Fashion Savvy - Fashion, Beauty, & Style » Beauty Tips

Three beauty looks to get ready for the holiday party season

fashion — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:24:08 +0000

(ARA) – With the season of soirees upon us, the ultimate look is needed to stand out among the crowd of little black dresses. With a few simple steps, it’s easy to have the appearance of professionally done makeup without emptying your wallet. Be your own makeup artist by trying these three looks from the pros to accent your best features.

Smokey eyes
International makeup artist, Jemma Kidd recommends a dramatic smoky eye to pump-up the glam.

Step 1 – Sweep a light highlighter shade over the whole lid to the browbone.

Step 2 – Apply a dark and intense shade along the lashline, blending up and smoking outwards to the socket line.

Step 3 – Smudge eyeliner across upper and lower lashline; use black for ultra intensity.

Step 4 – Finish off with dark, black mascara, and for a full on look, go for false eyelashes. For an ultra-modern take, add a touch of glitter to lower lids and lashes.

Tip: To finish off the face, use a nearly-naked base, with barely-there flush on cheeks and a nude color for the lips.

Natural perfection
Petra Strand, makeup artist and creator of Pixi, firmly believes that makeup should make a woman look like herself – only more gorgeous.

Step 1 – Prime the skin with a primer – skin will look youthful, glowing and hydrated.

Step 2 – Switch to a base that is sheer and use a concealer for those areas that need a little extra help. Your complexion will look naturally flawless.

Step 3 – Use a cheek gel instead of regular blush to give an instant “lift” with a transparent touch of color on the apples of the cheeks.

Step 4 – Switch from full coverage lipsticks to a tint of color that has both the moisture and treatment of a balm for a perfect pout.

Tip: The next generation of powders is here with a diffused matte finish that is truly perfect to “set your makeup” so that it goes the distance yet you look “fresh as a daisy.”

Sophisticated glamour
For classic holiday glam, celebrity makeup artist Napoleon Perdis recommends being bold and brilliant.

Step 1 – Prime your skin for a flawless canvas for makeup application and follow with your perfect foundation match for full coverage and matte skin.

Step 2 – Make a lip statement. Red lips are the most glamorous trend of the season. Pick your favorite red and make sure to always apply lip liner to prevent bleeding. To give the illusion of fuller lips, dab some gloss only on the center of the pout, over lipstick.

Step 3 – To perfectly complement your bold lips, keep the eyes neutral. Use a neutral and easy palette of taupe eye shadows for a seductive eye.

Tip: Complete the look with black mascara – always remember that three coats is the magic number, and a look is never complete without show-stopping lashes.

Don’t have all that’s needed for the ultimate glam look to show off your best assets? Relax, Target has you covered. Pick up premiere makeup products at budget-friendly prices from Pixi, JK Jemma Kidd and NP Set at Target stores nationwide and at target.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Beauty basics to help you embrace autumn

fashion — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:05:03 +0000

(ARA) – Fall is a time of transition. Not only do you need to prepare your skin for the cold months ahead, but it’s time to transform your look from light and airy to soft and classic.

Focus on a few beauty basics – skin, make-up, fashion and fragrance – and you’ll have all you need for a fantastic fall.

Great skin is always in
As the weather gets cooler and drier, your skin needs extra moisture to keep it supple. Keep warm weather memories alive with a scent reminiscent of summer and try Coconut Milk Body Lotion from The Body Shop. Treat yourself to the finest ingredients – ethically sourced community trade virgin coconut oil from Samoa – and get soft, smooth and deliciously scented skin.

Pucker up
Autumn lips are washed in soft color. International make-up artist Chase Aston says this fall is all about the perfect pout and recommends Colourglide Lip Color from The Body Shop.

