Best & Worst Sun Protection

With the summer holiday season almost upon us, supermarkets are stocking up their shelves with sun creams all claiming to offer us the optimum protection available from the sun, although recent tests have just revealed that 3 leading sun creams do not offer the protection promised on the bottles, first of all M&S's factor 15 only scored 7.1 in lab tests, Tesco's Factor 15 only came out as 12 and finally Malibu High Protection Lotion only scored 10.2 & not 15 as claimed.
Other brands were scored as well & some of the highly rated ones were Sanisbury's Factor 15, Ambre Solaire, Nivea as well as the one I would recommend, Boots Soltan. Sainsbury's lotion is only £3 which just shows you really don't have to splash the cash to get the best results.
Taking note of the SPF number of suncare products is very important, the numbering system applied to sunscreens is to advise on selecting the correct sunscreen for your skin type. The higher the number the greater the protection, the number indicates how much time can be spent in the sun before burning. For example if you use an SPF of 4, you could stay in the sun four times longer before burning as you would without any protection.
If you have fair skin it is more likely that you will burn quickly without any sunscreen and you may well still burn if your SPF is not strong enough. SPF 30 should provide sufficient coverage of any skin type, a higher SPF such as SPF 50 will provide more protection for very fair skins as well as young children. Medium skinned people are probably best to use SPF 15 or higher, darker skins do not need as much protection to their skin although the skin can still be damaged with over exposure to the sun so it is best to use SPF8.
To maximise your skin's protection from damaging sunrays, sunscream should be re-applied at least every 4 hours and more frequently if you are in & out the water. Apply generously to face, nose, neck, hands and feet as these areas are generally prone to burning, as well as the shoulders, chest & neck.
Always apply an After Sun lotion in the evening to moistuise & sooth the skin, even with sun cream applied your skin will loose moisture in the heat, also look out for creams that are rich in Vitamin E & Aloe Vera as these are great for the skin after being in the sun.

Guerlain Light Diffusing Perfecting Primer

This light diffusing primer works miracles on the complexion, the pearls are held in a clear gel & work to create a base for make-up that will enhance the skin, even out imperfections & give a natural healthy glow! The pearls also contain absorbing powders to control any excess oil to create a perfect matt finish & is if that wasn't enough they help conceal blemishes as well as smoothing away fine lines. Apparently quite a celebrity favourite & definitely a must have for any professional as well as make-up addicts everywhere!! (£37)

Birthday Girl - Kylie's Beauty Secrets!

As Kylie turns 40 today I think we can all agree that our favourite Pop Princess looks glowing and youthful whatever the weather, her make-up artist Karen Alder reveals that Kylie loves organic products for her skin as well as swearing by Rimmel Eyeliner for a dramatic finish to her glamorous looks, here are some of her favourite products she won't be caught without!

Philosophy Microdelivery Peel Kit (£57 - John Lewis), Kylies favourite, this wonder peel is like a mini-facial to give you an instant, radiant & youthful glow!
Neal's Yard Organic Rose and Almond Night Cream (£16 John Lewis), this cream keeps the complexion soft & creates a peachy healthy glow to the skin..
Rimmel Eyeliner Pencil - Black £2.99), great for creating intense smokey eyes for a sexy dramatic look.
Alpha-H Triple-Action Cleanser Duo (£26.75), a powerful, cleanser that removes make-up and daily grime in one easy go!
Nails Inc 5 Piece Neon Brights Collection (£20), great for adding a splash of bright colour to finish off any look, neon nails are very hot this season so as usual Kylie is right on trend!
Liz Earle Body Wash & Energising Gel Kit (£30), a natural invigorating body wash that leaves your skin fresh & energised.

