Kate Makes the Cut

Do as Kate did, and liberate yourself with a haircut or colour or both. I’m preaching more to myself than to you as my tresses are desperately dangling just above my behind, begging me for a change that I just can’t make- yet. So, let Kate’s chop be a push for all of us who’ve been wanting to get that full-fringe, pixie cut, edgier layers, brighter colour-it’s hair, it will grow back…she says while possessively stroking her  strands, envisioning them falling to the floor, postponing her visit to the hairdresser for yet another day. I have attachment issues- is all I can say in my defence but BRAVO to Kate for pulling off a hair coup.

Have you made a dramatic hair change lately? Please share, I’m hoping it will be just the nudge I need.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT on DERMALOGICA DAILY MICROFOLIANT

I’m fully aware of the benefits exfoliating can have on your skin: your moisturiser absorbs into your skin better making it more effective, your skin appears brighter, smoother  and your make-up settles into your skin rather than on the top-to name but a few. But even with a persuasive list of pro’s on the side of exfoliating, for a long time I held my hands up defensively to my face whenever I was nudged to use one of those gritty scrub products…the word scrub alone in conjunction with my facial skin makes me a tad uneasy. But because I absolutely have to slough off dead skin cells, as the list of positives cannot be avoided, neither the visible difference it makes to my skin- I experimented with a few in my quest to find a scrub that doesn’t scratch and now I hail Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant  (for all skin types) for its light texture and cleaning quality.

What it does:  Smoothes and brightens skin without the scratchy feel associated with exfoliators.

What’s in it: Salicylic acid, rice- enzymes, grapefruit, green tea and colloidal oatmeal.

How it works: The powdery rice based formulae turns into a light foamy paste when it comes into contact with water. The salicylic acid and the rice enzymes push away dead skin while the combination of grapefruit, green tea and colloidal oatmeal soothe the skin and help balance uneven skintone. Simply pour a bit of product in the palm of your hand and emulsify with water to create a paste and start working into skin using circular motions.

What I say: I use it twice a week paying particular attention to my nose and cheeks as it’s most prone to roughness. My neck tends to be the zone where dark spots hit so I’m sure to use it there too. The appeal of the product for me is in the delicate texture when it comes into contact with my skin; when using it I never feel like I’m being abrasive but rather that I’m giving my skin a good clean and the result is a radiant complexion- Every. Single. Time.

I’m Crushing on Orange Lips

Whether you want to or not you’re going to be smacking your lips together contemplating a bright lip colour this year. You can run but you can’t really hide from this year’s statement lips. Don’t escape, embrace, is what I say. My money’s on the tangerine hue that helped up the sun-kissed factor of my skin for summer that will burn my lips even brighter for winter. Look, I’ve been playing with a traffic cone orange lipcolour since last year (MAC lipstick in Neon Orange- to be precise) and even though you might worry about receiving, “What were you thinking?” stares, instead you’ll get glances of thumbs up, trust me I’ve had the pleasure.

                                                                                                               

How to get the trend right

Keep the rest of your make-up simple: nude skin and lots of mascara, little else is needed.

If you’re medium to dark go for a vivid neon orange in a matte texture while fair complexions will look wonderful in a soft coral shade with a light sweep of clear gloss.

LnL loves the idea of pairing an orange lip with a sky blue nail colour. The combination of soft blue and orange will instantly freshen up your look no matter your complexion.

Will you be buying or binning this trend?

Mila Kunis Makes Our Hearts Dance

 

I vaguely remember her as the Kutcher obsessed girl from That 70’s Show but after I spotted her sexy smoky eye and pulled-backed hair at the premier of Black Swan, which I’m yet to see, I have a new found appreciation for this on point petite beauty. I love that she’s come out with a beauty bang and getting as much cred as Natalie Portman. Her look is sultry yet clean and the contrast is, in my opinion, what’s getting her all the nods. Her make-up motto seems to be chic ways to embrace major make-up trends: coral inspired eyes and lips at the Golden Globes and intense liner with a barely there lip at the SAG Awards keep her beauty looks functionally on trend.



Lancôme Colour Design 5 Pan Palette
in Midnight Rush



Her make-up artist is said to mainly use Lancôme products on her and the Lancôme Colour Design 5 Pan Palette in Coral Crush (pictured top left) and Midnight Rush (pictured top right) is the product being blended on her peepers. I can’t wait to play around with the shades from these palettes, not yet available in SA, and report back on their appeal. Face it, she’s how we would like to look after we’ve applied our make-up and played around with our locks. Swoon! I can’t wait to see her look for the Oscars, I have no doubt it will be sexy but classic which takes a bit of balance in the world of make-up.

How inspired by Mila’s make-up looks are you?

Alexa Chung's Dark Hair Debut

Alexa Chung ordered a shot of espresso while sitting front row pretty at New York Fashion Week. No, not the beverage, the coffee hue, to cover the ombre coloured tresses she’s famed for. I love how the richness of the colour makes her complexion look flawlessly milky, while the hue of her eyes is intensified. Being a brunette, I’m always in favour of celebs turning to the dark side (when it works well) and I bet more will follow Alexa’s cue. I already hear callings of, “I’ll have what she ordered please.”

