Hot or Not Beauty

Ame Cosmetics

Melissa Kyd — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:41:28 +0000

One of my friends from over at the Beauty Network is Sheri Green, the head of Ame cosmetics and I’ve decided today to tell everyone about her cosmetic company. While I don’t usually talk about products in quite these terms, I hope you’ll indulge me today’s post. I’m pretty passionate about supporting women in business doing their own thing and Sheri and her daughter have created a great company with Ame, not only producing high quality cosmetics, but also providing strong support to various charity initiatives.
Ame is a cosmetic company that produces products from natural ingredients, with a range of mineral powders in the most gorgeous colours - I especially love the second look pictured, although sadly I suspect this wouldn’t look half so good on me!
The range of colours is fabulous and the powders are silky and light. Best of all the company is focussed on giving women the tools they need to look their best and not discontinuing colors the minute you finally settle on one you like (something I’m sure we can all relate to!)
The range of Ame cosmetics is available online via stores like Amazon, Dekka at dcafam.com or you can visit the Ame website at www.amecosmetics.com - I hope you will take the time to check it out!

After Sun Moisturizer from The Body Shop

Melissa Kyd — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 06:37:36 +0000

If you’ve made that common mistake that so many of us have made at one time or another, and ended up more fiery red than naturally glowing - then the Aloe Cooling Body Gel is just what you need.
This product is from the recently introduced range of aloe vera based products at The Body Shop, which are especially designed for those suffering from sensitive skin conditions. The light texture is absorbed easily, without any of the ingredients that can irritate those who suffer with sensitive skin. This is a dermatologically tested product, approved specifically for sensitive skin types.
As well as being great for cooling skin irritations for those with sensitive skin, the Aloe Cooling Body Gel is an ideal treatment in the case of too much sun exposure. The same aloe ingredient that is soothing on irritated, sensitive skin is what makes this product ideal for red, sore sun burnt skin.
If you are looking for a lovely and light formula to soothe the skin and use as part of your after sun skin regime, then The Body Shop’s Aloe Cooling Body Gel makes an ideal natural option.

Aqua Eyes - Stay Put Eye Shadow and Eyeliner

Melissa Kyd — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:06:17 +0000

There is nothing worse than having the carefully applied eye makeup you spent 10 minutes perfecting run the minute you open the door and a blast of hot summer air and/or humidity hits you in the face. Well I think I’ve pretty much found the solution with the gorgeous Aqua Eyes two-in-one eye shadow and liner pencil.
This water proof makeup has real staying power, with the eye shadow and liner including a formulation that ensures this stays put. There are 20 different shades to choose from and the range has classic browns and grays through to vibrant turquoises and hot pinks. The Aqua Eyes is suitable for use in even the most extreme conditions, remaining resistant to water, and hence resistant to rubbing or fading.
Whether you are looking for a stay fast option for a teary occasion, or the perfect solution to summer humidity and the beach, I urge you to give this one a try.

Clinique - Quick Eyes Cream Shadow

Melissa Kyd — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:07:48 +0000

I love, love, love this oh so cute new Clinique Quick Eyes Cream Shadow. Feeling quite summery I decided that this was just what I needed after seeing the new pictures of Clinique’s summer look (oh, the power of advertising - slave that I am unto thee!)
Well if the whole lovely pictures weren’t enough to draw me in the news that this makeup was suitable with contact lenses had me leaping to get my own. I generally probably do all the wrong things in the name of beauty, but I can now rest easy knowing my new summer eye shadow has been ophthalmologist tested and given the ok.

The Clinique Quick Eyes Cream Shadow comes in 9 shades, so that get’s my stamp of approval for having a range of options. The Clinique pictures have the model in Rock Violet, but my favorite is the Starlight Pink, a very cool, mauve-pink shade.
To get the look right, the expert tip from Clinique is to layer the application, building up the color. In this way you can achieve a sheer coverage through to a solid color for a more dramatic look, using either the applicator wand or blending with your finger tip. The creamy eye shadow is long lasting, designed to stay put for up to 10 hours and this one is sure to be a summer favorite.

Tinted Moisturisers with SPF 15

Melissa Kyd — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 02:53:55 +0000

Do you hate that shiny skin that some sunscreens can leave you with? I personally think that there is nothing worse than the oiliness that you can encounter when you are trying to stay protected from the sun, while already sweltering in high summer temperatures.
My personal tip to counteract this problem is to use a tinted moisturiser. These tend to offer lighter coverage than foundation and are easily reapplied during the day. Select one that contains an SPF 15 to make sure your skin is protected from the damaging effects of the sun’s rays and you have a great alternative to ensure you put your best face forward.
Here are my 3 top picks for tinted moisturisers -
No. 1 - Stila Tinted Moisturiser with SPF 15 - this one gets my pick of the bunch because I feel that it has the best coverage and the widest range of shades, plus there is a SPF 30 available as well.

