You simply scoop it out with your hand and massage into skin. Salt-and-oil scrubs are really effective on dry skin, so exfoliate before showering if you want the smoothest results possible – say, just before fake-tanning (although keep in mind that you’ll need to shower thoroughly to wash away all the oil residue).
As for loofahs mitts or towels, they’re best paired with a non-exfoliating shower gel, as they’re usually scrubby enough on their own. Just make sure to throw them in the washing machine regularly.
FYI: one great salt scrub is Urban Rituelle Beachcomber Frangipani Balinese Sea Salt Body Scrub, $24.95 from Scentiments.
The Look: A creamy complexion.
The Low-Down: Perfect skin is especially important when you’re wearing your hair comletely off your face. Go for a medium-coverage foundation and massage into smooth, well-moisturised skin (apply a primer pre-base if your skin is on the rough side). Next, go over the surface with a foundation brush, blending it seamlessly into skin. Don’t forget to smooth foundation into hairline, ears and neck to avoid demarcation lines. Blot any oily spots rather than powder them down, so as to keep the effect dewy and soft.
The Lust-After: Yves Saint Laurent Perfect Touch Radiant Brush Foundation, $78 from department stores.
Of course, I watched Lipstick Jungle last night. Jury’s still out. I’m not sure if I find the characters all that believable but then it took Sex and the City a couple of seasons to hook me. It’s obviously trying to be SATC’s sequel. It has the New York backdrop, the glamorous women, and the designer product placement. As the credits rolled at the end, there was even a list of some of the labels seen in the show, such as Bottega Veneta and Gucci. I’d missed all of them though - I’m more of a spot-the-beauty-buy viewer. You know, I would have thought there’d be a lot more beauty in a show called Lipstick Jungle. I only got my beauty fix twice. As Victory braced herself to face her staff after her latest catwalk collection was universally panned, she slicked on gloss (couldn’t tell which one sadly, but it was a gorgeous glimmery ruby). And when Nico pulled herself together after her steamy makeout session with a guy who was 1) not her husband and 2) many years younger, she reached for her YSL lipstick*. As fleeting as the scenes were, I guess beauty did play an important supporting role - lipstick, after all, being essential warpaint for we women in the urban jungle.
*Coincidentally, I went to the launch of a new YSL lippie last Thursday. It’s called Rouge Volupté and it’s out October 5 and it’s sensational. It’s creamy to wear and rich in colour and comes in an exquisite palette of shades, such as Provocative Pink, seen here on Ingrid, the divine PR for YSL and one of the chicest members of Sydney’s own lipstick jungle.
It’s easy to change the shape of your hair – not so much that of your face. That’s why it’s best to work from the starting point of your face shape when deciding on the most flattering hairstyle for you.
Oval Face
Your face is: Almost perfectly balanced and proportioned. Your hairline is nicely curved and your jawline is only a little narrower than your temples.
Your best styles: Are pretty much anything. Your face shape is the most versatile of all and can carry off anything – even a completely slicked back ponytail. With your features, it’s tempting and easy to (more…)
Deep-treating hair while you’re deep-sleeping is just about the easiest way to care for your hair. And there’s a slew of hair treatments out there now, all formulated especially for use at night-time. Simply comb into dry hair, hit the satin pillow, and say good morning to gorgeous soft hair. Four to try: Schwarzkopf Professional Seah Spa Beauty Sleep Night Mask ($33.95, from selected salons), Kérastase Paris Noctogenist Serum Nuit ($46.50, from selected salons), ghd Rejuvenation Cream ($45, from selected salons), which comes with a ‘halo head wrap’, and John Frieda Overnight Crème Serum ($23.99, from selected pharmacies and supermarkets).
