And the winner is...

Thank you to everyone who entered our Christmas and 50 followers giveaway! We were unsure about doing a giveaway at first, but we had such kind advice from the blogging community that we decided it would be a lovely way to thank our loyal readers at the end of the year, and share a few of our favourite products with you.

We were overwhelmed with the response, with 14 of you entering, this really did make us feel special so thank you all for reading and we hope you enjoy Beautiful You in the New Year.

So, the winner of the Sleek palette is...

Herewegoagain (GFC name)

And runner up who will win the MUA palette is...

Georgina Evans (GFC name)

Thank you again for reading our blog and entering our giveaway. We will email both winners to get your address and will aim to post the goodies after Christmas.

If you celebrate Christmas, have a lovely time, enjoy the relaxing holiday period, and we cannot wait to bring you lots of beauty posts in 2012!

Lot of love

Stace & Mags xxx

And because it's Christmas... a few Christmas pics for you...

Christmas party face and outfit of the night!!

Hello and a big festive, christmassy morning to you all!

Last night was my works Christmas party, and I wanted to share with you the look I went for! I have also been lucky not to have a hangover this morning! Yay!

So firstly what did I wear?

This dress came from Debenhams Red Herring. I really like how simple it is, but also looks quite dressy. I didn't like the original belt that came with it so I bought some cream ribbon and fashioned my own belt. At only £35 I was very pleased with this dress!

And what look did I go for with my make-up? I tried to keep it quite simple and 'English rose' with some bronzer applied over my neck and shoulders, and I concentrated on highlighting eyes and lips. I also had my hair done yesterday as well, so was pleased with my final look for the party!

With Flash

Without flash

Finally the tools I used to achieve this look:

• Bare Vitamins skin rev-er upper for a base under foundation
• Estee Lauder Double wear light
• Bare Minerals prime time for eyes
• Bare Minerals Flaunt eye shadow
• Bare Minerals Volumising mascara
• Bare Minerals eyeliner
• Vivo Gold Dust bronzer
• Bare Minerals Lip Gloss from the Cocktail Party set

I would love to know what you think about my Christmas party look!

If you're off to  Christmas party tonight have fun and stay beautiful!

Stace x

17th December 2011



Christmas and 50 followers giveaway!!

Christmas and 50 followers giveaway!!

We are so excited - we have reached 50 followers!! The fact that each and everyone of you take the time to read our blog means so much to us. So, as it's Christmas we wanted to say a big 'thank you' by running our first ever giveaway!

We wanted to giveaway products from brands we have discovered in the last couple of months and now love. There will be a first and second prize.

First prize:

Sleek 'The Original' eye shadow palette.

Second prize:

MUA starry night eye shadow palette.

Hope you like the prizes! They are both brand new, never used products. And now the important bit, how to enter...

• Firstly, if you don't already, please follow our blog on GFC (we hope you enjoy reading!)
• Comment on this post with what beauty product you hope to find in your stocking this Christmas. Please leave us your GFC name, and your email or twitter name so we can let you know if you have won!

It's that simple!

To comment on the post if you are on the home page of our blog, please click on the 'giveaway' blog in the archive section at the left hand side.

Closing date will be 23rd December 22:00 GMT. We will announce the winners on Christmas Eve!!! And we will then post prizes after Christmas.

And now the technical bit...a few rules:

1. Winners will be drawn at random, first entry drawn will win Sleek palette, Second winner drawn will win MUA palette.

2. If under 16, we will ask for parental consent if you were to win.

3. This giveaway is open internationally.

Thanks for reading and good luck!

Stay beautiful!

Stace & Mags x

7th December 2011

Nivea - The Kate Middleton effect

Our monthly guest blogger Sam is back to tell us her views on the Nivea moisturisers!


In one way or another I’m sure you would have all seen the royal wedding earlier in the year and fallen in love with our new English princess, Kate Middleton. She captured the nation’s hearts with her natural elegance, decorum and fairy tale wedding. What also followed from this was a nation that watched her every move – what Kate wears sells out the minute she is seen out in public, places she visits become the most popular holiday destinations and the day she nipped into Boots sparked nationwide interest in a budget day cream; Nivea Visage – pure and natural.