Kylie is also a huge fan of Mac (obviously!!) & it was Mac that supplied the Make-Up for Kylie's Home Coming Tour last year, Senior Mac Make-Up Artist James Molloy spills the beans on how to copy Kylie's trademark smokey eyes! -

'This smoky-eye Kylie look is created using a mix of deep blackened violet and burgundy glitter shadows,' he says.
'Start by blanking out the tone of the eyelid using a medium coverage concealer, before working a matte deep charcoal plum shadow through the crease to create depth.
'To add dimension to the eye, smudge a soft kohl pencil in black in to the lash line, the inner rim of the eye and upwards on to the lid, before pressing a dark shadow with sparkle over the kohl.
Having the pencil underneath the shadow will make the glitter really stand out.
'Adding false lashes to the eye really adds that glam factor. For this look choose a set of lashes that aren't too thick as longer more separated lashes will add a softer edge to a really smoky look.
"Leave the rest of your makeup soft so the attention is all on the eyes. Nude lips are more peachy for this look so choose a butterscotch colour which won't look washed out.'
James recommends: Beauty Marked shadow, '10, Prunella pencil '11, Underplay lipstick '11, Shadowy Lady shadow '10, Smut shadow '10, Number 4 lashes '7.
All from Mac at Selfridges, Harvey Nicks or House of Fraser.

Also get into the spirit of Kylie with her latest fragrance Showtime (from £21), it is a sweet, voluptuous, fruity-oriental scent with cranberry, strawberry and blackcurrant as well as creamy toffee & exotic wood....sounds delicious!

Brand New - Maybelline Dream Sun Glow Range

Just in time for summer Maybelline have launched their new Dream Sun Glow range, this consists a shimmer bronzing make-up, pressed bronzing powder, a bronzing mouse & bronzing booster droplets as well as a moisturiser.
Firstly the Instant Shimmering Bronzing Make-up, this is great for nights out & is easy to apply (best applied to well moisturised skin as any areas of dry skin may show up), it is blended into the skin to give a light pearlescent finish & washes off easily with your face wash. The Mouse Bronzer is best for day time wear & again is easy to blend to give a light natural sunkissed glow. My favourite from the range is the Bronzing Booster, you simply add a few drops to your normal foundation or moisturiser to give a bronzed finish, great for when you're on holiday, so there's no need to buy a new foundation for summer! Also in the range is the Subtle Glow Daily Moisturiser, this has a little self tan & will gradually build a light tan. Finally the Pressed Bronzing Powder, this is great to use with all the products to give some extra shimmer!! A complete one stop shop for the summer months, prices range from 3.99 available at Boots & Superdrug, see www.maybelline.co.uk for more info.

Mineral Make-Up Mania!

Mineral foundation has been a growing trend over the last decade, Jane Iredale was the first to discover the benefits of mineral make-up to the skin with her signature brand, shortly followed by i.d Bare Escentuals, both are considered leaders in the mineral make-up field & have created a cult following not to mention that Bare Escentuals is now the number one selling foundation in the US, so it's no wonder many other brands are now following suit with their own take on the mineral miracle!!

Mineral make-up is basically based on titanium and zinc oxide which both occur naturally, they also provide spf 15 and with zinc having anti-inflammatory properties the make-up is great for skin conditions such as rosacea and acne. Another great plus is it can be worn after waxing as well as any abrasive facial treatments to help heal the skin.

The powdered foundation is used as one step only, no need for concealer & powder to set, some people have found this has proven a little tricky to apply & get an even finish, especially those with dry skin, here's some tips on getting the most from your mineral make-up -

1 - Start by applying to clean moisturised skin.
2 - When applying Mineral foundation it is essential to have the right brush, use one with a high density of hair, short, firm & soft.
3 - Make sure you don't put too much on your brush, it is very highly pigmented so a little goes a long way, you press the head of the brush directly against the holes of the sifter, tip the whole pot upside down, and then lift the brush off of the sifter, there should be a light dusting of powder on the brush head and that amount should be enough to cover at least one cheek, if not the whole face.
4 - To finish off make sure you buff in order to create a smooth appearance, buffing with the brush brings out the qualities in the minerals to give a glowing finish to the make-up, take your brush in firm circular motions & spread the make-up around the cheeks, down the jaw line & over the nose, repeat a few times & you will see the results with a flawless finish..!

As mentioned many of the large cosmetic firms are now producing their own mineral foundation, most recently including Revlon & Maybelline and now Mac have just released their Mineralize SPF15 Foundation (£22.50), a powdered foundation which promises to provide the skin with a smooth radiant & natural finish while keeping the skin, healthy, nourished & conditioned, definitely worth testing it out!

Clinique Bonus Time!!

