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Target those dark spots

Unveil the radiant skin you were born with this season, and get rid of those dark spots.

If you suffer from dark spots, also known as hyperpigmentation, fear not. Serums, creams and a little bit of TLC will help rid you of (or at least significantly lighten) your dark spots.

So what exactly are dark spots, how do they form and how do we rid of them?

What, who, why?
Dark spots are a common skin problem. It develops over time and usually affects women from their 30s, as a result of an uneven distribution of melanin in the skin. There are a few different conditions that can cause these unwanted marks on our face. These are just a few:

• Type of trauma caused to the skin such as acne scarring
• Certain medications regardless of whether they come into contact with the sun or not
• Excessive sun exposure
• UV light exposure
• Pregnancy
• Menopause
• Environmental stress

No one wants darks spots as it makes the appearance of ones skin appear dull, uneven and aged.

Minimize and prevent their appearance

1. Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen to your face everyday to help prevent premature spots and ageing from
occurring. Even if you’re driving or are in the office, get into the habit of applying sunscreen.

2. Stick to a good, daily skincare routine to nourish and protect your skin.

3. Make use of an exfoliator to help clean up your surface layer and improve your skin’s natural radiance.

4. Apply targeted products to your spots to help diminish any blemishes and brighten your skin.

5. Always remember that prevention is better than cure!

Products to bust hyperpigmentation
Pond’s Flawless Radiance Anti-Spot Intensive Even Tone Serum, R94.99
Shiseido Intensive Anti-Spot Serum, R1,245
Elizabeth Arden Prevage Calrity Targeted Skin Tone Corrector, R895
Clarins Bright Plus Intensive Brightening Smoothing Serum, R555
Almay Even Skin Mark Minimiser, R79

Do you suffer from dark spots? Which products do you find have helped to diminish the appearance of your spots?

Credit: Words by BeautySA

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Oily skin remedies

Do you battle with your oily skin? What you’re about to read could be the answer to all your problems.

I think it’s safe to say that each of us have experienced patches of dry or oily skin at least once in our lifetime. For most of us, the experience has led us to try and test an uncountable amount of home remedies and skincare products. There are thousands of products to choose from and, by the time our teen years have flown by, most of us have found just what works for us.

Unfortunately for others, the battle of finding the ‘perfect potion’ is one that seems to be a never-ending story.

Oily skin conditions are issues people of both genders have to face on a daily basis, and most likely causes blackheads, acne and/or skin shine. Oily skin is often caused by the oils produced by the body to keep skin healthy-looking. We all know that a little too much of something isn’t always a good thing and too much oil can leave your face feeling slick and looking uncomfortably shiny. And while oily skin is more common in teenagers, it can occur at any age. Simply washing your skin isn’t enough to get rid of the various problems oily skin can cause. Like any other part of your precious body, it is important to take extra care of your skin.

DO’S
Wash, wash, wash!
The oilier the skin is, the dirtier it is most likely to look and feel. It is important to wash your face at least twice a day.

Nature’s goods
When choosing a product to treat oily skin, it is advised that you look out for products the contain lemon, grapefruit, tangerine, orange and aloe vera.

DON’TS
Over moisturising
If you have oily skin, it already produces more than enough oil to keep your skin moist. Don’t over do with the moisturiser and avoid those that are too oily.

Ingredients to avoid
When selecting a product to treat oily skin, avoid products that contain mineral oil and petrolatum. These ingredients could have a pore clogging effect on oily skin.

Here are some products you can try to treat your oily skin type:

Nivea Shine Control Facial Wash Gel, R56.99 (available November 2012)
Fine exfoliating particles ensure you get a pore-deep cleanse every day and will help balance your skin will keeping those impurities at bay and mattifying your skin.

Almay Even Skin Daily Moisturiser SPF 15, R139
This daily moisturiser contains natural ingredients such as lemon essence, mulberry and soy- derived extracts, which leaves skin looking more radiant and even toned. Almay’s moisturiser hydrates while eliminating shine and gives your complexion a fresh new look.

