Secrets of beauty?

[Foxy]

Have you got any secret of beauty and/or suggestions to give about make-up, cosmetics, style, etc.?

[Grumpy Cat]

I use tea tree oil and rooibos to keep my skin clear.

As for make-up, I don't wear much. When I do wear it, I try to make it look as natural as possible, so I only buy shades close to my natural skin tone.

[jerney]

I don't really wear much make up or use many beauty products either, but I really like bare escentuals mineral make up. Their products are natural (as far as I know) and powdered base, so if your skin is sensitive to make up it's a really good brand to use. I don't wear much foundation, but when I do I absolutely hate the feel of liquid foundation on my skin so I use base escentuals powder foundation and I can't feel it on my face at all like I can with liquid foundation and it looks so much more natural. They also have all kinds of powder bronzers, concealers and such if you want a more "complete" look

[Foxy]

I know this: how to enlarge or reduce the apparent dimension of the eye using make up.

To enlarge

1)Extend the lenght of the eye with the eye-liner.
2)Put a light line between the inferior lashes with a dark crayon (black for an intense look or if you have black lashes, brown for a more natural look).
3)Don't put crayon also inside the inferior line.
4)You can still enlarge the eye using a bit of white crayon inside the inferior line.
5)Open your eye using rimmel to extend your lashes, then model them with with the curler.


Final result:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3019/2715874899_1d270d46e8_o.jpg

http://www.napolisposi.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/maquillaje-novias4.jpg

To reduce the eye (for big and rounding eyes)

1) Draw a sharp line on the superior blink towards the external.
2) Using kajal crayon, draw a line inside the inferior line.
3) Put rimmel only on the superior lashes.

http://woman.doki.it/uploads/2009/07/anne-hathaway-ochi-grandi.jpg

[Fortis in Arduis]

Yeah.

I use the pointed end of a nail file to apply concealer to the inner corner of the eye, where some people like to highlight, near the tear duct, two dots.

Also the outer corners of the eye, two blobs where the skin is pinkish.

I put a line of concealer into the lines made by the lower eye sockets, not all over, just to blend the natural change in tone.

Blend all of this out and carefully powder.

Then I shade the crease lightly with a contouring brown, which works for eyebrow powder as well, just a tiny amount to cover any blue tones and add definition, and a little into the lower lashline, 2/3 of the way out.

Rather than shading the outer corner of the eyelids, I highlight these with concealer, and I shade the inner corner.

This is make up for men; women tend to follow a reverse pattern.

Lastly, I put a bit of concealer on the line of the middle of the top lip.

It looks young and follows a masculine aesthetic. No-one notices, but it's a useful tool for not looking stoned.

[_______]

naturtint multiplier -makes yr hair 3X thicker and reduces breakage by 80%

great if you dye your hair or it is naturally fragile

[Magister Eckhart]

As a man who considers himself respectably masculine and a good representation of men looking for "a keeper", as the parlance of our age would have it, I can give the following basic advice to women looking for style tips, especially concerning cosmetics and general style:

1. Don't wear make-up beyond a simple foundation
2. Don't smoke

Those are very basic, very easy rules to follow as far as I'm concerned. I find women who wear things like eye-liner and lipstick to be very off-putting in their appearance; unfortunately, if you smoke, your features will show it by your early- to mid-20s and stay with you the rest of your life, making use of make-up pretty much necessary if you want to preserve a positive aesthetic. Such features on men is fine; men who age prematurely just look masculine. Women who age prematurely on the other hand...

Now, the key to good style? Subtlety. You're all white women here, so I can be frank: don't dress like a Negress. Avoid large, hoop earrings or flashy bracelets (especially those thin "jelly bracelet" things), don't wear glittery lip-glosses or coloured eye-make-up, and stay away from wearing over-sized heels or leather boots.

Further, tight-fitting jeans that emphasise the movement of your buttocks might make you look like a good target for masturbation fantasies or a one-night stand, but (aside from perverts and whore-mongers) tight-fitting pants and short skirts don't attract anyone.

Another important fashion tip for women is the tactical use of sleeves; especially for fuller-bodied women, the less skin you show in obvious places the more graceful and appealing you become. Even on petite women, however, middriffs, spagetti strings, and halter-tops may get you a lot of attention, but the message you're sending is "good lay" not "good taste".

That's not to say you should all dress like Amish, either - and I'm not calling to bring back the corset or anything like that either. If you want a good core for a fashion that will make for a beautiful woman, the Empire silhouette and Regency-era fashion is a good place to start. Thankfully, more conservative sun-dresses and Empire-styled tops are becoming more wide-spread today, as women want to look less like teenagers from the '90s and more like... well, women.

The best rule to follow, in conclusion is this: if you look in the mirror and what is staring back at you resembles an Italian-American stereotype, a Negress, a Hispanic, or a teenager, you're doing it wrong. If I may quote the bard,

"Costly thy habit as thy purse may buy
But not express'd in fancy; rich, not gaudy
For apparel oft proclaims the man"

[_______]

As a man who considers himself respectably masculine and a good representation of men looking for "a keeper", as the parlance of our age would have it, I can give the following basic advice to women looking for style tips, especially concerning cosmetics and general style:

1. Don't wear make-up beyond a simple foundation
2. Don't smoke

Those are very basic, very easy rules to follow as far as I'm concerned. I find women who wear things like eye-liner and lipstick to be very off-putting in their appearance; unfortunately, if you smoke, your features will show it by your early- to mid-20s and stay with you the rest of your life, making use of make-up pretty much necessary if you want to preserve a positive aesthetic. Such features on men is fine; men who age prematurely just look masculine. Women who age prematurely on the other hand...

