Top health and beauty tip of the week

Help blend concealer that’s too pale for sunkissed skin with a swish of bronzing powder over the top

Freeze a few eye drops on a spoon and hold against skin for a minute to shrink summer spots and reduce redness

It's easy to forget how much hands are exposed to sunlight so wear hand cream with SPF, especially while driving

Use a little moisturiser to blend in around the edges where you've applied fake tan so you don't end up with obvious lines.

Thinking of whitening your teeth? Go for a professional clean first so the active ingredients don’t have to fight through plaque

Naturally frizzy hair blows out like a triangle in the wrong conditions so have long layers cut in to control the shape

Add definition to cheekbones by sweeping bronzer beneath the bone before adding blush along the bone itself

If your under-eye concealer looks too heavy and caked on, dab a little moisturiser around the edges

Using a plain waxy lip salve can actually make lips drier because the skin beneath doesn’t adapt to colder conditions. Instead use balms that contain extra moisturising and skin strengthening ingredients

The more flavours in your food, the more the appetite is stimulated so keeping meals fairly plain, with fewer than six different tastes, may reduce the amount you eat

Add milk to your favourite essential oil to help it disperse in water for a scented bathtime treat

If your hair’s looking limp, give it a lift at the roots by pushing your opened fingers through and sliding them back and forth a few times against the scalp – the friction causes hair to stand out, giving the whole head more volume.

Be careful when spritzing perfume all over your neck – UVA light will cause photoactivation that can lead to mottled-looking skin, even via a car window. Instead dab your scent out of sight of light

If you have dry skin, skip toner after cleansing as it simply removes any conditioning ingredients left on the skin. Instead apply moisturiser straight away to seal them in

If you're using self-tan to give your complexion a little burst of colour, apply the product to your face before brushing your teeth. Flecks of toothpaste can lighten spots of self-tanned skin

Clear up make-up cluttering your bedroom and bathroom with a desk tidy from a stationers. The pots for pens are ideal for storing eye- and lip-liners, mascaras, lip glosses and brushes while the drawers keep hair clips and grips out of the way

Don’t say goodbye to your sunscreen just because it's winter. Before you leave your house, apply a sunscreen with at least an SPF of 15 or more to protect your skin from the elements. Or, choose a product that combines sunscreen with a moisturizer

Want to make your lipstick last longer? Choose a matte formulation – glossing ingredients mean pigment slides off the lips – apply then blot with tissue before slicking on a second layer which ‘sticks’ to the first for true staying power

Keep cotton wool pads soaked in toner in the fridge over Christmas to cool and soothe tired or hungover eyes and reduce puffiness.

Apply glittery eye make-up before foundation (smooth a layer of concealer over lids first to give the eyeshadow staying power) so you don’t ruin your base wiping away speckles that inevitably fall during application

The skin under the eyes is the thinnest on the face and prone to wrinkling. So always dab rather than stroking or wiping creams and make-up along, to avoid pulling the delicate skin, which can lead to lines

If you don’t have time to leave 30 minutes between moisturiser and make-up, place a tissue over your face and pat with your hands to absorb moisturiser still on the surface and avoid cosmetics on top sliding off

Don’t test new foundation on the back of your hand where your skin tone is completely different from your face. Try it on your jawline instead. If it 'disappears' into your skin, you’ve got the perfect match

Keeping nail polish in the fridge simply makes drips harden around the neck. Keep it instead at room temperature although out of direct sunlight, which makes the pigments separate

Coming up to the party season, stroking hair serum down the centre of legs, across shoulders and even dabbed onto the décolleté grabs the light to make skin look luminescent

If you've overdone the blusher or eyeshadow, sweep a light layer of face powder over the top to soften the lines

Apply foundation and powder as a base over eyelids before eyeshadow or eyeliner. It will help keep both in place for longer without creasing or smudging

If you smudge your nail polish, immediately lick a finger and smooth over the top. Saliva contains a compound that reacts with polish so you can soften and blend the surface

Stroke a little hair serum down the centre of legs when you’re wearing a sexy skirt or frock to catch the light and draw the eye downwards which creates the illusion of longer pins

Mix liquid foundation with a little highlighter for a more dewy finish with added luminescence that catches the light to create a truly glowing complexion

Lipstick can make lips look less plump than gloss – but gives you more intense colour. Combine the benefits of both with a dab of gold, iridescent gloss just in the centre of lips and in the cupid’s bow, for an instantly sexier finish

Wearing nail polish does more than make your fingertips look fabulous; it adds a protective layer, too, that really does strengthen them against knocks that can split or break the nail

Most compact eye shadows have a highlighter in either gold or silver. Dip a blusher brush into the palette and sweep the lightest shade just on top of your cheekbones and down the bridge of your nose for instant glow without buying separate highlighter - Caroline Barnes, make-up artist for Olay touch of foundation

Mend a torn nail by applying a coat of varnish over the entire nail, placing a tiny piece of loo roll over the split, then immediately sealing it in place with another coat of polish

Keep eyeshadow in place for longer by applying a light layer of concealer to the eyelid first – it forms a barrier against the skin’s natural oils that lead to creasing - Make-up artist Caroline Barnes

We’ve all learned the importance of using daily sun protection on our faces, but don’t forget to extend it down the neck, the décolletage and the backs of hands, too. They’re all areas exposed to the sun as much as the face, yet without as much fat behind the skin, are prone to significant crepiness as we age - Dr Nick Lowe, dermatologist

