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You are here: Home / Archives for Beauty / Beauty Products

Beauty, Beauty Products

MAC Trends Spring Summer 2013

MAC-SS2013

Just before my trip to Thailand, I attended a MAC Trends Spring Summer 2013(SS2013) event, which I enjoyed immensely! Unfortunately I did not have time to write about it before I left for my travels but I had to share it with you!

I learnt a few new tips and beauty tricks to use in my makeup routine and I hope you will find it helpful as well, especially when looking at choosing colours for the season ahead.

The morning started out rather wet and cold but we were greated with steaming  muggs of coffee or yummy hot chocolate, which was the perfect way to warm up! We were also treated to a variety of eats, giving us a chance to mingle and meet some of the other beauty lovlies.

MAC-SS2013-2

We were then given the heads up on beauty trends around the globe by the lovely Michelle-Lee Collins. She introduced us to the key elements for MAC Trends Spring Summer 2013.

The most significant trend for SS2013 is a move to minimalism, where ease and edge become one, a season when the key beauty notion is one of simplicity.

Michelle then explored the various trends for the season, highlighting the properties of each one, demonstrating each look on one of the gorgeous MAC models.

The purity of a perfectly pared back skin (SIG-NATURE). A languid wash of colour (NU-ANCE) that takes in shades of highly pigmented pastels from turquoise and lemon to silver and translucently dark metallics. A monochromatic Bedouin bronze, blurred on the eyes and bone structure (PURI-TAN). An easy graphicism of purist colour blocked on lids or lips (SCI-CHEDELIC). There’s a delicacy to beauty this season that speaks to the way women really want to look in the here and now, a time when subtle, fresh and confident feel more appropriate than hard, sexy or powerful.

There is a definite move away from hard lines, which is key for SS2013. Seamlessly humid finishes, over powdering is out with more of a natural “glow”. Cream colours prevail, with radiant complexions and balanced brows, which tend to dominate the face less than last season. Over tweezed brows are a thing of the past and more natural “fluffed-up” brows are in, forming the cornerstone to every look.

MAC-Signature-Collage

 “Sig-nature”~

The look is naturally perfected, super polished skin which, beautifully rich. Skin is highly reflective with a marble-like, alabaster-like quality.” Mineralized Moisture SPF 15 Foundation, is used to delicately shape and bring skin to life with the most subtle, sensitive techniques. Skin-identical pigments are used around the eye.

Lips are neutral, translucently balmed or with just the slightest touch of lipstick, to perfectly heighten the natural tone. Soft lines, no hard contours…hazes and haloes of light.

Brows frame your look, with no mascara. This sounds a little scary at first – using no mascara but I have tried it during the day and I am liking the softer look you can achieve, by using only eye shadow and liner.

MAC-Nu-ance-Collage

Nu-ance ~

Beauty has had a “palette cleanse” in its most literal sense this season, as clean, popping pastels express a modern romance with paler colour. Think Turquiose, Lilac, Lemon, Mint, Aqua, Apple and Peach — shades pulled from heightened nature, from seascapes to sunsets. A natural base with pops of colour.

Flashes of silver and cold metallic FEEL FRESHLY FUTURISTIC. A nod to the 60s in placement — embrace a rounded eye shape. The new view on smoky: A TRANSPARENT WASH of depth invariably with a metallic sheen. Flat matte is less relevant than buffed-in creamy tints this season.

I am really loving this trend I love using colour on my eyes especially in the evening. This is a fun way to create a bit of drama without being OTT!

MAC-Sci-chedelic-Collage

Sci-chedelic

Op-art colour with refined drama, confidently committed and effortlessly cool, never bourgeois or overstated. Colours are bold and applied with conviction! Vivid colours are worn on a base of lightness and luminescence. Eyes are fierce with bold pops of colour on the lips.

“Poetic with a twist of something edgy, so gutsy and punk it’s chic.”

Even the red lip becomes part of a contemporary colour story, thanks to modern matte textures and pops of hyper-bright pigment. Lip lines are less harsh with a feeling of “colouring outside the lines”.

This look is quite dramatic and probably not suited to everyday wear but experimenting with certain of these elements, can be great for creating more drama, for a night out on the town!

MAC-Puri-tan-Collage

Puri-tan~
A puritan, gently applied, gleaming makeup, with a “sun-kissed” glow. Features are brought out in a palette of desert shades, with sepia eye-tones, transparently tinted in washes of cream colour, adding a sophisticated monochrome feel to the face. Think Bronze, Wheat and Golden Honey-Beige tones, giving a buffed and burnished feel. Within this palette there is a sophisticated return to the smoky eye, which is more effortless and transparent.

It’s about using tan-relevant shades to accent the eyes and add warmth to the face in molten, softly metallic textures.

I learnt so much from this event – one of the key things Michelle pointed out was not not conform to historical beauty norms, try different approaches and have fun with it! A great tip, from Michelle, which I have being using, is to apply colour below the bottom lash line which opens up the eye so much more.

Thanks to the team at MAC for a wonderful morning and a great goodie bag!