Now, the key to good style? Subtlety. You're all white women here, so I can be frank: don't dress like a Negress. Avoid large, hoop earrings or flashy bracelets (especially those thin "jelly bracelet" things), don't wear glittery lip-glosses or coloured eye-make-up, and stay away from wearing over-sized heels or leather boots.

Further, tight-fitting jeans that emphasise the movement of your buttocks might make you look like a good target for masturbation fantasies or a one-night stand, but (aside from perverts and whore-mongers) tight-fitting pants and short skirts don't attract anyone.

Another important fashion tip for women is the tactical use of sleeves; especially for fuller-bodied women, the less skin you show in obvious places the more graceful and appealing you become. Even on petite women, however, middriffs, spagetti strings, and halter-tops may get you a lot of attention, but the message you're sending is "good lay" not "good taste".

That's not to say you should all dress like Amish, either - and I'm not calling to bring back the corset or anything like that either. If you want a good core for a fashion that will make for a beautiful woman, the Empire silhouette and Regency-era fashion is a good place to start. Thankfully, more conservative sun-dresses and Empire-styled tops are becoming more wide-spread today, as women want to look less like teenagers from the '90s and more like... well, women.

The best rule to follow, in conclusion is this: if you look in the mirror and what is staring back at you resembles an Italian-American stereotype, a Negress, a Hispanic, or a teenager, you're doing it wrong. If I may quote the bard,

"Costly thy habit as thy purse may buy
But not express'd in fancy; rich, not gaudy
For apparel oft proclaims the man"

LMAO :D

[larali]

OMG, I just started using retinol. I thought it was a gimmick but I bought some because it was on sale. I thought I had makeup on but I didn't! The stuff does wonders!!

[Sally]

and stay away from wearing over-sized heels or leather boots.


Why are leather boots to be avoided, Magister Eckhart?

[Star Valley]

Always wash your makeup off before you go to bed :)

[ikki]

Have you got any secret of beauty and/or suggestions to give about make-up, cosmetics, style, etc.?

something i discovered by chance.

decided to be a good housekeeper and make some lemon-juice. essentially peeling lemons (lol) and boiling those then with some citric acid. Sugar added too.

Anyways, peeling lemons is awfully messy. So was all covered in lemon quite quickly, and decided to do the rest of the work naked. Once done, i realised the only part not covered in lemon was my back and hair.... and took the remains and smeared those in aswell.

Quite pleasant once it dried. No idea if it actually worked as a beauty thing, but got that juice too :p

[Magister Eckhart]

Why are leather boots to be avoided, Magister Eckhart?

They generally (though, admittedly not always) indicate a "sexually liberated" woman. This means they are "sexy" but actually detract from beauty.

I'm rather surprised someone grave-dug this thread.

[Absinthe]

My beauty tips:

- try to sleep well and to get 8hrs of sleep whenever possible (at least 7).

Last week I changed my sleep schedule, I fall to sleep 1hr earlier and at the end of the week acquaintances are staring at me, asking if I did something to my face, if I used some special cream or what not. Face like a baby's buttock :)

- Don't smoke

- Do not drink more that 1 mug of coffee. Do not drink any coffee, if you can bear it.

- Healthy diet and regular exercise

- LOTS of water

- If you have damaged hair, try hair products with shea butter. Worked miracles with my sun-damaged hair

- Devote at least some time to yourself, to take care of your body even at home, say, by putting on a nice moisturiser, have a salt bath, a face mask. This is more of a placebo effect, if you feel you have done something to be beautiful then you will look more beautiful. Plus, devoting time on oneself is a stress-reliever.

- Avoid wearing high heels. If you must wear them, e.g. at the office, carry them with you and switch as soon as you are seated. Wear something comfortable for walking.

[Absinthe]

They generally (though, admittedly not always) indicate a "sexually liberated" woman. This means they are "sexy" but actually detract from beauty.

I'm rather surprised someone grave-dug this thread.
Depends on the boot... The whole winter I wear leather boots that are flat and sturdy, because I work inside a park where there is kilometers of mud and dirt all around my workplace. Those are hardly sexy and suggestive, quite the opposite I might say... :laugh:

There is a difference between this:

http://www.progdevo.com/thigh-high-leather-boots/images%20thigh%20high%20boots/thigh-high-leather-boots2.jpg

...and this:

http://fashionrules.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/fiorentini-baker-buckle-boot-525-barneys1.jpg

:D

[Magister Eckhart]

Depends on the boot... The whole winter I wear leather boots that are flat and sturdy, because I work inside a park where there is kilometers of mud and dirt all around my workplace. Those are hardly sexy and suggestive, quite the opposite I might say... :laugh:

There is a difference between this:

http://www.progdevo.com/thigh-high-leather-boots/images%20thigh%20high%20boots/thigh-high-leather-boots2.jpg

...and this:

http://fashionrules.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/fiorentini-baker-buckle-boot-525-barneys1.jpg

:D

True, but I wouldn't call the latter a matter of fashion. Fashion and functionality, in fact, seem quite opposed to one another.