Well needless to say I also followed in her foot steps (who wouldn’t kill for a complexion like hers?!) My thoughts? Well I wasn’t overly impressed with the pure and natural range soothing day cream – I found it sort of sat on top of my skin and then disappeared, not really soaking in or moisturising (perhaps Kate had better luck than me?) However, in its defence, a cream is very dependent on a person’s skin type so whilst I purchased one from the ‘pure and natural’ range I also got a rich moisturising day cream from the Nivea Visage range (that was even cheaper). Bingo this one works beautifully with my skin.

My skin is soft without being greasy and the cream really soaks in. I have always been an advocate for the ‘high street’ beauty products – especially as you can find yourself trying out a few different creams until you find the right one for your skin type (this can be costly if you are using high end products). Although I may be changing my opinion as I get a bit older and my skin starts to wrinkle and lose its firmness!

But for now the best advice I can give when looking for day creams, which may not be what you want to hear, is to try a few out until you find your perfect match. For some this may happen first time (lucky!)and others could get through quite a few. I believe the cheaper face creams are just as good and therefore not such an expensive trial to find the right product. Just to throw another spanner in the works ... once you’ve found the right one this will most definitely not be for life! I can tell you now I think I’ve been through every brand on the high street, partly because I’m a brand switcher and will go with what offers I can find, but mainly because my skin seems to be constantly changing and what used to be effective is no longer offering the same results!

Stay Beautiful!

Sam x

Luscious Lips

Luscious Lips

It seems only appropriate to write my Valentines blog as a homage to one of my favourite bits of my make up kit, - lip gloss/balm.

For me, adding something moisturising with a slight colour to it to my lips can lift even the dullest day. And with all that kissing on Valentines, it's time to make those lips work for us! So here are 3 of the best.

Lancome Juicy tubes

I cannot possibly write this feature without nodding to probably the most famous brand of lip gloss. I have always been a fan of these lip glosses, the colours are subtle and stay on through meals and drinking, not leaving big lip marks on the side of wine glasses. They taste incredibly amazing, and there is such a large range. One small tube can last a long time, and the range of colours can add a real seductive look to your lips. No girls handbag should be without one.

Liz Earle sheer pink lip shimmer

This is a new one we have been trying this week at Beautiful You. Very subtle, and extremely moisturising. I am not overly keen on the little pots that you have to put your finger into, but that said, a little goes a long way and I think this pot will last me a long time. The shimmer is great for warm summer nights when you are going for a 'barely there' make up look, and I will be saving this for summer holidays. Not quite enough colour and shimmer for the winter nights though.

No7 Liplicious

These are my all time favourite lip glosses. A tube lasts so long, they taste great, the colours are brilliant with a lovely shimmer, marshmallow is my personal favourite. They also stay on for a long time and create completely kissable lips, perfect for Valentines day! My only criticism is there isn't a wide range of colours available.

Have a beautiful Valentines day!

Mags will be back soon with the lowdown about Bare Escentuals. Does this brand live up to the hype? Find out soon!

Stace x

13th February 2011

Just a quick one...

Just a quick one...

Time is constantly at a premium, we are always rushing off to the next big party/night out/important meeting at work. So it is ultra important our skincare routine allows us to be as quick as possible, which is why I thought I would quickly share with you a timeless classic of mine, Lancome Bi-Facil eye make up remover.

Coming in at about £17 for 125ml it's not the cheapest one on the market, but it is in mu opinion the best. A quick shake mixes the contents, and only a small amount is needed to sweep over the eyes. I recommend leaving the cotton pads on your eyelids for about ten seconds to allow the product to work, and then gently sweep away in an upward motion.

Removes all traces of eye make up, including stubborn waterproof mascara. It is kind to eyes, with no stinging felt afterwards, and leaves the skin feeling fresh and smooth.

A definite quick win, to what can sometimes be a long struggle in front of the mirror scrubbing off that beautiful eye make up. When time is precious, this product is one you cannot afford to be without.

Look out for our special Valentines day blog coming soon and stay beautiful!

Stace x

1st February 2011

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas break. My first review of 2011 is for the new product from Liz Earle 'Energising body lotion'. With the wonderful selling angle of make using this cream your New Year's resolution, which personally I love, and launching in January when, let's face it, everyone needs a good pick me up, this product cannot fail to be a success, but is it actually any good?

I am pretty set in my ways with body lotion. It is the one area I would rather scrimp on, I use so much, surely a cheap high street store own brand does the same job? Well...Liz Earle may have just converted me there...

I have used the energising body wash in the past and I really like the uplifting scent, so smell wise I was already won over. I was amazed at how little you actually have to use to gain coverage, and the cream sinks in quickly, and does not leave skin feeling sticky for hours after like some other brands.

