beautyspot

DHC Skin Care

2009-12-09T12:56:00.000-08:00

Japan has long been world renowned for its knowledge of anti-aging and advanced skincare solutions, DHC is Japan's No.1 online skincare company.

DHC has fused it's japanese heritage and ancient beauty secrets together with the natural benefits of olive oil-the foundation of the skincare range. With a legacy of more than 25 years in Japan creating high quality beauty products and using only the finest ingredients to help achieve more luminous and radiant skin.

Their skincare range is made using high quality ingredients, being free from parabens and unnecessary fragrances and colourings, and is clinically tested for irritants in the japanese laboratories. The result is premium quality skincare that helps to bring harmony to any skin type.

The thing that really makes DHC a no-brainer are the reasonable prices, you cant help but stock up on a whole range of skincare products without breaking the bank. Here are some of their bestsellers;

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil is our No.1 selling product worldwide. Removes dirt and make-up,

leaving s

kin refreshed and revitalised. Choose four free samples with every purchase. Shop now!

It's unique water-soluble formula rinses completely, so you'll never see a greasy residue. Perfect for skin prone to irritation as it is fragrance and colour-free and also contains lots of tasty hydrating treats for your skin including olive oil and vitamin E. Also great for problem skin as it mixes with the natural sebum in skin to help combat excess oil and clear blemishes, leaves skin de-clogged and soft.

SALE NOW ON:

Firming Q10 Eye Cream. Save over 20%. Shop now.

This intensive cream not only contains revitalising coenzyme Q10, but also employs 10 other amazing aids, including vitamin E, olive oil, kudzu and alpha-arbutin.

Lip cream, we all need good

lip treatment especially taking in to account the current cold climate, with super

conditioning ingredients such as olive oil, aloe and liquorice extract and vitamin E, this will keep your pout moisturised for a good few hours.

Eyelash Tonic

This tonic helps nourish weak lashes weak lashes prone to breakages. The brush

coats each lash from root to tip with beneficial botanicals. With ingredients such as Ginseng, aloe and swertia japonica protect this will nourish and condition your lashes.

Eye Bright

This fast-absorbing gel promotes healthy-looking skin around the eyes by reducing puffiness and helping to brighten dark circles.

formulated with refreshing cucumber to soothe and cool, as well as hydrating sodium hyaluronate-a superior moisture magnet.

DHC SKINCARE SALE: Skin Makeover Set. Save 20%. Shop now.

Four free samples with every purchase. Shop now!

Discover beauty secrets from Japan and receive a free 1:1 skin consultation and four free samples with every purchase. Shop now!

Women's 2010 Hair Trends

2009-12-09T10:34:00.000-08:00

What is the most popular hairstyles in 2010? The fashion world is always evolving. Each year, there are some trends that have proven themselves to be timeless and eventually make their way as being considered a classic style, while others are just here for the moment. The same goes with hairstyles. Many celebrities and fashion conscious women tend to complement their seasonal wardrobe with the latest hairstyles in fashion. Here are some of the latest hairstyles trends for the year 2010

The cropped bob was in fashion in 2008 and it's still with us for 2010. The short bob hair style is the most classic hairstyle, there are many celebrities that have chosen short hair cuts and these short hair cuts have become a staple of their personal style.

Sedu Hairstyles - Be seductive and Look Attractive

Sedu is the term which simple means seductive. So, it's a seductive hairstyle that Jenniffer Aniston started with in friends. its this type of hairstyle that makes women look sexy without doing much of an effort. Sedu hairstyle is all about having a clean, healthy and shiny hair.

Medium layered hairstyles with fringe

Bangs are the new look from fringes to choppy, and soft wispy to hard layers. Hair bangs say it all for a hair cut whether long, short or mid-length. The trick to wearing hairstyles with bangs is to find the one that perfectly suits you and helps to hide any flaws you may have, while drawing attention to your assets.

Long hair

If short hair doesn't suit you there's lots of other choices, for instance, variations of long hair. Long hair looks nice when it's treated well plus styled beautifully. Moreover, it creates a more feminine look.

Flowing hair style has always been popular, it looks chic plus sophisticated, feminine plus gentle. The style looks well with lots of clothing styles, with bohemian luxury.

Myla; Simply Sexy lingerie

2009-12-09T09:19:00.000-08:00

Myla is one if UK'S leading luxury lingerie brands, from the glamourous to seductive fashions, collections are assembled by a team of fashion buyers who know their customers desires.

With 14 boutiques and concession. Vogue featured their brand in their hallowed pages every month, placing them firmly on the fashion map in their first year. Since then they have attracted many celebrity admirers, like Kate Moss, Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon.

Cutely befreckled Australian born model Pania Rose models for the Myla lingerie Autumn(Fall)/Winter collection lookbook. Featuring a palette of red, black, and violet, and plenty of sheer fabrics.

