Aroma Works Aromatherapy Candles

One of the highlights of working in the HQ of Lovingbeauty is that, amongst other things, we get to try out lots of lovely beauty products. We like to try and test all products before they are sold on Lovingbeauty.co.uk to make sure they are up to our standard, which although has its plus points isn’t always as glamorous as it sounds. There have been a few incidents which haven’t been so enjoyable including some rather unpleasent face masks and a disasterous fake tan experiement! However generally the trial and error is all part of the fun, especially when it involves scented candles.

 

A few months ago when we attended an exhibition called Top Drawer we stumbled across a gorgeous smelling stand called ‘Aroma Works’. We loved the smell of these candles so much that we were sent some samples to see just how good they were.

 

These candles are completely natural and are made of organic soy and beeswax and contain the purest essential oil out there! They come in a range of sizes and smells with burn times from 16hours to 40hours. My personal favourite is from the Yuletide Collection; Epice “Light up our delectable Yuletide Epice candle, and you'll find the combination of spicy and fruity fragrances instantly conjure up festive feelings, leaving you uplifted, soothed, and ready to enjoy the season of good will. Our Epice candle blends the spicy notes of the Jamaican pimento berry - which encourages warmth, comfort and energy - with the soothing fruit tones of the Italian mandarin.” It smells just devine and gives the room a really Christmassy feeling.

We were so impressed with these aromatherapy candles that we are now stocking them at Lovingbeauty with prices starting from just £9.00. Visit www.lovingbeauty.co.uk for more details.

Stay Beautiful

 

Lucy Lovingbeauty x

Lovely Review of Our Products & Website ...

Please have a read of this lovely review of our products and website by Mischief & Makeup

LOVING SMOKY EYES

I wanted to get some new eye shadow for the party season, something that felt Christmassy that I could wear when I get all glammed up for the December nights out. I found the perfect solution with this Smoky Eye Tutorials set by Bare Minerals from Loving Beauty!

It's nice to have some guidance on how to use products and create a professional look, or just to try different techniques so when I saw the Tutorials sets I wanted to try them out straight away! In the Smoky Eyes box you get a Bare Minerals creamy/ivory coloured eye shadow, a darker grey/navy one for the smoky effect, a double ended special blending eye shadow brush, and of course the tutorial on different techniques. 

I also got some La La Lashes from Loving Beauty http://lovingbeauty.co.uk/ I thought that would finish the look off quite nicely and I think it definitely did! The Smoky Eye set is £21, and free delivery! - which I think is very reasonable. I've tried Bare Minerals products before and know that they look and feel different on the skin because they are made up of only natural products. It almost makes me deliberately not take my make-up off just because I know they say it's fine to sleep in! Haha good job really when you pass out! 

The first picture below I used the ivory eye-shadow all over my eye lid right up to the brow, applied with the blending end of the brush. Then I have used the fine applying end to put the grey into the crease of my eye, and blended the two together so give a softer look. I think it really brought out the colour of my eyes! I've use Benefit High Brow pencil under my brows to highlight my brow bones. 

Picture below without the La La lashes so you can see for comparison....

I love cheek bones too, I will do a post for you soon on what I use! For my Christmas party I then tried a different technique, a bit darker this time. I applied the ivory all over the lid (you have to gently tap the brush before you put it on but it tells you all of this in the box). I then used the grey on a slightly damp brush and mixed the shadow in the lid as it recommends & applied this along the base of my eye-lid near my lashes and a tiny amount in the crease of my eye again. I used my liquid eye liner, applied my La La lashes and then put mascara on my bottom lashes. You can see here how shimmery and reflective the shadow is...

I think it gave a really nice effect!! I can't wait to use them again, next time I'm going to use the grey all over and go really dark and dramatic. I love the lashes too, nice and thick and a good natural shape. I think they really set this look off. (Link to Smoky Eye set on their website here) - http://www.lovingbeauty.co.uk/love-make-up/bare-escentuals/gift-sets/tutorials-smoky-eye/prod_429.html

I definitely want to try some of the other tutorials sets and would definitely recommend buying from Loving Beauty as their prices are really competitive and they don't charge anything for delivery! Here is a link to their website!….

