Excess Baggage - How To Banish Eye Bags

Eye baggage sadly affects most of us and one of the most common questions I get asked whilst I'm working is how to get rid of bags. Although concealing through makeup can cosmetically cover the problem, it doesn't actually help to get rid of it, I have done alot of research on this topic (days of research, actually) so I can deliver the best information to you. My head is still buzzing from all the Scientific facts, its causing me a migraine. So, forgive me for going a bit 'Professor' and serious on you in this post, but eye bags are one of the biggest hang ups a woman has. I hope this helps, and if it does, drop me a message of appreciation for all my hard work. :)

Bags under the eyes are caused by a number of different things. One of those things is fat under the eye. The eye sits in a layer of fat to protect the eye area and as you naturally age, or if you have a very unhealthy lifestyle, the membrane breaks down and sags. Luckily, we can help prevent this by keeping the structure moisturised and strong. If the eye area is strong it keeps it flat. If it is flat, it is less likely to sag. A great, and one of my favourites is a cheap Boots Vitamin E eye cream. Its 1.99. It lightly nourishes the eye area. Whey protein is a good ingredient to look out for as it helps to make it strong. Cliniques 'All About Eyes' contains this, along with caffeine which tightens the area.

  Another problem is cholesterol under the eyes which can be genetic, or a result of too much salt in your diet. It also can cause the membrane to break down, creating bags. Smoking, drinking, drug abuse and lack of sleep, causes a build up of fat under the eyes which creates a bulge. Its pretty simple to see what the treatment for these causes could be. Early nights, less alcohol and no drugs etc. But if you live like theres no tomorrow and party like its 1999, a quick fix for you could be haemorrhoid cream. No, I'm not taking the Michael. Old Hollywood stars used it under their eyes to tighten the area and, ahem, I've actually tried this one myself after a big night and it does actually work. Another, less embarrassing quick fix is Green Tea ice cubes. Make a cup of super strong Green Tea, let it cool down then pour it into an ice tray. Cut up some gauze strips and when the ice has set, wrap the gauze around the ice cube well and press around your eye area. A lot of makeup artists use this technique on models or celebs before a red carpet event or a photo shoot as it is really works.

Fluid retention is very common, it also can be genetic but also it can be brought on by yourself.  Again, lack of sleep and an unhealthy lifestyle will create congestion around that area which will make the area puffy. Treatments and ingredients which can help to break this down are drinking plenty water to keep hydrated and massage around the eye area to drain the congestion. Lymph nodes are situated around the temple so aim for them when you are massaging. Apply your eye cream and gently tap with your ring finger around the optical bone. Then, using your ring finger again, just gently drag up and away towards the temple. Do this every time you apply your cream or if you have been sitting staring at your computer screen, or watching TV for a long time. Garnier do a great eye cream which has a roller ball on the end to massage with, it also contains concealer which can help cover up darkness, Fluid retention can also be caused by applying too much eye cream. Under eye skin is much thinner and too much can flood the area causing the opposite effect. The eye cannot absorb a lot of cream so keep it light. You want to be roughly applying the size of a grain of rice amount.

A few more ingredients to look for in eye creams are Hyaluronic acid. It is great to use on the skin as well as under the eyes as its already naturally found in the body. It keeps the skin looking fresh and youthful. It plumps up the skin and keeps it firm. Caffeine is good for puffiness and fat under the eyes, its works by travelling into the hyper dermis where fat cells live. Caffeine doesn't break up the cells it changes the metabolism from storing fat to burning fat so the cells shrink. Clinique Repairwear I think, is one of the best buys as it contains peptides which fight wrinkles and whey protein which I explained about earlier.

Darkness under the eyes can be caused by a few things. It may just be the way your face is shaped. If you have naturally high cheek bones this can create a hollow under your eye which creates a shadow. It can also be that the skin under the eye is very thin and translucent. If the darkness under your eyes is a bluey purpley colour bags then this is probably coming from broken capillaries. Eyes are very sensitive and rubbing your eyes or applying too much pressure from creams could have caused this. Think of it like a bruise. Vitamin K is good for bluey purpley but its very hard to get hold of in the UK. Haloxl, which is found in No7 Protect and Perfect is another key ingredient. Pigmentation is a big cause of under eye darkness. Again this is generally genetic but if you are prone to hyper pigmentation avoid the obvious causes. Wear sunglasses and a high sunscreen. Vitamin c is great for pigmentation and Murad Essential C eye cream is a good one to choose and also contains an SPF 15.

I hope you found this useful and not only because it has taken me forever to complete, but because like I said, its one of the biggest moans us women have. So, follow these tips, pack your eye bags and send them into exile. No permission to return!

