SUMMER 2012
THE BLOG ISSUE
GLOSS
SUMMER 2012
EDITOR’S LETTER
S
ummer is upon us once again, the time of the year when we shed our warm winter layers and shake up our beauty regimes. Most of us dread the transition from wooly winter tights to bare legs and snug cashmere jumpers to NAKED SHOULDERS in racer back vests. But don’t panic, GLOSS is here to help you through and TRANSFORM yourself from snow queen to a glowing summer goddess. And to avoid making any tanning faux pas make sure you read ‘PALE FACED’ (page 42), our guide on how not to overdo the Fakebake.
Sensual MINIMALISM is just one of the mouthwatering new trends for this summer season. On the catwalks in September we saw flushed pink cheeks and barley there matt lips in LIGHT POMEGRANATE and soft rose shades that complement from the palest of skin tones to the richest. Taking inspiration from the world of music, wigs made a huge comeback, used at Mulberry and Vivienne Westwood, to give models a complete makeover. Natasha Polly and Sasha Pivovarova looked barley recognisable with their electric blue chin-length bobs at Christopher Kane. More natural hairstyles also made a comeback, a stark contrast to a winter of high, tight ponytails. Curls will be the style of the summer. Loose twists, tight ringlets and soft waves were all seen gracing the catwalks. The PLAYFUL, easy-going girl has given her dominatrix sister the shove and made a triumphant return. To compare with these more natural hairstyles, the make-up world has seen two major trends emerge this summer; Natural Collection and Precious Metals. Makeup took on an elegant, romantic SIMPLICITY at Ralph Lauren. Expect flirty lavender lids, thick brows, natural looking eyes and soft flushed cheeks in pinkish hues, and rose gloss on the lips. In delightful contrast, GOLD LEAF was delicately applied across models eyelids at Fendi, complimented by thick eyeliner and nude lip; Perfectly portrayed in ‘G IS FOR GOLD’, if we do say so ourselves... So sit back, enjoy the show and see you in September
EDITOR IN CHIEF Follow me on Twitter @AliceGLOSS
SUMMER 2012
CONTENTS page 12 BEAUTY CONFIDENTIAL Inside the beauty world of blogger Rumi Neily aka “Fashion Toast” page 24 CONFESSIONS of a Man Repeller - Leanra Medine explains the madness behind the wardrobe. page 28 Q&A With Leandre Medine aka ‘The Man Repeller’ page 35 BEAUTY AND THE BLOG Award winning London blogger Jessica of Beauty and the Blog tells us her beauty inspirations and her top tips... page 43 THE AGE OF LUST The new beauty classics we can’t stop lusting over page 153 BEAUTIFUL BEYOND Illamasqua’s new service -‘ The Final act of self expression’ - providing makeovers for the afterlife. Alice Wookey investigates. page 51 KNOW HOW Sam McKnight shows us how to re-create the style of the season - Victory Rolls. Rule Britania page 60 GLOSS LOVES What we are loving this season
Cover look
Hair by Daniel Hersheson at Daniel Hersheson Salon using Bumble and Bumble. Prep spray, £22, BB Thickening Hairspray £20.50, BB Sumotech £20. Make-up by Gucci Westman using Dolce & Gabanna. La Base Pro £25, Creamy Foudation £36, Smooth Eye Colour Duo in Sand £22, Matt Supreme Lipstick in Bon Bon £20.50, Crayon Intense eyeliner £18.50, Blackout Mascara £22. Photography & Styling by Alice Wookey.
SUMMER 2012
CONTENTS page 72 CHEAP WEAVE Our obsession with wigs has only just begun, be it blue, pink or white blonde. page 86 SPOIL ME What better way to light up your face this summer than with satin, sequins and the most beautiful jewels around. page 103 G IS FOR GOLD Metalics are huge this summer, best place to wear them? On your eyes. page 114 PALE FACED Have we hit a metephorical tanning wall? Time to strip it back to its roots, Alice Wookey investigates. page 124 UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL Hair removal like you’ve never seen before. Tips and hints from the best in the industry. page 132 SHES ELECTRIC The low down on all the best beauty gadgets, from Clarisonic to the new OHNO . page 139 PLASTIC FANTASTIC The very latest updates on cosmetic surgery, lunchtime nose jobs and new fat removal techniques. page 145 HAIR RAISING The only way is wavy this season when it comes to hair styles, tight ringlets or loose waves, the natural girl is back with a vengance.
SUBSCRIBE TO GLOSS
Subscribe to GLOSS today and recieve an exclusive Illamasqua gift worth £45 and enjoy all 4 yearly issues for only £40. Turn to page 301 for our special offer for Gloss readers.
CONTRIBUTORS
1. 6.
5. 3.
