Top Hair Removal Tips

In this episode of How To Look Good Naked, Gok Wan battles to convert his latest Gokette to ban the bristle! With the help of his beauty experts, he discusses the latest hair removal options.

Waxing

If it’s your first time waxing, lessen the pain by trimming your hairs down to a couple of centimeters, and don’t pamper before your period as skin is too sensitive. Tea tree oil is also a great skin soother.

Epilating

Often the beauty expert’s choice, epilators are much less painful than they used to be. It’s less messy than home waxing and works with the same principle, ripping the hairs out at the root. Hair takes 5 weeks to grow back.

Shaving

Shaving is a quick, popular, cheap and easy option of hair removal. Go for a razor with a buzzing mechanism – the vibrations pull the skin taught so that more of the hair pokes through, so you can cut it off at a lower point.
Always buff your body with a dry flannel in a circular motion, forcing the hair to grow out straight and not curling up and getting trapped under the skin.

4 Steps to the Perfect Pedicure

How To Look Good Naked’s Gok Wan shares the secrets to beautiful feet. First things first, make sure you pamper your feet every two weeks so they’re not neglecting. Follow these top tips to the perfect pedicure.

1. Get the foundations right

A lot of people choose a bold colour to hide a manner of sins, but it’s important to get the foundations right, too. Shape your nails, cut your cuticles and scrub your feet to make them nice and soft.

2. Get painting

Once they’re soft and silky, apply polish. Use a cotton bud and nailvarnish remover to clean up if you go round the edges.

3. Don’t use dark colours too often

This can lead to discolouration, so alternate with a light colour. For every two weeks with colour, have one week without to allow your nails to breathe.

4. Add shimmer and sparkle

For added sexiness, dust a shimmer powder across the top of your toes and add a toe ring if you’re feeling glam!

How to do Lace Nail Art!

Enjoy the charming prettiness of the latest nail art fashion trend, lace manicures.

Worn by celebrities such as Blake Lively and Jennifer Lopez, lace manicures are becoming more desirable as a fashion accessory.
This new nail art technique uses either real lace or traced on lace. OPI prefer using the magic of real lace, as it is more authentic and stylish. You will need nail art pens for the traced on lace technique.

INSTRUCTIONS

Start with your OPI base coat, prepping your nails as you would a normal manicure.
Apply either one or two coats of your preferred base colour, wait until your base colour is completely dry before applying your lace.
Cut 10 pieces of thin lace in shapes that are similar to your nail shape.
Apply one layer of OPI top coat over-the-top of your base colour and carefully place a piece of lace onto the top coat whilst it is still wet. Make sure that the top coat you use is not a quick drying top coat, as you want the lace to stick-onto the top coat. Use a pair of tweezers to position the lace in the desired position. You may also want to use nail glue, however depending on the lace used, this application could look clumsy.
Wait for the top coat to be completely dry before apply and second coat of OPI’s Top Coat over the top of the lace application. Trim off any excess lace and re-apply the topcoat if necessary.

Lace manicure designs whisper romance and prettiness and adds a touch of elegance to any outfit.

Hot Beauty Colours

We asked Karon McKendrick-Taylor, OPI Educator and Stylist, what to expect from the new season.
‘The autumn and winter seasons will be filled with rich seductive shades of ruby-red and blue-red, burnt orange, tangerine, rustic pink, dark burgundy, plum & berry purples, eggplant purple, midnight blue, dark forest green, khakis, taupe and dark brown.
After enjoying a vibrant summer filled with bright lacquer shades, including orange, yellow, mint green and aqua, the autumn and winter season promises to be more traditional in terms of its dark rich colour tones.’

Check out our pick of the hottest beauty buys to look out for in the new season:

1. O.P.I Nail Lacquers, $19.95 each, O.P.I
There’s no easier way to add a shot of colour than with show-stopping nails, and O.P.I have a fantastic range of bright new shades, including Monsooner or Later in a red/orange tone.

2. Quickliner for Eyes Intense, $34 each, Clinique
Clinique has a great new range of colourful products out, and we can’t wait for the arrival of the new Quickliner for Eyes Intense, available in an elegant repertoire of stay-true, eye-amplifying colours, the options are limitless. Layer and smudge Quickliner for Eyes Intense under your favourite eye shadow to create a strong yet wearable eye look.

3. Clinique Almost Lipstick, $36 each, Clinique
Clinique has also introduced seven new shades join their iconic Black Honey shade. The hues range from natural nudes to pretty pinks to violets and reds and include Tender Honey, Luscious Honey, Spicy Honey, Shy Honey, Flirty Honey, Lovely Honey, and Chic Honey. Wear red, or pink, or violet, or nude. Go for neutral eyes to bring out the lip colour by day, and smokey charcoal to add some vamp in the evenings.

4. Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Morale, $42.00, Myer
Apply a touch of apples of your cheeks to complete your autumn/winter beauty look. This glimmering starlight shade, Morale (Rosed Flush), is perfect for adding a glow through winter, and can be applied wet for a bolder colour pay-off.

How to Get Natural Luminosity

The Look: Natural Luminosity

The hair look at the Missoni A/W ‘12 show was inspired by nature. Wella Professionals, Global Creative Directors Eugene Souleiman and Josh Wood collaborated on a hair look that reflected a clothing collection inspired by nature.“I was influenced by some of the textural finishes of the collection and in particular the grain of wood. I wanted to recreate the idea of fluidity and texture within the hair which is why I used a lot of Wella Professionals Styling Mousse to create a furrowed effect on the top of the head that had a set finish yet was incredibly light. The soft effect created by rolling the hair up at the back of the head worked in contrast to the textured top of the head and also instantly made long hair appear shorter and helped to accentuate the necklines in the Missoni collection”, said Eugene Souleiman.
Josh Wood commented, “I was able to use an incredible new hair colour product at the show that will be launched later this year. It gives brilliant luminosity and a sheer finish that mimics the effects of natural sunlight on the hair, and this gave Eugene an amazing natural base for the styling. This finish is incredibly popular right now and I can’t wait to talk more about it! Watch out for the big reveal soon!”

Get the Look:

• Start with freshly washed and conditioned hair.
• Apply Wella Professionals Velvet Amplifier for the perfect styling base
• Roughly dry the hair and apply Wella Professionals Extra Volume Mousse, brushing through with a soft bristle brush to smooth the product into the hair and then dry the hair completely
• Section the hair into four horizontal sections and secure in place
• Take the second from the top clipped section and pull back the sides of the hair tightly into a pony tail
• Roll the bottom section up using chopsticks for an extra tight roll and pin in place in the middle of the neck
• Take the top section of hair and brush through then add a tangerine sized amount of Wella Professionals Extra Volume Mousse and smooth over from the hair line to the crown
• Add more mousse to each side of the head to smooth down the hair and create a sleek and streamlined silhouette
• Add Wella Professionals Create Character Texturising Spray to the underneath of the top section and gently backcomb using a soft bristle brush for added volume and furrowed texture effect
• Take the remaining sections of hair and tie into a low pony tail. Roll the pony tail underneath the bottom section that has been rolled horizontally to create a smooth, tucked under effect in middle of the neck and secure with pins
• Finish the look with hairspray to keep everything in place

Hot Hair Trend: Recreate Antonia Marras' 'Beautiful Dream'

The Look: Beautiful Dream

The hair look at Antonio Marras A/W 12 show in Milan was an ethereal dream of lightness. The look, according to Eugene Souleiman, Global Creative Director, Care & Styling, Wella Professionals, was borne out of necessity as a light touch to counteract the beautiful rich collection.
“Antonio always has a strong narrative to his collections, like a beautiful dream, and I wanted to extend this dream like quality to the hair look. I wanted the hair to feel romantic, light and almost as if it was styled by nature, with a textured quality to it” said Eugene. “There was also a slight Asian feeling to the collection with a classic Asian color palette of black, red and gold, which gave the hair a slightly ‘geisha’ feel” Eugene added.

Get the Look:

• Start with freshly washed and conditioned hair.
• Roughly dry the hair with a blow dryer and spray Wella Professionals Ocean Spritz in to the roots and dry backwards away from the face – the Ocean Spritz takes away any remaining moisture in the hair and makes it light and fluffy with a ‘fly away’ feel.
• Next, run straightening irons through the length of the hair to create an almost static feel to the hair.
• Allow the hair to fall in to a natural centre parting, then brush back and tie in to a loose ponytail with elastic.
• Once tied, let the ponytail drop a little to form a ‘baggy’ underneath section.
• Twist the ponytail and wrap it around itself, tying it into a knot, pulling the remaining hair through the knot, and pinning the knot into place.
• Massage the ends of the knot with fingers to add a little lightness the blow the hair forwards with the dryer from the back of the head towards the front – while at the same time spray in the direction of the air with Wella Professionals Stay Styled Hairspray.
• For the show, Eugene finished off with a light spray of gold hair color spray around the front of the face to give a little luminescence under the show lights.

New Foundations for Autumn/Winter

Are the endless choices of foundation turning you pale? We’ve scoured the shops for the best new beauty products for autumn/winter and rustled up an easy step-by-step guide to applying foundation.

Step 1. Start with a Primer

A good gel primer masks the appearance of pores and fine lines by smoothing skin to create a silky base for long lasting, even foundation coverage.
We recommend Pure Silk Skin Primer, RRP $24.95, a silky smooth gel primer that’ll last all day.

Step 2. Apply concealer

Camouflage under-eye circles and blemishes with concealer. Stick to where the discolouration is. A thicker, creamier concealer will give the most coverage – perfect for under-eye circles and any heavy pigmentation.
Try Benefit Boi-ing, RRP $37, a crease-free, fade-free, under-eye concealer that works to hide dark circles, shadows and discoloration.

Step 3. Choose a foundation

Select a liquid foundation that is appropriate to your skin type and the coverage you wish to achieve. The colour should match your skin, disappearing when blended well.
Australis Stayput Foundation, RRP $14.50, is a great all-rounder, a long-lasting, smudge-free foundation that contains moisturising multivitamins, antioxidants and SPF 15.