No. 2 - Dove Essential Nutrients Tinted Moisturiser with SPF 15 - I think this one is a good alternative, but the Dove Tinted Moisturiser offers far less shades than Stila (but it is very reasonably priced for those on a budget).

No. 3 - You Rebel Tinted Moisturiser with SPF 15 - this one is pretty expensive, and still doesn’t have the same range of shades as the Stila, so it gets my vote for no. 3 position.

There are other options available, but not all offer the SPF 15; which I honestly believe is the minimum you should consider if you’re planning to use this in place of regular sunscreen.

Too Cute - Too Faced FUZE Lip Gloss

Melissa Kyd — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 07:24:14 +0000

Well I’ve pretty much been the self proclaimed afficiondo of all things relating to Juciy Tubes having sworn up and down that they are the best lip gloss around - but guess what - I found something else that is pretty darned good!
I was recently given a Too Faced FUZE Slenderize Guilt Free Lip Gloss - big name for a little tube of goodness! The slogan of this lip gloss is ‘Always on the lips…never on the hips!’ Basically these cute tubes of fruity goodness are a shiny lip gloss that was built around the same premise as the FUZE energy drinks. Not only do they deliver a high shine to the lips, they offer 3 delicious flavours Dragon Fruit Lime, Strawberry Melon and the one I have the Blueberry Raspberry.
What is unique about these little lip glosses is that they have been infused with energy boosting ingredients that also act to help suppress the appetite - hence a short touch up of your lips helps curb those cravings that go to the hips! Neat! As well as that these too cute Too Faced lip glosses actually taste as great as they smell - they’ve definitely got my stamp of approval.

Mousse Perfection | Rimmel Cool Bronzer

Melissa Kyd — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 06:33:08 +0000

Being one of those people destined to either be scorched red shade or else accept their fair skin, I’m always on the lookout for new options for bronzers. So while on a recent shopping trip (read getting sidetracked checking out beauty stuff!) this Rimmel Mousse Bronzer caught my eye. So I of course had to pick one up and try it out!
I’m obsessed with things that say mousse on them, I suspect it’s a hangover from being a child of the 80s. At about ten I was given a moisturising body mousse, one of the earliest beauty products I had. So of course I couldn’t resist trying out a product called Rimmel ‘Cool Bronze’ Matte Mousse Bronzer. What I discovered is that this mousse has a light, whipped consistency that’s perfect for creating an even finish.
I liked that once it was on it did more or less stand up to the claims that it resists humidity and won’t rub off. I think as with any impermanent bronzer you shouldn’t test this out to vigorously, because the reality is they are designed to wash off. Overall I liked the Rimell Cool Bronze mousse. It makes a light option for that sun-kissed glow and was long lasting as well.

L’Eau d’Issey Summer

Melissa Kyd — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:57:03 +0000

My favourite summer fragrance is the Issey Miyake - L’Eau d’Issey. I have been a fan of this one for about 5 years now. What I love most is about this fragrance is that it has light and beautifully feminine notes of lotus, freesia, lilies and tube roses. This is considered quite a complex perfume, and has a wide range of scents to it. I think it makes the perfect fragrance for summer, and I’ve always loved that the Eau de Parfum comes with a refillable bottle.
Being such a fan of the original I was quite excited to come across the new L’Eau d’Issey Summer. Based upon the same notes as the original L’Eau d’Issey, the new Summer fragrance is described as a ’sparkling, luminous and effervescent’ perfume. I think the pretty bottle is reflective of this sparkling scent, with the blue glass and the decorative waterfall adornments. With so many summer options for fragrances, it is hard to know where to start. I tend to stick to just a few fragrances, so if you are a bit stumped with all the choices, start with what’s new in the lines you already know. With such a large number of new fragrances available this summer, now is the perfect time to try out some of the new and fabulous fragrances on offer this season.

