St. Tropez: The evolution of the tan – part 5

This is what St. Tropez’s Head Tanner Nichola Joss had to say on how the Red Carpet experience compares with fashion week:

“The intensity is different, there is always a short time frame, but with Red Carpet you’ll have one, maybe two people to work with so it’s a lot more personal, whereas at LFW you have 22 girls and they all have to look amazing. There’s a real team work ethic at LFW as the girls walk down one after the other, whereas with a celebrity they are on their own and need to be nurtured”.

Aside from the glamour of the catwalk and the Red Carpet, what tips does Nichola have for us mere mortals that want to self-tan? “When layering a product on, it can start to look flat and when this happens, it’ll look fake. It’s all about maintenance; you must exfoliate the skin. The myth about exfoliation is that it will make you lose your tan, but it actually brightens the skin and allows for the tan to fade evenly”.

Nichola’s second top tip is about application, “When tanning, you should use a tanning mitt. Put the product onto the mitt and then apply to the body. It helps you achieve a sheer application and there isn’t as much of a tendency for build up”.

So there you have it, follow these simple rules and you too can look Red Carpet gorgeous.

K x

St. Tropez: The evolution of the tan – part 4

St. Tropez’s Head Tanner Nichola Joss continues talking about the evolution of tanning.

So what else is coming up next? St. Tropez has been making a natural progression into the skincare market with the introduction of its sun tan lotion and the Naturals collection in 2011. There are also developments taking place in anti-ageing skincare and the brand is looking to move into this market in the future.  Exciting times indeed! 

For autumn/winter 2012 Nichola is working on two shows, both of which happen to be her favourite designers, “I’m very lucky; I love Erdem and Roksander Illincic’s collections so working with them every season is fantastic”. Nichola has also worked with Stella McCartney in Paris and is gutted to be missing out on her return to London for a special presentation this season, but unfortunately this clashes with the Oscars, where Nichola is also in high demand.

In part 5 tomorrow: Red Carpet vs Fashion Week.

K x

St. Tropez: The evolution of the tan – part 3

The innovative illuminator products are also big favourites for St. Tropez’s Head Tanner Nichola Joss, “The most inspirational product is the violet illuminator. It defines all different skin tones from very dark to very light. I use it A LOT! Make-up artists also use the product on the face so it gives that really great finished look”. The violet illuminator was created especially for the Erdem show six seasons ago for spring/summer 2010, “He didn’t want a dark tan as the collection was really light, but he wanted a skin finishing product that gave really ethereal-looking skin”. The bluey-pink tone created by the violet illuminator has proved popular at LFW; Roksanda Illincic has also used the product in her show and it was mixed with the rose illuminator for Henry Holland.

How on earth do you go about coming up with something like that?! “It’s all about having a good relationship with the designer and them trusting you”. Nichola explains, “I’ve worked for so many years backstage that you gain a trust with the designers. We work with them really closely, looking at samples and pieces from the collections, and then we just have to sit down and get really creative!”. The illuminator was quickly developed for the consumer market and a brand new one is due to hit shelves around April/May, “I chose to work with St. Tropez because I believe it sets the trend for the tanning market”.

In part 4 tomorrow: What else St. Tropez has in store…

K x

St. Tropez: The evolution of the tan – part 2

The tanning industry has gone from strength to strength in the past few years. People are talking about it, unashamed to admit they are using the products, especially since the dangers of the sun and sun beds have become more widely know, “Everyone understands it now” St. Tropez’s Head Tanner Nichola Joss says, “and St. Tropez has developed such great wash-off products that it doesn’t transfer onto the clothes and won’t affect any of the designers’ pieces if they use the models later in the day. It’s nice to have a presence backstage alongside hair and make-up. Models now understand that it’s not just about what’s on the face, it’s about the whole package. The products make everything look finished and give that polished look”.

Perhaps the reason for the industry’s change of heart is down to the evolution of the products created by St. Tropez, “They’ve really come on in leaps and bounds and are now so sheer and beautiful. The wash-off mousse is my favourite tanning product to use without a doubt. It absorbs the quickest, it dries the quickest and gives a great finish to the skin whilst allowing for an illuminator to be applied on top”.

In part 3 tomorrow: innovative products makes St. Tropez a trend setter!

K x

St. Tropez: The evolution of the tan – Part 1

Tanning has come a long way since it began as a messy way of creating a flat and orange look.   The popularity of sunless tanning rose during the 1960s after links were made by health authorities between exposure to the sun, and other sun tanning methods, such as sunbeds or tanning beds, and the incidence of skin cancer.

St. Tropez is one of the best tanning brands on the market; a self-tan brand, specialising in self-tan, skin finishing treatments and bronzing cosmetics which was estabslihed in 1996.  St Tropez has a range of 30 products which include cosmetics, self-tanning products, skin perfecting & finishing products.

Over a mini series of posts this week, find out what St. Tropez’s Head Tanner Nichola Joss has to say about how times have changed when it comes to fake tan.

Nichola Joss actually started out as a nail technician and has worked at London Fashion Week for 12 years. She started working with St. Tropez six seasons ago and admits that at first people sceptical at having a tanning brand in elite world of beauty backstage, “The first time I did tanning backstage was for Julien Macdonald about six years ago. We had to use theatre make-up and everyone was like ‘get that tanning girl out of here!’”.

