BROW HEAVEN

HD Brows... 7 Steps to the perfect brow

I wanted to talk to ya'll about my new eyebrows... my new HD brows to be precise.

As many of you know, brows are my thing.. If I was stuck on a desert island, a brow pencil would be my item of choice.

I'd been thinking of doing the HD brows course for a while, and I managed to get a cancellation on their 2 day course at the beginning of July (the waiting list for these courses is ridic!).

The training was fantastic, I learnt so much in a small space of time and the trainers were so hands on, I came away feeling really confident about being let loose onto the general public!

So basically, I wanted to give you all a low down on what HD brows are, and why they're so different from any other brow shaping treatment.

HD brows is a seven step treatment process, which involves tinting, waxing, threading, tweezing and shaping the brows with pencil and shadow powder.

A proven design formula is used on each and every client, so although everyones eyebrows will look slightly different, you will always receive the same procedure in terms of quality. The techniques used in this process focus on long term results and ULTIMATE brow design so its not just about removing hair, its about growing that brow back into a desired shape for that person.

A number of factors are taken into account before each treatments starts, including bone structure, face shape, personality and style and age, so a thorough consultation beforehand is always done.

Once the treatment has finished (which can take up to an hour), the client is given all the correct aftercare guidelines and reccomended products that are going to help them eventually achieve the ultimate brow for them. Generally people will need them doing every 3-4 weeks depending on hair growth so it is a manageable treatment to have.

I personally, love the look of HD brows, they're more defined, sharp and better shaped. I've always said when I do my makeup lessons that just doing your eyebrows in the morning will make a massive difference to how you look as it frames your face completely.

It will make you look and feel younger instantly... always a bonus!

I'm now doing this treatment at The Skin Sanctuary in Stockton Heath and at Roberta Beauty on King Street in Knutsford.

I promise you, you will LOVE it!

See you soon x



Summer Days with The Skin Sanctuary Come and join Lauren for a free personalised skin consultation in relaxed and peaceful surroundings, and enjoy a drink of your choice on arrival. Skin Treatments include * Firming Enzyme Facial * Glycolic Peel * Pumpkin Peel * TCA Peel * Dermaroller Other treatments available at the Skin Sanctuary * Nouveau Lash Extensions * Makeup Lessons * Occasion Makeup * Youngblood Makeup *Dermaquest Skincare And coming soon.... HD BROWS Appointments are available at The Skin Sanctuary in Stockton Heath and Roberta Beauty Redefined in Knutsford.   www.theskinsanctuary.com Please call 07761 825190 or 01565 754221 for more information on all our treatments.



Its just DUST.....

Hello fellow beauty buffs... so I was away a little longer than intended :)

Last time I was here, I said I wanted to talk about Hair Dust... well... here goes..

So as you'll have noticed from my last blog, I'd been getting my knickers in a twist for a while about thickening my hair and giving it some MAJOR volume. I'd heard all about hair dust from my hairdresser and other beautyholics, so last time I was in, I decided there was no better time than then to dig deep into my purse and try this stuff out.

I opted for Label.m resurrection style dust (though there are many more out there on the market of course). As far as I'm aware this is only available in hair salons, namely Toni and Guy and you can also get it online.

As far as using this goes, its pretty simple. Once you've dried your hair, sprinkle the dust (and I mean sprinkle!) into your root line and then gently rub it into your hair with your fingers, or use a comb to backcomb at the root for more intense volume (the top of the pot is dotted with tiny holes so it will come out bit by bit).You do instantly get some noticeable volume, and once you've finished, it stays in your hair so if it does go a little limp throughout the day, you just mess it up again with your fingers and you get instant volume.

Great if you like that 'just got out of bed' look and can be used on short and long hairstyles, neat or messy. I think the only downside to this is if you use too much of it, it leaves a horrible texture in your hair.. so do use spraringly.

I really enjoy using this product, you can't really go wrong with it and it actually works...finally :)

xxx

Busy busy Bumble bee...

Hi everyone, sorry I've been away for while... didn't realise how busy April was going to be!

Anyways... I'm going to be talking about something other than makeup and skin today... HAIR!!