Step 4. Finish off with powder

Applying a light dusting powder all over the face will prevent shinyness.
We love the cute new Hello Kitty Pressed Powder Compact, RRP $14.95. The built-in mirror is ideal for touch-ups throughout the day. Choose from four fabulous shades including two illuminating shades for subtle shimmer.

Give Yourself an Instant Hair and Makeup Makeover

Ready for a hair and makeup makeover, but don’t want to commit to a major change? No worries. Subtle tweaks can have a surprisingly big impact. Here are six baby steps that will give you a whole new look.

Bring Back Eyeliner

If you stopped using eyeliner years ago, it’s time to reconsider. “Eyeliner is a tried-and-true way to make anyone’s eyes pop -- and it doesn’t have to be heavy or harsh,” says makeup artist Kimara Ahnert, whose clients include Catherine Zeta-Jones, Gwyneth Paltrow and Isabella Rossellini. For a soft look, skip the liquid liners or pencils and apply eye shadow powder along your upper lash line with a stiff eyeliner brush. This will create a forgiving natural line that won’t run or smudge. For your most flattering look, accent blue eyes with dark brown liner, hazel eyes with wine shades, and green eyes with bronze. Add depth and shine to brown eyes with emerald and purple jewel tones.

Define Your Brow

Embrace a fuller eyebrow shape with a little help from a professional. “Women tend to over-tweeze their brows,” says celebrity brow expert Ramy, whose motto is, “when in doubt, don’t pluck it out.” A well-groomed, professionally shaped arch can almost have the effect of an eyelift: Eyes look more refreshed, under-eye bags less noticeable. Brow artists do more than remove straggly hairs; they also carefully trim the hairs that remain with small grooming scissors -- something that can create bald spots if you try it on your own -- and they can tint pale, barely visible brows.

Roll up in Velcro

If you’ve been considering a professional straightening treatment or a permanent wave to add sleekness or volume to your hair, you can get the same effect by using medium-sized Velcro rollers. “It works well on both freshly shampooed, towel-dried hair and day-old hair,” says stylist Domingo Serquinia, co-owner of a hair, hand and foot care salon. “You’ll look like you just got a blow-out.” The effects won’t last as long as expensive chemical treatments, of course, but you can get a good two days out of the few minutes you spend putting your hair in rollers if you avoid mousse and oil-based styling products. Finish your hair with a light-hold spray instead.

Add Some Highlights

Got the colour blahs, but don’t want the bother of maintaining dyed hair? Talk to a colourist about highlights. They can create just as much pizzazz, but because they don’t lead to visible roots, highlights can be maintained with just three salon appointments a year. What’s more, says colourist Shanice Felix, “a few highlights placed around the face bring a brightness to the complexion that you can’t achieve with monochromatic colour.”

Go for Red Lips

Expand your repertory of looks in ten seconds flat by swapping your nude or neutral lip colour for a sophisticated and bold red mouth. Yes, it may feel like a scary change, but you can ease into it by starting with a sheer berry or red lipstick or gloss, says Ahnert. Ahnert points out that today’s options go far beyond the old blue-red that could be difficult to pull off for anyone but women with pink undertones to their skin. Try brick reds if you’re olive-skinned, or deep purple or berry reds if you have a dark skin tone.

Bring on the Bangs

You want a radical new ’do but you don’t want to cut 15 centimetres from your long tresses. Done! Bangs can give you the head-turning shake-up you’re seeking -- without sacrificing length. Serquinia suggests skipping the full-on fringe and asking for softer, longer layers that you can sweep to the side. “Straight horizontal lines are too severe-looking,” he says. “Go for movement and the soft pretty haze of layered edges.”

5 Skin Care Smarts

We all know the basic three rules of skin care: that you need to cleanse, nourish and protect your skin. But some skin care facts haven’t made it into conventional wisdom. Dermatologists share five ways to tweak your skin care regimen to get your most radiant complexion ever.

Moisturise Frequently

To fight acne, don’t forget the moisturiser, which improves skin’s ability to keep bacteria out and water in. Why is water important? Flaky, dehydrated skin is irritated skin, which sends distress signals to our immune cells, distracting them from healing the inflammation that can accompany acne. Making things worse, the blemish-prone often overcleanse to the point of dryness, which adds more dead skin cells to those already clogging the pores.
To properly keep skin hydrated, wear a light, oil-free, water-based moisturiser. For extra oomph, choose one laced with a zit-fighting ingredient such as salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, retinol (nighttime use only) or azelaic acid.

Find the Right Retinoid

Vitamin A creams, known as retinoids, are scientifically proven to help unclog pores, smooth wrinkles, lighten brown spots and improve skin texture. The only hitch is that retinoids in prescription-strength form (which deliver the fastest results) can irritate the skin of first-time users and cause stinging, redness and peeling.
Acclimate your skin by using a retinoid just twice a week, with the eventual goal of applying it every night. Or build tolerance by starting with a less potent, over-the-counter form of retinoid: look for the words retinol, retinal, retinaldehyde or retinyl palmitate on the label. Pumped into gels, serums and creams, these ingredients take a little longer to show benefits -- up to six months.

Load up on Vitamins

Like an alphabet soup, vitamins A, B, C and E call out from the labels of skin care products. These antioxidant vitamins are naturally present in our skin, but they need replenishment to keep our collagen from being gobbled up by free radicals caused by UV light and pollution. Each excels at something: vitamin A builds collagen and quells enzymes that destroy it; vitamin B (which includes B12, B3 or niacinamide, and folic acid) reduces inflammation, water loss and uneven pigmentation; vitamin C protects against UV damage and improves skin texture; and vitamin E is an emollient that fights redness.
To cover all the bases, make your products multitask by using a serum containing some of the vitamins and a moisturiser pumped with the others.

Look for Botanical Ingredients

By switching to cleansers and creams containing certain key botanicals, those of us with sensitive skin (a propensity to become blotched, red and irritated) might never have to reach for another tube of greasy hydrocortisone to calm an angry eruption. The top six botanical ingredients that get the nod from doctors because of their anti-inflammatory, antiredness and anti-irritant properties include: colloidal oatmeal, feverfew, licorice, aloe vera, chamomile and turmeric. Not only are these safe for sensitive skin and sufferers of chronic conditions like rosacea, their daily use will help prevent future flare-ups.

Say Yes to Ceramides

A natural component of the top layer of our skin, ceramides are fats that act like mortar to the bricks (cells) that form a wall to keep water inside the skin. When this brick wall is well-preserved, the result is a glowing, well-hydrated complexion. During the winter and as we age, ceramide levels start to drop, shrinking the mortar and causing dry, inflamed skin. Fortunately, we can replenish lost ceramides with synthetic or natural forms, both of which are found in moisturisers. To get your money’s worth, look for ceramides in the top half of the ingredients list.

How to Revamp Your Man’s Grooming Habits

You shower, blow-dry, flat iron, moisturise and carefully apply makeup. He runs a comb through his hair and calls it a day.

So, how can you suggest your man step up his get-ready routine without offending him? “This is a big manner minefield that needs to be navigated carefully,” says etiquette expert Thomas P. Farley, editor of Modern Manners: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Social Graces. “It can’t be that you simply don’t like beards; it needs to be presented more gently, with a little humour, like, ‘I love kissing you, but your beard/stubble is chafing my delicate skin.’”
Read on for some grooming tips to share -- ever so sensitively -- with your man.

Shaving Secrets

A few pre-shaving steps are the secret to a great shave, says celebrity men’s grooming expert Diana Schmidtke, who has styled George Clooney, John Travolta and Jon Hamm.
Step one: Open up the skin’s pores. This will take care of itself if your man shaves in the shower; if he doesn’t, he’ll want to apply a warm washcloth to his face for at least 60 seconds.
Step two: Exfoliate gently to remove dead skin cells that may block the blade. He can do this by using a facial scrub or simply cleansing his face with the same washcloth he used in step one.
Step three: Apply a pre-shave oil to moisten skin and soften the hair before lathering up with shaving cream.
Try to observe your man when he’s shaving to see if his technique needs some tweaking. Schmidtke advises men to shave with the grain, taking two short strokes and then rinsing the blade clean to decrease the risk of nicks, razor burn and ingrown hairs.

His Hair: Handle the Hints with Care

Men can be touchy about their hair, as we all know. What to do? Schmidtke suggests investing in some dry shampoo. “It will soak up the grease, so his hair doesn’t look stringy,” she says.
An even stickier situation: He’s starting to experience a thinning mane and not at all happy about it. Although you can’t rewire his genetics, you can recommend ways to slow the process down. For example, he may be tempted to don a cap day and night to hide this thinning hair, but that will only make things worse, causing hair breakage that will make his mane appear even thinner. Vigorously drying hair with a towel can also cause breakage. Instead, he should gently squeeze out excess moisture post-shower and allow hair to air dry.
The right cut is also important. A blunt cut will give the appearance of a fuller head of hair, while texturised cuts will draw attention to thinning patches. If you love the bald-is-sexy look, you might want to encourage your man to try shaving his head.

Yours Versus His

Sharing is good, but when it comes to your favourite hair-care products, claim your territorial rights. Most men are all about convenience when it comes to grooming, but we hunt down the products that are perfect for our styling needs. In other words, subtly remind him that you’d prefer he didn’t use your favourite shampoo for colour-treated curly hair to wash his entire manly body.
“Men and women can theoretically share shampoo products, but women have very different conditioning needs than men,” says Dr. John Gray, author of The World of Hair Colour. “They have longer hair that is more likely to be chemically treated, which means it requires higher levels of conditioning.” Finally, there’s the fragrance factor to take into account. Guys don’t want to smell like laven
der, and you definitely don’t need to reek of musk. A better solution: his-and-hers hair products

How to Get the Perfect Eyebrow Shape

Arches done right can make eyes seem bigger and brighter, visually lift sagging lids, revving up hair colour and giving you an all-over gorgeous look. “Eyebrows are so important, they really help shape and define your face,” notes brow expert Anastasia Soare, who does brow shape-ups for celebrities like Penelope Cruz, Jennifer Lopez and Jennifer Garner. Get pretty arches that are perfect for you with these tips.

