Rubble & Pop

I welcome two new spring colours to my Shellac collection: Hot Pop Pink and Rubble. 

Hot Pop Pink is a neon-bright matte pink. It looks fantastic on short square or squoval nails. Rubble is a creamy matte griege. I just love this one. It's so rich and luxurious! I have a feeling I'm going to go through bottles and bottles (and bottles!) of these two perfect polishes. 


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Glossed Glossing

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Men & Their Boyish Locks

Unlike women's hair, men's hair slowly evolves season to season, each of them having roots in the hairstyles from the years before. The evolved looks for 2012 are quite boyish and I love all of them! For FW 2012/13 looks be sure to check Hot Fall Crops for Boys.

It's definitely the season for men to flaunt their natural curls if they have them: entangled, interlocked and messy, short waves are back. 

If they don't have curly locks, super short hair with a boyish side part is super sexy. Hair is slightly textured versus the slicked Mad Men's look that was hot the last few seasons. 

The ever-loving quiff has gone a bit rhino this season, but who doesn't like this stylish top? And who could forget the undercut, an edgy look for an edgy guy. The long top can be worn slicked and off to one side, or left free and tucked behind an ear. 

I still can't choose, so I'm just going to say it again: I love all of them!


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Honey, You're a Natural Beauty

I love honey. It's delicious in peppermint tea, and so nice combined with cinnamon on a piece of toast. Ingesting honey has always been a great experience for me. However, I didn't realize the topical benefits of honey! It's been used for centuries by legendary beauties as part of their skin and hair care treatments. Cleopatra for one, was famous for her milk and honey baths. Here are just a few of the topical benefits of honey...

• it's packed full of iron, vitamin B, magnesium, calcium and potassium,
• it's a humectant, which means it attracts and retains water,
• it's an anti-irritant so it is suitable for sensitive skin,
• it has significant natural antioxidant properties,
• used in a cleanser or a mask, it rids your skin of harmful bacteria, AND
• combined with cinnamon (in equal parts), it can cure eczema!

All and all, honey is a safe skin treatment that can be used over the long term without any side effects. It is very healthy and extremely beneficial.


A Few DIY Recipes

Moisture Mask
Mix 1 tsp of honey, 1 egg yolk, ½ tsp almond oil and 1 tsp yoghurt. Apply on your face, neck and other parts of your body. Leave for 15 minutes and rinse off with water. Your skin will feel moisturized and polished with tightened pores.

Firming Face Mask
Whisk together 1 tablespoon honey, 1 egg white, 1 teaspoon glycerin (available at any local pharmacy) and enough flour to form a paste (approximately ¼ cup). Smooth over face and throat. Leave on for 10 minutes. Rinse off with warm water. Your skin will feel rejuvenated!

After learning about the fantastic benefits of honey, I hope the next time you see a bee buzzing about, you'll think twice about swatting it.

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Source: livestrong.com
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A Stunner of a Bun

I just love this. What a beautiful way to dress up a boring bun. Yves Saint Laurent has given me great inspiration yet again. A subtle touch with massive impact. It would look good at the beach with a pair of gold-rimmed sunglasses and bronzed skin, or on night out with a simple dress. I am definitely going to do this. 


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Photo 1

Glossed Glossing - A Touch of Fancy

The lovely Nikki Wootton wooed us when she danced and posed wearing this sexy fascinator at a recent boudoir session shot by Melissa Skoda from MCS Photo. A simple head piece added such glamour and elegance. Glossed created the fascinator, and designed the hair & make up. 


If you've read my blog before, you know that I love designing custom headpieces for any event. Keep this in mind for any weddings, gala events, tea parties, stagettes or birthdays you are attending in the near future. They turn a simple outfit into a showstopper. 


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A Perfectly Trendy Face

Here are the top 5 things you need to know to be on-trend and super-stunning this spring/summer.

 1. Creamy Lipsticks in pinks, nudes & corals.  

(If your skin is fair or has pink undertones (blue veins), try cooler shades with blue 
undertones. If your skin has yellow undertones (green veins), warmer shades will suit you.) 

2. Full On Brows - It's okay to tweeze the strays, but put your tweezers to 

rest for awhile and allow your brows to grow in and fill out.

3. Purple Eyeshadow - A trend for brown & green eyes only.  

4. Healthy Skin - A beautiful highlight on perfectly-peached apples.

5. Colour Pops - Mascara included! Be sure to compliment your eye colour: Purple 

suits brown & green eyes, blue works for blue eyes and green is perfect for hazel 

eyes. Use complimentary eye shadows for a true colour wow. 