Bonus time at Clinque again & they have a fantastic goody bag of treats worth £55 to give away for every 2 products bought & that's not all...with your 3rd product you'll also receive an extra gift of Water Therapy Hand Cream & Deep Comfort Body Butter, offer ends 31/05 so stock up on your clinique before then!

Poll Winning Anti Wrinkle Cream - Aldi's Siana Day & Night Cream at £1.89!

The latest beauty craze to hit the supermarket shelves is Aldi's Siana Anti-Wrinkle Day & Night Creams, just a few weeks ago the Waitrose Baby Bottom Butter was flying off the shelves & last year Boot's Protect & Perfect was causing queues around the block as women tried to get their hands on a tub... The Siana cream at just £1.89 has already topped many polls beating top designer brands such as Elemis & Helena Rubenstein, the day cream sales went up by 800% & sold 35,000 in just one day alone & the night cream is set to do the same wih Aldi now putting limitations on their stock. Tomorrow's 'How to Look Good Naked' on Channel 4 features the night cream in their beauty poll where it out performs Lancome's night cream at £51 to become top of the list! So if you want to try it out get down to your local Aldi store before the progamme airs tomorrow night!

Latest Summer Trend - Bright Orange!

Coral lips were all the rage in early spring which now seems to have evolved into a warm orange for summer 2008, wear either on the eyes or lips (certainly not on both!) & either pale or tanned skins can wear this trend. For pale skins go easy with the colour & only use a small flash of colour on the top lash line if opting for the eye make-up. Also it is best to go with a matte finish with the orange when using it for eyes or lips, it avoids an orange over load! Try out Mac's EyeShadow in Orange or YSL's Lipstick in Orange Sari (pictured above).

Brand New - Scholl Healthy Nails, Nail Brightening System

Now that the sun is out & peep toe shoes are back in, brightening those toes is a must!! After months of hiding in woolly socks our toe nails aren't looking too hot, so Scholl's new brightening system is just the answer!!!
It conditions & treats discoloured nails, reduces yellowing caused by varnish or thickening of the nail plate & gives you healthy looking brightened nails. You can also use this as a base coat under your varnish, available at Boots, 9.99.

Weather Works By Frizz-Ease - Style Sealant Creme

Well I thought I'd give this a whirl after receiving my free sample, I've always had my doubts about these products to be honest as my hair generally has a mind of it's own regardless!!! Anyway after applying this morning & being out & about all day with barely a moment to go near a hairbrush I must say I'm pretty impressed, it's 6pm & my hair is as sleek & shiny as it was after my GHD's did their job at 8am!!
It basically works by sealing the hair, blocking out the humidity & moisture in the air as well as neutralising static, plus it seals split ends & gives a natural hold to your hair style. Perfect for going on holiday, when you don't want to have frizz all day & night in the hot weather, not forgetting the usual wet British summers!!!
Apply to your hair when wet & style as normal, also check out the shampoos & conditioners in the range too...

Brand New From The Body Shop - Eye Lustre Pearls

Brand new from the Body Shop for this summer is their Eye Lustre Pearls (£9), these are little shimmering pots of metallic beads that give a sparkling & bold flash of colour over the lids.
For best results use a fluff brush & swirl it around at the top of the beads then sweep it across your lids & blend outwards, keep the application soft as a little goes along way. The beads come in three colours & each pot has 2 shades to compliment each other - Silver Blue, Golden Green & Lustrous Pink, all have a metallic finish which is very hot for this season!

