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The top trending beauty hacks that really do work

September 9, 2021/in How To /by Jo Boyden

From flawless skin to big beautiful lips and everything in between, we are all in pursuit of quick beauty fixes that promise to deliver, but do they really work?

Read on to reveal our favourite beauty hacks of all time. You might well have heard of a few before now, but we are here as testament to their success having personally tried, tested and lived by each and every one of them.

LIPS – THE PERFECT POUT

If filler isn’t your thing, and the many lip plumping products out there are either short lived or seem to somewhat irritate your skin, you can perfect your pout by simply creating the illusion of plumper lips with a few key steps;

Exfoliate

Firstly creating a smooth canvas is a necessity to perfecting your pout. The way to achieve this is to start sloughing away any dead skin cells on the surface of your lips by using a gentle lip scrub. Don’t have a lip scrub?

No worries, a face scrub such as Pevonia’s Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser will suffice! It’ll leave lips silky smooth and lipstick ready!

Line those lips

Lip liner is used to define the look of your lips but it can also make lips look bigger instantly. Apply before lipstick and use either a neutral shade or match the shade of your lipstick. Begin by applying a fine line just outside your natural lip line starting from the centre of the lips and working out to the corners, keep it light and fine, then blend it inwards. Try ELES Gel Lipliner for ultimate staying power.

Apply long lasting lippie

Next apply your lipstick, then simply place a tissue over your lips and dust translucent powder onto your lips through the tissue with a brush. Doing so will help set the pigment without dulling the colour and make it instantly longer lasting. Another option is to give a lip stain a go! The ELES Lip Stain imparts lips with long lasting vibrant colour that protects the lips and stays in place for hours even after eating, drinking and kissing!

Plump up the volume

After applying and setting your chosen lipstick, brush either a little shimmer eyeshadow in an ivory shade or some concealer in light, to the middle of your lips. This creates a 3D effect that makes lips look fuller and no irritation or special products are required! The same goes for your lipgloss – for a little extra lip plumping apply in nude to the centre of your lips.

FACE – A FLAWLESS FACE

We are all on the quest of a flawless face and you really can fake it till you make it!

A perfect base

Skin still feel and look a little dry and patchy even after you’ve completed your morning skincare ritual? You can prevent your foundation from collecting in any flaky spots by simply adding a few drops of face oil directly to your foundation. The oil primes your face enabling the foundation to glide on easily for a seamless finish.

Fake your cheekbones

Sadly we aren’t all born with striking cheekbones but we can all fake it! All it takes is some simple sculpting. Start by puckering to find the hollows of your cheeks and apply a deep nude blush (my go-to is the ELES Baked Blush in Posey) or contour powder in the sunken area under your cheekbones. Next, apply a peachy blush (try ELES Baked Blush in Bouquet) starting from the apples of your cheeks and moving outwards while lightly blending. Finish by applying illuminator along the top of your cheekbones and under your temples.

EYES – AN INSTANT EYE LIFT

Big bright eyes

Who doesn’t want to achieve brighter instantly awake eyes? Yup I’m talking for all the tired mums out there and some! I promise if you invest in a nude waterliner you’ll never look back. Firstly don’t make the mistake I used to by applying black liner all around your eyes (top and bottom as well as your waterline! This will only make your eyes appear so much smaller than they are. Instead just line the top lashes with black liner and the bottom with brown, applied very lightly just to add eye definition, then apply the waterliner (I use daily ELES’s Waterline Liner) to really open up your eyes. It works a treat. You can thank me later.

Thicker lashes

Using an eye shadow brush or cotton tip, dust a little powder over your eyelashes between the first and second coats of mascara to plump up your lashes. Translucent powder has grip so it will stick to your lashes in between each coat of mascara making your lashes appear more voluminous.

Oh and if your mascara has dried up a little, just add some saline to the tube, this will give it that little moisture it needs for flawless application.

Brow perfection

Adding definition and shape to your eyebrows can completely transform your face! For an instant eye lift firstly shape your brows. Start by brushing your eyebrows so the hairs are sitting naturally, then use a soft, waxy brow pencil like the ELES Precision Brow Pencil to shape and fill in your brows using short, hair-like strokes. Next define and ‘lift’ brows by using a white eyeliner as a brow highlighter. Line below and above your eyebrows and smudge it out with a sponge or fingertip. You can also opt to use a highlighter if you don’t have a while liner on hand.

