Hot or Not Beauty

One of my friends from over at the Beauty Network is Sheri Green, the head of Ame cosmetics and I’ve decided today to tell everyone about her cosmetic company. While I don’t usually talk about products in quite these terms, I hope you’ll indulge me today’s post. I’m pretty passionate about supporting women in business doing their own thing and Sheri and her daughter have created a great company with Ame, not only producing high quality cosmetics, but also providing strong support to various charity initiatives.
Ame is a cosmetic company that produces products from natural ingredients, with a range of mineral powders in the most gorgeous colours - I especially love the second look pictured, although sadly I suspect this wouldn’t look half so good on me!
The range of colours is fabulous and the powders are silky and light. Best of all the company is focussed on giving women the tools they need to look their best and not discontinuing colors the minute you finally settle on one you like (something I’m sure we can all relate to!)
The range of Ame cosmetics is available online via stores like Amazon, Dekka at dcafam.com or you can visit the Ame website at www.amecosmetics.com - I hope you will take the time to check it out!

If you’ve made that common mistake that so many of us have made at one time or another, and ended up more fiery red than naturally glowing - then the Aloe Cooling Body Gel is just what you need.
This product is from the recently introduced range of aloe vera based products at The Body Shop, which are especially designed for those suffering from sensitive skin conditions. The light texture is absorbed easily, without any of the ingredients that can irritate those who suffer with sensitive skin. This is a dermatologically tested product, approved specifically for sensitive skin types.
As well as being great for cooling skin irritations for those with sensitive skin, the Aloe Cooling Body Gel is an ideal treatment in the case of too much sun exposure. The same aloe ingredient that is soothing on irritated, sensitive skin is what makes this product ideal for red, sore sun burnt skin.
If you are looking for a lovely and light formula to soothe the skin and use as part of your after sun skin regime, then The Body Shop’s Aloe Cooling Body Gel makes an ideal natural option.

There is nothing worse than having the carefully applied eye makeup you spent 10 minutes perfecting run the minute you open the door and a blast of hot summer air and/or humidity hits you in the face. Well I think I’ve pretty much found the solution with the gorgeous Aqua Eyes two-in-one eye shadow and liner pencil.
This water proof makeup has real staying power, with the eye shadow and liner including a formulation that ensures this stays put. There are 20 different shades to choose from and the range has classic browns and grays through to vibrant turquoises and hot pinks. The Aqua Eyes is suitable for use in even the most extreme conditions, remaining resistant to water, and hence resistant to rubbing or fading.
Whether you are looking for a stay fast option for a teary occasion, or the perfect solution to summer humidity and the beach, I urge you to give this one a try.

I love, love, love this oh so cute new Clinique Quick Eyes Cream Shadow. Feeling quite summery I decided that this was just what I needed after seeing the new pictures of Clinique’s summer look (oh, the power of advertising - slave that I am unto thee!)
Well if the whole lovely pictures weren’t enough to draw me in the news that this makeup was suitable with contact lenses had me leaping to get my own. I generally probably do all the wrong things in the name of beauty, but I can now rest easy knowing my new summer eye shadow has been ophthalmologist tested and given the ok.

The Clinique Quick Eyes Cream Shadow comes in 9 shades, so that get’s my stamp of approval for having a range of options. The Clinique pictures have the model in Rock Violet, but my favorite is the Starlight Pink, a very cool, mauve-pink shade.
To get the look right, the expert tip from Clinique is to layer the application, building up the color. In this way you can achieve a sheer coverage through to a solid color for a more dramatic look, using either the applicator wand or blending with your finger tip. The creamy eye shadow is long lasting, designed to stay put for up to 10 hours and this one is sure to be a summer favorite.