[Matilda]

wear sunglasses to avoid eye wrinkles

[Boudica]

Some thoughts/tips I've gathered while living :)

1. If you are trying to lose weight and wish to avoid eating more then you should, yet you are hungry, drink plenty of water because it will fill your stomach and suppress your craving for food. Drinking plenty of water will also help you out by flushing your system and getting rid of bad things. :)

2. If you are trying to get your hair to grow longer, take vitamin E pills. Vitamin E pills will make your hair grow much faster and over all make it healthier. STOP using straighteners, curling irons, or any other heated hair styler.. Each time you use one of these it fries and dries the hell out of your hair which helps prevent it from growing. Trust me, since I stopped using straighteners, etc my hair has grown so much faster and felt so much better. If you do use a heated styling product make sure to use heat protectant spray on your hair before you use it.

3. To get rid of a pimple fast, pop the pimple and make sure you get everything out (yes I know gross) if you don't it will just grow back. After you have popped it, rinse cold water on it. After this, (even though it will hurt quite a bit) dab rubbing alcohol on it. Continue to dab the rubbing alcohol on it every couple of hours. The rubbing alcohol will sting quite a bit but it only lasts for a short while, and it will cause the area to turn red but the redness will fade. Rubbing alcohol will dry the area that the pimple was in and it will turn into dead skin and flake off. (your dermatologist would tell you that this is a naughty way to get rid of a pimple :P but it does work for fast riddance)

4. To get rid of puffy eyes there are two things that you can do. You can get a paper towel/rag and rinse cold water on it, and then wrap a piece of ice inside of it, and place it over your eyes which will help reduce the swelling or 'puffiness', ice cold compresses reduce swelling and will gradually rid your eyes of 'puffiness' :). The other option is to use preparation H (yes I know very odd, but it is known to work) and dab it over your eye lids, or under your eyes, wherever the swelling/puffing is occurring (BE SURE to not get it in your eye, if it gets in your eye it will burn terribly and cause irritations). Preparation H contains phenylephrine a vasoconstrictor (shrinks vessels) that some dermatologists claim will constrict capillaries and temporarily reduce dark circles and puffy eyes. However some people report irritation/burning when using it, it all depends on the sensitivity of your skin and it's reaction to it's ingredients as to whether or not it will effect you.

[rhiannon]

Stay out of the sun as much as you can....or go for a shady spot if you must be outside for several hours.
Sunglasses are a must....they make it so you squint less....and get fewer wrinkles later in life
Hydrate your skin regularly....for those of us with Celtic/Germanic ancestry especially, because we are predisposed to dry skin already.

I am happy to say that at the age of 44, I have no wrinkles whatsoever...not even crowsfeet:)

[Morrigan]

1.) Eyelash extensions. Long lashes are very pretty and feminine, but the extensions are expensive to upkeep because you have to get them touched up every few weeks. If you don't want to get the extensions then invest in a non-heavy mascara that would be appropriate for everyday use. A little bit goes a long way, but too much makes your lashes clump together. This is what I used before I started getting extensions: http://sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P267701&categoryId=S10510&shouldPaginate=true

2.) Moisturize daily. Yup, preferable with a moisturizer that contains an SPF.

3.) Wear perfume. Not every perfume is for a night out. There are lighter scents that are appropriate for going to work or a casual get-together.

[Morrigan]

They generally (though, admittedly not always) indicate a "sexually liberated" woman. This means they are "sexy" but actually detract from beauty.

I'm rather surprised someone grave-dug this thread.

I don't care. You'll have to kill me first if you want to take away my harness boots!

[Fortis in Arduis]

I put coconut oil in my hair at night and then rinse it out with conditioner in the morning; no soap required.

It seems to get rid of frizziness and my hair looks and feels healthy.

[Absinthe]

I put coconut oil in my hair at night and then rinse it out with conditioner in the morning; no soap required.

It seems to get rid of frizziness and my hair looks and feels healthy.
What can you recommend for me, friend? I have the exact opposite of frizziness, too much sleekness :p My hair is too thin and dull, it lacks volume and it's straight as leeks...

[Boudica]

What can you recommend for me, friend? I have the exact opposite of frizziness, too much sleekness :p My hair is too thin and dull, it lacks volume and it's straight as leeks...

Vitamin E will help thicken your hair from my experience. But perhaps you should try changing your shampoo/conditioner, it could be the type that you are using that is doing this sleek/flat/thin thing you are talking about to your hair. What type of shampoo,etc you use REALLY effects your hair. I had a problem similar to yours when I used the shampoo/conditioner I used to use. It made my hair look/feel greasy no matter what and it ALWAYS made it frizzy.

I stopped using it, and tried different types, and now my hair is just as I want it to be :). The type of shampoo I think you should try is Pantene Pro-V, it has a "full & thick" collection that I've heard a lot of really good things about and my cousin who has thin hair loves it. O'h and for styling in the mean time you should try Big Sexy Hair's products, their mousse, etc :)

[Absinthe]

Well I have been using some hair products with shea butter in order to reconstruct my sea+sun damaged hair from the summer...

