April MK Pulse Beauty

As we wave goodbye to Winter and welcome in the warmer months, our attention turns to revitalising and rejuvenating our beauty routines.

Milton Keynes Pulse Beauty April 2015 

MK Pulse is a local magazine serving Milton Keynes

Welcome to Pulse Beauty HQ

For those of you who missed last month’s column –I’m Gail Spooner, a professional make-up artist. I have worked on many exciting projects over the years, including the BA ad campaigns and almost a decade with MAC. I am delighted to have been asked by MK Pulse’s lovely Editor,Kerry Lewis, to share my tips, tricks and advice with you each month.

As we wave goodbye to Winter and welcome in the warmer months, our attention turns to revitalising and rejuvenating our beauty routines.

Over the last week, I’ve glimpsed blankets of snowdrops and crocuses –a sure sign that we are joyously diving headlong into the Spring!There’s another indication of the imminent warmer climate –the 2015 Formula 1 racing season is underway – which happens to be my second passion after make-up and beauty! We’ve packed lots into this month’s Easter Special so stay tuned and enjoy!

SPRING CLEAN(SE)....!

After what seems like an age of being exposed to the harsh winter weather, our skin may be left feeling dull, dry and lack lustre. It’s time to rejuvenate our complexions with this simple routine:

  • Exfoliate – once a week for normal/dry/combination skin and twice for oily complexions
  • Cleanse – twice a day to remove all traces of makeup and impurities
  • Tone – unless your skin is super oily, I tend to miss this step out as some toners can have a drying effect on the skin
  • Moisturise – twice daily without fail!

Select products according to your skin type.

#PulseBeauty tip: Look for products that include skin brightening properties… more on this later.You will be amazed by the resulting radiance!

Easter Treats with Zero Calories!

It’s not all about Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies – check out these fabulous his and hers ‘chocolate substitute’ beauty treats!

toofacedchocolate

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Eye Palette £39 Debenhams

lushwhipstick

Lush Whipstick Chocolate Orange Lip Balm £5.75

philip

Philip B. Chocolate Milk Body Wash & Bubble Bath £25 Space.NK.apothecary

giovanni

Giovanni Hot Chocolate Sugar Scrub £11.99 natureshealthbox.co.uk

toofacedmilk

Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil Bronzer £25 Debenhams


#PulseBeauty is loving...

Clinique Sonic System

The Clinique Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush. Swiss engineered cleansing innovation will leave your skin looking smoother and more radiant. It’s suitable for all skin types and ages. Simply let the brush glide over your skin for a deep and gentle cleanse. For those time-starved individuals, this takes one minute of your time and is more effective than the traditional fingertips and cotton pads.

£79 John Lewis

Tried and Tested....

Strobe Cream, MAC £24.50

strobecreamIt claims to be the ultimate quick fix for skin by boosting dull, flat skin with a fully loaded vitamin zap and a mega dose of green tea! It doesn’t disappoint.This creamy formula contains iridescent particles which have light reflecting properties and it really does do what it says on the box –by enhancing and brightening the skin in all lighting conditions.Try mixing in a small amount with your liquid foundation for an instant wow factor glow!

 

Perfect brows... How to achieve.

It’s all about the brows –and why not? We saw the 2015 natural brow trending on the catwalks. Did you know that by placing our brow arch in precisely the right spot, we can appear more youthful? Not only do brows frame our eyes, they can make or break a look,which is why I consider them to be a very powerful feature.

clarabrowbrookeshields caradelvigne

They can single-handedly define an era; from 20s Clara Bow (thin and straight) to 80s Brooke Shields (thick and natural). Right now we are seeing Cara Delevigne rocking the natural but more refined brow –which is not for everyone. Remember, trends change but face shapes don’t!

  1. browsFind the start point-  Hold a pencil vertically from the outer edge of the bottom of your nose in line with the inner corner of your eye (one inch above) to your brow. Mark with a pencil.
  2. Find the arch-Hold your pencil from the tip of your nose diagonally in line with the middl eof your pupil and up to your brow –then mark the spot (th earch should be two thirds out).
  3. Find the tail:-Line the pencil up diagonally from the outer edge of the bottom of your nose in line with the outer corner of the eye to your brow bone – mark it.Make sure it does not end lower than the point of where your brow begins (to avoid droopy looking eyes).
  4. Brush brows upwards and tweeze out any stragglers.
  5. Fill in any gaps using a brow powder with an angle brush which gives a natural ‘hair look’ and defined shape.
  6. Set with a clear brow gel.

NB: Don’t worry if both brows are not perfectly symmetrical(this is not unusual) – think of them as sisters rather than twins!