Aston shares his tips for luscious and gorgeous lips:
* Use a lip liner for added definition and to help prevent feathering.
* Enhance the natural color of your lips by gently gliding on lip color. For added pout power, use a lipstick/concealer brush.
* Look for a shade that complements your skin tone. With 37 shades, you can easily find Colourglide Lip Color that works for you.

Ultra-modern eyes
This fall, dramatic smoldering eyes are what’s fabulous.

To achieve fall’s hottest eye looks, Aston gives these sizzling tips:
* Smudge together forest green, shimmering grey and lilac to create a chic, modern, smoky eye.
* To create an intense, sultry eye look, look for a palette that features a warm trio of rich brown, golden copper and shimmering sand hues.
* Try a metallic eye definer. Alone, it can be used to line and define or use it to complement your favorite eye shadow. “Choose shades that contrast your eyes to make them pop,” says Aston. “Apply color to the eyelid or along the lash-line as an accent for impact.”

Bundle up
Classic, “back to basics” clothing was all the rage on the fall runways. This season’s must-have piece is the crisp white jacket that works with everything from jeans to a little black dress. The key accessory to sport is perfectly fitting with the chill in the air – gloves. Half gloves, fingerless gloves and long gloves are gracing the arms of starlets walking the red carpet and go with everything from rugged parkas to dainty and ladylike skirts. If you’ve got a special occasion to dress for, or if you’re just plain feeling glam, the gold dress, inspired by the rich tones of autumn, is the choice for your holiday parties.

For more information on fall beauty basics, visit TheBodyShop-USA.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Your summer beauty routine, inspired by nature

fashion — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:30:27 +0000

(ARA) – Warm weather is here and it’s time to update your beauty routine for summer. Why not take some inspiration from warm weather’s renewal theme and refresh your beauty regimen?

The welcome change in seasons brings longer days, trees and flowers in bloom and more time spent outside. Nature has so much to offer, including inspiration for products that can help you look and feel beautiful from head to toe.

“It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by choices with so many new products on the market,” says Jeni Thomas, a beauty scientist with Procter & Gamble. “It can be difficult to know which products really work and which natural ingredients can be effective elements of your beauty routine. The key to finding nature-inspired products that do work is to look for ones that blend and balance nature with science.”

Seeking out products that combine the best of ingredients with the best of science gives you nature-inspired options that really perform and keep you looking your best. While many new beauty manufacturers may be unfamiliar to you, some of the most highly recognized and respected cosmetics brands are now offering nature-inspired products. Consumers often gravitate toward these brands because they are recognized, trusted, and easily available.

Here is a sampling of nature-inspired products from brand names you recognize and that you’ll easily find on your local supermarket or drug store shelves:

* CoverGirl now offers TruBlend MicroMinerals foundation, designed to fine-tune mineral coverage from sheer to full. The product incorporates iron oxides, minerals that give nice even coverage to skin, as well as pearl and mica to give skin a luminous, healthy glow.

* Hair color goes nature-inspired with Clairol’s Natural Instincts line. Like other Clairol products, the hair color blends away gray in just 10 minutes, but relies on an antioxidant-rich, ammonia-free formula with vitamins C and E to accomplish healthy-looking color and shine.

* Consumers know and trust the name Olay. Now the company has introduced a Botanical Fusion Body Wash formulated with scents and ingredients inspired by nature, such as patchouli, rosemary and ginger. The wash incorporates these invigorating scents with hydrating and skin-nurturing ingredients.

* The Cassia plant, a botanical science discovery that helps give hair radiance, softness and strength, is the key ingredient in Pantene Pro-V’s new Nature Fusion shampoo.

“Consumers looking for nature-inspired products no longer have to search specialty shops or the Internet to find the effective products they crave,” Thomas says. “Some of the most recognized names in health and beauty are responding to consumer demand with effective, cost-conscious, nature-inspired products.”

