Monday 29 September 2014

Do You Get What You Pay For?




On Saturday I had an *big neon lights* ABSOLUTE BEAUTY DISASTER.

Yes, it happens to the best of us and yes I've been left reeling from my faux pas.

I was down in Bournemouth, the day after a friend's wedding when I happened upon a threading pop-up in the local shopping centre. The pop up was offering brow threading for just £4 (an absolute bargain compared to the £17 I usually pay at Blink) and top lip for an equally bargainous £5. Naturally, I thought 'why the hell not?' (why the hell indeed?!)

(I should point out that thankfully the mishap happened after the wedding and not before. Lol.)

You see, choosing to get my brows/top lip threaded at this particular pop up wasn't the problem. The therapists seemed well trained and had clearly been doing it for years. The problem lay in the fact I didn't say anything pre-treatment. Big mistake. Huge!



If I look scared it's because I am. Where the hell are my brows?!

'Too thin!' exclaimed the rabbit. (Well he didn't really but very well could have).

So what exactly happened?
The first sign of trouble was that the lady who threaded my brows, lovely as she was, threaded them in absolute record time (we're talking 2 mins max). The second sign of trouble was that she seemed to be taking a heck of a lot off, from both the top and the bottom. (Of course, as I'm lying there I'm thinking 'Hmmm, she seems to be doing this awfully quickly??' but because she was mid-flow I didn't want to say anything. Damn English politeness!). She then gets the scissors out and starts trimming the top.

My. Worst. Nightmare.

Brows 'done' (I'll say!) she then moves onto my upper lip and again, haphazardly works her way across. Closer inspection reveals she didn't do a great job as two days later I can still see patches of downy hair. I have also developed way more spots than I usually get along the area above my top lip which has left me looking rather like someone with a sizeable sugar addiction.

The irony
I could laugh (or cry) because just last week I submitted an article for BOE Magazine (you can check it out here) in which I proposed that well-groomed, fuller brows are fast defining an era in beauty.  Haha. And to top it all off, pre-brow disaster, I reckon I'd finally got to a stage where I was quite proud of my brows. I liked the fact they were bigger than I'd ever let them grow and that I'd finally embraced brow mascara (sniff).

Hindsight's a great thing a b*tch
Here's what I should have said to the threading technician in the pop-up:

"Hi there lovely threading lady! Before you begin working your magic on my brows can I please ask that you do not touch the top? Only the downy, blonde hairs underneath and in between my brows. That would be great. I quite like the shape/thickness they are and would love it if you could just remove the lighter hairs I find difficult to see. Thanks so much!"

It's sad really. I find myself replaying this request in my head on the bus.


Thank God for Sal
Bless my housemate Sal. About a month ago she'd rather excitedly announced that castor oil had been highly recommended to her by her local beauty place for boosting brow and lash growth. She's got a huge bottle of the stuff (organic brand: Pukka, £8.95 for 250ml from feelunique.co.uk) in our bathroom so I've been ceremoniously putting some on morning and night in the hope it will help my brows to grow back at lightning speed (any slower simply won't be quick enough).

Instances where it's possible to enjoy a bargain
Now I'm fully aware there will be ladies and gents out there who have enjoyed expert beauty and grooming services for not much money. In fact, I too have had unbelievably brilliant manicures for just £15. I've also had unbelievably terrible pedicures for obscene amounts! One pedicure sticks in my mind as it was just shy of £50 (i.e. above average for a standard pedi) and within an iconic department store with an almost impeccable reputation. My pedicure was so shoddy I felt compelled to complain the next day. The staff were very apologetic and offered me a deluxe pedi in return which I discovered a month later was just as bad, if not worse than the first! Paying more doesn't always guarantee a better outcome or service but one would hope it would excel that of its high street/market stall counterpart? Otherwise, why bother parting with the extra cash?

A bargain is possible I believe....but only in instances when:
- you know the therapist/makeup artist/hair stylist/barber/beautician personally and trust their work
- the treatment you're having is fool proof (e.g. leg wax). Hair cuts and eye brow waxing/threading is going to be highly visible so you can't afford to 'go cheap' on the off chance.

