Facial sceptic? Meet Decléor heaven.

Like lots of women I know, I can count the number of facials I’ve had on one hand. It’s the cost that’s put me off having them more regularly in the past. That, and an inbuilt scepticism that they actually make a real difference to my skin. But I find as I get older - and particularly since becoming a makeup artist – I can really see the effect they can have.

I was recently invited to try out the 75 minute Harmonie Extreme Facial (£50) at The Orchid Retreat in Barnet. Admittedly not a hugely convenient location - unless you happen to live in zone 5 of North London, which I don’t - but I’ve been working hard in recent weeks and decided it was most definitely time to treat myself! 

And what a treat it was! I was placed in the care of Seri for the duration of the treatment. Her manner was professional and friendly throughout and I liked the fact that she humoured my desire to chat for the first ten or so minutes until I was able to relax.

The best thing about the Harmonie Extreme Facial (designed for sensitive skins) is that it begins with a wonderful back, shoulder and neck massage. Seri was careful to adjust the pressure whenever I said it was too much and by the time I rolled over for the facial part I was almost falling asleep I was so relaxed (no mean feat!)

The facial itself involves targeted massage, together with the use of Decléor cleansers, oils and exfoliators. It ends with a 10 minute mask which was freezing cold when applied but didn't stop me drifting off when Seri left the room.

The setting overall was comfortable, with background music the right side of plinky-plonky and at the right level. My only gripe was that the treatment room was noticeably cold when I went in and it was a job to keep warm an hour or so into the treatment, particularly when the mask went on. 

Walking out of the salon I felt quite hazy and could have done with a glass of water (which was never offered) and although I was half expecting it, my hair was very oily which made my shopping trip to Waitrose on the way home a tad embarrassing ;)

Best thing about facials at The Orchid Retreat? Why that'll be the price! £50 for 75 minutes (or £60 for 90 minutes) is pretty bargainous in my opinion and although it's not the most convenient of locations to get to, I'll definitely be going back.

Rating: 9/10
Summary: A fabulously pampery 75 minutes at a recession-friendly price. Book yours today!

The Orchid Retreat website

Harmonie Extreme Facial (£50, 75 Minutes)

See also: Orchid Facial (£60, 90 minutes)

All images courtesy of Decléor.

What's wrong with ageing gracefully?

Fiona Bruce. You know her from the telly (BBC TV presenter for our overseas chums).

She's a looker, right? Well, Fiona sparked quite the debate recently by admitting she dyes her hair. This is principally to avoid falling prey to the ageism which she openly acknowledges is rife within the media and particularly within TV.

Several journalists have praised her for doing this, with some of the more populist papers (cough Daily Mail cough) relishing the opportunity to show what female presenters would look like if they let their grey reign free. A fairly comical and unrealistic portrayal at best.

But the problem I have is not the fact Fiona dyes her hair - we all need a little help every now and then. It's the fact she feels she has to.  Is that the kind of message we want to give the younger generation? That (looking) young is best when we get older? Rather than healthy or vital or energised or empowered?

Helen Mirren doesn't hide her age, but still manages to
look radiant and beautiful (image courtesy of IMDB)

You see, I buy into the whole 'feeling good' raison d'être behind beauty and makeup, not its ability to shave off 10 years. For me the power of makeup stems from the way it makes us feel - its ability to hide signs of tiredness, freshen the skin, make the eyes pop or the lips sing. I'm sure most women will agree when I say that the majority of the time, we wear it because of the effect it has on us, not on others. 

Wouldn't it be wonderful to live in a world where women can still enjoy makeup but also have the freedom of choice to grow old gracefully if they so wish. After all, Gary Lineker does and he went grey years ago.

Your Skin, Only Better

Chantecaille's advertising promotion from 2010, featuring the founder's daughter Olivia (Les Macarons Palette)

Now it would be shameful of me, would it not, to plug certain products pertaining to the brand that has recently hired me as a mobile makeup artist. <Ahem> But I'm going to do it anyway because quite simply, you need to know about this brand and two of its products in particular.

CHANTECAILLE
Chantecaille (pronounced 'Shon-te-cay') is a luxury skincare and cosmetics company founded by Sylvie Chantecaille who was the mastermind behind Estée Lauder's iconic Prescriptives line (who remembers Prescriptive's Custom Blend Foundation?! R.I.P.). 

Chantecaille's mission is to address the causes of skin inflammation which is  "scientifically recognised as the main cause of ageing". As such, is well-known for products containing a "uniquely high concentration of botanicals" (many as high as 90%. Now that's impressive).

Chantecaille's unique fusion of aromatherapy and technology has earned the brand an impressive following and I am proud to declare myself its most recent convert *shakes pom-poms*

Image courtesy of chantecaille.com

Your Skin, Only Better
Back to the two products you need to know about.