Do you hate that shiny skin that some sunscreens can leave you with? I personally think that there is nothing worse than the oiliness that you can encounter when you are trying to stay protected from the sun, while already sweltering in high summer temperatures.
My personal tip to counteract this problem is to use a tinted moisturiser. These tend to offer lighter coverage than foundation and are easily reapplied during the day. Select one that contains an SPF 15 to make sure your skin is protected from the damaging effects of the sun’s rays and you have a great alternative to ensure you put your best face forward.
Here are my 3 top picks for tinted moisturisers -
No. 1 - Stila Tinted Moisturiser with SPF 15 - this one gets my pick of the bunch because I feel that it has the best coverage and the widest range of shades, plus there is a SPF 30 available as well.

No. 2 - Dove Essential Nutrients Tinted Moisturiser with SPF 15 - I think this one is a good alternative, but the Dove Tinted Moisturiser offers far less shades than Stila (but it is very reasonably priced for those on a budget).

No. 3 - You Rebel Tinted Moisturiser with SPF 15 - this one is pretty expensive, and still doesn’t have the same range of shades as the Stila, so it gets my vote for no. 3 position.

There are other options available, but not all offer the SPF 15; which I honestly believe is the minimum you should consider if you’re planning to use this in place of regular sunscreen.

Well I’ve pretty much been the self proclaimed afficiondo of all things relating to Juciy Tubes having sworn up and down that they are the best lip gloss around - but guess what - I found something else that is pretty darned good!
I was recently given a Too Faced FUZE Slenderize Guilt Free Lip Gloss - big name for a little tube of goodness! The slogan of this lip gloss is ‘Always on the lips…never on the hips!’ Basically these cute tubes of fruity goodness are a shiny lip gloss that was built around the same premise as the FUZE energy drinks. Not only do they deliver a high shine to the lips, they offer 3 delicious flavours Dragon Fruit Lime, Strawberry Melon and the one I have the Blueberry Raspberry.
What is unique about these little lip glosses is that they have been infused with energy boosting ingredients that also act to help suppress the appetite - hence a short touch up of your lips helps curb those cravings that go to the hips! Neat! As well as that these too cute Too Faced lip glosses actually taste as great as they smell - they’ve definitely got my stamp of approval.

Being one of those people destined to either be scorched red shade or else accept their fair skin, I’m always on the lookout for new options for bronzers. So while on a recent shopping trip (read getting sidetracked checking out beauty stuff!) this Rimmel Mousse Bronzer caught my eye. So I of course had to pick one up and try it out!
I’m obsessed with things that say mousse on them, I suspect it’s a hangover from being a child of the 80s. At about ten I was given a moisturising body mousse, one of the earliest beauty products I had. So of course I couldn’t resist trying out a product called Rimmel ‘Cool Bronze’ Matte Mousse Bronzer. What I discovered is that this mousse has a light, whipped consistency that’s perfect for creating an even finish.
I liked that once it was on it did more or less stand up to the claims that it resists humidity and won’t rub off. I think as with any impermanent bronzer you shouldn’t test this out to vigorously, because the reality is they are designed to wash off. Overall I liked the Rimell Cool Bronze mousse. It makes a light option for that sun-kissed glow and was long lasting as well.

My favourite summer fragrance is the Issey Miyake - L’Eau d’Issey. I have been a fan of this one for about 5 years now. What I love most is about this fragrance is that it has light and beautifully feminine notes of lotus, freesia, lilies and tube roses. This is considered quite a complex perfume, and has a wide range of scents to it. I think it makes the perfect fragrance for summer, and I’ve always loved that the Eau de Parfum comes with a refillable bottle.
Being such a fan of the original I was quite excited to come across the new L’Eau d’Issey Summer. Based upon the same notes as the original L’Eau d’Issey, the new Summer fragrance is described as a ’sparkling, luminous and effervescent’ perfume. I think the pretty bottle is reflective of this sparkling scent, with the blue glass and the decorative waterfall adornments. With so many summer options for fragrances, it is hard to know where to start. I tend to stick to just a few fragrances, so if you are a bit stumped with all the choices, start with what’s new in the lines you already know. With such a large number of new fragrances available this summer, now is the perfect time to try out some of the new and fabulous fragrances on offer this season.