Lovingbeauty ~ www.lovingbeauty.co.uk


SMOKY EYE TUTORIALS £21.00
http://www.lovingbeauty.co.uk/love-make-up/bare-escentuals/gift-sets/tutorials-smoky-eye/prod_429.html

LA LA LASHES
http://www.lovingbeauty.co.uk/love-lashes/la-la-lashes/cat_90.html

Loving Beauty are also on Twitter @LovingBeautyUK

M&Mx

Halo Hair Extensions Review

After hearing such good things about the ‘Halo’ hair extension I recently decided to give it a whirl.  I have a mixture of colours in my hair and after much debate finally decided on the 16” Halo Remy Human Hair in Chocolate Brown.  They seemed reasonably priced at £79.99 but obviously this would depend on the quality of the hair.

I have quite long hair anyway but it is rather on the thin side so when I go out I do like to wear extensions just to give my hair that extra oomph. So when the halo arrived I was excited to try it out in the hope it would give me that much needed volume. Below are the pictures of my hair before the extensions:

When the box arrived, inside were my new hair extensions, only very different to the standard ‘clip ins’ or ‘pre bonded’ with just a loop attachment from the hair, funny enough rather like a halo!

When applying the hair I watched the ‘How To’ video which clearly shows how to put in and take out the Halo, and it really was as easy as that!

My first impressions when opening and feeling the hair was amazement at how soft the extensions were. They are 100% human hair, and look and feel such good quality. I matched my hair with the chocolate brown color, which I think was pretty spot on as you really can't tell the extension from my real hair.

I am very happy with how they looked, so natural and easy to put in. I wore the extensions all night and not once did they irritate me at all which is unheard of! As you can see from the pictures they gave me great volume and looked fantastic and I would definitely recommend them to friends. 

These 'Halos' will be coming soon to Lovingbeauty.co.uk which is very exciting for us so please keep checking back to purchase yours!

Stay Beautiful

Gemma x

Nouveau Semi-Perm Lashes

I have been performing semi permanent lashes for about 5 years now and in this time I have seen many new brands and lashes pop up. I personally use the Nouveau Lashes brand, and the Lash Emporium products. There are so many lashes out there to choose from and, if I’m completely honest, they all seem much of the same, just in different packaging.

The most important ingredient to secure good lashes is the glue; it is integral to getting a good application and the most wear out of your false lashes. I have used may over the years, but I have found the best one to be from the Lash Emporium: the ‘medium velocity’ glue. The glue does sting a little on application when the client opens their eyes, due to the fumes of the glue, however this quickly fades and the lashes always last and give the best results by far.

The Truth about Lashes

Your lashes have an average life cycle of between 60 – 90 days, and they all grow individually at different stages, losing on average 1 – 3 lashes per day. You’re more aware of the lashes coming out when you have the extensions purely because your lashes are longer and more noticeable.

Lashes are applied to each single individual eyelash except the baby lash as these are not strong enough to carry the weight of an extension. People always ask me can lashes damage their natural eyelashes and I always reply honestly: 'Anything fake that is applied to your body, whether it be hair, nails or lash extensions, can cause stress to the part of the body being treated'. It is the same for lashes; the first set of lashes and 2 infills will not cause any damage to the lashes, however after that the lashes can become weaker and cause some premature loss of lashes if you continue having the extensions for a long time. Also, if you have a thicker extension than that of your own eyelashes (some people just really want thicker lashes), the weight of the extension may encourage your natural lashes to come out slightly earlier than they would without the extension.  This, in effect, reduces your lash cycle slightly. So, for example, if you have an 8 week cycle, this may be reduced to a 7 week cycle. But don’t worry, it doesn’t damage the actual lashes, and they will grow back to the same length as before if you stop having the extensions. When you do have your lashes removed, you may feel your lashes are shorter. This is purely a psychological feeling; after all, you have just had long, thick, luscious lashes applied so of course you will feel slightly naked without them.

