Make up Tutorial - Natural everyday make up.

Today we are showing a step by step guide for everyday make up using mostly high street brand make up! We hope you enjoy the tutorial!

1. Make sure your skin is cleansed, moisturised and apply your primer (we used Urban Decay pore perfecting primer)

2. Using a foundation or stippling brush apply your foundation (we used Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse in Nude) stroke the brush downwards starting from the centre of your face working out.

3. Apply concealor (we used Maybelline Anti-Age Eraser Eye) in a triangle under your eyes and wherever you need a little extra help to cover area of redness or blemishes, blend with with your finger or brush.

 4. Using a brow pencil (we used Barry M Brow wow in light/med) draw a straight line on the bottom of your brow starting midway from the thickest point at the base to the middle of your brow where the natural arch begins and from the arch to the end of your brow

5. Draw another line this time on top of the brow to the tip of the arch, and down the arch to the end of your brow.

6. Fill in using soft feathery stokes, and brush through with a brow brush.

 7. Using a contour brush apply a sweep of bronzer below the jaw line, just under the cheek bone and from the hair line to your forehead. (we used the bronzer and blusher from Urban Decays Naked 'On the run' limited edition case).

8. Blend the bronzer in with your brush so no strong lines can be seen - it should look natural and flawless with your skin

9. Apply blusher using a blusher brush onto the apples of the cheeks and stroke upwards

                                        10. Using a flat brush gently buff your skin so the powders all blend well.

 We used Urban decays eyeshadows from our 'on the run' case for the next steps, and began by prepping the eye lids with Urban decays eyeshadow primer, to keep the look simple and quick we used our fingers to apply the eyeshadows.

11/12. Using a light cream/pinky shade apply all over the eyelid and brow area.

13/14/15. Using a medium brown apply this colour to the eyelid area only, use your finger to blend the medium brown and cream eyeshadow together.

16/17/18. Using a deeper shade of brown blend this colour into the crease of your eyelid from the corner to midway across the eye, blend with your finger so no harsh lines are shown.



19/20. Using a brown eye pencil (we used Urban Decays 24/7 pencil in 'Stag') apply light feathery strokes onto the base of your eyelid as close to the lashes as possible, from the outercorner to midway.

21. Using the same pencil apply underneath onto the lower eyelid as close to the lashes as possible again from the outer corner to midway. Use your finger and blend the lines so they appear soft with no harsh lines.

22/23/24. Using a white pencil (we used Benefits Eye bright) apply this onto the inner rim of the eye, draw a stroke from the outer eye up to the end of your brow and blend, and apply to the inner corner of the eye and blend. (this will brighten up your eyes and make them appear bigger, Its perfect to 'wake up' tired eyes.



25/26/27. Using a highlighter (we used Barry Ms Radiant Rod, apply to beneath the brow, down the centre of the nose and onto your cupids bow (upper lip where your lips point) and blend. (this will highlight and contour these areas of your face)

28/29. Apply a couple of layers of black mascara (we used Maybellines lash Sensational)When applying masacara to the bottom of your lashes use a zig zag motion, and when applying to the tops stroke the brush down the lashes first then stoke upwards 'pushing' them up. this ensures the mascara completely coats your lashes. Wait a few minutes before applying another caot of mascara for best results.



We prepped our lips with Urban Decays Lip Primer first.

30/31. Using a lip pencil outline your lips and fill in. (we used YSL lip liner in NO.6)

32/33. - Using a lipstick (we used YSL Lip Volupte in No.2) fill in your lips with your chosen colour, blot with a tissue and reapply. (We used a darker lip pencil to lipstick as we blended the 2 together to create our desired colour. As a general rule your lip pencil and lip liner should match. )

34.35. The Finished look!

We hope you enjoyed the tutorial and have fun creating your own Make up Looks ! :-)

TIME

Time

Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it. You can't keep it, but you can spend it. Once you've lost it you can never get it back.” H. Mackay

Time, something which is precious and irreplaceable. The most important investment we can make is in ourselves, our health, our time, our happiness so you must make sure you look after yourself first.

Life gets busy and humans love routines, day in day out we choose to go about our day the way we know how, the way that 'works' for us. But upon reflection is it working? Do you find yourself with not enough time left for you, do you lack enough sleep, have that unfinished project or still haven’t got round to booking that holiday. Are you always saying 'I'd like to but I don't have time'. That line is usually no more than an excuse that you don't want to MAKE time, you are putting other people/things first before yourself which is a mistake.