To learn more about nature-inspired beauty products, visit www.pgbeautyscience.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Red Carpet Beauty Tips that Fit Your Budget

fashion — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:39:48 +0000

(ARA)- With award season in full swing, all eyes are on celebrities and their red carpet style. For every A-lister, looking great at an awards show is almost as important as remembering an acceptance speech. While most celebrities have a team to get them picture perfect, there are some simple tricks you can do at home to make sure you’re camera ready for your next big event whether it’s a first date or family reunion.

Giuliana Rancic, host of E! News and a red carpet staple, shares some simple beauty tips that are sure to make you look and feel your best all night long — without a celebrity-sized budget.

Hydrate: Give yourself a healthy and glowing complexion by getting plenty of rest the night before the event, and stay hydrated during the day. When water gets too boring, add a splash of cranberry or pomegranate juice. The antioxidants will add to your glow.

Relax: If you’re prone to getting pre-event jitters, it’s important to find a way to relax beforehand so you can arrive feeling your best. Remember that confidence shows. To de-stress, she suggests meeting a friend for yoga, getting a full body massage or putting on some fun music to dance around to as you get ready.

Be prepared: Try on your outfit the day before to assure that you have the right shoes and accessories. You’ll feel much more relaxed on the day of the big event knowing that you have everything ready. It also pays to have a Plan B outfit in mind, just in case. And while you have your outfit on, pull out your digital camera and snap a couple photos of yourself to practice finding your picture-perfect pose the way models do.

Say cheese: You can count on there being photos taken at any big event, so your smile needs to be camera-ready. A lip stain is your best bet for long-lasting lip color, and a bold shade will make your smile extra eye-catching. Of course, no matter how bright the color, it can’t hide dull teeth. Giuliana swears by Crest Whitestrips to make sure her teeth are sparkling before the big event. “My latest beauty secret is to use new Crest Whitestrips Advanced Seal two weeks before my big event. Because the strips mold to my teeth, I can talk, drink water and go about my routine while I’m wearing them! They fit perfectly into my busy schedule.”

Finally, eat right: You don’t want to be hungry during the event, but you also need to look your best in that dress. On the day of a big event, eat a small meal with protein in the morning, like an egg white omelet with veggies and feta cheese. Then, in the afternoon, stick with liquids like a fruit smoothie, which gives you energy without making you feel too full or bloated.

Following these simple steps will help you feel like you had your own personal glam squad for your next big night out.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Go Beyond Green With Eco-friendly Beauty Trends

fashion — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 20:24:13 +0000

(ARA) – Green living doesn’t have to mean forgoing the latest looks, especially when eco-conscious beauty is the hottest thing going. Formulations driven by nature, practices that are kind to the earth and minimal packaging are all cool ways to celebrate the warm weather.

Here are some of the hottest eco-conscious beauty trends going:

Fresh as a Rose
The classic and perfect rose inspires some of the hottest colors and scents of the season. Cheeks blush in pretty shades of pink for day and bold fuchsia for evening while glamorous pink lips perfectly accompany spring smiles. For an all-over ethereal glow, the Roseflower Radiance Stick from The Body Shop is a soft, natural and preservative-free way to achieve a dewy spring glow. Match spring’s romantic mood and sweep the silky, sheer golden pink highlighter along the cheekbones for a subtle shimmer that enhances the complexion.

* Style Highlight
Made with rose oil from the “valley of roses” near the Atlas Mountains, The Body Shop Moroccan Rose Body Butter melts on contact with the skin for superb hydration and releases the delectable fragrance of roses harvested at dawn, at their fragrance peak. It also features rich Community Trade ingredients from Ghana and Brazil.

Pastels and Pinks
This season, eyes shimmer in paparazzi-friendly pastel greens, pinks and golds. Celebrity makeup artist Chase Aston says a soft gold eye shimmer is fresh and modern and is perfect for an allover eye, from lash to brow. For a contemporary effect, a cool mint green swept along the top lash line and underneath the lower lashes sings spring.

