There’s nothing that feels quite as glamourous as heading to the salon for a facial, and after all this harsh weather most of us are certainly in need of one! Looking after your skin is very important and you only get one shot at it! Even if you’re still young and the signs of aging are not yet visible it’s always good to safeguard for the future because believe me, one day they will be! Each skin type has different needs, so whether you have dry skin, normal, combination or oily, you should try to figure out a skin routine which suits you as early as possible.
While you should be taking care of your skin on a daily basis, a facial every now and then allows for a deeper, more intense cleanse of your pores to really scrape out deep-bedded gunk (ewww, I know!). A facial will also helps to tone and tighten your skin, boosting moisture and leaving you with an all-round healthy glow and baby bottom skin!*
*Skin will not actually be that of a baby’s, this is merely a simile.
If you can’t afford to just nip down to the spa then give the Xtras ‘You Pore Thing!” At-Home-Facial a go and pamper yourself without taking out a second mortgage on your home.
The tools you’ll need:
- Something to tie your hair back with
- A mixing bowl/big bowl which you can fill with hot water
- Toner and cotton wool balls
Start off by tying your hair back and making sure your face is as clean as possible, wash and cleanse making sure to remove any trace of makeup. Next, whip out your toner and cotton wool balls to make extra certain that your skin is clear of any residue.
Now, onto my personal favourite part! Heat up your kettle and once it’s boiled fill up your large bowl with the hot water. Only fill to about half way, you need to be able to dip your head into the bowl without getting so close that you burn yourself, either on the water or the steam. Steaming your face helps to soften skin, opening up your pores which is where the nasties hide. This process will work with plain boiling water or for a treat add your favourite essential oil, lavender makes the whole experience especially luxurious. You want to steam your face for about 5 minutes to really open up those pores. I tend to pop a towel over my head while I’m doing this bit to keep the steam from escaping!
Once your pores are looking nice and wide then get hold of your scrub and gently exfoliate your skin. Rinse your face with water and massage the scrub onto your face using a circular motion for a couple of minutes, or until you feel that you’ve hit every spot (no pun intended). Sensitive areas, such as your under-eye, should be avoided while areas like your jaw line shouldn’t be forgotten! This light exfoliation will remove dead skin and clean out your pores. When you’re satisfied that you’ve done a good job, rinse of the scrub and pat dry with a towel.
Finally, stick on your favourite playlist, light a candle, apply your face mask and lie back! Make sure you’ve chosen a face mask which suits your skin type, your skin will be a little sensitive so find a gentle formula which won’t aggravate your skin. My favourite is a tea-tree blend, I also love trawling the internet and finding recipes I can make at home. Here’s an embarrassing photo of me last time I gave myself the ‘You Pore Thing!’ At-Home facial!
Leave the mask on for 15-20 minutes before rinsing off with warm water and once again applying a toner to tighten the pores. Finish off with a good moisturiser and leave your skin for a few hours (ideally overnight) before applying makeup. You may look a little flushed and you might still be poor but look on the bright side, you’ll have great pores, and that’s priceless.
The Great Gatsby is probably the most eagerly anticipated film release of 2013, and not just because we all love Leonardo DiCaprio…
Lovely Leo (the cleanest epithet I could come up with for him!) is obviously a big incentive to trudge down to the cinema this weekend, but I feel obliged to add there may be a little more than just him to the movie. We’ve all laughed (and cried…A LOT) along to Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge! but I think we’re definitely ready for a new Baz Luhrmann fix, and what better than a Roaring Twenties spectacle jam-packed with glamour, great tunes and Leo…yes, we’re back to him
The 20′s is easily one of the most stylish decades, which saw the end of the corset and opened a new era of flapper girls and elegant drop-waisted dresses. For the first time women were able to move and along with movement came dancing and with dancing came parties, which we’re bound to see a few of in The Great Gatsby! Here in Xtras HQ we’ve gone mad for everything 1920′s and no-one fits the bill more than Gatbsy’s love interest, Daisy Buchanan.