Eyebrow Shaping Tools

What you’ll need: slant tip tweezers, a spiral brow brush (it looks like a clean mascara wand), and a stencil with brow powder and a brow brush.

Step-by-step Eyebrow Shaping

“The idea is to find balance between your brows and other features,” says Soare. “Take your time and step back from the mirror as you pluck every few hairs, to make sure you’re creating as much symmetry in your brows as possible.”
1. Look into a regular mirror (a magnifying mirror will make it look like there’s more hair to remove than there really is) and gently brush brows up and outward with the spiral brush to get a sense of your natural brow shape.
2. Brow stencils are a foolproof way to maintain your brows. Align the stencil over your brow (choose one that allows the most hair to come through). As you hold it there, use the brow brush to fill in your brow with brow powder. When you’re done, remove the stencil and tweeze the stray hairs beneath the powdered area for a clean, shaped line.
3. While you can clean up the fuzz between your brows, don’t tweeze from the actual brow itself or you risk over-widening the space between the eyebrows. Leave tweezing above the brow to a pro. “It’s a tricky area and can lead to a flattened arch if not done perfectly,” says Soare. An expert knows how to brush the brows up and trim just the very tips of the tiny hairs, but it’s hard to do it yourself, and a mistake can lead to bald patches.
4. Follow these steps every four weeks and try not to over-pluck -- brows with a more natural look are in.

Day-to-day Eyebrow Grooming

Blessed with full brows? Just use a little brow gel (waxy lip balm works in a pinch) to fix them in place and impart a healthy sheen. If your brows are sparse in spots, you may want to fill them in regularly with brow powder or pencil. Choose powder or pencil one shade lighter than your brows (unless they’re very pale) and use feathery strokes. Or consider a tinted brow gel as a one-step colour-and-taming option.
Short brows can be extended carefully with a brow pencil. Draw a line that’s just long enough to accentuate the arch. Making the line too long can close in your eyes or make a heart-shaped face appear top-heavy, and a thin tail will leave your eyes looking droopy. Go half as far as you think you should and step back to survey; you’ll know when it looks right.

Gone Too Far?

If you’ve repeatedly tweezed too aggressively, the bad news is that some of the hairs may not grow back. “Plucking exerts a traction force on the hair follicle that can scar the follicle over time,” says dermatologist Francesca Fusco. The good news is that some of those absent hairs may simply be in their rest cycle. Fusco adds that certain ingredients in brow serums, like peptides, can nudge skimpy arches back into the growth cycle. Look for a serum that also contains saw palmetto -- small studies have indicated it may inhibit an enzyme that contributes to hair loss. Paint the serum on brows twice a day and give it about two months to do its magic.

High Beauty on a Low Budget

What woman doesn’t love trying out each season’s new makeup colours and formulas. And who can resist the latest shampoos, conditioners, pomades and gels that just might be the missing link to help you achieve perfectly tousled locks. Go ahead and indulge, but don’t overlook an essential element of your beauty artillery: brushes. The right brushes for both hair and makeup can help make you absolutely dazzling!

Makeup

“If you don’t have the right application tools,” says celebrity makeup artist Tasha Reiko Brown, “even the most expensive products won’t go on properly.” Look for brushes that feel comfortable in your hand, that aren’t shedding and that have soft bristles. Brown chooses synthetic bristles for concealer, lip and foundation brushes, but she opts for natural bristles -- such as sable, mink or goat -- for blush or powder brushes. “Stiffer bristles can scratch your skin,” she says. If you prefer not to use animal products, look for brushes made from high-grade synthetic fibers, such as taklon bristles.

Here’s what you need:

Face: Foundation brush, large powder brush, blush/bronzer brush (you can use one brush for both bronzer and blush, just wipe off brush between applying each product), concealer brush
Eyes: Fluff brush for applying shadow to lid, flat liner brush for applying colour along the lash line
Optional: Tapered shadow brush for applying shadow increase or blending eyeliner and shadow to create a smoky eye, spooly brush or disposable mascara wand for grooming brows and combing through eyelashes to remove clump between applying coats of mascara, angled eyebrow brush for applying powder to brows, and lip brush
“Perfect application comes from clean tools,” says beauty pro Robert Jones, author of Looking Younger: Makeovers That Make You Look as Young as You Feel. “Blush or powder brushes should be cleaned at least once a month, and eye brushes once a week.” Brown’s favorite brush cleaner? Your regular shampoo. “Just put a little shampoo on wet hands, run it through the brush hairs and lay the brush flat on a towel to dry.”

Hair

Most women will need two combs, our experts say:
Wide-toothed comb should be kept in the shower for distributing conditioner evenly throughout hair and for gentle detangling.
Fine-toothed comb is necessary for backcombing or teasing. Backcombing is an easy way to create volume. Working from the crown, take panels of hair just over 1cm in thickness and gently tease. Then, smooth out just the surface of the hair.
A few different brush options are available, depending on your hair type and usage:
Round brush If you blow-dry your hair, this brush is essential. Look for one with a combination of synthetic and natural boar’s hair bristles: The nylon bristles will give you a good grip on your hair while the natural ones impart shine.
Paddle brush Use a paddle brush at the end of the day to impart smoothness and shine to hair that may look a little flat and gnarly.
Natural boar toothbrush This is optional. “Keep one in your purse,” suggests Michael Shaun Corby, a hair pro who often works backstage at fashion shows. “If you add just a touch of pomade or hairspray to the bristles, you can tame all those flyaways on the surface of your hair without disrupting the style. If you have superfine or thin hair, use the toothbrush right at your scalp in a circular motion to pick up all those fine hairs that a hairbrush doesn’t get to. Every bit of volume helps!”

Gorgeous Hair: Getting the Most from Conditioners

How can you keep that high shine you get from hours at the salon? Conditioning your hair regularly will improve its strength, shine and keep hair damage to a minimum, though it can't actually repair damaged hair. "Conditioners smooth the cuticles, reduce static electricity, protect against UV damage and enhance overall appearance," says Dr. D'Anne Kleinsmith, an award-winning dermatologist.

Conditioners also help keep the hair's cortex hydrated. "Conditioning improves the moisture content of the hair by improving the weatherproofing of the cuticle," explains John Gray, author of The World of Hair.
Your hair's length, the amount of chemical processing it endures and the frequency with which you use hot styling tools are all factors to consider in your conditioning regimen. "Ask yourself what kind of hair you have," suggests celebrity stylist Steve Lococo. "Volume conditioners have ingredients that will plump up the hair, usually with grapefruit or some type of citric ingredient. Smoothing conditioners have a tendency to have more oils or lanolin to help coat the hair shaft."

Fine Hair

Thin hair typically cannot support a high level of conditioning ingredients. To prevent weighing down delicate tresses, consider conditioning just the middle and ends, where your hair is most susceptible to damage. A light volumising conditioner will moisturise your hair and provide thermal protection for blow-dryer use. If your hair is extremely fine, you may want to replace a basic conditioner with a leave-in conditioning spray, which boasts a lighter formulation and will help strengthen the hair shaft.

Thick Hair

The right conditioner is a fundamental component of an effective hair care regimen if you have thick, wild tresses. "Unlike fine hair, hair that’s thick can support a lot of conditioning ingredients," explains leading hair care research scientist Steve Shiel. "I would recommend more intensive conditioning products. Conditioning masks can also help to tame unruly hair." Another option is a detangling night treatment, which can detangle and repair hair while you sleep.

Curly Hair

“Condition, condition, condition” is the mantra for curly tresses. Hair experts suggest you condition your locks every time you shampoo. On the days you don't shampoo, run a conditioner through your corkscrews if they’ve gotten bulky and unkempt to help them relax and detangle easily. Rinse your scalp thoroughly but leave a trace of conditioner in your strands.
To avoid dehydration and frizz, use a deep-conditioning mask every two weeks. Maximise the results by applying the mask, then covering your hair with a shower cap or plastic wrap and running the heat of a blow dryer a 5 cm or so above your head for five to ten minutes. If your hair is extremely dehydrated, use a basic conditioner to detangle, followed by a leave-in conditioner to sustain moisture.

Coloured and Highlighted Hair

Colouring your hair can remove the lipid layer on the surface of each cuticle, depleting your hair's natural waterproofing qualities. And since a basic conditioner is formulated to deposit on waterproof hair, it becomes ineffective on color-processed tresses. Conditioners specifically made for coloured hair contain different polymers designed to work on a non-waterproof surface.

Conditioning Tips for All Hair Types

Using your fingers almost like a comb, apply the product from the midsections of your hair down toward the ends. "You should concentrate on these areas, as they are the most damaged parts of your hair," explains Shiel. "When you rinse your hair, enough of the product will then deposit on the parts of your hair closest to your scalp."

Can Your Favourite Beauty Products Stop Working?

Every woman has had the experience: A tried-and-true regimen that once left your hair beautiful and shiny and your skin its radiant best suddenly seems to have stopped working. Is it time to move on to a new set of products? Here, advice from the experts.

Should You Change Your Shampoo and Conditioner?