I don't know about you, but I constantly have flat, dull lifeless (cue Cheryl Cole..) hair.. particularly at the roots. And of course I've fallen for all the marketing hype with this shampoo and that conditioner that claims to thicken my hair and give it volume and shine etc etc... blah blah blah... what a load of tosh ey?!

So I was talking to my friend about it a few weeks ago and she suggested I try Bumble and Bumble Thickening spray. Her hair always looks fab so I ordered from the love that is Space NK, and it arrived ready to be tried immediately!

I have to say I was sceptical.. nothing had ever worked before on my hair so why would this? But I was pleasantly surprised... and after all, it didn't win In Style best beauty buy for 2012 for nothing.

After towl drying your hair, you spray this all over (I particularly spray into and underneath my roots for a bit of extra ooommppphh!). Then blow dry as normal, or in my case, blast it dry with my fingers.

Its as simple as that.

It doesn't get as much volume in there as I thought it would (I'm not sure what I was expecting..80's bouffant??!) but it certainly gives the hair a lot more texture and a little height at the root and thats a quick blast with the hairdryer. If you blow dry it properly and take a little more time, this will give plenty of height at the root and texture which still leaves movement in that swish swish.

The only downside with this is it can leave the hair feeling a little straw as you do have to saturate the hair with spray before drying.. all in all though, worth trying if you're struggling with volumising products. Only one that has done anything to my hair so far!

So next time I will be reviewing the wonder that is hair dust.. and the new Giles Deacon makeup range for New Look.. exciting stuff ladies, hope you enjoy!

See you soon

L xx

DermaQuest Glycolic Cleanser

I just wanted to do a quick review on this product which I've now been using for a about a week...

This is the Glyco Creamy Cleanser from DermaQuest. It has 15% glycolic acid in it (the highest you are allowed to use in a cleanser) which as some of you may or may not know does a multitude of amazing things to your skin

- Exfoliates

- Hydrates

- Increases cell turnover

- Clears blackheads

- Stimulates collagen and elastin

To name but a few!

How to use...

Use P.M and do a double cleanse with it. You can use it normally as a cleanser, or leave it on for up to 3 minutes as a cleansing mask. Thoroughly and deeply cleanses so skin feels squeaky clean afterwards.

You really do see a difference with this cleanser, my skin has been smoother and much more even just after a week of using it.. and considering its a cleanser, it does a hell of a lot. Really good for age management, breakout skin and preparation for skin peels.

Retails at £32, so little more expensive that your bog standard cleanser, but it can last you up to 3 months (you don't need to use a lot of it either).

My verdict?? Buy it.. so worth it.

See you soon!

Lauren x

Magic Minerals...

Ok I admit it, I used to be a bit of a makeup snob... I thought all the best makeup, was the expensive stuff.. the most widely used, the most popular, the most this, the most that... how wrong I was.

As long as the makeup you're using is working for you, quality wise, price wise, looks wise, then it really doesn't matter. Don't get me wrong, I love my luxurious products (who doesn't!) but I also love the high street brands, and its good to have a proper mix of everything in your makeup bag.

One makeup trend that I was never sure about when it first came out, was mineral makeup. I remember when it started appearing on counters in Selfridges, I thought, how can you use powder based foundation? The pigments mustn't be as good as normal makeup? It won't look as good surely??

Once again, how wrong I was....

Last year I was introduced to Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics - a pure natural mineral range of makeup that was developed by Pauline Youngblood, initially for people who had severely traumatised skin from laser treatments and cosmetic surgery. There was nothing else on the market at the time was up to standard.

And so she formulated a natural mineral foundation that didn't clog the skin but still looked amazing. That was 10 years ago, and there is now a full makeup range..

And is this makeup range up to scratch? Yeah it is!!

The whole of the Youngblood range is amazing.. its luxurious, creates a healthy natural glow, won't block pore or cause spots, free of fragrance, oil, talc, parabens and artificial dyes and it has a natural sun protection factor in, so all of it can be used on any skin type.

I have to say, after using this on my makeup clients, I was and they were, amazed at how good their skin looked. You get a beautiful glow from the loose and the liquid foundations

£31

£35

Both foundations are buildable in coverage, and the powder can be used as a finishing powder on top of the liquid as it gives a gorgeous sheen when buffed into the skin. There is more choice in colour in the loose foundation but the liquids can always be mixed together to get a mid colour for in between seasons.