* Style Highlight
“To take this runway look to night and capture a perfectly imperfect smoky eye, take a black eye definer pencil and line along top lash line, then dip an eye color brush into midnight blue eye color and smudge over eye definer line,” says Aston.

Waste Not
What is on the outside of a beauty product is just as important as what’s within. Look for sustainably-harvested and fairly-traded ingredients as well as minimal packaging made from post-consumer materials. And when you’re done with a container, remember to recycle it!

Wild Accessories
Reduce, reuse and recycle are today’s hottest buzzwords. Raid your closet for vintage jewelry and accessories or hit your local thrift shop for a bold bargain that pops. When the sun is shining, remember to protect yourself from UV rays with a stylish round pair of sunglasses.

Beauty that Gives Back
Being good to the Earth also includes being kind to the people who inhabit the planet. Everyday products and practices can make a big difference, so look for beauty that gives back.

*Style Highlight
Purchasing a product like the preservative-free Tantalizing Lip Butter from The Body Shop and MTV means a donation is made to the Staying Alive Foundation — a charity saving lives by empowering young people around the world to protect themselves and their communities against HIV and AIDS. Now that’s beautiful.

And when you’re done all your beauty shopping, you need an eco-friendly and stylish bag to carry all your goodies home in. Try The Body Shop Bag for Life, which is a reusable, organically grown cotton bag produced without harmful pesticides.

For more information on eco-conscious beauty, visit TheBodyShop-USA.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Tips for Putting Your Best Face Forward this Fall

fashion — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:56:05 +0000

Your fall beauty regimen should focus on caring for the basics of beauty – skin, smile and hair.

Bathing suits will soon be packed away for another year, but beauty doesn’t take a holiday when summer winds down. Women everywhere will need to modify their daily beauty routines to keep pace with autumn’s changing demands, and the rapid approach of the holiday season.

Your fall beauty regimen should focus on caring for the basics of beauty – skin, smile and hair. Here are some tips to ensure you enter the cooler months looking your best.

Fall Skin Care

Fall is one of the most demanding seasons for your skin. Not only does bright sunshine persist in many areas of the country, the air turns dry and cool – conditions which can add up to damage and drying.

* Remember to moisturize daily, and consider replacing the lotion or gel-based moisturizer you used over the summer months with a cream-based product. Cream-based moisturizers do a better job of locking moisture into the skin.

* You’ll still need sunscreen, especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors, but you can probably pack away the 50 SPF cream until next summer. Go with a lighter SPF. Many makeup lines now offer foundations that include UV protection.

* Stay hydrated. Make sure you get your recommended eight, 8-ounce glasses of water per day. If you live in a particularly dry climate, consider sleeping with a humidifier in your room. Not only will it help your skin, the humidifier can help relieve some respiratory symptoms brought on by dry weather.

Something to Smile About

Your smile is often the first impression someone has about you. “It’s easy to overlook the importance of taking care of your smile, especially as schedules get busier in the fall,” says Dr. Nancy Rosen, a New York City-based dentist whose clients include business executives, fashionistas and politicians.

* Before the holidays hit and you have time for little else other than shopping and entertaining, schedule a checkup with your dentist.

* White teeth can turn a nice smile into a show-stopper. Consider incorporating a teeth whitener into your everyday beauty routine. Crest Whitestrips Daily Whitening Plus Tartar Protection provides five-minute once a day whitening and protection from tartar and daily stain build-up. “These strips not only provide tartar protection, they’re a great way to whiten teeth daily.” Rosen says. “The strips are gentle enough to use every day, even for people who are sensitive to whitening.” They are available anywhere Crest products are sold; or log on to www.whitestrips.com for more information.

* The cool, dry air and crisp breezes of fall can lead to chapped lips. Use lip balm that contains UV protection to prevent chapped or sunburned lips. Avoid petroleum-based balms, as evidence has shown that petroleum can actually dry out your lips.