Is it worth the risk?
If you are thinking of testing out a cheaper service, my top tips are:
- Be prepared to walk away not entirely thrilled with the result (you are paying peanuts after all)
- Do your research. If recommended to you find out the name of the person who performs the treatment.
- Decide ahead of time what you're going to ask for. Be specific, even if you think you're spelling out the obvious, and trust your gut (if you don't think they've listened to you now's your chance to get out!)


First had this chop back in Feb 2014 and I absolutely love it.

Hair
Here is a case in point where it's ALL about the stylist.

I've been having my hair cut by a lady called Sally at the Aveda Institute, Covent Garden since mid-last year. Haircuts at Aveda are now an eye-watering £76 (they've just gone up by £2) for a cut and blow dry with a Senior Stylist. Having tried elsewhere for cheaper and been far less impressed with the results, I'd much rather pay an extra £20-25 and be absolutely delighted with my cut. A haircut is something you wear everyday and for me it can really set the gauge on how I feel. Bad haircut, bad mood. It's as simple as that.

But I'm not paying for the Aveda brand here (although I must admit the head massage at the beginning and the salon itself are both pretty wonderful). If Sally (hairstylist Sally, not housemate Sal) worked at a cheaper salon around the corner I'd follow her there. I'm paying Aveda prices because that's where she works and that's what they charge.

Same too can be said of makeup artists. An artist with a more expensive rate card doesn't necessarily guarantee a better quality of service or skill set.

Do you think you get what you pay for when it comes to beauty and grooming services? Have you had a beauty disaster when you've paid either through the nose or on the cheap? What was it and how did you cope with the aftermath? I'd love to know!

Image credits: 
NARS for Philip Lim 3.1 SS15
Spasalon.com
Pukka
All other images Natalie James Makeup

Friday 12 September 2014

Introducing grooming wondersite: Yes Sir!




It's no secret that I love a bit of male grooming. Take grooming for male TV appearances, for example: How to groom a guy using makeup products but without leaving him looking like he's wearing anything? It can be challenging and that´s why I like it.

Over the years I've been lucky enough to provide professional grooming for fashion shoots, magazines, TV appearances, celebs and everyday gents. What fascinates me as a makeup artist and former marketeer is that the landscape of male grooming is continually evolving. In the UK alone the male skincare market is worth an estimated £600m (source: The Guardian, Sept 2013). £600m!! And if you think about the exploding popularity of beards over the past five or so years...I actually find it odd now when a man´s face isn't partially hidden from view :)

Yes Sir!
One person who is at the very pinnacle of the grooming zeitgeist is Rupa Ganatra (@RupaGanatra), founding partner behind a new grooming wondersite for the modern man, Yes Sir!.

Yes Sir! champions the not-your-run-of-the-mill grooming brands. A Space NK-style eShop for the modern gentleman, beard or no-beard. You gotta check out some of the names of some of the brands...  Scaramouche and Fandango (how brilliant is that), Billy Jealousy and my favourite, Triumph and Disaster.

Gratuitous 'hot grooming pic', courtesy @TomFord (no no Tom...thank YOU).
Ahem, where was I.....yes, grooming!

I was lucky enough to spend an hour with Rupa a couple of weeks ago and was fascinated to hear about the latest mover and shaker products in the male grooming market right now. 

The hugely inspiring Rupa Ganatra, founder of Yes Sir!

Some of the best selling products on Yes Sir! include:
- Beardsley´s Wild Berry Beard Shampoo (£14.95) - the marketing insight behind this clever little invention is that guys dislike washing their beards with regular shampoo because it doesn´t taste nice. Genius.
- Captain Fawcett´s Moustache Wax (£9) which comes in three scents: Sandalwood, Ylang Ylang and Lavender. I was surprised to hear that Sandalwood is the most popular of the three which is curious as it means gents must err more towards a traditional ´old school´ fragrance (grooming brands take note).