Probably you're right, shea butter adds to the flat effect, but my hair has always been like that. It's too thin, so there's no way it will appear voluminous on its own, unless I use some rollers or something (which I never have time to) :p Thanks for the advice though, I will seek for those products :)

[Boudica]

so there's no way it will appear voluminous on its own, unless I use some rollers or something (which I never have time to) :p Thanks for the advice though, I will seek for those products :)

Well who knows maybe with the right combo, your hair can become voluminous. I know that I for one used to have much thinner hair then I do now, since I've been taking Vitamin E and using the right shampoo/conditioner for my hair it's grown a bit thicker/voluminous. Instead of rollers you should really try using mousse or volumizing gel, I think that Big Sexy Hair has the best products personally :D. Your hair looks great from what I've seen though!

[Queen B]

- Ηair : I recently discovered the solution :p I have tried masks, conditioners, shampoos of any kind to deal with dandruff and (seasonal) hair loss.

I put coconut oil (:thumb001:Fortis in Arduis ), in the roots (It makes it soft and nice, and helps with hair loss and dandruff) and I .... put virgin olive oil in the rest.
I have heard about it, but never think I could do it, I though it was funny.

But my hair are shiny, feel healthier, seem healthier, and are not frizzy

Absinthe, I can't help you, I have the exact opossite hair of yours.

- face: I love cosmetics, tho I don't really put a lot ( I am not so talented with make up) . What I can't live without is La-Roche Posey's ''ceralip'', which is the best lip balm for dry lips EVER.

-Use moistorize cream every day. :)

[Boudica]

Any advice for split/cracked lips? In the winter my lips ALWAYS do this. The corners of my lips split and become a bit chapped. It's terrible, lol. It happens to my mom and sister as well. I don't know why it does this, I don't lick my lips or do anything else that I can think of which would make them do this.. And apparently putting chapstick (carmax) on isn't preventing them from doing this, lol.

[Absinthe]

Try to find a lip balm that contains beeswax, that works miracles!

It doesn't necessarily have to be a lip balm, any general use product containing beeswax would do. I have gotten one from a beekeeper, it's as natural as it gets. It heals everything related to dry, chapped skin, even does miracles for the elbows, and it is also recommended for the nipples of breast feeding women. :)

[Queen B]

Any advice for split/cracked lips? In the winter my lips ALWAYS do this. The corners of my lips split and become a bit chapped. It's terrible, lol. It happens to my mom and sister as well. I don't know why it does this, I don't lick my lips or do anything else that I can think of which would make them do this.. And apparently putting chapstick (carmax) on isn't preventing them from doing this, lol.

The one that I wrote, ''Ceralip'' by La Roch Posey (drugstore brand) its amazing. I have tried any kind of lip balms you can imagine.

Also, I have heard that putting olive oil in your lips at night (like leaving it as a mask) helps, but I don't like olive oil taste (yes :eek:though I m Greek) , so I wouldnt try it , but if you can, go for it...

Exfoliate your lips. There are scrubs you can find in a store, but also natural, like honey+sugar, do miracles.

[Fortis in Arduis]

What can you recommend for me, friend? I have the exact opposite of frizziness, too much sleekness :p My hair is too thin and dull, it lacks volume and it's straight as leeks...

Use the coconut oil at night, to reduce hair fall and to restore the damage from sun, sea and dyeing etc., but, wash it out in the morning with a curl-promoting or volumising conditioner.

If your hair has a natural wave (just bursting to get out) use a curling mousse and dry upside down with a diffuser, and fix with some hair spray.

If your hair is naturally straight, have a consultation with a stylist to determine what sort of arrangement of rollers or curling techniques you could employ on a daily basis.

I think that you would suit a gentle wave, but I would hate to think of you battling with curling tongs every morning.

You could clip in some clip-on synthetic or human hair extensions. They can be very effective, and if you are handy with sewing needles you could design and stitch your own. :)

Actually, I bought some synthetic extensions from a beauty store myself. My hair is almost shoulder length now, but I would like it to be a bit longer and thicker for special occasions. They look natural, but I am going to get them trimmed down a bit when I have my sunlights and usual blunt cut next week.

They make an impact.

If one wants to have hair and lashes like the adverts and the mags one has to use extensions and falsies: FACT! ;)

The extensions look very 17th Century, and totally wild, but just like my hair:

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk294/fortis28/Snapbucket/C4E64959.jpg?t=1323289622

I styled my hair straight this morning before inserting them just now, so they and I look ghastly, but it wouldn't be a first... Once they are trimmed by about four inches... Oh well, it's for you anyway. :)

I have a natural wave and I have found that the John Frieda Frizz Ease curling shampoo and conditioner, serum and mousse work best at bringing out the curls, if I dry with a diffuser and scrunch (on medium settings) but it looks as though volumising and clip-ins are going to be your best options.

[Amapola]

The one that I wrote, ''Ceralip'' by La Roch Posey (drugstore brand) its amazing. I have tried any kind of lip balms you can imagine.

Also, I have heard that putting olive oil in your lips at night (like leaving it as a mask) helps, but I don't like olive oil taste (yes :eek:though I m Greek) , so I wouldnt try it , but if you can, go for it...

Exfoliate your lips. There are scrubs you can find in a store, but also natural, like honey+sugar, do miracles.

I am using the Korres products and they are lovely.

http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P199109

Mine is the quince colour, it looks very subtle. It doesn't smell of quince at all.

[Osweo]

I have the exact opposite of frizziness, too much sleekness :p My hair is too thin and dull, it lacks volume and it's straight as leeks...