Are you loving Alexa’s new hair colour or do you prefer her beachier blonde bob?

SO TRUE: Jennifer Aniston not looking herself for Allure Magazine

For a split second I thought it was Lauren Conrad (of The Hills fame) on the cover of the Feb issue of my beauty bible. I was SO wrong. Once my brain processed the letters J-E-N-N-I-F-E-R I felt pretty ashamed for making the mental mishap because I’m an LC fan. But it’s not the cover that raised the most questions for me; it was the editorial shots of Aniston sporting an overly airbrushed complexion (why?), blue eyes (last time I checked hers were naturally brown) again, why? Frosty lips paired with uneven clip-on beach blonde bangs (why, why, why?). It’s more the making of a Victoria Secret model than the satisfyingly beautiful JA we’ve routed for all these years. It’s pretty typical of Jen to push aside her girl-next-door image and go edgier for editorial shoots but I’m sure being recognised would be part of her publicity plan- wouldn’t it? Word on the web is that the shoot was based on a 1960s photograph of Brigitte Bardot- Are you feeling it? I’m not.

To offend LnL’s delicate view of her even more, I read that she said that ‘The Rachel’ (her layered cut named after her Friends character) was the ugliest haircut she’s ever seen, GASP! Her judgments questionable right now but she might just have what it takes to win LnL over with the new angled bob she’s been sporting while promoting her new- you guessed it- Romcom.

Do you think Jen looks her best for this shoot?　

If You Love Looking...soft and radiant

Opt for a minimalist look for your night out this V-day. I promise less is supremely more with hints of make-up on just the right places that will make you look lit from within. Normally I'm all for a red lip or statement eyes but I'm prompting you to bag those looks for one night and trust that LnL's got you covered when it comes to looking effortlessly elegant.

After moisturising your skin (I'm currently using Dior Hydra Life Pro-Youth Sorbet Crème for Normal & Combination Skin) and applying a light veil of foundation or tinted moisturiser (I'm pro sheer coverage so I use Clarins Instant Light Complexion Perfector in Champagne Shimmer just to even out my skin tone); whip out products like these to make you glow. Your prince charming will be, well, charmed.

Face: MAC Strobe Cream is a make-up bag must. Use it all over before applying foundation or stick to particular spots if you have an oily t-zone like I do. I tend to pat it on my brow bone, the bridge of my nose, my cupids bow and most importantly directly onto my cheekbone to accentuate the colour of my blush and the apples of my cheeks. It leaves you with a naturally dewy finish that every woman covets.
Eyes: Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener makes the darkness under my eyes less obvious and I like how much brighter my eyes look after I've applied it. You literally need a drop of this pearlescent liquid to brighten your peepers. I wear it on its own but it will work well as a base for your concealer to minimise dark circles. Finish by lining eyes (top and bottom) with brown eyeliner and two coats of mascara.
Cheeks: Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge. Blush is not given its due when it comes to making you look youthful and fresh. Your perfect shade is similar to the colour your cheeks turn when you're flushed. I love the natural finish a cream blush gives because it melts into the skin. Blend colour on the roundest area of your cheek and smooth out towards your hairline.

Lips: Revlon Crème Gloss in Sassy Mauve is heaven sent. It matches my lip colour perfectly and I love that it has the feel of a lip balm but has the impact of a silky lipstick

Breathe him in this Valentine's Day

I hate to admit it but I was always more excited to receive press packs for male fragrances than female ones- it was always a question of whether their sexy, masculine packaging would match their inner content. Would the appeal hold or fizzle with one spritz? Would this scent help or hinder a man wearing a crisp white shirt (which happens to be a fragrances perfect partner). Thankfully I was rarely disappointed, because unlike female scents, male ones are that much harder to categorise-making them that much more appealing. I have two all-time favourites and I hope LnL fans welcome them with open arms (if they haven't already). Let's face it some men need a little push towards the finer things in life and I hope that these two scent recommendations help, if you're looking for a gift that will benefit both of you.

Gucci by GUCCI Pour Homme Edt starts out traditional with jasmine and nutmeg but its alluring appeal increases once hints of tobacco and leather fuse with the woody and black pepper notes. If this scent was a guy he wouldn't simply have you with his smile but I assure you that after a long conversation you'd be intrigued, very intrigued. While you're conjuring up a male image to match this scent, it might be kind of me to mention that James Franco was featured in the ad campaign- perhaps that's all I needed to say.
Narciso Rodriguez For Him Edt had me on the edge of my seat when I attended it's unveiling about three years back. I adored For Her and was hoping that the designer, who practically had me at hello (or rather Caroline Kennedy's wedding dress), could produce a magic potion for men that would have me as excited. He didn't fail me one bit. This is a marvellously manly scent that doesn't take you on a scent journey like Gucci (above) but confidently says I'm a solid fresh musk- no pretence. Like the designer, this scent is powerful but doesn't overpower. Years later, and I'm still rambling on about it that should be testament to how much respect I have for the Narciso Rodriguez For Her and For Him collection.

Got it or on your way to buy it? I'd love to hear your thoughts on two of my favourite male fragrances.