The role was bagged by lush Brit actress, Carey Mulligan and we think she looks just amazing! If you’re also a fan then give our Daisy Buchanan makeup tutorial a try, we can only hope that with the makeup comes the leading man!
- After applying your eyeshadow primer, sweep a light shade of eyeshadow across your upper lid. We used this W7 Tool Kit Eyeshadow and Blush Make Up Palette, it has all the colours needed for a great smokey eye.
- Work a black shade into the crease of the eye moving into the socket. Don’t be afraid to paint outside the lines, this look is made to be dramatic!
- Fill in the inner corner to the centre of your eye with a dark shade, the dark grey from the W7 palette is perfect for this step.
- Take a light shade, one with a shimmer like this one Manhattan Go Big Eyeshadow Pen in Amber Rose and smudge it along your lower lash line and into the corner of your inner eye.
- Line your upper lash using a liquid eyeliner, the W7 Waterproof Paint the Line eyeliner is our choice of the moment. To really accentuate your eyes work the eyeliner along your lower lash line as well.
- Finally, apply a couple coats of mascara to both your upper and lower lashes.
- Top off the look with your favourite red lipstick!
That’s all there is to it, now all that’s left to do is Spotify ‘the Charleston’, pour yourself a glass of champagne and Gatsby the night away!
Unless you’ve been living under a rock this week you will have noticed that Monday night saw the annual opening of the Metropolitan Museum’s fashion exhibition in New York City. Hosted by Vogue magazine, which is to fashion what the Vatican is to Catholicism, the Met Ball is a style playground for the biggest celebs, socialites…and Kim Kardashian. Since Kimye have become a ‘thing’ we can only assume Anna Wintour has had to grudgingly drop the fash-wa and allow Kanye’s rose-clad baby incubator to attend.
Each year the ball has a different theme (gotta keep things fresh, ya’ll), with the invitations this year specifying ‘Punk: From Chaos to Couture‘. While most of the image conscious celebrities chose to focus rather more on the ‘couture’ end of things, a couple of the braver attendees really got their teeth stuck into the anarchic theme. No points for guessing which outlandish celebs actually dared to punk up for the occasion…
While a disappointingly large proportion of the guests opted for eagerly awaited (yet ultimately expected) dresses, we were pleased to see the Met Gala at least acknowledging punk subculture, if only for a night! We may not all fancy throwing on tartan mini skirts, mohawk-ing our hair and whipping out the fishnet gloves (which, incidentally, we have a great collection of right here) but all girls need a little bit of punk in their lives. At it’s core the movement embraces individuality, brave style and an anarchic attitude and ain’t nothing wrong with that in our opinion! It may be a bit unrealistic to to take this all on at once and we’re not expecting you to start channeling Sid Vicious overnight, but if your inner-punk has suddenly sat up/started headbanging then perhaps our punk makeup tips are a good place to start.
Punk make up is a statement in itself, think bold colours, sharp shapes and exaggerated Cupid’s bows. There’s nothing natural and subtle about punk makeup, but that’s precisely the point. The ‘punk girl’ is a brave vanguard and her makeup lets you know it!
Ignore the less is more rule, heavily apply a vibrant blusher high up on your cheek bones combined with bold eyes and lips! Bowie up your eyes with thick, jagged cat eyes using brightly colour eyeliner and unearth the lipstick brush for an ultra-defined Cupid’s Bow (the half-heart shape at the top of your lips!). Give multi-coloured eyes a whirl, you’ll need good eye make up brushes for this though, you won’t be able to experiment with you bog standard sponge tip applicator! For those dedicated to the cause give a bright lipstick a whirl, try a yellow or bright orange for full-on punk power.
This is certainly the look we’re going to be working this weekend, are any of you brave enough?
Eyebrows have become eye-ssential over the past year (it’s those Desperate Scousewives, I tell you!) but there’s one big, big problem. Or not so big, rather really little. Most of us have been tweezing minimalist arches since before we even learned how to walk, leaving us with wispy little excuses for eyebrows. If you want to change your bad brow habits or simply make the most of what you’ve got then try out these tricks.
