Perfect products to give a fresh bronzed look in 5 minutes.

Mid August and we have *Summer weather* not just for 1 day but for a few days in succession. The lack of summer weather has not affected my equilibrium personally too much because I have been indoors teaching/writing/shooting so shizam...........Bye Summer. But I have been using a few key products to give my skin a healthy glow and just a soft barely there in my normal 5 minutes. Yes, this is a 5 minute face that needs no brushes (just clean hands) and will give you a fresh, healthy glow.
Consists of:

•  Primer used sparing across face to give the foundation longevity
• Base applied to areas where needed starting from T-zone working outwards
• Concealer/illuminator used under eyes (mixed with a little drop of foundation), sides of the nose and a little on the chin.
• Tinted Gel- soft bronze, used as a cheek gel on the apples of the cheeks, a little across the lid and as a little stain on the lips.
• Mascara- 2 full coats- zig-zagging through the lashes and then concentrating on the outer corner of lashes for extra definition.
• Lip gloss, a slick of gloss across lips that already have a little of the bronze gel applied as a stain.

From Left to right: Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, Sisley Stretch mascara in Black, Dior lipgloss in #432, Sisley Sun Glow Gel, Laura Mercier Primer and Dior Skin Flash.

Mavala- Liberty- Love this peachy nude shade on nails.

Images of Autumn Winter trend make up- My Work.

Perfected skin and a red lip- lip stick blended with lip balm to create a sheerer lip.

Fresh faced beauty with a soft berry lip ad a berry cheek.

Smoked up eye, warm complexion and nude lips.

Purples on the eyes- huge A/W colour story.

Perfect skin and defined eyes

Inspired by Molly Ringwald in the film Pretty in Pink- very smokey eyes-heavy lining on upper and lower lid with very glossy lips.

Best Oils hair, face and Body.................

I love oil, love it I tell you *bizarre fervour and glazed look in the eye*. I use it as a cleanser, a moisturiser, a hair/scalp treatment, in my bath and as a body moisturiser.
Oil dissolves oil. Your skin naturally lubricates itself with oil, oil also heals, protects, and moisturises your skin so that it may function properly.
 Yes I am obsessed with oils somewhat, but that means that I am a bit of an oil aficionado and here are my all time favourites............................

Favourite cleansing oil:

Nude Skincare- Cleansing Oil 100ml £24

This is so gentle but very effective, contains Omega 3 rich oils and Vitamin E, a light aroma of Gardenia and Jasmine, it turns into a soft milk and dissolves make up beautifully- excellent for all skin types and no mineral oils.

Favourite oil to remove strong/waterproof eye make up:

Moa- The Green Balm- 50ml £9.95

Ok technically not an eye make up remover and technically not an oil, but it melts away even the most stubborn eye makeup/pigment and it is solidified oil mixed with a little yarrow with a little beeswax, safe to use around the eyes and just amazing how it *lifts* heavy make up (from the whole face like a cleansing balm).

Favourite Anti ageing oil :

Sophyto-Tocotrienol Super Skin Concentrate-30ml £36

Rich in Alpha, beta, delta, gamma and Vitamin E oils , it repairs environmentally stressed skin. It contains amazing ingredients like: rosehip, pomegranate, raspberry and cranberry, it is perfect to give your skin a youthful radiant, healthier look. It disappears so easily into the skin and leaves a very *comfortable* feel.



Favourite treatment oil *night* or dry skin treat :

Nude Skincare- ProGenius I think 30ml and around £60

Packed with nourishing oils, 2/3 drops leaves the skin smooth, soft and hydrated skin, it  can even be added to your foundation 1 or 2 drops to give your skin a beautiful glow. Contains Apricot, Almond, Macadamia, Damascus Rose and Omega 3,6,7 & 9 oils. A fantastic *booster* for skin in need of a little TLC.

Favourite treatment oil/combination skins:

Dr Hauschka Normalizing Day oil- 30ml £22.95

This is the oil that is suitable for combination/oily/blemish prone skin. It is a lighter weight oil and leaves zero residue. It is packed with ingredients that soothe, will over time prevent excess oiliness, are anti-inflammatory and healing: Kidney Vetch, Carrot root, St John's Wort, Calendula, Apricot Kernel, sweet almond but please note peanut also.