What I normally do, is get my hair full of plaster dust, sawdust, grouting mix powder and cement, and leave it to absorb these substances for many days without washing. The results speak for themselves.
http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/4551/20110823214537.jpg

[Queen B]

I am using the Korres products and they are lovely.

http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P199109

Mine is the quince colour, it looks very subtle. It doesn't smell of quince at all.

I have the quince one too! I first bought the pomegrante one, but I realized I am allergic to pomegrande-cosmetics (tested with a liposan too) and took the quince! its nice !!! :)

[Fortis in Arduis]

'Brazilian' keratin blow-dry treatments (£150 in salon), semi-permanents and multi-tonal low-lights, and rollers, rollers, rollers. :(


It makes me want to use chip-pan grease and a paper bag, but this, I believe is the way to hair perfection:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2077837/Kate-Middleton-Duchess-Cambridge-secrets-Chelsea-blow-dry.html


The big question all Kate-watchers are asking is: what has the Duchess of Cambridge done to her hair — and, more importantly, how can we get the look ourselves?

This week, visiting a London homeless shelter with Prince William, she wore a daringly figure-hugging Ralph Lauren sweater dress — but all eyes were on her luxuriant chestnut locks, cascading into big, shiny, bouncy curls worthy of a L’Oreal advert.

The polished style Kate favours, with its loose, subtle movement, even has its own nickname. It’s become known as the Chelsea Blow Dry because it’s the brainchild of Chelsea-based hairdresser Richard Ward, and is favoured by other glossy celebrities such as Elle Macpherson and Kelly Brook.


Glowing: Kate's lustrous locks this week on a visit to a shelter for homeless young people in South London
But Kate’s well-tended locks have been transformed over the years from the pleasant mousey tresses she sported at university to a lustrous mane that is the envy of women the world over. So how has she done it?


More...
Poisoned by their curves: Four women talk candidly about the agonising price they've paid following their breast enlargement
I’ll wear FIVE outfits in one day, reveals style-icon Kate as she prepares for first Christmas at Sandringham
The Richard Ward team has tended the locks of not only Kate but the entire Middleton family, including Pippa and Carole, for years. Here, he tells us how you can recreate the look yourself.

The Cut
The bad news is that unless you have shoulder-blade length hair to begin with, copying the Duchess will take patience.

Richard advises that it is likely to take someone with shoulder-length hair at least five or six months to grow theirs to Kate’s length — shorter layers should also be grown out because the hair needs to be at one length in order to cut in those expensive-looking layers.

‘Long layers are the key to this look,’ he says. ‘They give free-flowing hair lots of movement — if the layers are too short you don’t get that kind of fluidity throughout the cut. Aim for a side-swept, chin-length fringe and then ask your hairdresser to gently graduate longer layers down from there.’

Once you’ve achieved the ‘Kate’, it doesn’t need to be re-cut as often as other styles. ‘It’s proving popular with so many people because you don’t have to cut every six weeks as usual, you can actually get 12 weeks out of this cut,’ says Richard.


Who said gentlemen prefer blondes? Kate's glossy chestnut glow is the shade women want to emulate
‘Ideally you might want a trim every eight weeks — but a word of warning, anything longer than 12 weeks and it will have grown out so much that your hairdresser will have to re-style your hair each time, too.’

The Colour
Gentlemen prefer blondes? Not now it seems, as Kate’s glossy chestnut glow is the shade everyone wants to emulate.

In order to recreate a similar colour to Kate’s natural tone, Richard suggests an organic vegetable colour to give gloss and shine which will gradually fade over time. ‘At the salon we use L’Oreal Symbio and Fuente Organic colour.

These salon professional colours are ultra conditioning and give richness and intensity. The colour ebbs away naturally and you only need to have it re-done every few months,’ he says.

Richard suggests opting for a dark brunette shade with mahogany tones to emulate Kate’s shade. For fuller depth, Richard advises combining a colour gloss treatment with lowlights.

‘Ask your stylist for three different shades of lowlights, one lighter than your natural base colour, one about the same and one slightly darker to create a multi-tonal affect in the same hues. Dying just a few strands of hair in each shade, as opposed to large sections, achieves a more natural look.’


Richard Ward's salon in London's Chelsea
While at 29, the Duchess has youth on her side, Richard says that her signature shade is just as flattering on a more mature woman too, as the combination of semi-permanent colour and lowlights is clever way to hide the impending grey.

Treatments
How does she get that healthy frizz-free sheen? Keratin treatments have long been the secret of well-groomed women who spend serious money on their image. Although the Duchess has never confirmed she’s had one, this intensive treatment totally transforms unruly or frizzy hair.

The procedure has a few different brand names including the ‘permanent blow dry’, but all work on the same principle of restoring sleekness by infusing it with keratin — a natural protein found in the hair.

‘The attraction of Kate’s style is how healthy her hair looks,’ says Richard. ‘It’s also beautifully blow-dried and to recreate this at home would take lots of time. Many people whose hair takes a long time to dry would find a keratin treatment good because it can halve the time it takes to dry and increases the hair’s shine and smoothness.’

A salon-based keratin treatment costs upwards of £150 and takes about two-and-a-half hours depending on the length and thickness of your hair.


Richard Ward, pictured has been cutting the hair of all the Middleton family for many years

It begins with a wash using a special shampoo to open up the hair follicles. The hair is then rough-dried by a stylist and when completely dry, a keratin mixture is applied to the entire head with a small brush and combed through to ensure complete coverage.