Decide what look you’d like to go for. Are you after a full on devil-may-care Cara Delevigne brow or admiring a more subtle, sculptured arch like Megan Fox?
Cara’s eyebrows may look great on her, but they’re not for everyone. Figure out what will work for you, eyebrows which are ill-suited to your face, such as being too heavy or too dark, can really age you (too many 15-year-old ‘middle aged women’ are wandering the streets, it’s an epidemic!) while they can also distort your own natural emotions, leaving you looking like somebody’s just insulted your mum when in fact you’re about to hit the town with the girls!
Those stray hairs still need tweezing, but why not try a quick trim as well? Pick up some safety scissors to get rid of hairs that are a little too long or growing in crazy directions, brows always look much neater when the hairs are all the same length!
Use an eyebrow pencil to fill in those patchy spots or a small area which you feel needs a little extra help in the shape department. A handy hint is to warm up the pencil between your hands before you use it, this way the kohl is softer and applies more naturally, avoiding the scratchy look you often find with eyebrow pencils.
Eyebrow powders also work a charm to add dimension and depth, mimicking the natural texture of your eyebrows. Make sure to choose a powder with a matte finish, shimmery brows a big no-no!
Last, but not least, practice! It will take a while to figure out how to get perfect eyebrows, it doesn’t just come over night or with the first try. Give a few different looks a go, the fabulous thing about designing your eyebrows yourself is that you can always change them! Don’t leave it upto nature, brow-se our collection of eyebrow pencils and powders and you’ll be one step closer to the brows you’ve always coveted!
I don’t want to jinx it but the sun has definitely been out this week! Not wanting to be weighed down by heavy winter make up, us Xtras girls have packed up our thick foundations and our dark eye make up in preparation for pretty pastels and fresh faced florals. It’s all very exciting but at the same time totally terrifying! Stepping outside the house without at least evening out your skintone can be a very scary prospect after a long, cold winter, but not to fear, as always we’ve got some great suggestions to help you face the outside world!
W7 BB Magic Cream (which we first introduced to you back in February) has become a firm favourite these past few weeks, we’ve had loads of great feedback from you lovely ladies and it’s practically flown off the shelves. BB Cream is a lighter alternative to foundation, a great 5-in-1 product that acts as a primer, moisturiser, sunblock, serum and evening out skintone. W7 BB Magic Cream is particularly easy to blend, leaves no greasy residue and gives a dewy, fresh appearance perfect for the Spring time! We love!
While it’s all cool to rock the English Rose look in the winter months, a little colour never goes amiss when the sun’s out. Fake Bake are undisputed leaders of the self-tanning world, so who better to choose your new summer bronzer from? Fake Bake Bronzy Babe Pressed Powder is the best bronzer we’ve come across in a long, long time! The silky powder controls oil and shine whilst adding a beautiful glow over your face makeup, or accentuating a natural tan. This cute compact is a must-have for your May make-up bag if you’re ever in need of a great glow on the go!
Pucker up and prime those lips with the Elizabeth Arden Lip-Cream Fix! Set aside dark winter lippy’s, and opt for plump, moisturised bare lips or simply use this to get your lips looking lush before whipping out a bright summer shade. This fab little lip cream cuts out lipstick bleeding and feathering while smoothing lip lines and softening dry lips. We don’t think there’s a better lip product out there this Spring, and it’s a steal at just £10.99!
Last, but not least, nothing makes it feel like Spring time more than colourful nails! Essie Off The Shoulder is the perfect sunshine shade, a vibrant hot pink that’s dead on trend this coming season. Oh, and it’s only £3.99! Yes, you heard me right. No one does Essie like Xtras does Essie, and it’s all for you, you lucky things!
What Xtras products will you be working this Spring/Summer time?
You don’t have to live in California for it to be important that you wear sunscreen every day. Ultra Violet light is always present, even in the chilliest of months, so it’s important to always keep yourself protected because UV means U-BURN!