Find a perfect gift for your loved one with Myla models help!

Enter voucher code Mylaoffer to get 9% off everything and free delivery at MYLA lingerie!

Myla - lingerie to love - a perfect gift for your loved one. Now with FREE delivery and luxury gift wrap! Simply enter mylafree code at the checkout.

TEN TOP SELLERS

Angelica Collection - Grape from Myla

Saskia Collection -Black from Myla

Allanah Collection -Black from Myla

Selma Collection from Myla

Body Silk Collection -Black from Myla

Rosalyn Collection from Myla

Floria Camisole

from Myla

Lavinia Collection from Myla

Alicia

Collection - Wine from Myla

Fashion Trends

2009-12-08T12:39:00.000-08:00

Taylor Monsen Makes Casual Look Cool

Taylor Monsen is the latest celebrity to step out in stocking-style tights.
Gossip girl star Taylor Momsen is quite the style icon these days. With her punky edge, designer totes and high street frocks.
Lily Allen has been championing the over-the-knee patterned tight trend for a while now. On and off stage Allen has been seen working sexy suspender and stocking patterned tights.
I love this look as Taylor's tights give the illusion of over-the-knee, lace hosiery and work well with her downtime ensemble.

Get a slice of Taylor style's and bag yourself some hot hosiery now.

Winter Coat Trends

Coats are this season's hottest accessory, a good coat is a must in fashion and with a stunning coat it can make less expensive clothes look more elegant.

This season's top trends include luxurious satin and fur trim, electrifying colours and the return of military-inspired designs.

Pick a coat that grazes the knee or mid-thigh for a fresh, eye-catching finish for your winter ensemble.

It's All About The Boots

This winter season boots are the only type of footwear to be seen in, and you can never have too many pairs!

When it come's to boots there are loads of options and stand-out styles this season. Gorgeous high-heeled boots, will help you give up those comfy summer sandals.

Seasoned fashionistas are going for sexy ankle boots, a must-have this winter.

Over-The-Knee-Boots: Boots with really tall shafts are extremely hot this season, and they can be found with low or high heels. easy to wear and very versatile, thigh high boots look great with leggings, and a over-sized T-Shirt, or jeans tucked into them.

Check out AnnaLynne McCord style with knee high boots.

Best Lip Plumpers

2009-12-04T09:31:00.000-08:00

Oh what we all wouldn't do for that perfect Angelina Jolie pout, but this can be done with just a little help from the latest range of lip plumper's on the market these days.

There are two different types of lip plumper's, some work by irritating your lips with ingredients like cinnamon. Others have moisturising ingredients that smooth your lips. And some are like a make up base, when lipstick is applied over them, your lips look

fuller. Then there are the flat out treatment products, containing ingredients like alpha-hydroxy acids or retinol that are supposed to increase collagen production to give you plumper lips over time. Which is right for you? here are few I've tried

Product name: Too faced lip injection

Claim: Clear lip gloss, applied with a brush, makes blood vessels dilate, which increases blood flow to the lips, deepening your lip colour and making lips swell over time.

'I don't know about the long-term results, but a soon as i applied this product, i noticed an instant plumping effect to my lips with a stinging sort of burning sensation which fades away after a while. It's a great lip gloss as it really stays on for quite a long time and smells like strawberries. This really did make my lips look swollen and pinker'.

Bad points: The texture is really thick and sticky.

price: £11.00

Product name: Transformulas Lip volume

Claim: by stimulating your own collagen to plump, define and contour your lips, enhancing the moisture and their natural, rosy look with proven, long time results. Effects showing immediately with full results after 30 days of treatment.

' Clear serum smells like menthol, gives you a cooling effect on the lips, taste really bad (Don't lick your lips after applying). It didn't give that tingling sensation or instant pout effect, because of the menthol it just gave a little plump look after applying, which wore off after about 5 minutes. After using this product for two months i really didn't notice any long term results with plumper lips'.

Bad points: pricey with no long term effects on the lips.

Price: £18.95

Product name: Skin doctors perfect pout

Claim: Powerful lip plumping gel that causes a unique reaction that makes lips

appear to swell and expand. Works in about 60 seconds or less with results lasting for hours.

'Clear serum smells of cinnamon which i really did not like, also taste really bad but goes aways after about 5minutes.

After applying this serum it gave my lips a tingling feel just as it says in less than 60 seconds making my lips look more full and giving a nice red colour to my lips, effects lasted about 2 hours for me'.

Bad points: Smells like cinnamon and taste really bad (wouldn't recommend kissing straight after applying this ;p)

Price: £16.95

Product name: CITY Lips Collagen Plumping Treatment

Claim: Says its plumping treatment enhances collagen and visibly increases lip size. it also claims the product reduces lip wrinkles when used over a period of time.