About 30 minutes later, the stylist will begin blow-drying the mixture to make it bond with your hair.

When the hair is dried into your usual style with the hairdryer, it is divided into sections and a pair of ultra-hot miniature straighteners are used to seal the product into the hair shaft.

Hair must then be left for three days. It cannot be tied back, got wet or tucked behind your ears as this can ‘kink’ it. After washing at home, three days later, unmanageable hair is transformed into glossy tameable locks with no frizz. The treatment lasts for four months before it washes out.

‘Treatment masks are a good option to keep hair healthy, too,’ says Richard, who advises using an intensive conditioning product every other week.

‘Try a silk protein or overnight mask treatment — damaged hair, split ends or dry-looking hair won’t work for this look.’

Richard Ward makes an overnight treatment mask called Seasons Winter Hydrate Kit (£22) which is applied to dry hair 15 minutes before you go to bed and hydrates hair while you sleep without leaving a residue on the pillow.

Maintenance

Another of Kate’s secrets is consistency — at every event she’s appeared at over the past few months her gleaming hair has looked identical. The Duchess has regular visits to the salon and a hair-care routine aimed at maintaining optimum condition.

Want to steal some of Kate’s shine? Obviously the first place to start is a good quality shampoo and conditioner.

‘I recommend that my clients use Kerastase Satin Range or my own Richard Ward Couture Hair HydraSlim range,’ says Richard. ‘It uses technology which repairs damage in hair so, if you use it regularly, you’ll have healthy shiny hair. Damaged hair is frizzy while Kate’s signature look is smooth.’

And how often should we be washing our locks? ‘Generally fine hair might need washing every day, while thicker hair like Kate’s should be washed every other day,’ says Richard.

‘This look is all about being polished and your hair will not shine and gleam on day three.’


Richard says the most crucial part of Kate’s glossy look is the finishing touch - the blow dry
The blow dry

Perhaps the most crucial part of Kate’s glossy look is the finishing touch — the blow dry. ‘The Chelsea Blow Dry is a free-flowing sophisticated way to wear long hair,’ says Richard.

And the good news is, while Kate makes an appointment with the professionals before a public appearance, you can recreate Kate’s mane at home. Richard guides us through the steps:

1. Make sure you leave yourself enough time, it should take about 45 minutes.

First, thoroughly cleanse and condition your hair. ‘Use the flats of your fingers not your fingertips or nails to massage in the product and encourage increased circulation to the scalp,’ says Richard.

Rinse your hair for two minutes to ensure any product residue is removed — hair will shine if rinsed really well. Lightly towel dry.

2. Now apply styling products. Use some blow dry oil or serum (a blob about the size of a five pence piece) and smooth from mid-length to the ends to give lovely sheen. Spritz a root boosting product evenly on the first two inches of hair only.

3. For the shiniest finish, hair shouldn’t be dripping, but 80 per cent wet when you start blowdrying — you’ll get the best results when you still have moisture in your hair.
‘The main mistake people make is waving a hair dryer at it to rough dry it,’ says Richard. ‘It becomes over-dried and hard to style.’

4. ‘Start blow-drying at the front if you’re doing it at home — that’s the bit others will see,’ he says.
It also means that this most visible part will be wet enough to get the best styling results. If you start at the back, by the time you reach the front, your hair may be dry and more difficult to manage.

5. Dry each section using a round brush, pointing downwards — use the nozzle of the dryer to concentrate heat on the section, but make sure you hold it at least five inches away from the hair.

Don’t wiggle the brush around too much — move the hairdryer and brush down the hair shaft at the same speed and smooth downward. Once each section is dry, roll it up in a medium sized Velcro roller (available from Boots or any salon) and pin to your head.

6. Keep the rollers in while you get dressed (ideally for half an hour) and remove just before you leave the house. Once you’ve taken the rollers out, turn your head upside down and run your fingers through your hair to separate out the curls.

Finishing Touches

To help keep your blow- dried tresses in shape, apply a tiny bit of serum to give shine and define layers, then a light mist of hairspray.

‘Whatever you do, don’t brush your hair!’ says Richard. ‘Simply toss your head the right way again and you’re good to go.’



Another example of how magazine/celeb beauty and grooming is out of reach for most people.

However it would appear that keratin (formaldehyde?!) treatments and low-lights, glossing treatments and blow-drying and rollers are the way to achieve this, if desired.

I discarded the ^ tacky hair extensions, they are not even good for a laugh, and I am going to stick with coconut oil, and 12 week trims and low-lights, but I thought to post the article for those who seek the truth about how to obtain perfect hair:


http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/12/23/article-2077837-0F3A5ABA00000578-363_306x603.jpg

[Amapola]

Has anybody used this?

http://s1.folica.com/img/product/0/003252/main-view/moroccanoil-oil-treatment-three-four-oz-278x278.jpg

My hair already looks nice without extra help (I don't have it dyed and hardly use hairdryer expect in winter) but I heard it works wonders: it helps you untangle your hair easily, your hair gets very menegeable. It provides smoothness, natural shine and controls the frizziness (it doesn't work the same for everybody I suppose). Apparently, it reduces the time of drying as well.

http://thejuicepink.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/textura-aceite-moroccanoil.jpg

http://thejuicepink.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/piel-aceite-moroccanoil.jpg

http://thejuicepink.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/aceite-moroccanoil.jpg

The thing is the access I have to it is very limited: ebay or hairdresser's that work with the firm and God... I am lazy to go asking around.