If you are looking for an ideal lip treatment for this summer, then look no further than the Bobbi Brown tinted lip balm. Forget problems such as hair or sand sticking to your lips. The lip balm is the perfect alternative. I’ve been a fan of this for a while and regularly use it under my lipstick, as I tend to suffer from quite dry skin on my lips. Not only does it offer the ideal base in this situation, it is the ultimate solution if you are heading outdoors and enjoying the warm summer weather. Whether it’s the beach or a picnic this is the perfect solution for keeping your lips soft and suple during long summer days.

My favorite color is the Desert Bronze, but with a further ten shades available, there is a color that will suit everyone in this range of lip balms. The great thing I find about this product is that it is versatile, and there is no reason why you couldn’t dress it up a bit with a little lip liner if your day out runs ‘overtime’. For a good summer option that allows you to let your natural beauty shine through, then this one definitely gets my tick of approval.

Are you ready for summer? Well if you’re anything like me, you’re well and truly ready to hit the beach after the long winter months, so you probably uttered a resounding yes! If you’re dying to get some sun and surf, then here are a few hint on thing you can do to be beautified and ready to make your own waves at the beach.

Have you had a pedicure? Starting from the feet up, this is one of the first things you should be considering. Getting your feet in tip-top shape is most important in summer, and best of all the natural exfoliating properties of the sand will help keep them looking great! Getting a pedicure is not only a fantastic idea if you’re off to the beach. It’s also worthwhile over the summer period when you are most likely to be wearing strappy shoes and sandals; nobody wants to look at someone’s icky uncared for feet. Hot? I think not! It’s relatively inexpensive, and in my opinion money well spent, to get a beautician to do the pedicure for you. If you are keen to try out a pedicure at home, or if you’re looking for a great set of products as a stop-gap between visits, then the products that I’ve been using for over 15 years now are the Body Shop’s Peppermint Foot Care products, (I think the newer Lemongrass ones are pretty cool too).

Fake it! By that I mean your tan. If you haven’t yet learnt of the dangers of the sun then I don’t know what rock you’ve been living under – but too much sun gives you cancer people! If that’s not enough it also causes freckling, blotchiness, sun spots and wrinkles! There are loads of great products out there to help you achieve a golden glow without basting yourself and roasting like a turkey. My favorites include the Nivea Summer Beauty Body Lotion, the Lancome Soleil Flash Bronzer range, and the Loreal Sublime Bronze Self Tanning range.
Tips: There are options for different natural skin tones, so be sure to pick up the right one for your skin.
Also, before you go anywhere near the fake tan or tanning moisturizer – exfoliate! One of my favorite options for this is the Garnier Body Tonic Sugar Scrub.

Hair – not the hair on your head, but I’ll get to that in a minute. I’m talking about the hair you want to get rid of, in particular from your legs, bikini line and underarms. There are many options for getting rid of hair, the most popular being waxing, shaving and depilatory formulations. Personally I’ve come to believe that waxing is something best left to the professionals, but being a beauty junkie that hasn’t stopped me from trying out a number of different new formulations promising beautician quality results at home; lurking in the back of my bathroom cupboard are several such waxing products that are unlikely to see the light of day again! Shaving is another option, but the results are fairly impermanent, and if you are heading off for a week or more at the beach, then you may find that you have to address regrowth while you’re away. The pro’s of shaving are that you can do it yourself in next to no time and it really as cheap as buying a good shaver – if you are going to try this option then get a women’s shaver – it really is worthwhile.
Other at home depilatory formulations – well the all natural NADS is my personal fave. I like that it is made from natural ingredients, and a big thumbs up for the enterprising founder of this company who developed this product in her own kitchen! The NADS Essentials Kit is a good option of you are looking for an all in one hair removal, moisturizing and post-hair removal pack. The Essentials Kit contains 5 products and is a good value for money starter kit. Following the natural theme, a good summer moisturizer that is perfect for counteracting the drying effects of the sun is the Quench West African Shea Body Whip; a natural product that will really restore the skins softness.

