Tuesday 30 July 2013

5 Secrets to Flawless Skin


Having flawless, radiant skin is a standard for celebrities both on and off the red carpet. While most celebrities have the use of photoshop and editing to give them that wonderful complexion, there are a select few when pictured candidly who look just as great without any make-up or air brushing.

Here are our 5 top tips to achieve that flawless look at home.

1) Sunscreen.
Wearing a sunscreen everyday of course protects you from skin cancer and prevents you from burning. An extra benefit is that it helps against aging too, and there's even research to back it up!
Whilst choosing a new sunscreen it is recommended that you should wear one with a minimum SPF factor of 30.

2) Diet and exercise.
This one is pretty simple. Eating junk foods will lead to your body being full of toxins and loaded with extra calories resulting in you and your skin becoming unhealthy. Drinking plenty of water and choosing healthier foods will result in your skin looking more fresh and radiant and also leave you feeling more energized.
Taking part in regular exercise increases blood flow with helps deliver important nutrients to you skin, also a good sweat will eliminate skin=sabotaging toxins from your system.

3) Cleansing.
Great skin care is easy as long as your skin care routine includes cleansing. Cleansing the face twice a day is essential to remove all that unwanted dirt and make-up leaving you with a natural glow.

4) Moisturize.
Having a good moisturizer that suits your skin type is essential, even if you have oily skin you need to add moisture to your skin just choose a moisturizer that is oil free. This can leave your skin appearing luminous and bright.

5) Add shimmer.
Finish off that beautiful skin look by adding a touch of shimmer or bronzer. This will brighten up your skins appearance and make you appear more healthier. Bronzing you skin can also conceal blemishes and spider viens, as well as create the illusion of a more toned appearance!


Wednesday 24 July 2013

Flawless like Beyonce


Singer Beyonce bravely posted a photo of herself without any makeup on, on her personal Tumblr account and all we can say is wow! Doesn't her skin look flawless?

Her skin looks youthful and radiant, enviable to all women. Having naturally flawless skin doesn't come naturally, unless you are extremely lucky, which means using the right products is essential. A product we love to use is our Anti-Ageing Collagen Elixir, it's perfect for skin that's feeling dry and tired. It leaves your skin feeling soft and deeply nourished as well as smoothing out those unwanted wrinkles. It's definitely something to invest in!

Monday 22 July 2013

Summer Refreshments

Whether you are on holiday or at home it can be quite a struggle to stay cool and refreshed during the summer's sun. When the day's are hot turning to facial spritzers are the perfect way to cool you down in an instant! 

Here are a few that are on the market now:

Face Matters Collagen Spritz - £39
Thalgo Reviving Marina Mist - £19


The Body Shop Vitamin C Face Mist - £8

Top Tip: Keep in your handbag or beach bag throughout the day for a quick and easy way to beat the heat.

Monday 15 July 2013

Sixties Girl


The influence of the Swinging Sixties on spring/summer 2013's catwalk beauty was apparent everywhere from Louis Vuitton to Chanel, with graphic liner, pale lips and strong brows complementing the boxy silhouettes and short hemlines in the collections.

But this was a youthful and girlish take on Sixties beauty, with pouting nude lips paired with liner in the crease of the eye lids at Marc Jacobs, and silver eyes at Chanel looking like they came straight out of Andy Warhol's Factory. Glossy peach eyes at Louis Vuitton modernised the look, whilst the bold swoops of eye liner at Michael Kors were updated in aquamarine and acid green. And, for full-on Sixties style, the Moschino models wore their lips dripping with orange gloss and their eyes framed by Bambi lashes - an undeniable homage to that heady decade.

Keep the look classic, with a simple pale pink lip, lined eyes and lashings of mascara. Remember to set the look with a spritz of the Face Matters Collagen Spritz!

Thursday 11 July 2013

Heavy-browed beauty

Chanel Haute Couture autumn/winter 2013 Photo: Isadore Montag

Last year's boy brow becomes this year's man brow at Chanel's Haute Couture autumn/winter 2013 show. Longer, thicker, darker, heavier - Chanel introduces the power brow.

Sheer size and width aside, these brows dictate a new shape. Straight (there was little or no arch) and angular (pulling the eyes up and out) is, say Chanel, how we'll be wearing them next season.

To get the high brow look our advice is to start using a lash boosting gel now; try RapidBrow Eyebrow Enhancing Serum , £37 or good old fashioned almond oil nightly. And get your eye in for some real brow grooming (after all, these models had them drawn on too).