How to look younger than your years – the top 12 tips of all time

September 8, 2021/in How To /by Jo Boyden

Although ageing is inevitable there are both simple and less invasive ways to look younger than relying on the likes of Botox or turning to cosmetic surgery. From miracle makeup products to the best anti-ageing skincare routines, a diet high in super foods to daily yoga, if you are searching for a way to look younger than your years try incorporating a few of these beauty habits into your daily life, and we promise they won’t just have you looking fresh faced, they’ll boost your overall energy too! Sound good? Read on…

Choose skincare wisely

Skincare, while not as fast as the effects of Botox, really can slow down ageing if you select the right products. Choosing serums and creams formulated with one or more of the top 5 skincare ingredients will have your skin looking smoother, firmer and plumper in next to no time.

And if you’re missing your Botox appointment because #lockdown, here at BC we have a number of natural alternatives that actually work!

Get serious about sunscreen

I’m talking about religiously applying it daily. Just as you use a cleanser to wash your face, apply a sunscreen to protect your face! Sun damage is hands down THE most aggressive form of ageing. In fact, it’s estimated that 90% of skin ageing is due to the effects of the sun! It causes proteins in our skin to deteriorate, leading to the loss of our youthful appearance over time. On the bright side this type of ageing can be prevented with proper sun protection, but it needs to be worn even on cool, cloudy days too!

Fortunately, there is a myriad of products out there with SPF, from sunscreen to daily moisturisers, foundations and more, and many are now formulated to work with specific skin types, so if you are a sensitive skin sufferer and the idea of slathering on sunscreen scares you, worry no more! Here at BC we have a few firm favourites;

Foundation – ELES Liquid Powder Mineral Foundation SPF 15

Daily moisturiser – ELES Luminous Defence Brightening Day Protection SPF 50

Sunscreen face & body –Medicalia Sunscreen SPF 40 with Blue Light Shield

Choose the right makeup base

You really can disguise the ageing process with makeup but you have to choose carefully. For example face powder, when used correctly and frugally can be a fantastic makeup staple (I have been I’m in love with the ELES Mineral Powder Foundation for years!) however, no matter your skin type, too much face powder can actually age you! That’s right, it can highlight fine lines and wrinkles instead of helping to conceal them, so it’s best to use powder sparingly – on your t-zone or as the perfect tool for touch ups.

A hydrating or satin-finish liquid foundation will be your best choice, especially as skin gets drier with age. Choose a formula that has hydrating ingredients. Foundations that have sheer coverage and dewy luminous foundations will be your best youth enhancing options especially for those concerned about lines and wrinkles.

I am a huge advocate for both the ELES Mineral Sheer Tint and ELES Age Defying BB Cream 30 but if you do love a slightly more matte finish the best-selling ELES Liquid Powder Mineral Foundation SPF 15 will be your go-to.

Illuminate your face with a highlighter

By doing so your skin will look dewy and more youthful. Apply highlighter to the tops of your cheekbones, brow bones and Cupid’s bow for a natural glow that will leave you looking rejuvenated and refreshed. Try ELES Stick Illuminator. I personally can’t get enough of it!

Apply bronzer correctly

We are all on a quest for that healthy youthful glow, especially in the winter months when it’s almost non-existent, but dusting copious amounts of bronzer all over our nose, chin, cheeks and forehead can play up fine lines and large pores as the powder sinks into them. The best way (and the most flattering!) is to apply your bronzer with a bronzer blush to the perimeter of your face in the shape of a number three. Start on your forehead near your temples and loop down to the tops of your cheekbones, then curve out and around again along your jaw.

Look after your lips

Often overlooked, lips can really show your age so it’s important to show them as much love as you would your skin. This means applying a lip cream daily. We are huge advocates for Pevonia’s LipRenew Plump & De-Age treatment which deeply moisturises and volumises the lips, blurs imperfections, and, unlike other lip plumpers, also smooths the surrounding skin folds, lines and wrinkles!

We also recommend using a hydrating lip balm to lock in moisture and get lips lipstick ready, after all applying lipstick to dry, chapped lips is a definite no no, as your lipstick won’t apply evenly, it’ll seep into any lip lines making your lips appear even more dry than they already are.