Fortunately, those kind souls/geniuses who design the products which keep us looking our prettiest, have also factored in that it’s just as important for us to stay skin smart as well as looking flawless. Choosing a foundation with the right SPF is especially essential now that the sun’s started to poke through the thick mass of cloud which has engulfed the UK for the past few months, but if you’re not entirely sure what SPF is right for you then hopefully these nuggets of information will help.
First things first, not every foundation contains SPF (sun protection factor) so make sure to check on the packaging, which will let you know if it does and how high it is.
REMEMBER: SPF does not stop you from getting a tan, it simply stops you from burning!
It’s also not rocket science figuring out what SPF level is best for your skin tone. If you burn fairly quickly, for example after about 15 minutes in the sun and your foundation has a sun protection factor of 20, then you’ll be protected for around 5 hours from potential sun damage and burn. Girls choosing an SPF which is too low for them face potential skin damage, while those choosing foundation with an SPF which is too high will leave a bronzed bod and a pasty face! Join Xtras campaign and fight for girls worldwide to have a single, united skin tone!
If you’re not a fan of wearing heavy foundations in the Summer months, a great alternative is a tinted moisturiser, like this Stila one, which contain SPF 30 and we have in for an incredible £1.99!
We’d love to hear your thoughts and questions on this topic, simply leave a blog post 
Fellow make up fiends will already be more than aware of the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette, as it’s probably one of the biggest products to hit Planet Girl since make up itself was invented! Countless dupes have tried to take its place (MUA’s Undress Me Too comes very close!) and for the most part failed, although we’ve been inundated with some lovely new eyeshadows in the process so it’s not all bad.
On that note, I headed into Xtras HQ this morning and stumbled across (literally stumbled, they were piled up on the floor next to my desk!) a very exciting little eyeshadow palette with some very Naked Basics-esque shades in it! This morning we were presented with a brilliant batch of W7′s Naked Nudes Eyeshadow Palette, a brand new release from the company which will be available on the Xtras website in the next few days for just £3.25!
This is the perfect everyday palette, the shades are very natural and pigmented, ideal for creating casual day time eye make up. Unlike the Naked Basics Palette the W7 Naked Nudes Eyeshadow Palette shades have a very slight shimmer to them rather than a matte finish, but this is definitely a plus side as we’re heading towards nicer weather and everybody wants a little extra glow!
This eyeshadow palette will go live on the Xtras website within the next few days, we predict a mass sell out of this little kit! Don’t say we didn’t warn you….
We’re feeling pretty cheated over here at Xtras because somebody told us it was Spring, but it sure doesn’t seem like it to us. We’ve tried to be optimistic and pack up our Winter boots but sadly all that means is we all have freezing cold feet!
One of the major downsides to this chilly weather is being totally unable to pump some moisture back into dry skin, especially your hands! A good hand cream is essential in this Siberian Spring we’re having, but we’ve gone one step further for you. Not only have we just received a big shipment of the best hand cream we could get our mitts on, we’ve also ordered it handbag sized, so you’ll never be caught dry handed again!
Straight from the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream cult collection, introducing our Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Intensive Moisturizing Hand Treatment! The fast absorbing gel hand cream does exactly what it says on the tin, intensively moisturizing your hands for upto 8 hours. The soothing emollients which make up the formula hydrate rough dry hands, alleviating cracked or chapped skin and leaving your hands silky smooth, not to mention it smells rather divine as well! The very light fragrance is expectedly subtle and sophisticated, a trademark of Elizabeth Arden.
After testing an abundance of hand creams this past few months, I have to say the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Intensive Moisturizing Hand Treatment is the best hand cream I’ve come across so far! We have our 30ml handbag-sized hand creams available on the website for £6.49 each (we can’t believe that price either!!), you can also take your pick from the classic white lid (pictured left) or the Limited Jewel Edition (pictured right).
Click the link below for your latest video tutorial!
How to curl your hair using hair straighteners
This technique can be used on your natural hair, human hair extensions, heat resistant extensions and our fantastic heat resistant synthetic hair extensions! For our full range of Crazy for Hair extensions, click here.