'Well with this being a Lip treatment i don't think you'll have you're instant sexy pout by dinner tonight. You get a tinted gloss for daytime and a clear one for the night which works while you sleep.

The application brush was better than a wand and gave a smooth even coverage. I did not feel any tingling, after using this product for over a month i didn't see any visible difference in the plumpness of my lips but i did notice them be more smoother and soft'.

Bad point: No real signs of volume to the lips

Price: £19.50

Product name: Duwop Venom Gloss

Claim: This product is the queen of all lip plumper's. Its said to be a long-lasting gloss that increases circulation and lip size with its blend of cinnamon and ginger oils. the taste is supposed to be spicy, and the feel tingly. The intended result: shiny, glossy, bee-stung lips.

'This comes the flash, pink shimmer, and the original Duwop Venom gloss only difference is the colour between them. But the second sin is different, the original, flash and pink shimmer all use cinnamon to irritate the lip whereas the second sin uses micro-collagen in it.

Because of the collagen you'll notice the next day that your lips are actually fuller and feels really menthol like on the lips so its really cool compared to the rest of Duwops lip venom which tingle and irritate for the plump look '.

Bad points: Not very long lasting, wears off after 30 minutes so you'll have to keep reapplying it.

Price: £14.50

No matter which lip plumper you do choose to buy some will give you that full pout look with colour to your lips and some will just be like a moisturiser for your lips but the effects will only last a couple of hours or so. So if your looking for a more lasting look then maybe this is not the option for you as only cosmetic lip fillers like (Juvederm) will work best for that kind of result but be cautious you don't want to end up having weird looking fish lips. :|

Yoga And Health

2009-12-04T08:38:00.000-08:00

Benefits Of Yoga - Why Yoga Exercise is good for you

Yoga is aimed to unite the mind, the body and the spirit. It can help you become more aware of your body's posture, alignment and patterns of movement. It makes the body more flexible and helps you relax even in the midst of a stress stricken environment. This is one of the reasons why people want to start Practicing Yoga - to feel fitter, be more energetic, be happier and peaceful.

Physiological Benefits of Yoga

Stable autonomic Nervous System equilibrium
Pulse rate decreases
Respiratory rate decreases
Blood Pressure decreases (of special significance for hyporeactors)
Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) increases
EEG - alpha waves increase (theta, delta, and beta waves also increase during various stages of meditation)
EMG activity decreases
Cardiovascular efficiency increases
Respiratory efficiency increases
Gastrointestinal function normalizes
Endocrine function normalizes
Excretory functions improve
Musculoskeletal flexibility and joint range of motion increase
Breath-holding time increases
Joint range of motion increase
Grip strength increases
Eye-hand coordination improves
Dexterity skills improve
Reaction time improves
Posture improves
Strength and resiliency increase
Endurance increases
Energy level increases
Weight normalizes
Sleep improves
Immunity increases
Pain decreases
Steadiness improves
Depth perception improves
Balance improves
Integrated functioning of body parts improves

Psychological Benefits of Yoga

Somatic and kinesthetic awareness increase
Mood improves and subjective well-being increases
Self-acceptance and self-actualization increase
Social adjustment increases
Anxiety and Depression decrease
Hostility decreases
Concentration improves
Memory improves
Attention improves
Learning efficiency improves
Mood improves
Self-actualization increase
Social skills increases
Well-being increases
Somatic and kinesthetic awareness increase
Self-acceptance increase
Attention improves
Concentration improves
Memory improves
Learning efficiency improves
Symbol coding improves
Depth perception improves
Flicker fusion frequency improves

Biochemical Benefits of Yoga

Glucose decreases
Sodium decreases
Total cholesterol decreases
Triglycerides decrease
HDL cholesterol increases
LDL cholesterol decreases
VLDL cholesterol decreases
Cholinesterase increases
Catecholamines decrease
ATPase increases
Hematocrit increases
Hemoglobin increases
Lymphocyte count increases
Total white blood cell count decreases
Thyroxin increases
Vitamin C increases
Total serum protein increases

Yoga Health Benefits versus Exercise Benefits

Yoga Benefits
- Parasympathetic Nervous System dominates
- Subcortical regions of brain dominate
- Slow dynamic and static movements
- Normalization of muscle tone
- Low risk of injuring muscles and ligaments
- Low caloric consumption
- Effort is minimized, relaxed
- Energizing (breathing is natural or controlled)
- Balanced activity of opposing muscle groups
- Noncompetitive, process-oriented
- Awareness is internal (focus is on breath and the infinite)
- Limitless possibilities for growth in self-awareness

Exercise Benefits
- Sympathetic Nervous System dominates
- Cortical regions of brain dominate
- Rapid forceful movements
- Increased muscle tension
- Higher risk of injury
- Moderate to high caloric consumption
- Effort is maximized
- Fatiguing (breathing is taxed)
- Imbalance activity of opposing groups
- Competitive, goal-oriented
- Awareness is external (focus is on reaching the toes, reaching the finish line, etc.)
- Boredom factor
YOGA FACIALS
Who said that Yoga is only for the body? Your face can also benefit from the practice with the latest discovery of Yoga enthusiasts: Yoga Facials.