In a nutshell these foundations are great for your skin because they are actually full of minerals so great for those sensitive people.

I also wanted to mention the high definition powder... this is beautiful. Not only does it mattify where needed like a bog standard powder, but this also helps the skin to look utterly flawless all day long and leaves the skin feeling really really soft.

£32

I could go on and on about each and every product they do but it would take too long! But just know this, this makeup needs to be in your kit. If only one or two of the products, its lovely and really easy to work with.

If anyone is interested in looking at any of the products in the range, I am selling it at Cheshire Makeup HQ! So please get in touch.

See you soon xxx



Ultimate Rejuvenation

Its time for another peel update! This week I am completely loving

'PUMPKIN PEELS'

I've been doing these now for about a month on clients, and the feedback I've had from doing them has been fantastic.

There are two types, Primary Pumpkin (milder, usually clients will start off with this and progress to the power through the course of treatment) and Power Pumpkin (more powerful, both DermaQuest).

This treatment isnt actually a peel, its a powerful resurfacer that

* Supports age management

* Stimulates collagen for hydrated, plumped and smooth skin

* Fades mild pigmentation which will be lightened with the treatment resulting in a more even toned skin.

* Decreases existing acne and aids in preventing new lesions

* Improves skin hydration

It uses the power of 3 acids, Glycolic, Lactic and Salicylic, and also the pumpkin pulp which is enzymatic (imagine a little pac man, munching away on your skin!).

When the pumpkin is on your skin, you will feel some tingling and it can get a little hot, but it will start to cool and is left on the skin for a maximum of 10 minutes.

The initial result is redness on the skin (which will go down after a couple of hours) and a tightening of the skin. The treatments are done in courses of 6 1-2 weeks apart and can be done 2-3 times a year.

So as you can hear, this resurfacer is the business! People will start saying how good you look, how amazing your skin looks, and you will feel amazing!

I'm starting these on myself this week, I can't wait to see the results.. if you're interested, please get in touch, consultations are free and you can ask as many questions as you like.

See you soon!

xxx

New Spring/Summer No 7 products

Hi everyone, firstly just a little note to say sorry I've been away for a while, been really busy and only had time to update today!

And secondly, we're back onto a makeup update today, yey! Colour fun :)

So I've really been wanting to try these new BB creams that everyone has been talking about.

BB creams are 'Blemish Balm' creams, they're an all in one, super duper cream (primer, foundation, concealer, SPF protection and moisturiser). They're really popular in the far east, and made their way over here last year...

I decided to try the No 7 BB cream from their 'Beautiful Skin' range - this comes in two shades, Normal/Dry and Normal/Oily in a fair and a medium tone.

I applied it with my fingers, and I have to say, it goes on like a dream! Soaks into the skin very quickly, gives a flawless finish with a light-medium coverage and there is enough pigment in there to make you feel like you don't then have to layer a load of concealer on over the top. A little seems to go a long way as well so I think this will definately last 4-6 weeks.

At £12.95, its not going to break the bank either!

Whilst I was at Boots, I noticed there was a 3 for 2 mix and match no their No 7 products spring collection.. so I also got their

Vital Brights Cream Blush in Blossoming Pink

And, their Vital Brightening Eye Pallette (both £13)

 

I used these both at the weekend and I absolutely love the eye pallette! It has a lovely range of neutral colours that create a defined, natural, pretty eye makeup look. I especially love the little curve of yellow in there, it looked great on my friend who has amazing blue eyes as an all over colour, and I used just on the inside of my eye as a hint.

The blusher is lovely too, great colour, but I felt it went on better with a brush as you get a better coverage with it like that. With fingers it seemed to go on quite patchy, but still a fab product, that could also be used on the lips. This blusher also comes in a deeper stronger pink, rather than the peachy pink I bought.

All in all, I love this new Spring range from No 7, affordable, fun and easy to use. I'll be using on all my brides this summer for sure :)

Catch up soon girls and guys

xxx

Final Pictures for the TCA Peel!

Good avo girls and guys.. what an absolutely gorgeous day its been! Here's hoping we get some more of that??!!

This is just a quickie today to show you the final images of my skin from the skin peel which were taken at the end of last week (Friday and Saturday).