[Fortis in Arduis]

^ I sometimes use a bit of coconut oil, but I haven't tried argan oil. I read that it comes only from one place, and ethically produced, according to principles that I strongly agree with.


All argan sold today is produced by a women's cooperative that shares the profits among the local women of the Berber tribe. The cooperative has established an ecosystem reforestation project so that the supply of argan oil will not run out and the income that is currently supporting the women will not disappear. The money is providing health care and education to the local women, and supporting the entire community as a whole.[4][unreliable source?]

According to the Department of Water and Forests, Argan oil provides income for 3 million people in the southern part of the kingdom. The oil provides a total of 20 million workdays per year. Its operation is an income-generating activity and has always had a socio-economic function.

The vast majority of the production of argan oil passes through the women's cooperative of Argan oil. A program that focuses on improving the working conditions of rural women economic activities, generating additional income and sustainable management of argan areas in the southwest of Morocco.

Much of the oil displayed in the souks in Morrocco, is adulterated with other, cheaper oils. The pure argan oil, both for cosmetic and edible uses, becomes semi solid at fridge temperature, (approximately 2-4C), the adulterated oil remains liquid but cloudy.[citation needed]

Co-sponsored by the Social Development Agency (SDA) with the support of the European Union, the UCFA (Union des Cooperatives des Femmes de l’Arganeraie) is the largest union of cooperatives for argan in Morocco. It comprises twenty-two cooperatives that are found everywhere in the region (e.g., Coopérative Al Amal, Coopérative Amalou N'Touyag, Coopérative Tissaliwine, Coopérative ArganSense, Coopérative Maouriga). These women come together to be better organized and thus guarantee a fair income through cooperatives, allowing them a better living environment and a dynamic local.

Women cooperatives in Morocco work within a biosphere protected by UNESCO which ensures its protection and reforestation.



http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argan_oil

I'd like to try it. :)

[Queen B]

Has anybody used this?

No, is it that good? Your hair looks very shiny, indeed.
Personally, I tried a lot to have ''shiny'' hair, but the miracle was in my kitchen!

Olive oil!

[Amapola]

No, is it that good? Your hair looks very shiny, indeed.
Personally, I tried a lot to have ''shiny'' hair, but the miracle was in my kitchen!

Olive oil!

I have not tried it yet, but people talk that it works wonders. I am not her in the pic, but my hair tends to look healthy too, it was not very much so when I had it dyed.

I hear about the olive oil recipe! how do you use it? just applying the olive to the hair?

[Fortis in Arduis]

No, is it that good? Your hair looks very shiny, indeed.
Personally, I tried a lot to have ''shiny'' hair, but the miracle was in my kitchen!

Olive oil!

The other two oils to watch are the jojoba and Macadamia nut oils, because they most closely resemble human skin oil, but the argan oil sounds the most exquisite.

I use Bio Oil for my skin sometimes:

http://www.blushingbuyer.co.uk/product_images/Medium/Biooil;Warehouse;Warehouse.jpg

This is supposed to be good for uneven pigmentation and stretch marks and scars.

I'm a fan of oils, because all a moisturiser is, is an emulsion of oil and water and thus oils are better value for money.

Hair serums are often made from silicone and mineral oil based products, which are hardly natural for us, being, I think, of petrochemical origin, even though they look great and are used frequently in salons.

There is a school of thought which suggests that we shouldn't put anything on our skin that we wouldn't eat.

Bio-Oil is mineral oil based, but contains a lot of natural essential oils.

[Queen B]

I have not tried it yet, but people talk that it works wonders. I am not her in the pic, but my hair tends to look healthy too, it was not very much so when I had it dyed.

I hear about the olive oil recipe! how do you use it? just applying the olive to the hair?

Οh, sorry :P

I just apply them in my hair,leaving overnight, or just wrapping with a towel for 15 minutes ... But not in the roots... (I put coconut oil there)...

[Leliana]

Oh god, I feel like a cavewoman reading the debate and considering my own tiny application of usual make-up like eyeshadow and minimal camouflage! And then there's this man Fortis who talks about stuff I've never heard about...and more shockingly, why he's at home in that subject? :eek: As a man, I mean. Jesus Christ! :p

[Fortis in Arduis]

Oh god, I feel like a cavewoman reading the debate and considering my own tiny application of usual make-up like eyeshadow and minimal camouflage! And then there's this man Fortis who talks about stuff I've never heard about...and more shockingly, why he's at home in that subject? :eek: As a man, I mean. Jesus Christ! :p

Yes, I know far too much about it all, but it has been a consistent interest; I used to do theatre make-up before I realised how much I despised actors.

[Amapola]

They are not secrets of beauty but they are a few things I got yesterday on my shopping day:

http://www.lafarmaciaonline.com/comun/productos/foto-prod-2064.jpg
Sensilis Pure perfection, moisturizing mattifying fluid SPF 10.

Moisturizing treatment, specific for combination and oily skin.

I used it just once, last night, so I don't have a verdict ready yet. It looks quite promising for the moment. I got it in my local Chemist's.

As the assistant knew my contition, she said she would give me some "free samples" for the "basket".