The cream claims to leave skin feeling smoother, firmer and toned. A lot of promises! My skin was smoother, and it appeared to look firmer, so definitely one to use before the next poolside holiday!

At £16.50 this does come in rather higher than some cheaper brands, but a little goes a long way, and I think this tube could last out the month easily.

Will this form part of my New Year's resolutions? Judging on how silky my upper arms feel after testing the product, it might well do. Well done Liz Earle, you have done it again! And beaten the blues on an otherwise depressing month.

We would love to know what you think of the latest edition to Liz Earle's range, let us know at info@beautyu.co.uk

Stay Beautiful!

Stace x

7th January 2011

Blissful time

Blissful time

Everybody deserves some ‘me’ time especially when daily hassles leave us drained and stressed out. Last Thursday, both of us experienced the most fantastic Continental facial. The main difference between this and other facials lays in the technique of the face, shoulder and neck massage. The whole experience lasted an amazing hour and a half and left us both feeling blissful for the whole weekend!

We’re aware that not everybody can find time or the budget for a session in a professional salon. However, there is no reason to stop you from taking the time to enjoy yourself. There are just a few steps to get you into that blissful state!

Simply, plan to spend 40 minutes on pampering yourself. Lock yourself in the bathroom, light some candles and run a bubble bath. While the bath is filling with water you cleanse, tone, exfoliate and tone your face again. As you cleanse and exfoliate make sure that you use circular movements that start from your neck upwards avoiding eye area.

Once your face is ready for a quiet pampering, choose a mask you like the most or one that your skin seems to need at that moment. Once you layer it evenly, soak two cotton pads in your toner and place it carefully on the edge of your bath tub. Get into the bath and once you make yourself comfortable, place the cotton pads one on each eye and relax. Fifteen minutes later you will feel relaxed and ready to take the mask off. To do so, take a little face sponge or a muslin cloth, rinse with warm lurk water. When the mask is off, tone before applying moisturiser.

Now you’re relaxed and ready to face the world outside the bathroom! Stay beautiful!

Mags & Stace xx

21 February 2010

A little Valentine je ne sais quoi...

A little Valentine je ne sais quoi...

Happy Valentines day! Here at Beautiful You we believe that beauty is about how you feel, and sometimes it is just nice to pamper yourself and make yourself beautiful just for you! So whether you are spending the day with your loved one or on your own, make it a day about Beautiful You!

Here are just a few things we will be doing to make us feel truly beautiful:

*Soaking in the bath with our favourite candles burning, we love Diptyque Figuier scented candle.

*Wash with the gorgeous smelling Exotic Frangipani Monoi bath and shower cream from Elemis.

*We will be covering our body in Body Shop Nutmeg and Vanilla Hi-Glimmer body glaze, which naturally shimmers in the light and smells sensational.

*Spritzing our perfume of the moment, Estee Lauder Sensuous.

*Lightly covering face, neck and chest with Laguna bronzer from Nars, with a slight glitter to the bronzer it keeps you glowing for hours after application.

*Using Boots No7 Liplicious Marshmallow flavour to make our lips ultra kissable!

*Using the amazing Laura Mercier eye pencil and Lancome mascara, even if we aren't leaving the house.

Have a great Valentines day, and make yourself beautiful for you and no one else! We promise all these things will make you feel on top of the world, and if you do have a special someone then they will definitely notice!

If you're new to Beautiful You, find our old posts in the season section, follow us on Twitter to find out about up to the minute beautiful news and let us know what you think!

Look out in the coming weeks for more in depth information about eyelash perming and eyebrow tinting and shaping, and meet out in-house beauty expert Jess!

Stay Beautiful!

Stace & Mags x

13th February 2010

10 days perfect skin routine tips for Valentine's Day romance

Perfect skin in 10 days for Valentine's Day romance

Winter lasted for so long that a thought of upcoming Valentine’s Day fills us with happiness. It’s time when many think of romance. Whether you plan to spend the day with someone special or make plans for yourself, you will like to have a sexy skin for Valentine’s Day. There are just a few steps to perfect skin and you can make it on time for that perfect day!

Face

• Every day routine (morning and night) includes cleansing, toning, using non-abrasive exfoliation (daily scrubs or tri-enzyme wash), toning again, serum or oil (oil preferably at night), and moisturising. We won’t go into more depths of the daily routine but today we'll focus on the tips for any imperfections.