To feel the skin, its really soft and smooth, much more than before so I'm really pleased after just one treatment that it feels so nice. To look at, its just got a glow about it, makeup goes on much better and I'm hardly having to wear any as it actually looks nice when I'm not wearing any!

So all in all, I would sooo recommend this peel.. particularly if you are a bit older in years, and have a build up of sun damage and any type of scarring. You literally will look the best that you can look!

Remember I'm doing these now at the Skin Sanctuary @ Cheshire Makeup in Warrington so if you're interested, give me a call or email me!

07761 825190, lauren@cheshiremakeup.com

See you soon!

xxx

P.S My next blogs will be all about the current spring makeup trends that are about at the moment, there will be picture tutorials so watch this space!

More pics - TCA Peel from The Skin Sanctuary!

Well... I said I'd update with some pics of my skin from the TCA peel I had done on Friday last...and here they are...

But just before you look... a bit of an update on how its been from a 'daily life' aspect.

The thing with this peel is, you know at the end, when your skin has peeled and healed completely, your skin is going to be amazing.. like AMAZING. Your skin does literally peel off, kind of looks like you've had quite bad sunburn and you didn't put enough aftersun on :)

For the first couple of days, it feels very tight and your skin does look quite.. good actually! Because it is so tight on your face, it looks like you've had botox and the skin is quite luminous..

But it will enevitably start to peel, mine (and most others) started around the mouth on day 1. Day 2 under the nose and further down around the mouth. It also goes quite dark (darker still if pigment has been drawn to the surface) which is quite normal.

Day 3 it then moved to the cheeks, forehead and nose, and now on day 4 5 and 6, I can start to see new, beautiful soft baby like skin emerging.

I'm not going to lie, it does get a little itchy and you really want to pick it all off (which is a big no no as it can scar the new skin underneath.. my way of dealing with this was to pull my face into different expressions so the dead skin stretches out without you touching it and acts as a scratch!).

BUT its totally worth it for the result I know I'm going to get at the end of this week... even worth walking with a scarf around my face at the Noel Gallagher gig I went to on monday night so as not endure endless stares at my face..

So anyway, without any further ado.. here are my pics from day 1,2,3,4,5 and (today).. there will be more to follow as the skin completely heals.. eeeeeekkkkkk

Day 1





Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

So as you can see, the skin starts off looking quite dark and red, then starts to peel, getting worse each day until day 4 when you can see new skin coming through.

By day 6, there are little bits left on around the sides of the face but the rest of my skin looks and feels really good. There is a glow to it that wasn't there before, and its brought all my pigmentation to the surface (that I didn't even know was there!). These parts look as if they are peeling again which will then just fall off. And its also cleared my nose of blackheads..

So all in all, for all the unattractiveness of the first 5 days, its been totally worth it :)

Will update with a final picture when its completley peeled..

Hope you've found it interesting!

See you soon xxx

TCA Skin Peel from The Skin Sanctuary @ Cheshire Makeup

Ok ladies and gents this treatment is going to rock your socks off!!

Its a TCA ADVANCED PEEL... the reason this is advanced, is because it is a medium strength peel and its used due to its reliability and performance on the skin.

This particular TCA uses 7% Trichloroacetic acid, 2% Salicylic acid and Retinol (Vitamin A) in one treatment... WOWZERS!

TCA has the following amazing benefits....

* Stimulates Collagen and Elastin production
* Reduce fine lines and wrinkles
* Imrpove acne scarring
* Diminish pigmentation - resulting in smoother, firmer more refined skin tone and texture
* Fantastic for comedonal acne
* Great for thickened damaged skin
* Visible tightening of the skin
* Because it is restoring and renewing cell activity, it will reveal healthy, bright, youthful skin underneath

 - Thats a lot of great benefits isn't it :)

So its great for all skin types, and has the same benefits of the 30% TCA (which some of you may have heard off as well) but with less side effects.

Now I'm going to be really brave here, and tell you first of all that I've had this treatment done TODAY!! And second of all, I'm going to be posting a picture of my skin day by day so you can see whats happening to it.

The actual treatment itself is not for the faint-hearted I have to be honest, it stings and gets very hot when the product is applied to the skin, but it cools within a couple of minutes, ready for the second pass. With the second pass of product, it will get hotter quicker and if you can make it to a third pass, you're onto a winner!

