Tag Archives: colour

Jun16

Maxfactor make-up secrets.

Posted on by
Maxfactor make-up secrets.

The make-up brand Max Factor have issued a series of tips which will aid you in creating bright and wide awake eyes that scream look at me! The A-list renowned Make up artist, Caroline Barnes has revealed a series of make up secrets, which will in turn give your complexion an n injection of that much needed and extremely flattering colour. The new Max Factor Colour Effect Range is the perfect summer essential that offers a variety of intense shades in the shape of eye shadows, mascaras, lip glosses and liquid eye liners. All of these products offer a fresh take on colour with shades that are perfect for this season.

For best results the eye shadows should be applied to eyes with pre groomed eye brows. The Max Effect Dip In Eye Shadow in Ultra Violet should then be swept across the top lids and smeared all the way up into the socket. You should however avoid extending the eye colour into the outer corners. This particular shadow is priced at £5.99 and can be purchased from beauty counters nationwide

The next shade to apply in order to create those perfect peepers is to apply the Max Effect Trio in Queen Bee, which is priced at £6.49 and can again be obtained from a variety of beauty counters nationwide. The intense green shade should be blended under the lashes in order to create a soft and subtle effect.

To finish off the eyes add a lashing of Max Factor Lash Extension Effect Mascara, which costs a total of £10.99, one coating will define the lashes boasting statement eyes. Add a slick of pretty pink lip-gloss and you are good to go!

Jun11

Couture gets colourful and showcased an array of fantasy shades and hues for s/s 2010.

Posted on by
Couture gets colourful and showcased an array of fantasy shades and hues for s/s 2010.

It seems that it was a competition to see who could the loudest colour arrangements at this season’s Haute Couture shows. The predominant beauty theme paid strong attention to fantasyland style indications, these ranged in style from Aztec to Avatar looks. In terms of colour, hues and shades were revealed to be extremely playful with an almost ‘wonderland’ feel. High fashion house Armani revealed a series of delicate soft pastels, whilst Chanel went for statement neon coral lips. John Paul Gaultier opted for pretty rainbow eyes where as Dior went in a different direction and worked the block colours. High fashion house Valentino went for a more statement look and created a series of unique make-up masks.

Even the hair styles showcased changing levels of colour introductions running through the various model’s locks. Alexis Mabille revealed half-hair wigs whilst Chanel’s extreme larger-than-life hair bows showcased hues of grey and pretty girly pastel extensions were all the rage at Valentino.

The combinations of colours revealed at the Haute Couture shows included statement shiny and radiant navy eyes teamed with hot fiery red lips at Givenchy, these shades in fact revealed a more contemporary look when paired together than they would when worn separately. This season is certainly suggesting that we shouldn’t be afraid to experiment with different hues and shades of colour.


May28

Follow in the footsteps of the A-list and bring the eighties look back to life.

Posted on by
Follow in the footsteps of the A-list and bring the eighties look back to life.

Singer Rihanna, actress Sarah Jessica Parker and the reality TV star turned designer, Nicole Ritchie have all injected a little colour into their make up palettes. This season sees the A-list sporting an eighties style statement purple hue on their eyes, this retro make-up trend has certainly been brought back to life for 2010.

Nicole Ritchie shows us how to work this look for summer by blending a pretty purple hue into her normal smoky eyed look, showing us that purple is the perfect shade for the party season.

The purple shade is a great style for those who have hazel, brown or green eyes as it creates the illusion of a wide awake look by brightening up the whole face and making the eyes really stand out. However don’t worry if you don’t possess eyes that are one of the above shades, there are so many hues of purple it has in fact become a universal shade and will therefore compliment blue eyes as well.

Make up artist to the stars, Ruby Hammer suggests that you should follow these tips in order to create the perfect purple look. Firstly you should begin by patting your choice of purple coloured eye shadow on the eyelids, for best results the formula should then be blended outwards.

To finish the look and in order to create a really dramatic effect, curl the eye lashes and then add a good coating of volumising mascara in a jet black shade.

May28

Pretty in print, work this season’s top trend.

Posted on by
Pretty in print, work this season’s top trend.