4.
2.
1.
3.
5.
2.
4.
6.
Maxine De Van started her make-up career at respected London College of Fashion whilst studying a two year BA course in hair, make-up and styling. Already aware that make-up was where her passion lay, she began assisting at the runway shows during London Fashion Week. Since then she has worked at Shu Umemura and ultimatly became their principal make-up artist. But since going solo, she has directed make-up teams for shows including Hugo Boss, Karen Walker, Just Cavali and TSE Cashmere NY and she has worked with scores of celebrities including Demi Moore, Eva Mendes, Megan Fox and Yasmin Le Bon. She was the artist behind our shoot G is for Gold.
Richie Palmer may only be 24 but already he has worked with some of the biggest and the best people, magazines, labels and celebrities.There is literally no stopping this one. Having only graduated from the prestigious Central St Martins, London, with a BA (HONS) in Fashion Photography, two years ago and he has made a name for himself almost immediatly. He works in many different forms, from helping us with magazine shoots to being the official photographer for Style.com, succeeding Scott Schuman, for the past 2 years. He says his favourite camera has to be his new Diana Mini “Great photographs and you never waht your going to get. I love the suprise, its so old fashioned.” Richie was the photographer behind our Cheap Weave shoot.
Leandra Medine, The New York based fashion blogger relishes for-yourenjoyment-only dressing to such an extent that she launched a blog called The Man Repeller. On it, she highlights clothes that women love and members of the opposite sex just don’t understand: harem trousers, jumpsuits, big shoulder pads, jewellery that could double as weaponry and clogs.“Abstinence is not the safest form of contraceptive, harem pants are,” she told us. But is devotion to man-repelling ways lonely? “Absolutely not,” she said. “I’m in great company at all hours: Alexander Wang on my chest, Martin Margiela on my legs, Proenza Schouler on my feet.” See Leandra in Confessions of a Man Repeller and also in our Q&A, where the she gives us a sneaky peak into her favourite things. Back in 1998 when Luke Hersheson was, in his own words, a ‘cocky 18-year-old’ who’d only recently been officially taken on by his father, he spotted a stylist using hair straighteners during a session for a fashion shoot. He was interested. ‘You couldn’t get straight hair like that then,’ he recalls. ‘I said, “Where did you get these from? They’re amazing.” I don’t know if you remember what professional irons were like back then, but they looked like bricks. I phoned up this place in Milan immediately and got them to send me some straighteners.’ They started using irons during styling sessions and the look caught on - to the point where poker-straight hair became part of the British high-street uniform. Luke worked with our beautiful model, Katy, on G is for Gold.
Sarah Simms, our model for Cheap Weave is a reletivly new face on the scene. At only 19, she was spotted a year ago on a holiday in Barbados. Now signed to Storm Models, she is primarily based in Newcastle, studying Photography at Northumbria Univeristy, but makes frequent trips to London, Paris and New York and was recently on the cover of Japanese Vogue, her first ever cover shoot. “I’ve spent the last two years studying photography at uni, and now I’m on the other side of the lens! Is feels a bit strange sometimes but I think knowing how the camera works helps me work with the photographer and get the right shots
According to celebrity makeup artist Gucci Westman, her story is just another tale of teenage rebellion. “When I was thirteen, my mom didn’t let me wear any makeup. That made me want to wear it even more! I’d pile it on,” she recalls. “In retrospect, it probably wasn’t the best look.” Happily for her and her celebrity devotees (including Drew Barrymore and Natalie Portman), she’s since refined her technique. Now the international artistic director for Lancôme, Westman travels the globe in search of inspiration for runway looks and makeup collections. “It’s a pretty amazing job,” she admits. “I get to see the world and play with cosmetics - what could be better?” Gucci created the look for our Cheap Weave shoot.
Beauty Confidential Inside the bathroom cabinet of blogger RUMI NEELY Aka ‘FASHION TOAST’...
