Category Archives: beauty look

I finally found a use for that ridiculously glamorous silk Burberry trench that I bought a couple of years ago in the States. (Coerced, I have to say, by Sam from Pixiwoo who is a terrible enabler when it comes to these things.) It was the perfect autumn outerwear for my sister-in-law’s wedding; smart and fitted, so that I felt suitably “done up” when we were all milling around outside, and light enough that I never really felt the need to take it off! Which was a shame, in a way, because my Issa dress that I wore underneath was quite pretty, but I just loved the way that the trench nipped in at the waist and looked nice and shapely.

I feel as though I’ve kind of “broken the seal” with my trenchcoat, now, and I won’t be so precious over it. I was petrified of staining it or even getting raindrops on it, and had taken to keeping it in a special section of the wardrobe with three moth sachets tied around the top of the coathanger. But now that I’ve conquered my Burberry Fears, I’m sure it’ll be seeing a lot more use. So long as it’s not raining. And I can get into town in some kind of protective giant bubble…

The post The Trenchcoat of Preciousness. appeared first on A Model Recommends.

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For some time we’ve been seeing curious innovations pop up all over the beauty industry that all have one thing in common: the fundamental point of difference is that they’re bespoke to you and your needs. None of us have the exact same skin type or problematic areas, and with infinite combinations of woes it’s increasingly hard to pick up a product off the shelf that’s going to address our concerns. Offering products for oily, dry or combination skin is an outdated approach, with more and more brands understanding that you can be all of those things and more – depending what day of the week (or time of the month) it is. We’ve seen brands already dabble in the area of skin boosting solutions or bottles of product that will help create the perfect match (Clarins Skin Boosters and The Body Shop’s Shade Adjusting Drops are a couple of great examples,) but in 2017 this trend is only going to get bigger. Like creating a recipe for our complexions, the key to success is being able to dial-up or dial-down certain ingredients – and stand out brands like The Ordinary are making this all the more accessible.

This groundbreaking range consists of ten individual and incredibly simple (yet proven to be effective) serums that start from as little as £4.90; the most expensive in the range is £12.70. Although they don’t have the most easy to understand names, descriptions or directions, The Ordinary (read my original feature here) has made hi-tech skincare affordable and achievable no matter your budget. What’s so exciting is that these little bottles take the ingredients that make a difference and formulate them in such a way that they can be added into any skincare regime with ease; you no longer need a dermatologist to help you on your way – all it takes is a little research and understanding of what your skin is craving. If you love the idea of this new beauty movement but aren’t all too sure how to use these little bottles of skin-loving ingredients, here are the three main ways to easily integrate them into your regime.

If you’re looking at that bottle every morning and aren’t really sure where to begin, then adding a few drops into your moisturiser is a great way to boost the performance of your existing products without having to invest in a whole new step. Add in the recommended dosage (usually between a pea-sized amount and a couple of generous drops) into a small amount of moisturiser on the palm of your hand, mixing thoroughly before applying it as usual. Just make sure your face cream doesn’t contain any ingredients that will break down your skin booster or cause it to be ineffective (i.e. don’t add a Retinol concentrate into a Vitamin C enriched base as they require different a pH to remain stable.)

My personal preference is to thoroughly enjoy the application experience and layer up my singular ingredients to ensure they can get to work most effectively. In the morning I’ll start with an essence, massage in a Vitamin C or radiance boosting concentrate, add my serum over the top alongside a moisturiser, finally finishing with an SPF. At night, I always use a Retinol concentrate underneath my usual overnight treatment for a little boost. This may sound like a lot, but if you don’t overdo it (a few drops of each will suffice) then you can easily massage in each layer and prep for the next without overloading skin. This ensures maximum effectiveness and allows each layer to get to work on a slight delay, rather than chucking it all on at once.

If you can wake up almost every day and see something completely different in the mirror, then it may be time to get creative. Mixing up your skincare solutions will help you tackle concerns as they arise – so it may be more useful to have a portfolio at your disposal to use as and when you need them. If you’re suffering with blemishes then Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% may help reduce them, while if your skin is looking dull and dehydrated then Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% may be your best bet to inject brightness with a touch of hylaronic acid. A great treatment to use a couple of times a week for gentle exfoliation is Lactic Acid 10% + HA 2%, while 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil is great if you’re seeing signs of ageing. It’s important to understand your skin will have multiple concerns throughout the week, month and year, so having a ‘one size fits all’ skincare regime won’t provide you with the most benefit.

At first glance this approach to your skincare may seem confusing and intimidating, but once you get to grips with your main concerns and the ingredients that will help, it’s an easy and effective way to ensure your complexion is looking its best – 365 days of the year. Will you be giving bespoke skincare a go in 2017?