With summer fast approaching it’s time to add a little drama to your wardrobe and exotic prints are the perfect way to spice up any look. This season certainly has some great prints to choose from. Work a statement look and team mix and match muted prints in out of the ordinary animal fabrics, make sure these are bold and bright in colour and opt for tribal styles or alternatively you can opt for a more subtle approach and add an embellished sandal with fringe detail to an outfit already in your current wardrobe. Sam Edelman has introduced some must-have gladiator style sandals in leopard print; they are priced at £102 and can be obtained from the online fashion store, My Wardrobe. To finish the look add a statement beaded cuff, wooden and gold enthused style seem to be all the rage on the catwalk. Diane von Furstenberg showcased an array of statement cuffs that truly echo African style, the oversized bands come in an assortment of colours and each has been woven into the band.

Take a little inspiration from this season’s designers, the brand Opening Ceremony have released a gorgeous gathered dress created using a burnt orange and intense blue palette, this is a perfect piece for a lunch date in the city or alternative a holiday abroad. It can be worn with either sandals or alternatively heels to dress the look up. This particular item is available from Harvey Nichols and is priced at £310.

Apr13

Fantasy inspired colour combinations prove to be a big hit for 2010.

Posted on by
Fantasy inspired colour combinations prove to be a big hit for 2010.

The top ten colours to hit the runways this season feature a variety of pantone colours, these fantasy inspired shades include Golden Glow, Chocolate Truffle, Rose Dust, Oyster Gray, Woodbine, Lagoon, Purple Orchid, Lipstick Red, Endive and Living Coral.

All of these enticing shades offer fashionistas the perfect way in which to update and refresh their wardrobes for 2010. These include both inventive takes on essential basics as well as an injection of bold and bright colour, conjuring up images of adventure and far away places. These colours can create a high impact and certainly add life to a tired outfit as well as being a great combination to a variety of neutral shades.

Exotic purple is one such shade that’s creating a stir this season; it’s a vibrant introduction to 2010’s colour palette and one that certainly adds a pop to any outfit. Teamed with Chocolate Truffle shades this is the perfect pairing to a pantone shade that offers plum undertones.

Woodbine is another interesting introduction and offers a completely different take on last seasons neutral green palette, this shade again works well with Chocolate truffle but also Purple Orchid.

Lagoon comes in the shape of an updated turquoise and is the perfect upbeat shade for summer, especially when concerning accessories such as statement jewellery and eye-catching clutches. This pantone colour teams well with Lipstick Red, this darker more intense shade has been seen in many of this seasons make-up palettes and most recently on the Dior catwalks.

Both Golden Glow and Living Coral are another two shades that will guarantee to take you aptly into the summer season.

Apr11

Work this seasons ‘inside out’ look.

Posted on by
Work this seasons ‘inside out’ look.

Recent trends for spring and summer have appeared in the shape of bold up-beat neons and feisty fuchsias contrasted with that of cool corals. This year however sees the introduction of a pretty pastel palette with purple tones taking centre stage. Forget dark plum shades that take inspiration from the gothic look and think subtle lilacs that are perfect for every day wear.

Pretty purples are however quite difficult to wear and overloading the colour can appear over the top, lilac should be kept fresh and just a little should be injected into an outfit in order for this trend to work. Mauve will instantly update a tired ensemble and is the perfect colour addition to the spring and summer wardrobe

You shouldn’t just think about adding a pop of purple to an outfit, introduce this pretty pastelle shade to your make-up too. A cool lilac colour with hints of blue undertones will awaken the eyes and will suit most skintones. A more dramatic and deeper mauve shade is more apt for those with an olive complexion, it can however make eyes appear red and tired if not applied correctly.

Adding a splash of lilac to your make-up palette such as a purple eyeliner or eye shadow teamed with a slick of black liner and mascara is the perfect look for 2010. Versace have already been working this trend on their spring and summer catwalk shows, one rule to keep in mind is to keep the injection of purple to one thing. Either stick to eyes or lips but never both. Dior showcased iris eyelids and bold blood red lips, this is certainly a bold and daring look. To tone this style down or for a daytime look, team dramatic eyes with a clear or nude gloss shade.

A definite combination to avoid is pink blusher as this will create a younger Barbie-like style as pink and purple are too close in tone. A coral cheek colour or even a touch of bronzer is the perfect alternative to pink and these shades will also instantly warm up the complexion.

Mar24

Fashions new fixation.

Posted on by
Fashions new fixation.