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Beauty, Beauty Products

Nanoblur and Hydraluron Review

Nanoblur-Review2

A while back I was invited to attend the launch of  nanoblur™ in South Africa but unfortunately I was sick 🙁 and could not make the launch! I did however receive the products to review, which is awesome because I was really keen to try them, especially the nanoblur™

Nanoblur

nanoblur™, is the award winning product from Indeed Laboratories™ , it is said to be the ultimate instant skin perfecting cream, which provides high definition ready skin in seconds. In essence it is Photoshop in a tube, transforming your skin, minimising the signs of aging, smoothing and softening the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, crow’s feet, enlarged pores, uneven texture and tone while mattifying the skin.

It “blurs” the lines if you like, which after a certain age can be most beneficial!

“nanoblur™ is by far the most innovative correction cream on the market”, says Dr Nowell Solish, Toronto-based cosmetic dermatologist and co-director of the University of Toronto’s Dermatologic Surgery. “It delivers real results that are evident on the skin in a matter of seconds.”

The instant skin perfecting cream is a phenomenon in the UK, where every 9 seconds* a woman chooses nanoblur™ in the hopes of achieving high definition ready skin.

Nanoblur3

The product was originally developed for on-camera talent to smooth out HD visible skin imperfections previously not detectable with traditional cameras.  Formulated with advanced optical prism technology, nanoblur’s™ ground-breaking formula changes the way light is reflected off skin. Once applied, micro-prisms diffuse light in a multitude of directions, creating a “blurring” effect on the skin similar to an air-brushed photo. Photo artists use techniques in digital retouching to make their subjects’ skin look perfect.  nanoblur ™ does the same thing, but in real life.

The water-based formula can easily fit into your daily skin care routine and should be applied on top of liquid makeup, or underneath powder make-up. It does dry quite quickly so you need to be quick with your application if you are applying it over foundation. If you have dry skin then you can blend nanoblur™ with your moisturiser. It is also formulated without the use of parabens or sodium lauryl sulphate, which is kinder to your skin.

It is not a primer, which is meant to be applied underneath your foundation and to prepare the skin for better makeup application, it is formulated to smooth out imperfections that makeup cannot.  It is free of colour and thus perfect for both men and women.

I definitely think that this product delivers what it promises but it is probably not something I would use everyday. It is something which I would use if I was attending an event or a function, especially if I knew that I would have to be “photo-ready”.

nanoblur™ retails for R299,99 and is available from selected Clicks stores nationwide.

Hydraluron

The second product which I am reviewing is the hydraluron™ serum. I did recieve four products to review, including the nanoblur ™ but I have used this one the most. I was really keen to see the effect it had on my skin!

It is a new product on the market also by Indeed Laboratories™, it is a moisture boosting serum, which starts where your moisturiser stops. It contains the world’s purest hyaluronic acid, hydraluron™, acts as a hydrator that ultimately rescues your skin. The result is a better hydrated, more radiant, youthful and plumped up skin.

I have found that my skin has been so dry especially in the cold winter weather and this serum has worked wonders!

Most of us know that dehydration can lead to premature ageing, yet despite our best efforts, with constant seasonal and outdoor changes in temperature, we may still find our skin feeling parched and visibly lacking in moisture.

So whar benefits does hydraluron™ have on the skin? With continued use, hydraluron™ increases the skin’s ability to retain moisture over time. What’s more, hydraluron™ uses the world’s first hyaluronic acid that is 100% free from animal-derived raw materials and organic-solvent remnants. Ensuring your skin is being nourished with the purest and kindest ingredients for maximum skin benefits. It also provides below surface hydration, so while not a substitute for topical moisturising creams, with continued use it is shown to reduce the amount of topical moisturisers needed to maintain ideal skin hydration.

The product was inspired by Swiss hydration treatments, whereby injectable hydration treatments used by Swiss clinics, are applied by means of a fine needle, which supplies hundreds of microinjections of hyaluronic acid into the skin. The hydraluron™ serum is a less invasive, much more affordable treatment that can be incorporated into any daily routine.  Along with the purest hyaluronic acid from the Netherlands, hydraluron ™ also contains a bio-engineered strain of marine red algae, a rich source of minerals with a content found to be more nutrient rich than that of plants grown on land. Marine red algae controls and stimulate skin turn over by allowing the hyaluronic acid to enter even deeper into the skin, a method inspired by Switzerland’s leading skincare clinics.

What is Hyaluronic Acid? It is an incredible hydration ingredient, which holds up to 1,000 times its weight in water. It is a jelly like substance, which is naturally found in the body, lying in the connective tissue of the body i.e. your joints, cartilage and deeper layers of the skin. It absorbs water like a sponge to give skin fullness and plumpness, qualities we constantly strive for as we age. Hyaluronic acid is found in abundance in young skin. As we age, the body produces less of it, which can lead to dry skin, filled with lines and wrinkles.

As someone with aging skin I have found this serum to be amazing and the results have been visible even after a few applications. To apply you simply smooth a small amount over cleansed skin before applying other creams or moisturisers. I use it morning and evening after I have cleansed my skin. This  is definitely a product which I would buy again and make a part of my daily skin care regime.

hydraluron™ (30ml) will be available from 25 June 2013 from selected Clicks stores nationwide and will retail for R399,99.