All products are available at leading retail stores and pharmacies.

Credit: Words by Beauty SA

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For The Love Of Weaves, by BeautySA

If switching up your look is what you’re after this summer, it may be a good time to weave it up! by BeautySA

Weaves have become a fashion staple, topping even shoes in some people’s glamour hierarchy. Essentially, weaves are hair extensions that can be applied either by sewing on, gluing on or bonding natural hair with the extensions. Weaves have become popular not only in South Africa, but also the world because of the options and hairstyle variations they offer. Celebrities from Naomi Campbell to Bonang Matheba have made weaves look good and so the trend has grown.

Weave hierarchy

Like most things, weaves have a hierarchy. There are two main categories – synthetic and human hair. Synthetic hair is manufactured hair and is the cheaper of the two options, says Ntokozo Mtshali, a Johannesburg-based hairstylist. ‘It can hold a style for longer but it can’t be heated or coloured and shouldn’t be worn for over two months because it starts looking like plastic,’ she says. Good quality synthetic weaves can look good and are the best option for people with limited budgets.

Human hair, which is real hair that is transplanted into someone else’s hair, is the best on the market. Imported from India, Peru and Brazil among other places, this hair is the most sought after and the most expensive. Because it is human hair, it doesn’t have the plastic look some weaves have and it can last for more than a year if taken care of adequately. ‘This type is the closest you can get to having your own hair,’ says Mtshali. ‘You can style it and dye it, but it’s best if you let a professional take care of it for you so that it lasts long.’

When looking to buy human hair, make sure that you get the real deal. Some manufacturers have been known to label the hair as human when it is in actual fact a mixture of human and synthetic hair.

Good hair is kept hair

Getting the right weave only forms the first half of a good look; maintenance is just as important. ‘One of the most common mistakes women make with their weaves is not getting them washed regularly enough. Go to a salon to get your weave washed ideally twice a month. Not only will it look better but you won’t have to worry about odour coming from your hair under the weave,’ says Mtshali.

It’s also important to avoid tangling, especially when you have synthetic hair. Combing your hair before bed and ensuring that you protect it with a sleep cap is essential. Once tangled, some weaves cannot be saved.

Mtshali warns that keeping your weave on for more than two months at a time can cause damage to your natural hair. ‘It’s important to remove your weave so that your natural hair can rest and breathe. Make sure you get a professional to remove your weave; amateur techniques can mean hair damage. Human hair weaves can be applied again but your natural hair also needs to be taken care of,’ she says.

Words by: BeautySA

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SAFW latest hair trends

BeautySA brings you the how-to on the latest hair trends, direct from SA Fashion Week.

If you didn’t catch our tweets at the opening of SA Fashion Week, you missed out on the great Motions and TRESemme Sheer Glamour show. Celeb stylists Matthew Mansoor and Ursula Stephen rocked the runway with the models, doing live hair demos!

After the show, however, BeautySA caught up with Motions and TRESemme and got the how-to on the trends that’ll hit the street after it’s hit the runway.

Avant-Gardé

This look showcases blunt lines with texture, combined with a solid fringe line and fluffed ends.

1. A blunt fringe has to be cut into the hair to achieve this look.

2. Using curling tongs, curl small sections of hair only from your ear to the ends (not from the roots), creating tight bouncy curls.

3. Lightly tease the curls using your fingers, maintaining texture, not frizz. Get the hair as bouncy and fluffy as possible.

4. Keep the top smooth and polished, this will complement the smoothness of your fringe.

Short

The blunt lines form the frame of the neckline creating length to the neck. The texture is in the fringe and the top of the head.

1. To get the back and sides as short as possible, use clippers with a number 1 or number 2 shield, depending on the length you wish to achieve.

2. Smooth out the top with a flat iron, creating separation and a slight spiky effect on the crown.

3. Smooth your fringe forward, using a separation product to define the look.

Plait City

Braids are a big trend – from corn rows to box braids, women are wearing a variety of styles. It’s all about being creative, especially with the natural hair movement at the moment. This creation is a chic braided look achieving the best of both worlds!

