TrendLife Beauty

My colleague Roxanne is currently holidaying in vice central, Las Vegas. Whilst Rox is in Sin City, tomorrow evening, I’ll also be on my travels as I pack my bags and make my way to Sun City. I will not however be taking the 12-hour flight to Johannesburg to stay in one’s of South Africa’s most coveted resorts; instead, my destination is right here in the UK. I am going to Brentwood, Essex, made infamous by ‘The Only Way Is Essex’ television series, it is home to key stakeholders in the UK’s £100m self-tanning industry. I thus undertook the necessary self-tan vaccinations for my trip at the Basing-Lawson Travel Clinic in order to pass the strict entry restrictions.

I am a self-confessed tanaholic. Christina Aguilera take note - you may have a genie in yours, but I prefer summer in my bottle. For years I have battled with the bottle; lathering brown sauce onto my bod often resulted in an unsightly tangerine complexion and as a sixth form student at an all boys grammar school; I’d be met with bouts of laughter as I walked into French class looking like a Calippo. The boys and I both knew that England had not experienced an overnight heat wave in mid-November, nor had I returned from a month-long jaunt in the Caribbean. I longed to be a golden goddess, honey-hued and tan-tastic.

Christina’s genie answered my prayers. My wishes came true thanks to the Sunkissed self-tan collection. Sunkissed has the all-important golden touch; providing a natural glow versus the dreaded fence sealer paint look. A natural looking olive-skinned tan can be achieved with the Sunkissed Self-tanning Mousse. Lasting for days on end, its lightweight formula left my skin feeling soft and smooth and importantly, did so without the telltale signs of a false tan.  For times when lastminute.com is both the travel agency and the tick-tock of the beauty clock, Sunkissed Self-Tanning Souffle gives a beautiful shimmering tan in an instant. Indeed, so “revoluTANary” is Sunkissed, that it has been nominated for a Pure Beauty Award under the ‘Best Artificial Tanning Launch’ category. Their Sunkissed Self-Tan ‘How do you apply yours’ youtube video is a funky, feisty and fabulous tan dance, proving that rain dancing is old news.

When I rock up at the launch party of Minnie’s Boutique tomorrow; spreading the word about Sunkissed will be first on the agenda. Come Thursday, the City’s most powerful Traders are sure to have the brand on their lips, and possibly on their hips too if they’re keen to immerse themselves in the booming self-tan culture.

Sunkissed Self-Tan Air Pump Mousse 250ml- £3.99

Sunkissed Self-Tanning Souffle 75ml - £2.99 

Available nationwide in Bodycare, Savers, Semichem and online retailers www.perfumeplusdirect.co.uk, www.fragrancedirect.co.uk and www.littlewoods.co.uk

My good friend Emilio is forever flying the flag for his native Greece. The closest I’ve been to exploring the Greek isles is dining at Cyprianis Restaurant in South Croydon, but with Emilio’s persistent patriotic devotion and promotion of all things Greek, I’ve always been curious to explore the Greek culture for myself. With Croydon’s Greek offering tantalising my tastebuds, Emilio’s dishy Grecian looks acting as eye candy, and a picturesque postcard of the Kefalonian beaches from my godmother sitting on our mantelpiece, its only natural that I experience Greece in the way I know best: beauty.

Greek goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite, is becoming an all too familiar mention on Trend Life, but the gal really does wave her magic wand for me and grant me with some superb gems. Aphrodite and Emilio were born for careers in PR; and as a duo, their consistent plugs of Greece have well and truly won me over.

And with that, I bypassed check-in, baggage control and duty free, and forfeited a holiday to the promised lands, and instead logged on to  www.paparuna.com who offer a range of gorgeously Greek natural olive oil cosmetics from Macrovita and Olivelia. Indeed, the cosmetic properties of olive oil are on the wishlist of girls across the globe as inclusive of intensive cell stimulating, anti-inflamamatory and antibacterial, olive oil also has a moisturizing effect on the human skin.

Macrovita Body Butter is simply divine and applying it after each shower has left my skin luxuriously soft and scented, hydrated, nourished and revitalised. Mummy is in on the Greek act too, as she’s been using the Olivelia Time Repair Cream, a moisturising balm suitable for all skin types which tightens and uplifts her skin, reinforcing defence against ageing. In fact, some say that since DBL’s use of the cream, we look more like sisters. Upon using the Macrovita Active Formula 24 hours face cream, I sided with our beauty critics as its regenerative and anti-wrinkle properties of rice and rice proteins combine with the hydrating properties of cupuaçù oil, sugars, aloe and glycerine, nourishing avocado and revitalising beer yeast to firm slack skin and eliminate thin lines and skin blemishes.