When your once bouncy, gleaming hair starts looking flat and dull, you may wonder if it has “got used to” your favourite shampoo or conditioner. There are two things to keep in mind. No.
1: As hair expert John Gray -- author of The World of Hair Colour -- says, “High-quality hair products are rigorously tested to ensure that their performance does not deteriorate”. No. 2: Hair is technically dead, so it can’t develop a tolerance to a product.
That doesn’t mean that you’re imagining the changes in your hair. Residue from styling products is one common reason why hair may look and feel drab. To give your hair a clean slate, try a one-time wash with a clarifying shampoo. These shampoos contain ingredients -- such as enzymes and citric acids -- that bind to product deposits and whisk them away.
Seasonal changes can also make it seem like your shampoo and conditioner aren’t doing their job. In fact, these products are delivering consistent results, but it’s your hair itself that behaves differently in the high humidity of summer than it does during dry winter conditions. While you always want to choose a shampoo and conditioner that’s right for your hair type and texture, if you use a volumising shampoo and conditioner in the summer, you may find that richer and more hydrating versions of those products work better in winter.
Colouring, highlighting, relaxing and perming all affect the fundamental properties of your hair, says Gray. If you’ve had one of these chemical processes, you may need to add deep-conditioning treatments, including masks, to keep your hair in tip-top shape. Ask your stylist for advice on how frequently to use these at-home treatments.

Do You Need to Swap Your Skin Care Products?

If the feeling that your skin care regimen isn’t working any more is a familiar one, then the fault may lie with your own expectations. “Using skin care products is a lot like dieting”, says aesthetician Tom Woodhouse. “Often, you’ll see a lot of improvement over the first three months, and then when you’ve achieved the maximum benefit from the products, your skin goes into more of a maintenance mode. What you’re missing is the excitement or novelty of those early results”.
Then again, our skin is dynamic, changing in some way almost every day, says Ellen Marmur, dermatologist and author of Simple Skin Beauty: Every Woman’s Guide to a Lifetime of Healthy, Gorgeous Skin. Rather than thinking of yourself as having one static skin type, Marmur says it’s more effective to learn to read your skin and be flexible in the types of products you use. While you may have a general tendency toward dry skin or oily skin, irritation or acne, it’s important to adjust your regimen to the type of skin you’re having today. If, for example, your skin is looking greasy and starting to break out, you may want to switch temporarily to a cleanser that contains salicylic acid, which will help unclog pores.
The active ingredients that keep our skin looking its best, like peptides or retinol, work year-round. But just as cotton feels cool against your skin in July and cashmere is cosy in December, different formulations feel -- and look -- better as the weather changes. Consider rotating your regimen to include oil-free or gel-based products in summer and richer creams and lotions in the winter.

Simple Ways to Touch up Hair and Makeup

When it comes to touching up your hair and makeup at work, scrubbing your face clean and starting from scratch is not an option. So we asked top makeup artists and hairstylists how to make the transition from sedate to dramatic while using the least amount of products.

The Best Touch-ups Begin at Home

By applying the bare minimum of makeup in the morning, you cut the risk of creasing and caking later in the day. So start with a tinted moisturiser or a sheer foundation, followed by a primer-and-mascara duo (which should deliver a long-lasting coat that doesn’t need a second one) and a neutral, rosy lipstick. “Pack the items you’ll need for the evening: a dark lipstick if you’re planning on a strong mouth, eyeliner and smoky eye shadow if you plan on strong eyes instead, translucent powder to absorb shine and an eyebrow pencil with a spooly brush on one end,” says Tonya Crooks, a makeup artist who grooms the brows of Megan Fox.

Refresh Your Complexion

Whether you’re coming in from a long lunch or heading out the door for the evening, the linchpin of the touch-up is clean, healthy-looking skin. Job No. 1 is to cancel out imperfections: Blot out breakthrough shine with oil-absorbing rice-paper tissues. If your skin is dry, spray your face with rosewater and redistribute your existing foundation with a clean makeup sponge. Cover blemishes or dark circles with a creamy light-reflecting concealer, rub a little cream blush onto the apples of your cheeks and set everything with a light dusting of translucent pressed powder (or the talc-covered side of the rice-paper tissues).

Eyeliner for Evening

The quickest way to define your eyes at night is with eyeliner, says makeup artist Eugenia Weston. “Use a gel liner because it goes on creamily and gives you some playtime, unlike liquid eyeliner that dries so fast it demands precision,” she says. “Using a fine eyeliner brush, draw the line gradually thicker as it approaches the outer edge of the lid, and add a small cat-eye wing if you like.
“Fill in your brows with an eye pencil and brush them upward with the spooly end. And if you’re going for a strong eye, which I think you should because dim restaurant lighting calls for it, stroke on eye shadow in deep plummy brown, eggplant or espresso. If you must have more mascara, wet your fingers slightly to moisten your lashes and soften the old coat. Let dry, and then apply a new one, separating lashes with a tiny metal comb.”

Hair in a Hurry

“If your locks are droopy or oily, spray the roots with a dry shampoo and brush out thoroughly,” says stylist Lia Dominguez. (Dry shampoo will add volume and traction for styling.) Using a rat-tail comb, tease the top for a little height and secure your hair into a French twist with four bobby pins.

High Style

“After work, give your hair a good brushing and gather it up into a high Barbie ponytail, which can look fun and youthful,” says Christopher Dove, creative director of The Doves salon. “It also gives a nice sleek curve to the back of your head.” Final touch-up tip: Ditch the plain brown or black elastic band for a slightly wider fabric-covered one in a colour that coordinates with your blouse, dress, shoes or handbag.

Give Your Makeup Bag a Makeover

With all the great products on the market, it’s easy to amass quite a beauty stash. When they’re kept too long, however, cosmetics can go from enhancing your clear complexion to compromising it with funky colours and smells -- plus they can spread bacteria.

“Over time, preservatives stop working efficiently and it’s possible for staph, fungus and yeast to contaminate makeup that’s been stored past its prime,” says dermatologist Francesca Fusco. So resolve to keep your get-glam arsenal well-edited and up-to-date this year.
First thing’s first. These are the key items to have in your beauty bag, says Global Creative Design Director Pat McGrath of Procter & Gamble: foundation, concealer, powder, bronzer or blusher, eye shadow, eyeliner, “bold” and “safety” lip colours, and mascara. Now use this cheat sheet to figure out when to throw away different beauty products. Begin the countdown when you first open the product.

Foundation: Six months to 18 months

In a hot, humid climate, liquid or cream foundation can break down in as little as six months. “Ditch foundation if there is separation or if the liquid starts to get grainy or extra-thick,” says celebrity makeup artist Sue Devitt. Stored in a cool place (not under the lights of your medicine cabinet), liquid foundation can stay fresh for as long as a year.
Powder-formula foundations will last an additional six months, as long as you wash the sponge applicator weekly.
Tip: Smell your foundation when you buy it. “If the smell changes at all, throw it away,” advises celebrity makeup artist Joanna Schlip, who has worked with Sandra Bullock and Sarah Jessica Parker. “It’s not worth holding on to the product and risking a breakout.”

Concealer: Six months to one year

Powder and stick concealers last a year, but liquid formulas should be replaced in half that time. Again, watch for shifts in colour, consistency or scent.

Pressed face powder: Up to two years

Moisture or oil from your face can transfer back to the compact as you perfect your complexion, so prolong the life of face powder by cleaning your brush weekly with shampoo or a mild detergent, or replacing sponge or puff applicators when they become soiled from use. While pressed powders can last as long as two years, they should be discarded if a hard film forms on the surface of the powder before then, says Schlip.

Blusher/bronzer: Six months to two years

A powder bronzer or blusher will impart pure, true colour for up to two years. Consider liquid blusher or bronzer to be expired after 12 months. Cream blushers or bronzer often come in a pot or compact that you swipe with your fingers, so be alert to texture changes as soon as six months and discard after a year.

Powder eye shadow: Up to two years

Like face powder, these can be kept for up to two years. Just be sure to practise clean-tool maintenance, says Fusco, so you don’t pick up bacteria from the moist eye area and transfer it back to the shadow pot or compact.

Liquid eyeliner: Three months to one year

If your liner is drying out and you can no longer achieve a flirty cat-eye, you may need to say farewell at the three-month mark. However, liner can safely be used for a full year. “You’ll know it’s still good if it applies smoothly,” Schlip says.

Eye pencils: One to two years

Luckily, your cache of colourful pencils can stick around a while. Most have a wax base, and bacteria can’t grow on wax, notes Devitt. Tip: Sharpen once a week to keep pencils fresh.

Mascara: Three to six months

As soon as the smell is off or the wand is nearly dry when you pull it out, it’s time for the heave-ho. “Mascara is the most likely culprit for breeding bacteria,” says Fusco, “because it’s stroked so close to the mucus membrane under the base of the lashes.”

Lipstick: Up to two years

Those bold reds and deep berries you save for glamour nights will safely last for up to two years, as lipsticks generally contain wax in their base.

Lip gloss: One year

Although, with frequent re-application, you're likely to go through your favourite shades long before then!

Three Easy Ways to Update Your Ponytail

Our friend the ponytail is one seriously relaxed, laid-back dude. He likes to work out at the gym, hang out in high places and generally not look too stiff and done. That’s his thing. But I recently decided that he’s a little lazy and casual -- and that, with a few handsome tweaks and an injection of seasonal trends here and there, my mate can instantly became a whole lot more likeable. Here’s what you can do to update your ponytail too.

Undone With Bounce

As an avid “Gossip Girl” fan, I am always a little taken aback by Serena’s (Blake Lively) minxy little ponytail that sees lots of bounce at the back, and a sexy, undone finish at the front. The key lies in having a few strands of hair hanging over the front of your face. So, simply pull your ponytail back as usual before letting strands sit across your forehead and fall freely down your face. If need be, run a straightening iron through your hair to tame flyaways, and finish with a shine serum.

Over the Shoulder

If your hair is long enough, one super-sleek and simple way to create a more polished finish is to have your ponytail drape over one shoulder. Julie Benz and Nicole Kidman are stars at this, as it’s a simple style that works every time. All you need to do is tease your hair at the crown before pulling it back into a ponytail. Next, grab your straightener to smooth down the hair as much as possible, and then drape on.

Accessorise

For a loose, softly textured ponytail, there’s really no better way to up the trend factor than by adding a bow or headband. This season, there are no boundaries, with everything from pins to bows to ribbons being branded on the runway. Start by adding texture to your roots with a dry shampoo before securing your ends into a loose ponytail with a piece of ribbon. Finish off with a touch of hairspray to keep it all in place.