I love that colour is everywhere, but don't put it everywhere! Either play up your lip and downplay your eyes, or play up your eyes and downplay your lip. Remember less is always more, and simplicity is elegance.

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Image Credits:
Photo 1 - lippylisious.hubpages.com

Photo 2 - everydayemily.com

Photo 3 - eyeshadowlipstick.com

Photo 4 - thefashionspot.com

Photo 5 - allwomenstalk.com

everydayemily.com

Wave and Say Hello!

Another side part statement and an ear tuck for this season, but this time it's with short, fine hair and is flapper-inspired: finger-waved and bobbed. These tousled waves give this style great texture and incredible volume. 


Finger-waving is not the easiest of looks to recreate, however if you start practising now, you'll master it. I suggest you check out this informative site for some really great tips. My advice is start with damp, second-day hair, ensure the waves have set for at least thirty minutes using heat on and off (a blow dryer -on low- will do) and once your hair is somewhat hard and cool, gently comb it out with a wide-toothed comb or with your fingers. To finish, spray on a shine enhancer to tame the frizzes and separate into pieces.


If I had short fine hair, this is something I would definitely do.


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Image: fashionising.com

Homemade Curls & Twirls

Spring and summer fashion brings a ladylike elegance and this hairstyle -shown on Prada's runway and in their ad campaign- reflects that girly nature. A deep side part, tucked behind the ear (often secured with a bobby pin), finished with bouncy curls at the ends, is a super summer style for girls with medium to long hair. It's a chic day look that oozes fresh and easy.


To get this look, use a setting lotion on towel-dried hair, then use a heat protector or curl enhancer and curl sections with a 1" or 1-1/4" barrel ceramic curling iron. Be sure to not work out the curls, let them undo themselves naturally. Set your style with hairspray to keep this look an all-day-looker. 


Don't forget to stock up on some cutesy stud earrings. This look isn't complete without them!

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Image Source: talkingmakeup.com

Glossed Glossing - Perfectly Polished

OPI's Over The Taupe is a longstanding love of mine. I've gone through bottles of it, on clients and on myself. I just love it. The shade goes with any season and with any outfit,  always looking exquisite and luxurious. I used it for this shoot above, and designer Mona Sultan loved it. It's a gorgeous pick for anyone wanting a subtle yet classic colour. 


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Image: MCS Photo

BB Is My New BF

BB Cream is one of the hottest beauty trends on the continent. It first originated in Germany, then overtook Asia and is now spreading through the rest of Europe and North America. Blemish Balm Cream is a complete multifunctional skincare cream that soothes, heals, brightens, evens, hydrates, regenerates and protects. The formula was mastered in Korea, and it is said that 85% of women in Asia use it daily. No wonder they're everywhere as of late: MAC, Sephora, Smashbox, Estee Lauder, Garnier, Clinque and the list goes on. Follow this link to find the perfect one for you. 

I'm a big fan and I promise you will be too, if you aren't already!


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Red Ready?

Ravishing redheads are stealing the spotlight this season. Full on, subtle highlights or bold streaks, RED IS BACK and hotter than ever! Here are a few bits you may want to know before taking the plunge.

Red Hair is a Commitment
Be prepared, as it's not easily changed! The reason red hair is more of a commitment is because the red colour molecule is larger than other colours. They will sit on the outer layer initially but will eventually penetrate the hair shaft making it hard to get rid of.

Brightness Fades Fast
Your red locks will initially be bright, but within the first week or so, some of the large molecules that sit on the outer layer will wash away and the brightness will lessen.

Tone Down the Redness in your Skin
If you have rosacea or lots of pink undertones to your skin, be prepared to tone it down. With the right tone of red for your hair, and committing to evening out your skin tone with a great foundation, there’s no reason this is a trend you can’t play with.

This is a look almost anyone can pull off, but I would recommend going to an educated colourist to ensure a smooth transition. For natural ways to dye your hair red, follow this link.

Here's to redheads having more fun!

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Image Credit - Pinterest

Glossed Glossing - Pinned & Featured

Awhile back I pinned a hairstyle on Pinterest, an amazing site that allows you to share beautiful things and be inspired by other beautiful things. I'm very honoured that my hairstyle was featured in Pinterest Pics - 20 Gorgeous Wedding Hairstyles on Bellasugar, a fashion and beauty website based in San Francisco. Check out my hairstyle:)


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