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| Kate Beckinsale |
Top British beauties revealed
The results of QVC's survey of 2000 men and women are in - so what does Britain believe to make the most beautiful? Apparently if you're 5'5", have blue eyes and dark brown hair, and are into acting, you stand a good chance. Perhaps unsurprisingly, then, in the list of the 100 most beautiful women formulated according to the survey results, Audrey Hepburn came out on top, although the results were certainly evenly and closely spread - there were no landslides here, with the Breakfast At Tiffany's star scoring 11% of the votes. Plenty of famous brunettes appeared in the top 10, with Elizabeth Taylor in second place, and Catherine Zeta Jones, Cheryl Cole and Kelly Brook coming in fourth, fifth and sixth respectively. Plenty of blondes featured too, though, with Princess Diana coming third, Keira Knightley coming 7th, Holly Willoughby coming 9th, and Twiggy 10th. Kate Beckinsale completed the top 10 list, filling the 8th place. Vlogger Fleur de Force has been commissioned by QVC to create video tutorials using a whole range of beauty products from the shopping channel so that you can get the looks of these top ten British beauties at home. Products used to create the looks include Amazing Cosmetics concealer, Perricone No Foundation Foundation, and Bare Escentuals Fabulous Eye Colour Palette Diamond.
Beat The Heat
Since it appears that the sun is finally coming out again, we can all be newly concerned about protecting our hair, skin and eyes from the sun. John Frieda's Frizz-Ease hair serum is one way of dealing with the former: with three different formulas to choose from (original, extra-strength, and thermal protection), there's a frizz-busting serum for every possible problem, ensuring sleek and flawless style whether combating humidity or sun damage. Neutrogena's Multi-Defence range (prices from £3.49) will also help to protect skin from environmental aggressors all year round - while we all know about sun damage, your skin is also exposed to pollution from road vehicles, factories and homes. The range comprises moisturisers, scrubs and wipes and contains a heavenly host of ingredients to calm and protect skin, including vitamins, antioxidants, green tea, and Moringa seed. You could also try Simple's cooling Limited Edition Facial Wipes - for every pack sold, Simple will donate 10p of the RRP to Macmillan Cancer Care. Cooling, cleansing and caring - what more could you want?
Stand out from the crowd with Miami Pop
For a low-budget way of making yourself seen in the crowd this summer, you could always try 17's Miami Pop range, available at Boots. Centering on spontaneity, bronzes are mixed with bold brights and the products come in packages with a distinctive flamingo design. Try the nail varnishes, lip gloss and bronzer from just £2.99, or try the £6.49 Adaptitude Adapting Skin Match foundation for a look you can work all year round.
The future's bright
Are nano-cosmetics a mainstay of the future, or a flash-in-the-pan fad? Beauty company Fiabila certainly thinks it could be the former, having just secured permission to use nanotechnologies in its nail polishes. More specifically, they will be using Halloysite Natural Tubes: naturally occurring, non-toxic and environmentally friendly nano-composites which provide increased durability and performance to nail products. This means that as well as being at the cutting edge of technology, you're using natural products too - and Fiabila aren't the only ones to cash in on the rising star of nanotechnology. Nanotechnology - or the use of tiny molecular compounds - enables ingredients in beauty products to go deeper into the skin's surface and produce better results; as a consequence, the volume of patents relating to nanotechnology use in the beauty industry has increased by 103% over the past seven years, with the technology being used mainly in sunscreens and anti-ageing products. Since it can help with the healing and repair of skin tissue, it's hardly surprising that international brands such as Estée Lauder, Dr Brandt, Avon and Shiseido are hot on this new technology's tail.
Staying fresh
Aspects of health can be just as important as makeup and facials in helping us all feel our most beautiful. Companies like Femfresh are beginning to recognise this by offering products to keep us clean on the go - whether we are off to a festival or off on holiday. Especially important in hot weather, Femfresh's Feminine Freshness Wipes (£2.49) cleanse, freshen and deodorise with their hypoallergenic and pH-balanced formula. Just as importantly, they are biodegradable and flushable, helping to circumvent tricky disposal tactics. Also available is the Feminine Freshness Deodorant (£2.65), containing calendula and silk.
