Spring Beauty 2013

SPRING IS IN THE AIR

The bulbs are pushing up, we’ve had one or two days that could be classified as “spring-like” and the new season’s beauty offerings are wending their way onto the counters as fast as you can break your chocolate prohibition in Lent.

This spring there seem to be two key trends; nude faces and nails with a pop of shocking pink lipstick and nude everything but strong eyes, either in pink or blue (reminds me of the 70’s).  Here are some of my spring 2013 favourites:

Revlon Baby Sticks

Cheeks pop with these brand new Baby Sticks in a choice of three colours.  You’ll be seeing a lot of these colours in spring summer 2013.

Price:  £6.99

Stockist: superdrug.com

Top Shop Air Kisses Nail Polish

Spring colours are punchy this year and this new colour collection from Top Shop will see you through to summer.  Try Air Kisses, it will set off your pastels a treat.

Price:  £5.00

Stockist: topshop.com

Clarins Limited Edition Face & Blush Powder

Isn’t this sensational?  Isn’t this just what your spring make up bag is calling out for?  Suitable for all skin tones this is a trio of fresh, complexion boosting shades to give skin a beautiful, even tone.  It says it also reduces the appearance of wrinkles and imperfections leaving skin looking even and radiant and it’s pretty…

Price:                          £30.00

Stockist:             clarins.co.uk

 

Shiseido Perfect Rouge Lipstick

This is another expensive lipstick, but here’s why you are buying it.  It’s got great pigment so doesn’t “weaken” as a colour on your lips, it had volumising oil to plump and smooth and it helps reduce vertical lines on lips.  Cheaper lipsticks are unlikely to do all that and the colour is spot on for spring.

Price:                          £23.00

Stockist:            houseoffraser.co.uk

Clarins Instant Smooth Crystal Lip Balm

I know, it’s just not done putting two Clarins products on the same page.  I fought with myself over this but they are just both too good (no, I’m not on commission, no relative works there).  These are just fabulous, with a transparent plastic outer and neon colours popping away, these lip balms are the future.

Price:                        £18.00

Stockist:                   clarins.co.uk

 Organic Glam Eyeshadow Palette

I will do a whole feature on organic beauty soon as there are some brilliant brands coming through.  Organic Glam not only make one of my favourite fragrances (Oud) but their new colour cosmetic range is bang on trend.  Lilacs, plums and purples are all in the mix with the hot pinks so if you love organic, check this new range out.

Price:                        £30.95

Stockist:            theorganicpharmacy.com

Rimmel Glameyes Mono Eye Shadow

This shade is spot on for spring and isn’t nearly as fierce when you put it on as you might think.  Go with nude lips and skin with this colour popping against dark lashes – very glam!

Price:                        £4.49

Stockist:            rimmellondon.co.uk

Laser Lipo Results

To be honest, it does seem strange having Laser Lipo in December, when everyone else is in party mode.  However, I’m trying a treatment that claims to do what surgery does without the surgery.

So, I'm down to my underwear with my hands behind my head whilst the lovely Teresa takes the before photo.    She kindly didn't include my head so when I look at the photo I can be quite clinical about the extent of the challenge, which seems to be bigger than I thought, but Teresa is absolutely undaunted.  She is one of the most enthusiastic therapists I've had and is absolutely committed to getting results. 

The machine is very mild.  You don't feel a thing.  I lie down on the couch and a plastic paddle is strapped to my stomach with an elastic belt and two little attachments are placed at the top of my legs (lymphatic drainage).  You then stay there and the machine does the work for around 30 minutes.  Theresa then pops me on a vibration therapy machine, which wobbles me at incredibly fast speeds with tiny movements.  It really brings the blood to the surface of the skin and Teresa is adamant that for best results you need to follow up the session with some work on a cross trainer or treadmill to get the metabolism going.

It’s odd; I lie here and the work is done but according to Teresa there are around 500 fat calories floating around my system that now need burning off.  The vibration training is fantastic, I know it is.  I know that for osteoporosis and other bone conditions this is a brilliant treatment and I know it works.  However, to be really frank when I’m on the machine I feel a bit sick.  But let’s do the maths – a few minutes feeling not great versus bone strengthening and fat loss?  It’s a no brainer.  The answer is to nut up and do it as not everyone feels this way and the benefits outweigh me being pathetic for a few minutes.  I daren’t even think what I look like in underwear, shoes and vibrating - it’s not a look I aspire to.

It’s true that the best results are gained from a course of 10 and you have to do 2-3 each week to get results.  You also have to lay off alcohol, reduce your carbs and eat sensibly for best results.  I've heard many times people say "but if you do the exercise and diet surely the weight will come off anyway?"  However, what we are talking about is spot reduction, which is very difficult to achieve. 

I stick - more or less - to the programme and there's definitely a difference.  I haven’t done a full course because of time pressures in December but I can see how this really works.  The contour around my stomach & the definition is clearly noticeable.  Teresa says "The clients who do the programme, watch what they eat & drink and exercise after each session always get great results.  Pretty much anyone who doesn’t get a result isn't sticking to the programme.”  If you’re investing in this, do the work.

If you've got specific bikini body issues then I'd absolutely recommend this.  It's a treatment that works with a therapist who really cares – what more do you need?  Go visit the website and you’ll be a believer too, just don’t look for my photos!

www.laserlipo-beauty.co.uk  

Cottesmore Golf & Country Club, Buchan Hill, Pease Pottage, Crawley, RH11 9AT