Fill in your brows

Creating the perfect brows can completely transform your face and make you look 10 years younger, seriously! but you need to know how.

Just as the hair on our heads can thin with age, so do our eyebrows, so to look younger, we want to create instantly fake fullness and to do this we need to fill them in with the perfect brow pencil! Just be sure you don’t overfill the front part of your brow though! This area should have soft hair that graduates into more density. If you overfill this area you can make your eye brows look way too harsh. Read more on how to create perfect brows.

Cleanse correctly

In the quest for a clear complexion cleansing is a must. But cleansing with conventional, harsh products can simply dry out skin which will age you! Worse, it can make skin over-produce oil so you could be hit with rather a few pesky pimples too!! Teenage acne? No thanks.

So be sure to use a cleanser specific to your skin type. Beauty Collective has a myriad of cleansers for every skin type and concern so get searching!

Make sure you exfoliate

Dry, dull skin lacks youthful luminosity, so exfoliating is a necessity! We’re not talking daily though, just once or twice a week depending on your skin type will suffice, as too much exfoliation can be counterproductive.

A good weekly exfoliation will break up dead surface skin cells and reveal a fresh glowy complexion. If your skin is a little on the sensitive side, exfoliation is still important just be sure to opt for a super gentle formula – we LOVE Pevonia’s Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser, it gently polishes your skin with its unique creamy, granular texture. But if granules scare you, we also highly recommend Phytomer’s Vegetal Exfoliant with Natural Enzymes. It’s a soft exfoliant for even the most sensitive or rosacea prone skin and uses natural enzymes to encourage cell turnover without scrubbing or irritating your skin.

Remove remnants of makeup before bed

You know you’re supposed to do it, you’ve been told time and time again but sometimes you just…don’t. But we can’t stress enough that failing to remove makeup at the end of every day is a major missed opportunity for skin to be able to regenerate while you sleep, you see not removing your makeup means the skin ceases to breathe freely, pores clog and fatigue signs start to appear.

You also need to remove the days makeup and grime to make way for applying your nightly skincare ritual, and the products aren’t going to work their magic if they can’t effectively seep into the deeper layers of your skin thanks to a wall of makeup in the way!

Want to know the full extent on what sleeping in makeup can really do to our skin? Click here.

Eat your antioxidants

Antioxidants are SO important when it comes to protecting our DNA from damage – they are the last line of defence against premature ageing. Thankfully our bodies produce antioxidants on their own, but we can definitely strengthen our protection against ageing by eating an antioxidant-rich diet. Multiple studies show that a diet rich in antioxidants can help keep your skin healthy, your immune system strong, your digestive system working smoothly and can also help you look and feel younger longer. Yassssss! So what foods are rich in antioxidants? The favourites in our house include, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, broccoli, spinach and kale!

Get enough shut-eye

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it a hundred times, and we all know it’s the truth, not enough shut-eye can have serious ramifications on our skin! We need to think of sleep as an essential step in our daily skincare routine. Not only will plenty of shut-eye let skin cells regenerate overnight, it will also help prevent dark under-eye circles which can really make us look so much older than we are! And we know, no one is choosing to be sleep deprived, the stresses of everyday life can seriously prevent us from getting the amount of sleep we crave, but if it’s possible to try and get our heads down at a reasonable time (I’m talking to myself here too!) and stick to it nightly, it’ll improve quality of sleep and in turn have a positive impact on our complexion too!

For more information on what really happens to your skin while your sleep, click here.

Beauty Collective - 7 of the most common skin concerns

Botox in a bottle? 5 ways to effectively treat your frown lines and wrinkles

September 3, 2021/in How To /by Jo Boyden

Are the effects of covid playing havoc with your skin thanks to stress? Feel like you are looking 10 years older? And then to make matters worse those furrowed frown lines and forehead wrinkles are reappearing since your Botox is wearing off, but beauty salons and cosmetic institutes are unlikely to reopen any time soon due to lockdown!

