Sugar, ah, honey honey...

I'm sitting here at the uni library. People all around me are talking about essays and all things wonderful that will get them great marks. I, on the other hand have forgotten my bloody essay at home. Good student me. Ah well, there is always a silver lining when you forget things; now i have time to blog, and there is one thing I've been dying to blog about...

True story: Last Friday night, I was planning to give myself a hit of summer and fake tan. So with St. Tropez fake tan on standby I was ready to hop into the shower and exfoliate. Exxcepptttf or one teeny tiny problem, I had no more body scrub. Shit, I initially thought, but being my determined self I decided I would make scrub, from scratch. Turned out, it was very simple and I was very impressed with the results! I mixed half a teacup of honey, with a 1/4 amount of sugar. It was a much better alternative to some of the scrubs which I've tried which are too coarse, not coarse enough, too oily or too dry. Let me just say, after using this honey scrub, I had the most even all over body tan I've ever had. 'Nuff said.

Fact: Sugar is not as dehydrating as salt and natural honey as its both moisturising and antibacterial, aka good for problem or dry skin.

What not to do: When making your own masks and scrubs at home, don't add mint, lavender oil, lemon or lime. These ingredients can agitating, so whatever skin type you have, you can do without irritation.

Right, now I have to work on an at home quick fix for a 3month late essay. Some sort of fruit for bribery perhaps?

Reinvented; The middle part

I have found a new, reinvented love for middle parts. They're the hair equivalent of natural makeup and give off that 'naturally polished yet still not high maintenance' vibe that i am in awe of at the moment. Contrary to many, I believe that they really can suit every face shape; it’s all in the way you need you face to be framed. The general rule of thumb is that the roots shouldn't’t be too flat or stuck to your head, unless you’re a supermodel that can carry off a weird hair and still look half decent.

(I can’t deny, it’s quite an impressive impression of an elephant; the fact that its fugly only kicks in after the amazement is gone)

But back to the point, it’s best to try a couple of styles out on yourself to see what suits you. You can never really tell from a picture. If you have an oval face shape, feel free to experiment with different styles. If however, you’re trying to hide a particular part of the face, like a wide jaw, square hairline or wide cheeks, allow the hair to fall on the area so that it can be disguised.

Middle part overload, I'm off to blow dry my hair.

What not to do: Marinade yourself in fake tan.

Deep, bronze sun kissed skin and summer go about as well together as cookies and cream. In winter though, the cooler weather calls for a more subtle golden approach. During, apply a 50-50 mixture of your trusted fake tan and your favourite moisturiser. There is, of course the option of the gradual tanner of your choice. Either summer or winter, it is absolutely crucial to get your application spot on. When buying and applying, keep this in mind.

- Look for a fake tan that has a tint within it so you can see where your applying it. Also look for one with a greenish tinge. Sounds yuck but it prevents the tan from turning a scary Donatella Versace-esque tangerine brown.
- Before every application you obviously cannot forget to exfoliate. Concoct a cheap but brilliant exfoliator by mixing your regular cleanser or body wash with enough Bicarb Soda to make it into paste consistency.
- Rub a bit of moisturiser into dry skin areas such as ankles, elbows and knees. When applying, use tight surgical gloves and buff the tan in with your palms not fingers to avoid streaks.
- If you prefer not to use gloves, and you kinda screw up your palms into an orang-y mess, nothing works better than smearing your palms with WhiteGlo toothpaste and scrubbing them with a toothbrush. Weird but true. You can also use this on any parts of the body where you make any doo doo’s (just not the face!)
- Don't go overboard with re-application when it starts to fade a bit. All that will happen is that you will go tragically overboard Wait at least about 3 days to reapply, unless it’s a gradual tanner.
- It goes without saying, but ill say it anyway. Don’t forget to moisturise everyday after a shower to keep your tan for longer.
Here is Lindsay Lohan to visually demonstrate what will most likely occur if you choose not to follow these tips. I think the face expressions say it all.

Invisible Makeup

There isn’t much that looks as good as the, “Maybe she’s born with it” look. No, I’m not talking Maybelline, I’m talking fresh faced makeup that keeps people guessing if “Is she or isn’t she?” Yeah I bet you know what I mean. I know, that you know, that I know, that you know what I mean. It’s not a makeup trend to last you a week, it’s more like a skill that you learn and keep with you forever. The skilful art of applying invisible makeup. A good rule of thumb to remember; no lines should be seen anywhere. Spend more time blending then applying. Shown right is the queen of the natural look; Liv Tyler

Base
Go for a light tinted moisturiser. If you tan your body and your face looks a bit pale in comparison, choose a shade that matches your neck and blend reeeeallly well. If your skin needs better coverage than just a light tint, try Dior Hydraction Deep Hydration Tint SPF 20, which offers those with less than perfect skin a bit more coverage while still keeping with the natural theme. Chanel also recently launched the Hydramax Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 which is also a firm favourite.