Tips that can help to boost your routine and make your skin look glowing!

• Exfoliate:

Twice weekly use a face scrub to take off any dead skin and impurities that make your skin look dull and unhealthy, and may create spots. Use scrub that best suits your skin type. One of our favourites is Gentle Face Exfoliator by Liz Earle. Smells fantastically fresh! Keep exfoliating and you’ll see the amazing results in your skin!

• Masks:

We’ve never believed in the power of facial masks until we used one! Facial masks can make wonders and are able to take years off your skin! Choose a mask that is suitable for your skin type (combination/oily skin – purifying mask, dry skin – moisturising, mature skin – lifting, ect.). The results will give you a beautiful look and the more you use masks the better the results.

If you have Elemis’ Pro-Collagen Quartz Lift Mask, use it for 10 days as a night cream and your skin will be lifted, plumped and beautiful with fine lines reduced! For misbehaving skin, like ours, use a clay mask (our fav is Decleor’s Instant Purifying Mask) every night but only on the spot area. The spot is gone (or diminished) in the morning and you’re ready to face the world again!

Body

• Exfoliate:

Your body, as your face, needs exfoliating, as well. Use body scrub (which is harsher than a face one) twice or even three times a week during your shower. That will help your body to shed the dead skin and bring out the healthy look.

• Moisturise:

A good body lotion is another tool in your arsenal to moisturize the skin and give it a plump, smooth texture. There are a number of quality lotions on the market. The one we use at present is L’Occitane’s Shea Body Lotion, which fabulously moisturises the skin.Apply your cream or lotion to slightly damp skin and it will help lock in the moisture and make your skin silky smooth ready for the loving touch.

Enjoy your sexy skin on Valentine’s Day and every day afterwards! Stay Beautiful!

Stace & Mags xx

5 February, 2010

Winter-proof your skin!

Winter-proof your skin!

Harsh winds and freezing temperatures can only signal one thing - dry, flaky, chapped-skin season. At Beautiful You we don't allow the cold weather to chap and chafe you. Below are our winter skin survival secrets :

1. Swap your lotion or foaming cleanser with a creamy, richer cleanser that will help nourish and balance your skin. During the winter months I use the luxurious creamy Pro-Radiance Cleanser by Elemis. Its rich consistency leaves my skin supple and clean, ready for another step.

2. Exfoliation will buff away the dead cells that might otherwise dull the complexion. It also stimulates cell production. Don't overdo it, though. Over-enthusiastic scrubbing can undermine the skin's barrier function. I tend to exfoliate twice weekly; however, in the winter months, I like to use the Tri-enzyme Facial Wash, which enhances the non-abrasive exfoliation process and replenishes moisture.

3. Layer your skin with hydrating serum or oil under your moisturiser. That will allow the moisture to penetrate deep into the cells, nourishing the skin.

4. Don't let the winter gloom deceive you! Even though you can't see or feel the rays of sunshine on your skin, the UV rays that can cause lines and wrinkles are in the atmosphere all year long. If you are concerned about premature ageing, invest in a sunscreen or UV filter that you can layer on top of your moisturiser. Remember, for better protection re-apply during the day.

5. Central heating in your home or office is also causing your skin to feel dehydrated. You can counteract the drying effects by placing a bowl of water near the radiator to put more moisture back into the air.

6. Remember about your lips! During the cold months not only your skin suffers. Lips also need looking after to ensure they stay super-smooth. To de-flake dry lips, massage with a gentle exfoliator than rinse off. Put on a good lip balm morning and night, and keep that routine every day to avoid the horrible look of chapped and sore lips that often misrepresent these cold but beautiful winter months.

We're hoping that the above tips are going to help you survive the remaining winter months. Remember to be positive and stay beautiful!

Stace & Mags X

1st February 2010

Feet First

Feet First

We're not getting our feet out to put in Christmas party shoes, and we're not getting them ready for the beach, so why are we talking about pedicures in January? Well at Beautyu we think beauty should be about how you feel, and nothing makes you feel more beautiful than pampered feet! So here is out step by step guide to the at home pedicure.

1. Soak your feet in lukewarm water for twenty minutes. I tend to add my fave bath milk to the water. At the moment I just love Elemis skin nourishing milk bath.

2. Next use a foot scrub to massage away rough skin. Liz Earle foot scrub is perfect for this and leaves a lovely peppermint smell.