Both are foundations. One is a tinted moisturiser called Just Skin. The other is an oil-free, medium to full coverage foundation called Future Skin. Both will leave you with skin you never knew you could possess.

JUST SKIN
Word on the grape-vine is that Chantecaille's Just Skin is David Beckham's go-to tinted moisturiser (presumably for whenever he has TV appearances). I have nothing by way of substantiation for this. I just like to think it's true, because if a guy can wear a tinted moisturiser and get away with it, it must be good (translation: 'invisible').

Just Skin has an SPF of 15 and is made with sodium hyaluronate which helps to seal in the skin's moisture, making it an ideal base in warmer climates. It also boasts ingredients such as honeysuckle (anti-irritant), green tea (antioxidant) and edelweiss (anti-pollution). What's most unusual about Just Skin, however, is that it has a semi-matte finish which is unheard of in a tinted moisturiser.

Just Skin comes in a slick silver and purple striped tube which not only fits brilliantly into your handbag (or 'man bag' if you're Mr. Beckham) but will most definitely earn you some serious stripes amongst your fellow tinted moisturiser buddies! RRP £57.

Image courtesy of chantecaille.com

FUTURE SKIN
This really is the future. Oil-free and made with 60% charged water*, Future Skin is an innovative, light weight gel foundation which feels like nothing you've tried before. It's also something of a paradox. Even though it's oil-free, it leaves a dewy finish?! *applause*

Clever ingredients such as seaweed (to regulate oil production in the skin), arnica (to brighten) and aloe and chamomile (to calm and soothe) can be found in this wonder pot. It is also made with a light-reflective circular pigment which makes it an ideal High Definition foundation (translation: you look amazing close-up!)

I've been wearing Future Skin (shade: Alabaster) on a daily basis for about 3 weeks. What I love most about it is that I find I don't need to touch up my foundation at all during the day (now that is marvellous). RRP £58. 

PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING
Of course it's all very well me telling you all of this....you need to go try them for yourself! 

Chantecaille is available at Space NK, Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Liberty and Fenwick.

For a personal introduction to the range, contact me here: natalie@nataliejamesmakeup.com
...I'd be delighted to introduce you to a brand which is continually raising the bar when it comes to skincare and cosmetics.

* There is a sciency bit here about how the charged water reacts with the ions in your skin to help keep the skin hydrated. I'd tell you but I'd have to kill you, sorry.

Disclaimer: 
The opinions expressed in this post are the author's and have not been endorsed by Chantecaille. All images courtesy of Chantecaille's website. This is not a promotion but merely a celebration of a great brand and innovative cosmetics line.

The Liquid Line-up

Ah, liquid liner. You scary product you. So black(!) and so easy to get wrong.

But, do not fret ladies. Tis' but a matter of finding the right liner for you, together with a little bit of practice (in my opinion, three go's).

Liquid liner is currently available in three different forms:

•  a pen (with a felt-tip end)
•  an inkwell pen (with a thin 'brush' end)
•  a pot (usually requiring the purchase of a separate eye liner brush)

Introducing some of my faves...

For the newbie

1) Rimmel's Glam Eyes Professional Liquid Liner (£5.49)
A bridal client of mine recently confessed to pulling out some of the fibres from the Glam Eyes brush so that she can apply the thinnest of lines (a girl after my own heart). This is a great value liner that lasts all day.

For the Techie

2) Shu Uemura's Liquid Eyeliner Pen (£23 with 1x cartridge)
The best thing about this deft little pen - aside from having a nimble pen that provides buildable thickness - is the fact that it comes with a refillable cartridge (waaaaay cool). I know a Norwegian waitress who swears by this liner (and she is always wearing the best eye flick so it must be good. Extra thin and precise). Refillable cartridge: £11.50.

For the Pro

3) MAC Blacktrack Fluidline (£14.50) has long been a makeup artist staple and long may it continue to be. It never dries out like other gel liners (Bobbi Brown being the worst offender! You have been warned). It has a lovely creamy consistency and is best applied with Bobbi Brown's Ultra Fine Point Eyeliner brush (£22). Best for those who are enamoured with the feline beauty of the classic eye flick and who want to master the technique once and for all (it's the thing I most get requested to teach).

TIP:
To avoid your liquid liner transferring onto the upper part of your lids during the day, be sure to prep the eye area first using either an eye primer or a cream eye shadow:

Recommended:
- Makeup Forever Eye Prime £15.95
- NARS Pro Prime Smudge Proof Eye Shadow Base £18 (pricey but works. Apply a thin veil of eye shadow on top)
- MAC Paint Pots £14.50 - these come in a range of 'nude', skin-toned colours that are the perfect matte base whilst cancelling out redness.
- Shu Uemura Cream Eye Shadow £19 - not cheap but will last you ages plus they come with a subtle shimmer. Favourite shades: 'Pearl Beige' and 'Pearl Ivory'.