Every now and then there is a beauty trend which absolutely dominates Lady Land. Recently there has been loads of buzz over Argan Oil, every girl and her pooch seem to be carrying a little bottle around for a multi-purpose touch up on the go. We’ve all heard of it, even if we’re not entirely sure what it is! High Street giant, Primark has also produced their own Argan Oil mix and it’s been zooming off their shelves!
Never one to be left behind (and hopefully one to be storming ahead!) we’ve got our hands on some of this wonder oil. But you may be wondering, exactly what is Argan Oil?
Well, for starters, this isn’t a new fangled product. Argan Oil is an age old Moroccan beauty secret which is produced from kernels found on the argan tree. A powerful anti-oxidant, this wonder oil has double the Vitamin E of olive oil and is a fabulous natural alternative to Botox as it combats free-radical cell damage. The high Vitamin E content also intensively moisturises dry skin without leaving any greasy residue. Many people have also found Argan Oil to help with the healing and preventing of acne.
This multi-use oil isn’t just restricted for use on your skin, it also works wonders for your hair! Comb through a couple of drops before blow drying your hair, or apply more generously and leave in overnight for sleek, shiny and lustrous looking hair. There’s a rumour going around the Argan Oil is even better for your hair than olive oil or coconut oil. Us Xtras girls certainly agree, in fact we’re all using our Argan Oil so much that we’re considering growing an argan tree in the corner of our office!
Argan Oil can be used on the face, hair, body and nails, just apply a couple of drops on to the desired area. You’ll be utterly shocked by the noticeable difference within a few days. We just can’t rave about this product enough!
We’re currently stocking 100% L’Enigme D’Argan (Argan Oil!) …wait for it….
JUST £12.99!!!
I know, we can’t believe it either as this miracle oil usually retails for a lot more! Head over to the Xtras website now, this stuff is going to absolutely fly out and we don’t want you to miss out!
Looking and feeling beautiful is a super important part of being a girl, but there’s more to it than having Cheryl Cole’s hair and Rihanna’s body! We all want to look like we’ve just stepped off the cover of Vogue, and eating well and exercising is just as crucial to this as the beauty products we use!
But who’s to say that a balanced diet and regular star jumps (you know what I mean!) will leave us all a size 8? Some girls are naturally a little bigger boned, some would kill to gain ten pounds. Lots of women carry a bit of extra weight around their tummies while others barely have an ounce of fat but just can’t get rid of that wobbly bottom. Either way, we’re all human beings and the human body isn’t perfect, even models get the airbrush treatment on a regular basis!
But anyway, to the point…
This week on Facebook we became aware of a pic that’s been doing the rounds. A department store in Sweden has introduced a line of mannequins in ‘normal woman sizes’, ranging from a Size 8 to a Size 16.
While we already have ‘plus size’ mannequins in UK stores like Evans, which are aimed at women sized 14-32, it’s rare to see a high street mannequin that doesn’t resemble Kate Moss in the early 90′s. Here at Xtras we were thrilled to see this Swedish store repping a variety of body shapes, giving every gal an opportunity to check out what the clothes will look like on (it’s hard to tell on the size 8′s which taunt us through the shop windows).
What we weren’t so pleased about is some of the comments people were leaving under the photograph. Some people argued that the size 16 models advocate obesity, going as far to call them ‘grotesque’, while others were much positive. One comment read:
‘Gorgeous, beauty comes in all shapes and sizes , too each his own ,big, small or in between health is what matters most. Confidence also plays a part in how we look and knowing what suits us, but nothing beats health!’
Real women do come in all shapes and sizes, you’re no less of a woman at a size 6 than a size 16 and vice versa! Your health is what’s important and as long as you’re looking after yourself, inside and out, then don’t let your dress size get you down! Hopefully, shops like H&M and Topshop will follow suit (get it??) and we’ll be able to see what high street fashion looks like on ladies of all body types. Wouldn’t it be fabulous to promote a healthier body image for young girls who are only exposed to plastic rib cages and man-made three inch gaps at the top of the thighs?