It's important to organise and manage your time effectively there are many ways to incorporate things within your day, for example, going for a walk on your lunch break, reading work materials, or books on the bus, or applying nail cuticle oil while watching the television. These things may seem small but it allows you to utilise time and do more of what you want but don't think you have time for.

Friends, family, the media, even pets are all demanding our precious time, day in day out we are inundated with requests for a little bit of our time and too often we oblige them requests without thinking about ourselves. We feel bad if we don't give some of our time to someone else its human nature and we are all guilty of it, but maybe it's time to start looking after time and managing it better after all its your time.

There are 1440 minutes in a day, each minute is a minute you will never get back. It's amazing to think we have a specific amount of time we have to spend each day, we can't save, store or keep it we must spend it.

Taking this into account imagine each minute as a credit, every 24 hours you are only given 1440 credits that you must use to live your life, a credit that you can't keep you have to spend. Surely you wouldn't waste a single credit on something you didn't want, you wouldn't want to use credits on arguments, people you don't like, things that are bad for you, so in that case it sounds easy enough. But those credits represent your whole day, you have to use those credits for essentials such as eating, sleeping, drinking as well as brushing your teeth, shopping, work, socialising, showering and so on, now that's a lot of things to do and only 1440 credits to use!

But it does highlight the reality of how little time we have and regardless of how we spend our day that time will pass by. You do only have 1440 minutes a day to live your best possible life, maybe by looking at time in such a way it will make you realise how precious your credits are and how you should use them carefully to achieve what you want without wasting them on things/people that are not making you happy or the most effective use of your time.

Taking time out for yourself is important whether its a few minutes of quiet meditation at the end of the day, a long walk at lunch or an hour long massage it's amazing the difference and clarity it can bring.

One of our favorite ways to relax and enjoy our time is with a massage (of course :-)). A massage is a great way to relax the body and mind, whether you like to vent throughout your treatment to your therapist or lie with your own thoughts drifting to your own place of relaxation that simple hour of indulgence is the perfect moment you to enjoy for yourself. Beneficial for your mind, body and soul. A good use of time!

You are spending some of your precious time now reading this post and I hope it is a reminder to appreciate your time and take control of it, so the next time your phone rings and its 'that' friend or the dogs barking or you feel the urge to press the facebook icon and scroll down the timeline reading about other people's lives, stop, and start living yours. Whether its creating, or building, researching, watching movies or simply lighting some candles running a warm bath do what you enjoy.

Everything we do in life is a choice, we choose what we eat, wear, who we associate ourselves with, how we spend out TIME. It's your choice, its your time, it's precious don't waste it, spend every minute doing exactly what you want to do, whether that's lying on a beach or building an empire spend it on the most important person YOU!

Beauty and the Spa

Water of Life

“Drink plenty of water” we hear ourselves say day after day to clients to help to continue to flush toxins out of the body after a treatment. But the fact is we should be drinking plenty of water anyway not just after a body treatment.

Water is essential for the human body to function. Your body is made up of between 50 – 75% water! The body cannot store water which is why it is so important to drink fresh water regularly as it is essential to our body and metabolic process.

Your body needs around 2-3 liters of water a day but the exact amount you need depends on different factors, your age, health, your diet, your body size, metabolism, environment, activity levels. 

If you don't drink as much water as you should then break that routine starting today, each morning when you awake toast to good health with a glass of water!

Water is essential and the importance of water is clear, below are a few examples why water is so important:

*Water transports nutrients to your cells

*Helps regulate your body temperature

*Helps to eliminate waste toxins

* Helps to maintain the health and integrity of every cell in the body

*Lubricates and cushions joints

*Aids digestion

*Gives moisture to the skin

*Carry’s nutrients and oxygen to the cells

So next time you wake up with a sore throat, dry eyes, slow digestion or have a lack of energy throughout the day grab a glass of water first and notice the different it will make.

Glass of water anyone?

Beauty and the Spa

Oil Cleansing

Oil cleansing is what you can replace your general cleanser/make up remover with. The science behind it is that ’like attracts like' and the 'good' oil you are using will help remove the 'bad' oil that’s built up on your face filled with dirt, impurities and makeup.

It is a much more natural alternative then most cleansers on the market to buy, as it is not filled with chemicals and is just the pure oil, Most the oils you can use for oil cleansers are filled with their own vitamins, minerals, and are moisturising.

