us smile! Today, I’m wearing ‘Geography Teacher’ and I reckon that by the weekend it’ll be the turn of ‘Remember My Name’.

Left to right: Topshop nail polish in Moving House, Big Smoke and Utilitarian, £5 each.

Check out Topshop’s new season make-up collection – Heavy Duty – available in store now.

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20 October 2010: 08:07

Beauty panel: Jessica

Meet the Westfield Beauty Panel

Jessica’s must-have beauty products
- Lancome Noir eyeliner – –the only eyeliner I’ve found that won’t smudge or fade all day. House of Fraser £19.50
- Laura Mercier Crème Brulee Soufflé Body Crème – my favourite moisturiser. It isn’t cheap but used sparingly feels luxurious and smells so delicious you want to eat it! House of Fraser £42
- Shu Uemera eyelash curler – the best on the market. I curl the roots of the eyelashes and then half way along them. House of Fraser £19.50
- Aussie 3 minute miracle deep conditioner – I generally leave this in my hair for about 20 minutes (longer than the name suggests, I know) and the results are amazing. My hair feels glossy, silky and knot free. Boots £4.49
- Salvatore Ferragamo “F for Ferragamo” perfume – I love sweet fragrances, and this one is sweet, fruity and lasts for hours. Next £46

Jessica’s favourite beauty treatment
A great cut, colour and blow dry!

Jessica’s best beauty tip
To protect your hair from drying out in the sun, use a small amount of high factor tanning oil. It protects your hair from drying out because it’s oil and with a high factor, it reduces sun damage and stops it changing colour in the sun.

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4 October 2010: 09:00

Elemis Pro-Collagen marine cream

Beauty Review:  Elemis Pro-Collagen marine cream – 20th Anniversary Edition


Price: £99

Where to buy: Debenhams
What it claims to do:

The Pro-Collagen Marine Cream from Elemis is clinically proven to reduce the depth of wrinkles by 19% and increase hydration and moisture levels by 10%. This powerful anti-ageing cream provides a progressive lifting effect through increased collagen support. The dynamic combination of the marine algae Padina Pavonica and Absolutes, Gingko Biloba and liposomes delivers visible results within 15 days

Our reviewer says:
This moisturiser has a very light texture and glides on beautifully. My skin felt instantly moisturised and had a genuine glow.  I liked the slight fragrance too. I think my wrinkles look better and my face certainly looks fresher after two weeks of using the moisturiser.

Final verdict:
This is not a cheap purchase but my skin has been feeling so silky that I think I may have to continue to indulge.

Reviewed by Sarah

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3 September 2010: 09:00

Lancaster Tan Maximiser Soothing Moisturiser

Beauty Review: Lancaster Tan Maximiser Soothing Moisturiser

Price: £21 (125ml)
Available from: Debenhams
What it claims to do:

- A deeper tan with less sun exposure.
- Intensifies the tan by up to 80%.
- Prolongs the tan 5-9 days post exposure and repairs sun induced skin damage (ultrasomes) the rescue remedy for sunburn. Lightweight calming and soothing cream.
- All skin types. This lightweight cream gives a delicious,soothing sensation.
- Tan booster
- Heliosome, an exclusive Lancaster complex, helps the skins recovery process by stimulating melanin production, naturally enhancing your tan by up to 50% to 80%.
- Soothing
- A unique soothing complex calms skin recently exposed to sun for instant comfort.
- Moisturising
- Active hydrating properties re-moisturise dehydrated skin and reduce the risk of peeling, leaving the skin supple and silky-smooth.
- Result:
- A more intense, longer-lasting tan. Soft, supple, radiant skin ,better prepared for subsequent sun exposure.
- Dermatologically tested. RPF tested (Free Radical Protection. Non-comedogenic.

Our reviewer says:
I applied this moisturiser after some heavy-duty sunbathing and left it on overnight. The cream calmed my skin where I’d been a bit casual with the sun block and any scalded skin was brown by the morning.

Following the holiday, I’ve been using the moisturiser every day to see if it can eek out the tan a little longer as the claim said it would.

Final verdict
It’s hard to be certain that my tan has lasted longer than usual, but my gut instinct is that it has. Plus, it’s great for sunburn so I will definitely be using this moisturiser for future holidays.

Reviewed by Sarah

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16 August 2010: 09:00

Video: how to apply false eyelashes

Let the Shu Uemura experts at House of Fraser, Westfield London show you how to apply false eyelashes. Jump on the trend and get fuller, thicker lashes easily with these top tips from the make-up pro.

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22 July 2010: 16:10

Sell out anti-ageing serum

The latest anti-ageing serum from M&S has made quite an impact. Thousands of women rushed to M&S to get their hands on the latest must-have product after it was revealed it made women look younger in just ten days. In scenes similar to the mania that surrounded No 7 Protect and Perfect at Boots, M&S shelves were stripped of every last product.

The good news is that the £9.50 serum is back in store. If you missed out before, hurry along to M&S and grab your Formula Age Repair Ceramide Collagen Serum now!

The £9.50 serum targets mature skin showing signs of fine lines and wrinkles with a fast acting formula that includes ceramides, hyaluronic acid and hexapeptides. Research showed that 72% of women who trialled the product looked younger in just ten days.

Sounds too good to be true, but at £9.50 (30ml) it’s worth a try!

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