Favourite Scalp/hair oil:

KantaKrupa oil 100ml £32.50

This is an oil that is used as a pre-wash for hair and scalp, it soothes an irritated scalp, nourishes hair and can be left on as an over night treatment. I even use this as a protective pre-swimming treatment. It washes easily out of the hair and leaves hair softer and shinier than just shampoo and conditioner, enriched with rosemary and jasmine in a coconut oil base, it is blissful.

Favourite Body oil:

Pure Fiji Body oil- 235ml £26.50

 This is a moisturising body oil that can be used a couple of drops in the bath water too. There is a whole selection of natural aromas from orange blossom, white ginger lily, frangipani etc etc. Made on the island of Fiji they use natural and raw ingredients sourced from the island. It is a beautiful texture that leaves body skin with a soft touch and delicate sheen. The aromas are just divine too not cloying, just delicately scented.

Colour crush..............Berry Lips!

Berry, rich, succulent and ultimately juicy

Berry lips can look absolutely amazing with very pared down make up or even bronze as a colour wash on eyes and a hint on the cheeks.

The perfect universally flattering *berry* lip. Line lip with a precise line, fill the lip in with the liner. Apply the lipstick across the entire lip, blot with a tissue, re-apply the lip colour and add a slick of gloss for an amazing shine and vamp-ish finish.

My favourite berry lip duo: Paul & Joe lip lacquer-002 with Pixi Lip & line in Bare Berry (AW 2012)

The Pixi lip & line is actually a duo in a very flattering berry shade that will suit all skin tones. It is a precision liner and lipstick in 1 stick. The Paul & Joe Gloss was a limited edition but you can still get hold of it on ebay. It is such a classic berry shot with a fleck of gold that make the lips look fuller and just gorgeous.

Lip colour, lip line and the gloss-swatches

Berry is the perfect shade to take your make up into Autumn. It can be impactful without being too intense- win win xxx

Some recent hair care miracle *finds* Paul Mitchell, Kiehl's, Davines & Oribe.

I have started swimming at least twice a week over the last few months and I am obviously concerned about my hair turning into the texture of *Shredded Wheat*. So I have been trying some different products to see what really works and these are my favourites.........they would be great for a beach holiday too. Of course I could wear a swimming cap but I don't and probably won't ever. So what I do, is run a little oil through my hair, put it up in a rough bun and go swimming and it is all about the aftercare for me...so here are my top finds and what has stopped my hair turning into a brillo pad/candy floss/birds nest type barnet.

Best deep cleansing shampoo to remove chlorine:

Paul Mitchell- clarifying shampoo #3 Great for all hair Note: If your hair is very dry try Clarifying #2

This deep cleanses the hair, leaves it chlorine free but does not strip colour and does not leave hair feeling dry and frazzled, I have used clarifying shampoos in the past that were literally as harsh as washing up liquid-YUK! But this is effective but not harsh- great for coloured hair.

Best conditioner to repair hair after swimming:

Kiehl's Sunflower Color Preserving Conditioner; Great for all hair types: Note :Drier hair I would leave on for 5 mins

I like some of Kiehl's hair care (The Amino Acid) for example but did not find it *repairing* enough after swimming, however this conditioner is amazing, it is rich and nourishing but does not weigh the hair down, 2-3 mins is enough for it to work its magic and the smell is just beautiful, leaves hair very soft and shiny and no shredded wheat texture (Yay)!

Best treatment with *styling* properties:

Davines Absolute Beautifying Potion- Great for all hair types. Note: use sparingly

This is a *finishing* oil, 2 drops, rubbed into the palms and then smoothed down the length of the hair, gives a smooth, frizz-free and very lustrous finish, I don't blow dry my hair but you could use it on damp hair pre-blow dry or after as the final step. Either way it is amazing!!! It does not weigh hair down but imparts a sheen. A little goes a very long way, this is like ambrosia for the hair.

Best sample of hair care I have ever received:

Oribe Shampoo and Conditioner for Beautiful Color

I received a sachet of the Oribe Shampoo and Conditioner  for Beautiful Color and it was absolutely beautiful, the shampoo was rich, cleansing and very gentle and the conditioner left my hair like silk. Oribe is like the Francois NARS of hair a legend with exquisite and discerning taste, everything he does is incredible and totally inspiring. I will defintely be trying more of Oribe as I was so impressed by this sample.

But if you want to see a true master at work: Look at some of his videos- a genius!

http://oribe.com/index.php/explore/filter:28/videos