Care For Your Hair According To Your Age

Hair is important to women at every stage of life. Here, Norris Ogario, Creative Director of luxury haircare range OGARIO London, shares his tips on keeping hair in great condition whatever milestone in life you’ve reached…

Twenties

Hair goes through a lot once you’ve broken out of your teens. Women are more likely to follow the latest trends using heated styling tools, fixatives and fashion colouring. With so much expected of it, hair needs to be nourished and hydrated to keep it looking its best. Regular trims are important to keep split ends in check and we recommend using a weekly treatment such as OGARIO London’s Restore and Shine Hair Masque. With healing sage and lavender, hair will stay looking glossy and healthy whatever you put it through.

Thirties

This is an age when many women are juggling a career and family but if you have time for nothing else, do invest in a quality haircut. Make sure you have a proper consultation with your hairdresser before your hair has been washed. When I talk to a client, I can tell a lot from their mannerisms about how they wear their hair – they might push it to one side, away from the face. You can’t spot this when the hair is wet. It’s important to understand the client so we can create a hairstyle that suits them and their lifestyle. Busy lifestyles can be exhausting, leaving hair and skin dull and tired.

Forties

A confident decade where women often have more time for themselves and are sure about what they want. Hair should reflect that. If they haven’t done before, women may start to think about colour to cover the first signs of grey hair. For those who are embarking on hair colour for the first time and who have a small amount of grey, I recommend a vegetable tint, a semi-permanent colour that rinses out over time. They get great results and are much gentler on the hair.

Fifties

Women may find their hair changes texture and can start to thin a little due to hormonal changes. It’s important to adapt the way you care for hair to respond accordingly. Shorter cuts help the strength of the hair but make sure you have a consultation to work out the best shape for you – if you don’t get it right, it can be ageing. Invest in a quality hair care product too – shampoos and conditioners with proteins and high levels of pro-vitamin B5 will replenish the hair and help with its condition.

Sixties and beyond

Hair and skin becomes dryer as we age. Drinking plenty of water and a balanced diet will help hydrate the hair. Choose products with natural emollients to help tame wiry grey locks – synthetic silicones do work in the short term but can be drying over time. We recommend our Hydrate and Shine shampoo and conditioner duo, packed with nourishing ingredients such as pro-vitamin B5, silk proteins, avocado oil, honey and marshmallow to soften and control the hair, leaving it ready for styling.

Keep Your Long Hair Healthy and Beautiful

Are you noticing split ends, frizz and a general lackluster lankness to your flowing tresses? That’s no surprise. “Long hair is often damaged simply because it’s been around longer and exposed to more daily wear and tear from styling and the environment,” says celeb stylist Corey Powell. After all, hair that tumbles to your shoulders and below may be at least five years old.

These simple, no-fuss tips will help your long locks radiate youthful sheen with these simple, no-fuss tips.

Get Frequent Trims

The only successful treatment for repairing split ends is a sharp pair of scissors. While some hair care products may temporarily merge split ends together, this fix lasts only until your next shampoo. And left untreated, these tiny splits can splinter farther up the hair shaft. “Have your stylist take off half a centimetre or less every six to eight weeks,” suggests hairstylist Mario Russo, known for styling the locks of Natalie Portman. After trims, use a protecting leave-in cream to prevent split ends from recurring so frequently.

Beware of the Sun

Oxidative stress from the sun can fade your colour and leave hair dry and lackluster, warns Russo. Studies also show that hair is more vulnerable to sun damage in both very dry and very humid climates, particularly when it’s wet. “At home or on vacation, don’t let your hair bake dry in the sun after swimming,” says Powell, “and wear a stylish scarf or hat to protect it during any prolonged exposure.”

Invest in a Few Hair Tools

When investing in hair products, these will help keep long locks strong:
•A natural boar-bristle brush. Its fibers are best for distributing your hair’s natural conditioning oils down the shafts.
•A wide-tooth comb. It’s gentler than a brush when your hair is wet and weakest.
•A microfiber towel made for long hair. It wicks water out of your hair so you can air-dry faster and more easily.

Colour Correctly

Colouring makes long locks even more prone to breakage, and the damage is usually cumulative. To offset it, celebrity colourist Johnathan Gale, who has worked with Charlize Theron and Jennifer Garner, brushes organic neem oil throughout hair before painting on colour or highlighting solution. “It conditions the hair and buffers the chemicals so you minimise damage, but it won’t interfere with the colour process,” he says. After colouring, be sure to use a shampoo formulated for colour-treated hair during each hair wash.

Condition, Condition, Condition

Use instant conditioner after every shampoo. It will lessen friction between hairs so you have fewer tangles. Also try a weekly deep conditioning treatment to restore damaged hair. “Frayed and frizzy strands are like totally open flowers, so you want a penetrating conditioner that really gets into the inner shaft to smooth it down,” says Russo. Once a month, treat hair to a strengthening and smoothing mask. Hair masks are specifically designed to help stop breakage and create additional shine.

Styling 101

As often as possible, lay off the blow dryer, curling iron, hot rollers and flat iron. “Use these hot tools three times a week max if you must,” says Russo. “And always use a heat-protective product with them.” To prolong a blowout, sleep on a silk pillowcase: The slick fibers don’t rough up the hair’s cuticle. Also try this healthy hairstyle: “Smooth on some conditioning hair cream and create a single braid,” says Gale. “It’s a sexy look for long hair and good for it too.”
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How to be a Sporty Beauty

Gorgeous and athletic: What woman doesn’t want to be both? And with the Olympics in London approaching, we’re all going to want to get our sweat on. Whether you decide to try out an Olympic sport or rededicate yourself to jogging, two things you won’t have to choose between are getting fit and looking fabulous.

 

While you don’t want to show up on the track or court with full-on smoky eyes and matte lips, you also don’t need to reveal a blotchy complexion and lips that are so pallid they become invisible against your skin, says Belinda Moss, a makeup artist who’s worked with celebs like Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez, as well as with the tennis stars that compete in the U.S. Open.

“You want to look fresh, pretty and clean when you’re being active”, says Moss. “But for most of us, when we’re not wearing any make-up at all, our faces lack depth and dimension and look dull and flat.”
Leslie Munsell has been a frequent make-up artist to Dara Torres, the five-time Olympic swimmer, and tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams. She says that for female athletes, “taking care of the beauty basics” means that “their complexion looks good, their eyes are beautiful and alive and their lips soft, pliant and moist”.

Here’s how to achieve that winning look.

Protect and polish your skin with a moisturising sunscreen. Munsell recommends trying a new kind of product called BB creams. Also known as beauty or blemish balms, these skin care and make-up hybrids go beyond the tinted moisturisers that have become a mainstay for many of us. Popular in Asia for years, the formulas combine the hydration of a moisturiser; the coverage of a foundation; the smoothing effects of a primer; an SPF of 30 or higher; and (depending on the formula) anti-aging, oil-control and pore-minimising benefits.

Swap eye make-up for grooming maintenance. Beautifully shaped brows are the ideal frame for your eyes, magically making them appear wider and brightening your entire face. Tint your pale brows and eyelashes, and you’ll no longer panic if you leave home without a brow pencil or mascara. Munsell suggests matching your brows to your hair colour and -- unless you’re alabaster pale -- dyeing your lashes black.

Skip the bronzing powder and choose a cream-based formula instead. “Creams blend with your skin rather than sitting on top of it the way powder does”, says Munsell. “Plus, when you work up a sweat, you’ll have a nice glow and not cakey make-up.” Too sweaty? Sop up extra shine with blotting papers rather than with a pressed powder. “Just roll the paper across your skin”, says Moss, “so you’re removing only the shine”.

Reconsider blush. Munsell applies bronzer just below the apples of the cheeks, skipping blush altogether. “When you’re running around, you’ll get flushed naturally, so you don’t need extra colour”, she says. Moss, however, likes to apply a soft pink to make the cheeks pop. She achieves that with a crayon lip stain in place of traditional blush. “It doesn’t move the way blush does”, she says. “The trick is to have a very light touch. Just run a quick swipe across the apples of you cheeks and blend towards your ears.”

Upgrade your lip gloss. Traditional gloss feels sticky and won’t last past your first tennis or volleyball serve. A tinted lip balm or lip stain is a better choice. Or consider another new hybrid: a cross between a balm and gloss. They condition lips while depositing a translucent veil of colour. You can find them in chubby pencil form or traditional twist-up bullets. Look for words like “glossy balm”, “almost lipstick” or “sheer tint” in the product’s name.

Top 10 Beauty Injection Misconceptions

Between migraine-curing success stories, famous frozen foreheads, and fatal disasters, injectable fillers are a polarizing and controversial talking point.

Disaster stories are not deterring our nation’s quest for youth however; according to figures from the Cosmetic Physicians Society of Australasia (CPSA), Australians spent $644.7 million last year on anti-aging treatments.

Below, we help separate the facts from fiction.

1. Injections can be purchased online and done DIY at home

– This is an absolute NO, NO, NO! Plastic and reconstructive surgeon at Form & Function Clinic, Dr. Scott Ingram, says it doesn’t matter what the website or eBay seller says: “Injectable fillers MUST be administered by a qualified aesthetician and registered nurse at a reputable cosmetic clinic.”

2. Injectables are only for women

– if you believe this, you obviously haven’t heard of bro-tox! Injectables specialist and registered nurse Kim Cheah of Clinic Aesthetic says she’s seen a 15 per cent increase in this phenomenon among her clientele. Kim says there is no particular ‘type’ of man; clients range from tradies to male models!

3. Botox is only used for vanity purposes

– This may be true for some people, but according to Dr Ingram, injectables such as Botox can also be used to assist with a range of other issues including excess perspiration, migraines and has even been linked to treating children with cerebral palsy.