What do you think about these ‘plus sized’ mannequins? If you’re a Great Size Eight or a Size Fourteen Queen we want to hear your thoughts! Do you need to be a size 10 in order to look beautiful and wear fashionable clothes?
We hope you’re all taking good care of yourselves in every possible way, but if you need a little extra pampering check out our website for skincare, make up, perfume and hair extensions. Everything you could possibly need to make yourself feel as fabulous on the outside as you hopefully are on the inside!
Thinking about dying your hair but just not sure how to choose the right hair colour? We’ve all had a few mishaps (I remember my fluorescent orange roots, certainly not the colour that was on the box!) but we’re here to let you know the key rules for picking a shade that will really suit you!
Just as you would choose a foundation or lipstick, take a look at your natural skin tone before choosing a hair dye. If you’ve got a pink-ish tint in your skin avoid shades of red or golden blondes as they’ll emphasize your rosy hue! Ashy shades and flat brunettes (i.e. those without a red tone to them) will neutralise your natural colouring, keeping the pink firmly locked away!
Those of you with olive skin or a yellow tone should avoid gold and orange hair dye as well as shades lighter than their own skin. Try a darker hair colour, such as a bold brunette or an auburn.
If you’re a fair English Rose then luckily most hair colours will suit you, but if you’re particularly pale try to avoid ebony hair which will wash you out.
Remember, your eye colour is very important as well! If you have brown, green or hazel eyes a warm hair colour will suit you best as it will combine nicely with the yellow base of your eyes. Grey eyed girls and those with blue peepers should look for an ashy shade or light golden tones to work with your eyes’ blue base.
If you’re buying a permanent hair dye then there are a few things to bear in mind.
- Black can be a tough colour to lift, so make sure you are totally certain before committing to raven hair!
- Home dying blonde hair is a risky move to make, it will work best for those who are already quite fair. Bottle blondes run the risk of grown out roots as well, so remember that this hair colour requires a lot of maintenance!
- While red hair is very striking it’s also very difficult to remove a red tint once it’s in your hair, so be prepared to commit!
- Dying your hair brunette is probably the lowest maintenance, it’s hard to go wrong with a brown hair dye! It will also boost a little shine into hair which may have started to seem dull and lose it’s sheen.
Hair dye is a best friend for those of you with hair extensions, who can’t quite match the colour. It puts all the power in your hands, just choose the right length extensions and dye them the same colour that you’ve chosen for your natural hair! A perfect match with minimal hassle.
We’ve got affordable hair extensions in all lengths, styles and colours on the Xtras website, click here and check them out.
Sometimes a product comes along that all of us here in the Xtras HQ go absolutely wild for. When this happens you guys are lucky you even get a chance to buy one because we snap them up so quickly! Lucky for you we’ve ordered quite a few of the Astor Perfect Stay Lip Tints!
You may remember I mentioned this lip tint in a recent blog post where I weighed up the pros and cons of Lipstick vs. Liptint but I thought it was about time it had a full post dedicated to it!
I’ve had my differences with lip tints in the past, some of them can really dry out your lips which results in cracking and clumped colour. The Astor lip tint formula applies in felt tip form (which may have some of you already reaching for the lip balm!) but it is so weightless there’s no chance of it drying out your lips. The colour is extremely pigmented, it’s applies as richly as it looks and in all the months I’ve been using it I’ve never suffered with flaking. It’s long-lasting, practically impossible to smudge or rub off. Perfect for when you may not have time to touch up throughout the day, it’s definitely a lip tint for a girl on the go! Even better, it comes with a built in balm which adds gloss if it you’re not after a matte look, and moisturizes if you’re prone to dry lips even without the lip tint.
My favourite colour is Pink Bloom (pictured below) which as you can see is a really bright, vivacious colour…and that’s just one application! All of the shades are just as eye-catching
The Astor Perfect Stay Lip Tint and Care is a fab little product, which we currently have in five vibrant shades. It’s only £1.99 as well, a total bargain for such a quality product!
