Lady with a baby: pregnant Beaut.ies how did you/do you stay gorgeous?

Monday, July 19th, 2010

At the moment we seem to be the most fertile site in Ireland. Beaut.ie is breeding for the country and so we’re getting loads of questions about pregnancy beauty. We had a brilliant post a while back – Calling all Mammies that recommended a lot of body products and it sparked off a lot of interest.

So I admit I have a ulterior motive for asking you this question. I have to go and talk about the best products for pregnant gals – little problem though – I have no babushkas myself and therefore no first hand experience.

And you know we always like to recommend stuff that actually works – on real people. You’re my focus group!

Tell me what you used that worked – not just for the dreaded stretch marks – but everything else too.
Did you have to change your skincare – did you get spotty? What happened to your hair – did it become more lustrous – or maybe more greasy? What shampoo did you use?
Did you need to change your foundation if your skin changed.
What about concealer – did you get pigmentation marks and need to use a heavy duty concealer?
Post pregnancy did you find your skin had changed – and did you have problems with your hair?
And most importantly did you find yourself buying yourself little treats – because you’re worth it! And what where they?

Off you go! I’m dying to read the comments for this one!

Tags: pregnancy, Rate it
Posted in Ask, and you shall receive, Popular, Rate it | 34 Comments »

American woman: Best US Beauty Buys?

Friday, July 2nd, 2010

USA

There was a great response to Kirstie’s post wondering what beauty bits she should pick up while she was in Barcelona recently, and I fully plan to cut out ‘n’ keep the comments from that post for easy reference the next time I’m in Spain. My upcoming trip, though, is to California in the US of A for a fly-drive from San Francisco to San Diego, taking in LA and Las Vegas on the way.

Don’t tell Himself, now, but I’m planning to do a bit of beauty shopping while we’re there. (Shocking, I know; I’m sure he’ll be very surprised.)

At least one box of Crest Whitestrips will be coming home with me, but I’m wondering if you ladies would recommend any other hard-to-get-here products or brands or stores that you think I should check out?

Please do let me know in a comment!

Tags: buying beauty abroad, Rate it
Posted in Ask, and you shall receive, Rate it | 53 Comments »

Sun Smarts: Your SPF Questions Answered

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

spf questions answered

We don’t normally post emails we receive from brands verbatim, always preferring to serve you up unique content that has our own editorial take on it, but today we’re making an exception for this SPF advice from Janette Ryan, pharmacy training manager for the Vichy and La Roche-Posay brands, two companies we really trust for sun protection products.

There is a huge amount of confusion and mis-information out there about what sort of SPFs to use, not to mention how and when to use them. So, here’s Janette’s advice to see you through the summer, and if you have any other questions, leave us a comment and we’ll see if we can get ‘em answered.

1. Is the sun stronger and weaker at certain hours of the day?

The sun becomes stronger and weaker at certain hours of the day, this is due to the position of the sun in the sky. It is advisable to avoid the sun between 11am-3pm when Ultra Violet Rays are highest. People should adopt sun smart practices all day long in order to protect their skin from skin cancers and premature ageing of the skin.

2. How can I get a safe tan?

All tanning is UV damage. The only safe tan is fake tan. UV damage to the skin is permanent. It also builds up – that means damage to the skin in one year is added to damage done in previous years. In later life this can lead to skin cancer. Skin cancer can take 20 to 30 years to develop, so the rates of skin cancer today reflect the trends of the 70s and 80s. 90% of all skin cancers are preventable. Virtually all the risk comes from the sun and sun beds**

A lot of women like the sun tanned look so should opt for wearing fake tan and use a high UVA/ UVB protection while in the sun, playing sport etc to prevent from damaging their skin and increasing their risk of skin cancer later on and causing premature ageing.

(more…)

Tags: La Roche Posay, SPF, Sunscreen, vichy
Posted in Anti-ageing, Ask, and you shall receive, Skincare | 35 Comments »

No More: No 7 Stocking Cream Has Been Discontinued

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010

We were asked about this recently as bare legs season begins: some of you Beaut.ies have been having difficulty trying to track down new supplies of No 7 Stocking Cream for the forthcoming warmer (we hope) weather.

Ever eager to please, I got onto Boots PR to see if they had any light to shed on the matter.