4. Injectables are addictive

– “While the effect that injectables can have on your overall look may be addictive, the injection itself is not,” says Kim.

5. Injectables are highly toxic

– Not true. “Like any ‘drug,’ the dosage must be controlled, and this is why it should be administered by a well trained and experienced practitioner to a patient who is also well educated about the procedure,” Dr. Ingram says.

6. You will always look better immediately after receiving an injectable treatment

– Kim says that immediately after receiving an injectable treatment, the area can become swollen and occasionally lightly bruised. “This is temporary,” says Kim, “and will give way to a desirable outcome, if the person administering the injectables is a professional.”
Another thing to be aware of is you may look in the mirror and prefer the ‘old’ you – but many injectables are temporary and will gradually disappear. If you’re uncertain, try a less permanent look first to make sure you like the new you!7. After getting botox I will look like Angelina Jolie
– It is important not to walk into a appointment with unrealistic expectations; everyone reacts differently to treatments, and injectables are not necessarily going to make you look like someone else – rather, the best version of yourself.

8. Anti-wrinkle injection treatments will stop you from having wrinkles… ever again!

– Sadly this one is not true; injectables can help prevent and treat wrinkles for a period of time, and ongoing injectables will help keep wrinkles at bay.

9. Injectables will make me look like Jocelyn Wildenstein

– Thankfully, for those considering Botox, this is not true. Dubbed the ‘cat woman,’ Jocelyn has had a lot more work than just injectables – it has been reported that she has spent over $4,000,000 on plastic surgery to achieve her feline appearance

Get the 20s Look in 20 Minutes

While we might have to wait until January for Baz Luhrmann’s epic take on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby, we don’t have to be quite so patient in recreating the hair and makeup from the leaked images of the film. Now, it’s your turn to take a step back in time and enter the glamorous world of the roaring ’20s.

1. The Lips

Thanks to the bold palettes of the 1920s, bright cherry red and plum lipstick shades took precedence of over nude, barely-there hues. Amp up your lips with a bold red or purple shade of lipstick. If you’re more subdued, go for a pink-based option that ties in with the colour of your blush. “If you have smaller lips and want to try a deeper lipstick shade, add a highlight to the Cupid’s bow to help promote a plump effect,” says Michael Brown, Australian beauty expert and celebrity makeup artist.

2. The Eyes

The ’20s was the era of bold brows, taupe shadows and perfectly smudged kohl eyeliner. “Choose neutral shades such as taupe, caramel, bronze, gray and even khaki in matte formulas, and use as a wash of colour across the eyelid to create depth,” says Brown. “Use the above shades on the bottom and top lash lines to define your eyes in a soft, opening way, rather than eyeliner that can be too sharp and close to the eye.” If you want to bulk up your lash line, Brown suggests using a liquid liner along your upper lash line and finishing off with a volumising -- but separating -- mascara.

3. The Hair

Short bobs and blunt fringes competed against pin curls to take out the top hairstyle honour of the times. No matter what your style of choice, frizz was banished in favour of smooth, perfectly flyaway-free hair. Recreate your style by smoothing your hair with a smooth-and-shine serum before pinning in your curls, straightening your blunt fringe, or fixing a fabulous feathered headpiece into place.

4. The Fashion

Four words: pearls, faux fur, sequins. This look is all about drop-waisted, glamorous gowns and touches of faux fur in the form of stoles and shawls. Texture was added through lace, crystal and shimmery finishes, and outfits were topped off with fabulous headwear, over-the-top accessories and T-strap high heels. Play up your shape and embrace the shimmer -- that’s what the ’20s was all about.

Get Ricki Lee's Covergirl Look!

The COVERGIRL campaign for newly appointed ambassador Ricki-Lee Coulter has been revealed.

The stunning image of the singer will appear in stores from today and by the end of the week, her face will be seen in over 1000 stores nationally. Get her Covergirl Look below!
“I could never have dreamed I would one day become a COVERGIRL joining the ranks of Drew Barrymore, Sophia Vergara, Ellen DeGeneres and Taylor Swift,!" she said excitedly. I think I will need to pinch myself when I first walk into a supermarket and see my face in the beauty aisle. It really is such an honour.”
The launch of the Covergirl campaign comes hot off the heels of the meteoric return of Ricki-Lee following the recent success of her platinum hit singles ‘Do It Like That’ and ‘Raining Diamonds’ from her soon to be released album, ‘Fear & Freedom’ out 17 August 2012.
“Becoming a COVERGIRL marks a moment in my career I will never forget. It’s been a huge year for me so far and set to get even bigger. Watch out Australia!” says Ricki-Lee.

Get Ricki-Lee's Covergirl Look

FACE

Using a sponge, apply Clean Liquid Makeup startign at the centre of the face and blending outward toward the hairline.

EYES

Apply Intense ShadowBlast in Brown Bling across the eyelids, blending upward toward the browbone. Apply under the eye as well, blending outward. Use the Beige Blaze colour as a highlighter. Finish with two coats of LashBlast Fusion Mascara in Very Black.

LIPS

Using the precision applicaiton pen, apply Outlast Lipstain in Wild Berry Wink for a beautiful flash of colour.

Create Your Own Organic Skincare Products!

Are you in need of some pampering? Treat yourself to the perfect night in with these DIY skincare recipes!

Grab your closest girlfriends and mix up these heavenly DIY organic skincare recipes from the Beauty Chef, Carla Oates .

Warming Coconut and Spice Foot Paste

Massage this smoothing, softening, uplifting and sensual paste all over the body and feet. A drop or two of essential oils of jasmine, rose, patchouli and ylang ylang can be added for an exquisite aroma.
Ingredients:
- 11/2 tbsps coconut milk
- 2 tbsps oatmeal
- 2 tsps almond oil (or other oil such as rice bran or safflower oil)
- 1 tsp mixed spice (Herbies mixed spices are beautiful)
Method:
1. Combine the ingredients to form a smooth paste
2. Massage over the feet (or have someone else massage it into your feet!), leave for up 20 minutes and rinse off.

Olive and Lime Shine Mask - for dry, mature skin.

Rich in anti-oxidants and skin refining alpha hydroxy acids, this mask lifts impurities, detoxifies, nourishes and refines the complexion. This mask can be used for all parts of the body - also great for nourishing nails.
Ingredients:
- 2 tsps olive oil
- 1/2 tsp lime juice
Method:
1. Whisk ingredients until they turn cloudy. Apply to the skin with fingers or a flat Japanese paint brush.
2. Leave for 20 minutes and remove with a damp warm cloth.

3. Organic Strawberry and Green Tea Refining Facial Mask

A great exfoliating mask for unclogging the pores, improving hydration, brightening, deep cleansing and evening out skin tone. Alpha hydroxy acids are found in both fruit and dairy (and red wine!) and work by dissolving the intercellular glue that holds dead skin cells together, allowing for a fresher and healthier skin to emerge. They also help to enhance moisturisation within the skin's layers. Green tea is rich in skin protective polyphenols. Ingredients:
- 2 tbps apple juice
- 1 tbsp strong green tea infusion (cooled green tea)
- 1 tbsp strawberry juice (you can use lemon juice, grape juice, pomegranate or papaya juice as well)
- 2 tsps citrus pectin
Method:
1. Combine the fruit juices and the tea. If possible use organic produce.
2. Sprinkle the citrus pectin over the juice and whisk to achieve a gel consistency.
To use:
Apply to a clean face and leave for fifteen minutes. Rinse well. Always do a patch test on the inside of your arm to check for allergic reaction before putting on your face
Need more inspriation for your pamper night? Watch Carla in action -

Top Winter Hair Trends

The cold winter months are definitely putting a dampener on some of our client’s locks. So here are some of the latest trends from the Barney Martin Hairdressing salon team to keep your hair protected and looking its best this winter.

THE CUT: A FRINGE

To add an edge to your winter style, ask for the fringe benefits. According to Shak, bangs are back and winter is the best time for them. Nicole Richie and Kim Kardashian have both already taken the plunge. For a blunt heavy fringe use high quality hairdressing scissors or if you are after a slight bevel on the ends use a razor. Either way a fringe is the perfect way to spice up your winter hair style and it’s incredibly easy to style on those cold winter mornings.”
Shukeel Murtaza - Artistic DirectorTHE STYLE: TWISTED BUNS AND BRAIDS
Winter is the time for finding quick and easy styles that keep your hair wrapped up and out of the harsh winter elements like wind and rain.
Twisted buns and braids are perfect to keep hair in place, even on the coldest of winter days. They are even great for disguising those all day leave in treatments. Short hair styles and crops are also all the craze this winter, not only are they easy to look after in the wet and cold weather but what better time chop those split ends ready to grow for the hotter summer season.
James Pearce - Editorial Stylist

THE COLOUR: GOLDEN BRUNETTES

Warm up your winter with golden brunettes. Rich, glossy and warm colours are definitely in this season, with harsh blondes being saved for summer.
Balayage is still a top trend but with richer and deeper hues, while the distressed look is well and truly out – the colder weather calls for warmer shades. Soft foils and soft blondes through the roots are perfect to keep up with the winter trends. Don’t forget this eason is about natural, glossy and healthy hair. Keep it rich and real

Top Beauty Tips from a Celebrity Make-Up Artist

Chris King is one of Australia’s premier make-up artist with a wealth of experience.

The quality of his work has allowed him to work with, and be the choice of makeup artist for celebrities and personalities such as Melissa George, Rose Byrne, Nicole Kidman, Elle McPhearson, Christy Hinze and Sarah Murdoch.
All Chris’ talent and experience, ability to teach and ease with people have made him the choice for market leading cosmetic brands such as Arbonne Cosmetics. 
Chris gives us some insight and tips on make-up and beauty.

What are the top 3 beauty products women shouldn’t live without?

The top three beauty products a woman should not live without are, a good foundation, mascara and lipstick. With these three products a beautiful face is the result.My favourite foundation is Arbonne’s Perfecting Liquid Foundation SPF15, which is a fantastic multitasking liquid foundation that smoothes and evens skin tone, while providing sun protection.