Do you have a favourite liquid liner? Let me know in the comment box below!

Happy lining x

LIQUID FOUNDATION. HELP!

The other day an old uni friend emailed me to say...

"Nat! Need urgent foundation advice as mine has run out and just realised Prescriptives stopped selling in the UK in 2010??!!!! My foundation is obviously over 2 years old! Eeek."

RIP. Custom blend was a genius concept.

Her question got me thinking - not about which ones I would recommend (I knew instantly) - but about what a minefield foundation shopping can be. And today, more so than ever.


According to The Beauty Economy report recently published by Raconteur, there has been an "80% increase in UK foundation sales"*. 


I remember a time when I didn't bother with liquid foundation....now it's my go-to makeup staple. What's changed? 

I would hazard a guess that factors contributing to this meteoric rise in sales of liquid foundation might include:

•  The introduction of BB creams to the UK market 
• BB creams have got us reappraising liquid foundation and thinking more about what we put on our faces. It's interesting to see the more established makeup brands react to this with new and improved formulas as well as their own versions of BB creams.
• Shades for darker skin tones
• This has been a long time coming but premium brands such as Lancôme, Chanel and YSL have finally caught up with forerunners MAC, Iman and Sleek. 
• Airbrushing
• Ironically, a heightened awareness of Photoshopped/airbrushed images over recent years has arguably contributed to a desire to learn how to achieve flawless skin 'naturally'. Whilst we all need a little help, thankfully the technology and innovation behind many of today's foundations, means a flawless face is possible.

Suits you Madam. image courtesy of http://thejournalista.wordpress.com

WHY CHOOSING A FOUNDATION IS A BIT LIKE CHOOSING A CAR (bear with me)...


1. First question to ask is 'what is my skin type?' (what petrol do I run on?)
OILY / DRY / COMBINATION / SENSITIVE

• Unsurprisingly, oily skins perform best under a matte finish (e.g. Clinique Stay Matte foundation, NARS Sheer Matte)
• Conversely, dry skins (including more mature skins) are better suited to more hydrating (oilier) foundations (e.g. NARS Sheer Glow, Bobbi Brown Extra-Repair Foundation)
• Combination skin can get away with both types - depends on which texture you prefer the look/feel of? Just watch that T-zone :)
• Sensitive skins will need to do patch tests / check for ingredients and go with foundations they know to be dermatologically sound

Ah yes, but what about COVERAGE?
Once you know your skin type you can quickly determine whether you would prefer a foundation with sheer / medium / full coverage. Unless you're a dancer in the Cirque du Soleil, I'd say most people are suited to a light to medium coverage. If you have severe acne and feel more comfortable with a fuller coverage it's often best to use a medium coverage foundation first, and then go in and conceal any redness/blemishes using a concealer such as Laura Mercier's cult product Secret Camouflage or Bobbi Brown's Creamy Concealer Kit.

2. Next question is 'how do I want my foundation to perform?' (what extra features would I like my car to have?) E.g. Anti-ageing? Firming? Long lasting? Built-in SPF? Built in moisturiser/primer? 


There are soooo many options to choose from. The thing to remember is that once you know your basic foundation need (matte/hydrating etc) you can build from there. 

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk (left) and Fluid Sheer (right)

3. And finally, 'how do I want my skin to look?' (am I a matte black Ferrari girl or a metallic blue Lamborghini girl?)


Illuminating foundations such as Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer Illuminator can be mixed with your regular foundation to give you more of a dewy glow (see also YSL's *NEW* Touche Éclat Foundation). 


If you like a matte finish but want a touch of the 'dewy skin', work with illuminator creams such as MAC Strobe or NARS Orgasm Illuminator. Using your fingertips, press a little of your chosen illuminator cream onto cheekbones and blend well. Illuminators go on top of your foundation and the golden rule is Less is Always More. 


Which foundation have you bought and loved?


* I have emailed NPD - the body responsible for this statistic - to clarify which period the 80% increase refers to

Shellac Nails

This week, I had the pleasure of being given a complimentary Shellac* manicure with Perfect 10 Mobile Beauty.

Founded by award-winning beautician and entrepreneur Claire Aggarwal, Perfect 10 Mobile Beauty brings salon-quality beauty treatments - massage, waxing, nails - into the home (click here for their treatment list and prices).

Claire carried out the treatment herself and was quick, precise and professional. I chose a sophisticated, pale-pink colour, knowing I would probably tire of something too dark or too bright.

During the treatment, Claire explained "Shellac isn't as abrasive as Gelish, which is another type of UV nail gel. The main difference is that Gelish manicures can last 3-4 weeks, whereas Shellac manicures will only last up to 14 days." 