The Perfect Summer Lip Balm from Bobbi Brown

Melissa Kyd — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 09:06:46 +0000

If you are looking for an ideal lip treatment for this summer, then look no further than the Bobbi Brown tinted lip balm. Forget problems such as hair or sand sticking to your lips. The lip balm is the perfect alternative. I’ve been a fan of this for a while and regularly use it under my lipstick, as I tend to suffer from quite dry skin on my lips. Not only does it offer the ideal base in this situation, it is the ultimate solution if you are heading outdoors and enjoying the warm summer weather. Whether it’s the beach or a picnic this is the perfect solution for keeping your lips soft and suple during long summer days.

My favorite color is the Desert Bronze, but with a further ten shades available, there is a color that will suit everyone in this range of lip balms. The great thing I find about this product is that it is versatile, and there is no reason why you couldn’t dress it up a bit with a little lip liner if your day out runs ‘overtime’. For a good summer option that allows you to let your natural beauty shine through, then this one definitely gets my tick of approval.

Summer Beauty: How to be a Beach Babe!

Melissa Kyd — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 02:39:47 +0000

Are you ready for summer? Well if you’re anything like me, you’re well and truly ready to hit the beach after the long winter months, so you probably uttered a resounding yes! If you’re dying to get some sun and surf, then here are a few hint on thing you can do to be beautified and ready to make your own waves at the beach.

Have you had a pedicure? Starting from the feet up, this is one of the first things you should be considering. Getting your feet in tip-top shape is most important in summer, and best of all the natural exfoliating properties of the sand will help keep them looking great! Getting a pedicure is not only a fantastic idea if you’re off to the beach. It’s also worthwhile over the summer period when you are most likely to be wearing strappy shoes and sandals; nobody wants to look at someone’s icky uncared for feet. Hot? I think not! It’s relatively inexpensive, and in my opinion money well spent, to get a beautician to do the pedicure for you. If you are keen to try out a pedicure at home, or if you’re looking for a great set of products as a stop-gap between visits, then the products that I’ve been using for over 15 years now are the Body Shop’s Peppermint Foot Care products, (I think the newer Lemongrass ones are pretty cool too).

Fake it! By that I mean your tan. If you haven’t yet learnt of the dangers of the sun then I don’t know what rock you’ve been living under – but too much sun gives you cancer people! If that’s not enough it also causes freckling, blotchiness, sun spots and wrinkles! There are loads of great products out there to help you achieve a golden glow without basting yourself and roasting like a turkey. My favorites include the Nivea Summer Beauty Body Lotion, the Lancome Soleil Flash Bronzer range, and the Loreal Sublime Bronze Self Tanning range.
Tips: There are options for different natural skin tones, so be sure to pick up the right one for your skin.
Also, before you go anywhere near the fake tan or tanning moisturizer – exfoliate! One of my favorite options for this is the Garnier Body Tonic Sugar Scrub.

Hair – not the hair on your head, but I’ll get to that in a minute. I’m talking about the hair you want to get rid of, in particular from your legs, bikini line and underarms. There are many options for getting rid of hair, the most popular being waxing, shaving and depilatory formulations. Personally I’ve come to believe that waxing is something best left to the professionals, but being a beauty junkie that hasn’t stopped me from trying out a number of different new formulations promising beautician quality results at home; lurking in the back of my bathroom cupboard are several such waxing products that are unlikely to see the light of day again! Shaving is another option, but the results are fairly impermanent, and if you are heading off for a week or more at the beach, then you may find that you have to address regrowth while you’re away. The pro’s of shaving are that you can do it yourself in next to no time and it really as cheap as buying a good shaver – if you are going to try this option then get a women’s shaver – it really is worthwhile.
Other at home depilatory formulations – well the all natural NADS is my personal fave. I like that it is made from natural ingredients, and a big thumbs up for the enterprising founder of this company who developed this product in her own kitchen! The NADS Essentials Kit is a good option of you are looking for an all in one hair removal, moisturizing and post-hair removal pack. The Essentials Kit contains 5 products and is a good value for money starter kit. Following the natural theme, a good summer moisturizer that is perfect for counteracting the drying effects of the sun is the Quench West African Shea Body Whip; a natural product that will really restore the skins softness.

Looking after your locks! We all hear time and again how summer stresses such as the sun, swimming and so on are really damaging for our hair. You will need a little extra TLC to keep your hair shining and prevent drying over the summer, but there are some good products again that can help with this. A good leave in conditioner and regular deep conditioning is a must to help prevent to much drying of your hair. Other good options are to use a hair sunscreen, that will help further protect your locks from the damaging effects of the sun during the summer months. Charles Worthington has a UV protection shampoo, and Elseve has a range of products to care for your hair across summer as well.

So there you have it – a short guide to help you get ready to hit the beach looking and feeling fabulous. Enjoy!