I
am OBSESSED with skincare! I do love make up too but I never experiment much with it. I love that natural glowing, lightly tanned look and am forever trying to emulate that. Like when you see the Spring/ Summer catwalks and they are all just glowing with perfect dewy skin. That’s my dream! My skincare routine is usually crazy and changes constantly but recently I’ve been a bit more pared down, using the same products again and again, and having a proper routine. Which is definitely a good thing! I guess it gives the products a chance to work. I still do use a lot of them though! First thing when I wake up, I’ll brush my teeth and wash my face with either Nars Gentle Cream Cleanser, which I picked up on my last trip to New York, its so much cheaper over there, or Body Shop Vitamin E Face Soap, which is so gentle but leaves my skin squeaky clean and soft. Then recently I’ve started mixing a mousturiser with Aesop’s Fabulous Facial Oil (expensive but amazing) and massaging that into my face and neck. I change moisturisers constantly and always have about 4 on the go at any given time, currently I’m using either Ponds Cold Cream, Crème de la Mer, Embryolisse Lait Crème Concentrate or Bobbi Brown Vitamin Base, which are at completely different ends of the price spectrum but work brilliantly! I sometimes pop on some Origins GinZing eye cream too, it really brightens up your eyes if you’re looking a bit sleepy. I also use Body Shop Vitamin E Cleanser and Toner with cotton wool when I fancy it and also Clinique’s Clarifying Lotion for Extra Dry Skin, its exfoliating as well, all you do it pop it onto some cotton wool and sweep over your face and voila! It’s soft and exfoliated and ready for tan. I have the driest skin, especially in the winter and need to up my moisture game, so I have to moisturise about 10 times a day or I end up scaly! I do usually take my make-up off before I go to bed,but every now and again I don’t care. I know it’s the ultimate sin but sometimes does it really matter?! It’s not the end of the world! Make-up wise I have a million foundations. And lots of everything else too! I’ve just bought some Bobbi Brown Moisture Rich Foundation and its quite good, best of all is that it matches my skin exactly. Unlike EVERY shade of Mac.I’ve bought every single Mac foundation and concealer they have bought out in the last 5 years and I’ve finally decided that they just don’t do a shade that matches my skin. I also use Bobbi Brown Tinted Moisturising Balm, its great for summer when you don’t want too much coverage and want to look dewy. I use Chanel Bronze Universal Bronzer and have had the same one for years and there’s still loads left. It’s more of a mousse that you apply with a brush rather than a powder, which can be so drying. I always use Mac lipsticks as they do the BEST colours and always have a supply of Hue in my handbag, it’s a beautiful soft peachy pink that just goes with everything and brightens you’re face up no end. Ive also got a Tom Ford one in True Coral, best red of all time.
I’ve just bought the new Marc Jacobs perfume Oh Lola and love it! I manned up and bought the 100ml too, I usually just buy the 30mls and its really just false economy. I also wear Jo Malone’s Pomegranate Noir that a friend bought for me, it’s so gorgeous and I just love her shops too, so feminine and light. I sometimes use fake tan too, I’m practically translucent if I don’t apply it every now and again! I’m pretty boring and just use St.Tropez, but it really is the best. Either the everyday lotion or the mousse if I fancy going a little darker. I love painting my nails, and sometimes go for a manicure, they are so cheap in New York, if I’m ever in Midtown Manhatten its my first port of call (alongside getting my eyebrows threaded). I use Barry M or Essie, with Sally Hansen undercoat. My nails are really week and chip and split all the time, but I’ve recently started taking Skin, Hair and Nails vitamins and they’ve grown so strong and long, its amazing! When it comes to my hair I use Philip Kinsley Elasticizer Pre-treatment, Head and Shoulders Shampoo (It so great and low maintenance) and Kerastase Conditioner. Then I just let it dry naturally and throw it up into a ponytail or topknot. Simple! From Left; Lait-Creme Concentrate. £12, Embryolisse. Fabulous Facial Oil £34 Aesop, Bronze Universal £35, Chanel, Oh Lola, £35 for 30ml Marc Jacobs, Elasticizer £16 for 100ml, Philip Kingsley,
Confessions of a Man Repeller Leandra Medine on how Women’s Fashion Perplexes Men Words and Artwork by Leandra Medine
“It’s not you, it’s the shorts.” On a second date last summer, a man really said this to me, it was followed by, “You would be cute if you dressed nicer.” I’ll have you know those were premier designer shorts.There was no third date. Perhaps if it were slightly earlier in the year, I’d have been hurt, tormented even, but because I’d started to digitally chronicle my thoughts on the dichotomous nature of high fashion in a blog, it was okay. It was now not a problem but a concept: how something so appealing to the female eye could read unattractive to a man, so I laughed, and quite hard at that. It was the first time my hypothesis had been so clearly proven correct. For the uninitiated, this mysterious phenomenon is what I’ve dubbed: “man repelling.” Man repelling is the verb form of The Man Repeller, a fashion blog—my fashion blog—that records and celebrates all the fashion trends that women love and men hate. Still slightly confused? Let me paint a picture for you.You’re walking out of your bedroom dressed for a night out, feeling like a million bucks. You’re excited about the ready-to-wear you picked up earlier that week; it’s a neon geometric-print pleated maxi skirt paired with a silk counter-print top. You’ve intended to wear it for this particular event on this particular night, and you’re glowing. But then, there he is: your man friend. He looks toward you, but not at you, dumbfounded. He wonders about the contraption strapped to what looks like your body though whether or not it actually is your body
still seems debatable in his eyes. And then with four words, assembled to ask the dream-killing question, your rosy glow turns to green. “That’s what you’re wearing?” At this point you have to make a decision. You can either go back into your bedroom, change into the token little black Hervé Léger dress— yes, the one that’s previously done wonders for your social life—or you can laugh proudly in admiration at the tentlike nature of the silhouettes you’ve chosen and simultaneously smack him around, physically or verbally—I’ll leave this up to you—and get on with your night. Once you’ve reached your destination, you’re confident that all the women in the room will swoon. Of course, they do. And that is, after all, the only thing that matters. As for the curious or baffled man friend, it’s up to you to decide whether or not he should stick around, but if he walks away on his own, consider yourself lucky. In considering the aesthetic gender gap, the Man Repeller feels description is vital. I compare runway looks and high-end trends to farm animals, casino tables, children’s books and things of that sort. In one noted Fall/Winter 2011 show, roosters and pilgrims seemed to inspire the collection, which featured orange and yellow colored fur and interesting head coverings. To me, it was about a very chic pilgrim farm, and I could understand subsequent flocks of rooster girls pecking and scratching on the Upper East Side. I know that combining red Rag & Bone, green Equipment and black Louboutin wedges had me looking like that casino table, and in an aquatic blue-and-green sequin dress I would evoke memories of everyone’s childhood favorite, The Rainbow Fish.