First of all though before deciding to try this routine be aware that you are putting oil on your skin, some people may have to get used to the feeling, especially as when you wash it off you can still have a slight oily residue left on the skin, some people won’t mind this however if you don’t like having a 'greasy' feel then you may much prefer a micellar water to remove your make up.  Like all skin care routines it is whatever you find and feel most happy with, and feel is working for you.

We have been using the oil cleansing routine since February now to see what difference we would find on our skin, there are a lot of choices out there especially when looking on the internet there is loads of oils to use...all claiming to be the best. We decided to go basic and use just one oil rather than combining a few together, and chose Jojoba, which is known to be a good moisturiser, helps relieve inflammation and can help control the release of sebum on the skin.

The oil cleanse routine - It really is quite simple, take a small amount of oil in the palm of your hand, we used about a 10p piece, rub between your palms to warm the oil and then massage into your skin (eye makeup too!) using a washcloth and warm water gently remove the oil from your skin, you may want to rinse the wash cloth and repeat this step a couple of times to really feel you have removed the majority of the oil. Pat dry and you’re done!

The result? Smooth, blemish free skin...the odd outbreak of a blemish here and there naturally due to hormones, but on a whole makeup has removed thoroughly and skin feels soft and healthy! Like all skin care routines keep it up for about 4-8 weeks to really see the true result as when you change your skincare your skin has to have time to get used to the new routine.

After jojoba oil depending on your skin type you may feel like applying moisturiser or your skin may feel moisturised enough, we went will sweet almond after but only a small amount.

We hope that you enjoy the benefits of oil cleansing and have healthy, smooth and soft skin! :-)

skincare routine and cleanser types

In a previous blog post we wrote about the importance of taking the time to really cleanse our skin, so here is a little list of different cleanses and their uses.

When buying a skin care routine it can be a minefield out there! There are constantly new product launches, new brands appearing and new ‘miracle’ products coming out every other month, and nearly every brand will have their own ‘spin’ on the perfect skin care routine.

So through our experience of being beauty therapists, working with makeup and skincare, personal experience, and hearing and seeing lots of different clients with different routines, genes and skin… here is our advice to you.

Keep it simple.

Your skin needs to be cleaned and moisturised every day twice a day to keep it looking and feeling its best, will benefit from being exfoliated at least once a week, and enjoy a little face mask weekly, fortnightly…or at least once a month.

Then think about all the little extras that can help benefit your skin more… serums, wonder products, brushes etc.

Everyone has different skin, no 2 skin is alike, we all have different flaws, complaints and problems, so not every brand will suit everyone, not every routine will be correct for everyone. You have to know your own skin and know what is best for you, and it can be down to trial and error. We know some ladies who only ever use soap and water and their skin is flawless (Lucky them!!)

When choosing a skin care routine, be aware of how much time you have, how busy you are, and how much time you want to spend on your skin, for example if you are always in a bit of a rush then a 7 step skin care routine will not suit your lifestyle and you will end up wasting half the products and most likely feel like it is more of a chore and a hassle, on the other side if you love indulging that little bit longer on your skin then a 7 step skin care routine will be perfect for you to feel ultimately pampered.

It is down to being honest with yourself and knowing how much time and effort you want to put into your routine.

But if you’re not sure where to start then we suggest investing in a cleanser correct for your skin type, a facial skin exfoliator that you can use at least once to twice a week (some exfoliators you can use on a daily basis, these are much gentler, others will be slightly on the more scrubby side and best to use as directed on the product) and invest in a good day cream and night cream for your skin type. Once you have these basics right and you’re using them regularly and feel they are working for you, then we would suggest looking into any little extra products that can help.

To begin us on our skin care journey here is a list of different cleansers and uses.

The Cream Cleanser – this cleanser is made with added moisturisers within it, these can include vitamins also, while lifting and absorbing impurities and make up on the skin this cleanser also helps to moisturise the skin, leaving it feeling soft without that tight dry feeling, a great cleansing type if you suffer from dry skin. You can apply it with cotton pads, or smooth it onto your face and then use cotton pads to wipe away the excess.

The Gel Cleanser – this cleanser helps to absorb excess oil on the skin while lifting impurities, the lighter lather of this cleanser is more suitable for those with an oilier skin. Gel cleansers generally leave the skin feeling squeaky clean and extra fresh, if your skin is on the drier side this could feel slightly uncomfortable for your skin. With a gel cleanser you would use this with water and gently massage onto your face and then rinse off with water.