When the lashes are being applied you shouldn’t feel any pain, and it should actually be a very relaxing experience. Many of my clients fall asleep during the treatment. I find 9 out 10 of my clients adore the lashes and become very addicted to having them. 1 out of 10 may love them but just can’t get on with them. This is usually because they do require maintenance every two – three weeks, and you cannot rub your eyes or put mascara on whilst they are on as this can cause them to shed quicker. I also find that one eye tends to always shed quicker than the other, as this is the eye that you tend to sleep on. I would say lashes are for the more high maintenance client, who can find time to spend that little bit longer looking after themselves and find the time for regular infills if you wish to maintain them perfectly.

Tips When Looking for a Technician

Lash extension courses do not usually require any previous beauty training and a course is usually one day only. This does concern me, as there are now so many people thinking they can do a lash extension course and earn a quick money asap, without thinking about the consequences of their clients.

Beaware! Beauty therapists spend two years training and have to learn a great deal of anatomy and physiology to perform treatments. However, this is not the case with a one day lash extension course. Students do half a day on anatomy and physiology and half a day applying lashes, which, as I remember, I got all of 6 lashes on the client before being sent on my merry way with my certificate in hand to start applying lashes to paying clients. These days you do have to go back for a ‘graduation day’, however this doesn’t mean a lot either.

It takes a lot of skill and time to apply a full set of lashes; my first set took me four hours (!) but luckily I can now do them in hour and 15 minutes. However I would say it took me a year of doing lashes day in, day out to perfect them and, without seeming big headed, I’m pretty damn good at them now! This is why I advise all of you looking for a good lash technician to check the following…

·      They should have a history in beauty

·      A minimum of one year’s experience

·      Ask you to fill in a consultation form before the procedure and fully explain what is about to happen

·      Give you thorough aftercare advice

·      Spend a minimum of an hour applying the lashes

·      Charge no less than £65 (a good technician wouldn’t charge anything less - you really do get what you pay for!)

Personally I would be very careful of a technician who has decided to do a one day course on lash extensions, and then perform the treatment straight away. I regularly have clients come to me with terribly applied lashes, which they paid £40 for, and ask me to fix them. This is something I will not do, as I never touch another technicians work - especially a bad one.

Lash extension are amazing and are the perfect accessory for weddings, holidays and parties - just please ensure you find a good technician and follow the aftercare advice. This way you will have lovely long lashes without any problems.

Remember to post any comments, questions of queries for me to answer, and I’ll get back to you asap!

Stay Beautiful 

Gemma Lovingbeauty x

Dare to Bare?

After a couple of our girls recently went on the Bare Minerals advanced make-up training course, we’ve learnt lots more about the brand, and how their make-up can help your skin. Here’s a brief history to explain how Bare Minerals could transform your skin as you know it.

Bare Minerals began 35 years ago, and has since gone on to become a revolutionary brand of make-up, using only natural minerals in its ingredients. Starting in the USA in small apothecary shops, the iconic Bare Minerals foundation is now the number one best selling foundation in the whole of America.


The brand has since built upon the foundation and its all-natural ethic, to expand the make-up collection into other pieces, such as eye shadows, lip sticks and glosses, and so on. All products contain solely mineral ingredients. The reason for using mineral ingredients is to be kind to the skin, as well as treating it. Containing several soothing and calming minerals, the foundation is known to improve the appearance of skin surface and tone. With added zinc oxide as the power ingredient, this acts as an anti-inflammatory to calm down any redness, as well as aid the treatment of blemishes. Also, along with titanium dioxide, these act as a natural SPF, protecting the skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays.