3. Towel dry the feet and use a foot file to smooth away any dead skin.

4. Cut the toe nails and file the nails straight across to get rid of any jagged edges.

5. Using toe separators, paint the colour of your choice in strokes away from your body over your toe nails, careful not to apply too much. Leave to dry and repeat. For my manicure I have chosen to use OPI Bogota Blackberry. Pick your favourite colour on the OPI website.

6. Final step once the nails are dry is to smother your feet in foot cream and place a special pair of moisturising socks on to ensure feet are soft and smooth. Two of my favourite creams are OPI callus softener and Liz Earle foot repair cream.

Your feet are now gorgeous and ready to go...no where! It makes us feel beautiful by pampering our feet and having lovely colours neatly painted on our toe nails. Try it, it's guaranteed to put a smile on your face this January!

Remember, you can view all our old posts by going to Seasons, and selecting the season for the post you want to see.

Stay Beautiful!

Stace & Mags x

New Year's Resolutions...

New Year’s Resolutions…

As the New Year begins and we are all looking forward to the year ahead and making resolutions we thought we would bring you our beauty New Year’s Resolutions for 2010.

Stace

I have started 2010 with a detox diet, which has inspired me to start every day with hot water and lemon as it really adds a zing to my morning. I am getting married this year so it’s important for me to find a good skincare routine and really stick to it. My New Year’s resolutions for 2010 are:

• Try out new make-up looks. I often get stuck in the same routine, and once a week I am going to try one of the many products I have in my make-up bag that normally gathers dust, or try out a new look. My Bobbi Brown make-up manual has already helped me to take a new approach to applying eye liner.
• Look after my feet. After Christmas presents included many pedicure products, I plan to at least once a week spend time on my feet so they are perfect for the Summer!
• Lipstick! Since the cold weather I have been using lip glosses, Vaseline and other lip moisturising products and I really miss my lipstick so I plan to buy a new colour and start wearing colour on my lips again.

Mags

My three New Year's resolutions, even though I try not to make any, since usually I fail to make them last longer than a couple of months, are:

• Have 'me' time once a week. I try to make Thursday evenings just for myself. Run a nice bath, put a mask on and celebrate the hour of being relaxed and unwind after almost full week of work.
• That follows exfoliate! And I mean full body and face. Exfoliation keeps your body/face looking younger and helps the moisturiser to sink in quicker.
• Last but not least is moisturising. Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise! I already have a very good facial regime where I cleanse, tone and moisturise twice daily; however, especially in that cold weather it's good to keep moisturising even more. It’s a treat for the face, body and mind!

Let us know your beauty resolutions for 2010 and remember, Stay Beautiful!

Stace & Mags x

12th Jan 2010

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!
Hope you all had a great Christmas and Happy New Year! We saw in the New Year in the mountains of Poland, and now have come back armed with ideas for the new year, and in particular how to care for our skin in the cold temperatures we are experiencing.

We thought we would spend a few moments looking forward to 2010 and giving you our top three make up and skin care predictions for the year ahead.

Make-up

• Natural eye colour - Next year we think that eye colours are going to be taken from nature, with browns and greens being the popular colours. These earthy colours cross through all seasons and can be used for everyday or going for more golden browns for parties. Nars stock a great range of different earthy tones. As always, layering to acheive the best look to suit the occasion.


• Nude lips - Last year it was bright reds, but this year we think that nude lipsticks, pales pinks etc will be big.


• Highlighted cheeks - This year we think making the most out of your cheek bones will be what we are all doing. Whether it's to get that 'Just got in from the cold' look, or the 'just came back from a really hot holiday' 2010 is going to be about working those cheek bones. Check out some of Bobbi Brown's new colours which are perfect for giving the cheeks a lift.

Skincare

• Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser by Elemis - This year Elemis is celebrating its 20th anniversary of excellence. Being the UK skincare leader for two decades, Elemis is introducing a new way to remove make-up and grime, revealing a more radiant-looking complexion with its new Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser. This luxurious rich cream formula, fragranced with sweet Brazilian orange, lavender, ylang ylang and patchouli, purifies and richly moisturises dehydrated skin. It's also enriched with plant extracts and high levels of anti-oxidants. This product is not available until February this year; however, it has already received some excellent reviews since it’s been sold out in the early December on QVC.
  