What do you consider the biggest make-up mistakes made by women?

The biggest beauty mistake most women make is to choose a foundation that is too warm for her skin tone.

What are your top tips for creating a glamorous evening look?

To create an amazing glamorous evening look, simply blend the desired eye colour (try Arbonne’s Titanium Eye Shadow) on the top lid then smudge the same shade close to lower lashes. This will deliver a smoky look that will make the eyes sparkle. Don't forget a few coats of Black mascara to lift the look, I’m a big fan of Arbonnes Triple Action Mascara which defines, lengthens and volumises lashes. With a smoky evening look a light lip colour is the perfect balance.

Any beauty trends for this Spring/Summer that LifeStyle YOU fans need to know about?

The big look for Spring/Summer will be bright, strong eye shadows and liners. Peacock eye shadow is one example which will be matched with a glossy coral lip colour for contrast. Try Arbonne’s Lip Polish in Coral over Arbonne’s Lip Stick in Coral Reef.

Do you have any favourite celebrity clients you love to work with? Or particular career highlights so far?

So many interesting people have been part of my career, Nicole Kidman, Lauren Hutton, Elle Macpherson, Deborah Hutton, Sarah Murdoch. Each day is different and very interesting. Working with wonderful magazines like Vogue and Harpers Bazaar has always been exciting. It is so satisfying to be able to create art with other amazing artists.

Hair Trends Inspired by the Olympics

There is nothing on earth like the spectacle of the Olympics.

So here are our 5 top hair trends for summer, inspired by the 2012 Olympics.

1. The Tight Runners Ponytail

While most of us aren’t Olympic sprinters we all have times when a no-fuss elegant hairstyle is needed. For the coming summer months the ponytail is the gold medal winner.Pull it back tight and high. Smooth it out with a paddle brush and secure it with a hair elastic the same colour as your hair. A little Fizzy Logic Shine from O&M to tame the fly-aways and you are done!

2. Slicked Back Swimmer Styles

Slicked-back wet-look hair can work for lounging by the pool or stretching out on the sand, or can translate to a sophisticated evening look with a sexy black cocktail dress. It’s easy and versatile and works on any hair length.Wash and condition your hair with some divine O&M products, such as Maintain the Mane, towel dry your hair and comb through some Know Knott to sort out any tangles and give you that glossy wet look. A little Style Guru will hold your style in place.

3. High Jumping High Style Quiffs

In high jump and pole jump Athletes defy gravity, seemingly suspending themselves in air and time. Just like the Quiff. It’s a strong on-trend hair statement that anyone can jump to. Start by using the GHD gold mini styler to create curls and waves through the front of the head to create volume and texture.
Spray O&M Rootalicious through the roots of your hair. This will create an invisible base that will help lift the hair and support your quiff, and then add some O&M Atonic to add body and shine.
Tease the roots slightly then run your hands through your curls which will create the texture
Use hair pins to secure the quiff in place and finish with a spray of O&M Original Queenie to keep any flyaway hairs in place.

4. Synchronised Braids

Take some inspiration from our Olympians but wear your braids a bit more relaxed, so you look beautiful and grown up. The bonus is that this trend works best if your hair needs a wash or its colour needs to be refreshed or it’s wet from the pool or the beach. The easiest look to do is a side braid. Spray in some O&M Surf Bomb, pull your locks around to the side and loosely plait your hair so that it hangs down over one shoulder. Sexy and romantic!

5. Get Patriotic

Why not wear the Aussie Sporting Team colours, in your hair? One of the hot, hot, hottest trends is colour blocked pastel hair colour. Think gelato hues of lemon, orange, strawberry, blueberry and apple. This trend is about soft solid colour. Grab some wash out colour products or pop into the salon for a more permanent colour. Hydrate your coloured hair with O&M Seven Day Miracle. Pop it on while your are watching your favourite events in the coming weeks for a deep conditioning treatment.

How to Apply Nail Designs

Nail apps, often referred to as nail foils, have revolutionised the talon world, making nail art an affordable and quick at-home process. It's never been easier to sport elaborate designs that last for weeks or you can change your nail art daily.

OPI has introduced new range of nail apps made from 100% real OPI nail lacquer. With designs that are available from edgy fishnet and zebra strips to feminine gold lace, feathers and floral, your nails will make the perfect accessory.

If you follow these steps, application is easy and dries instantly!

1. Start with clean bare nails,

2. Apply the App onto your nails, starting at cuticle area

3. Pull firmly over free edge and smooth down any lumps

4. File off excess in a downward motion.

5. Remove with lacquer remover.

How To Go Blonde

With news breaking of Mad Men star Elisabeth Moss’s hair transformation, blonde hair continues to be the go to shade for a show stopping colour statement.

 

Organic colour specialist Karine Jackson, christened ‘the queen of blonde’ by a host of journalists for her faultless colour transformations, gives her tips:

- Going from dark to blonde is always going to be difficult on your hair. If your hair is already coloured you will need to do a complete colour change, and this will entail stripping the colour from the hair as tint will not lighten tint.

- It might be easier to lighten up in stages, so start with some highlights. This also gives you a chance to get used to being lighter.

- Use a gentle colour that contains organic ingredients where possible and contains no ammonia. I recommend Organic Colour Systems – it uses heat to open the hair’s cuticles to absorb the colour instead of ammonia so is much less drying.

- Generally speaking, going lighter is more damaging than going darker, so you need to give your hair lots of replenishing treatments. Hair either lacks moisture, protein, or a mixture of both. To test the condition of your hair, you can do the “stretch test”. Take about 10 strands of hair and spray with water, hold the hair firmly between both hands and gently pull the hair away from the head, healthy hair should stretch about 30% of its length and then return like an elastic band showing no signs of damage. Hair that stretches and returns is healthy, hair that stretches and does not return to its previous length is weak in protein, hair that doesn’t stretch is low in moisture.

- Make sure a full blonde change is practical to upkeep. If you have an all over blonde, your roots will need doing every 4 weeks or so – have you got the time and money to do this? If not, go for highlights that are more broken up at the scalp – regrowth is disguised for longer.

- Blonde hair needs to be cared for properly or it’ll go brassy. Wash once a week with a special blondes shampoo, such as Organic Care Systems Silver Shampoo. Look out for shampoos that are tinged blue or purple – these are best for counteracting any yellowing

Donate Your Hair for Cancer

Thinking of cutting off your locks and rocking a shorter do? 

 

Pantene Beautiful Lengths is a national campaign encouraging women in Australia to grow, cut and donate their hair to be turned in to real-hair wigs for women with cancer. In partnership with the charity Look Good…Feel Better, Pantene will distribute the wigs across Australia at no cost to cancer patients.
In support of this campaign, actress Naomi Watts is joining forces with fellow Pantene ambassadors, beauty expert, Zoë Foster, and leading hairstylist, Barney Martin,

Kicking off in Sydney on Monday 12th November, National Donate Your Hair Week will see hair donation events taking place across the country.

Once you've donated your hair, here are some tips to help you work a shorter hairstyle for this summer!

1. Messy, textured styling is a great way to wear short hair, and is a low maintenance option for summer

2. A disconnection on one side is a great way to ease into the undercut trend, as seen on Agyness Deyn, for a grungier feel

3. Pixie cuts inspired by Mia Farrow are on trend and can be worn either soft and full or as a more extreme crop

4. A semi bob like Rachael Taylor is a chic look when worn smooth and sleek

5. For short cuts that sit below the chin, a side swept fringe will soften the crop and complement your face

Top 5 Reasons to Get Laser Hair Reduction

Want super smooth skin for this Summer? Laser Hair Reduction is one of the most advanced techniques of hair reduction in the para-medicalbeauty industry.

It works by using a laser beam of energy which destorys the vascular supply to the hair root, preventing hair re-growth.
The Laser Lounge's Co-Founder and Head of Client Services, Bita Beyzaee, gives us her top 5 reasons why we should get Laser Hair Reduction for this Summer.

1. Eliminate Ingrown Hairs

Unfortunately, ingrown hairs are not just unsightly, but they also can lead to infection, which can be painful whilst causing red and raised pustular skin to appear on the area. Laser Hair Reduction is a great solution if you are prone to suffering from ingrown hairs! As the hair follicle is destroyed at the root, the hair becomes softer and grows back more finely - decreasing the chances of painful and stubborn ingrown hairs.

2. No Shaving Rash

Not only does shaving take up valuable time, but continual shaving over the years can cause hair to grow back rough, coarse and stubbly. Laser Hair Reduction guarantees reduced hair growth; you will have fewer and finer hairs, your skin will be smoother and pores less visible.

3. Less Maintenance

One of the best things about Laser Hair Reduction is that it is hassle free and requires low maintenance. On average, we recommend 6 to 8 treatments around 4 to 8 weeks apart, depending on the area of the body being treated.Even after your treatment course is completed, you may only require maintenance sessions 1 to 3 times a year and on most occasions you’ll be needing alot less ‘zaps’ on the area. In between treatments, you should steer clear of waxing or tweezing; any remaining hairs that come through will shed approximately 10 to 14 days after your treatment!

4. Cost Effective

In our increasingly hair-free society, it makes much more sense, time wise and financially, to consider Laser Hair Reduction. This is because we guarantee permanent hair reduction for all skin types, male and female and on all body areas as opposed to booking in waxing appointments fortnightly and/or monthly for the rest of your life.

5. Smooth, Silky Skin

After your first treatment, you will notice that new hairs will grow through finer and softer, and that your skin will feel smooth and silky! If you find it necessary to shave in between treatments, shaving can actually leave your skin feeling super soft!

Colour Your Hair at Home

Want to refresh your hair from home? Colouring products are gentler than ever and loaded with botanicals and conditioners.

If you want change your look without having to take a trip to the salon, follow these simple steps to achieve natural-looking colour as well as body and shine.

