Applying Foundation.

Using I-Perfect from New ID cosmetics is an easy way to apply foundation. The I-perfect uses a compartment that contains the foundation and an attached brush on the other end of the applicator. Before using you need to prime/load the brush by pushing the button at the bottom of the applicator. This loads the brush with foundation making it simple to apply evenly. The I-perfect has colour adaptive pigments which enables the foundation to adjust to the colour of skin of the person wearing it. When applying foundation just follow these three simple steps and you can’t go far wrong.

1) When purchasing foundation choose one that matches the colour of your neck and not the skin on your face. Choosing the right colour of foundation is crucial in getting it to look good. Comparing a foundations colour based on the tone of your neck will ensure that you maintain a natural look.

2) Begin by applying a single dot of the I-perfect foundation to your forehead cheeks and chin.

3) Focusing on one area at a time blend the foundation in to your skin from the middle of the area outward. By focusing on one area at a time you will ensure that you apply an even amount on your face. Using this method will also ensure that you don’t cover any areas twice.

Creating the perfect smokey eye look can be quite difficult so here is a step by step guide to getting it right quickly and easily . The look is created by blending eye shadow with black eyeliner which can be tricky to perfect. The New ID cosmetics range features a product called I-Smoulder which is a double ended applicator. One end has the eyeliner while the other end has a rounded cream eyeshadow which is used to create the smokey eye effect.

1) First of all take the end of the I-Smoulder with the eyeliner and apply to the root of the eye lash. This doesn’t need to be neat as it gets blended afterwards.

2) Next take the other end of the I-Smoulder which has the spunge applicator and rub the eyeliner up the way until you reach the top of the moving part of the eyelid. Then use your fingers to blend it out at the top of the eyelid.

3) When you have done this run the eyeliner around the eyelids to give definition to your eyes and complete the look.

Chances are you thought of GHD’s there?

GHD’s are probably the most well known straighteners on the market at the moment but what about all the other brands and types on the market? How do you choose between them all and how do you know which ones are right for your hair? We have put together a brief guide and if you have any questions please feel free to ask as we love to talk about the products we sell!

To cord or not to cord?
Where are you likely to be using your straightening irons? Just in the house? Camping? Festivals? on the Boat? in the Car? With a cordless straightener all that and more. You charge it up and straighten anywhere, anytime so if you lead an adventurous lifestyle these may be the choice for you. They are great for popping in your bag too and as they don’t have a cord they are easy to whip out in the changing rooms at work to redo your hair before a night out or that all important meeting.

Try the Freedom 24-7 Cordless Straightener >>

For Healthy Hair and safe Straightening

T3 Tourmaline irons use the latest technology which protects the hair using negitive ions. This stops static and seals in the moisture which keeps the hair in good condition. T3 Tourmaline the safest way to add heat to hair. The mini has ajustable heat settings with a maximum temperature of 210 degrees. Straighte or curl the chioce is yours.

Try the T3 Straighteners>>

Time is of the essence
Who has time to wait while their irons heat up? We all want everything as fast as possible nowadays and styling is no different. Anything around 20-30 seconds is a good guide.

How hot?
Try to go for a straightener with several heat setting to allow for different hair types. Thick hair needs a higher temperature than fine and highly coloured hair so it is a good feature to be able to allow for this.

Try the Gorgeous QIV Si Pink Straightener >>

Limit the damage with ceramic
Ceramic plates spread the heat evenly and therefore cause less damage to your hair and the ceramic also helps to speed up the heating process.

Try the GHD new-generation IV styler >>

Does size matter?
This is where you need to consider your hair type and length. Short hair requires a small plate to allow you to get right in where you need. With longer hair you can go for a bigger plate. Consider what you want to do with the straightener too as it’s not just for poker straight hair, you can curl, flick and add volume with a little practice!

Try the GHD Ceramic Salon IV Styler straightener >>

A few other things to look out for include: emergency shut off after 30mins, heat resistant handle, voltage capability (the GHD Ceramic Salon IV Styler offers automatic multi-voltage and can be used with ease around the globe!)

Well, fear not my soon to be partying friend, getting the look that takes you seamlessly from the office to the pub is easy to achieve with a few basics so let the HairCareShop take you through our top tips for a graceful transformation.

1) A great base!
Keeping your makeup to a minumum during the day gives you a great base that can be quickly topped up come evening. Apply your foundation with a brush and top it with powder and you can guarantee it will still be stuck fast after an eight hour day. Keeping colours nude means you don’t have to remove and reappy your make up, just add a bright eyeshadow or lipstick to instantly freshen up the look.

2) Dress to impress without the stress
Nothing makes you feel more ready to paint the town red than a change of clothes but who wants to take a full outift into work in the morning (more to the point, is anyone this organised?)? Starting with a good set of basics such as a black pencil skirt and a shirt for the office lets you glam it up in the evening simply by changing into a slinky top and accessorising to your heart’s content. Better yet, if you are in a pencil skirt, make it even foxier with some fancy patterened stockings! Rarrg!

3) High maintenance shouldn’t be this easy
So, you’re all glammed up and almost ready but what about your hair? A good set of cordless straighteners lets you have a quick straightning fix without having to fight with a puund-a-pop set in the pub’s toilets. The Freedom 24-7 straightener heats up in only 15 seconds and allows 60 mins of usage per charge – so you have no excuse for anything other than the perfect look. The Freedom 24-7 is small enough to fit in most handbags (small clutches aside…) so you don’t even have to wory about being caught in the awful British weather just restyle after each exposure to the elements and laugh in the face of frizz!

4) Tired eyes and sleepy-byes
Ok, so an 8 hour stint in the office does not make for the best start to a night out, we’d all prefer to spend a few hours in a nice hot bath having a pamper but you’ve gotta’ work with what you’ve got. For tired eyes try Optrex, it really soothes eyes that have been infront of a computer for a few hours and makes you feel fresh, awake and reaqdy to throw some shapes.

So that’s it, our fail safe (brief) guide to surviving the minefield that is the office to party changeover. Anything you want to add just leave a comment – we’re open to any ideas to speed the transition from work to party!