A Yoga Facial is a great addition to the growing number of ways on how to look and feel younger naturally. It includes a series of face exercises based on Yoga tradition. A Yoga Facial can help tone, smoothen, and soothe the face. Some spas and Yoga institutions offer Yoga Facials but the good thing about this is that it can also be done at home.

You can start your Yoga Facials with palming, an exercise that involves rubbing the hands together briskly, to concentrate energy. Rub your palms together until they feel very warm then cup them over your closed eyes. Relax and feel as it relieves stress. Most people have at least a few tense muscles in their face and this exercise will help loosen and free them.

Another exercise is done by placing the index and middle fingers of both hands in the middle of your forehead. Then, rub your forehead by making small circles with your fingers. Move your fingers across your brow and to your temples.

Give importance to your eye socket and give it a massage. Take your index and middle fingers of both hands and place them on either side of your nose just below the bridge. Rub them up to the bridge and along your eyebrows.

These are only some of the Yoga Facials that you can do. You can also try gritting your teeth and opening your lips as wide as you can. Some spas also have a Yoga Facial that includes a lion pose, in which the mouth and eyes are opened as wide as possible while roaring and sticking the tongue out. In spas, they incorporate facial massages along with these exercises. Also, if you are really looking for more stress-relieving facial massage, opt for clay facial.

All of these facials relieve tension, improve circulation, and relax facial muscles. It will also enhance the general condition of your skin in the long run. Include Yoga facial in your regular Yoga session and you will surely have a healthy body from head to toe. Its no wonder the celebrities are opting for the Yoga exercise.

Winter Skin Guide

2009-12-04T04:31:00.000-08:00

Below-zero temperatures and harsh, freezing winds signal that winter - and dry, flaky, chapped-skin season - is here. Don't let the cold winds of winter chap and chafe you. Stay smooth, soft, and supple with our essential winter skin survival secrets and a few hair care tips too.

Prepare, prevent & protect

Surface matter

Exfoliation will buff away the dead cells that might otherwise dull our complexion, removing this redundant top layer appears to stimulate cell production lower down in the epidermis.

However, although any skin will benefit from gentle exfoliation, take care as over-enthusiastic scrubbing can undermine the skin's barrier function causing your skin to dry out more.

Try a soft facecloth or flannel as a alternation to a facial scrub, although avoid using with a harsh, scratchy surface. After cleansing your skin massage gently to loosen any dead skin cells on the skin's surface. If your skin is especially dry, massage a little cream cleanser onto damp skin, then massage with your facecloth.

Home Tip: Facial exfoliator recipe

Yogurt sugar scrub, 3 Tbs baby oil, 1 Tbs yogurt 1 Tbs white sugar, Mix the ingredients together and use gently as scrub/exfoliator.

Become richer

A few adjustments to your skincare regime will pay dividends when its cold. Remember skin care products need changing when it comes to winter as your skin conditions will also change from how it is in the summer.

'Most peoples' skin demands a richer moisturiser during the winter months but you need to choose the right one for you - just because a product is creamier or more expensive, doesn't necessarily mean that it's more effective.

A hydrating serum used underneath your moisturiser will penetrate deep into the skin, nourishing the bottom layer of cells so when they come to surface they will be hydrated, plumper and brighter.

Sun protection is not just for the beach - the UV rays that can cause lines and wrinkles are in the atmosphere 365 days a year. So if you are concerned about premature ageing, its a good thing to invest in a moisturiser that contains sunscreens or UV filters.

Don't forget to moisturise inside and out. Drink lots of water and look for slightly heavier lotions or dry skin formulas - they're made for all the heavy duty help you need.

Home Tip: Try, Egg, Avocado & Mud facial mask recipe

Clay is available in powder form at any health food store. Mix 1 tablespoon dry clay with 1 egg yolk, 1/4 of a mashed avocado and enough witch hazel to create a smooth mixture. Mud dries excess sebum while the egg yolk and avocado replenish lost moisture. Witch hazel tones.

Or if you like you could use Avocado on its own as its s naturally rich moisturiser.

Beat the heating

Save the planet as well as your skin by turning the central heating down a degree or two. Central heating creates a low humidity environment that literally strips skin of its natural moisture, while low outdoor temperatures provide a harsh contrast, meaning skin can become more sensitive.

