It’s Valentine’s month. Date or no date on the big night, we can all do with lavishing a little beauty love on ourselves. Read on for the simplest steps to a sexier you. Just add sheets.
Smoky Eyes
Smouldering lids have mesmerised men since Cleopatra ringed her eyes with kohl and captured the hearts of Julius Caesar and Marc Antony – two pretty impressive conquests, it has to be said. More recently – well, in the 1950s - Brigitte Bardot smudged up her bedroom eyes and - voilà - the classic sex-kitten look. The smoky eye is to this day the easiest makeup step to sexy - it’s the push-up bra of beauty.
Modern-day kohls come packaged practically as pencils – simply etch around the lashline and use your fingertip to blend out to sexy effect. Forget fussing with brushes – the best thing about this kohl kind of smoky eye is that it looks a little lived in. Melting mascara, on the other hand, is not so seductive. So lash those lashes with a black mascara in a waterproof – and passion-proof - formulation.
Great Buy: Stila Kajal Eye Pencil in Onyx, $36, from Mecca Cosmetica
Steamy Skin
There’s a time and a place for a full face of foundation. If you’re at the office, say. Or reading the news. But if you’re on a date, big base can be as attractive as big granny pants. When it comes to foundation – both the makeup and undergarment kind – less is so much more. There’s little sexier than soft, smooth skin.
However, first of all you have to be able to get away with wearing less makeup. Candlelight helps, definitely. But so does great skin. To get that loved-up dewy look, add some oil in the mix. Cleansing oils are a great way to clean the skin, without stripping natural oils, while a rosehip oil is a brilliant treatment option, pampering and plumping up skin. To enhance your glow, add some shimmer lotion into your moisturiser. Finally, dab on concealer where needed, and smooth a little cream blush into cheeks, for a flushed afterglow effect.
Great Buy: Kosmea Certified Organic Rose Hip Oil, $22.95, from Kosmea.
Romantic Scent
Research has shown that men are turned on by the smell of pumpkin and pizza. That might be a good choice for the dinner-date plate, then. But who wants to smell like a main course? And despite all of the sweet gourmand fragrances now available, you don’t have to turn yourself into dessert either.
The most universally appealing and romantic fragrances are those that are more softly spoken and subtly woven. Think of a mix of musky, powdery notes, mingled with the sweetness of rose or the headiness of jasmine. Which is one reason why men continually buy Chanel No.5 at gift-time. And the reason the ultimate bombshell, Marilyn Monroe, wore this and nothing else to bed.
Great Buy: Chanel No.5, form $120, from department stores.
Mussed-Up Hair
Bedhead hair may not be a simple as it sounds – you need to do more than just wake up and shake your head. Nevertheless, it’s not as tricky as some stylists, with all their tongs and techniques, would have us believe. And anyway, for the sexiest effect, which is what bedhead is all about, it needs to look a little undone.
The key is to kick-start natural texture. Smooth a styling cream or leave-in treatment through towel-dried hair, flip head upside-down, and scrunch sections of hair as you blow-dry. Forget brushes – using your hands as your tools will give you the most naturally dishevelled hair. On that note: skip hairspray. You want hair that’s touchy-feely. If you need to add a little shape or structure to your ‘do, take the top half of hair and clip in place at the back of the crown.
Great Buy: Sebastian Original Potion 9, $47, from selected hair salons.
Kissable Lips
Red lips may say sexy in theory, but in reality actually scream “Don’t touch!” A dewy rosy lip is much more sensual – not to mention kissable. Which brings us to the lipstain, being kiss-proof, and therefore just as practical as it is pretty.
The sheerness of a lipstain means it’s extra-important to keep lips in tip-top condition. Exfoliate weekly (try a DIY mix of gooey lip ointment and sugar crystals) and slather with a protective balm morning and night. For an even plumper pout, invest in a lip serum (Shizen Lip Hydrating Serum, $24.95, from Adore Beauty) and slip on before slicking on balm.
Now, you’re ready to pucker up. Simply dab stain on and rub lips together for an even tint of colour. Repeat for a rosier intensity. Finally, add a sheer or shimmery lip gloss if you want to give your lips a fuller – not to mention more enticing – look.
Great Buy: Jemma Kidd Makeup Rosy Gloss Lip & Cheek Tint, $46 from Kit.