Looking after your locks! We all hear time and again how summer stresses such as the sun, swimming and so on are really damaging for our hair. You will need a little extra TLC to keep your hair shining and prevent drying over the summer, but there are some good products again that can help with this. A good leave in conditioner and regular deep conditioning is a must to help prevent to much drying of your hair. Other good options are to use a hair sunscreen, that will help further protect your locks from the damaging effects of the sun during the summer months. Charles Worthington has a UV protection shampoo, and Elseve has a range of products to care for your hair across summer as well.

So there you have it – a short guide to help you get ready to hit the beach looking and feeling fabulous. Enjoy!

Sydney declared its intention to be the 5th Fashion city of the world at the opening of last weeks Australian Fashion Week. So to keep abreast of the latest trends from this young and vibrant city, I’d like to look at what was hot at Fashion Week and how to create your own ‘Sydnefied’ look for the Spring/Summer 2008 season.

Starting with what was hot – a resounding theme was the smoky eyes and nude lips. I’m quite a fan of the nude lip look for a dramatic statement, but it requires patience and a bit of extra effort. The nude lip look walks a fine line between nude and painting your lips out of existence.
To create this look I would recommend that you start by exfoliating your lips, something that we often overlook. Be gentle with the more delicate skin of your lips when you do this. Then when you apply your foundation, include your lips as well as your face. This helps to tone down the colour in the lips prior to applying a nude lip color.

Once you have done this then depending on how dramatic a look you would like to achieve then you have several options. If you are keen to try really nude lips, then apply a lipstick that closely matches your complexion. Add a little peachy or rose toned lip gloss to the centre of the lip and you are ready to go!
If you want to try nude lips that are not quite so dramatic, particularly if you are keen to try this look for everyday wear, then there are other options. One option is to apply the foundation on you lips as described before, and then put a little soft peach or rosy shade of lip gloss over that. Another is to leave your lips nude and try a clear lip gloss.
Yet another option is to place a little of your usual lipstick in the centre of your bottom lip, squeeze your lips together and then apply a little lip gloss in clear, soft peach or rosy shades over the lipstick. Basically be guided by the amount of colour or lack of colour you want to have, then select an option that achieves the look you are after.

Finally you need to be sure that you select the right products. For the nude lip look I’ve found that some of the best nude shades around are available from Mac. I really like the Mac Slimshine Lipsticks, which are kind of like a halfway point between a lipstick and a lip gloss – and this also comes in several nude lip options. Best of all Mac offers great shades of lipsticks and lip glosses to complement all skin tones – which makes Mac a great place to shop if you’re looking for the perfect nude lipstick for your individual complexion.

I came across this ultra cute little ‘Blushing Daisies’ compact (pictured), while I was in the Body Shop the other day. It’s a shimmery blush that has the cutest design. I have dubbed it my makeup art, because I think it kind of reminds me of a Van Gogh, but then I’m a little nutty about my beauty products. So far I haven’t actually been able to bring myself to use it – being a total beauty nut I’ve just been toting it around showing it off and boasting about how cute my new purchase is!

Well after my cute discovery at Body Shop I decided to make it my mission to uncover any other dinky little designs, and found a cute little option available from Yves Saint Laurent. The Palette Pop Collector Powder is an aptly named face powder that comes in a very pop art inspired design. Formulated to give a radiant glow to the complexion, much like my Body Shop powder I suspect I’ll end up buying for looks more than functionality! If the pop art era wasn’t your thing, then the Yves Saint Laurent ‘Opium’ palette (pictured here) may be more your style. This is an adorable compact with an oriental art inspired case, containing four complimentary powder shades for the face and eyes incorporated into a floral design.

Finally I discovered the ultimate in very girly makeup buys at Christian Dior. The Dior Princess Ring is about the cutest thing ever, and is available in a lip and an eye version. This makeup as jewellery product is a silver ring inlaid with turquoise (it’s a little bit Tiffany’s!) or in candy floss pink. It has a crystal surrounded mirror on top and eight crystals on the four sides. Both the lip and eye ring contain 2 shades and are the ultimate in cutesy makeup ideas. I love it and I’m sure all you other princesses at heart are going to love it too!