Babies and children can now also 'stay fresh' with the arrival of Pure Beginnings at John Lewis. Eco and vegan friendly, this organic skincare line is endorsed by Beauty Without Cruelty South Africa, and accredited by Phytotrade Africa - all the while providing everyday essentials for little ones' skin, such as baby wash and shampoo (£8.15; contains rosemary, geranium and baobab), berry toothpaste (£3.60; endorsed by dental associations and suitable for teething babies), and barrier cream (£10.15; contains tea tree and baobab and can be used to treat skin conditions ranging from nappy rash to eczema). Your secret weapon for perfect brows
Famous fans The Saturdays recommend HD Brows' Eye and Brow Palette (£19.95), whose long-lasting anti-smudge powders should keep your brows looking good for up to 24 hours. What makes this product different is the availability of different varieties for blondes (Bombshell), brunettes (Foxy), and those with dark hair (Vamp) to create a range of natural and smouldering looks. Rochelle describes her 'Vamp' palette as "an absolute must have" while Frankie "love[s] the definition they give". The powders can also be used as eyeshadows and the palette comes with a mirror and double-ended styling tool.
Fragrance news
Burberry announces the launch of Burberry Body - its most sensual women’s fragrance to date. British actress Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is the first Burberry Body fronting the fragrance’s multimedia ad campaign. The campaign directed by Christopher Bailey, features Rosie Huntington-Whiteley wearing only a rose gold satin trench coat and the scent Burberry Body will be launched through dynamic offline and online activity, innovative digital events and highly visible, disruptive communication combining tradition and technology. Burberry will create an iconic portfolio of "Burberry bodies" shot by Mario Testino, iconising the fragrance for years to come. Burberry Body launches in over 150 countries from 1 September 2011 with further details of the innovative bottle, fragrance and scent all being revealed over the coming weeks.
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| © Copyright Burberry/Testino |
What makes you beautiful?
Lancôme is launching its site, www.visionsofbeauties.com, as of tomorrow, to help us find the answer. Everyone is invited to share their own vision of beauty, in whatever medium they so desire - an image, a phrase, a video...- and thus contribute to a constantly changing digital picture of beauty.
The site www.youbeauty.com could also help; it allows you to unlock your hidden beauty potential through specialised quizzes developed by doctors (on nutrition, sleep, relationships and more), improve your scores with personalised action steps delivered to your inbox, get the latest health and beauty news, read columns written by experts in their fields, and explore daily beauty facts. Tap into the science of a beautiful you!
You can also revitalise and detoxify yourself with the help of another doctor - Dr Hauschka - by using Dr Hauschka Lemon Lemongrass Body Oil (£17.95), which for a limited time also comes with a 'grow your own' sleeve implanted with lemon mint seeds. The handmade paper sleeve can be planted and grown rather than discarded - use the leaves for a rejuvenating tea or to add kick to a salad, while the body oil keeps your skin hydrated and supple all year round with its formula containing jojoba, lemon, lemongrass and mistletoe.
Continue the lemon theme with Lanolips' Lemonaid Lip Aid - an originally limited edition product that is now permanently part of the Lanolips range. Containing lanolin and organic lemon oil to soften and exfoliate, it's priced at £8.99.
Free beauty treatments
To help the above along, why not take advantage of a free beauty treatment this summer courtesy of Really TV? The Really Buff Boutique in central London will be open for a limited time only (August 2nd-5th, 11-7) and offering free treatments including fish pedicures, waxing, and manicures. Just like their Facebook page to get hold of their exclusive booking number. John Bell & Croyden, London's landmark pharmacy, is also holding a summer shopping event in store on August 11th from 13.00-21.00. Packed full of free treatments including hand massages and mini facials, free health checks, and free tastings of red ginseng and Comvita honey (to name just a few), there's something for every need and desire. You can also enjoy 20% off everything and enter spectacular prize draws.
It's hardly surprising that this should appeal given QVC's latest survey indications that we really are a nation of beauty addicts: of the 2000 women surveyed recently, 33% would never leave the house without makeup on and 21% say putting on their makeup is the most important part of their day. A quarter of Brits reapply their makeup every two or three hours, and a whopping 65% believe themselves to be judged more by other women than by men. Make of that what you will...
Hand luggage essentials
Still got your hols to look forward to? You can beat the budget airlines at their game by travelling on hand baggage only to save money. Along with planning meticulously what you will wear (and sticking to it), wearing clothes more than once, and using your hotel's free towels (if provided) rather than bringing your own, you can pack smart by bringing makeup palettes, wipes and mini products rather than taking full size versions of everything. Some hand luggage essentials include Wet Ones antibacterial wipes (£1.19), Hawaiian Tropic's Takeaway Sun Protection Kit (£13.99), and Quattro for Women Disposable Razors (£5.79; contrary to popular belief, disposable razors are allowed - it's just individual blades that aren't). Happy travelling!
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