I also intend to be read in good humor. And while I don’t mean to toot my own horn, it was once generously pointed out that I am sort of like “the Sarah Silverman of fashion,” so to take me too seriously is not in your best interest. To push this a step further, to say that all men will never be attracted to women who dress for themselves is slightly extreme, even silly. Definitely silly. But behind the blithe light commentary there is some semi-serious fashion research going on. I’m conducting social experiments that utilize both leather minidresses and green-and-purple printed palazzo pants while trying to analyze and cataloge the types of men that reject unattractive fashion versus the ones that can handle it. If a man can’t handle it, he’s driven far too hard by the female exterior. And even though he’s having dinner with you, not your outfit, his seeming inability to get past a little tribute to MC Hammer only promises even worse consequences down the road should Yves Saint Laurent have correctly predicted last fall that church-wear nun-chic becomes this season’s must. But if a man can get past it, or perhaps even begin to like it, and he doesn’t bat for his own team, if you know what I’m saying, this is your cue to do the victory dance.
You’ve not only succeeded in maintaining full control over your style but may have actually landed a man more concerned with what’s inside your head than on it. Ultimately, you see, man repelling isn’t just about fashion and pretending that you are installation art, it’s not even really about dressing for yourself and having fun with it, it’s a process of elimination. One that removes the bad seeds from your soil and only allows the good one to blossom. This in turn makes for one hell of a floral print, and that too is cause for celebration. Now I invite all of you to test out this theory. Pull together the most coveted outfits of your sartorial dreams and let the social experiments begin. LEANDRA MEDINE is a freelance stylist, writer and the author of the fashion blog The Man Repeller, a site about trends women love and men hate. Her work as appeared in The New York Times, The New York Post, Harper’s Bazaar, Lucky and Grazia. When given the choice, she will always opt for designer ready-to-wear over companionship.
Q&A
BLOGGER LEANDRE MEDINE AKA ‘THE MAN REPELLER’ ANSWERS SOME OF OUR BURNING QUESTIONS...
GLOSS - What’s the last song you downloaded? MAN REPELLER - I’m not sure, but it was definitely by Lana del Ray. G - First designer purchase? MR - Jimmy Choo flat sandals that I still wear. They tie up my ankle and cut off my circulation; it rocks. G - What’s the last thing you bought that you loved? MR - A colorblocked navy and green Dries van Noten turtleneck sweater vest. G - Facebook or Twitter? MR - Tumblr G - What’s your rule to dress by? MR - If you get it right, wear it several days in a row. G - What trend do you hope dies? MR - None! There’s charm in some capacity to every trend. I just think practicality should die. Crocs, blech. G - If you could only wear clothes from one decade, what would it be? MR - The ‘50s emulating the ‘20s. G - What’s on your bed-side table? MR - Derek Blasberg’s Very Classy, a Jewish prayer book, my phone chargers, a bottle of water. G - What’s your signature scent? MR - Hermes’ Un Jardin sur le Nil. G - Who would be your ideal shopping buddy of all time? MR - Taylor Tomasi-Hill: The way that woman puts together clothing is really an artform. G - If you could have one super power what would it be? MR - To split oceans like Moses. G - What item do you wear every day? MR - Cartier love bracelet. Don’t be fooled though. My dad gave it to me, but I do love an Arm Party. G - Last thing you read? MR - I reread The White Album earlier this month. G - If you could only shop in one store for the rest of your life, what would it be? MR - My mom’s closet, durrrr. It’s free and, you know, not limited to one store. G - What are your beauty must-haves? MR - Cetaphil, Evain facial spray and Illamasqua eyeliner Find Leandra’s Blog at Manrepeller.com
From left: Taylor Tomasi-Hill. photograph by Scott Schuman. Lana Del Ray Video games, out now on iTunes., Hermes Un Jardin sur le Nil £65 for 50ml. Very Classy by Derek Blasberg £12.99. Cetaphil Daily Facial Clenser £8.95. Love Bracelet, by Cartier, Prices start from £2,500. Far Left: One of Leandra’s signature ‘Arm Parties’
Beauty and the Blog award winning london BLOGGER michelle Mendes, OF BEAUTY AND THE BLOG, GIVE US A GUIDE TO HER BEAUTY INSPIRATIONS and her top tips...