They did.

It’s been discontinued.

Yup, Stocking Cream is no more. I have asked if there’s anything else in the lineup that might do the trick – or you never know, a newbie could be swooping in to replace it – and will report back. But in the meantime, if you know of a similar product to Stocking Cream – Sally Hansen is one that’s a definite goer – maybe you’d leave a comment for anyone left bereft by its cancellation?

Update: good news, the product has been renamed and repackaged as No 7 Bronze Silk (legs).

Tags: legs, No7
Posted in Ask, and you shall receive, Rate it | 21 Comments »

Beaut.ie How To: The Bling Accent Nail

Thursday, May 27th, 2010

Last week’s post about my sparkly statement nail drew lots of mostly favourable comment, together with a “How To” request from Glamazon via the magic of Twitter. “Any chance of a step-by-step for the mani-challenged on those fab nails?” she wondered. Sure thing, sez I, only too happy to have an excuse a reason to play with bling again.

I got four full days out of the original manicure, by the by, just topping up any tipwear as it appeared, and by then I was hanging for a new paint job anyway. Removal was easy peasy: I just soaked some cotton wool in nail varnish remover and let it sit on the bejewelled nails for a few minutes before wiping them clean.

Doing them isn’t that difficult, either. Honest. A bit fiddly, maybe, but that’s it. If you’re thinking of giving this a whirl but want more info, read on for the blow-by-blow guide!

1. Gather everything you need in one place and lay it out ready for use.

Using glue means there’s a pretty high probability of sticking to everything you touch if you have to toddle off mid-mani to retrieve any equipment. My kit consisted of a base coat, nail varnish, pointed tweezers, a tube of nail glue, a pile of mini flat-backed crystals, and a top coat.

2. Paint your statement nail as normal with a base coat and one coat of colour.

It doesn’t really need to be totally opaque since you’re about to cover it in bling and there won’t be much of the colour on display.

3. Make a small pool of glue, pick up a crystal with your tweezers, and dip the base of the crystal in the glue before applying it to the nail.

I used the flat end of the tweezers to press the crystal down onto the nail to be sure it stuck. Whatever you do, don’t make the mistake of absentmindedly using your fingers!

Repeat until the nail is covered. I worked in lines for a tidy finish, so started with a line of crystals down the middle of my nail working from base to tip, then did either side in line with the crystals of the first row, then just staggered the outer edges.

4. Finish with a layer of top coat. Now, this is optional. I didn’t actually put a top coat on mine until Day 2, because I was reluctant to do anything that might diminish the sparkliness of the crystals, but I do think it contributed to their staying power. They were still very bling-y, in fairness, but it definitely did detract from their faceted look.

Tags: accent nail, bling, DIY, manicure, statement nail, swatch
Posted in Ask, and you shall receive, DIY, Hands, Body & Feet, How to? | 21 Comments »

Skin Specifics: How to Diagnose Your Skintype

Wednesday, May 12th, 2010

how to diagnose your skintype

One of my favourite beauty factoids to quote is one that came from Vichy, which reckons that 69% of Irish women mis-diagnose their skintype. Me? I’m not surprised in the slightest – I even had a facial once where the therapist confidently advised that I have oily skin, based on a pre-period breakout on my chin. I explained that my skin is actually very dry, with a tendency to congestion on my chin, which, you guessed it, breaks out hormonally.

So if someone who’s supposed to know this stuff professionally had trouble with me, it’s no wonder us civilians are baffled. But the fact is, our faces hold clues to help us work out what sort of skin we have, and that helps us to figure out what skintype we fall into, which then allows us to buy and use the sort of products that are right for it.

You guys have been asking us for some pointers, so last week I took myself off to Urbana on Dublin’s Wicklow street to have a chat with owner and beauty therapist Paula Cuddihy. She took me through the four main types – oily, dry, normal and combination, and gave me diagnostic advice and product recommendations. Interested to know what’s what?

This week I’ll be bringing you the low-down on each type, but as always, it’s worth pointing out that the majority of us don’t have just one thing going on on our noggins. “70% of people have combination skin,” Paula says, but most of us will fall into a ‘majority’ camp, which helps us to deal with the main issue we have, and we can tackle the other with masques, exfoliation, or targeted products like serums.

