Meet Emma Hobson, Education Manager for the International Dermal Institute, the much respected research centre for salon skincare brand Dermalogica. You probably recognise her name; Emma’s one of the most quoted beauty experts in the Australian press. That’s because her job - which sees her travelling around Australia, Asia and New Zealand, teaching beauty therapists about new treatments and thinking - places her front and centre of emerging skincare trends and technology.
What do you love most about your job?
“I’ve been in the skincare industry for 26 years, but in recent times we’ve seen an amazing amount of change in how we’re providing treatments and services. There’s been a revolution with ingredients and products and some of the incredible equipment you can use on the skin.” (more…)
It’s Red Nose Day. And without wanting at all to take away from the serious message of the day - the need for more research into Sudden Infant Death Syndrome - I just have to say, I have woken up with a very red nose myself. It happens when you go through a box of tissue in a couple of days. But now I just look like I’ve been drinking gin rather than Lemsip. Looks like an IPL session is in order very soon - there’s little else like it for blitzing broken capillaries into oblivion. Anyway, I’m signing off the diary for a week and a bit. Am off on a mid-winter holiday and it couldn’t have come at a better time. You might not be too jealous though. It’s going to be all things vegan and yoga. I can’t believe how excited I am about it - considering only a year ago my dream holiday would have been basking by a tropical pool, pina colada in hand. But I promise I won’t be too zen on my return. There will be no talk of dreadlocks, mung beans, or ditching the rasor. After all, I have a very deep superficial side that would be hard to shake off. Lucky for you huh?
You know you’re sick when you cry all through Happy Feet. Yes, I am back on the couch with my friend the flu. It’s 4pm and I’m slowly feeling more human though. At least I’ve finally been able to find the energy to take yesterday’s makeup off. I have all sorts of skin spritzers and aromatherapy contraptions on my coffee table trying to make me feel better. But the one thing that’s like a beauty Berocca: Clarins Eau Dynamisante (from $62, from Adore Beauty), my favourite mood-lifting fragrance. I look crap. At least I smell gorgeous.
It’s amazing what you can pick up from a sick day spent on the couch. Information, I mean. Not germs - have enough of those already. I was so bored yesterday that I ended up reading my latest health insurance magazine from cover to cover. Did you know that filtering water can eliminate fluoride? Which might explain why, at my last dentist appointment, I had to have five fillings. Shocking, yes, Even moreso when you consider I’d never had to have any fillings ever before. So I’m now thinking it must be because I’ve been drinking bottled water (which has no fluoride) and filtered water for years. Well, at least I like to think that’s more likely to be the cause than champagne, which my dentist seemed convinced was the culprit. Some other observations from my day on the couch:
Don’t take your makeup cues from The Bold & The Beautiful … Never pluck your eyebrows when you are bored. There will be tears … That chamomile tea bag trick is really tricky. Try an eye gel that has been left in the fridge instead. Deflates sad sore puffy eyes fast … Reconsider applying a face mask between the hours of 9 and 5. If you do, a delivery guy will almost certainly decide this is the time to turn up at your place … Kilojoules don’t exist when you’re ill.
I’m sick today. I’m not going to lie, when you’re hot and feverish there’s not one little beauty trick that will make you look human again, except for a day or so in bed and lots of vitamin C. Upshot is, I have nothing scintillating to say today. So I’m going to pinch some wise words from the beauty and health director of UK Vogue, written up in the July age issue, which I’m currently lying on the couch with:
“For an instant youthful lift, apply pink-toned blusher high on the cheek apples, directly under the eyes. This make-up trick ‘lifts’ the cheek apples, making them appear fuller and younger, and gives the impression of good health. It also diminishes the look of under-eye shadows and makes eye whites seem brighter.”