And she gave me something like thise, but without the little basket:
http://csimg.mercamania.es/srv/ES/000051402476/T/340x340/C/FFFFFF/url/baby-sebamed-canastilla-rosa.jpg
Body lotion and baby bubble soap bath. :love0031:

Suavinex anti- stretch marks, which is self-explanatory
http://www.pharmabuy.es/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/159888.jpg

And finally, a very comfy pre-mama sporty bra, that you can even sleep with.
http://www.anitacenter.com/sujetadores/images/AC-Fichas-Sujetadores-Embarazada/AMT-5100-Sujetador-de-embarazo.jpg
I am soo happy I bought it, it's simply amazing.

[jerney]

Suavinex anti- stretch marks, which is self-explanatory
http://www.pharmabuy.es/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/159888.jpg

And finally, a very comfy pre-mama sporty bra, that you can even sleep with.
http://www.anitacenter.com/sujetadores/images/AC-Fichas-Sujetadores-Embarazada/AMT-5100-Sujetador-de-embarazo.jpg
I am soo happy I bought it, it's simply amazing.

I don't know if you've heard about it, but apparently cocoa butter is highly recommended for stretch marks :thumb001:, but honestly I've heard if your mother/female family members got them you're inclined to get them as well, no matter how many expensive creams you buy

[Amapola]

I don't know if you've heard about it, but apparently cocoa butter is highly recommended for stretch marks :thumb001:,
:thumb001:


but honestly I've heard if your mother/female family members got them you're inclined to get them as well, no matter how many expensive creams you buy
Yes, in that sense I might be lucky because my mother didn't get them. Let's hope I am the same, I just will do as much as I can to avoid them. I am not sure I am fat enough to start with it though.

[Fortis in Arduis]

I have a burning question.

My hair is naturally wavy, but tends to frizz and sadly, snap, and so has lots of breaks. :(

If I style it with a serum, mousse and a diffuser I have lovely separated curls, but they are still frizzy.


Should I have the f@ckin' Brazilian Keratin Treatment or what???

I am sick of frizzed out damaged looking hair!

It would make my hair straight, but maybe it would help to repair it a bit and stop it looking so cheap and over-processed. :mad:


Hair!!! : No Justice, NO PEACE!!!

:banghead: :rage

[Absinthe]

http://img2.timeinc.net/instyle/images/2008/pf/04/BBH/022008_johnfrieda_a.jpg

My mom uses this, she is very satisfied. She has a lot of hair. Straight, but frizzy and untamed. She fashions a semi-short layered haircut so this product has saved her life (or she would look like a cabbage) :p

[Fortis in Arduis]

http://img2.timeinc.net/instyle/images/2008/pf/04/BBH/022008_johnfrieda_a.jpg

My mom uses this, she is very satisfied. She has a lot of hair. Straight, but frizzy and untamed. She fashions a semi-short layered haircut so this product has saved her life (or she would look like a cabbage) :p

I already use Frizz-Ease and John Frieda's products for curly hair, including the dream curls mousse, and sure enough, if I dry it slowly on medium settings and scrunch I wind up with lovely curls, but STILL my hair breaks and those breaks run from root to tip. I have slightly fine naturally wavy hair, which improves massively with Frizz-Ease and transforms into lovely separated curls, but, this still means that my hair is laden with heavy sticky products and it takes me a lot of time to style it in the morning, and the breaks in my hair are still visible.

I have no idea what has caused my hair to snap so much. :mad:

Short hair makes me look like a monkey, so I have to have long hair.

I would like to know if anyone here has had the Brazilian Keratin Treatment, and how it worked for them, because I see it as the only option now.

If did I want a gentle wave for a special occasion, then I would do an old-fashioned shampoo and set (there is an attachment for hair-dryers which I could pop on my head like a diffuser helmet) and that would be a bit of fun.

I just want nice long thick healthy-looking hair.

Has anyone here tried the Brazilian Keratin Treatment?

37sMVcq4AEM

[Foxy]

My beauty tips:

- try to sleep well and to get 8hrs of sleep whenever possible (at least 7).

Last week I changed my sleep schedule, I fall to sleep 1hr earlier and at the end of the week acquaintances are staring at me, asking if I did something to my face, if I used some special cream or what not. Face like a baby's buttock :)

- Don't smoke

- Do not drink more that 1 mug of coffee. Do not drink any coffee, if you can bear it.

- Healthy diet and regular exercise

- LOTS of water

- If you have damaged hair, try hair products with shea butter. Worked miracles with my sun-damaged hair

- Devote at least some time to yourself, to take care of your body even at home, say, by putting on a nice moisturiser, have a salt bath, a face mask. This is more of a placebo effect, if you feel you have done something to be beautiful then you will look more beautiful. Plus, devoting time on oneself is a stress-reliever.

- Avoid wearing high heels. If you must wear them, e.g. at the office, carry them with you and switch as soon as you are seated. Wear something comfortable for walking.

Yes, quite similar to mine:

- don't smoke (you will avoid: ruined/yellowish teeth, premature wrekles, eye sockets and yellowish nails and fingers)

- don't drink alcool and fizzy drinks, no coke, no fanta, etc. (you will avoid: bloated belly, gaining extra weight)

- balanced healthy diet

- try to walk every day 45-60 minutes (helps to prevent cellulite and to lose weight without much effort)

- draining pills (I admit I use them before summer, while on diet, but only when I commit some excess in the diet)