A couple of products that have somewhat captured my imagination recently are from the Clinique eye makeup range. The first is the Touch Base for Eyes and the other is the Eyes Duos. I also bought the Clinique contour brush when I got my duo, and I think I’ve hit on just the tools for day-to-day eye makeup.

The ‘Touch Base for Eyes’ is an easy to use product that is simply applied as the first layer, providing the subsequent eye makeup to have a base that helps it stay on the skin for a longer length of time. To use this product you simply lightly apply using the ring finger, and covering well. Depending on your preference there are shades in nudes, tawny and pinks. I personally opted for the Clinique ‘Canvas’, the lightest nude color that is perfectly suited to my pale complexion, but if you have a deeper skin tone or you are after a more dramatic look then there are deeper tones and a wider range of colors on offer. This versatile product can be worn on its own also, so if you are more moderate on your beauty purchases than I am – then you may want to opt to start with just this product.

The Clinique ‘Pair of Shades Eye Shadow Duos’ is a cute little eye shadow pair that is ideal for daily use. I love the little silver slide box, a great way to keep everything together and I actually find this easier to get to grips with – literally! The design makes this the ideal choice for holding onto your eye shadow in a convenient way whilst applying it. For this reason I pick this as a great product for the woman on the go, the two color combination being a simple day to night option, or simply a great choice for touch ups during the day.
The Clinique duos come in violets, grays, tawny colors, and pink. My personal preference is for the tawny ‘No Show Taupes’ and the ‘Spring Wedding’ gray options for the daytime, and the others can be great for evenings out. If you are looking at just one choice for day to night, then I suggest opt for a color that you can wear throughout the day and deepen for an evening look.

The other thing I loved was the Clinique Eye Contour Brush. I have always been strong on makeup brushes over the eye shadow applicators. When you are using the duos, the brush is the ideal option. To really make the most of your eyes then you can follow a few simple universal guidelines on contouring. Firstly, be aware that light shades will ‘highlight’ or bring forward a feature. It therefore stands to reason that dark shades can make particular features appear less prominent. These basic principles when applied to your eye make up application can be used to help you shape and enhance your eyes. As a rule of thumb, use the contour brush to apply the darker shade in the eye crease. You want to make your eyes stand out so remember to blend! This is the ultimate key to having sexy and stay fast eye makeup.

Lastly feel free to experiment when you are applying new products. Take the time to look at what works and what doesn’t. When you really think about what works and how you achieved that result then you become proficient at it, and that means that you can save time and achieve great results quickly and easily. The only thing I suggest you look out for here is don’t try this 5 minutes before you leave for work! The time to experiment with your makeup is always just before you remove it, and you will save yourself a lot of hassle if you always keep that in mind.

It seems theses days that mineral makeup is the latest and greatest in makeup trends. The last 12 months have seen all the major brands jumping on the band wagon, extolling the virtues of this ‘new and revolutionary’ product. So in the interest of getting to the heart of things, I’d like to take a look at exactly what is behind the hype, and take a look at mineral makeup from Jane Iredale; one of the original producers of mineral makeup, and some would argue still the best.

The basic premise of mineral makeup is that it is a natural product, produced from finely crushed minerals. This product started in the hey-day of the seventies and was held high for the organic qualities of being without chemicals, preservatives and artificial dyes found in many other formulations.

Mineral makeup was initially found to be of particular benefit to those with problematic skin, as this makeup contained none of the fragrances, dyes and other chemicals such as preservatives that are traditionally recognised to be irritants for sensitive skin. Jane Iredale mineral makeup was first introduced onto the market and gained acceptance for its anti inflammatory qualities, making it a great option for sufferers of skin conditions such as acne, rosacea and even for those with skin irritation following skin treatments such as dermabrasion and laser skin resurfacing.

Whilst I am fortunate that I haven’t these above conditions, I have found that the Jane Iredale range is a great option for a sheer coverage, that lets my naturally healthy skin look its best. The powders are silky, and I’ve found once applied they rarely need a touch up. Best of all these powders offer the same skin protections as more conventional products, including sun protecting up to SPF 20 and a barrier from pollutants.