Gloss - Whats your top 5 favourite beauty products that you couldn’t live without? Michelle - 1. HD Brow Palette 2. MeMeMe Highlight 3. Chanel Hydramax Gel Cream 4. Bumble & Bumble Hair Powder in Dark Brown 5. MAC Face and Body Foundation. G - What do you think is the best new product on the market? mm - Im loving Nail Rocks at the moment. They are DIY nail wraps that you stick onto your own nails. From polka dots to leopard print, there’s something for everyone and its the quickest way to keep your nails on trend. g - Where do you recommend for the best beauty treatment in London? mm - I tend to do a lot of treatments at home, but you can get a killer manicure at nails inc. g - Who’s your beauty inspiration? mm - I dont have an inspiration as such, I tend to mesh a load of things I like together to create something of my own. But I am a fan of the Olsen twin’s killer statement smokey eyes. g - Who’s hair would you have is you could?! mm - If this question was asked 2 years ago, I would have said nobody as I had plenty of my own! But things have change slightly, so I’d have to go with Vanessa Hudgens (when she had long hair), even though I recently heard it was a weave. g - What look will you be rocking next season? mm - Next season will be all about the eyes for me, Kim Kardashian style. But I shall be leaning more towards the earthy brown tones to make it a look more wearable in the day. Hair wise I shall be going darker. Nothing beats deep shiny locks in the winter. g - What tips and hints do you have? mm - Applying a layer of loose powder to lashes in between coats of mascara will make them thicker, covering your finger nails with cuticle oil,or any other for that matter after you have painted them,will stop hairs and bits of dust sticking to them whilst they dry and vaseline on split ends keeps them sealed temporary g - What inspired you to start your blog? mm - My love of beauty products and the fact I never stop talking about them!
From left; Bumble & Bumble Hair Powder, £18. Mac Face and Body Foundation £25.50. HD Brow Palette, £24.99 Chanel Hydramax Gel Cream, £36. . Vaseline £1.99. Mac Eyeshadow in Coco, £12. Vaseline, £1.99.
The Age of Lust
The New Classics we just cant get enough of... From left; Nuxe Masque Frais Hydratant mask £24, Space NK. Mac Eyeshadow, £12, Selfrides. Dior Hydra Life Skin Tint, £35, Harrods. Aesops Fabulous Facial Oil, £34, Space NK. Chanel Bronze Universal, £29,Fenwicks. Nars Illuminating, £39, Space NK. Artwork by Alice Wookey
Beautiful Beyond
I
t would seem that the pressure of looking good doesn’t end when you end any more. Illamasqua, the cult British beauty brand with the motto ‘for the bolder person hiding in all of us’ has collaborated with the highly respected London funeral directors of over 220 years Leverton & Sons to offer a makeover service for the afterlife. Dubbed “The Final Act of Self Expression’, for upwards of £450 you can not only pick which coffin, which flowers and which church, but you can now decide on
whether you want a smoky eye, a bold lip or a touch of blush applied by one of Illamasqua’s specially trained make-up artists, for your journey into the next world. “At Levertons we have always applied make-up when requested by family and friends or when specified in someone’s pre-arranged funeral,” explains Andrew Leverton, director of Levertons & Sons, “We are now entering a new era in which pre-arranged funerals have become as standard as making a will, it’s great for us to be able to offer this additional service.” Mad as it may seem, if you were an extravagant and expressive person in life, why not go out in the same way? Illamasqua’s roots stem from the
dark and illicit club world and take their inspiration from members of the ‘alternative scene’ for whom self-expression is paramount. They have encouraged people to express themselves and release their alter ego from day one and why should this be different when you pass away? And who better to take you through to the afterlife than the Kings of Drama themselves. The Final Act of Self-Expression’ service is available from Illamasqua and Leverton & Sons in the London area only from July 2011 and can be booked as part of a pre-arranged funeral plan by calling Leverton & Sons on 020 7387 6575.