Cheeks
Cream blush formulas work best as they keep with the dewy look and are easier to blend, but if you prefer a powder texture then feel free, but go lightly and blend really well. You can also go for a lip and cheek stain for lasting power. Can’t find the perfect shade of blush? Head straight off to MAC, if they don’t have one for you, nobody will. If blush isn’t your thing or you would like a bit more definition, go for an illuminator on the cheek and brow bones. A classic crème cheek colour in Coy, from Bloom looks great with most complexions

Eyes
Extend your tinted moisturizer to your eyelids so that you take away any discoloration. If you like, you can top it off with a barely there eyeshades of toffee or light peach. As for the eyelashes, add one coat of a dark brown, or if you have a darker skin tone, black mascara. Covergirl Professional All In One mascara is a bargain at around $10 and is perfect for the natural look.

Lips
If your lips are naturally rosy just finish them off with a moisturizing lip balm. If you like a bit more colour, go for a gloss that comes from the same shade family as your blush. If you like more the slightly nude lip, blend the tiniest amount of your tinted moisturizer out from the edges of lips in and finish with a soothing balm.

Beauty Sleep; not a myth like Sleeping Beauty.

After a hard days’ work of study, work or whatever unpleasant things we must do, waxing included, a long shower and a good night’s sleep are oh so good. Sure the next morning you’ll feel great, but why wouldn’t you wanna look better too... You would? I had a feeling. Which is why I took the time to make a little check list for you.

• At night our skin becomes all superwoman-y and regenerates, hence why we have separate night creams and serums which are more concentrated in active ingredients. In order for these ingredients to be able to seep into your skin, you must take off the old dry skin on top. Make friends with your scrub tonight. Puuh-leasse go for one that’s gentle and organic based, your skin will thank you. Bloom makes a mean little (read; good) apricot scrub you should give a try. Benefit also has a honey scrub with a really good texture you could use as an exfoliating mask too.

• Don' forget to scrub your body or dry brush it before the shower then slather it with heavy duty moisturiser while your skin is still steamy and damp so it retains more moisture. While in the shower give your tired little tresses a bit of TLC with a conditioning hair mask.

• Put it in first thing after you shampoo and do all your exfoliation and shaving while the mask does its work. I used Terax Original Crema to bring my hair back to life after my well trusted hairdresser decided our relationship and my hair could take the weight of a terrible bleach job. “I’m sorry hairdresser, it’s not me, it’s you.”
  
  
• After you come out of the shower, comb a bit of leave in conditioner through the hair, roughly dry it 70% and tightly pin it into a semi high bun. No hair ties, we don’t want any severe kinks in your soft, wavy, touch me hair the next morning. Giving your hair a bit of a shine boost with serum or hairspray the next morning is optional.
  
  
• If you want brighter skin overnight look no further than vitamin C. Look for the pure liquid capsules that you can cut open and use as a serum, otherwise, go for a serum containing a potent amount of vitamin C, such as Avon’s Anew Vitamin C Serum. If you want more hydration and glow, massage a layer of rosehip oil into the skin. I swear by the Trilogy Organic Rosehip Oil. If you have problem skin go for a moisturiser containing salicylic acid and then apply at least a 5% benzyl peroxide cream only directly onto any spots, (I can’t stress the importance of ‘directly on’ enough). Love your bronzer more than McDonalds? Mix your night cream with fake tan to get a natural glow.

Now just take the compliments graciously.

In the Navy

Some beauty trends are timeless and never go out of style; shiny hair, vibrant skin, naturally shaped groomed eyebrows and white teeth. Some however, come and go. Usually a big fan of all things retro revamped, I’m loving the fact that navy blue makeup has been reinvented from the 80’s and placed onto the catwalks all shiny and new. When I say blue makeup, I mean stick to the eyes. There will be no bright blue lipsticks here people (sorry M.A.C)... on the catwalk yes, on the street no. But back to the point, rich dark blues are what to wear this winter.

Make sure you keep the, “Only play up one feature...” rule in your mind while you are putting on your blue eye makeup as it’s pretty easy to get carried away. Team your pretty blues with a light natural base, but do however, make sure that you conceal you under eye area well if you tend to get dark circles. Also, a light dusting of powder is good if you’re on the shiny side. Add a small dose of nude-coral blush on the apples of the cheeks and a soothing layer of your favourite lip balm and your good to go!

If you’re going for a powder shadow texture make sure you blend like there is no tomorrow. When working with the shadows apply near the lash line and blend up to the crease if you’re daring. A great navy shadow is the Elizabeth Arden Colour Intrigue Shadow in Indigo, $32. If you’re not daring enough for the shadow, go for eyeliner. It’s easier to use and more versatile. My top tip is to use pencil eyeliner such as the Rimmel Soft Kohl Eye Pencil in 024 Cool Blue, $7, and line the inner rims of the eyes. Combine that with blue mascara such as Benefit’s BadGal Lash in Blue, $36. Your eyes will look lighter and brighter. Hooray! If you want a very subtle office look, just add a bit of navy blue mascara to the tips of the lashes.

What to do; a few pictures to get you in the mood for navy.

Heres what getting carried away looks like;