At the end of this treatment, you should have an even layer of 'frosting' or protein coagulation on the skin (see picture below). This is a fantastic sign that the peel has done its job and you're going to get a good 'peel' over the next 3-6 days, with total downtime usually at between 7-10 days.

Retinol is then applied all over the skin to encourage an even full exfoliation of the skin.. this does have a yellow tinge to it, so you will look like you've had a tan done! (And probably a good thing to tell people if they ask you!) But when you cleanse the face later on this colour will come off.

Soooo without any further ado!! Here's what my skin looked like immediately after the peel

Pretty scary!! So will keep you updated with daily pics of how my skin is looking until my new face is unveiled!

This treatment will be available from the The Skin Sanctuary @ Cheshire Makeup from 20th February.

See you soon xxx

The right colours for you....

I get asked a lot when I'm doing someone's makeup for a night out or in a makeup lesson 'what eye makeup colours suit me???'


And with the eyes, its usually whats going to make their eye colour POP!


First of all, neutral colour will always suit everyone no matter what colour your eyes are. So starting off with these colours is aways easy as you will easily find at least one pallette on a makeup counter that sells them.  These colours tend to be


Light - Mid - Dark - Cool - Warm browns


Ivory, White, Peachy


These can be worn naturally or more sophisticated depending on how you apply...


Then it gets exciting :)


If you imagine a colour chart like the one below



Find your eye colour on there (or as near to it!) and follow the chart directly across.. the colours on the opposite side will be your 'Eye popping colours'.


But as a general guideline (though there are no rules with makeup) the following applies when choosing the right shades for you -


Blue eyes look for - Brown - Red - Gold - Orange - Copper - Lilac - Grey - Plum




You can also wear warm or cool blues depending on your overall colouring


Green eyes look for - Browns - Purple - Navy Blue - Plum - Pinks - Reds - Burnt Orange

You can also wear warm or cool greens depending on your overall colouring.


Brown eyes can wear most colours but these specifically will look amazing - Black - Blue (deep will more intense) - Gold - Teal Green - Purple

You can also wear warm or cool browns depending on your overall colouring.


Hazel eyes look for - Mauve - Purple - Plum - Golds - Greens



And black will always make an eye colour pop... if you aren't brave enough to wear it all over the lid use it as an eyeliner on your top or bottom lash line or in your water line.

I hope that helps some people choose the perfect shade for that night out your going on : )

See you soon! xxx

P.S I will be doing some tutorials soon, not sure if they're going to be with camera or video yet so will keep you posted!

NEW TREATMENT - Glycolic resurfacer with Stem Cell Technology

Many salons offer Glycolic peels now, it is a fantastic treatment that addresses a wide range of skin concerns.

BUT this particular Glycolic peel from DermaQuest, also uses Stem Cell technology - This is using the power of plant cells (just in case you want to know :) this one in particular uses SYRINGA VULGARIS from LILAC LEAF) within the treatment to enhance performance. It has a general effect not just specific to an area so it is more versatile and usable in treatment.

So as well as all the fanastic benefits you get from Glycolic Acid, you are also getting anti-inflammatory, healing and protecting from the stem cells.

Stem cells are involved in growth and repair and they help to reduce the effect of trauma to the skin and encourage healing and repair wounds. They also protect against nasty free radicals or environmental assault.

This AMAZE treatment ladies and gents works from inside out and other than some mild redness on the skin and a tingling sensation is a gentle but VERY effective peel!

Benefits -
* Reduces fine lines and wrinkles
* Evens skin tone and texture
* Reduces mild pigmentation
* Resolves non-inflammatory acne

Get booked in now! Over time will strengthen delicate skin and increase healing and rejuvenate.

See you soon! xx

NEW TREATMENT FROM THE SKIN SANCTUARY!!

FIRMING ENZYME TREATMENT!!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this facial treatment!

This treatment is ideal for first time users of DermaQuest and peels/resurfacers. It literally does what it says in the title, it FIRMS and TIGHTENS the skin, you can actually feel it tightening whilst its on, and when the mask is taken off, there is an instant visible lift to the skin... so great before a night out or getting married!!

There are no agressive acids with this mask, but it does incorporate the power of PINEAPPLE and PAPAYA enzymes (which munch munch munch away at your skin like a little pacman to EXFOLIATE) and peptides which will help to brighten and firm the skin.