The thing is you can effectively treat them naturally without the need for cosmetic injectables by following a few simple steps! And thanks to the advancement in both technology and skincare ingredients, there are now a number of excellent alternatives to treating your lines, which can seriously achieve similar smoothing and plumping results to Botox, and while you are unlikely to see life-changing results overnight (even Botox takes a week to have effect don’t you know) these non-invasive topical alternatives give you more control over the change in your appearance (no poker-face in sight), provide a much more natural look, plus you will achieve outstanding on-going results when used as part of your daily skincare routine. Yess!

So if you are looking for ways to address those pesky frown lines and wrinkles, keep reading as we reveal 5 simple steps to truly treat them naturally.

Treat with topical skincare specifically designed to combat wrinkles

In the quest to eliminate the furrowed frown and fine lines, going under the needle reigns supreme, but if you are like me and needles are a formative no-go, or you simply can’t get to your salon because #lockdown, there are pain-free, natural and relatively inexpensive topical solutions that will help reduce those early signs of ageing. For our recommended natural alternatives that actually work, click here.

Eat a healthy diet that includes lots of water

You and your skin need proper hydration to help defend against facial lines. You know the drill, drink your 8 glasses of water a day, but also eat a diet rich in essential fruits and veggies and omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon and mackerel as these will really aid in skin health and hydration.

Get enough sleep to allow your skin to recharge

Haven’t we all heard this a million times! But sadly, it’s true. The quality and length of sleep you receive every night can have a profound impact on your skin’s overall health. When we sleep our bodies recharge. Not only do our bodies recharge, our skin does as well. During sleep, we heal, restore and eliminate toxins from the skin. Only getting 5 hours a night can lead to twice as many fine lines as sleeping 7 would! Eek.

Also, how you sleep can have a huge effect on your skin’s appearance! If you are a lover of sleeping on your front you might want to reconsider this position! When you sleep on your front, your skin is pushed up against the pillow for hours at a time which can reinforce frown lines, especially around the eyes, forehead and lips. The best way to prevent these wrinkles is by sleeping on your back. You can also reduce damage by using a silk pillowcase which allows for more movement, or a memory foam pillow which doesn’t compress the skin as much.

Use sunscreen every, single day

And no using sunscreen isn’t going to reduce the wrinkles you already have, but it will help prevent you getting more.

Ah sunscreen, the product that no one likes to wear but is truly amazing stuff! Why? Because sunscreen can not only protect your skin and help prevent premature skin ageing caused by the sun, including wrinkles, sagging and age spots, it can also actually reverse common signs of photoaging such as wrinkles and hyperpigmentation! Genius!

I’m not a lover of the feeling of SPF on my face but I can highly recommend Medicalia’s new Sunscreen SPF 40 with Blue Light Shield. It not only protects skin against the harmful rays of the sun, but also blue light damage omitted from our devices!! And I’m sure many of us are having a little too much screen time at the moment!

I also religiously wear my Age-Defying ELES BB Cream SPF 30 daily. It’s an amazing multi-tasking and benefit-packed cream that primes, tints, nourishes, evens out skin tone and helps to strengthen and protect skin on contact! It’s just perfect for aging skin when you want a lighter coverage that makes your skin look younger with a gorgeous subtle glow.

Also wearing sunglasses are imperative! Not only will they stop you from squinting (which doing so repeatedly can equate to wrinkles!) They’ll protect those precious peepers and the delicate skin around them too!

Exfoliate your face one to two times a week

Regular exfoliation is one of the most effective ways to keep older skin looking youthful and bright. As we age, our skin’s natural exfoliation process slows down and causes a build-up of dead, dull skin. Exfoliating helps speed up cellular turnover, softening fine lines and wrinkles and diminishing hyperpigmentation so you want to be getting in on it!

One of my favourite exfoliators is Pevonia’s Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser, it gently polishes your skin with its unique creamy, granular texture and my skin always looks clearer, brighter and smoother after every use! But if granules scare you, I also LOVE Phytomer’s Vegetal Exfoliant with Natural Enzymes. It’s a soft exfoliant for even the most sensitive of skin types and uses natural enzymes to encourage cell turnover without scrubbing or irritating your skin. I promise you when I say it’ll make your skin appear fresher and younger!

6 Father’s Day grooming gifts Dad will actually use and love!

August 27, 2021/in How To /by Jo Boyden

With Father’s Day just around the corner and the majority of us unable to plan the usual big family brunch due to lockdown, we are now faced with one of the biggest gift-giving dilemmas! What do you gift Dad to show him your love and appreciation?