Halo Braid Sam McKnight shows us how to create this perfect summer look...
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Your hair needs guts for this style. If it is naturally frizzy, spritz with a little Front Row Volume Blow Dry Spray. For silkier hair, use Front Row Rough and Tousled Salt Spray at the roots and comb through to the ends, this will help hold the plait. If the hair feels damp, blow-dry and then smooth any flyaways with a soft bristle Mason & Pearson brush.
Unclip the lower section and start to incorporate this hair into your braid working down to the nape of the neck and up to the ear you started behind. This lower plaited section should cover the join or ‘line’ in the hair.
Section the hair from the top of the ear across to the other ear. It doesn’t need to be too neat. Clip the hair below.brush all the hair forward so it is all facing in the same direction – this prevents any lumps or baggy areas in the braid. spritz with hair spray.
Once you have reached the starting point keep plaiting, rather than braiding until you run out of hair and secure with an elastic. Bend the plait back on itself and pin the bend to the braid so the join is invisible. Make sure the elastic is well hidden.
Starting at the left temple take a chunk of hair from behind the ear and divide into three. Start braiding the hair into a traditional French plait working around the hairline. Take even sections alternating from the back and front making sure to plait over, rather than under.
Finally look at the plait and tweak any areas making sure it doesn’t look too tight – it should be loose and pretty with random flyaways. Pin any areas that need it. Finally spritz with Front Row Hairspray. And ensure the centre of the halo is smooth – this will create a nice contrast.
From left; Mason Pearson Brush, £56. Pin Tin, Hair Pins £12, Bumble & Bumble.
Loves...
Anna Dello Russo moving to the beat of her own drum after the Vuitton show: dancing, prancing, twirling and generally having a ball...
Top from left; Dermalogica Eye Reversal Cream, £22. Shu Uemura Skin Purifier £27 Middle from left; Clarks Intense Radiance Mask £56. Nars Body Glow Oil, £39. Bottom from left; Aesop’s Perfect Facial Hydrating Cream, £34. Sisley Black Rose Cream Mask £88. Tom Ford Lipstick in True Coral £35.
CHEAP WEAVE PHOTOGRAPHY - RICHIE PALMER STYLING - ALICE WOOKEY
Wig, £18 Hershesons. Black Slip, £60, Made by Nikki (worn throughout) Make-up; Designer Lift Foundation, £59 Giorgio Armani. Stick Concealer, £17 Nars. Dollymix Blush, £17.50 Mac. Gel eyeliner £22, Bobbi Brown. False Lash Mascara, £18.50 Mac. Lipstick in Bambi, £24, Dolce & Gabbana.
Previous pages; Left: Black Wig, £28, Hothair.co.uk. Blue Headscarf, £89 Paul Smith. Right: Blonde Wig and Headscarf, same as this page. This Page; Wig, £38, Sallys. Headscarf, £210, Hermes. All make-up as before.
Pink Wig, ÂŁ15, Hothair.co.uk. Make-up as before.
Silver Wig, ÂŁ12, Sallys. Make-up as before Make up by Gucci Westman Model - Sarah Simms, Storm
spoil me... Photography; Philip Stanley Dickinson Styling; Alice Wookey
Bi-colour satine dress, £715, Balenciaga. Studded Eden Clutch bag, £995, Christain Louboutin. Sterling Silver Cocktail ring with amethyst and white stone, £115, Bellezza. Provence Bracelets, both £149 Tresor Paris
Violet jersey top £515, Givenchy. Sequin Skirt, £455, Vivienne Westwood. 18ct white gold cocktail earring with pave diamond, £4,070, 18ct white gold cocktail necklace with diamond and blue topaz, £7,000, both Bulgari. 18ct white gold diamond ring, £650, Laing. Shoes, £415, Christian Louboutin.
Gold dress, £690, Roland Mouret. Jaipur Bangle, £885, Pariadise Bracelet £2,000, Paradise Earrings, £465, Jaipur Ring, £1,255, all Marco Bicego. Silver Ring with honey quartz stone, £235, Laing Boutique.
Left; Silver Dress, £615, David Meister. Ruby Pendant, £340, Baccarat. Cocktail Ring, £95, Bellezza. Mesh Bracelet, £175, Shades of Silver. Model: Ashleigh Bradshaw at Colours Agency Make-up: Amy IrvingHair: Murray McRae at Charlie Miller Location: Tigerlily, Edinburgh
is for gold
photography & styling alice wookey
Hair: Luke Hersheson at Daniel Hersheson Salon using Bumble and Bumble. Prep spray, £22, BB Thickening Hairspray £20.50, BB Sumotech £20. Make-up: Gucci Westman using Dolce & Gabanna. La Base Pro £25, Creamy Foudation £36, Smooth Eye Colour Duo in Sand £22, Matt Supreme Lipstick in Bon Bon £20.50, Crayon Intense eyeliner £18.50, Blackout Mascara £22. Model: Katy Chappell at Premier.