Have a Good Hair Day

The flagrant abuse you subjected your hair to all summer comes home to roost in the fall. Autumn is a great time to recover from the effects bright sun and pool chemicals had on your hair.

* Update your cut. It’s a new season and a good time for a fresh start. Look for a cut that complements your face, is fashionable yet easy to care for – a style that will serve you well through the increased busyness of the fall and holiday season.

* Treat yourself to a deep-conditioning session at the salon to help repair sun and chlorine damage. Afterward, use a light conditioner or shampoo/conditioner combination every time you wash your hair.

With a few simple enhancements to your daily routine, you can ensure your beauty regimen doesn’t fall behind this autumn.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Solving your skin-care puzzle

fashion — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 12:01:17 +0000

Solving your skin-care puzzle

Many different factors go into making up your skin profile. Take all of them into account to create a skin-care regimen that’s as unique as you are. Vaseline (www.vaseline.ca) explores the challenges your skin faces year round.

Our bodies are smart. They do what they can to protect us. Darker skin helps shield us from the dangers of the sun’s rays with a natural protection equivalent to wearing SPF 5. And that means less burning, less wrinkling and fewer sunspots. But darker skin can lose moisture more quickly in cold and dry conditions.

Fairer skin lets through more light and more vitamin D. That’s good for our health but it also makes lighter skin more prone to sun damage. While lighter skin holds moisture for longer periods of time than darker skin, helping to protect it from severe weather conditions, when it does become dry and damaged it shows quickly and soon becomes unable to cope with the elements.

All it takes is a quick look out the window to see why this country can be a hard place for a body. Unless we’re lucky enough to live on the damp, temperate west coast (though perhaps not so lucky for our hair), we’re going to need a barrier between us and the elements. The extreme cold of Quebec or the far north, the winds of the prairies or the effects of high altitudes in the mountains can rob skin of moisture. Overexposure to raw spring winds or summer sunshine can do the same.

Then there’s the man-made geography. We’re talking overheated wintertime interiors, the air-conditioned nightmare of summer and the hard water that may flow from our taps, all of which can be just as drying as stepping outside in a January gale.

That Father Time’s a mean old goat. After we hit 25, our skin starts losing collagen and cell replacement slows. The result: duller, less supple skin.

We all know that too much stress is bad for our health. But did you know that high levels of stress can contribute to premature aging? By intensifying the effects of dryness, it can make our skin look as tired as we feel. Stress can also affect skin and other health conditions that each individual is prone to, which in turn affects our appearance.

Long, hot showers, failing to moisturize, forgetting to use sunscreen (in summer) or leaving our gloves at home (in winter), walking around all day in high heels. Oh, the things we do to our bodies – and our skin. Even the supplest, most luminous skin suffers when neglected or mistreated. And the results aren’t pretty: chapped, cracked, rough, tough, bumpy, lumpy, sunburned, spotted skin.

- News Canada

One minute beauty tricks

fashion — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:56:45 +0000

When you surround yourself with beautiful colours and scents, your mood can't help but improve.

With these simple tricks from Homebasics.ca, you’ll look and feel like a million bucks in one sweep of the second hand.

Use them to get velvety skin. After whipping up a batch of lemonade, take the leftover lemon halves and rub your knees, elbows, heels and other dry spots. The Vitamin C rich pulp helps skin feel soft & silky.

Time elapsed: 45 seconds.

Of flowers, that is. When you surround yourself with beautiful colours and scents, your mood can’t help but improve. Plus, oxygenating your surroundings is never a bad idea.

Time elapsed: 30 seconds.

Lounging in the sun is time consuming and bad for your skin. Slathering on a shimmery self-tanner, however, is neither. Opt for the tinted kind and you’ll look and feel radiant instantly.

Time elapsed: 60 seconds.

Your posture will improve, you’ll step more confidently — and that pained, pinched look will disappear from your face.

Time elapsed: 8 seconds.