Melted Makeup Massacre

As part of a sun deprived country, I for one am very grateful for this impromptu heat wave but seriously, a bit of hot weather and we literally go into meltdown. Well, our makeup definitely does. Today my lunch break was like stepping into a surreal Salvador Dali painting - which I will aptly title Melted Makeup Massacre. Makeup smeared, smudged, faces falling off. Ok it wasn't that bad and if you are a loyal reader of my blog you will know I'm pretty drama-arma and enjoy the theatrics. Which makes a better story, right? Anyway, luckily for me I was rescued from streaky incidents at a young age. I have been a fan of primer since my teenage adolescence days when a makeup artist kindly introduced me to one. Clearly my super sebaceous face offended her and she felt it was her duty to save me from more embarrassing shiny episodes. I have previously always hated that encounter but today I feel pretty blessed that it happened. I'm glad I'm not part of MMM, put it that way.

So, to save yourself the hassle of having to scrape your face off your desk at 5pm I've put together some summer cheats you can't beat.

Start by applying a primer before your foundation. I've been using the L'Oreal Studio Secrets primer a while now and it is a great base for your foundation. It's a pinky colour which lifts skintone and makes your skin look dewy fresh. It glides over pores and evens out the texture, leaving your skin feeling silky soft. It helps keep makeup on for an extra 4-5 hours so I'd say it's worth the £14.29 price tag. Nars do an amazing eyeshadow primer which makes the colour appear brighter, smoother and more vibrant. It smoothes fine lines and keeps your shadow on from dusk until dawn, so there's no need to worry about resembling a panda anytime soon. At £18 its a bit pricey but the product lasts months, as you're only applying it to a small area. Sticky and sun don't mix well so try a lip tint. They add a hint of colour and are light on your lips. Every brand from YSL to Maybelline are having a go with them. The best I've tried and the one that lasts the longest without bleeding or budging is AquaLipJelly by By Terry. It lasted a total of 18hrs which is kinda borderline temporary tattoo, I'd say! The hardest summer smearproof product to find has to be mascara. Most brands will promise you 100% waterproof, wind proof.. practically bulletproof mascara, but the only one I've tried that can take the heat is Maxfactor 24hr. It stays put until you chisel it off. Alternatively, you can use an oily eye makeup remover which I'd obviously strongly recommend.

I hope you enjoy my tips that help budge the summer smudge and make the most of this glorious sunshine while it lasts. Which, knowing our temperamental English weather will probably be until 2pm Friday. Urgh!

Cellu-later! - Cellulite Banishing Tips

So it's getting to that time of Year again when the Sun comes out, the sleeves become shorter and the hem lines become higher. I'm sure its not just my stomach that does a little topsy turvey at the thought of getting my bare legs out after eating enough chocolate at Easter to make Willy Wonka jel. With the 'recession' in full swing many of us are booking last min holidays to save a bit of cash, which doesn't leave us much time to sort ourselves out. Cellulite is THE enemy for many of us females and it can attack every girls thighs, even if you are a super slinky size 0. Even some of our fave celebs suffer from the dreaded orange peel (who remembers that ep where Kimmy K allowed us to watch her getting cellulite treatment??) which kinda makes it easier to digest. The theory was that Cellulite was caused by toxins underneath the skin, but now experts are claiming its due to poor skin structure and the fibres ripping causing the fat to squish out through the holes creating a lumpy effect. Attractive, no?  There's a lot of quick fix creams and treatments out there which can prove expensive and very annoying if they don't actually do what they say they will. Time is of the essence so feast your eyes on my cellulite banishing tips and the one product I tried and can't get enough of. Thank goodness its calorie free.

1. Body Brush - Some people think this is one of the best ways to reduce the appearance of cellulite as it helps speed up the lymph system to remove toxins from the body. I guess it all depends on the toxins/fibre theory but I for one feel body brushing helps to smooth my skin. Upward strokes briskly towards the heart with a round bristled brush will give you the best results. Do this morning and evening.

2. Drink More Water - This may seem obvious to most but by drinking more water you will keep your body hydrated so it will plump out the skin, reducing the appearance of dimples. It more importantly flushes all those nasty toxins we dont' need out of our body. Replace your morning coffee with a few glasses of water to wake you up. Caffeine impairs the blood circulation which slows down the oxygen flow and tissues become inhibited.

3. Use the amazing Biotherm Celluli Laser D Code Cream - After trying hundreds of Anti-Cellulite creams, this is by far the best. I was sold after the assistant told me she noticed a difference after 3 applications. 3 APPLICATIONS?! That's a day and a half, if used morning and night.Its classed as a slimming gel but definitely doesn't help shed the pounds but it does work on cellulite. The product is 38.00 and available from Boots. Its quite expensive but a little goes a long way, you only need to massage a small amount into the desirable area. It smells lovely and is super hydrating. It is a cooling, light and non sticky gel, meaning if you use it on a morning you can immediately dress. Its supposed to show effects after 15 applications, which would be around a week. But, after using for 5days along with body brushing and drinking more water, I have seen a vast improvement. My thighs feel much tighter and smoother. The product is an Elle Beauty Awards winner which speaks for itself.