Watch our latest vlog for some handy tips on applying bronzer!
Click here to check it out.
It takes a lot of dedication and practice to be able to apply your liquid eyeliner without looking like you’ve been attacked with a Sharpie pen. But you’ll never achieve perfection without the right tools so make sure you’re using the right eyeliner applicator for each look! If you can’t tell a brush that’s designed for fine lines from one that’s used for a more dramatic effect then read on!
For a natural looking eyeliner which is tightly drawn across the upper eyelid and as close as possible to the lash line it’s best to use a flat, thin brush applicator. The shape allows you to leave very little space at the top of your lashes giving your eyes a subtle definition without having a full ‘make-up’ effect.
For a flirty little flick at the corners of your eyes then give a bent liner brush a whirl. This make-up applicator brush is the best if you’re after a controlled, detailed look.
For the dramatic yet classic Cat’s Eye eyeliner style used a small angled brush for precision. A pointed tip brush allows you to get that sharp detail and the line can be built upon depending on how thick you’d like it.
A look once reserved for Kindergarten, middle parting you hair is no longer something you dread your mum doing before throwing you in the car for the school run! All the stars have been working middle partings lately while Beyonce looked particularily chic with hers at this years Grammys.
If you’d like to try out this look but you’re not sure what kind of middle parting suits your face shape then give this a read, hopefully it will help.
If you have a round or heart-shaped face then a middle parting is practically designed with you in mind! Middle parting your hair elongates your face and softly frames it. Take a fine-toothed comb and trace the pointed tip through the top middle of your head before parting the hair. If you’re not sure where the exact middle is then use the space between your eyebrows as a guide, this will give you the most symmetrical and neat looking parting!
Those of you with a square-shaped face should aim for a half-parting as you’ve already nailed the symmetry with your natural bone structure! Take the middle parting half way along the top of your head before teasing the top back section and smoothing over.
If you have an oval face well…lucky you! You can pretty much take your pick of middle parting styles so give it a go and try them all!
We all want to have hair like Cheryl Cole, but for most of us volume is something that’s only found on our iPod speakers. If this sounds like you (I know it’s certainly me *sad face*) and you’d like to learn how to get some lift in your hair then try these handy tips and you’ll have the voluminous hair you’ve always wanted.
Prepare your hair! It’s not enough to start styling your hair once it’s washed and dry, big hair begins with the basics. Use a volumizing shampoo and conditioner, but only apply the conditioner to the ends of your hair as it weighs down the roots and defeats the point! Using a towel squeeze small sections of your hair, this roughens the hairs cuticles as it removes excess water. Get yourself some volumizing mousse and using your finger tips gently massage it into your roots before blow drying your hair. I usually blow dry my hair upside down, using my fingers to plump and texture my roots but if you’re more of a vertical kinda gal then hold your hair up in sections and blow dry the roots for extra lift.
Tease those tresses! Grab a section of hair from the back of your head and using a fine-toothed comb gently backcomb the hair, trying to stay as close to the root as possible. Once you’ve boosted that bouffant smooth the hair down and spritz on some finishing spray. In the Xtras office we love this Tigi Rockaholic Rocktastic Hardcore Spary Gel. It does exactly what it says on the tin, this stuff is only for those who are serious about hold!
If it’s just more hair in general that you’re after then perhaps it’s some hair extensions that you need. We have a huge range of cheap human hair extensions, synthetic hair extensions and clip-in hair extensions and ponytails on the website. Check them out here!
Right now, Ladies, today we are going to learn all about mineral foundation!
Mineral foundation has plenty of benefits over liquid foundation but because most people don’t know much about it they’re just not sure what those benefits are!
Liquid foundations may make your skin look very clear and even but along with that often comes that undesirable heavy, thick feeling. Mineral make up gives you the same flawless coverage but allows your skin to breathe as it is made up of super fine pigments. This means that your skin isn’t suffocated and the light powder foundation isn’t clogging up your pores, leaving your face feeling caked in make up. That sounds pretty good to me!