1. Brush your hair into a ponytail in the middle of the back of your head and secure with a hair band.

2. Spray hair with light-hold product to hold your hair in place, smoothing with a hair brush.

3. Split your hair into three sections and braid. Secure the loose ends with a rubber band. Additional hair can be added for length to create a dramatic extended braid.

4. Tidy the hairline and any fly-aways.

Roll 2

What’s old is new!

Fashion is taking this direction and so is hair. Taking retro hair styles and adding a modern twist, the French roll is a foundation style learned in beauty school, and this updated style allows you to have fun with it.

1. Part your hair down the middle creating two sections. Hold one section temporarily with a hair band.

2. Tease the first section to create a foundation.

3. Roll or flip your hair going inward to create the roll, and secure with hairpins from top to bottom.

4. Repeat on the second section.

5. Spray your hair with light-hold spray to hold it in place, and smooth front and back edges.

6. French rolls should be even in size and be in the same place at the front of your head. The finished look should be tight, sleek and sophisticated.

Knot so nice

The turban is really big this season and the knot is a trend-setting hair style. Inspired by fashion, combine the two and create an illusion of this shape with the hair.

1. Brush your hair towards the front of your head and secure with a hair band into a ponytail.

2. Split your hair in the centre and begin to twist. Pin your hair into a circle or doughnut shape.

Curls Rock

Lucille Ball was the inspiration for this look. She is fun, quirky and unexpected and so is this hair style. An updated version of Lucille’s curls and the Mohawk create a fun, funky, loose and let-go kind of look.

1. After shampooing and conditioning your hair, create double strand twists on your hair.

2. Allow time for your hair to dry.

3. After your hair has set, untwist and loosen your curls. Brush your hair on each side in an upward direction, and secure the back and sides with hairpins.

4. Your hair should be in the middle of your head, from front to back in a mohawk style shape.

5. Pull your curls to the front of your head and spread them apart to create the fun and funky shape.

Credit: Words by Beauty SA

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Lip Service

Here’s how to pick your perfect shade of lipstick for your big day, by BeautySA

The hottest colours at weddings over the past two seasons couldn’t be further from one another. Ravishing red and naturally nude have come a long way from their original starting blocks to knock the socks off what we consider fashionable for wedding make-up.

Ravishing Red

Red lips have signified glamour from the earliest days of Hollywood. Stars like Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe paved the way for red lipstick and these days Gwen Stefani, Christina Aguilera and Dita von Tease lead the way. The easiest way to know what shade of red will suit you best is by comparing it to your natural skin tone. There may be a few tones that suit your skin tone, but the best way to judge is the following:

Darker skin tones should stick to shades of plum, deep and mahogany reds. These shades prevent your skin from looking darker against the colour of your lipstick. The colour should enhance your natural tones not change it.

Medium or olive skin tones can get away with richer or cherry red tones. With the help of a natural tan, these reds will bring out the natural glow of your skin.

Fair skin ladies are the luckiest of the bunch because you have so many options. You can go for coral reds to deep reds and the tones are hardly ever a concern. A tan looks glowing and pale skin looks youthful. Remember not to overdo it with the rest of your make-up and to soften the look on your big day by keeping the rest of your make-up neutral.

TIPS FOR YOUR RED LIPS

Use a lip pencil in the same shade as your lipstick and colour in your entire lip. Top this off with your lipstick – this will make sure you don’t overdo it when you need to reapply. Your lipstick will also last longer. • Matte shades last much longer than glossy shades, so instead of using a completely glossy lipstick, use a matte one and finish with a small dab of lip gloss. The latest in the matte trend are chubby sticks that look like pencils, but are actually lipsticks. Easy to apply and store away and they come in amazing summer colours.

Naturally Nude

Nude lips have been the epitome of purity and glamour throughout the years. No matter how dramatic the era, the lips seemed to have followed. The 60′s saw colour blocking, heavy liner and creamy nude lips walk the streets from London to New York.