The Truth About Beauty Creams

Watching the documentary on Channel Four last night made interesting viewing, it researched the cosmetic industry's promises to turn back the clocks & keep us eternally youthful! Some concerning points to be honest & certainly worth taking on board as you stand at the counter about to hand over £20 a tub for these so called miracle workers!
Six Moisturisers were put to the test, ranging from £5 to around £60, firstly there was Nivea Visage, Olay Regenerist, L'Oreal Derma Genesis, No7 Protect & Perfect, Dior Capture R60/80 XP & finally the cheapest Simple Moisture Cream. All these creams are well known & probably most if us have given them a try at some point, I know I have....and to be honest I have seen results & in my opinion they were worth spending the money on, in particular No7 Protect & Perfect, my skin looks & feels great as well as many other people I know who use it religiously (again from the hype that came from another tv documentary..) but still I'm happy to splash the cash on them, so are we actually all wasting our money.....???!!!
The main buzz words & ingrediants that are flying around right now are of course Pentapeptides, Pro Retinol, Pro-Xylane, Hyaluronic Acid & Q10. When asking around the counters, the girls really did struggle to explain why these active ingrediants are so good & how they can make a real difference to your skin, one Dermatologist said that the protein fibres said to be in these ingredients cannot penetrate the skin to have any effect so you would be just as well slapping on a piece of steak(!!), also for any cream to have a real biological effect on the skin's structure it would need to be passed medically. It's also concerning to note that no cosmetic company is required by law to publish the clinical trials carried out before the product hits the shelves... The cosmetic companies are very careful how they word their adverts to lure us in, however L'Oreal's Wrinkle Decrease was pulled by the Advertising Standards Agency for claiming it could reduce wrinkles in just 1 hour, very far fetched indeed!! However all that a cosmetic firm needs to prove in order to market a cream as an anti-ageing product is that it contains SPF, that is it, the one ingrediant that is proven to reduce ageing by protecting the skin from UV rays, nothing else is actually scientifically proven to slow the ageing process down!
Also a lot of us look to our magazine editors to recommend the best creams & products available, at the end of the day no magazine is going to say a cream is dreadful, the editors themselves say that if a cream is no good then they just won't write about it as people only want to read about what is the latest best buy, and I completely agree... However the only slight concern with this is that beauty editors at our top magazines are pampered by large cosmetic firms with glamorous business trips abroad as well as gifts, no direct incentives but of course who would kick a gift horse in the mouth!
The final tests showed not so positive results unfortunately, although a lot of the women themseves felt they could see & feel a real difference to their skin with it being a lot firmer as well as more radiant, the tests showed that the deeper wrinkles had in fact increased or had stayed the same with only two people actually seeing a real difference. So from the 'Simple' cream at £5 to the most expensive 'Dior' cream the results were over all the same... The cosmetic firms insist that a larger trial is required & extensive research has been carried out on all products proving that they have a significant effect on the skin.
At the end of the day if the cream has an effect on the surface giving you well moistured skin with a brightening effect then what harm is it really doing, these creams give excellent protection from UV light, hyrdrate & plump the skin so are brilliant under make-up & give the skin a lovely finish, the main point I think is that cosmetic firms need to be a little less dramatic with their wording on what their creams can actually do... The main thing to take into account with skin care is to use a moisturiser that is right for your skin type whether you have oily or dry skin, ensure it has an SPF, eat well, drink plenty of water & take vitamin c as it is proven to help collagen production, if you want to spend £60 on a miracle cream then by all means do, it's not going to do any harm but it won't turn back the clock!

Sex And The City Movie - World Premiere!!

Last night saw the world premiere of the eagerly anticipated Sex And The City Movie, held in London's Leicester Square hoards of fans awaited the fabulous foursome to strut their stuff down the red carpet!! Sarah Jessica Parker stole the show as expected with her outrageous & quirky take on vintage style by Alexander McQueen, as Kim Catrall, Kristen Davis & Cynthia Nixon looked stunning in scarlet & black. SJP's make-up certainly stood out as well, choosing to go with a dark green smokey eye look that was defined all the way around the lash lines.
Definitely glamour all round, and of course we come to expect nothing less from our four favourite New Yorkers & with the cosmopolitans being shaken as we speak, the next chapter from Carrie & her girls promises not to disappoint!!

Latest Anti Wrinkle Cream - Snail Gel Extract!

The latest craze to hit the beauty market is Snail Gel Extract, find out how these little slimies can improve your skin & give you a glowing complexion!!
The whole phenomena came about when a doctor discovered that workers on a snail farm had softer hands than other manual workers in the region and that any cuts and scrapes they had healed in record time, he began analysing the mucas from the snails & discovered that it is rich in Allantoin, Glycolic Acid, Collagen, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Vitamin A and Elastin, all of which are the key to healthy skin. So to cut a long story short, it was bottled up into a nice cream that we would all be comfortable to put on our faces!
The cream has a gentle exfoliating effect, increases cell metabolism, moisturises, improves collagen production, increases elasticity, even out pigmentation, also even out oily skin as ell as dryness, improve stretch marks & even acne.