• Regenerating Aroma Night Cream by Decléor - Another new product from the French range is getting rave reviews. This new Regenerating Aroma Night Cream works while you sleep. When the skin is stressed during the day it needs replenishing during the night. Containing the exceptional power of nocturnal flowers such as black orchid, evening primrose and Euglena, this cream restores vitality and energy to the skin whilst working on the appearance of lines and wrinkles. For greater results I use three drops of Aromessence Neroli before applying the night cream. I wake up to a smooth and less stressed skin.
  
• Beauty Sleep... - Hours of partying over Christmas season and New Year’s means that we were getting to bed later than usual, however beauty sleep is an irreplaceable part of skincare. After a good night’s rest, wrinkles and furrows are ironed out and skin absorbs moisture and nutrients, so now after all that partying try to make sure you get as much sleep as possible.

Happy New Year and Stay Beautiful!

Stace & Mags x

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Hope you are all enjoying the festive season, and having fun experimenting with lots of different skin and make-up techniques.

We thought we would bring you our top five things to take with you in your handbag, whether you are staying at friends and relatives for Christmas, or out and about in the festive season:

* Vaseline
A must for the cold weather, protecting the lips, and can be used on dry skin on the face/hands anywhere. And so cheap and small for a handbag must have!

* Dry Shampoo
If you are staying away, you may not have time to wash your hair, and central heating can play havoc with your hair do. Spray a bit of dry shampoo, (James Brown is a good make) and your ready to go!

* Face mask
The alcohol consumed at Christmas can dehydrate the skin very quickly. A travel sized face mask will bring your skin back to live the day after. If you don't have time to leave it on for the suggested amount of time, use it as a face wash instead.

* Versatile moisturiser
Something that can be used on face, hands, legs. Travel size miniatures from any of the brands are perfect for this - I save my Liz Earle samples throughout the year to take away with me.

*Mascara
You may not have room for all your make-up or time to spend slaving over your face when the turkey is cooking and potatoes are boiling over, but a quick stroke of mascara will instantly glam up any look.

Merry Christmas to you all and Stay Beautiful during the festive season!

Stace & Mags x

Body Shop make up party

Body Shop make-up party

A few weeks ago we hosted a Body Shop make-up party. This was a great chance to try out all the make-up products and order some good bargains for Christmas presents.

Couple of highlights:
* Shimmer cubes
Love the spearmint colour, these are amazing value as you get so much in one little cube, and each pot has four cubes, excellent value!
* Eye shimmer
This amazing product brings liquid eye liner to life. When applied over liquid liner, the colour changes from black to a shimmer colour which appears to change in the light - perfect for Christmas parties!
* Lip and cheek stain
This is a great two in one, which makes you look like you have just stepped in from the ski slopes (without having to be cold!). Just kissed lips and bright alive looking cheeks, great for winter chic.
*Brushes
Body Shop brushes are my new make-up must have, they are so soft and glide over the skin.

This party was a great chance to get friends together before Christmas, and we had a great time applying make-up to each other and trying out all the products! Highly recommend a Body Shop at home party!

If you are new to Beautiful You, view our older posts in Seasons, or click on older posts at the bottom of the page, and enjoy!

Stay Beautiful!

Stace & Mags x

Spot the difference

Spot the difference

No one likes to talk about that dreaded S word…but unless you are really lucky, we all get them from time to time. And it always seems to be that really important Christmas party you’ve been waiting for when you wake up in the morning with the biggest, reddest spot ever…There is no miracle cure, but there are things you can do, so hopefully by the evening you will hardly notice it at all!

First things first, I dab a thick layer of whatever clay face mask I have lying around the bathroom, directly onto the spot. Liz Earle Intensive Nourishing mask usually does the trick. I leave this on for as long as I possibly can (half an hour if you have the time).

I then rinse this off with cool water and cleanse with Clinique Anti Blemish clarifying lotion (an absolute life saver if like me you suffer from outbreaks alot…but more of that another week!)

Imagining this is the morning before the big party, I then dab some Liz Earle spot on to the spot. This can be applied throughout the day, even after make up has been applied.

Come the evening, I would apply my foundation as normal, and then use a cover up, such as Laura Mercier secret camouflage (the stars use this for their dodgy looking days too!) and blend with a brush until I can no longer see the spot. Sweep some bronzer over the whole face and your ready to go!

If all else fails, choose a part of the face to over accentuate. (Deep red lips for under the mistletoe encounters??), grab your party shoes, think happy thoughts and have a great time!