Obviously, we have to be realistic whilst trying to fully shift our cellulite. Drinking alcohol, smoking and eating junk won't suddenly be cancelled off just because we are slapping some cream onto our thighs. But, by following a healthy diet and my simple tips you will definitely feel a bit more peachy and perky when  it comes to holiday time.

Nikki Howarth Collections

On location in sunny Leeds for Nikki Howarth Collections. It's her S/S12 collection shot by the wonderful photographer Rebecca Hull and as you can see from the sneak peaky pics it was all about bright clashing colours! I'm personally a bit tired of pastels so it was good to work with these dazzling shades. On the first model I used fresh green blended into neon blue across the eye lids with a black gel liner to add definition and length to the lashes. I then used a vivid pink sheer lipstick to intensify the final look. The model pulls it all off perfectly (obvs) with her on trend blue polished nails and a big bouffant quiff, done by the very talented Chris Wallbank. On the second model I wanted to create a softer more angelic effect, but still quite dramatic. I used a fuschia pink shadow in the socket line blended into a soft peach shade across the whole lid. I then used a plum liner along the bottom lashes and a black gel liner across the top lashes to give definition and to make the pink shade 'pop'. I used a really powerful orange lipstick to bring the look to life and perfectly clash with the pink. She looked startling, like modern day Monroe! It was a great day and luckily we had amazing weather, can't wait to see the final pics!

Let's Touch Base

I often get asked what makeup I use on my face, and how it manages to stay intact all day. I believe that there's two main things I do every morning that stops my face from melting onto my chest by midday.

Firstly, after my cleansing routine I moisturise my face. WOW you may think, a beauty revelation!! Or not, but as this may seem obvious to those who do this everyday, it really would surprise you to know that only 50% of women actually moisturise. Some ladies think they should just moisturise when their skin feels extra tight, some with oily skin think it could make it worse, and for others who have little time getting ready each morning, moisturising just doesn't make the cut. Moisturising keeps your skin nourished which prevents it from getting moisture from your makeup, therefore it doesn't soak it up. It coats the skin with a protective barrier to stop your skin cracking and helps shield infection. Finding the right moisturiser is sometimes looooong and a bit of a struggle, but investing your time into doing so will surely buy you a few years with the ageing clock later on in life, as dryness is one of the biggest causes of wrinkles.

Secondly I use Studio Secrets Primer from L'Oreal. You have to wait a few minutes for your moisturiser to soak in to prevent this product from clogging, as any cream over cream would do. It's a pale pinky shade in the pot but goes onto the skin clear. It feels really velvety, brightens your complexion and evens out your skins texture. It's great on all skin types and smooths over any lines and wrinkles. Not that I have any, ahem, yet. But, I've used it on old  mature skin and it really is like taking a rolling pin and working out those folds! You can use this product even if you want your end base result to be dewy. It will just manage the shine properly and stops your face from looking greasy a few hours later. Each particle in the product seems to hold 10x its weight in oil, and doesn't go patchy.

I then apply my foundation (and the rest) ready to 'face' the day ahead, happily knowing I'll still be glowing come 5pm. After all, it would have got a little weird having to wear a bib to catch your face from spoiling your crisp white work blouse everyday!

All Hail Soleil

Every so often in a girls life she makes a miraculous makeup discovery which could essentially change her life. This may come after a recommendation from a magazine, receiving an unexpected sample, or she could just so happen to stumble across it. Like I did, literally, with my latest find. Whilst out shopping a few weeks ago I got my heel caught and I tripped into the Chanel counter. As I stumbled I reached out and I knocked something off the unit. Blushing as I retrieved the product which was now stuck between the wheels of a pram and causing a traffic jam of distressed shoppers, I looked a little closer at the object that had initiated such chaos. Soleil Tan De Chanel. I'd seen this product and heard very good things about it, but never actually tried it for myself. To be honest, I've never really 'believed' in a cream bronzer since my first encounter with cream blusher which kinda put me off. Firstly it seemed to take my foundation underneath off and left me in a patchy mess, and secondly, touching my face throughout the day had left me with so many fingerprints imprinted into the cream colour I could have been mistaken for evidence at a crime scene. I do love CSI but seriously, sporting that look would be taking things to a whole new level. Apologising as I handed the product back to the consultant, I noticed that she had a lovely golden tan. Random you may think but I do notice those things 'cause I'm a bit geeky like that. Putting 2 and 2 together and thankfully coming up with 4, we got talking about the bronzer which had given her the sun kissed glow. To cut a long story short (I don't want to bore you with the full transaction details) I ended up buying the 'Amazing' and 'Out of this world' product. Bagging myself a bargain at 29pounds (yikes) I told myself its twice the size of my normal bronzer. It's a 30g tub, my usual one was only 11g. The product is a cream to powder formula and it's actually sold as a bronzing base. This means you can use it on its own and it still corrects imperfections and gives perfect coverage. I've been using it over my foundation and it glides over my make up and stays put all day. It's specially designed so anyone can use it and reap the benefits of its adjustable properties. It's a bronzing product for lighter skin tones and a brightening product for darker skin tones. It's very silky and gives a fresh radiance, it isn't matte nor is it shimmery but it gives a really natural golden glow. It sits light on the skin and blends perfectly, there's nothing worse than seeing someone wearing bronzer that looks like its been applied by a catapult! It only comes in one shade but you can build the colour up to a medium to deep colour without it looking orange. It's really moisturising too which will keep your skin looking fresh, even when you don't have it on.