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Many of you will have met my mate Caroline Hirons before; either in real life, at one of her sought-after skin appointments and meet-and-greets, or virtually, watching her videos and reading her amazing beauty blog. (You may have seen our videos together – if not then you’re in for either a treat or a headache, depending on what floats your boat! You can watch them here.)

Caroline knows her skincare inside out and her reviews are an absolute joy to read – she never sugars the pill if she’s not keen on something and when a product works, she really lets you know about it! And so obviously what we’re all waiting for is a skincare range from her. But whilst that happens, we can make do with the next best thing: the Caroline Hirons Cult Beauty Box.

A carefully curated selection of some of Caroline’s favourite skincare products, all of them fitting together very nicely to form an effective and luxurious skincare routine, this is a true beauty addict’s treasure trove! Inside the box:

Cleansers:

RMS Coconut Cream Cleanser
Skyn Iceland Pure Cloud Cleanser

Acid Toner:

PIXI Glow Tonic 

Eye Cream:

Skin Owl Eye+ 

Serums:

REN’s Optimum Skin Serum Oil
Odacite Hydration Serum Concentrate 

Moisturiser:

Alpha-H Essential Hydration Cream

Rescue Remedy:

Pommade Divine

So two gorgeous cleansers, one very massage-y and one slightly “quicker” (I haven’t tried either of these yet but they sound luscious); a bottle of Glow Tonic from Pixi, one of Caroline’s most-recommended products (it’s an acid toner or acid exfoliant, great for making dull skin look renewed and fresh); two brilliant serums and a do-all moisturiser from Alpha-H, the Essential Hydration Cream, which would be one of my top recommendations too.

I am absolutely intrigued by the Skin Owl Eye+ cream, pictured above; partly because I like the word Owl (shallow, moi?) but mainly because this “concentrate” promises to be soothing and brightening all at the same time. This has rocketed to the top of my wishlist. You can find more details here.

Caroline’s Cult Beauty Box is available now – free international shipping – and costs £100 here. (Value of the products is over £170 – a mix of full size and special sizes, please check listings on the website.) It’s a wonderful array of top-notch skincare and I love that it includes brands I’d never even heard of before. If you fancy investing in a ready-made, satisfying face-care routine or you’re simply an incorrigible skincare addict then this is the beauty box for you. Get it while it lasts!

Cult Beauty

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It’s impossible to talk about trends right now without bringing up brows. To be fair, we’ve been bold brow girls since way back (thanks to Benefit Brow Bars for showing us the way), but Cara Delevingne burst onto the scene a few years ago & brought our long-time obsession to the masses.

Since then, we’ve seen all kinds of creative brow looks. From candy-colored arches to feather-covered brows (it’s a thing—trust us, the internet told us & the internet doesn’t lie), fashionistas far & wide are celebrating the brow.

As awesome as we think neon brows are (NOT jk), our fave brow trend is without a doubt the bedazzled brow. From Miranda Kerr on the Chanel runway to cooler-than-cool music festie girls like Vanessa Hudgens, brow jewels have taken over the fashion scene. So we’re SUPER excited to announce a brand-new brow service & product that’ll elevate & adorn your fabulous arches: bling brow!

A photo posted by Meltem Bicioglu (@kokoshgirl) on Nov 11, 2014 at 4:45am PST

Bling brow is every bit as epic as it sounds. It’s the ultimate accessory for the holiday season, perfect for adding a touch of sparkle to your party look or amping up your fierce street style. The best part is, bling brow is available NOW as a service at Benefit Boutiques & Brow Bars! Our ah-maze aesthies will help you choose from 3 different looks and 8 shades for a design that fits your individual style, whether you’re a touch o’ bling babe or a big-time bling boss!  

A photo posted by Fms_BenebabeSteff (@fms_benebabesteff) on Oct 10, 2014 at 2:45pm PDT

The crystals are made of 100% Swarovski & stay on for up to three days, so hit a Friday-night party, shopping outing & Sunday brunch on the same service! Looks range anywhere from $5-$20, depending on the sparkle-factor you go for. But get it while it’s hot, gorgeous—the bling brow service is only being offered Nov 21-Jan 1, or while supplies last!

If you’re more of a DIY Benebabe, you can purchase a bling brow kit for $25 and let your creativity shine! The kit is available in rose-gold & greige (the most major gunmetal grey) or rose-gold & crystal, and each kit comes with 52 crystals and a pair of mini-tweezers. Applying bling brow couldn’t be easier, just peel the crystals off the plastic backing one at a time & use the tweezers to apply to the brow area! Pro tip: apply bling brow evenly by alternating brows with each crystal you apply!

A photo posted by Agostina Saracco (@agostinasaracco) on Nov 11, 2014 at 7:35am PST

Our fave thing about bling brow? We love the way they emphasize & lift the brow, and add some eye-catching sparkle to this year’s biggest beauty trend.

So, tell us, how would you wear bling brow?

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