Should the relative humidity of our environment drop below 60 per cent, our skin will start to become dehydrated. To put this into perspective, the average office building has a relative humidity of 40 per cent and an aircraft cabin has 10-20 per cent relative humidity. Central heating is renowned for drying the atmosphere and altering humidity.

Love your lips

Lips can be sadly neglected, until cold sores and chapped lips become a problem.

It's not just skin that suffers when it's chilly, lips also need looking after to ensure they stay super-smooth. To de-flake dry lips, massage with a generous amount of petroleum jelly. Allow to sink in for a couple of minutes, then gently rub lips with a warm, damp facecloth. You could also try using a old toothbrush to gently exfoliate the dry skin off your lips.

As the jelly is removed, flakes of skin will come with it. Slick on a good lip balm morning and night, and switch to nourishing lip colour to prevent that unattractive parched look during the day.

Look for a lip balm containing pomegranate or shea butter, as both of these ingredients will give maximum moisturisation. Korres lip butter is great for lip moisture.

Remember lips need protection against the sun, as they have no melanin of their own. Whilst most lipsticks contain, sunscreen, naked lips will not be protected.

And according to the experts...

Look for natural, organic face and body products containing oils rich in essential fatty acids to help replace lost moisture. Regular facial massage brings much-needed nutrients to the skin: try gently massaging seven drops of rosehip seed oil, and one drop of Frankincense essential oil into the skin morning and evening to restore smoothness and radiance.

The cause of Acne Rosacea is not known. However it has been recognised that it is mostly found on fair skin types which have a natural sensitivity to changes in temperature, causing redness and flushing, which in turn weakens the capillary walls. Keeping the skin at a regular temperature will help and can be achieved by reducing hot drinks, hot spicy food, excessive sun exposure, alcohol, strenuous exercise and stressful situations. The use of tepid water when cleansing will also help maintain a regular temperature. Organic rose oil has an anti- inflammatory effect.

Rescue remedies for winter hands and feet
Try these simple remedies for cracked, chapped and sore winter hands and feet.
To soothe dry hands, make a honey paste to use overnight. Stir together one tablespoon each of ground almonds, ground oatmeal (use a spice mill or coffee grinder), zinc oxide paste and honey, plus
one egg yolk. Rub the mixture over your hands, and recruit someone to help you into a pair of cotton gloves. Leave the gloves on overnight. In the morning, rinse your hands with cool water - and feel the softness.
You could also try a avocado mask, just mash up some avocado into a creamy texture and massage it into your hands and feet leave for 15 minutes and gently rinse off. This will leave your skin soft with moisture.
Home-made hand cream
It is always important to keep your hands moisturised. For a natural hand moisturiser, combine wheatgerm oil with a favourite essential oil. Keep an energising blend handy during the day and a calming blend nearby at bedtime.
Chapped hands
Moisten dry, chapped hands with a sandalwood, chamomile or rose essential oil that has been mixed with a hydrating base oil such as hazelnut, avocado or evening primrose.
Best foot forward
Cracked heels are uncomfortable, not very pretty and during the summer months they seriously cramp your sandal-wearing style. During the winter you can hide them, but cold weather and indoor heat sap away essential moisture. Your best bet is to exfoliate daily while you're in the shower - pumice stones or foot files (they're like nail files, only bigger) are great for softening calluses. Then carefully pat them dry and immediately apply a rich moisturising cream. Before bed, slather on a lot and slip on a pair of socks for intense healing while you sleep.
Turn tough skin soft
Use a rich emollient cream (aloe vera is especially softening) on your feet every night, massaging the cream in well. Try a foot massage cream with a touch of mint or a hint of menthol for a soothing, fresh feeling. You would also do well to start the day with a dab of the same cream.
Winter Hair Care Tips
The air in the winter is drier than in summer and, coupled with central heating , it can make hair drier too which means its time shampoo less. If you switch to a moisturising shampoo that won't strip your hair and the right styling products, you'll probably be able to squeeze in an extra day between washes.
Extra conditioning is essential, stop hair drying out like straw with a richer conditioner. if the ends are really dry, rinse out your normal conditioner in the usual way and follow with a leave-in conditioner
Spray where you need it to help soften and seal the ends. Treat your hair to an intensive conditioning treatment once a week to increase elasticity, strength and shine. (The Aussie 3 minute miracle condition is great for dry dull hair).

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10 BEST MOISTURISERS FOR DRY SKIN

2009-12-03T10:31:00.000-08:00

Simple Kind To Skin Replenishing Rich Moisturiser, £3.21

Simple wins hands down as our most credit crunch-friendly dry skin moisturiser, not even breaking the £5 barrier. A favourite with one particular member of the MC team, Simple does exactly what it promises, delivering a light, fragrance-free cream that gives intense moisture, without making skin greasy. Your skin will be smooth, soft and you can splash out on another beauty buy to boot, thanks to its cheap as chips price tag.