The company that is distributing the cream is Mia Beauty Ltd, the range is Babaria & consists of various face cream aswell as body lotions, hand lotions & sun care, check them out at www.miabeautyshop.com, prices from £5.95.

Fair Ladies - New Make-Up Range For Pale Skins!

Recently Nicola Roberts from Girls Aloud created a Make-Up Range in conjunction with Jelly Pong Pong, the result was 'Dainty Doll' & includes a range of foundations, concealers, blushers, eyeshadows & lipgloss all designed with the fairer complexion in mind. The foundation & concealer is said to be 'lighter than air' & seamless, so no tell tale tide lines! Also my favourite from the range is the 'Blush & Contour', choose from 2 shades, 'Bloom' which is a light brown & pink duo, mix these together with your blusher brush for the perfect touch of sun to your cheeks, the pink & light brown work together to create a cool tone on the skin, also try 'Blossom' for a light peach tone.
Available exclusively to ASOS.com, the prices range from £6-£12.

From Pale to Sun Kissed - Johnson's Summer Skin!!

With Summer's early & sudden arrival we all want to have a glowing golden tan, 'Johnson's Summer Skin' comes out top in recent polls with a 4 star rating, especially with the paler skins.. With all the sunbed health risks these days, faking it defintely is the best option & with the self tan moisturiser you're giving your skin a treat at the same time!
Johnson's have also released some new editions to the range, including a night lotion as well as a firming lotions too, great for bikini season of course! The latest one is my favourite, 'Summer Skin' for the very pale & interesting!! It helps give a very light & subtle colour, taking that slight blue/purple edge from celtic skin! Certainly no orangina here anyway, nice natural glowing sun kissed skin all the way!
Also boots have a great offer on at the moment, 50% off!!! Grab them while you can!

Male Grooming - Man Make-Up!

Yesterday I was invited to talk on radio about the new craze in male grooming - 'Man Make-Up', it was on a football radio show believe it or not & they wanted to address the male attitude towards cosmetics these days...
It has been a well known fact that men have been stealing their girlfriend's moisturisers & concealers to cover up their spots for years, although none would admit to it! However with the emergence of more & more specialised male product ranges, it makes it a little easier for our men to come out the cosmetic closet & take an open pride in their appearance! Boxed up in a masculine & sleek style these products feel acceptable for the modern man to pick up on his shopping trip to Boots! Of course whilst face creams, exfoliators & eye creams are becoming a lot more acceptable, the issue of 'Man Make-Up is still a little taboo, Russell Brand may carry off this look with style but I'm not sure most men would feel the need...! Although the make-up ranges offered for men are based around light & natural make-up which is to 'enhance' rather than look obvious, such as a concealer to cover up dark circles under the eyes or shaving nicks & spots, also a mattifying product in an invisible powder or gel to get rid of any unwanted shiny noses or foreheads (!!), plus some ranges include a bronzer as well as eyebrow defining pencils & gels, eye liner (or 'guy-liner' as some would say!) as well as lip balm! All of these are specifically designed for men & are set to become a huge success with more & more male celebrities openly admitting to using them such as Justin Timberlake, Johnny Depp & even Barrak Obama!
Men the same as woman feel the need to hide to odd spot or dark circles after a late night, especially if they have an important meeting to go to or an event, I predict it'll defintely become common place for men to have a little pot of concealer tucked away in their cosmetic cabinets!
There are many ranges out just now, Jean Paul Gaultier was the first to release a make-up line for men with his 'Monsieur' range (pictured above), which was recently featured in GQ & includes all the make-up products mentioned above, and more recently Clinique have launched their 'M-Concealer' designed for Men as well as No7 & Biotherme offering a male make-up range, and believe me it won't be long until most cosmetic brands are following suit to meet this new market! So we all now know what will be the stocking fillers this Christmas!!!!!

New From Rimmel - Volume Booster Liquid.

Brand new from Rimmel is their Volume Booster Liquid (£5.49), it claims to give you up to 40% fuller looking lips & it's formula contains marine collagen spheres as well as hyaluronic biospheres (all very technical!!), to give volume & instant hydration to your pout!
Anyway I have been researching the product this week & I must say there isn't a bad word to say about it, a 5 star rating all round! Great for dry cracked lips as well, many long term sufferers have found that within a few days of using the gloss their lips were smooth & healthy. Also the volume boost really does work & after a small tingling sensation you can see a vast improvement with lips feeling firmer & fuller. Also everybody that had used the product would definitely recommend to a friend, sounds like it's worth checking out!