Tired from Emilio running through my mind, the Macrovita Extra Strength Cream helps to fight my signs of exhaustion, whilst also improving skin elasticity and hydrating and nourishing my skin.

All in all my latest Greek acquisition smells and looks absolutely gorgeous, and no Giorgos, I’m not talking about you.

www.paparuna.com

For today’s man, grooming has become a requisite of his daily routine. Indeed, modern manhood is about keeping up appearances. Where men of the ‘90s saw a bi or tri-weekly scrub as a pampering session too far, an unkempt barnet, beard and beer belly is a heinous crime to males of 2k11. Keen to explore the rise and rise of the male beauty industry, I enlisted the help of a male model to put to the test those products touted to be the big boys of male beauty.

A wingman is usually brought in by his pal to help woo a lady. A wingman will pull out all the stops to ensure that his buddy bags the gal. A wingman was thus required by my male model who has had his eye on someone for quite some time. The woman in question? My mother.  Thanks to the Wingman Deodorising Wipes, Adrian won his damsel. Removing dirt, bacteria and excess oil, the wipes also get rid of odours that build up during the day. His recent business trip to Dubai meant that Wingman Deodorising Wipes were a must-have in Adrian’s manbag, and as the Queen of Adrian’s heart stood anxiously waiting at arrivals for their Love Actually moment, the wipes helped to leave his skin cool and refreshed when their embrace left him feeling hot and flustered.

Said Queen has her heart set on a heroic hunk. Valiant and strapping, she longed for Adrian to whisk her off her size seven feet and transport her from Terminal 5 at Heathrow airport to the urban jungle of KT19. Definitive of masculinity, the King of Shaves Azor 5 Razor has proven to be Adrian’s key to mummy’s padlocked heart. Designed for sensitive skin, its ‘Bendology Technology’ allows for a close comfortable shave and its slimline cartridge makes shaving hard to reach areas easy. Its ‘beard bumper’ lifts stubble during shaving and reduces the risk of nicks and cuts. Adrian uses the King of Shaves Azor Advanced Sensitive Shave Gel alongside the Razor. Helping to protect, moisturise and lubricate skin, it is also both dermatologically tested and unfragranced.

In our bathroom, the man in the mirror is our own King of Shaves, Adrian. As he emerges looking like one smooth criminal indeed, it’s not long before he burst into song with ‘The Girl is Mine’. Thanks to his Wingman & King of Shaves products, Denise really is all his.

Wingman Deodorising Wipes - £1.22 (2 pack), £3.56 (8 pack)

King Of Shaves Azor 5 Razor - £6.99

King Of Shaves Azor Advanced Sensitive Shave Gel 150ml - £3.69

www.boots.com

I, Claire Basing-Lawson, am jealous of Harper Seven Beckham. Indeed, the little lady has it all; a fashionista-in-waiting, she’s already dripping in designerwear at the tender age of nine weeks and has access to the fashion pack’s most coveted closet; the wardrobe of Mummy B. Fashion aside, what I am in fact, most envious of is Harper’s silky soft baby skin.

I have thus taken it upon myself to channel my desires for satin smooth skin akin to that of a baby by throwing a baby shower and gifting me, myself and I with Annique’s Baby Body Lotion. Great for those with eczema, sensitive or allergic skin, Annique’s beauty in a bottle can also be used on the face, its SPF5 giving a little added protection. Its delicate fragrance is a divine and sweet-smelling aroma and the lotion also contains Rooibos tea (Red bush tea) extract, which is known for its soothing anti-allergic properties.

My passion for languages has lended itself to my fluency in French and Spanish. I have, however, found the language of baby particularly difficult to comprehend over the years, that is until my recent eureka moment. ‘Gaga’ had often been lost in translation between baby and I, but since Annique’s Baby Body Lotion, I’ve been joining in with the baby beauty brigade and going gaga for this godsend of a product. Harper, tell mummy to go online and order yourself some of the good stuff right away. Ciao bebe!

£7.75

www.anniqueuk.co.uk

As the dynamo at the centre of the phenomenally successful television series, Sex and the City, Carrie Bradshaw’s penchant for a designer shoe saw her lead the fashion pack of New York City as its iconic trail blazer, exuding glamour, elegance and seriously sophisticated style in her stride. As the epitome of a fashion-forward, fun-loving girl, I idolise Ms. Bradshaw. My attempts at channeling my inner Carrie into my utterly un-cosmopolitan lifestyle extend through my Barclaycard and into my closet, where my eclectic, whimsical and impractical shoe collection can be found. In the ‘A Woman’s Right to Shoes’ episode of season six, Carrie’s assertion that ‘The fact is, sometimes it's really hard to walk in a single woman's shoes. That's why we need really special ones now and then to make the walk a little more fun’ is one that I will forever live by.