Pale Faced Have we crossed the fine line between beautyfully bronzed and trashily tanned? Words and Photograph by Alice Wookey
W
e are perpetually being told that pale is in and tanned is out. Look at the evidence: We are bombarded with images of Nicola Roberts, who is apparently the height of sophistication with her porcelain skin and fiery red hair. Take Dita von Tease, classy and glamorous with her luminescent alabaster skin and pillar-box red lips. We are constantly told that this fresh look will bring out a new you. A cleaner, glowing, more refined you. But are we listening? The answer would have to be a resounding ‘No’ - and our latest obsession with The Only Way is Essex hasn’t helped. I am a fully-fledged beauty sucker. Tell me to buy the latest Dolce & Gabbana foundation because it will make me glow? I’m there. Tell me about the stunning new Tom Ford Cherry Lush lipstick that ONLY costs £36 but will give my lips the most intense moisturising colour they’ve ever received? Already got one. Tell me to stop wearing I Think in Pink OPI nail polish as its so last season and the only thing now acceptable is Chanel Peridot, the fabulously modern metallic gold/green? I’ve been on the waiting list for weeks. But tell me to stop slathering on the St.Tropez and work the pallid look this winter? Err, not for me, thanks. I’ve been through the same tanning ritual as every other girl in her early twenties. Discover cheap £3 St.Moriz at 15. Remain that strange dirty orange until the age of 18. Realise there’s an application problem and invest in something a little more expensive, like ZenTan (and perhaps a tanning mitt) and carry on from there. Sometimes you do look at that girl in the bar or on the street and think to yourself, horrified, I don’t look like that, do I? They look patchy, streaky and dare I say it…chavvy. I hope I don’t. But the truth is, maybe sometimes I do. I’m not addicted, don’t get me wrong. I’m no Katie Price and I don’t live in Essex. I don’t hyperventilate when the St Tropez stops spitting out green mousse. I like to think I don’t go so far as to appear orange, but I do have a (rather unhealthy) amount of tan bottles standing on my buckling dressing table. They range from £30 a go Fake Bake and Famous Dave (£21.95) to more reasonably priced L’Oreal (£12.99), Garnier (£8.99) and even Superdrug’s own brand; Solait, for a bargain at £5.99. You name it, I’ve tried it. I am eternally trying to reach that beautifully bronzed, super smooth and honeyed, perfect Holy Grail tan we’re all striving for, Gisele Bundchen style,
but do any of us ever reach it? I’m not sure if I do. And the cost of Bliss Lemon and Sage Body Scrub, although amazing, at £29 a pop is, quite frankly, sucking me dry Maybe it is about time we gave up on this golden brown dream and admitted we aren’t Brazilian. No matter how much waxing we do, we never will be. Perhaps it’s time to try to work this English rose look that everybody keeps raving about. So why do we want to be so brown in the first place? It was our beloved Gabrielle Coco Chanel, fashion revolutionary, who first introduced us to the tan. Legend has it that as soon as darling Coco accidently got tanned during holidaying in the French Riviera in 1923, sunkissed skin was here to stay. “Coco Chanel made suntans the height of fashion in the 1920s, as a key component of Riviera chic,” says Justine Picardie, author of a recent Chanel biography (Coco Chanel: The Legend and the Life, HarperCollins) “In doing so, she turned fashion on its head, so that bronzed skin became emblematic of glamour rather than peasantry; of a leisured life rather than outdoor labour.” Then Josephine Baker, the “Carmel skinned” African-American singer and dancer arrived in France in October 1925; She whispered, “I wasn’t really naked. I simply didn’t have any clothes on.” and the Parisians fell head over heels in love with her exoticism and longed to copy her dark skin tone. Next came the 1960’s and 70’s, with Brigitte Bardot, France’s golden skinned and gap toothed sweetheart, sunning herself topless on the beaches of southern France and the free spirited hippies of Woodstock, favouring the natural and god-given look, they gave the tan a new lease of life. Sunbeds arrived in the late 70s’ and by the 80’s and tanning become more popular than ever. Farrah Fawcett gracing the most famous poster of all time, its sold over 12 million copies, in nothing but a red swimming costume and a honey bronze tan, had every woman (and man) in America and across the Atlantic lusting after her. Jane Fonda stepped in with her cult workout videos and a fitness craze swept America and an obsession with health, beauty and toned bodies followed. This fixation on the tan dropped only slightly when the link between sun exposure and skin cancer was discovered and in 2009 they were declared as great a cancer threat as asbestos and cigarettes. A recent study last year has again provided evidence of the connection; Principal investigator DeAnn Lazovich, associate professor of epidemiology at the School of Public Health, revealed: “We have discovered that people who have ever used a sunbed are 74 per cent more likely to develop melanoma. This large and detailed study we have carried out once again proves the connection between sunbed exposure and Skin Cancer.” Some more stubborn tanners still ignore these warnings and according to the British Sunbed Association, sunbeds are still frequented by an estimated 3 million Britons.