Bannish Dark Circles - Best Under Eye Creams

Choosing an eye cream isn't easy, there are so many products on the market, all claiming to work wonders but how do we know which ones really work.... Eye cream ingredients have become more complex and varied & reading the labels on the packaging can just lead to confusion, so many of us just end up spending a lot of money trying out products that don't work!

Anyway the main issues that all eye creams offer to resolve are -

Wrinkles
Puffiness
Under-Eye bags and Dark Circles

All of these concern most of us as we get older, the skin becomes more fragile as we age and often shows up first as fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes, the thinner the skin the more blood vessels show through increasing the likelihood of dark circles. Of course this problem effects all age groups & dark circles with puffiness can be hereditary or simply your life style. Too much alcohol, smoking, a poor diet, sun exposure as well as too many late nights can all take their toll, a quick fix may be to get a good nights sleep alongside a straight forward detox!

Although if you want to find a cream that works for you rather than throwing away the cash, follow this tried & tested guide on what ingredients to look out for -

Eye Creams to Lift & Target Wrinkles -
Caffeine, Alcohol, Retinol, Alpha-Hydroxy Acids (AHA), Copper Peptides, and Vitamin C to tighten skin and stimulate collagen growth. Plus some eye creams also have a small amount of Botox in them as well, this will give you an instant & temporary lift.

EyeCreams for Dark Circles -
Vitamin K, Kojic Acid, and Hydroquinone to inhibit bruising and leakage and lighten skin.

Here are 3 great products to keep an eye out for -


Clinique Anti Gravity Firming Eye Lift Cream (£22.50), A rich cream that firms, lifts & hydrates the eye area for firmer, smoother & brighter skin under eye the eyes.


Garnier Nutritionist Caffeine Eye Roll On (£9.99), This brand new products is great for an instant lift to tired eyes, it has a brightening effect that takes hold right away & over time can reduce the over all appearance of your dark circles, get it fast as they sold out almost right away on launch & a new batch has just been delivered back out to the high street stores for this bank holiday weekend!


Prescriptive Vibrant-C Skin Brightening Eye Cream (£21), This best seller cream that is also recommended by 'In Style' is an all round eye cream, reducing wrinkles, puffiness & dark circles in one go. It's Vitamin C complex works on your dark circles as well as luminizers which instantly lift the whole eye area.

Celebrity Style - Gywneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow has spent the last few weeks showing off her fabulous toned body in six inch heels whilst promoting her new film, she has been going through a fashion & image update of late, leaving behind her previous grey drab wardrobe & re-emerging as a glamour goddess!
Her make-up look here is fantastic & completes the new glamorous sexy image, the eye make-up is the most striking element to the make-up & is easily achieved - here's how!!!

1 - Take a Dark Brown or Charcoal Grey & apply across the full lid of your eye (just to the point above the socket line) & blend to soften the colour.
2 - With a cotton bud take the colour into the outer corners of your socket line to create more depth & with a fluff brush in circular movements blend outwards.
3 - To line your eyes, take a soft kohl pencil & as close to the lash line as possible define the top lash line & then the bottom, once you have done this go back in with the pencil & line around the entire eye, right into the inner corner & the inner rim of the bottom lash line. To complete this, soften with a cotton bud on the top & bottom to create a smokey finish.
4 - Finish off with lashings of your favourite Mascara!!!

Also while of the subject of recent celebrity pics, Halle Berry has been out & about this week showing off her post baby figure, proudly making the most of her curves! A very yummy mummy!!!!

Lancome Juicy Tubes by Christopher Kane

Brand New & just out this week is the Limited Edition Lancome Juicy Tubes by designer Christopher Kane, the warm fruity colours are perfect for summer & the range includes the colours Rio, Peach, Tokyo Yuzu & Paris. 'Juicy Tubes' are easily the most famous & popular lip gloss range which now has cult status worldwide. With long lasting colour, great staying power as well as conditioning & softening your lips and not to mention their great taste, it takes a lot to rival the no 1 gloss!!! The new glosses are available at Lancome counters nationwide as of this week (13.50)