This look can be achieved in so many ways from a lipstick to a gloss. Make sure that your lips are smooth when you are opting for nude colours because they show your flaws so much easier. Keep the look simple by pairing your pencil and lipstick in the same shade. Some women love to have a darker outer line than the insides of the lips, but to achieve this remember not to go more than a shade darker than your own lip colour. Some lipsticks can dry out your lips so run your toothbrush under warm water and gently use it to brush off dry skin.

Moisturise with a lip balm before applying your lipstick. For lip gloss options, use a product that’s not too thick. Often lip gloss tends to cake in the corners of your mouth leaving it looking untidy, so to avoid this, clean the inside of your lip after your application and only apply a second coat to the middle of your lips. Youthful appearances are easy to maintain with these colours so try and keep the colour simple to avoid messy lines, over use of product or thick lipstick smeared all over your mouth.

Try a slick of liquid liner across the lid and soft pink shades of blush across the cheek for simple elegance or create a mysterious look with smoky eyes and nude lips and cheeks. The options are endless so have fun!

Credit: Beauty SA

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Get The Look: Liz Hurley

Learn how to recreate the understated look of this model Breast Cancer Awareness ambassador, by BeautySA.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and Elizabeth Hurley is one of the most prominent celeb ambassadors out there. Her gran died of breast cancer, and she’s been collaborating with Estée Lauder for many years to raise funds for awareness and education.

To recreate her elegant, almost understated red carpet look, you probably won’t have to reach much further than items you already have in your make-up kit.

Hair

Ask your stylist for a neutral medium to dark brown base colour, with warm low- or highlights that are about three shades lighter, spread unevenly for a natural look – the streaks shouldn’t be placed with military precision. To style, let hair dry naturally (if it’s straight) or blow dry (if it’s curly), and wrap large sections of the mid-lengths and ends only around a curling iron. Take uneven sections, and don’t do them all at the same height so that it looks effortless, not overdone.

Complexion

Apply your usual foundation, making sure to blend well along the jaw- and hairline. If you’re focusing on a pink colour look like we are, give blusher a skip and sweep bronzer under your cheekbones in the direction of the temples, and extend to the sides of the forehead as if in one motion as if you’re drawing a large C-shape. Add a couple more dabs where you feel
appropriate, but be careful of overdoing it – it’s easier to add more than to remove excess. Always use a large powder brush to avoid a stripey look. At the moment you can get the beautiful limited edition Rose Aurora Pure Finish Bronzer from Elizabeth Arden in either Soft Radiance or Deep Radiance, R260.

Eyes

You’ll need a silvery grey (not charcoal), a pink as well as a beige/pearl pink eye shadow. Although it’s a luxury buy, I find the YSL Pure Chromatics Eye Shadow Palette #5, R555, a winner for both smoky looks and looks exactly like this one. Use silver shadow in the crease, a dab of pink directly under and above it, and blend it all in with a beige or pearl shade. Line the upper as well as lower lashes with a black pencil or gel liner to make the look slightly edgier and balance the pinks you’re using. Coat both upper and lower lashes generously with something like Sumptuous Extreme Mascara, R265.

Lips

Stick with the theme by keeping your lips a pretty shade of pink. There is even an Estée Lauder shade called Elizabeth Pink, a beautiful, soft, almost-sheer cream formula, R300. If you’re going pale pink, try L’Oreal Rouge Caresse in Tempting Lilac, R129. If you’re keen to try a bold pink, I’d suggest Essence Marble Mania in Mix ‘n Mauve, R30.

*Image credit: PRPhotos.com

Credit: Beauty SA

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Winner Announcement: Clip In Hair Competition

Congratulations to our two Clip In Hair Facebook competition winners:

Lee-Anne Van Renen

and

Jodie Gregory

These lucky ladies have each won themselves a set of gorgeous Clip In Hair Extensions worth R1400!

Congratulations ladies, and remember to send us some pics as soon as you’ve received your new Clip In Hair!