This not-so-little pot of light has been miraculous for me, it has changed some very tough pale and uninteresting days into dazzling glory days! Its brightened up my outlook on cream products and given me a glimmer of hope through doomed make up days. There's nothing second place about this bronze beauty, it really does deserve a gold medal.

Eye Spy.. Mascara

Mascara is one of those products that I need, that I wear everyday and that I would feel naked without. Yet, it drives me around the bend. I am not blessed with long luscious lashes so I am easily sold when one is thrust in my face promising to give me 4D, false looking, skyscraper lashes. Basically every mascara promises to give you lashes that Daisy the Cow would be jel of, but which actually work? There's so many to choose from, each brand has at least 5 different types of mascaras giving you literally hundreds of options. There's lengthening, thickening, moisturising and curling. Then there's fat brushes, thin brushes rubber brushes and bristles. Its hard to know where to start! The thing about finding the 'best' mascara is that it doesn't exist. Everybodys lashes are different and everyone likes their lashes to look a certain way. So, because I kinda like you lot I've put together a few tips and tricks for you to feast your ahem, eyes on...

If you have short lashes avoid fat brushes. Go for a thin brush. If the brush is too big you won't be able to get it to the root of the lash and you will overload the lashes, leaving them clumpy. If you have long lashes, use a fat brush as this will evenly distribute the product and coat from root to tip. For lengthening, hold the mirror down rather than in front of you and look down into it, this will lift the root. If you want thickness, zig zag from lash to lash to build the product. Let each coat dry before you reapply. For curl, work from the top of the lashes and curl the wand as you're applying to create a curve.If you like a natural look go for a rubber brush as these tend to only apply a small amount of product. If you have sensitive eyes avoid mascaras that use fibres to build as these can break off easily and irritate your eyes. Do not pump the wand into mascara. This puts air into the product and will make it go thicker quicker. When you pull your wand out don't dip the tip back into the collar as this bit will dry out first. Then, when you put your brush back in the dry bits will clog up your bristles. Clean your wand once a week on a baby wipe just to remove any build up, it seems like a waste but its worth it in the long run. If you are fair skinned and have fair lashes and brows, use brown not black. Black is too harsh against fair skin and can sometimes take the focus away from your eye colour. For an alternative to black and brown try a plum shade, make sure its highly pigmented (dark plum) so it doesn't make your eyes look sore. Plum suits every eye colour and looks quite cool too. Match with a plum liner to really make your eye colour pop.

 I've tried so many mascaras, Hypnose by Lancome was one of my long time favourites but I went off it when I came to use it one morning and the wand resembled a twig. It was so dry I thought it would give me splinters! It was only 3 weeks old too! A good cheapy mascara for MDO* is the good old pink and green Maybelline. It's quite thin in texture and you may need a few layers but it stays on and doesn't smudge. The best mascara my eyes have ever seen, and used, is the Yves Saint Laurent Faux Cils. I've been using this mascara for 8 years and I love it. The brush is perfect size for my lashes and it has Vitamin B5 in which really nourishes and prevents any breakage from dropping down your cheeks as the day goes on. After one coat each lash is lifted and longer but still look quite natural. After two coats they are much thicker and look more dramatic. It is perfectly adaptable without clogging. The clever mascara swells the lashes instead of using fibres to build so its really good for people with sensitive eyes. The only downside is that its quite pricey (RRP 23.00) but you really do get what you pay for, and after trying this mesmerEYEsing mascara once I'm sure you wouldn't bat an eyelid at handing over the cash.


 *Make up Day Off, is not exactly a day off make up but a sacrifice you make by using cheaper products rather than your best, we are in a recession if you didn't know and looking great doesn't always come cheap!!