Finish off the look with minimal eye-makeup, as the real statement are the brows. Go for rose cheek bones and finish off with a Face Matters Collagen Spritz , £39, to set the look. (you can now win one on Twitter too!)

Chanel's super brow at the Haute Couture autumn/winter 2013 show. 

Wednesday 10 July 2013

Softly defined eyes

Alexander Wang's Autumn/Winter 2013 collection Photo: GO RUNWAY


Alexander Wang may be a fan of 1990s grunge, but the make-up at his autumn/winter show was oh-so modern, a brilliant example of a subtly defined eye as reported by Telegraph's Beauty Editor, Sonia Juttla .

To achieve the look, the first thing to do is to even out the eye area with a brightening concealer, such as By Terry's Touch-Expert Advanced (£29, spacenk.co.uk). Blend the light, luminous liquid under the eyes and on the lid a little to soften dark circles and brighten the area. 

Then for easy-peasy eyeshadow, apply and blend Clinique's Chubby Stick Shadow Tint for Eyes in Lots o' Latte (£16, clinique.co.uk) on the lid and in the contour. It provides a soft, pretty sheen, nothing more than a gentle focus on the eyes. 

Then, to give your eyes defined focus, try Dior's Style Liner Intense Liquid Eyeliner (£22.50, houseoffraser.co.uk). Rest it on the lash-line and, staying as close to the bed of your eyelashes as possible, draw a thin line from the inner corner of the lid to the outer edge. 

Finally, set the effortless with our lightweight Collagen Spritz (£39, facematters-skincare.com). It's refreshing touch will bring you instant cool in a hot day like today and it will keep that beautiful makeup of yours intact throughout the day (Psst! - we're also giving one away on Twitter ).

There's no need to flick: the beauty of this look is in its subtlety.

Image: Telegraph

Monday 8 July 2013

Get Supermodel Cheekbones



Cara Delevingne, Candice Swanepoel and Jourdan Dunn may all have incredible hair, enviable figures and skin to die for, but it’s those killer supermodel cheekbones we’re lusting after.

Knowing how to contour your face with a stroke of bronzer, a touch of highlighter and a sweep of blusher can make a massive difference to your make-up. If, like us, you haven't been blessed with a bone structure to boast about, worry not!

Check out Look's weekly Friday Night Beauty how-to video, where LOOK's Acting Beauty Editor, Sam Freedman, will show you how to cheat those amazing, catwalk-ready cheekbones.

For a really luminous look use the Face Matters Elixir all over the face to create a glowing look. Then once the makeup is completed set with the Collagen Spritz to make sure your make up doesn't budge throughout the day.



Friday 5 July 2013

Pop of Neon - What's yo' fave?

This summer brings punchy, vibrant shades that really make an impact. Make your own sunshine with fruity, colour pop shades. L'Oréal Parisí new Color Riche nail collection is perfs whatever the weather, style it up and clash your jolly neons with a pattern mix. Absolutely love this feature, these L'Oréal nails are the epitome of summertime! (via ASOS.com)

What's yo' fave?


Anything but girly, this season pink packs a punch with vibrant, all-over colour. Flamingoes, Miami Beach houses and cheesy sunsets capture the fun and vibrance of this pink shade. Wear it.


These quirky and absolutely lovely designs go hand-in-hand (pun intended) with beautiful and smooth skin so I would recommend spraying some of our Collagen Spritz shortly after you have finished with the intricate design. Its light texture will help set the nail varnish quicker and make your skin appear visibly softer and moisturised.


This clean shade will keep you on your tic-tac-toes.


So, are you giving these designs a try? I know I am... I'll let you know how it goes.

Thursday 4 July 2013

What To Do When… You Have A Sunburn



Sunburns are the wet blanket of island vacations, three-day weekends, and pool parties everywhere. And becoming a red-hot tamale can happen to even the most SPF-equipped among us after extended exposure to the great outdoors. So what to do when your skin adopts the searing hue of Elmo (minus the whole TickleGate)? With help from Into The Gloss, here's my round up of the best over-the-counter and homeopathic remedies to target peeling, redness, inflammation, and to soothe the burn of that mean, blaring sun.

Creams & Moisturisers:

Clinique After Sun Rescue Balm with Aloe Aloe is the most oft-recommended reliever for the sting of your new skin tone, but it can be drying and sticky in a way that’s almost as unpleasant as the burn itself. This balm offers the same benefits as aloe, with an added moisturizer to simultaneously reduce inflammation, calm skin, and diminish the chances and/or severity of peeling.