The Oil Cleanser – Any skin type can use an oil cleanser, the feeling isn’t for everyone as some people do not like that ‘oily’ feel on their skin, Your skin secretes natural oils on the surface of your skin every day, the idea is that the oil being applied helps lift the dirty old oil that has gathered on the skin, whilst the new fresh oil helps replenish the skin underneath without drying it out and keeps the balance of your skin correct. Oil cleansers are becoming more popular and is a great cleanser if you are looking for more ‘natural’ products

The Foaming Cleanser – these cleanses lather up as you massage them in, lifting impurities and then you rinse them off,  generally with a refreshing 'clean' feel left behind, not as moisturising as a cream cleanser but still a good cleanser for normal to combination/oily skin.

The Misceller water – Miscelles are cleansing agents that form together when put in water, which form crystals which help remove dirt, whilst releasing little pockets of oil to help soften the skin.(this is a very basic explanation) but it is basically a cleanser which is less harsh to the skin while cleansing, as it doesn’t have any added chemicals to it. It is simple, it works, and it cleans the skin, and is fantastic for more sensitive skin types.

The makeup wipe – These cloths have cleansers in them, they are designed more for 'on the go' to carry in your bag when at the gym or for a quick freshen up during the day.  We would never recommend make up wipes as part of a nightly skin care routine, they are great options for when you’re on the go, to keep in your bag or locker.

To cleanse your skin thoroughly we would always recommend doing a light cleanse to first remove the initial make up and impurity build up, then we recommend doing a second cleanse to work on the cleaner skin to help break down any stubborn dirt or make up and leaving the skin feeling cleaner and fresher. We believe you should always give a good few minutes to cleanse your skin on an evening.

We hope you find this useful and that it helps you in the search for your perfect skincare routine!

‘Live in the moment’

Beauty and the Spa

Facial Cleansing

It’s time for bed...and time to cleanse the makeup off....

 

And we've all been there... its late, you lost track of time, you stayed out an hour or two later than expected...you decided to watch the end of the movie...and now you just want to crawl into bed...generally with the worry of a 7am alarm going off.

 

So you get in, make the long walk to the bathroom and then…you give your skin the quickest cleanse of its life with the promise that it’s ‘only this once’

 

The thing is, is that no matter how much you make promises to your skin that you’ll spend longer on it another day, or that you’ll give it a good scrub tomorrow, the layers of foundation, build-up of pollution, dirt and oil that has gathered on your face for the last 17 hours or so…is on your face now. And partially still on your face for the next few hours your sleeping till you shower in the morning.

 

And we wonder why we are suffering from a breakout or dull and tired looking skin...

 

To take those few extra minutes (which is nothing when you look at how long you will be asleep or awake for) will make such a difference to your skin! take the time to really work your cleanser into your skin, even use a skin brush and then moisturise it before bed really will give your skin a better chance to help repair and renew itself over night and look brighter, and healthier in the morning.

 

Just try it!, for the next month (when using a new skincare routine or new products it can take 4-8 weeks for results to show on the skin, as your skin cells renew themselves every 28 days or so) really make a determined effort that no matter how tired you are, how much you need to get to bed just take those few extra minutes to really clean your skin, ensuring all makeup has come off and your skin is squeaky clean before you apply your moisturiser and get into bed.

 

Let’s see what a difference we see in our skin!

 

‘Live in the moment’

 

 Beauty and the Spa

Top tip #2 hand and nail help

Your hands go through a lot which is why they show signs of aging first! 

Sun damage, water, cleaning chemicals, using them as tools, using your nails to open things, the cold weather, wind... All these contribute to how your hands and nails look.

Your hands and nails are also what people notice about you, having dirty nails, picked or chewed nails, dry cuticles, overgrown cuticles...these things never look appealing and are not going to make much of an impression! 

To help your hands and nails look there best only takes a few simple steps that take under a minute to do.

Carry around and use a SPF based hand cream, these can now be bought as non greasy and quickly absorbent, every time you wash your hands rub some hand cream into them to stop your hands from drying out, and keep them soft and supple.

Use a cuticle cream or oil every night before you sleep, keep a bottle by your bed and rub some Into your nails before you sleep. Cuticle cream helps keep your cuticles soft, nourished and can help keep them from over growing, the massage action also helps your nails grow faster! 

Use gloves whenever your washing the dishes, gardening or doing DIY work that could damage your hands! If your using cleaning chemicals then wear gloves to stop the chemicals going on your hands and drying them out.

Treat yourself to regular manicures to help your nails and hands look there best! 

Xx