THE FACTS

It is known that certain liquid foundations have oils within their ingredients, including ‘lanolin’; an oil used frequently in make-up that is actually sebum oil secreted from sheep’s skin (their sweat).

 

If someone tends to have lots of blemishes and acne on the face, using these types of liquid  foundation containing oil, can cause the acne to worsen. This is due to the bacteria formed from the  blemishes, which then feeds off of the oil within the foundation, meaning blemishes increase and  almost grow through absorbing this oil. As a result, blemishes take much longer to clear, if they do  at all.

Some chemicals used within some foundations tend to become quite potent once mixed together (with a reported average of seventy ingredients used per foundation on the market). As a  consumer, we tend not to know about this, due to the use of fragrance to cover the strong smell of  the chemicals used as ingredients. However, fragrance is actually an irritant to the skin, which can  cause redness and even an inflamed reaction. Fragrance also attracts the UV rays of the sun, which  increases the chance of skin pigmentation due to no SPF to protect the area.

  

Talc is another ingredient frequently used within foundations and make-up, to bulk up the formula  and create a higher quantity of the product much more cheaply. However, talc is not as harmless as  it may seem on the skin. Talc is known to dry out areas of the skin, which can cause premature aging. Also, with talc’s powdery consistency, it will sit in any fine lines or wrinkles, making the skin appear more aged than it actually is. It is a heavy and clogging ingredient, which sits in pores and can cause irritation and sensitivity.

Mineral make-up has become something of a trend over the past few years, however Bare Minerals is the original creator of mineral foundation. In the UK, it is only necessary to include 5% of mineral ingredients into the make-up for it to be recognised as a mineral make-up product. Bare Minerals is 100% made from minerals. Other brands have, therefore been able to create their own copy-cat versions, without actually using the same ingredients at all.

Here at Lovingbeauty, we thoroughly recommend the Bare Minerals brand, and have seen through our own use the difference it can make to your skin. Please email us on info@lovingbeauty.co.uk for more information, or any advice on your beauty needs!

Stay Beautiful

Lovingbeauty xx

Universal Challenge

Alongside our Flabelos challenge, here at Lovingbeauty HQ we are also putting to the test the ever-popular Universal Contour Wrap. So this weekend I'm off to Indulgence Beauty Salon, Bexleyheath to see if this wrap really works! It's proven to help you lose at least 6 inches guaranteed, the wrap is also known to help firm up the skin, leaving a smoother and more toned appearance. Universal emphasise the wrap is for inch loss, not weight loss, and is a great way to kick start a new fitness plan. 

The wrap treatment involves being wrapped in soft bandages, previously soaked in mineral-rich clay and water. This impregnates the bandages with soothing clay the help draw out toxins from within, and aid in smoothing the skin to leave it soft and supple after treatment. The minerals then absorb your skin, leaving you and your body feeling completely refreshed.

The treatment involves being measured from each limb and part of your body, before wrapping you all over and laying you down in the heated blanket. Your therapist will then attach tiny electro pads to parts of the body, ready for small shocks throughout the treatment to further aid the skin firming process involved. You will then be left for half an hour to relax in the comfort of the heated blanket, giving you a warm sensation throughout the treatment. When your therapist returns, they will take you out of the blanket, unwrap all of the bandages and re-measure each part of the body, before working out how many inches have been lost. For more details you can visit Universals website by clicking here.

Keep checking back for my weekly updates, on Monday I will putting up my 'before' and 'after' measurements from Saturdays treatment, and will be having a total of three treatments over the course of three weeks. With the run up to Christmas lets hope it works so I fit into my party frock! 

Stay Beautiful

Lucy Lovingbeauty xx

Pictures Before …..

So, yesterday I posted a blog about the Flabelos machine along with our measurements, well here are our pictures before we get started. We will update you weekly with our measurements and a photo so you can all see I there really is an improvement!


Girl One:

Girl Two:

Stay Beautiful,

Lovingbeauty Team xx