I am a strong advocate of fun and flirty footwear; whether it’s a flat, wedge, stiletto or platform, this house supports it. Moreover, I’m an apostle of the slipper; Cinderella- I hear ya girl. Beech Comfys are quite simply, the perfect slipper worthy of girly gallantry status. I love a bold animal print, and so the Zebra print is my slipper of choice. Perfect for gym bunnies, Beech Comfys follow the principles of yoga as they’re designed to stretch the tarsal bones, naturally spread the toes and support the heel bone to promote youthful and agile feet. For pedicure princesses; the individual separators between each toe means that the Beech Comfys are a chic ideal for home pedi’s.

'I’ve spent $40,000 on shoes and I have no place to live?! I will literally be the old woman who lived in her shoes.' Indeed, this could also be I. However, with my Beech Comfys ‘pon my foot, I wouldn’t mind. I wouldn’t mind at all.

£29.00

www.lovethoseshoes.com

In 1966, The Temptations had a hit single with ‘Beauty Is Only Skin Deep.’ Unfortunately, I was 24 years too late to bust a groove to this funky number but their message that beauty comes from within continues to be fitting as centuries pass. Indeed, I blub during Utterly Butterly adverts, my heart melts when I see a dad give his son a high five, and the little old ladies at the zebra crossing get me every time; I am, it seems, a sensitive soul. I therefore channel my innermost being to my outer beauty regime, by using Senzimi’s range of natural skin and haircare products formulated for sensitive, irritable skin.

Morning and night, I am religious about cleansing my skin using gentle products so as not to disrupt my skin’s balance. Senzimi’s Sensitive Cleanser is thus the perfect product to wipe away surface dirt and impurities without stripping skin of its natural oils. Its Jojoba Oil unclogs pores and helps restore the skin’s pH balance, leaving it soft plump and supple, while the hydrating aloe vera and soothing chamomile calms inflamed skin. In using this facial formula, my skin feels caressed, cleansed and confident.

Moisturising is of course, a fundamental procedure when you’re a sensitive sista like me. Senzimi’s Sensitive Moisturiser is both light and easily absorbed, and contains aloe vera, cucumber, rosehip, oat extract and argan oil to protect and refine. Its soothing anti-inflammatory and anti-irritating herbal extracts encourage skin-rehydration.

My mane is made up of strands of sensitivity; Senzimi’s Sensitive Shampoo and Conditioner therefore tend to my tresses and soothe my sensitive scalp. Enriched with vitamin B12 and wheat protein, both help repair dry and damaged hair, whilst natural active ingredients derived from meadowfoam oil improves sheen and the feel of hair, leaving it untangled and smooth.  Neem oil is active in helping heal various dry skin conditions.

In 1968, The Temptations had another hit single with ‘Cloud Nine’. Unfortunately, I was 22 years too late to bop to this anthem, but, I regularly join the Emperors of Soul on said cloud, because that’s where I am transported to everytime I use Senzimi.

Sensitive Cleanser - £13.99

Sensitive Moisturiser - £15.99

Sensitive Shampoo - £11.99

Sensitive Conditioner - £11.99

www.senzimi-skincare.com

Scentsitive. Definition: Personal enjoyment derived from the smell of a fragrance. I have in fact just coined this term, but I certainly think that it is one that ought to be added to The Oxford English Dictionary. Scents are appreciated worldwide, revealing personalities, customs, cultures and identities of individuals and congregations across society.

In offering the very best in essential oils, absolutes, carrier oils, culinary oils, perfume oils, medicinal and culinary herbs and spices, gums, resins, botanicals, fruit extracts and tea, Luminescents is quite simply, “scentsational”!

I always wondered, when the Eurythmics sang ‘Sweet dreams are made of this’ what exactly they were referring to. Since 1983, Lennox and co never divulged what made their slumber time so sweetly satisfying, though it has recently become clear to me that they’d penned lyrics about Luminescents Winter Mistle Body & Pillow Mood Spray to a catchy tune, bagged a number one and achieved worldwide fame in the process. Annie, I certainly don’t blame you for raving about this number. I only wish that the 80’s dance crowd who took it to the floor and boogied in their appreciation of sweet dreams had known what they were getting down for, they would’ve been spraying and laying some serious shapes on the tiles.

A mood spray formulated to be used as a pillow spray, room spray, or body spray, ‘Winter Mistle’ is part of the seasons range. Its combination of essential, fragrance and absolute oils, blended with herbal extracts creates a calming aroma to aid a good night’s sleep. With its woody notes, it is a fresh, clean and masculine fragrance to see your man through the winter months. If however, you girlies are single, Winter Mistle is a warming wintry scent to spray throughout the home.