Have fun at those Christmas parties this weekend, and Stay Beautiful!

Stace & Mags x

It's all about the eyes!

It's all about the eyes!

Semi permanent eye treatments are all the rage at the moment, I'm a celeb runner up Kim Woodburn famously had her mascara 'tattooed' on before entering the jungle. The treatments are great for holidays when applying and re-applying mascara is just too much like hard work, or for the Christmas party scene when forgetting your mascara is just one disaster too many for those inevitable nights when you leave the office for the pub and stay out all night.

Read on to find out more about these treatments...

* Eye brow tint
Benefits: Adds depth to pale brows, tints grey hairs, matches your hair colour and frames the eye. Perfect if you suffer from almost non existent eyebrows and find yourself constantly drawing them in.

* Eye lash tint
Benefits: Lengthens and thickens lashes, conditions the eye lashes, adds definition to the eyes. This treatment lasts up to 4 weeks, so will cover you right through to the new year!

* Eye lash perm
Benefits: Removes the need for eyelash curlers, opens the eyes. This lasts for 12 weeks, and is one of our faves, no more fiddling around with the eyelash curler, and the opening effect this has on your eyes can also knock the years off! Perfect for this time of year!

(all tints and perms require a patch test)

Our good friend Jess is currently studying all things beautiful at college and is offering these services in the area of Salisbury at a discount rate! Contact us at info@beautyu.co.uk for more information.

Enjoy those Christmas parties, and remember...

Stay Beautiful!

Stace & Mags x

It's Christmas time!

It's Christmas time!

Here at Beautiful You we are feeling the Christmas vibe already! With Christmas decorations going up, Christmas foods all around and many Christmas parties round the corner, we have been busy planning our Christmas party skincare and make up routine.

If you're new to our site, it's simple, we want to talk about all things beautiful! Check out our Autumn posts in the Seasons section, or our top tips at the bottom of the page, and let us know what you think at info@beautyu.co.uk.

Party skincare routine

Before the party
Preparing your skin for that party season you've waited for so long is the key. Remember, the face is your canvas for the make up so it needs to be in its best condition. The three steps of cleansing, toning and moisturising are very important to improve any areas of concern that you have and by sticking to that routine you may say goodbye to the breakouts, blemishes, fine lines and even dark circles. The moisturiser that I use at the moment is Hydra Floral by Decleor; first application made such a difference to my thirst quenching skin. No wonder people say that it ‘provides continuous drip-feed hydration’.

I know Christmas is the most expensive time of the year, but if you have a few spare pennies, it would be great if you could treat yourself to a relaxing, more penetrating and cleansing facial that will make your skin look even better. For range and prices of facials check your local beauty salons.

On the day of the party - two things to remember: sleep and hydration!

You need to remember that adequate amount of sleep before the party (at least 8 hours) will be crucial to you feeling well rested for the big day. In addition, drink plenty of water; this will not only help your complexion by hydrating the skin but also will help your stomach to feel fuller so you won’t eat more than you need, and will help you from getting dehydrated if you by any chance overdo on the mulled wine.

Christmas party eyes

I really like to focus on my eyes at Christmas. This year, Lancome have introduced a version of Hypnose which is called 'Drama' and aims to magnify the lashes by 12 times, it is perfect for extending the lashes for Christmas parties.

Christmas is the time of year to go over the top with everything, so I like to use colours, and sparkles as much as possible. Glam Crystals from Collection 2000 are a must have in my Christmas party handbag, I like to layer some crystals over my eyelid like an eyeshadow before going out, and keep it in my handbag for re-applying more heavily throughout the night. And costing less than a fiver you can afford to get them in more than one colour!

For a more sophisticated party look, I apply a thick layer of Laura Mercier eye liner, smudging it slightly with a thin brush. I then choose a colour that will compliment my eyes. At the moment I love Lancome Colour design 'Best dressed' as it brings out the green in my eyes. I take a small precise eye shadow brush and apply a thin line under my eyeliner to frame the eyes, and then apply small strokes to the eye lid, using very little powder to begin with and building up the colour, adding depth with a darker eye shadow. This look lasts for a whole night of partying, frames the eyes beautifully, and looks amazing in those party photos that are sure to do the rounds in the new year!

Look out over the next week for info on eye treatments from eye brow tints to eye lash perms.

If your heading off to a Christmas party this week, have fun and remember Stay Beautiful!

Stace & Mags x