I asked Rupa what she thought the big grooming trends of the future will be. She said that brows will probably feature quite heavily (a brow gel perhaps? Or perhaps an increase in popularlity of threading services for men?). She also said a brand called Mazorin featured on Yes Sir! is gaining noteriety because of its business-focussed products (you should have SEEN the excitement on my face). One of their executive care products bears the title ´Working Late Eye Serum´ (£21) and is a tipped as a ´must-have eye roll-on´ for those who ´work hard and play harder´.

Another interesting example is Recipe for Men´s´Energizing Bronze Cream´ (£30) which gives the skin ´a hint of colour for fresh and healthy looking skin´. Check out too the Recipe for Men Concealer Pen (£17, comes in two shades) which promises ´a creamy and caring liquid concealer with vitamin E´. Male concealers are regularly shunned by male friends of mine but I secretly wonder how many of them might be tempted to try one out (nothing ventured...).

Makeup for men will always spark a controversial debate but when looking purely at the principle that says that health is imbued through the skin, if our gents are working hard, just as we are, why shouldn´t they have a little helping hand? In business, good skin, teeth, nails, hair...it´s all part and parcel of presenting a complete package that confidently says "I am the best person for the job. You can trust me. I look after myself." For me a man is no less a man if he chooses to use a moisturiser, a face scrub or even a light concealer. It shows he cares about his appearance and that can be incredibly attractive.



Hold the phones: Get a FREE wet shave or beard trim with Yes Sir! at their pop up shop in Marylebone. 18th - 20th September, 2014

From Thursday 18th until Saturday 20th September Yes Sir! will be launching the world's first social media pop-up barbers in the heart of Marylebone (23 George Street). To enjoy your free wet shave or beard trim all you have to do is post to Facebook, twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #SHAVEMESIR. What's not to love! Hell, I wish I had a beard to trim!! I wonder if they do legs? (lolz).

Friday 5 September 2014

Chantecaille's Detox Clay Mask





I've had a sample of this for a while now and seeing as it was quite overcast yesterday and I was working from home I thought "perfect excuse to try it out". (For the ten minutes I had it on I was secretly hoping the doorbell would ring so I could scare the bejeezus out of someone... but alas, no one called ;)

Should I use a mask?
Masks are one of those things facialists bang on about (and with good reason) but which seem like an absolute faff. Even though I'm a makeup artist and naturally predisposed to thinking and reading about makeup and skincare all the time, I still have to remind myself it's probably time to do a mask.

Occasionally, I'll try a mask and be so impressed with it that I'll vow to get better at remembering to use it. Chantecaille's Detox Clay Mask is no exception.



The Power Of Plants
At 91% natural this mask must have one of the highest concentrations of botanicals of any mask.

Kaolin - a healing clay - removes excess oil without dryness or irritation whilst rosemary (a natural antibacterial) purifies and honey calms.

How does it work?
The mask works by drawing out impurities from the skin (I have to say I love the idea of this, particularly right now, having spent the past 3 or so months covered in sunscreen).

The first thing you'll notice is that, unlike other clay masks, this one doesn't dry over time so there is no tightness or 'cracking' to put up with.

What you will need:
- a bathroom hair band (mine's Muji)
- some cotton pads (to remove the mask)
- a cotton flannel (to get the last of the mask off - it will stain so use an old flannel if poss)
- a deep sink! (be very careful when you wash this mask off as it can go everywhere)

Takes 15 mins max.

It's on! Yes, I know I look unbelievably marvellous ;)
Freshly applied...starting to tingle a little. I can smell orange (that'll be the 
sweet orange peel essential oil working its magic).
Ten minutes later. Not tight at all.
Rinsed off. My skin feels wonderfully clean (I'm not wearing a scrap of
makeup in this shot by the way).
Well into my 30s and still getting spots, wahey!

I noticed the pores around my nose and on my cheeks were 
significantly smaller after using the mask.

Who's it for?
Great for all skin types, including those with dry and sensitive skins. I'd say it's a wonder product for skins prone to regular or occasional breakouts (I've got dry/occasional break out skin so it's perfect for me).

As with all Chantecaille products the Detox Clay Mask is made with a healing base of pure rosewater (brightening and calming) as well as narcissus, jasmine and mimosa (all anti-inflammatory).