1. Stay within your colour range

Go only one or two shades lighter or darker than the colour your hair is at the moment. Avoid making extreme colour changes on your own, because hidden beneath the shade that’s apparent to the naked eye are underlying pigments. When hair is dyed, those pigments take centre stage. When you’re going from brunette to Lady Gaga platinum or vice versa, prep the hair by filling in the pigments that are being removed, or by removing pigments before depositing a darker colour. This is what’s known as a “double process,” and it’s something you want to leave to the pros to avoid ending up with an orange or green hue.

2. Choose the right formula

Start out with a clear understanding of what you want to achieve, and that will lead you to the appropriate type of product.Glosses and glazes work in just three to five minutes to boost colour by adding tone, shine and vibrancy. They last up to six shampoos. If your hair is highlighted, opt for a clear gloss that will add shine without depositing a hint of colour that can affect the tone of those finely calibrated streaks.
Semipermanent colour contains pigments that coat the outside of the hair fiber and fade after six to 12 shampoos. Semipermanent colour will only darken the tone of your hair and cover a sprinkling of grey.
Permanent colour contains ingredients that open the hair’s cuticle, allowing the colour to penetrate the shaft. It can lighten or darken hair and will provide full grey coverage. After four to six weeks, you’ll need a touch-up to cover showing roots.

3. Select the right shade

You want to balance warm skin tones with cool hair colour (look for champagne, ash and beige shades) and cool skin tones with warm hair colour (look for cocoa, pecan, caramel, bronze, honey and chestnut shades).

4. Read the hair colour box

Pay attention to the language on the product box: Words such as “bold” and “brilliant” indicate you’ll get more dramatic results than a natural “true-to-you” colour. Study the colour chart on the back of the box as a guide to the results you can expect, and read the ingredients list for things such as botanicals to nourish the hair.

5. Don’t skip the strand test

Snipping and dyeing a few strands will give you a precise preview of how the colour will look on your locks and how long you need to keep the product in your hair if you’re covering resistant greys. Remember, don’t start the timer until you’ve finished applying the colour to your hair.

How to Pamper Your Skin From Home

Does your skin need some pampering? Follow this top tips and show your skin the TLC it deserves.

Samantha Powell, leading editorial and celebrity make-up artist, has joined Simple Skincare to show you the right beauty steps to keep your skin fresh and beautiful from the comfort of your own home.

1. Remove all make-up

To start with a clean base, take your make-up off quickly using facial wipes. Pro-Vitamin B5 is an ingredient which helps gently cleanse your skin without leaving it dry.
2. Prepare your skin

Cleanse your skin to make it feel clean and fresh!

3. Treat you skin

Give your skin a 2 minute steam by filling a large bowl with boiling water. Grab a towel and cover your head with it and let the steam work its magic. This is the perfect way to prepare your skin before you exfoliate.

4. Exfoliate your skin

This process will remove dead skin cells, making your skin brighter and creating an even skin tone. Depending on your skin care needs, you only need to exfoliate once or twice per week.

5. Use a Toner
Toner is important because it work as a pore refiner on your skin and its key to use it before moisturising.

6. Moisturise

Applying moisturiser will help seal all the goodness from your skincare routine. Make sure you pat your moisturiser in, rather than rubbing it as it will help absorb into your skin. Don’t forget to use a night cream before you sleep.

Beauty Benefits of Aromatherapy

Want a simple way to improve your skin? A little aromatherapy in your beauty routine may be just what you need!

Geraldine Howard, aromatherapy expert and co-founder of Aromatherapy Associates, shares the benefits of using essentail oils in your beauty regime.

1. Essential oils are made up of very small molecules and able to penetrate into the blood stream, helping to optimise cellular renewal process, enhancing circulation and helping treat skin concerns such as acne, eczema and ageing skin.

2. Aromas can also help create positive thoughts – rose, in particular, which is contained within many facial oil blends, is a fantastic euphoric oil.

3. Chosing a blend of rose and frankincense oils will help treat ageing skin.

4. If you had oily skin, then a blend containing lavender and ylang ylang does a great job of regulating sebum production and camomile is good for calming irritation.

5. For glowy and dewy skin, using rose oil will help increase capillary circulation and is fantastic for all skin types.

How to Get the Right Curls

Have you always wanted perfect curls?

It’s time to become best friends with your curling tongs! There are a variety of different curling tongs that create curls of different size and tightness.
“You can change the whole texture and personality of your hair in just a few minutes with curling tongs”, says Mezei Jefferson, a salon educator.
Here’s how to find the right look for you!

Spiral Curls

These curling tongs have raised ridges on the barrel. To create the telephone-cord curls of Mariah Carey or Sarah Jessica Parker, simply twist your hair around the spiral pattern. The closer the grooves, the tighter the curls. For cascading ribbon curls with volume at the roots, choose a spiral iron with a tapered barrel.Tips:
- Work with diagonal sections of hair to get closer to your scalp and create small bouncy curls.
- After you curl a section of your hair, pin it to your scalp to keep your curls intact as you continue styling the rest of your hair.

Loose Curls

Megan Fox rocked retro glamour at a recent awards’ show with romantic, wavy texture. To create this look, choose spring curling tongs with a barrel size of at least 1 inch. Spring curling tongs are a great tool for novice curlers; the clip helps you keep a firm grip on your hair as you work.Tips:
- Begin working from the middle of the hair shaft. Roll hair in the direction of your scalp. Then open the clip and feed in your ends.
- To protect hair, use as little heat as needed. Start with a temperature of 150°C. If that doesn’t give you the hold you want, gradually move on to hotter settings, increasing heat by 5°C at a time.

Waves

Double- or triple-barrelled curling tongs give you that just-back-from-the-beach look you’re craving in the middle of winter. This is the tool to choose if you want the tousled tresses of Taylor Swift.Tips:
- For an authentic beachy look, start with day-old hair rather than just-shampooed locks.
- Apply a light holding spray before curling, and then work with horizontal sections of hair, rolling up to about 1 inch from your scalp.

How to Get the Perfect Blowdry

Want beautiful luscious hair? Getting a good blowdry is the key!

Hair stylist Stephanie Hobgood has worked with celebrity clients such as Bar Refaeli and now she shares with us how to get a perfect blowdry using the VS Sassoon Venezia 2400 AC Professional Dryer.

1. Shampoo and conditioner

Use a quality shampoo and conditioner and be sure to properly rinse it out. This is so important for shiny hair but often overlooked.

2. Tool up

You have to start with the right tools for a sexy blowdry so that means using a professional standard blow-dryer! You will also need good brushes and products for the achieved style.

For fine hair use volume spray and if hair is thicker, courser or slightly frizzy use a silicone product.

3. Rough dry

Get most of the moisture out by rough drying the hair.

4. Section hair

Brush the hair and divide into three sections. Start with the bottom section, at the base of the earlobes. Next, do the temples all the way around the head, then dry the rest in little sections one by one.

5. Cool air dry

Once you’ve rough dryed and sectioned your hair, turn the dryer to the cool air setting and go over the hair. This will close the cuticle and lock in the style making the hair extremely shiny.

Expert tip:

Remember to brush your scalp! Healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp so brush the scalp vigorously before bed or before a shower.

How to Create Natural Bronze Summer Beauty

Want to get the nautral bronzed summer look? Getting a natural look has never been sexier and it’s really quite simple!

ModelCoshows us how to get the gorgeous look with this easy-to-follow guide. 
 
1. Prime your skin with ModelCo’s Face Base Skin Primer all over the face and blend to the neck. Leave it to sink into the skin then using a foundation brush, apply a nice cover of ModelCo FluidSplash 3-in-1 foundation. Made up of 50% water, FluidSplash gives a sheer finish so ensure you use enough to even out the skin tone.

2. Once you’ve applied the foundation, add a little concealer, conveniently hidden in the cap of FluidSplash, to cover any pigmentation or redness.

3. Apply a touch of Shimmer Whip under the eyebrow to highlight the eyes and then also apply a small amount to the cheek bones to highlight.

4. For the eyes, use ModelCo Gel Eyeliner to create a thin line, keeping as close to the lash line as possible, which adds depth to the eyes. Doing one eye at a time, apply one layer of the Extension Mascara then while it’s wet apply a layer of the fibres. Wait 10 seconds and then apply another coat of Extension Mascara, this process fixes real fibres to your natural eyelashes for truly thicker and longer lashes. Do the same on the other eye.

5. Sweep the cheeks with ModelCo Glow Summer Bronzer under the cheek bones to create definition. Also place the bronzer on the spots that hit the sun – tip of the nose, forehead and chin to create a true summer glow.

6. Finish off with Shine Ultra Lipgloss in Strip Tease on the lips for that gorgeous natural sheen!

How to Grow Longer Locks

Want longer luscious locks now? TRESemmé has recently launched the Scissor Free Salon, a virtual activation for the new Split Remedy range.

TRESemmé stylist Troy Thompson gives us his top tips for growing your hair out.

1. Get a massage

A healthy scalp means healthy hair and massage is a quick and easy way to encourage hair to grow.

2. The soft touch

Never towel dry wet hair. Use a blotting motion to keep strands in tact.

3. Quit the heat addiction

Try to take a few days off straightening or blow drying to limit dehydration.

4. Daily doses

Take vitamins like Biotin and vitamin B, C and D to promote new hair growth and add strength to your roots.

5. Get a handle on your hair

Try to hold your hair from the roots when combing to relieve the strain on the strands.

6. Get your hair in the best condition

Regular moisturizing conditioning treatments are a great way to inject a burst of nourishment into dry, limp hair.

7. Build a strong tie

Hair ties can play a major role in creating hair breakage and split ends. Make sure you always use hair ties without metal to help this.

8. Brush off the brush

Always use a comb to remove your knots in your hair.

9. Give it the special treatment

Make sure you use heat protection sprays to protect hair during heat styling.

10. Dying for colour

Prolong your colour by having a colour gloss put on. It creates balance and incredible shine between visits.