First there was the fascination with fake fur in the shape of over the top over and whelming jackets in all styles and colours, then there was the need for a sun kissed glow in the form of fake tan and now, this season we seem to be obsessed with fake hair.

Big wigs certainly have the effect of adding an edge to any outfit in an over the top dramatic way and there appears to be three general types of this ‘new’ hair.  Firstly there is the blunt sharply cut fringes aptly named ‘winges’, then there are the rainbow weaves, which range in colour from shocking pink to aqua turquoise.  The final style appears in the shape of the low-slung plait; this can usually be achieved by attaching a ready made plaited extension to the base of your hair.

The fresh and innovative hairpieces offered at 2010’s catwalk shows are certainly different from anything seen before.  Instead of opting for extensions that match your true colour perfectly and in turn give the illusion of natural flowing locks, the new extensions can be as far from your real hair shade as possible.  Think vibrant pink combined with platinum blonde or deep turquoise on brunette shades.

Louis Vuitton showcased some real show stopping Afro wigs almost resembling the style of poodle’s hair whilst miu miu went for low-slung plaits fastened at the nape of the neck.  A real talking point was the structured wigs created by the stylists at Alexander McQueen; hair has certainly become a fashion statement.  

The amount of work that goes into this season’s hair pieces can take months of labour, the afro wigs created by Guido for Louis Vuitton took four weeks to sew together.  Hair is certainly the accessories of the moment and should be worn as a statement lipstick or embellished cuff would be worn.

Mar12

Beauty notes for March 2010.

Posted on by
Beauty notes for March 2010.

Chanel Coco Rouge Lip Colour

If you are thinking of reassessing your make up bag for this season make sure you add a statement lipstick to your beauty shopping list.  Lipstick is a powerful make up tool and has the ability to instantly update a look.  Whether you opt for a seductive rouge or a pretty pastel pink shade, applying colour to the lips has the effect of awakening the face.

Chanel’s beauty advisor goes by the name of Peter Philips and is the man behind this season’s obsession with lipstick.  He has created a line of new and exciting shades for the brand, each shade boasts to suit all and they are extremely easy to apply.  The no fuss range is entitled Rouge Coco and each one is priced at £21.  A few of the best selling colours include Rouge Coco in Cambon which comes in the shape of a hot pink colour, Rouge Noir which is more seductive and is a rich purple, Paris which is a shade in between the two and Rouge Coco Mademoiselle which offers a classic mid red tone.

Coco Chanel first introduced lip colour in 1954 and it has been a big hit with most girls ever since.  The styles created with this particular make up product has changed drastically however, both big name fashion houses, Prada and Marc Jacobs have all opted for creating the illusion of a cupid’s bow this season.  Models sported a variety of lip stains, each precisely applied to create the illusion of an extremely defined mouth.

This season is showcasing an array of bold statement lip shades and its certainly a must have item for the handbag.

Mar4

Ski-style for 2010

Posted on by
Ski-style for 2010

Ski-Style 2010Whether you are a pro on the slopes or you are just hitting the snow for fun, this season’s skiwear promises attire that is both professionally finished and highly technical and as these garments are being designed by well-known athletes we would expect nothing less! 
The high-tech materials these items are being created in boast to keep the wearers body temperature at a high even on the coldest of days.  Materials such as soft-shell are extremely durable and have a high resistant to water exposure, but at the same time allow for free movement.  Metallic properties and synthetic fibres maintain the body temperature whilst Polartec allows full breathability in the shape of two-way air exchange.
Designs have both been created in clean contemporary cuts as well as more casual styles, with added details such as zippers, logos and buttons.  For a more elegant twist on this seasons ski style, some manufacturers have opted for a high-fashion look in the form of cashmere accessories.
Colour is both daring and bold this season, those taking to the slopes shouldn’t be afraid to clash hot pinks with bright yellows.  The new colours range from burnt oranges and sulphur yellows to storm greys and powerful purples.
As well as this season’s ski attire playing on bold and in your face colour palettes, they are also big on print, with chessboard patterns, geometric shapes, pixel prints, micro images and herringbone adorning either a small area of the garment or the entire surface.  Camouflage and leopard designs have also made an appearance, bringing back an essence of the eighties to the slopes.
Another new addition comes in the shape of ‘Rock Chic’ style and offers garments created in wet-look materials that almost appear leather.  An element of fur added to an ensemble creates a classic look that is also set to be big this season.