Beauty news
Funky festival hair
Mud, tents, celebs in wellies and great music – British festival season is coming! Whether it’s Glastonbury, Bestival, T in the Park or V, Wantthelook.com have all you need for your beauty bag. Tigi Totally Beachin Body & Waves Styling Mist gives sexy surfer-style hair by creating wave and texture. Plus this product is 82% organic and smells gorgeous too. Tigi’s Rockaholic Dirty Secrets is a dry shampoo – just add to dry hair to soak up any grease for a sneaky clean look. Both available at
If you want some organic glam try the new Glam mascara by The Organic Pharmacy. Five years in the making, this product really is worth the wait. And as it’s 60 per cent organic and free from any nasties it’s great for sensitive eyes too. Available in Jet black and Dark Brown, £19.95, www.organicglam.com
Yum, the new Green People lipstick is soft and shimmering – and made from all natural ingredients including earth minerals and coconut oil. Available in Candy Floss, Cherry and Cinnamon, £10.99 from www.greenpeople.co.uk
Five of the most popular Jane Iredale products have been recommended as effective UV sunscreens, receiving the Seal of Recommendation from The Skin Cancer Foundation. The five products have up to 30SPF and are Amazing Base, PurePressed Base, Dream Tint, LipDrink and Powder-Me in Tanned and Translucent. Our vote goes to Dream Tint and Powder-Me. Available at www.janeiredale.com
We’re loving new French skincare line Payot, designed specifically for sensitive skins. The star of the range is the beautifully creamy Creme Douce, (£32) which plumps and perks up uncomfortable skin. It’s also available in a super-rich version – Creme Douce Riche, (£40).
Forget their fabulous knickers, lovely Per Una range and the best croissants this side of the channel, M&S have now launched Formula – a new anti-ageing skincare range.
Targeting fine lines, wrinkles and loss of elasticity and firmness, the ceramide-based formula contains powerful, skin protecting anti-oxidants and essential UV protection. Our top tip is the Formula Age Repair Ceramide Collagen Serum, £9.50. It’s available in store or at www.marksandspencer.com
Make-up hints and tips
Professional make-up artist Sascha Martini answers your questions on how to look the best.
Fake those lashes
False lashes are perfect for a girls’ night out; they help create a more dramatic-looking eye. Lashes can be applied individually or as a full lash strip, and with a little patience and practice you will soon be on your way to having perfect-looking lashes. Here are a few tips to help you solve the mystery of how to apply them.
Step 1: Always check the length of the lash is not too long for your eyes. Place them on top of your own lashes; they need to fall just short of your last few lashes on your top lid. This will ensure your eyes look lifted. If you find them too long just trim them with nail scissors, making sure to keep a steady hand and cut in one snip to guarantee a pretty shape.
Step 2: Hold the lashes with a tweezer and apply a thin line of eyelash glue to the base of the lashes, concentrating a little more on the ends as they are more likely to unstick. Wait a few seconds for it to get tacky then start applying; this will ensure a greater hold.
Step 3: Starting in the middle, place the lash as close to the lash line as possible. Take the tweezers and connect the lash to the inner corner, then stick the outer corner. While waiting for the glue to dry, gently tap with the end of a brush to perfect your positioning. Try to keep your eyes open when applying lashes, looking straight into the mirror.
Step 4: Finish the look with a very thin line of eyeliner to help blur the line where fake meets real. Finish with a sweep of mascara, then gently squeeze your lashes into the false ones.
Ask us!
Send your make-up questions to:
Sascha Martini Make up Studio, The Kingsway, Swansea.
Girls’ night out make up: eyes from £15 including lashes. All top brands used.
Sascha is a professional make-up artist based in Swansea with 10 years in the industry working on exciting projects for national and regional magazines and ad campaigns. Her clients include TK Maxx, Reveal and Closer magazine. At the studio Sascha offers make-up lessons, bridal packages, hen nights and girls’ night out make-up packages. Open till 7pm on weekends by appointment.
On-line portfolio and info at
Beauty hints and tips
Donna Lee, owner of Swansea laser and beauty clinic 1192, answers your questions on skincare.
What is the difference between cold, warm and hot wax?
Warm wax is the most popular treatment for waxing because of its ability to remove hairs quickly and efficiently. Warm wax is a much quicker treatment than hot wax. It is applied sparingly and removed straight after; it is not left on the skin to dry like hot wax.
Cold wax
This is sold primarily for home use. Paper or fabric strips are pre-coated with cold sticky wax and warmed between the hands before applying. Some shops also sell cold wax in a tube or pot, which is gel-like in consistency and is spread onto the skin before removing with a strip. You can buy these kits from Boots and Superdrug but after using one you’ll never resent paying to get waxed in a salon again!
Warm wax
This is also known as strip wax or soft wax, plus honey, gel or cream wax depending on consistency and ingredients. Warm wax is heated in a pot or roller unit and then applied to the skin with a spatula, roller or disposable tube. Paper or fabric strips are then pressed on the waxed area and removed quickly causing minimum discomfort. Reddening may appear on the skin afterwards but this is completely normal and will fade in a few hours. This method of waxing can be used all over the body too. You can also get microwaveable versions for home use although you can end up with hot spots and burns if you are not careful!
Hot wax
This is also known as non-strip or stripless wax, hard wax, film wax and Brazilian wax. Hot wax has been available for many years but, more recently, it is being used more for full bikini waxing because therapists have found clients have a lot fewer in-growing hairs and the re-growth seems to be a lot better too. Hot wax is melted to a thicker consistency than warm wax to apply to the skin. When the wax is applied with a spatula, it coats the hair with a thick layer. As the wax cools it becomes firmer contracting around the hair and gripping them tightly (a bit like shrink wrapping). The wax remains on the skin until it becomes firmer, drying to form a slight sticky consistency. It is then pulled off the skin with a fast movement. It tends to remove most hair after one application, leaving the skin a lot less red and irritated, making it ideal for very sensitive skin and short hairs as well.
This form of waxing makes it perfect to use on the face, underarm and especially the bikini line, whether you have a straightforward bikini wax, Brazilian or even a Hollywood. We find the best wax to use in our clinic is the Australian hot wax, converting the majority our clients after one treatment.
Contact: 01792 702063 • www.1192clinic.co.uk