Matis Continuous Nutrition Cream, £32.90

Instantly refreshing, thanks to its gorgeous plant-based scent, Matis’s creamy, rich formula will quench the thirstiest of skins, protecting against the elements with a non-greasy barrier.

Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream, £75

Elemis’s impressive scientific evidence shows that after two weeks use, wrinkles can be reduced by up to 78%, thanks to its hero ingredient, the marine extract Padina Pavonica which ‘mimics the skin’s own function’. We’re no scientists, but the light gel-like cream sinks in quickly, skin feels firmer and instantly more supple on application. Bit pricey though.;)

Garnier Skin Naturals Nutrionist moisturiser, £6.67

A budget-busting moisturiser from Garnier coming in at under the £10 mark, this cream is perfect for those who’s skin is beginning to feel tight and dry, owing to environmental factors, but also the steady ageing process. A lighter day cream, your skin will be left feeling velvety soft and your bank balance will remain in tact!

Benefit Dear John Moisturiser, £26

If your skin suffers regularly with dryness, then this rich moisturiser is the beauty must-have for you. Deliciously thick, yet easily absorbed, Benefit’s very lightly-scented offering sinks into skin leaving it super-soft, without greasiness.

Clarins Multi-Active Day cream, £36

For the 30+ generation Clarins early wrinkle corrective cream tackles the very first signs of skin ageing. With a medium to rich consistency, skin is left feeling so soft, thanks to the moisturiser’s hero ingredient, Ambiaty extract, a medicinal plant from Madagascar.

Neal's Yard Rehydrating Rose Daily Moisture Organic cream, £19. 80

With a rose scent hitting the senses immediately, you’ll feel calmed and de-stressed before you've even addressed how this rehydrating cream tackles dry skin. Damask rose oil, essential fatty acids from pure plants and a injection of moisture from hyaluronic acid will leave your skin full of moisture, with a dewy fresh glow.

Philosophy Hope In a Jar Moisturiser, £38.40

Successful in keeping skin moisturised all day long, tested in an extremely dry, air-conditioned office and skin remained quenched throughout the day. Rich in texture, yet easy to blend, your friends will be wondering what exactly you’ve been up to with such a healthy glow!

Yes To Carrots Moisturizing Day Cream for Dry Skin, £9.48

For ladies who want to protect their skin from those chemical nasties, look to paraben-free brand Yes To Carrots. Its purse-pleasing day cream contains both organic carrot and orange juice which act as anti-oxidants, leaving skin smooth and glowing. If you haven’t tried the range, snap it up now.

Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser, £16.15

Liz Earle is a firm favourite on the mc.co.uk desk so there really isn’t a bad word to say about the skincare brand’s skin repair moisturiser, with its fabulous natural combination of essential fatty acids, avocado oil and natural antioxidant beta-carotene. These key ingredients are responsible for leaving the skin plump, supple and glowing.

And my personal favourite moisturiser has to be the Crystal clear skin care range (Crystal clear Brightening Complex and Crystal clear skin repair serum). The Crystal Clear Brightening Complex is a breakthrough in the treatment of skin blemishes and pigmentation marks, with an ability to help the skin regain its natural radiance and clarity.

Crystal Clear Skin Brightening Complex - Skin brightening for Younger, More Radiant Skin...

Crystal Clear Brightening Complex allows a radiant, translucent skin to emerge and is excellent when used as a daytime moisturiser as it contains Titanium Dioxide, which offers vital protection from both UVA and UVB rays without causing skin sensitivity.

Perfect for an older skin as it allows a fresher, more rejuvenated skin tone to appear. Ideal for younger skin suffering from acne outbreaks as it contains anti-inflammatory agents to calm and soothe problematic skin and prevent dark marks of pigmentation appearing.

Skin Brightening Complex is also ideal for younger skin suffering from acne outbreaks as it contains anti-inflammatory agents to calm and soothe problematic skin and help prevent the appearance of dark pigmentation marks.

Crystal Clear Skin Repair Serum is scientifically proven to effectively reduce wrinkles and firm the skin. Better structured, your skin appears firmer, smoother and more resilient, with hydration levels improved. Skin Repair Serum is perfect for all skin types, not just ageing skin but also younger skin. Active ingredients include Vitamin E, anti-ageing agents and Alastin, which provides extraordinary anti-oxidative activities.

And its also suitable for all skin types, Crystal Clear skin care products are not tested on animals and do not contain genetically modified ingredients.

And not forgetting the crystal clear soothing cleansing gel, its suitable for all skin types, making it great for dry skin and excellent as a sensitive skin cleanser too.