Soak (caffeinated) tea bags and chill them in the freezer for a few minutes, then place them on your eyes to reduce puffiness. Cold cucumber slices also achieve the same effect.

Time elapsed: 60 seconds.

If it’s been months since you changed your razor blade, you may not remember how smooth and silky your skin can feel. Replace the blade every week or two and say goodbye to nasty nicks and cuts.

Time elapsed: 15 seconds

- News Canada

Healthy hair prescription

fashion — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 11:50:34 +0000

Healthy hair

Are you sick and tired of damaged hair? Common ills such as heating tools, colour processing and over-styling – not to mention sun, wind and chlorine – can weaken your hair, leaving it frayed, frizzy and fried. Dove Therapy System Hair Care (www.dovehair.ca) is here to help diagnose and treat your ailing tresses.

Problem: Split Ends

Prescription: Regular trims help keep ends from fraying, as does using a super-moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. Avoid over-styling and try a smoothing cream to encourage hair cuticles to lie flat.

Prevention: When outside, cover up with a hat or apply a protective spray. Be diligent about conditioning to replenish lost moisture. Dry hair is more susceptible to splitting. Without treatment, hair will continue to split up the hair shaft.

Problem: Lacklustre Locks

Prescription: Bleaching and colouring can wreak havoc on healthy hair. Chemicals weaken the hair shaft, making it porous, dry and less able to reflect light. The result is hair that lacks sheen. Switch to products formulated specifically for coloured hair. Bring back bounce and elasticity with an intensive treatment product.

Prevention: Book a cut right after a colour or highlight service. It will snip away over-processed ends and help keep hair vibrant.

Problem: Frizz

Prescription: Before you touch your hair with anything hot, such as blow-dryers, curling irons or hot curlers, protect it with a product designed to take the heat. Tame misbehaving locks with styling products such as mousse, gel and hairspray.

Prevention: Let your hair keep its cool by shampooing and styling it every other day. You can banish frizz with regular use of a moisturizing conditioner designed for that purpose. Before styling, towel-dry hair first to remove excess water, and then blow it dry on low heat.

Problem: Weak, Brittle Hair

Prescription: Chemicals work their way into the shaft and weaken it from within. Pool chlorine is especially bad for blonde and light-coloured hair because it can actually stain the hair and tinge it an unsightly green. It’s time for an emergency infusion of moisture: try a deep conditioning treatment to revive dry locks and strengthen them.

Prevention: When swimming, tuck your hair under a bathing cap and shampoo it as soon as possible after leaving the water. Choose products infused with moisturizing ingredients to make hair supple again.

- News Canada

Beauty emergency quick fixes

fashion — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:49:46 +0000

Beauty emergency quick fixes

Flubbed your polish? Made a streaky mess with your self-tanner? Not to worry. These rapid repairs from Q-tips Cotton Swabs (www.homebasics.ca) will have you out the door in a flash.

For years, everyone recommended navy blue liner as the key to brightening eyes. Actually, the secret is light blue. Line the inner rim of your bottom eyelid with pale blue liner. The pastel hue makes the whites of your eyes appear brighter.

Use a clean lip brush instead of your finger to apply concealer. You get more precise application and better coverage. (Heat from your finger can dilute the product).

Resist the urge to pile on more styling product or hairspray. Instead, mist your hair with water and shape it into place with your fingers. The water will reactivate the styling product you already have in your hair.

No time for a colour touch-up? Use a coloured mascara that matches your hair colour to instantly camouflage grey hairs.

Put a drop of nail polish remover on your finger and smooth out the smudge. Wait a few seconds, then apply a light coat of polish over the whole nail. Apply a speed-dry topcoat to get you out the door fast.

It’s easy to create streaks when you’re using self-tanner. Even out skin tone by rubbing body scrub firmly over the area. You’ll remove the outer flaky skin that the self-tanner adheres to.