Can we pause a second and admire housemate Sal's new wall clock?!


Chantecaille's Detox Clay Mask costs £70 for 50ml and is available from Space NK, Liberty, Harrods, Fenwick and Harvey Nichols. At a guess I'd say there are a good 20+ masks per pot which equates to just £3.50 per mask. Not bad when you think how pure the ingredients are.

Other masks I love:

For suppleness:
- Dermalogica Age Smart Multivitamin Power Recovery Mask (£28.99 for 75ml, currently on offer at zestbeauty.com) - this amazing-smelling, orange coloured mask infuses the skin with vitamins A, C, E and F increasing elasticity. I love the way my skin feels after this. Great before a boozy night out :)

For hydration:
- Origins Drink Up Intensive ( £23 for 100ml) - an overnight mask best for dehydrated skin.

Do you have a favourite mask? I'd love to know what it is.

Monday 1 September 2014

NAILS!! Part Two

Hello and Welcome to Nat's Nail Bar :)


This is the second of a two-part post on my top tips for nails. To read Part One click here.

NAILS: PART TWO
Here's what I'd like to share with you in Part Two:
- how I care for my nails
- my thoughts on gel / Shellac / Bio Sculpture
- my Little Black Book of unimposing, awesome value nail bars in London! 


Rococo Nail Apparel Essential Nail Oil, £12.50, Space NK

How I care for my nails
Fact: If you're going to wear nail vanish then your nails are going to get dry. Really dry. To compensate for this:
  • Take regular breaks between varnishes: I give my tootsies a long break over the winter, with the occasional paint job if I'm going somewhere posh and wearing open toe sandals. When it comes to your fingernails try and have a 3+ day break every now and then or longer if you're able.
  • Moisturise your hands and nails at night: My dear friend Aim (mother of two boys under 4) laughs whenever I suggest this. She says she falls asleep waaaay before her head hits the pillow. But, if you can remember to do it, use the time you're asleep and not using your hands to replace some of the lost moisture. This is also very important for people who spend a lot of time with their hands in water (like me). 
  • Use a nail/cuticle oil: Some will say any oil will do (olive, sesame, castor). I personally love the smell and texture of almond oil. I've been using Rococo's Essential Nail Oil £12.50 (featured above), on and off for the past year and really notice the difference. How to apply: First, moisturise your hands with some hand cream (my current fave: C.O. Bigelow Quince hand lotion). Really massage it in, then 'paint' a little oil onto each cuticle (do 5 fingers at once), massaging the oil quickly into the nail. Takes 30 seconds to do all 10 fingers, if that.




Should I get gel?
Brides often ask me this question, which makes complete sense given the amount they have to think about before a wedding (last thing they need is a chipped or a bodged nail, right?).

Gelish, Bio Scultpure and Shellac are three popular brands offering a 2-4 week, chip free manicure. Layers of their own patented gel formula (a different chemical composition to regular nail varnish) are hardened under a UV lamp. Most gel manicures need to be removed professionally. This involves coarse filing the top layer to 'open up' the gel, then applying individual 'acetone wraps' (cotton wool drenched in acetone, placed on the nail and then foil wrapped around the finger tip).

3 week Bio Scupture French manicure; Nails Inc, Fenwick Bond Street (£37).


I first dipped my toe into gel manicures three years ago when I opted for a Gelish French manicure at a salon recommended to me in Crouch Hill (I was about to head to my sister's wedding in Australia and wanted something classic). The manicure lasted well into 3 weeks and looked as good on day 21 as it did on day 1, but, nearly three years on, one of my nails (my ring finger, can you blo*dy believe it) is still suffering the consequences.


Yeouch

I never used to have a problem with ridges or splitting pre-Gelish but after I had the product removed I noticed several of my nails were noticeably 'ridged'. Worse than that, the nail on my ring finger (left hand), as it grew, would eventually split vertically towards the edge soon after which I'd have to file it at an odd angle (you get an idea from the blurry photo above).