General benefits of this are -
* Cleansing and exfoliating
* Balancing and invigorating
* Smoothing and hydrating
* Great preparation for peels

I gave my mum one of these facials before a night out last weekend, and her skin afterwards was unreal! Really plump and tight, it literally looked like her face had lifted! So when she applied her makeup, her skin was flawless. The effects will last approximately 2-3 days... but its so worth it :)

There is a new website being developed as we speak that will have all my new (and old) treatments on so I will keep you updated on that.. in the meantime, if you'd like any more info, please get in touch!

Lauren - 07761 825190

See you soon xx

BROWS BROWS BROWS!!

Anyone that knows me, knows the one thing I can't leave the house without doing is my eyebrows... I'm going to be honest and say I'm obsessed with them, always looking at other peoples and always making sure mine look perfect..

When I found out about threading, I was straight down to the local brow bar and lying back on that dentist-like chair getting them shaped... hooked!

But I've also recently found the ultimate set of products (in my opinion) for finishing off the perfect brow.

You will need

Benefit - Speed Brow

MAC - Brow pencil (in suitable colour, in my case - Lingering)
or
Illamasqua - Eye Brow Cake (in suitable colour, in my case - Thunder)

Benefit - High Brow Pencil

To start with, I always brush my brows up and across with the speed brow from Benefit. This sets the hair in place (my brow hair is particularly long so needs holding!). This also gives a bit of a tint to the brow, so if you want something really natural you could stop there and it would look neat and tidy.

Next I either use Mac brow pencil in Lingering - This is what I'm using at the moment, and I literally colour in my brow, drawing on tiny hair strokes so it still looks natural but just accentuating the shape, up and out.

Or I use the fantastic eye brow cake in Thunder from Illamasqua - I use an angled brow brush with this and use the powder dry (it can be used wet for a more dramatic look), using the same technique as the pencil. Generally you can achieve a softer look with a powder cake.

And finally, I apply high brow pencil from Benefit - LOVE THIS AT THE MOMENT! Apply either just under the arch of your brow, or (like me) along the whole brown just underneath. Then smudge in with your finger. This will really accentuate the shape by highlighting the area.

You should end up with something that look likes this!

See you soon! xx

New skincare and treatments from The Skin Sanctuary @ Cheshire Makeup

Firstly I just want to introduce you to DermaQuest - this fantastic skincare and treatment range is an American company, set up by a man called Sam Dhatt - an award winning chemist and formulator for more than 700 other companies. He uses the latest, cutting edge technology to develop the products - so you know this stuff is going to be good!

DermaQuest WILL give you results and their products are the most advanced formulations available anywhere.

The products are PARABEN FREE, DermaQuest manufacture and market themselves, products are made from CUSTOMER demand, not industry demand, and their products have the EXACT amount of ingredients needed to get the job done so you always get the RESULTS expected.

In a nutshell, this range is AMAZING! You get value for money with every single product and I really believe in it.

Look at reviews for some of the DermaQuest products, and you will always see top stars because this stuff WORKS!

Anyway, why don't you find out for yourself :) I'm now stocking the range at my home salon in Warrington, Cheshire.

See you soon! xx

One of the final images from the 'Harajuko Girls' shoot for Chimp magazine!

What do you think??
This was so fun to shoot, loads of colour, avante garde styling and hair, makeup was really creative... first time using lip tattoos as well.

Jennifer and I used Pink Polka from the Violent Lips collection. At first we thought they were going to be quite difficult to use as they have to be cut to fit each set of lips... but once we'd actually applied them, the results were so worth the effort!

Below is another of my favs, a close up of one our amaze models... enjoy :)

xxx

New times for Cheshire Makeup!

Well, its that time again.. new year, new start! And what a start its been!

As well as makeup and eyelash extensions, I'm now doing... dah dah dah!!!!

* DermaPure Pure Roller Treatments
* Skin Resurfacers
* DermaQuest Skincare

I'm going to write individal blogs on each treatment so you can see exactly what and who they're for, but just know this... these treatments get results.. amazing results so they are a must to try!

I will also be updating on makeup trends, looks and showing you my brand new spandangally shoot that I've just done for Chimp Magazine - Harajuko Girls.

Catch you all soon :) xx