This year, why not ditch the usual drab and treat Dad to one (or six even) grooming gifts. I’m pretty sure there are a fair few Dads who might be needing that right now!

Daily self-care after all is imperative in these times, and what better way than to treat him to a little pampering in the luxury of his own home!

So read on to reveal our top 6 last minute grooming picks. Both your man and his skin will thank you later.

The dynamic Duo

Phytomer Homme Face & Eyes Gift Pack

This rather suave gift pack contains two of Phytomer’s best-selling men’s products – Aqua Optimal Face and Eye Soothing Moisturiser and a FREE foaming creamy cleanser – Global Pur Freshness Cleansing Gel. Both products, designed to address the distinct differences in men’s skin, work together to thoroughly cleanse, calm, smooth and soothe. Dad will love the radical results of a brighter more youthful complexion after every use!

The soothing miracle mask

Phytomer Rasage Perfect Shaving Mask for Men

I know many men appear to be using this time in lockdown to grow facial hair but there is something to say for keeping up appearances and I know with the amount of zooms my hubby is on daily, forgoing the daily shave isn’t really an option for him.

If your man’s skin tends to be on the more sensitive side this product is a standout. It can be used as a daily shaving foam but also as a weekly face mask if he fancies giving himself a little bit of a full facial. It effectively reduces inflammation and prevents irritation for a smooth and comfortable shave.

The new men’s multi-tasker

Age Optimal Face & Eyes Wrinkle Smoothing Cream

Finally, a skincare product your dad or hubby (my kids love to buy Daddy a present as well as make him some cute craft when it comes to Father’s Day) will love and look forward to using daily! If your hubby (or Dad!) is anything like mine, looking after his skin is likely low on his list of priorities (even with a wife who’s been working in the skincare industry for 20 years!!) When I recently forced said hubby (not under duress of course!) to trial this new product for research reasons (ha!) he promised me he would give it a go and stick to it so he himself could see the results! I am pleased to report that he is loving the product, he IS actually using it day and night and while it’s only been two weeks, both skeptical he and I have seen noticeable results – brighter, smoother, softer skin!

Now for a little detail on the product. Instead of your usual creamy moisturiser, this anti-ageing cream has an ultra-refreshing sorbet texture which gives skin an immediate boost while decongesting and intensely hydrating both the skin and the eye contour, so really for the dad that’s been slow to embrace skincare, this is the perfect multi-tasking product. Easy to use, pampering, refreshing, anti-ageing and just right for a dull, tired complexion! Oh, and as an added bonus, the invigorating aquatic and woody fragrance transports you (or him should I say) immediately to the seashore!

The complete facial kit and caboodle

Pevonia Limited Edition At Home Facial Kit

If you and/or your kids want to play therapist and treat dad to a full pampering facial or a relaxation massage at home, we have all the products to help you do so! My kids love giving their Dad 5 minute massages! Whether he loves it quite so much I don’t know! And I’m sure they’d love to try their hand at a facial if they could too! Why not go the extra mile this father’s day and turn your home into a spa! Get Dad to relax to some soothing sounds, light some candles and follow these 5 simple steps to indulging him in a heavenly full facial.

The must-have massage oil

Pevonia’s Micro Emulsion Massage Oil Anti-Stress

If a therapeutic back and shoulder massage to alleviate Dad’s aches and pains is more what is needed (or more his thing) Pevonia’s Micro Emulsion Massage Oil Anti-Stress will be your perfect go-to product. With its gorgeous aroma and nourishing ingredients, it immediately releases pent up tension and relieves fatigue and muscle cramps.

Oh and for fatigued feet and legs, Pevonia’s Tension Relief Gel is a must! It cools, refreshes, stimulates circulation and alleviates tension, heaviness and fatigue in the muscles as well as a heavy sensation in calves and feet. Yes, please!

Want to learn about more of our favourite men’s skincare recommendations shop our website now.

Posts

LIPS – THE PERFECT POUT

Exfoliate

Line those lips

Apply long lasting lippie

Plump up the volume

FACE – A FLAWLESS FACE

A perfect base

Fake your cheekbones

EYES – AN INSTANT EYE LIFT

Big bright eyes

Thicker lashes

Brow perfection