I had a Gelish manicure for my sister's wedding last September and whilst I was completely wowed by the results (a stunning French manicure which remained chip-free for a whole 3 1/2 weeks!) my nails were definitely weaker and more prone to breakages once the manicure had been removed (this could be because the nails have to be buffed prior to Gelish application - whereas they don't with Shellac - or perhaps because I removed the Gelish myself using an acetone nail varnish remover and a file. Always best to pay for removal to limit damage to your nails).

A Shellac manicure with Perfect 10 Mobile Beauty costs £38.50. I had mine done in my office in Covent Garden (a nice way to break up the working day!) but will definitely be booking a home Shellac manicure and pedicure from Perfect 10 before my next holiday!

Playing around with OPI Shatter - looks fab over gold

As a makeup artist, I love experimenting with nail colours and effects. Here are a few of my own manicures from recent months...

The iconic Illamasqua nail

Candy Pink French - a more youthful version of the classic French

Whichever colour you choose, be sure to apply a coat of Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat**. You will not be disappointed.

* A Shellac manicure 'uses a UV light and specially developed polish technology to stay on your nails for at least 14 days. The polish/gel does not chip, scratch, or smudge.' - source: Shellac Nails CND
** See my previous blog post: "5 Beauty Products I would find it very hard to live without"

My top 3 beauty picks for Summer

If you wear liquid foundation, you gotta try this stuff

Hi guys, hope you're all enjoying the lovely warm weather today? (And if you're anything like me, you'll be simultaneously suppressing the very British tendency to complain about it...what's with that?).

Here are 3 products I am loving this Summer...

1. Ginvera's BB Cream (see pic above). If you wear liquid foundation or tinted moisturiser, you simply have to try this product.

I was sent some Ginvera BB cream to try by the lovely people at Janiro.co.uk after they saw me discussing summer foundations on twitter and, in spite of being a BB cream sceptic (how can one product do ALL that), I decided to give it a whirl.  I'm now 3 days in and am quite blown away.

The Ginvera BB cream is part of the Singaporean Ginvera Green Tea skin care range (Harvey Nicks have recently started stocking it which is always a good sign).

I'm naturally quite pale and the cream comes out fairly warm so I was convinced it would look too dark on me, but, after blending it in, the cream seemed to adapt to my skin tone?? I probably wouldn't use it in winter because it does leave my skin ever-so-slightly tanned, but with built-in SPF 30 it's perfect for summer.

You only need the teeniest amount (about the size of a 5p piece). I blend it in with my MAC 188 Small Duo Fibre brush (a dream of a brush if you've never tried it).

Why's Ginvera BB cream so good?
- provides flawless coverage, minimising scaring and fine lines
- oil control properties provide a natural matte finish
- revitalises the skin with essential nutrients
- SPF 30 PA++
- long lasting

Check it out for yourself and let me know what you think! RRP £20.
NB: not for lovers of an über-matte finish and I'd be hesitant to recommend it for brides, but as an everyday base it certainly gets my vote.

2. Next up is St. Tropez's Everyday Gradual Tan for Face (Light/Medium)

I bought this aaaages ago and recently came across it during a bathroom clear out. It's also Wedding Season at the moment and a number of my clients have mentioned they've been using it in the run-up to their wedding.

What's it got going for it? It's cheap-ish (£12.15 if you buy from feelunique.com) and great if the idea of using fake tan on your face fills you with absolute dread. The moisturising gradual tan infused with aloe vera, vitamin E and St. Tropez's innovative Aromaguard™ (which claims to 'eliminate the tell-tale self tan aroma by a minimum of 70%). 

My only bug-bear with it is that it can feel quite greasy on the skin after application (and for as much as the smell is masked, it's not completely hidden Mr. St. Tropez!). I've taken to wearing it at night (so it doesn't annoy me during the day) and the results are stunning: a subtle yet convincing tan.

TIP: If using at night, apply after gentle exfoliation when the skin is squeaky clean. Don't forget to take it down the neck line.

3. Last but by no means least... Shu Uemura's Cream Eye Shadow (Pearl Beige)

Hands up those who avoid wearing eye shadow during the day - and particularly during the summer months - because of the inevitable crease which comes after just 2 hours wear? (I know, such a bore). Well let me introduce you to Shu Uemura's range of cream eye shadows. Makeup artists the world over have been raving about these little beauties for a while now and I can see why. Long-wearing and highly pigmented, these shimmery eye colours provide a wash of colour which will not crease. Perfect when you're in a hurry in the morning and fancy a little something on the eyes instead of the usual mascara-only look.

Available at Space NK, Harvey Nicks, Liberty's, Selfridges and at the Shu Uemura store on Neal Street (Covent Garden). RRP: £19

Are there any products you just can't get enough of this Summer?