Three years on and I still have a problem with this one nail (psychological perhaps? I am unmarried, after all ;)

I've asked several nail technicians what I can do about it my splitting nail and none have been able to give me a satisfactory answer, only that I should not wear nail varnish (what....ever??) and to keep massaging oil into the nail (which I've been doing). Hmm.

See biosculpture.co.uk and biosculpture.gel.co.uk

Shellac v Bio Sculpture
Since Gelish I've also tried Shellac (which I didn't love I have to say...a bit bubbly/not as smooth?) and Bio Sculpture which I would highly recommend of the three.

Ingredients-wise, Bio Sculpture seems to consistently come out on top. Unlike other gel formulas Bio Sculpture is acrylic free and also free from other harsh chemicals including 'toluene, formaldehyde and camphor'.  It is also marketed as a 'conditioning gel' that allows the natural nail to breathe (not sure how but sounds good in theory, right?).


Not that kind of black book

Little Black Book
It was my friend, the gorgeous and enigmatic Poppy who first piqued my interest in the Hunt For The Ultimate Nail Salon (a name I just totally made up but it has become a quest I tell you!). You see, Poppy blogs for a living (you can read all about her brilliant daily discoveries here) and whenever we would meet up her nails were nothing short of immaculate. Not long and preened within an inch of their lives (Poppy is, thankfully, not like that)...but short and neat and, well, groomed.

Having always had a steady hand and an eye for detail painting my own nails has never been a problem but there is something about having a manicure that is sooooo relaxing.

I should point out too that the salons I'm about to share with you, in my opinion, completely surpass the posher salons I've visited (which shall remain nameless but let's just say they were at the premium end of the spectrum with their version of a 'deluxe manicure' priced somewhere between £35-£45. Not that the surroundings weren't gorgeous, they were, and I guess that's often what we're paying for, but judging purely on the effectiveness of the manicure, the places below knock the pricier ones out of the park. Just goes to show that more expensive doesn't always mean better).

There are two salons I want to share with you (whoop), one Poppy recommended and one that I discovered all by myself.

NB: I don't offer this information lightly, so brilliant are these two places! But sharing, as we know, is a good deed which must continually be exercised (unless you happen to be sharing 'intimate problems' in which case it's far better to talk to a professional ;)




Nail Salon #1: The Beautiful Nail Studio, 28 Tottenham St, London W1T 4RH.
£15 manicure (30-40 mins), £36 mani-pedi (60+ mins).
Tel: 020 7580 5922

I. JUST. LOVE. THIS. PLACE. It is an absolute find and I'm so glad I took a gamble on it one sunny 
day in March. It isn't glamorous at all, by the way, in fact it can feel very cramped, and is always busy 
but my goodness is it worth the wait. 

Excellent attention to detail and the manicures (in my experience) last ages. I particularly like getting 
manicures from the men who work there. Not because they're guys and I need the male attention (ha) but 
because, I don't know, they just seem to approach manicures in a more businesslike, transaction kind
of a way and I like it. 

If they seem rude when you first go in, don't worry, it was 3 visits before I got my first smile.




Nail Salon #2: Posh Nails, 282 Westbourne Park Road, W11 1EH
£15 manicure (30-40 mins), £35 mani-pedi (60+ mins).
Tel: 020 8960 7272

This is one of Poppy's faves and with good reason. I loved the manicure I had here back in February. Very similar to the Tottenham Street salon, if in slightly plusher surroundings.

My manicure lasted a whole ten days and the nail technician who gave me my manicure spent a reassuringly long period of time on my cuticles (the thing I struggle to do myself and which I use to justify the cost of the treatment).

Do you have a favourite nail bar? I'd love to know which it is!

A note on nails & health:
In writing this post I've come across a number of articles which have exposed the potential dangers associated with UV-A lamps (UVA causes premature ageing). The article I read said that although the risk was very low it's still a risk. The Cancer Society recommends applying SPF to your hands before your manicure to reduce the risk or opting for salons which use LED lamps instead of UVA lamps. For more information click here.

I also read an interesting article written by a 55 year old breast cancer survivor, Janey Hood, who said vitamin C stopped her nails from breaking and splitting: How I Fixed My Broken Split Fingernails Naturally.