If the results of your latest self-tan application are patchy with tell-tale streaks, use a little nail polish remover on a cotton wool pad to blend in the areas where you look Tango-d. It's harsh, though, so do a patch test first on a tiny area and avoid altogether if you have sensitive skin or skin disorders

Flawless prom skin

For spring, say farewell to matte skin and hello to a glowing, natural, dewy look.
Creating that picture-perfect complexion is easy – just follow these steps!
Skin Care:
Removing makeup at night and washing your face in the morning are imperative to avoiding breakouts and keeping your skin healthy, along with drinking lots of water and a healthy diet.  Regardless of skin type, it needs to be cleansed, exfoliated, and moisturized. Get to it!
Choosing Foundation & Concealer Colours:
Best advice? Seek the help of the in-store specialist.  If you don’t have this luxury, here are the best DIY tips:
- swatch the colour closest to your skin tone on your jawline.  Try a few shades… the best colour should be closest to that on your face (or slightly lighter for concealer)
- DON’T use the back of your hand, arm, etc – it won’t be an accurate indication of your facial skin tone!
- look for foundations that use words like “satin finish,” “glow,” or “tinted moisturizer” etc.

Choosing a Powder:
Powder comes in either pressed or loose.  For prom, you’ll want a powder you can take with you, so go pressed!  It should be the same tone as your skin, but slightly lighter (Why? Powder absorbs oil and moisture and darkens as it does).
Choosing Your Tools:
There are many ways to apply foundation, concealer and powder.  I’m a fan of brushes but if these are out of your price range, wedge sponges are inexpensive and fantastic!  Avoid using fingertips to apply as they don’t spread product evenly, are less hygienic and more product sticks to your fingertips than ends up on your face!
And now the fun part… the application!
Step 1: Pour a dime-sized amount of foundation onto the back of your free hand and dab with brush or sponge.  Starting in the middle of your face, move outward (think of a sunburst) ensuring the product goes on streak-free and evenly, covering the entire face.  When you get to the jawline, ensure it’s blended over and a bit under and you can’t see where the foundation ends and the skin begins.
Step 2: Apply concealer after foundation!  If not, your liquid foundation will wipe away all the work you just did covering flaws!  Too much concealer will just draw attention back to the area you were trying to cover, so use sparingly and blend well to ensure your skin looks naturally flawless.
Covering blemishes: LEAVE THEM ALONE (if you can)!  Otherwise, take your concealer brush, pick up a small amount, then dab using a patting motion (don’t wipe or “brush” back and forth). Then take your pressed powder, and gently pat powder on top to set the concealer.
Concealing under-eye darkness:  Most people need less than they think!  In the natural “dip” or depression around the eyes (near the inner eye tear duct), lightly place your concealer.  Once you’re pleased with the results, set the concealer with some pressed powder.

Step 3: The finishing touch will be your powder – this sets your foundation and provides a shine-free appearance to the skin. Since we are going for a glowing, natural look, you won’t need to powder the entire face – just hit the “hot spots” (aka: areas of the face that naturally tend to look less “glowy” and more “greasy”.  Generally it’s the centre of the face, middle of the forehead, nose, and chin).  You won’t need to apply a lot of powder to matte these areas – keep your application light so it looks natural and not heavy, as you’ll need to touch up these areas every few hours.  Leaving the outer edges of the face unpowdered will give you the look of the sexy, dewy skin you’ll be seeing in magazines (and, of course, your prom pics)!

Good luck! And remember, practice makes perfect!

2011, Sneak Peak Beauty

As we begin a new decade, we’re very excited to see what’s next in the world of fashion and beauty. So we asked our resident makeup artist Lucky to give us the scoop on what to expect this year. From the bright eyes to cheeky focal points, we can’t wait to see what will unfold in 2011!

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Bright, Matte Lips

The key to this look is to tone down the rest of the face… keep the eyes simple with just mascara and the skin glowy.  Then pull all the focus to the lips!  Choose a hot matte (no shine)  colour in a bright coral or vivid pink!  Don’t layer gloss on top or the point of the trend is missed. If the idea of a bright lip is scary to you, ease yourself into it by applying the matte lipstick with a lip brush to create a more sheer, stained look.
Try: Revlon ‘Strawberry Suede’ Matte Lipstick or MAC lipstick in ‘Neon Orange’, ‘Full Fuchsia’ or ‘Pink Nouveau’.  I also love the OCC Lip Tars in ‘Harlot’ and ‘Demure’.
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Cheeky

This trend is all about the cheeks!!  Choose a bright pink for the apples of your cheeks or a tawny, golden bronze to sculpt your cheekbones with.  Again, remember to choose your focal point… so keep the rest of the face neutral with nude eyeshadows and lips.
Try: NARS blush in ‘Desire’ or ‘Angelika’, MAC blush in ‘Dolly Mix’, or Rimmel blush in ‘Pink Rose’.  For the bronzed look try Cargo Bronzer in ‘Medium’ or ‘Dark’ (depending on your skin tone) or Hard Candy So Baked Bronzer in Tropics.
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Neon Eyeshadow

Bright eyeshadows were all over the runways for 2011!  This one is easy to execute as it’s just one bright pop of colour over the whole eyelid.  Make it a sheer wash of colour or really pack it on for a bright pop!  As with the other trends, keep your focal point the eyes and the rest of the face more neutral.  A nude, pinky gloss looks great with this look! If the idea of neon eyes is too intimidating, use an angle brush to create a bright eyeliner or try a bright, colourful mascara!
Try: Makeup For Ever, NARS, Covergirl, and MAC all have fantastic bright/neon shades. Pick one that best suits your personality and knock ‘em dead!