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Beauty, Beauty Products

Fab Finds Golds and Nudes

Fab-Finds-Golds-and-Nudes2

I thought I would share a few of my fab beauty finds for the week. I have heard to much about the new Revlon Photoready Eyeshadows, which include a primer to help give you seamless application and lasting wear. The palette I chose is called “Impressionist” a gorgeous combo of gold and sparkle. I have not tried it yet but I will be sure to share my review once I have!

In keeping with the gold theme I could not resist this Mavala Nail Polish shade, Lamé Gold, it is a subtle gold pearl shade with a hint of pink shimmer. Very pretty 🙂 The other Mavala shade, “Sapporo” is a great nude shade, reminiscent of a Cafe Latte.

The last fab find is an Essence Nail Polish Corrector Pencil. I have tried many different brands of corrector pens in the past and most I have found to be useless! This one by Essence really does work. It will live in my makeup bag, ready for nail polish application on the run! I have been known to apply nail polish in my car on many occasions 😉

If you are looking for other beauty product posts or reviews start here

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Beauty, Beauty Products

Lipstick Shades for Winter 2013


Lipstick-Trends-for-Autumn-lips

As you may have noticed I am really loving the plum and wine shades for winter 2013 from fashion right through to nail polish shades. In my opinion these colours are perfect for the season, sexy and sultry. Reminiscent of a glass of ruby, red wine or a bowl of delicious ripe plums!

These lipstick and gloss shades, I am sharing today, match perfectly with this winter palette, they are not too dark, for everyday wear but still uber-sexy.

MAC-lipliner-Spice2 MAC-lipliner-Spice

I am loving this lip pencil by MAC! The shade is Spice and it goes well with most pinks and brown shades, I have even used it with red lipstick before.

Maybelline-Lipstick2

Maybelline lipsticks are one of my favourites, actually it is the lipstick I buy more frequently and use most often. I tend to blend shades to get the colour I am looking for and these shades are perfect on their own or blended. Shade no.1 is Toffee Tango, a more subtle brownish plum mauve, with a bit of frost and no.2 is Warm & Cozy, I love this shade because it is neither pink nor brown but rather a perfect mix of both! Both shades are from the Colorsensational Range, which have crisper colour, from pure pigments and a great creamier feel from nourishing honey nectar.

Stila-lip-glaze Stila-lip-gloss

Last but not least is a bit of gloss or in this case Stila Lip Glaze in Cranberry. I like to wear gloss over my lipstick, as I love the moist feeling it gives my lips, as well as the shimmer. Unless I am wearing a matt lipstick you will always find me wearing gloss 🙂 This is the first Stila lip product that I am using and I must admit it took me while to figure out how to get it to work it! I love the glossy finish this lip gloss gives your lips and the colour is stunning!

[youtube]http://youtu.be/2roYrQ4iwzY[/youtube]

I have included a video tutortial featuring the lipsticks featured in this post and a few tips for better application.

If you would like to read more of my beauty posts and reviews please click here

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Beauty, Beauty Products

Lush Opening in Cavendish Square

Lush-Logo-3

How exciting Lush is opening in Cavendish Square next week!

If you are already a Lush fan then you will remember reading my post on the V&A launch a while back, if not then you definitely need to get there soon.

Lush-Products

I am super excited about Lush opening in Cavendish Square because I love their products but the Waterfront is a bit too far for me, to get there as often as I would like. I have many favourite Lush products but my all time favourites are the Fresh Face Masks – heavenly and my “Shimmy Shimmy” massage bar 🙂 it smells amaze-balls and leaves my skin all sparkly!

Ballistics-Bubble-Bars1 (1)

Images from Lush Media Launch

This British High Street beauty retailer’s approach to retail-cosmetics is somewhat “out-the-box” – they are a self-proclaimed cosmetics grocers rather than a traditional cosmetics company. Think hand-made, natural and fresh merchandise, butchers’ blocks, pricing by weight, grease-proof paper wrapping and even best-by dates. At LUSH’s “beauty delis”, you will find soaps piled high on Provencal-style wooden tables, much like strange exotic cheeses, whilst a myriad of orbs (fizzing bath ballistics) are presented in-store like perfectly round apples.

Fresh-Soaps

Images from Lush Media Launch

All in all Lush is a sensation overload, with gorgeous fragrances and products that look good enough to eat!

lush

 

The new Lush Store in Cavendish Square, will be situated on the Lower Ground floor, near Entrepo and @Home Stores. The store will be open to the public from 1pm on Saturday 8th June 2013. To keep up to date with all the happenings at Lush you can follow them on Facebook or Twitter and I will also be posting about any upcoming brand news or events!

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Meet Fiona Rossiter

Hi, I am Fiona Rossiter, from Cape Town, the writer and photographer behind Inspired Living SA Blog. If you love good Food and Wine, reading amazing Travel Adventures, keeping Fit and Healthy, as well following Decor Trends – then Inspired Living SA is just the place for you! Read More…

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