This soap free and gentle Crystal Clear Cleansing Gel also makes an excellent make-up remover. Gentle foaming agents provide a deep cleansing action and moisturising complex, which soothes and softens the skin. It can even be used as a shaving aid by both men and women. Another best thing about this product it lasts a very long time.

10 Best Party Make-up

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MAC Pigment in kitschmas, £14.68

This multi-purpose, richly coloured powder is the perfect formula for creating dramatic eyes that last the whole night long. A make-up artist favourite, if you're feeling brave, it can be used on your cheeks and body, too. Favourite shades include Teal, Fuchsia and Copper Sparkle, but for Christmas, it's got to be the brilliantly named Kitschmas.

Shu Uemura False Eyelashes in Smoky Layers, £16

False eyelashes aren't just for dressing up, Shu Uemura's can be customised and trimmed to suit, so the end result is only as dramatic as you want it to be.

Lancôme Le Rouge Absolu in Cerise Noire Celina, £16

Lancôme's Le Rouge lipstick collection really does have a red shade to suit every woman. If you're new to Marilyn Monroe-style lips, team them with soft eye make-up and barely-there base, however, don't forget your blusher ? red lipstick can make you appear washed-out if you're not careful.

Chanel Ligne Extrême, £19

For cat-like, super-sexy eyes, slick on Chanel's liquid eyeliner. The thin applicator takes some getting used to, but once you've mastered the technique, it takes just a few seconds to apply ? and the fabulous, dramatic results are worth every penny.

Dior Powder Mono Eye Shadow in Sunny Turquoise, £15.50

The party season is the one time of the year you get to experiment with your make-up look, so ditch boring beige and taupe and switch to eyeshadows with a little more pizzazz. We love Dior's Sunny Turquoise powder.

Barry M Dazzle Dust in no.75, £4.50

A party season classic, Barry M's Dazzle Dust has been much copied, but never bettered. No 75 is a brilliant citrusy lime colour, but there are literally hundreds of shades to choose from.

Revlon Just Bitten Lip Stain in Berry Juicy, £10

For sexy, kissable lips, Revlon's Just Bitten Lip Stain delivers a punchy, fruity stain to the lips, via its retro roller-ball tip. Smells good enough to eat, too.

Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Pencil in Dime, £9

For dramatic, silver eyes, use Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Pencil in Dime, Silky smooth to apply (no scratchy eyeliner pencil here, thank goodness), once set, it lasts for hours.

Clinique Colour Surge Lipstick in Vivid Berry, £12

If dark red lips aren't your thing, Clinique's Colour Surge Lipstick in Vivid Berry delivers a subtle, pinky shimmer that suits all skin tones. Beautifully moisturising, it's also just the thing for cold winter nights.

Ruby & Millie Face & Body Metal in Gold, £9.79

For a luxe, golden effect, Ruby & Millie Face & Body Metal in Gold can be applied in thin layers and then built up for full-on impact. Use it wherever on your body you want to draw attention!

The Eyebrow Mistakes You're Making

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Eyebrows can make or break your entire look, they can make your eyes look droopy when they're not, or make you look angry when your not. This is why it is essential to be very cautious when grooming your own brows.

Mistake No. 1: Misplacing your arch

Many women create an arch in their brows that is too close to the center of their eye, which causes the front of the brows to remain thick and middle to the ends to be way too thin.

The fix: First, let your brows grow back in. To speed up that process, try using an all natural hair growth product like (ModelCo Lash & Brow Growth Stimulator £18.00). Then next time you tweeze, grab a pencil and hold it parallel to the outer edge of your iris. The point where the pencil hits your brow is where your arch should be.

Mistake No: 2: Tweezing too often

Tweezing everyday, or every few days is too much, you may think you're just cleaning up stray hairs, but you may be removing hairs that are essential to your shape.

The fix: Plan to tweeze your brows once every three weeks, when you stop obsessing over those tiny hairs, they won't bother you as much. And you'll see that you're brows do actually grow when maybe you thought they didn't.

Mistake No. 3 Taking too much or not enough off the ends

Brows that have tails (ends) thats are too short lack elegance, but brows that are too long and curve down, can actually make your eyes appear droopy. so they should be just right.

The fix: To know where the ends of your brows should hit, touch your actual brow bone. you'll be able to feel a little pint where the ocular bone ends, thats where your brows should also end.

Mistake No. 4 Using a magnifying mirror when plucking

If you can't the hair in a regular mirror then neither can anyone else. Using a magnifying mirror is also not the best way to get perspective on how your overall brow shape is looking, so you'll end up tweezing too much.

The fix: Use a regular mirror and make sure you have a good, natural light when tweezing.

Mistake No. 5: Tweezing more than one hair at a time

Though it may seem like a time-saver, plucking more than one hair is dangerous when it comes to perfecting your brow shape, you'll be more likely to create holes in your brows.