You may be wondering if mineral makeup is good for dry skin, which is something I’ve often asked myself! I always thought that because it’s a powder foundation it would dry out my already dry skin but in fact, most mineral powders contain magnesium and zinc which are beneficial to your skin as they work to help it maintain moisture.
If you hate your face looking matte and dull then mineral foundation may be just what you need! Make up artist, Kenneth Soh says that ‘Pure pigment almost melts into skin and blends with your natural oils, giving gorgeous soft coverage’. This soft coverage will allow your natural glow to shine through instead of leaving you looking like you have used a paint roller to apply your face make up! The minerals also give you a gentle sheen without that garish shine.
For those of you worried that mineral makeup will react badly with your skin, then stop that worrying! Quality mineral foundation doesn’t contain talc or additives, so if your skin is sensitive to preservatives or fragance then maybe it’s worth trying out a power foundation!
If all of this sounds appealing to you then check out our great selection of mineral makeups, I’m certainly going to be giving one a go now that I’m a little more educated on the matter!
We all want to look like we’ve just stepped off a beach in St. Tropez but the unfortunate reality is that you’ve probably been blown onto the beach in Skegness. Don’t let this get you down though, hope is not lost! Fake tan to the rescue, and unlike the sun and those evil sunbeds, fake tan is totally harmless…well, most of the time.
We’ve got an absolutely fab collection of fake tan because we know how much you girls love your bronzed glow! These are our top 5 best fake tans.
5. Piz Buin Self Tanning Lotion with Colour Dial £8.99
This innovative self tanning lotion gives you total control over your colour, so you won’t end up looking like Orangina above. Just twist the dial on the bottle and lather up! The lightweight formula and summery scent make this fake tan an absolute pleasure to use!
4. Sun Kissed Sunlight Bronze Self-Tan Mousse £4.99
This specially designed formula gives an even, professional looking tan for all skin types. The colour is instant and easily washes off, but what’s most remarkable about this fake tan is how miraculously streak free it dries! Fast drying and long lasting, simply fabulous.
3. Fake Bake Beyond Bronze Airbrush Self-Tanner £14.99
Fake Bake isn’t a tanning institution for no reason! Their amazing range of fake tans never lets us down and the Beyond Bronze Airbrush self-tanner is no exception. Thankfully, it doesn’t have that ‘biscuit smell’ which lots of fake tans have, it dries quickly and develops into a lovely colour. An absolute winner!
2. St. Moriz Instant Self Tanning Mist £3.99
This best-selling fake tan is designed for all skin types, giving an instant, natural looking tan. The spray mist means this spray tan makes minimal mess and gives a beautiful bronze effect with no need to rub in!
1. Fake Bake Tanning Body Butter £12.99
This self-tanning cream has been my absolute savior this winter! Specially formulated for dry skin, botanical butters provide a rich moisture for your skin whilst also developing a natural, golden tan. If that’s not enough, it also contains anti-oxidants which work to fight ageing of the skin. Love!
Bored of your hair always looking the same? If you’re sick of your standard ponytail or usual bun and feel in need of a little hair-spiration, then try out one of these pretty up do hairstyles!
Jessica Alba’s soft, tousled up do oozes girly sophistication. This is definitely a look for those of you with long, thick hair, but if you don’t have the natural mane, don’t panic! We have a huge selection of affordable hair extensions on the Xtras website, with a colour and length to suit everybody. Phew!
Here’s one for those of you who may not be blessed with long, lustrous locks! The gorge Melissa George is rocking loose curls which frame her face, so get the curling tongs out and simply scrape the rest of your hair into a soft bun.
Sarah Michelle Gellar is seriously working this pretty bridal up do. The french braid running across the top of her head is set off by her messy, teased bun. Absolutely stunning look, Buffy!
Lauren Conrad’s loose, feminine half -up-half-down hair style is uber girly and pretty! Her tumbling locks are loose and effortless, although I doubt Ms. Conrad simply through this look together!
Which of these hair styles is your favourite?
