Perfect DIY Spray Tan

The perfect spray tan is the elusive beauty product to every girls summer pampering regime. As the instant, wash off wear-once tan products are becoming more popular and more diverse the makers of the more traditional developing spray tans have come up with a worthy competitor. Model co are one such company and they brought their Tan-Airbrush in a Can to the Irish beauty market earlier this year from Australia. The tan combines an instant tan upon application with a long-lasting ‘self tanner’ that develops underneath.

I used it on Thursday afternoon for nights out Thursday and Friday and I can’t sing its praises enough. Having done the usual preparation, exfoliating in the shower etc I then applied moisturiser to my feet, knees and elbows before spraying on the Model co tan all over. The instant colour is so natural looking it looked like I had been sunning myself in the Caribbean for a week, I was delighted and donned a bandage skirt in bright pink to go out that night. The next day after I had washed the instant tan off (always the nervy bit) the resulting tan underneath was perfect. There were no streaky bits, no patches and best of all no orange glow! Oh yeah and it smells like white chocolate! I was over-the-moon, finally a self tanner that I could absolutely rely on and call upon in an instant for impromptu sunny days and surprise nights out. I would definitely recommend it, come on ladies, black opaques and warm summer days are such a no-no! Available in Arnotts and Clery’s at €35.

NB: Whisty Tips:

1. The best thing about the instant tan/developing tan is that you can see exactly where you are applying it. If you spray too close and end up with a darker spot try to blend it in gently with your finger tips. Cover your hand with moisturiser before you gently blend the colour in and then wash the second you stop with soap!

2. Cover the WHOLE floor before you spray, if you’re not used to spray-on self tan, take note the stuff goes everywhere!

3. Follow Kirstie McDermott’s tips on the Herald’s Website for achieving the perfect self tan!

Smokey Eye Tutorial

Jennisse Makeup, this girl is fabulous, go to her website, click on myvideos and watch the tutorials. You will never have to worry about how to do smokey eye makeup ever again. From subtle everyday smokey to dramatic aqua smokey this girl shows us how.

Smashing Smashbox… O-so glamorous.

Eminem is a diva and Maria Carey is quiet!!

At least this is the verdict of the super sweet Daniel Chavez, Director of International Artistry, of cosmetic brand to the stars, Smashbox. I met him yesterday to chat about the latest products for 2009 from Smashbox and he is one of the funnest and funniest people I have met, I walked into the presentation room and he exclaimed at me, “Oh my goodness you are so Gwyneth Paltrow right now”!!! I was so glad that I was wearing my amazing Sass and Bide black rats leggings and slouchy Dior cashmere sweater!!!

Anyway, I have been a fan of Smashbox for about a year now. Smashbox was one of the first-ever cameras and the brand is called so for a great reason. It started out as a professional photo-shoot cosmetic range, to combat the problems or shooting for long periods of time. Sitting under hot studio lights both the Stars and their make-up artists ere getting frustrated with the that fact that the make-up would never stay put. Eye liner would smudge, wind machine hair would mean that lip gloss would end up across the cheek, eye shadow would crease etc etc.

So the great grandsons of cosmetics legend, Max Factor, with their background knowledge and wealth of experience decided that they would create a brand to solve all these problems, a brand for professional make-up artists and stars; and Smashbox was born.

Whenever i’m getting ready to out with the girls I always make a fuss of the company’s O-GLOW, a really quirky liquid blush. It comes out of the tube clear and then changes to a rosy pink to suit your specific complexion when it is rubbed onto your cheeks. Very cool.

Well Daniel informs me that Smashbox has now released the O-BRONZE, a liquid facial bronzer that works in exactly the same way. It starts off as a white liquid and changes to a subtle bronze colour as you apply it to your face. As you apply it there are tiny colour beads inside the liquid that break creating your own customised shade of bronze. You either use on bare skin for a great summery beach look or over your foundation like a traditional powder bronzer.Plus if you only want a natural looking glow you don’t need to use a huge amount so it lasts for ever.