The mineral makeup is great as it allows your skin to breathe and maintains a natural and healthy glow. One added bonus with this particular product is that it truly is water resistant, and this has been tested in an FDA approved laboratory. I found that even on a hot day the makeup stayed put more than other bases I have tried and there was little transference.

Be aware that applying the mineral makeup may require a small change in your routine. After cleansing and moisturizing, you are going to have to really let the moisturizer absorb. This means apply it and then do something else for a bit before you start to apply your mineral makeup base. Personally I dry my hair while I wait, but if you are used to sticking on your moisturizer and then putting your foundation straight on top, you will need to get yourself out of that habit.

Once you are ready then take the brush and apply the mineral makeup lightly and in even layers, brushing the powder onto your skin in even, downward strokes. The initial ‘Amazing Base Loose Powder’ is a great product. It comes in warm, neutral and cool base tones. Great for someone like myself whose skins throws a lot of orange tones with some formulas. This also means that there are formulations that are suited to a variety of skin tones and colors.

As with more conventional makeup this base is complemented by a pressed powder for any necessary touch-ups throughout the day. I’ve found that this makeup generally stays put, but the pressed powder is still a great portable option if you have a long day ahead of you. Using the Jane Iredale mineral makeup has proved a great option, I would recommend that if you have been procrastinating then its time to give it a go!

Ever since the advent of Chanel’s Le Vernis ‘Rouge Noir’ polish – as sported by Uma Thurman in ‘Pulp Fiction’ – I’ve been a Chanel girl. (Actually being something of a beauty product addict I’m also an ‘any new product I can get my hands on’ girl!) The latest range of summer colors from Chanel are as gorgeous as ever, and the fantastic ‘Flamingo Pink’ and sultry ‘Antilope’ are the new seasons must have nail polishes.

‘Flamingo Pink’ is exactly the color you would imagine it to be – a bright bubblegum pink that harks back to the candy floss shades you loved as a child. My personal recommendation is to pair this with the luscious Rouge Hydrabase lipstick in the bright ‘Rose Flamingo’ pink. If you are more a lip gloss than a lipstick girl – then my next choice would be to try the Glossimer Lip Gloss in the new shade ‘Gazelle’. This is a hot pink that comes with a little extra sparkle and goes great with a sunkissed summer complexion.

Now I don’t want to recommend a lot of time out in the sun – let’s face it wrinkles and skin cancer are NOT hot! But these colors do lend themselves to a sun kissed look and this season there are a total of 5 different types of bronzing products available in the Chanel range. I like the limited edition Collection Essentielle, which offers an all in one palette for the eyes, cheeks and lips. There are also both liquid and powder bronzers that can give you a golden glow and set off your bright pink lipstick to perfection.

If eye makeup is more your thing then you will be loving Chanel this season! There’s a fantastic range of bright and colorful eye shadows, eyeliners and mascaras. If you are keen to try out the pink and khaki green eye shadows, then my suggestion would be to pair these with the ‘Antilope’ Le Vernis nail polish. This golden brown frosted polish is more subtle than the ‘Flamingo Pink’, and goes really nicely with the nude brown ‘Curious’ Rouge Allure lipstick.

What will I be wearing? Well being a huge fan of pink lipstick, my choice for this summer will be to give the liquid eye shadow in ‘Atoll’ a go. This golden brown color is more subtle than some of the other options for the eyes, and a much more attractive option if you are going to try out the bright lipsticks. I was also really taken with the vert bronze color eyeliner that I tried. Whilst I’ve long favored a dark brown eyeliner – I received a number of compliments about how green my eyes looked, so I’m keen to continue with this product that brought out the color in my blue-green eyes.

A word to the wise for those of you who love bright colors. This season is definitely going to be the one for you to let loose, but don’t overdo it. By that I mean don’t wear everything at once – a splash of color is great, but if you are wearing green or pink eye shadow, then go for subtle lip colors. Like wise, a muted eye shadow is best with a bright lipstick. That said – go out and have fun! This summer is all about bright colors, so find the one you like and make it hot!