Age before beauty

Our panel of skincare experts answer your customers burning anti-ageing questions

The Panel

Dr Howard Murad, M.D. CEO and founder of Murad, Inc.

Howard Murad M.D. has changed the face of skincare as we know it. Devoting his life to making beautiful, healthy skin attainable for everyone. His internal and external philosophies and methods for an inclusive approach to overall skin and body health have helped hundreds of thousands of people.

Dr Jean-Louis Sebagh, Cosmetic surgeon

Acknowledged as one of the premier cosmetic doctors in Europe, Dr. Jean- Louis Sebagh is a master of the delicate art of cosmetic medicine, with a focus on the face and neck. Celebrities, models, socialites and VIPs comprise the high-profile clientele who visit his exclusive London and Paris offices for his breakthrough anti-ageing treatments. Continue reading

Tool Kit

The basics of beauty accessories

The old saying goes a bad workman always blames his tools – and none of us want to be bad workmen, do we?! The tools we incorporate into our beauty routines are just as crucial to the overall result as the actual products we use. Whether it’s for hair, make up or body, make sure your customers choose the correct accessories for their needs and desired results. Continue reading

’Tis the season to be jolly

A step-by-step guide to achieving party perfect looks for the sparkling festive season

Forget socialising, eating, and dancing, the Christmas party season is all about one thing – looking good. Now you’d think for people addicted to beauty that needn’t be a daunting task, but it’s just our luck that the most sociable calendar month of the year also comes at the time our skin and hair are under the most strain. Continue reading

Shading in

Care for customers’ different skin tones with our comprehensive guide

Last year, we reported that the industry was starting to wake up to the demand for beauty products for women with different skin tones. The category Mintel recognised as claiming about 2% of the beauty market in 2009, seemed to be ready to bloom. But as we edge closer to the end of 2011, the sector is yet to make any great strides. Brands such as Sleek, Fashion Fair, and the highly pigmented and sought after collections from Illamasqua are increasingly popular, and big brands such as Garnier and YSL are beginning to extend their range of shades to suit women of colour, but others have yet to make an impact. For your part, it’s important to know how the skin and hair needs of women across the UK differ and compare and what products and routines they need to suit them, as we anticipate this sector of the industry is one that will continue to grow and develop, whatever the pace. Continue reading

In your prime

Make up primers are changing the face of beauty

How happy would your customers be if there was a magic potion out there that could make their make up last longer, reduce the amount of make up they had to use (saving them money), and minimise the appearance of fine lines, pores and any other confidence-sapping beauty crises? What if it could also leave their skin looking luminous and more youthful, counteract dryness or oiliness, and generally leave them looking more beautiful? Well, the truth is – there is! Primer is the often-forgotten extra step in a make up regime that can do all of the above – and more, such as protecting from UV damage and feeding skin with vitamins. Continue reading

In Season

We reveal 2011′s hottest Autumn/Winter trends

BOURJOIS

Simple or dramatic, playful or cold – Bourjois’s autumn/winter season is going to be one of exciting contrasts.

The Look

From a polished, youthful glow to bursts of colour, 2011 is the year to mix things up. Bourjois has taken its inspiration from the catwalks with eyes washed in anything from cool blues to reds; experimental eyeliner; juicy Iips in shades ranging from cherry to damson; and dewy, fresh faces framed by not-too-groomed eyebrows.

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Make it up

What’s big, what’s new, what’s better and what’s next – everything you need to know about cosmetics in 2011

make it up photo Our lipsticks should be proud of themselves. Reports in the national press have recently revealed that the ‘lipstick effect’ is behind an increase in like for like sales in Debenhams, which describes its beauty halls as being surprisingly resilient to the effects of the recession. Continue reading

Age before beauty

Cater for every customer with our guide to beauty for different age groups

It’s a bit of a blighter, time. One minute you’re off to a party covered in glittery hair spray, pink eyeshadow and concealer, the next you’re nursing (alright, obsessing over) crow’s feet, wrinkly hands and baby-induced stretch marks. It casually ticks away with no regard for the trail of beauty dilemmas it leaves us to battle. But hell, think of all those lovely beauty products – we might not be able to stop the clock, but we can dam well use them to try! Continue reading

Teenage dreams

Your comprehensive guide to all teen needs

We’ve all heard the saying ‘school days are the best days of your lives’ and we all have memories of giggling our way through double maths, stealing glances at our latest crush and applying face masks and painting nails with friends. But what we may overlook is the angst, insecurity and loneliness that we also felt as teens – emotions your teen customers will be more than familiar with. Oily hair, acne and stretch marks are just some of the problems that, up until now, won’t have been concerns for your teen customers. Continue reading