Biggest news, Smashbox are joining forces with with Mercedes to seriously promote LA fashion week!As for the Diva stories, they will stay under wraps… who wants to kill the illusion?!

Smashbox O-BRONZE is €28

Nailed It!

When I first heard about Nail Bar‘s everlasting manicure, I was a little skeptical. I had always avoided the gel overlays, as I had had such dreadful experiences with gel tips. Although the manufacturers always claimed that gel tips allowed your own nails to grow, my nails always ended up in terrible condition after various tips had pinged off whilst driving, typing or when merely out for a stroll! I was reassured that Nail Bar’s tips were different and that a gel overlay was like an extra-hard nail varnish that doesn’t chip or flake and can last for up to a month. Intrigued by this, I entered Nail Bar on Trinity Street…

Tried & Tested Mascara

Tried & Tested…

Most impressive mascaras on the market

Mascara is to a make-up bag what the little black dress is to my wardrobe: an absolute essential that is there for every occasion. I know I am not the only woman who feels this way – even Claudia Schiffer says she would bring mascara as her desert island essential.

This summer’s lashes are long, skinny and dramatic without being clumpy and heavy. I road test five mascaras to find out how they fare…

Yves Saint Laurent – Faux Cils

BEST BIT – Thickest lashes ever and the packaging is gorgeous

PROS – One of the blackest mascaras on the market, the YSL really does make your eyelashes thick and black. It is so thick that you only need a couple of strokes to get the desired effect with no spider’s legs. It’s great if you are in a rush, as it separates the lashes whilst coating them all individually. And it smells delicious to boot. Because it is so thick, the brush gets clogged really quickly but a rinse under a hot tap about once a fortnight is all you need to clear the brush again. www.ysl.com

Ruby & Millie – Black Mascara

BEST BIT – Longest eyelashes

PROS – Lovely packaging in a slim silver tube, and the brush is what you’d imagine a make-up artist would use. The cone-shaped bristles help give the long-lash effect and it looks as though each individual lash is coated separately. Ruby and Millie also do a great eyelash comb, which is available separately but I don’t think you would need it with this product. My lashes seem to grow in all directions but even I didn’t need it! It was the hardest to remove but the fact that it stayed perfect all day more than makes up for that! www.rubyandmillie.com

Clinique – High Impact Mascara

BEST BIT – Light, nice big brush, lasts ages

PROS – This mascara gives you natural-looking, longer-length black lashes. It is more liquid in consistency than some of the others but dries quickly on application, so there are fewer smudges if you are in a rush. Is gives a great effect for everyday use and because it dries so quickly it is good on the lower lashes, as there are no clumps. It is light, which means that you can put a number of layers on to build up the bulk if you want a heavier look. It’s good for length but not so good for volume with only one coat www.clinique.com

Estee Lauder – Sumptuous Bold Volume Lifting Mascara

BEST BIT – It felt like I wasn’t wearing any mascara at all and it curled my lashes really effectively

PROS – After even three coats, (I like to wear a lot of mascara) I couldn’t feel a thing, nor did I find myself looking out from underneath clumpy, spiky lashes, proving how light the mascara is. It separated out my lashes individually and created really curved lashes although I didn’t use an eyelash curler beforehand. This was definitely the best all-round mascara, giving length, definition and curl after just one coat. www.esteelauder.com

Paul & Joe – Mascara Primer Duo and Mascara Duo N

BEST BIT – Because these mascaras have different elements you can change the look to suit your mood

PROS – Boutique Parisian brand Paul & Joe has a gorgeous range of make-up in pretty antique-style packaging. The range includes two novel concept mascaras: one primes, by curling, lengthening and adding volume to your lashes, and the other separates and defines each one. These mascaras take some getting used to but with all the combinations they offer, you will definitely find a look to suit you. www.paul-joe-beaute.com

Max Factor – False Lash Effect Mascara.