In part 2 tomorrow: the fashion industry’s change of heart to fake tan.

K x

New Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream

I have previously posted about the wonder that is Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream and just how amazing it is.  Well for other avid fans, I have some exciting news; Elizabeth Arden is introducing a new fragrance free version of its classic Eight Hour Cream.

Created 82 years ago, this is the first time that the formulation has ever been changed. It offers all the benefits of the original skin protectant and the same balm texture but without the polarising scent. This all-in-one cream can be used on cracked lips, dry elbows, eyebrows, cuticles, insect bites, windburn or works as a gloss for lips, lashes and cheeks and even to add a sheen to hairstyles.

To go alongside the new launch, the brand introduces new packaging showcasing a brand new silver tube, with its iconic '8' pattern featured on it.

Priced at £25, new Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant Fragrance Free will be available nationwide from April.  I for one can’t wait to pick this up!

K x

Penhaligon’s - My New Obsession

For those of you who detest visiting perfume shops for all the sweet, candy scents available on the market, you must must must must must….get your nostrils round this scent. I introduce to you Juniper Sling, an intoxicating new fragrance from the famous Penhaligon’s is inspired by the most iconic and atmospheric of spirits: London Dry Gin. This must be why I like it (I’m partial to a cheeky G&T from time to time!) Created for Penhaligon’s by Master Perfumer Olivier Cresp, Juniper Sling is a playful, chilled and mysterious homage to the Bright Young Things of London’s roaring twenties. When I first smelt this scent I felt intoxicated, in a romantic, ‘cant-get-enough-of-this way.

Designed for enigmatic boys and girls, Juniper Sling is a crisp cocktail shot of gin with the freshness of juniper, cool measures of angelica and brandy and a beating libertine heart of black pepper, cardamom, soft leather and orris. A delicious foodie base of brown sugar, black cherry and amber add sensuality to the scent.

Penhaligon’s Juniper Sling - £110 for 100ml EDT

My beloved tipple has been transformed into a complex and compulsive skin scent that I recommend applying liberally and drink in! This is going on every ‘wish list’ I get to write, as it is a timeless aroma that will grow with you and make you feel rich, chic and full of mischief!

The formula…

HEAD NOTES
- Cinnamon, Orange Brandy, Angelica, Juniper Berry

HEART NOTES
- Cardamom, Leather, Black Pepper, Orris Wood

BASE NOTES
- Brown Sugar, Black Cherry, Vetiver, Ambrox

Ax

Spring Nails From Chanel

To me nail varnish trends start and end with Chanel, regardless to any other external influences, Chanel is nail colour God.

Chanel April, May and June

So this season the three must have colours are APRIL, MAY and JUNE, rather easy to remember, perhaps a little unimaginative, but I don’t care! They are lush, juicy colours with pastel pink tones, perfect for perking up dull skin and adding a flash of colour to a drab wardrobe. Working well with blacks, browns, greys and this seasons pastel shades how can you go wrong? A sharp cost at £17.50 so if you can’t justify spending that much on a nail varnish, colour match with brands such as Mavala, Essie and Revlon for a more affordable yet quality alternative.


P.S - Boys, this makes an AMAZING last minute Valentine's Day present!!!

Ax

Lashings of Lashes

Everyone would like eyelashes that look long, full, fluttery but not fake. Over the years I’m sure you or someone you know has endeavored with false strip lashes to achieve the Bambi eye look, and we all know it’s not easy to get the lashes in the right place, not to mention keep them on your eyelids for more than a few hours.

This is where The Powder Lounge comes in. Located on the 2^nd lower ground floor of Topshop, Oxford Circus, London, these lash experts are here to help you get ‘the lash look’ with easy and convenience. The Powder Lounge offers a plethora of services including strip lash application for FREE when you purchase one of their many strip lashes. They also offer semi permanent lash treatments one of which I tried called Holiday Lash.

Holiday Lash is a semi permanent lash extension treatment that is designed to last for about 2 weeks. The individual flare lashes are for me the best time saver in the morning! You don’t need to wear mascara when you have these and that also saves time at night when getting ready for bed. The real beauty of these is when you are actually away; they are designed to allow you to wear them while swimming, or lying on the beach.

Below is a picture of my eyelashes before having Holiday Lash applied (please note my lashes are curled in this image, so they do actually look longer than they actually are!)

Before Holiday Lash

Unfortunately, I’m not actually going on holiday but have been wearing these Holiday Lashes for a week now and they really are fantastic! I’ve not had to scrub my eye make up off every evening or spend ages applying mascara, eyeliner and what not in the mornings. In addition, they look so beautiful! I feel much more confident with these lashes, I feel I can pop to the shops without a full face on just because my eyes look brilliant without any effort.

Below are images of Holiday Lash after application - such a difference!

After - Eyes closed

After - Eyes open

For those of you who wear contact lenses or have sensitive eyes, Holiday Lash will NOT cause you any problems. Designed for use with hypoallergenic adhesive these ultra soft lashes are the most natural way to have the lashes you’ve always dreamed of.

Ax