Face Matters Collagen Spritz Once the intensity of your burn has subsided, a moisturising spritz with botanical oils and collagen can help prevent peeling and cool off the skin. For those with aversions to the heavy and slightly gooey consistency of creams on sensitive burnt skin, a lighter product, like our Collagen Spritz, with a quicker absorption rate is the way to go.



Merle Norman Anti Redness Cream Believe us when we say this product works. Many therapies that claim to reduce redness still leave your skin noticeably rosy. But Merle Norman’s cream dramatically delivers on its name—wear it for the course of one night’s sleep to return fuchsia skin to a normal shade.


Natural/At-Home Remedies:

Cold Bath
Submerging your body in just-cooler-than-lukewarm water will help ease pain and reduce irritation. If you don’t have access to a bath or don’t relish the opportunity to “soak in a basin of your own filth” (as some may say), a gentle-stream cold shower will serve the same purpose. Avoid using soap when you're still newly burnt, as the detergent will only exacerbate your burn by further drying and irritating your skin.

Cold Milk Compress
Combine cold milk and ice cubes in a bowl. Dampen a washcloth in the mixture and hold against your burn. Rinse after to avoid a 'I live on a farm' smell. Added bonus: milk fat is anti-inflammatory and moisturising, and the cold temperature soothes the heat.

Green Tea Compress
A word-of-mouth fix: boil water and pour over one teaspoon of loose green-tea leaves. Cover and let sit until it cools. Then, soak a cloth and place on skin for 10 minutes to reduce swelling and sting.

Thin Potato Slices
In one of the lesser-known, perhaps stranger at-home remedies, some sources suggest blending raw potatoes until spreadable and applying to your skin to draw out the heat of the burn.

Your Other, Basic Options:  

Ibuprofen - Pop one or two after you realise what you've done (this usually happens after we get out of the shower following a day in the sun, but can also happen right there on the beach), to bring down inflammation and ease your discomfort. Those weary of swallowing pills can grind one up and add a bit of water to form a paste, which you can apply directly onto affected areas.

Water - Drink, drink, and drink some more. Your burn can leave you dehydrated, so on top of the eight glasses of water you are drinking daily (we all listen to our doctors, yes), keep on chugging.

And, as always, if you have any other remedies up your sleeve, share away!

Wednesday 3 July 2013

Holiday Ready!


Be holiday ready this summer.

Keeping your skin looking nourished, soft and alive can be quite tricky on holiday especially when the sun is beaming down on your face all day resulting in your skin becoming dry and dull, which is something no-one wants. Using the perfect face products is a must to keep your skin in the best condition, even better one the product is an ‘all in one’.

The Cleansing Balm is the perfect product to be beach ready. Not only is it a facial cleanser it includes Shea Butter which will leave your skin incredibly soft and smooth. Using this product will leave your skin looking radiant and refreshed perfect before hitting the beach. 

Of course apply a layer of sun cream to protect yourself from any skin damage. And now you're ready to hit the beach.


Monday 1 July 2013

Party eye make-up from Dior



A golden smoky eye by Dior by Stylist Magazine

Fancy experimenting with your eye make-up this party season? We asked Dior's make-up designer Violette to share her step-by-step tips for recreating this 'Baroque' eye make-up look. A glamorous, metallic update on the classic smoky eye, the warm golden tones are perfect for the festive season.


PARTY EYE MAKE-UP TUTORIAL: STEP 1
Create a cat's eye base by drawing a thick, dense smoky line across the eyelid with a matte black pencil



















PARTY EYE MAKE-UP TUTORIAL: STEP 2 
Apply the darkest eye shadow over the entire eyelid, all the way up to the brows. Emphasize your pencil line to make it "shimmer".










PARTY EYE MAKE-UP TUTORIAL: STEP 3 
Blend outwards.



PARTY EYE MAKE-UP TUTORIAL: STEP 4 
Now apply the lightest eye shadow to the area defined from the eyebrow down to the middle of the eyelid.



















PARTY EYE MAKE-UP TUTORIAL: STEP 5 Highlight the inner corner of the eye and the brow bone with a touch of gold shadow.






PARTY EYE MAKE-UP TUTORIAL: STEP 6 
Coat the upper lashes with a black mascara such as Diorshow New Look.








PARTY EYE MAKE-UP TUTORIAL: STEP 7 To finish, use a brush to apply mascara to the roots of the lower lashes, without taking it through to the ends. This intensifies the eye without weight.


Love this look - so stunning! Definitely going to work it next Friday. Just remember to set that beautiful make up, ladies! I would recommend a tiny bit of our Collagen Spritz and you'll look glamorous all night.