Having done a ‘Tried and Tested’ mascara review I thought I was all mascara-ed out. That is until I tried this new Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara.

Firstly, it’s much larger than other mascaras I’ve tried and that’s because the brush is twice as big as other brands, so it covers all the lashes at once with its light yet effective formula.

Secondly, the first day I wore it, two people told me how long and perfectly separated my lashes looked! Now that’s a product that sells itself, and lives up to its name!

It is stunning and dramatic and exactly what you would expect from a mascara called False Lash Effect. In fact, it’s my new beauty best friend. http://www.maxfactor.co.uk

Tried & Tested Eyeliner

Tried & Tested: Liquid Eyeliner

Eyeliner is almost like the magic trick of make-up. Whichever way you wear it, either lightly licked across your lids or layered on thick, rock-chick style, eyeliner creates a stunning and dramatic finish to your eye make-up. We tested several liquid eyeliner brands to see which come up trumps …

Smashbox – Jet Set Gel Based Eyeliner

Best for – Perfect combination of liquid and pencil eyeliner

The most novel gel-based eyeliner, it comes in a funky twist-top pot with an accompanying long, slimline brush that allows the most accurate application. You can see exactly how much liner you are applying and because it is less liquid than most other brands, it goes on exactly as you intend it to. It doesn’t smudge or run but is easy to remove when you need to take it off. It feels light and you can blend it before it dries for a different look. The fact that the brush is separate is the only downside to otherwise fantastic liquid eyeliner. www.smashbox.com

Max Factor – Masterpiece Glide and Define Liquid Eyeliner

Best for – Constant flow means no dipping

This compact little product is a revolution in liquid eyeliner. The liquid is in the compartment behind the brush, which means that the perfect amount of eyeliner is constantly running through the brush. When you dip the brush of standard eyeliners, the first application can very often be overloaded and leave a blob of eyeliner on top of your lid. Max Factor has developed this applicator to prevent exactly that, enabling slick, even application from a liner that will fit into the smallest of handbags. www.maxfactor.com

Barry M – Liquid Eyeliner by Barry M

Best for – Getting celebrity style make-up looks

This is a more traditional style of eyeliner and applicator; the firm little tapered brush at the end of the applicator meant that this was the easiest to apply and you can create both thick and thin lines, depending on the look you want. The applicator holds enough liquid eyeliner to do each eye and comes in a really funky little pot that can stand on your dressing table. Barry M’s liquid eyeliner is a huge hit with the A list. Christina Aguilera says that Barry M’s cosmetics are the only way to glam up an outfit and this is true – my eyes really stood out when I used this one and it comes in loads of out-there colours. www.barrym.com

Urban Decay – Liquid Eyeliner

Best for – Shimmery metallic colours

Urban Decay, well known for its full-on colour, has revamped its liquid eyeliner. Made to look like an ink well, the new design looks gorgeous, with the colour on show. The best thing about this eyeliner is that it doubles as an eyeshadow, which means you can either use it as normal just above the lashes or apply it to the entire lid. Usually, I would only use black liquid eyeliner, but the red-brown colour that I tried is really flattering and I would definitely use it more often. What’s more, it has tempted me to use loads of different colours. www.urbandecay.com

Bourjois – Liner Pinceau in Noir

Best for – Thin, accurate lines

The long-length, slimline brush applicator means that you can accurately apply the thinnest of lines above your lashes with no mistakes. The colour lasts all day, and I have had this eyeliner for at least six months and it’s only just beginning to run out. It has kept the same consistency the entire time, making this liner a great purchase. When you apply it, you can feel that the product is a good quality one, as the colour is quite intense but it feels light on your eyelids.

Tip: When applying eyeliner, whether thick or thin, start in the middle of the lid and work outwards away from the nose. When there is less liquid on the brush, slowly work inward towards the nose, joining small strokes together to achieve the perfect slick line.