£18.00

www.luminescents.co.uk

"Ya want a regular or super size coke darlin?" I was in Baz Vegas, Essex's own Sin City, and cinema attendant 'Charlee' was serving me at the drinks counter of the Basildon Empire Cinemas branch. Las Vegas has earned its title through its toleration of various forms adult entertainment; Baz Vegas appeared to have gained its epithet as a result of its high beauty crime rates. As I glanced up and answered 'Charlee' that it was a regular coke I was after, I felt honoured to converse with a girl who I could only assume was in training for the London 2012 Olympics, and who next summer, could be adding another gold necklace to her seemingly substantial collection. Such hefty false eyelashes was 'Charlee' wearing, that I surmised Chaz from Baz was a weightlifter and regularly exercises the Snatch, Clean and Jerk lifts 'pon her eyelids. 

I take my hat off to 'Charlee' for mastering the heavyweights in the false eyelashes market. Preferring polished, prim and playful, the falsies I opt for are part of the Mister Mascara Glam Lash Kit. Mascara can often do wonders to highlight pretty peepers and enhance the eyes, but sometimes us girls need a helping hand to achieve luscious lashes. Mister Mascara offers subtle and sumptuous to cater for daytime dainty and nighttime vamp. The LBD of eye make-up, MM falsies exude lashings of glamour and with the inclusive tweezers and adhesive are straightforward to apply to ensure that we flutter with fabulousness day and night. 

Mister Mascara Full Lashes Kit- £9.86

www.mistermascara.com

When I was six years old, I reached a milestone event in my life, which guaranteed me entry into the IT crowd on the playground. Acceptance into the elite of infant school cool was all thanks to the loss of my first baby tooth. The velour pouch I had been given for this landmark occasion could finally be put to use under my pillow, and as I drifted off to sleep to the sound of my father's mellow voice storytelling the adventures of Topsy and Tim Go To The Hairdressers, my thoughts were elsewhere. I was promised that the Tooth Fairy would visit me that evening, and that when I awoke, I would find a gift from this enchanting woman. Presuming that she was the female version of Father Christmas, I was somewhat disheartened that I woke to find a 50 pence piece, and not a sackful of presents at the end of my bed. Nineteen more baby teeth were placed under my pillow, of which the Tooth Fairy paid me a measly £10 for the set. For this reason, I never really looked forward to her late night visits. Haircut Barbie RRP’d at £24.99; £14.99 more than she paid me, and thirty more teeth than I had to give.

Fifteen years on, the Tooth Fairy has paid me another visit. I stopped believing in Mr Claus many moons ago, but I never gave up on my girl, I knew she’d come up trumps one day. Indeed, in granting me with Dawood & Tanner Tooth Cleanser, the Tooth Fairy has truly worked her magic. In my 21 years of life, rarely have my taste buds been tantalized by a toothpaste, yet with their delicious tasting flavours, specialist dentist practise, Dawood and Tanner’s Tooth Cleansers offer an innovate and delectable range to the market. Made with essential oils from freshly picked mint leaves, with notes of grass and apples, my morning paste, Garden Mint offers a twist on tradition. My choice of evening cleanser is a tropical tease for my teeth; exotic and exciting, Brazilian Lime offers a tangy experience reminiscent to that of mojito cocktail. With its very best ingredients and fabulous natural tastes, teething troubles are a thing of the past with Dawood & Tanner.

Dawood & Tanner Tooth Cleanser - £4.99

www.boots.com

Roxanne, my colleague at work, is often teased for being a pink princess due to the collection of pink products on her desk. While Rox likes it shocking, salmon, rose and fuschia, I'm all about aubergine, amethyst, lilac and plum. I am a purple girl. My love for the colour extends to my bedroom, to my wardrobe and now, to my nails, thanks to The Organic Pharmacy's Violet Organic Glam Nail Polish. 

A polish free from DBP, Toluene, Formaldehyde, the Violet Organic Glam offers an intense, vibrant and long lasting colour, which is both chip resistant and durable. Its fast-drying formula provides a high gloss, flawless and professional finish without compromise. Sunday afternoons are best spent by having a pampering session; a home mani and pedi in my favourite colour has made me one happy girlie.

On Monday morning, the battle for Princess P is on. Purple was the luxury dye of the middle ages, expensive and elegant, it was worn only by royalty and the wealthy. Thus, at 9.33am, I am in no doubt that I will be crowned Princess Purple. 

Organic Glam Nail Polish- £9.99

www.theorganicpharmacy.com