Me? As I said, I’m dry with congestion, so I treat my skin with oils for maximum hydration, and my Eve Lom cleansing routine is brilliant because, while it’s expensive, it supports my skin without stripping it, and effectively de-gunks my bumpy chin.

So, sometimes a two-pronged approach is needed, but we’ll be giving you the gen on that, starting off this afternoon with a how-to on diagnosing an oily skintype.

Tags: How to?, Skincare
Posted in Ask, and you shall receive, How to?, Skincare | 21 Comments »

Hairdresser Recommended: Shampoo for Hard Water Hair

Friday, May 7th, 2010

While having my Moroccanoil treatment in Zeba the other week, I decided to stick salon owner Angie for a bit of free hair advice.

In between chatting about my recent highlighting disaster, whether or not I should get a fringe cut back in, bring the layers up, or go for the all-out chop, myself and Angie got talking about the problem of hard water hair, which is an issue that crops up a fair bit here on Beaut.ie.

Well, Angie reckons that your only man for this job is Paul Mitchell Shampoo Three, €6.96. It’s a clarifying shampoo that’s suitable for use on all hair types, including coloured and highlighted locks. Good for swimmers since it removes chlorine from hair, those in hard water areas need only use it a maximum of once every three weeks to deep cleanse and get rid of dulling mineral deposits and build up from hair.

Easy peasy!

Tags: Hair & Hair Removal, hard water, Paul mitchell, zeba
Posted in Ask, and you shall receive, Hair & Hair Removal | 13 Comments »

Rate it: Swap Siopa

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

Ever since the Swap Siopa returned from hibernation a few months ago it has been doing a brisk trade. Swaps have been busy criss crossing the country via the kindly ministries of An Post. Swap Siopa is so great because it ticks loads of boxes at once – it’s recession friendly and it’s a recyler’s dream. No longer do you have to feel guilty about that big expensive bottle of perfume you bought and decided you don’t like – bet someone else loves it and has something great to swap.

And actually it’s also fantastic because it’s based on pure trust. Heartwarming isn’t it? (Sniffle)

Hundreds of beauty items have been swapped (have a look at the Swaps Archive) – and hundreds more are up for swap. So at this stage in the game we’d like to ask you – how have you found it?

Tags: beauty swapping, swap siopa
Posted in Ask, and you shall receive, Beaut.ienomics - brilliant budget buys, Rate it | 44 Comments »

Rate it: Best Christmas presents for boys to give to girls

Friday, December 4th, 2009

Every year at Beaut.ie we are inundated with panicked requests from menfolk at Christmas time.

“I don’t know what to get my wife/girlfriend/sister/girl in work that I not so secretly fancy – help me! Oh please help me!”

And every year we give suggestions, depending on budget, many of which involve GHDs (men love giving these for some reason), Chanel nailvarnish, Bobbi Brown Palettes, Mac limited editions or spa/salon vouchers. And (of course) this year every man in the land should be buying several copies of the Beaut.ie Guide to Gorgeous for his loved ones

Every year when the husband asks me “What do you want for Christmas?” I reply “A kitten” (because one year he actually did get me a kitten (this kitten in fact) and I never give up hope that it may happen again).

So what do you want do you really really want to get in your ahem stocking this Christmas? Rate your best gifts here and we’ll pass it on!

Tags: Christmas, GHD, lust have, presents, Rate it
Posted in Ask, and you shall receive, Can't Live Without!, For Men, Money No Object | 43 Comments »

You Ask: Dr Warren Wallo Answers Your Dry Skin and Eczema Qs

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009

ask dr wallo

As the Director of Scientific Affairs at beauty mega-corp Johnson & Johnson, it’s a safe bet that Dr Warren Wallo knows a thing or fifty million about skin, so when I heard he’d be in town for the launch of Aveeno‘s new Dermexa line, a daily skincare regime suitable for dry skin sufferers and those prone to eczema, I reckoned a few of you might have some pretty specific questions I could put to him.

So this is a targeted post – if you’ve an issue around dry, flaking skin or skin that’s prone to eczema, please do leave a comment. I’ll put the best ones to him and post them up next week. Get going!

Tags: and you shall receive, Ask, eczema, Skincare
Posted in Ask, and you shall receive, Skincare | 23 Comments »