The fix: Every single hair you pull should be one that you have thoughtfully decided needs to go. Once you pluck one or two hairs at separate times, of course, step back and look at yourself in the mirror. This will help you get full effect of your shape. then you can go back in to pluck more if necessary.

Mistake No. 6: Getting rid of ''sprouts''

Like brooke shields she had those little sprout-like hairs on the inner portion of her brows that made them unique and special. Don't pluck them, if anything trim them. They are a beautiful thing making you look youthful and shouldn't be taken out, women who have them always want to get rid of them and women who don't have them want them.

Mistakes No.7: Trimming too much

The same rule applies to trimming, if you trim many hairs at once and trim them too short, you'll likely end up with sparse bald areas.

The fix: Trim one hair at a time, brush the inner portion of your brows up and trim only hairs that are longer than the rest, one at a time. Brush the outer portion of your brows down and do the same.

Mistake No. 8: Filling in brows with a pencil or powder thats too dark

This is the biggest mistake when filling in brows. If the brow pencil or powder you're using is the same colour as your hair, its too dark. too dark brows look very unnatural.

The fix: Choose a pencil or powder that's a shade or two lighter than your brow colour. Or use a tinted brow gel, which looks even more natural and adds fullness and length to your brows, fill them with pencil first, top that with powder then finish with a tinted brow gel. If your brows look good everything else will look good.

Bonus Brow Grooming Tips

Tip 1: If you're a wimp when it comes to plucking, use children's teething gel to slightly numb the area.

Tip 2: Before using tinted brow gel to fill in and enhance your brows, wipe the wand with a tissue to remove excess product. Having too much gel on the wand can get messy-looking.

Tip 3: Avoid waxy pencils for filling in your brows, they can look unnatural. To make sure the product you're choosing isn't too oily, draw a line on the back of your hand, if the product seems dry, if the product seems dry, its a keeper. if not move on. (korres do really oily eye pencils which always run).

Make UP Tips

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Applying The Foundation
Foundation should be the perfect match to your skin tone. You do not want your'e skin the color of a pumpkin! And worse yet, beware of the tidemarks at the jaw line. Always make sure that your foundation is well blended if you want to avoid looking like your'e wearing a mask. When choosing a foundation colour always test it on the side of your'e face making sure it matches the colour of your'e neck.
Tip: Before applying your foundation use a shimmering moisturiser for a extra glow to your skin.

Dark Circles?

There is a huge range of products on the market for different tones and textures of concealer. Don't be tempted to go two shades lighter than your natural color, as it will make the darkness of your skin more gray. And be careful not to lay it on too thick. Apart from the fact that it looks like your'e wearing too much makeup, it may also damage the delicate skin beneath your eyes. Remember, you want to tint the discoloration, not mask it.

Powdering Up

Keep your powder application light by using loose powder and a big brush for application. Less is definitely more here you do not want to cake it up and dry out your'e skin. Make sure that you buy a good powder that will sink into your skin, rather than visibly lie of the top of it.

Tip: Try blotting your'e foundation with a tissue or blotting papers which absorb the excess oil and stop you from looking shinny.

Blusher

Only apply your blush to the apples of your cheeks, and build up the color layers slowly. Next, blend the blush in so that the color looks natural.

Bronzer

if you have fair skin, look for a honey-coloured bronzer; for a medium complexion, chose a rose-bronze or gold flecked bronzer; dark skin is best enhanced with a tawny or amber bronzer.

Pinker bronzers tend to suit blondes, while more orange bronzers tend to look better on brunettes.

With a fluffy powder brush apply base powder, since oil or moisture on the skin can cause bronzer to streak, apply a small amount of powder first as a base. Don't apply foundation if your using bronzer because it can make your bronzer look 'muddy'. If your skin is dry, apply a sheer moisturiser evenly before applying the base powder, or consider using cream, stick or liquid bronzers instead.

Apply bronzers to the areas of the face the sun would naturally hit. Using very light strokes ,first apply bronzer to the top of the forehead, working down the nose and along the cheeks. build up the colour gradually, so you get exactly the shade you want. You could also try applying a small amount to the chin. Check the bronzer in daylight, make sure its not too heavy.

Luscious Lips

Whatever lipstick you use, there is one rule to follow... just make sure that it is right for your skin tone, hair and eye coloring. Go vampy for the night time with darker shades, and keep it calm and cute with tinted lip-gloss during the day.

Eyes

So long as its applied in a constant, unwobbly line, your eyeliner can be as bold as you wish. Use lighter shades of eye shadow during the day, and go darker at night. A shimmering highlighter applied just beneath the eyebrow gives even the most tired looking eyes a lift. And always apply your mascara in thin coats, building up the length and thickness slowly. This helps to avoid that terrible clumping which can happen it you try to apply too much, too soon.