If you didn’t win this time, be sure to keep your eye on our Facebook page as we are launching an AMAZING competition very soon- trust, you would NOT want to miss this one!

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Nails 101: How to remove Shellac Nail polish at home

 

Shellac in action

I simply love having Shellac done on my nails, it lasts for almost three weeks without chipping or losing the shine and when you are as busy as I am, this is wonderful because I don’t have time to go for my nails every week.

However when it comes to removing the Shellac, the process usually happens over a course of three or four days by sitting in front of the TV late at night peeling them off… Not the best thing to do.

Here are some helpful tips on removing the hard wearing Shellac at home.

In this instance there are two ways to skin a cat

You have the option of soaking your nails in 100% Salon grade acetone for 10 minutes and then scraping the Shellac off, alternatively you can remove them by following the procedure below.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

  • Nail polish remover with high acetone content.
  • Cotton pads – You need to cut the cotton pads into little squares, but keep them large enough to cover your nails.
  • Light weight tinfoil – The foil needs to go around your fingers, so cut 3 x 4 cm strips (one for each finger.

Soak the cotton squares in the nail polish remover and place one square over each finger, then wrap your fingers in the prepared tinfoil strips. The heat that your fingers generate will be isolated by the tinfoil and that will help to loosen the Shellac nail polish.

These little tinfoil hoods need to stay on for about 10 – 12 minutes. The Shellac should now be soft enough to remove like regular nail polish.

Finally treat your hands to some delicious hand cream, perhaps a lovely L’Occitane Shea butter and cuticle oils.

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Natalie in the NUDE

Natalie Portman is a great actress and a beautiful woman, so it’s no great surprise that she has once again been selected to be the face of Christian Dior’s latest beauty campaign and, as in her first Miss Dior Cherie shoot, she’s naked.

Natalie was photographed by the renowned photographer Mario Sorrenti for Dior’s new Diorskin Nude Skin-Glowing make-up collection.

This gorgeous new collection includes a shimmer compact, brushes, lip and nail shades. But the product to look out for is the fluid foundation; skin-matching Nude Glow pigments and all-natural binding agents allow the foundation to sink seamlessly into the skin, creating a gorgeous, natural finish.

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Eyes wide open – Clarins Instant Definition Mascara

Something that many of us take for granted is a good mascara. Sure you can pick up a R30 no name mascara that will most likely do the trick, initially. The problem I find with lots of mascaras is that you put them on, and it looks great, it does the job – Emphasized lashes that make your eyes pop, but then about an hour later you get koala eyes.

Koala eyes, for those of you who are not familiar with the look, are what your eyes look like when your mascara has decided to redistribute itself to under your eyes, leaving you looking like someone has punched you in the face, not so hot.

I received the Clarins Instant Definition Mascara on a Thursday, just in time for the weekend and boy was I excited to give it a try!  “Cutting-edge technology along with superior performance of science and the power of seduction” That is what is promised on the Clarins website… Clarins introduces a new, totally avant-garde mascara that is the result of many years of observing and listening to women. A dual-purpose, ultra-volume, intense colour mascara with a rich formula that enhances the beauty of all types of lashes.

Beauty Benefits

This mascara promises to nourish and care for your lashes.

  • This may sound bizarre but the formula of this mascara is based on mineral-rich brown and red alga, which helps to protect, restructure and reinforce lashes.
  • Ophthalmologist and dermatologist tested, this mascara is suitable for those with sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers. (Which is great for me because I have contacts)
  • Perfect wear: The creamy texture leaves a very resistant film on lashes for an optimum wear that lasts all day. – No koala eyes!
  • There are three awesome intense shades; Intense Black, Intense Brown and Intense Blue.

 

Application

At first I was quite puzzled by the little tippy thingie at the end of the applicator but after application I understood what it was for, and what an absolute innovation it is. The high-tech double brush was inspired by the way classic mascara is applied. The brush lengthens and separates every lash, including short ones, for spectacular ‘wide angle’ results – and the little thingie helps you get those little buggers in the corners. A –Mazing!

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