Most of us, though, hit the bottle, with the market for fake tanning growing at an absurd rate year on year. In 2002 the retail value of self-tanning products in the UK was worth £23.2m. By 2007 the market had more than doubled, and by the end of 2010 it was worth a staggering £100 million. Michelle Feeney, CEO of market leading self-tan brand, St Tropez says: “Self-tanning continues to be the fastest growing beauty treatment in the UK, generating revenues of close to £100m – and despite the recession, sales of St Tropez products and services were up by 20% in the last quarter of 2010.”
‘I’m not addicted, don’t get me wrong. I’m no Katie Price and I don’t live in Essex.’ So are we still doing it to be fashionable? Because apart from Donatella Versace and the eternally sun blessed Valentino, fashion has, long ago, turned its back on the deepest darkest tan. No longer do you see carrot coloured legs and an glowing orange face gracing the catwalks or the red carpet, except perhaps from the cast of Eastenders at The National Television Awards. Pale glowing skin is all you will see at the likes of Chanel, Prada and McQueen. You only have to flip through the pages of a fashion magazine to see that the adverts for these fashion houses reflect that; Milky white skin at Miu Miu, freckly English girls at Burberry and the fair and bosomy Scarlett Johansson gracing Dolce & Gabanna. “We’ve also been noticing more and more stars sporting the Snow White look this year,” says Avril Mair, Beauty columnist “Katy Perry has been rocking a faintly gothic look, and Daisy Lowe is a great example of how ‘pale and interesting’ is back in again. There’s something more dignified about staying pasty when you live in northern Europe. Tilda Swinton is also a long time devotee and Julianne Moore and Kristen Scott Thomas have always rocked the pale look, all three beautiful sophisticated women flying the flag for natural British beauty. We have been given this gorgeous milky complexion with flushed pink cheeks and freckles and we choose to hide it under layers of orange gunk”
But I don’t think this means that we must give up on the tan altogether, we sometimes forget that there is an in-between. There is also a fine line between a tan looking cheap and looking like you’ve just come back from an expensive weekend in Monaco. If you have bleach blonde hair-extensions, a tendency to wear three pairs of eyelashes layered on top of one another, blank out your lips with concealer coated with gloss, so much bronzer you’ve forgotten what colour your skin actually is and Amy Childs is your all time hero then chances are a mahogany tan will not work in your favour. If, on the other hand, you only use a bit of tinted moisturizer and you don’t spend 12 hours a month in the hairdresser then you may be in with a chance. It’s all down to how you wear it. Dress it badly in a too-short bandage dress, stripper heels and a fake Hollywood smile, and you could end up looking like an extra from The Only Way is Essex. Do it right and you could easily blend in with those lucky ladies who actually do frequently jet off for an expensive weekend in Monaco. Think Blake Lively and Rosie Huntington Whitley; never knowingly over-tanned. So, to start, ditch the cheap mousse. Its too dark, its too obvious and it makes you patchy round your edges. Invest in an everyday lotion, such as St.Tropez Everyday Cream (£14.90) or Palmers Cocoa Butter Natural Bronze (£4.95). Instead of leaving your skin dry, green and scaly, these will leave you smooth, moisturized and radiant. These do require patience, however all things come to those who wait and if applied everyday and exfoliated off every few days, you will see yourself transformed into a glowing English rose who has spent the day innocently picking daisies in the sun. The mahogany tan has become dated and cheap. It’s definitely had its day and it’s about time we all caught up.
The Good
The Bad
The Ugly
So has Coco Chanel’s famous mistake now turned back in on itself? She notoriously made the tan enchanting, sophisticated and gave it the appearance of a life of the leisured rather than the working classes. But since the turn of the millennium we have taken this glamorous trend and made it trashy. Perhaps its time we stripped it back to its roots; a natural light golden tan. Everything that goes around comes around, and call me a snob but I’m convinced and I’ll be throwing out the Extra Dark Fake Bake the second I get home.
From Left; Nars Bronzer in Light Laguna, £22. Bliss Lemon & Sage Body Scrub, £29. St Tropez Gradual Tan Lotion, £14.90.